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    Black Water

    4.3 (326 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

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    BLACK WATER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual

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    Recommended Reviews - Black Water

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    Hot STIXX
    Alaniz C.

    love this place bad. rad music, space for bands to play! VEGAN MOZZ STICKS!! fuegoooo. service was awesome upstairs and got the patio all to myself once the band started playing:)) awesome spot!

    Chili Cheese Fries yum
    susie K.

    We've been to this neighborhood place a couple times for drinks and dinner. Their menu is vegan, which is a big plus for my dairy free needs and there are also some gluten free options available. They have a full bar with plenty on tap. Food is good. Service is efficient. Haven't been here when there's live music but I know they do that.

    Ube cinnamon roll (so dense, not good)
    Maria W.

    I was hoping to like this restaurant for a late night snack, but it was a huge let down. I ordered via Uber Eats: I got the mozz sticks and Ube cinnamon roll. When the food arrived, I was thrilled, but disappointment soon followed after the mozz sticks didn't give that sting of cheeze with each bite. The cheeze remained tucked inside the breading. The cheeze wasn't solid either, but mushy. It was weird. I was hoping it'll be like Korny Vibes (Houston, TX) mozz sticks which is the closest I've tasted to the animal based one. Their mozz sticks were cooked right so the mozz would be create a string cheeze while the breading stayed together. At Black Water, it was a complete letdown and missed my craving. The Ube cinnamon roll wasn't any better. It was extremely dense. The flavor of ube faint and wasn't throughout the the roll. I couldn't even finish it because of the dryness. Gross trash. When I'm back in Portland, I won't visit again. By far the worst vegan restaurant I've been to.

    Chili cheese fries and burger
    Deedee C.

    Came here since was craving burgers and was in between this place and Tulip Shop Tavern (really good smash burgers). Picked this place since we've been here before and wanted to support a vegan business. And omg, they do have really good vegan burgers and chili cheese fries. But wow. Their chili cheese fries are massive and oh so delicious! The chilli tastes proper (no weird flavors) and the vegan cheese was scrumptious! It also stays melty unlike regular cheese. And they give proper amount of sauce. I just kept eating it because it was that good. The crowd here does trend young (mid 20's - mid 30's) and it can get packed towards 8pm. Service could be faster but it's also because there weren't many servers. Either way, solid food and crowd. Can't wait to come back for more

    Scorpion burger with a side of cheese sauce
    Patrick M.

    Scorpion burger is always a well earned classic! It came out super hot and fresh and the extra side of cheese dip cup for $3 hit the spot. The new location in Portland has its own parking lot and little private back patio. There is plenty of seating and bar service structure. I want to try the whole menu and full bar!

    Kiara T.

    I love that this place is open late and you can get good food and drinks. The service was fast and friendly. I highly recommend the Buffalo soy wings! Some time has pass and I still stink about the wings. My brother thought the soy wings was actually chicken. Can't wait to go next time and check out one of their shows, it looks like a cool environment.

    Madison B.

    Such a cool place. The grilled cheese and tots are excellent. There is live music, pinball, and even a photo booth. Attached to a record shop.

    Tots and Chix Caesar Salad
    Rebecca R.

    Wow, wow, wow. This may sound ridiculous to say about something as simple as tater tots, but those were the single best thing I've eaten in some time. The amount pictured here is also the "small" size so the portion is great. I also had the chicken Caesar salad. The dressing was thick, tangy and creamy. I really enjoyed the tofu chicken. I prefer tofu over other meat substitutes. Even the croutons tasted fresh. This place is giving dimly-lit dive bar, but this is NOT your average bar food. The attention to quality ingredients is very apparent. I'm only here for the weekend, but I'm pretty sure I'll be back. Thank you for doing justice to vegan food.

    Shane S.

    I recently went to the all vegan metal and punk bar Black Water. Black Water also has it's own record label. Kudos for having an all vegan menu. The word heavy metal was coined by writer William S. Burroughs in his novel Naked Lunch back in 1959. Perhaps the first heavy metal band was Black Sabbath that formed in 1968 almost a decade after the word heavy metal came into existence. I am a longtime fan of both Burroughs and Black Sabbath. I also love punk especially the Stooges who were an inspiration to punk rock. I love the Ramones probably the first punk band along with Clash whose music I also love. My musical tastes are varied. I didn't like the music that was played here though and found it a bit abrasive. Perhaps it was Black Metal or Death Metal. I am not sure. It wasn't played overly loud yet just vibe with it. I feel the Vegan Black Metal Chef would love it here. I went with the cheeze burger that came with a house patty, chao cheese, burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. Service was friendly and kind. I think the veggie burgers are made in house and black bean based. It was a great veggie burger and affordable to boot. I am not a fan of beyond meat and impossible meat although know some folks love them. I am glad they exist as much better folks eat these meat analogs than factory farmed meat. Cruelty-free dining is where it is at. I much prefer a good house made black bean veggie burger any day and Black Water delivers. I also got a kale salad. Awesome they have kale salad on the menu. The kale salad was marinated kale, toasted sunflower seeds, pickled onion tossed in a tahini dressing. I didn't really like the kale salad though and found it underwhelming. Didn't seem like the kale was marinated enough and felt like some tahini was thrown on some raw kale. I have had much better kale salads. Glad there was a kale salad option though on the menu. They have live music here and although the music wasn't my thing some folks might love it. Support your local vegan punkand metal bar!

    Mac and cheese
    Melanie T.

    Food Amazing Nachos Incredible Mac & cheese- really good on a nacho chip Caesar salad- I added tomato Loud crazy music Great Service

    Holly S.

