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Ruski's Tavern

4.2 (151 reviews)
Open 8:00 am - 11:00 pm

Ruski's Tavern Photos

Business Info

RUSKI'S TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Juke Box
Divey
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Ruski's Tavern

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TVs and bar
Sarah V.

Monica, the owner, is a GEM of this dive bar in Portland (oldest bar in the area). Great vibes equipped with touch tunes, TVs, and a full bar / food menu. Our favorite stop!

Decor has plenty to look at and talk about. Great conversation starter
Alison M.

I've loved in Portland for a number of years and has never been to this landmark. Decided it was time so headed over and check it out. On street parking wasn't difficult to find luckily. Walked in and found several seats at the bar. Bartender acknowledged us and let us know he would be with us shortly. Friendly and helpful staff. We were glad center a menu and we chose the crab cakes. Was a little worried about since 75% of cooks cook crab with old bay seasoning which is not my favorite. Pleasantly surprised when they came and were super crispy and hot! No old bay yay!!! Very tasty with my ice cold beer. Decor is interesting to look at and people gathered there were having a good time all around. Definitely will be back to check out more menu items as well as the vibe.

Bbq bacon burger
The D.

The hangover cure all but if you don't drink still a great place!! Staff is very attentive and personable! We're not a big breakfast food fan so when I find a place that will serves lunch/dinner food early I'm all for it. Fired off with the bbq bacon burger which was just fantastic, juicy, fully dressed we did add mayo because we love it making it everything I needed. The Thai chicken wings were perfectly cooked / seasoned with plenty of Thai sauce! Finished off with a Caesar salad that was perfectly dressed! I was a big fan of the croutons. Had a bloody marry to offset the HANGOVER which was a great pick but the pepperoncini was too much for my sensitive stomach. My partner got a coke which was the perfect balance of bubbles and syrup. Overall we had a blast! This is a great spot to drink, hangout, and eat delicious comfort food!

The Bar
Kurt P.

We stayed at an AirBnB just up Clark St. so we had to stop here for a beer and a lite lunch, as we were intrigued by the reputation. This place has some serious history, but honestly it reminded me of so many taverns in Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. They have some nice beers on tap. I ordered a PBR, and the keg must have been freshly tapped because it had serious foam. The downside: it was warm. I ordered a clam cake, as I had never heard of such a thing (pictured below). It was mostly deep fried bread crumbs. My wife had a special: chili made with sweet potatoes and eggplant. I tasted it and it really was pretty good. The server wasn't particularly friendly, and we only saw her when we flagged her down. Meh, it's a crowded dark tavern.

a pint of beer
Elizabeth S.

This is a neighborhood bar that is small and friendly. I was visiting the area and we decided to take a drink break mid afternoon as we were gathering for Thanksgiving and needed to check out the digs. There were a few people there having lunch and others having drinks like us. Certainly friendly people smiling and joking around. The music was loud heavy metal and then some classic rock. Didn't bother us although a few times we had to rock out to the tunes. I heard that the food is pretty good so next time I am in the neighborhood maybe we can check it out.

Great ambiance . It's a true neighborhood bar with pleasant local people of all ages, very friendly , great service & the best lobster roll in Portland !!

Shrimp Benny
Kat Y.

This is an excellent dive bar. Super small inside filled with locals, but it is worth stopping in. Be warned, breakfast on Sunday is slammed. There's no real waiting area so you have to sort of hover around. The staff handles the stress of being busy, but don't be in a hurry if you come here. It's pretty loud, so you'll need to speak up. Sometimes the music system and jukebox play at the same time which put you in sensory overload. I did say it was a dive bar... The decor inside is fantastic, The Duke and King watch over while you imbibe. Excellent Shrimp Benny, house made biscuit, and Bloody Mary was tasty.

Breakfast

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4 months ago

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7 months ago

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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1 year ago

Great neighborhood pub with great food been going there for years is my go to place when people come to town?

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Great drive bar with shockingly good food. Feels like being transported back to Portland from the old days.

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3 years ago

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

Good food. Cool dive for atmosphere. Fun clientele is solid. Staff is friendly and chairs.

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Great neighborhood bar! Cold beers! Tasty wings! Friendly atmosphere! I really like this place!

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Fantastic atmosphere, beer, food and Playlist! One of the last classic neighborhood bars in existence.

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

Wonderful, Happy little dive bar with great food and drinks Also Awesome humans that work & own it.

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5 years ago

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8 years ago

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Commercial St Pub

Commercial St Pub

3.7(54 reviews)
0.9 miOld Port
$

The bouncer working on a Friday night on 1/16/2026 at around 10 pm was a prick. I tried to walk…read moreinto the door and he said where are you going? I asked him why and he didn't answer me. I then told him I am just going to relax and have a drink in the bar. He grabbed my jacket as I attempted to walk through the door and said you never showed me your ID. I told him you never asked before I tried to walk in. I then apologized to him, and I tried to show him my ID. He told me he didn't want to look at it and told me to leave instead. I thought he was just a drunk customer joking around with me before he asked me for my ID, because he didn't identify himself before he grabbed me. I left right away because I didn't want any trouble. I went to Tomaso's Canteen right after and they treated me with dignity and respect. I had a great night at Tomaso's Canteen and the staff was really friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend people avoid Commercial Street Pub, considering there are better bars in the area nearby which will treat you with more respect than Commercial Street Pub.

Commercial St. Pub has an interesting vibe, kind of like stepping into someone's living room,…read morecomplete with comfy couches, end tables, and some real comfy bar stools. The bartenders are awesome, and the drinks are reasonably priced. We didn't grab any food, so I can't speak to that, but if you're cruising down the street and need a quick drink, this place is a solid stop. Definitely has a relaxed, no-frills atmosphere that's worth checking out.

Photos
Commercial St Pub - Red hot dog

Red hot dog

Commercial St Pub
Commercial St Pub

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Ruski's Tavern - pubs - Updated May 2026

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