This review is mostly for the new BBQ inside Tough Luck. (Lil' Barbecue). It is absolutely, outrageously good. Even the damn Cole slaw is fresh and light and crisp. They offer two sauces, a gold Carolina sauce, and the more traditional sauce folks may be familiar with. In particular: they offer a $10 pimento burger that comes with a side and is oozing with cheese. Mondays only! I tried the brisket, the sausage, the chicken thighs, the ribs (literally meat fell off the bone as I picked it up), and the pulled pork. Yeah Ive been there 3 times in the past month. That's when I knew I had to write a review. THANK YOU, AUSTIN. This is the new gold standard in PDX. PS: bartenders are friendly and the the kitchen staff is nice too. Really a 10/10. Ok fine, if I'm forced to complain about something it would be that they only carry RC cola. read more

I almost don't want to leave a review because I want this place to remain a secret, but that wouldn't be fair. We've been going to Tough Luck for a few years now but with the menu revamp featuring Lil BBQ it's become OVER THE TOP good. It's the type of thing where you start to plan your next visit before you've even left. The BBQ is THAT good. Also, the service: fully staffed, which is such a rarity these days. Everyone's doing their part to keep this place running smoothly, and they're super friendly too - another thing that seems to be going extinct in Portland (30 year resident). Well, there, I said it. This place is a hidden gem. I'll guess now I'll have to join you in the line. read more

We stopped in recently to pick up some ribs to go. While we waited, we each got a cocktail. I got the Manhattan On Tap which the menu indicated came "up". Instead it came on a big cube. Also, it was slightly fizzy (possibly due to being on tap?) and had a faint pinkish hue. Unfortunately, the taste did not rescue the drink. Wife had the margarita and enjoyed it. The ribs were heavily spiced which is not to my liking. However we had have them before and really enjoyed them as they were a different preparation. In a previous visit we had the brisket and it was outstanding. Staff was friendly and service was quick each visit. read more

Great BBQ! The tots are very unique, think mashed potato that has been cubed and fried to a crisp perfection. Brisket grilled cheese is a great item on the menu - pairs well with both of their house made bbq sauces. Sat outside on a beautiful day and food came out very quick! Would be happy to return. read more

Tough Luck - Frito pie - tots - brisket grilled cheese - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great bbq - we got the platter with all meat and all sides, which was good value for about 3 ppl. I liked the ribs, brisket, and sausage best - though pork was certainly tender. Sides were good. Service quick on an early Sunday afternoon. read more

Tough Luck - Platter - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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In 2021 I made my first trek to Austin to go on a brisket crawl of all the top places. I had never heard of La Barbecue at the time, but after a few days there I kept hearing good things about it and readjusted my plans in order to get a meal there. I tried 2-3 times to dine there and each time they were either closed our out of food, so I was super bummed. I was ecstatic to hear that they were opening up Lil Barbecue here in Portland as a sister restaurant. I had high expectations given their Michelin pedigree, but also expected the possibility of new restaurant growing pains too. I opted for 1/2 brisket, side of mac and cheese, pickled red onions, and banana pudding. The brisket was fantastic! I was excited to see how big and thick the slice of brisket was and that it was from the fatty point. The brisket shattered the benchmark set by the other bbq restaurants in town and stands in a tier all by itself IMO. I felt like it was as good as some of the better places I've had in Austin and Dallas (easily better than Terry Blacks). I have a love/hate relationship with banana pudding. Most of the time it's just average...average is fine/good but it's easily forgettable. Lil Barbecue's banana pudding was anything but average/fine/good...it was God Tier! I infrequently eat banana pudding so my memory might not be the best, but it really felt like this was the best banana pudding I have ever had in my life and it is not to be missed here. It tasted "real" without being too artificially flavored with banana, not too rich, not to sweet, and even had slices of real banana in it alongside Nilla Wafers. It was perfect! Ordering was counter service up at the bar and with these types of places service usually takes a back seat. I was surprised to learn that this wasn't the case, in fact this is probably the most attentive staff when it comes to counter service I've had in Portland. At best most places would just visit your table 1-2 times max, but here I want to say 4 different staff members passed by my table maybe 6+ times and one of them went above and beyond to address my issue that I didn't expect. Bravo! read more

