Sky Club

Horrible comedy. Wouldn’t have stayed if we didn’t have drinks already. Left as soon as possible.

(note this used to be named Captain Ankeny’s Well… but is the same place/​owner, just different name.
Excellent place to sit our side and watch the vibe that is Portland. Next to Voodoo doughnuts, and neighbor to several other bars, you get the full mix: tourists, locals, drug dealers, pan handlers, etc.
Prices are reasonable, and has full bar. Pizza by the slice is really good.
Waitstaff is friendly and efficient.

This place is more like a dive + sports bar. The crowd is mix of teens and funky people. Definitely try it atleast once on Friday

Aerial Theatre– Awesome.
Drinks– good.
Food– Needs improvement. I urge you to pass on the pizza. They drown the dough in flour until that’s all you can taste. And they need more choices. I didn’t see anything appetizing on the menu.

Nice bar, good prices and beer selection, live music on Wednesdays and DJ on Thursdays. Both bartenders were awesome and really nice and friendly. Great central location. Sorta a weird crowd but it was a random night

I’m not sure how we ended up at Skyclub but we just had a very disappointing visit to Voodoo Doughnuts and needed a beer to make things right – Skyclub was right next door. We came around noon and stumbled in to a very empty bar. It was a weekday after all so we weren’t expecting a crowd. The bartender was chill, he didn’t seem that talkative so didn’t try to make friendly conversation. They had a stage so I assume they have live music and some sort of aerial act that involves drapes. The bar is pretty small – a good size for a cozy fun time. We stayed for a beer and were on our way.
NOTE: The restrooms are a NIGHTMARE. There are two single stall restrooms and both looked like they haven’t been cleaned since the place opened.

We were here recently for a drink. It happened to be happy hour. Well drinks and beer was half off. The bartender was dressed up like a sailor pin-​up girl. The bartender was female so you can stop trying to imagine a man in a sailor pin-​up girl costume. Service was good. This particular corner is great for people watching. There was a moment while sipping on my gin and tonic, which was more tonic than gin, when I happened to glance over and see the ‘KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD’ on the back of Dantes. At the same time, a clown with a feather in his colorful hair (wig) comes zipping by on his bike and a girl dressed in a skeleton outfit walks by in the opposite direction. Across the street is a man in a bath robe admiring a kitten that a girl in purple yeti boots was holding. Even if yesterday wasn’t Halloween, I think I would have seen this exact scene on any other day in Portland.
The bar itself was fine. I really like the outdoor seating. The drink was meh. Whatever this place ends up being called, the best thing about it is the outdoor seating. There is hardly ever a dull moment on that corner.

I came here on St. Patties day (Sunday) and this one didn’t charge cover! woohoo.
They have two single bathrooms and when I was heading towards one of them I noticed that they had a stage with the hoop floating on top of it. Then I heard talks of actual acrobatic performances there, which makes me really want to come back on a day when they have a performance!
The drinks were moderately priced as well as the food. BTW the pizza is great and the drinks were good.
The service was great as well and the place was nicely kept. I had a good experience there and plan on coming back during normal hours for a performance.

It’s no secret that Portland has a neo circus community. That includes trapeze popularized by Do Jump, and aerial ballet by the Oregon Ballet, offshoots and newcomers. There are ongoing aerial dance groups in Portland performing on aerial silk and trapeze, and teaching classes. Perhaps it was seeded by Cirque du Soliel, which began over 30 years ago, but it has branched and crossbred extensively since.
Then there are a whole series of Portland circus performers, acro yoga practicers and poi players. Combine that with belly dancers and burlesque performers and there are some great possibilities for a performance club representing all the good about neo circus and none of the bad, for instance clowns, or captive animal performances.
That place is the new Sky Club. It is inside Captain Ankeny’s Well, an ancient bar with great outdoor happy hour memories. Inside it’s starting to change. The back bar remains the same. The bar façade has been modernized with LED lighting. There is a new stage, the walls have been painted a deep deep blue and there is laser lighting. The stage has aerial silks and a trapeze.
The night I was there there were 4 performers. They all keep their clothes on, but they also visit the audience for tips after each performance. And since admission is free, that is reasonable. Bring some ones.
The club will also book visiting performers, those who have run away with the circus or who are making their own way with circus.
I’m giving them 5 stars for uniqueness, but maybe if this catches on, they will upgrade their food and drink, or move to a larger venue with higher ceilings.
They are performing Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, with unstructured auditions on Wednesdays now. When we get into the rainy season, both performers and audience may want to be indoors, so keep an eye in this spot for a break from the other club activities in the downtown zone and expanded nights. It would be an excellent date spot.
New spot to to see aerial acrobatic performers who are taking risk with gravity in a beautiful way with clothes on, our own cirque de l’averse.