First National Taphouse

First National Taphouse has closed suddenly in the dead of night, and our hearts are broken. Best job I ever had.
Allow me to clarify a few things and dispel any rumors. No one other than the owners knew that this was going to happen, not the upper management, not the employees, no one. The night before the restaurant closed was extremely busy, and in no way was the business in financial trouble. It came like a bolt of lightning from a clear blue sky. We went to bed as a tight-​knit family, and woke up unemployed, with our company email disabled and all of the locks changed.
We had a blast every single day we were open, and we will miss our friends and regulars — Tim, Jason, Todd, Carl, Katie, Dean Steve, even the mysterious Snackbeard. It was our pleasure to serve all of you. Please forgive us for our faults and keep us in your hearts. I will miss my co-​workers and teammates terribly, and the sense of loss and sadness is overwhelming. Our futures are uncertain, but we know that we were part of something special, if only for a few fleeting months.
This is Morgan, last surviving bartender of the USS Taphouse, signing off. * * * * *

These miserable $$millionaire real estate$$$ COCK SUCKERS JUST PUT 40 of the best, most decent, hard working people I’ve ever known out in the street without warning. They will BURN IN HELL FOR THEIR LACK OF FORESIGHT& utter disregard for everything that’s good about humanity. I’d pray for steve masters, but it would be a waste of fucking time. Howdy, Tim! Seen YER SOUL, lately??? Fuck you both forever!

After investing over three quarters of a million dollars, and staffing the place with the 30 least friendly servers availbe in Portland. The First National Taphouse has closed its doors. Suddenly. At 3 AM last night the owners changed the locks, without notifying the crew set to open the next day. If that’s the respect they were treating staff with, no wonder the employees were so shoddy. Shit rolls down hill.
The place was dead most of the time, the few sporting events and weekend nights would not have sustained it going forward. They would have been chasing bad money with good.
Hope the next tennant takes advantage of the location with a business model that takes the budget of its average patron into consideration.

Really enjoy the vibe and the great prices in the beer cooler.
The happy hour Kobe beef burger comes on a bun that’s pretty dry, but the fries are great.
The beet crostini isn’t bad, either.

SW PDX needed a grown-​up bar. This place fits the bill — except their food menu could use some work if it’s to live up to both the price and the ambiance. The burgers are regularly overcooked, salads are small, handpies are mostly pastry dough and uninspiring, other items on the menu are dressed up to sound exciting and upscale when they actually turn up bland and a bit boring. It is, unfortunately, trying too hard in the wrong arenas. The bottle opening fee for the beers they stock is exorbitant — I’d rather drink it at home, but then again I probably do that too much anyhow.
However, it is very welcome and refreshing to have an option in the area that are not divey, frat-​infested watering holes with too many tv’s and nappy video poker. At least this place is a few steps above Cheerful! I’ll be back, but only for the convenience, the ambiance and the beer selection.

I live in the neighborhood and have been here many times. The food and service are always very good to excellent.
Last night I dined here with a friend. He had the Mac and Cheese while I had the Baked Squash. I gave the Baked Squash 5-​stars. It was cooked perfectly and then topped/​stuffed with sun dried tomatoes, garlic, green beans, a touch of feta, and more. I could eat this healthy and delicious dish all the time.
My buddy’s Mac & Cheese was good though it seemed just a tad small for the price. My friend thought it needed a little more sauce and more breadcrumbs to get the 5-​stars.
Service and the stouts we drank were both outstanding. I recommend this place.

8 words: Tikka Masala Sweets (sweet potato fries, chicken curry).
I also love the wall of seasonal and world beers.
Last night we chose a bottle of ginger cider. We also were served samples for house ginger cider as we watched the Heisman trophy ceremony take place.
This is a lovely place to bring friends for a good meal and/​or who have a hankering for foreign, domestic and specialty beers.
It would also be a great place to hold a birthday dinner, since they have a quiet/​private area in the back for such an occasion. The light fixtures made from liquor bottles were especially cool.
For a sports bar, this place has a class feel. I credit the dark wood.
The vibe is very laid back, but you could hear the excitement throughout the bar and restaurant when Marcus Mariota won the Heisman. I also love that the front side is comprised of garage door windows that can be opened up in the summer, to give an outdoor feel to those inside.
The area really needed something like this, so I hope it encourages other restaurants to pop up, because the heavy traffic and limited parking in the Pearl has gotten tiresome.