Tough Luck - Menu 10/25 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Tough Luck has updated their food program with barbecue from Austin, Texas. (That means all the previous food reviews and photos are expired) La Barbecue in Austin https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-barbecue-austin-3 is famous, https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/texas/austin_2958315/restaurant/la-barbecue. La Barbecue has opened Lil' Barbecue for Tough Luck. I have had the pleasure of visiting a small barbecue joint in the Hill Country, locals knew, this would be about 8x that size, but not a large barbecue spot with a giant line. It's a straightforward menu of meats, sides, sandwiches, sausage on a bun, Frito pie, chili, and a few desserts. It is an almost all meat and dairy menu with little to no accommodation. The brisket was tender with the fat rendered out and just a touch of salt. It was not oversmoked as in hours or days of aftertaste. The mac and cheese tasted like gouda with just a touch of sweetness, maybe a little pimento or sweet paprika. The collards were coarsely hand torn and very neutral. The pickles were tasty. The Texas toast was regular white toast, not thick. They have 2 sauces in squeeze bottles at the table, a sweet/sour brown sauce and an even more tangy mustard sauce. There is a universe of barbecue sauces and you can make your own, so these were fine. In a food town, there is a temptation to overdo it with the strength of flavors, spices, or unusual ingredients. This spot is not that. Each dish forms a nice contrast between bites and that evolves as the meal develops and the dishes cool. The meal is served the traditional way on paper in a tray, there are metal utensils, better napkins - a necessity for barbecue, plastic water cups, and of course their signature bar with a focus on whiskey. Paper to-go boxes for leftovers. Order at the counter, and self-busing. There is about equal indoor and outdoor covered seating, but outdoors could be drippy with any wind. Street parking. The bar staff was solid, the food staff checked on customer satisfaction, and it was all excellent. If you like barbecued meats and the Texas menu that goes along with it, or you want to try the many styles of barbecue in Portland, or from your travels, Lil' Barbecue at Tough Luck is a must visit. read more

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Came here with a bunch of friends! We ordered the daily special with mac n cheese, some beers, and tater tots. Service was very friendly and quick! The best item that we ordered was definitely the tater tots. We agreed that the mac n cheese was our least favorite- but everything was really good overall! read more

Ok so unfortunately I didn't get some really good pics. But trust me when I tell you that this place is nice and chill. Staff was nice. Ambiance was great. So many heaters outside. Met up with people to play card games so you get that pic instead. I'd def come here again. read more

Tough Luck - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Sorry for my previous reviews, I was a little confused. As a real person, who lives on the block of Tough Luck for a few years now, we absolutely love it. The food is magnificant and fairly priced and the staff is just the best. The way they've really shown how much they care for the neighborhood, however, is what really earns them five stars. When they recently set up a barbecue operation perfectly compliant with Health Dept standards, several neighbors started to complement them on what a welcome addition it was to the community. Again, I'm a real person who lives in the neighborhood and doesn't hide behind an alias, so you can trust my review. read more

We have lived on the block of Tough Luck for a few years now and after 3 attempts (we really wanted to like it because it is so nearby), we absolutely gave up. The food is meh and overpriced and the staff is spotty at best. The way they've really shown how little they care for the neighborhood, however, is what really earns them one star. When they recently set up a barbecue operation outside of Health Dept standards and several neighbors started to complain about the smoke that is INCESSANTLY churned out into our yards and homes, their response was essentially "We don't care." Is that where they get their name? read more

I really enjoyed my visit to this establishment. There was a lot of seating indoor and out, which was nice. This is a great place to experience during the warmer days, since it has open spaces. I loved the artwork and the style of this restaurant. The garlic cheese fries were amazing. They fries alone are phenomenal and full of flavor. The hibiscus soda was good, but needed a bit more flavor. The Negroni was excellent and refreshing. The tri tip steak sandwich was flavorful and delicious. I would definitely order it again. The service was a bit slow, but worth the wait. I look forward to coming back and trying more off the menu. read more

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Super cute spot decorated for the holidays. We had the pretzels with cheese and a chicken sandwich and they were both delicious. The service was quick and the server/bartender was incredibly friendly. Nice, low-key spot as we had friends coming and going and it wasn't an issue to pull an extra chair up. Highly recommend this spot! read more

The food here is surprisingly good and the bar has a good atmosphere. Both inside and outside seating.