    Typical pub style food. Nothing fancy. You order at the counter before sitting down. Self-serve water is available. Tried the Bacon Broccoli Slaw. The broccoli was blanched/steamed perfectly, so it still had a lot of crunch. The dressing was very mild, not much flavor. The soy bacon curls were mostly salty... didn't get much of any other flavor. The westerner was meh. The patty itself is very very gummy. It was extremely difficult to cut, even with a steak knife. The crispy onions were far from crispy, they were a mangled, soggy, sticky wad, literally like they had been sitting at the bottom of a warmer pan. TBH they were actually disgusting. The BBQ sauce was good, had a nice peppery flake in it and that burger sauce was next level. Service was great. I don't plan to return.

    Chix sandwich and Tots
    Alicia D.

    This was my first meal in Portland and it did not disappoint! I was in search of a vegan and gluten free meal and found this thru my search! Walking up to it, I was a little skeptical and going inside was even more questionable because I don't typically expect good food from a bar but holy crap! My vegan chicken sandwich on a gluten-free bun was fantastic! It was well flavored, and fresh and hot! Also gluten-free were the tator tots fried to perfection and crispy! I am so glad I did not judge this place by the outside and gave it a chance. I wish I had more time because I would have tried more items throughout my trip. Highly recommend, especially if you have food allergies or intolerances. The bartender was really friendly and helpful as well and provided great service!

    Buffalo sandwich with a side of tots and house-made vegan ranch

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    3 months ago

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    9 days ago

    Amazing vegan food in a really cool, funky environment. Like a nice punk themed dive bar. They also host fun events with life performances.

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    12 days ago

    Was so excited to come here in PDX so ubered all the way here because Maps said it was open - ended up being closed for a private event

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    1 year ago

    The best burger you'll ever have is the scorpion burger. Their desserts too are good. Great prices and portions

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    1 year ago

    Loved Black Water at the old location and I love them here too. Great drinks, vegan food, bartender and patron vibes.

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    11 months ago

    $2.00 for a small side of anything? Mayo, extra dressing? Want both another $4 to your bill

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Black Water

    Are you vegan only, or have vegetarian too?

    Yes! Vegan food is vegetarian, too!

    Is it only 21+ after certain hours? Noticed some other bars/restaurants in Portland do that.

    They are all ages until 11pm every night

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Casa Madera

    Casa Madera

    4.5(28 reviews)
    2.2 mi•Sabin, Northeast Portland

    Take my review with a big grain of salt as they have fans…read more It's reminiscent of something you'd find on the Eastside or Beaverton. I'd PASS on the lunch specials. Chips and salsa were both weak. Most restaurants at least heat/refry the chips. The Chile Relleno is the eggy batter kind, with low-end chile like you'd find in a can. If this is the only familiar style of chili relleno then do yourself a favor and try the version at Salsas Locas in Southeast. Now that's something to brag about. The lunch special taco is only available in hard shell with a limited choice of ground beef (yuck), chicken or bean and cheese. The whole thing is topped with shredded iceberg lettuce (double yuck) then drowned in old school ranchero sauce with gobs of cheese. Very 1980s like. That said, the soft taco with carnitas was very good! So it seems like they have a mishmash of gringo Mexican and some authentic dishes. The interior is very inviting while the service was friendly and fast. Only saw Mexican staff and Mexican customers, a good thing. One and done for me, but many will enjoy this type of venue.

    This place is so cute and decorated in vibrant colors. I had the mezcal margarita with a tajin rim…read moreit smoky and delicious. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the rice and beans were flavorful-a great accompaniment. The staff was so helpful and attentive. It felt like a team effort there.

    Photos
    Casa Madera - Aesthetically pleasuring interior.

    Aesthetically pleasuring interior.

    Casa Madera - Soft taco was very good, hard shell was not.

    Soft taco was very good, hard shell was not.

    Casa Madera - Carne Asada. Yum. Best I've had in Portland ... and I am picky.

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    Carne Asada. Yum. Best I've had in Portland ... and I am picky.

    The Box Social

    The Box Social

    4.4(291 reviews)
    2.8 mi•Mississippi, Boise, North Portland, Northeast Portland
    •$$

    I think that the Box Social has all the elements of a place that could really pop for a fun happy…read morehour spot. However, there were several elements that made the experience less appealing. For one, their food menu for a place in Portland was quite lacking. In Portland where it's very easy to get great bar eats, I was disappointed to see goldfish and cheese platter amongst the only food they serve. The drink selection seemed small (if the goal is they specialize in drinks and not food). My drink was tasty but quite small. I love the mural, and the ambiance is great. I think there's just a few things about the bar that make you go "hmm".

    Date: Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 Time: around 4:45pm…read moreParty of: 2 which turned into 4 later *Ru Paul Sparkle Pony ($12) *Glenfiddich 12 yr ($18) *Soda Water ($2) We were meeting up one of my old friends for dinner. Since we had some time to kill, the hubby and I stopped by The Box Social to wait out the 30ish mins. I wanted something light and refreshing so got the sparkle pony. It was indeed bubbly and refreshing. Tho very light given there was vodka in it. The aesthetic of the place is very minimalistic. It was super quiet and bright when we were there. So the vibe can be a little sterile. Bartender was great. We just wanted a quick drink and he delivered. Once my friends joined us, one ordered a quick soda and we were on our way to dinner. Great if you want a very chill bar. Worth checking out for a round. REVIEW #3731

    Photos
    The Box Social - Marianito

    Marianito

    The Box Social - Hummus plate

    Hummus plate

    The Box Social

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    Black Water - vegan - Updated October 2026

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