I will start out by saying that the service is pathetic. I’ve been here half a dozen times since opening (I live and work nearby) and I feel that after about 3 months that they should have gotten it together by now. They always seem incredibly understaffed, or your server is nowhere to be found.
Having worked in many restaurants before, I know that good service isn’t hard to give. I came in this Thursday evening for a work meeting and the gentleman host (or server?) sat 5 of us at a tiny 4 top table, stuck a chair on the end-​blocking the aisle way by the bar and leading into the kitchen. Across from us sat 3 people at a 6 top… We had no elbow room, no comfort. My coworker asked, «Is it possible for us to move to a bigger table? It’s just a little close for 5 of us. «Which the gentleman quickly shot back with, «To where?» There were MANY open tables, I think he may have been bitter that we simply not comfortable in his section. A little bit of attitude during dinner rush stress, okay-​brushed it off. We moved ourselves to something more comfortable.
Looking at our menus things were getting better… Until I realized that we were given the «lounge menu» only served certain hours of the day. Flip it over to the other side-​the same exact menu printed on both sides. Proof reading mustn’t be a priority on the dinner menu.
Now this is where I would ask my server for the correct menu… If he/​she ever greeted us. We literally sat there for 20 MINUTES without a greeting, without water– not even a «hey guys, I’m a little busy, but I’ll be with you in a moment.» MEANWHILE, our «host» was far too busy chatting up a cute couple sat 10 minutes after us who had already received their drinks.
If it took them THAT long to even say hello, we decided it would take even longer to receive our drinks, food, etc. Troubling to receive bad service before we even met our server. We got up and left and again the man who sat us just gave us this dumbfounded look like, «Why are they leaving?» Seriously? And that look sparked this lengthy Unilocal review.
The most redeeming moment of this 25 – 30 minute endeavor is that on our way out, we saved a group from the most painful and frustrating dinner service they would ever receive by directing them to many other Portland restaurants EASILY more deserving of their time and money.
They took my advice and so should you.

Great selection of beers here, but food? Think twice before coming here for a burger or steak. I tried to give their food a second chance but still a no go. Three burgers ordered at medium rare, all three, well done Steak? Came cold. If your into it, all you. Come for a beer, not the food. Unilocal on.

This place is bougie, suffers from cognitive dissonance & looks largely out of place from the inside and out. It’s the most expensive bar within walking distance, their menu is too large and I have a feeling that is why the food is a C+ at best. They look at you like they don’t want you to come in. It all reminds me of a business mans failed contrivance of a bar, who maybe thought he could overcharge students using their student loan debit cards?

Great list of beers to choose from, comfortable seating and well positioned TV’s for viewing. Service — no complaints what so ever.
Sadly, the experience is downhill from here. Unimpressed with the Colcannon Skins. Twice baked fingerling potatoes with kale & mascarpone in the filling, topped with bacon jam. It was a very disjointed and bland combination. And needed salt. This was a bit of a theme… read on. I ordered the Sweet & Spicy Mixed nuts. No sweet to be found, or salt. My server graciously returned the bowl to the kitchen for a little salting. Better.

Stunningly untrained staff. Lots of people working, but astonishingly, most of them either stand around talking to one another, or wander around empty handed, looking at empty glasses and plates but sailing right by without a word to get back to gossiping with coworkers. I have yet to see anyone on the floor who looks or behaves like a manager, and oh boy, does it show. Please. Fix. It.

I came here for the first time with a few friends for a few drinks and to catch up on life. The atmosphere was very unique and the service was great! We ordered a few beers on tap and everyone was happy with their selection, but yea like the rest of the review it was a little spendy. You definitely pay for the large variety. Since we were there to just chat, we got some regular fries, sweet potato fries, and cheesy bread. The fries were greattt — somehow they’re not on the menu but they taste like lightly beer battered and comes with a nice tarter sauce. FYI they only have one TV in the back corner so if you’re looking for a good game, you’d be dining in the back. But overall, it was a great experience and definitely a cool hang out/​study break place with your friends.

We had a great experience at First National Taphouse last week. A group of us went there to watch the Duck game on Friday night. From their photos online, it looked like they had enough TVs and would be a good place to go. My dad had called to make a reservation and we found out they have a back room with a TV, so we were able to sit back there (I would have preferred the table in the bar area cause I like the atmosphere there better, but this was a great backup option).
They are a tap house primarily. 30 beers on tap. I looked at the menu and only recognized a few of the beers. Immediately was pleased as that kind of variety and rarity are hard to come by. Only knock is that the beer prices aren’t the cheapest, even for something you can get at Safeway. I think they were $ 5 for a 16 oz pint. But obviously you’re paying more for the larger selection. It was also very cool that they had a full wall of 5 or so coolers stocked with bottles. Didn’t have one there, but I would assume you could drink anything in the cooler at the restaurant too.
Food is good too. I had the mac n cheese. Can’t really go wrong there. We also had some mussels, their baked squash, the liver pâté, and i think another item or two. I was satisfied and thought the food prices were pretty reasonable – definitely helps make up for the slightly higher beer.
Staff is friendly and welcoming. Good service. It’s also nice to not have super crowded street parking around in the PSU area. We were able to park a block away at 6:45 on a Friday. I definitely foresee us heading here more.

Been here twice, once for happy hour beers and then again for a later night snack and beers.
Both times service was legit and efficient. The Kobe Beef Burger was very tasty, it was a little messy with their dressing and some toppings slipping out, but I consumed every bit of it. We shared some really good fries as a starter. They were like sweet potatoes with a curry/​chicken sauce. Very unique. I wouldn’t have argued with a larger portion.
Both my friends have eaten here multiple times and they liked everything. A nice variety, but I like that the menu isn’t too busy. Some of these taphouse menus overdo it with the food choices. I like the setting. Great natural light and the garage doors open up, to provide that sidewalk feel. You can actually sit outside as well.
Tap Selection is varied and rotating. They also have every bottle and canned beer product you can imagine. It’s well organized and shopper friendly. Something for everyone here. My entrée was 11.95, Pints of Green Flash $ 5.50.

This review was originally posted on 09/​26/​2014 on a now duplicate page:
For months I anxiously awaited FNT to open and create more drinking options near PSU. When they finally opened in September I was sad to read reviews and find they were charging $$$ for their beers. I’ll be honest, I’m a beer snob, so the fact that they have many taps and bottles was a huge perk for me however I will not pay more than $ 5 for pints of local, non-​rare beers. FNT charges $ 5.50 a pint (16oz) for their normal beers and $ 7 a pint for the special brews. If you want a 20oz imperial pint you’re looking at ~$ 6 – 7 for normal beers and more for specials. At least Baileys serves their beers standard in 20oz beers and rarely go over $ 6. Their happy hour doesn’t cover everything, they offer 3 beers in 20oz pours for $ 5.50, some basic cocktails for $ 5 and $ 1 off wine. The food menu was large, but be prepared to spend at minimum $ 10 for the basic dishes. Many of the burgers were $ 16 – 18. I just don’t see this pricing model working with PSU students, the majority of people at FTN were PSU and nearby employees. They have plenty of space but suffer from super slow service. Members of our group waited 20+ mins to receive their beers. I’m hoping once classes start next week they will see they need to change their happy hour pricing to attract students. While I’m happy to have more craft beer nearby I’ll probably stick with Cheerful for after work happy hour.

This place had been under construction FOREVER, and I was thrilled to see that it had finally opened. The name «First National Taphouse» sounded like a place that would be right up my alley as a beer bar connoisseur. Unfortunately, my first experience left a lot to be desired.
True to its name, First National Taphouse had an impressive selection of beers on tap. With 30 beers on tap and hundreds more available from the bottle shop, there is something here for every drinker. Cost varies from beer to beer, and you have the opportunity to choose the size glass you want your beer served in.
Unfortunately, (and contrary to my expectations) this place is more restaurant than bar. Most tables seem to be occupied with groups eating a full, sit down meal… making it a bit awkward to come in and just order a drink. My impression of the food is that it is college campus quality at semi-​formal prices. I ordered the Irish Rarebit cheese bread off the happy hour menu, which consisted of cheese melted on top some dry bread, topped with pickles. It reminded me of something I would make in desperation when I realized bread, cheese, and pickles were the only things in my refrigerator.
Service left a lot to be desired, but I’m willing to let that slide somewhat given that they have recently opened and it was the first week of a new year at PSU. But if the service is bad and the food is average and everything is overpriced, I’m not sure the First National Taphouse gave me any reason to come back a second time.

Man oh man!
Q: How many employees does it take to fill a growler at the bar?
A: 3
Q: How long does it take?
A: 15 minutes.
Q: How much did it cost to fill?
A: $ 16.50
Q: Was the lid to your growler put on tightly so when you put said growler in your bag it won’t leak?
A: No
:(

Went there on a Thursday night, they had only been open for 10 days. We were a party of 3 and we sat at the bar.
OUR ORDER (mostly off the happy hour menu)
Old fashion x2
Whiskey ginger
Hand pies
Kobe burger x2
Chicken liver terrine
+ non-​stop stouts
Overall great experience — food was good for bar menu and the drinks were made with lots of attention to detail (ex. On the old fashion they rubbed the orange peel around the inside of the rim so when you drink it you can smell the orange. Yum!). Our bartender, Ty, was awesome — he was personable and friendly even though it was crazy busy in there.
There is also a fridge section (you pass it on the way to the restrooms) that you can pick bottled beers from and they’ll give you a glass for it at the bar. Even though they had just been open a few days, there already were some regulars that the staff was very friendly to — a great sign for continue business.
And if you’re looking for a place to watch a football game or two… they’ve got a TV for that too.

If you live in SW, you’ve probably been waiting for this place with the combination of fear/​anticipation that is typically only reserved for Xmas/Birthdays/One’s next sexual experience.
Unlike all three of those things, First National Taphouse did not disappoint. It won’t come as a shock to anyone that they’ve got a LOT of beer (both for drinking there or to buy and take home), but they’ve also got some pretty damn good grub. Shout outs include:
Habenero Glazed Chicken Wings fried in Duck Confit
These were sooo good. There’s a hint of spice, but the duck confit flavour is strong in these bad boys. They were literally falling off the bone soft, and tasty enough that those bones were mighty clean when they took my plate.
Smoked Salmon Candy
Despite the visions of Salmon Sugar Daddies this dish conjures, it’s actually a salad (and a really good one at that). Composed of arugula, orange, shaved radish, and smoked salmon in a citrus vinaigrette, it was deliciously refreshing (and also wiped out in a matter of seconds)
Beyond that, they’ve got some pretty ample seating (both inside and out front patio/​sidewalk) and I’ll definitely be back. If you find yourself by PSU, give it a shot!