Unfortunately, the food at Tough Luck is eclipsed by its staff's lack of attention to detail and service. The barbecue is above average; maybe not fantastic, but the overall quality of the varied meats at Tough Luck is solid. The top dishes, as confirmed by my party of four, included the brisket, sausage, and chicken. All were well cooked, tender where tender was expected, crisp where crisp was expected, and all were well seasoned. The pulled pork and ribs were a mite disappointing: bland and uninspiring. You can compensate by adding sauce and mixing with other meats, but barbecue meats really should stand on their own merit. The side dishes, for the most part, met reasonable expectations, but nothing stood out as exceptional. The mac 'n cheese was a little too loose and saucy, the cole slaw was fine. The Caesar salad was competent. The beans were beans. And let's be honest: the Texas toast is not really Texas toast. Our table just received plain old toast. The difference was obvious. Texas toast is oversized, cut thick, and has a soft, internal texture. What we received was blackened Wonderbread. Shame. The tater tots were, surprisingly, unusually pleasant cubes with pillowy toothsomeness; And while a fried potato shouldn't surprise, the tot did. Well done. But let's be honest: a fried potato should not be the crown a meal. Onto the bad. Staff at Tough Luck don't know how to make a simple mixed cocktail. A Paloma should not be made with Margarita mix. A Margarita should have Tequila in it. After watching the bartender make our party's drinks, I had to intervene and ask that the drinks be made again, and made properly. What I received was not an apology, but an eye roll. Thirty minutes later, food was dropped off to our table, but we never received plates. I had to get up, track down a staff member to bring plates. Again, no apology. I should have clarified: "Please bring CLEAN plates." What arrived to our table were four plates, three of which still had crusted mac and barbecue detritus from the previous diners. A second time, I had to get up and ask for a second set of plates. Again, no apology. During the meal, no staff member stopped at our table to ask how the meal was, or if we needed anything. And so we conclude that Tough Luck does not have servers or waitstaff. It only has food-drop-offers. There's a difference. Towards the end of the meal, I flagged down a staff member to ask for a Club Soda. "Sure, coming right up," was the response, but the drink never arrived. And so we conclude that Tough Luck does not deserve a second visit. I've had better barbecue, and I've most certainly had better service. Should the business flail, it would only be their own Tough Luck. read more

I've never before not wanted to leave a review because I don't want everyone else to know how incredible the food at this place is. As a fellow small business owner, I've got to. Hands down the best burger I've had in Portland. Got the Pimento Burger (Mondays?). There was as much cheese as meat. It was Iike a dream come true. The Beet Ends dipped in bbq sauce were addictive. I think I'd pick these over French fries any day. The Mac n Cheese feels like reimagined Velveeta shells and cheese with a little spice. Prices are great! Quality is amazing. Can't wait to come back. read more

Vibes are super chill Staff members are friendly and helpful The drinks are great! We got the draft mule and house of dragons cocktail it's mezcal+ tequila and passion fruit Wings and beets salad hit the spot Highly recommend this establishment read more

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Cool local bar. Not that I am a local. I was on town and popped in here on my way to PDX because I had time to kill. It was happy hour, so I got a nice $8 Old Fashion and then bought a cookie (yeah, a drink and a cookie), but that I saved for the airport. Ant you know, bit were good. Looks like a fun place I would definitely return to if I lived nearby ... read more

Came here for first time for a WwW (women who whisky) event featuring Americano brand. The place is spacious w booths, bar stool height tables and semi covered patio. There's a tv and shuffle board I believe. The bar is stacked w tap and tons of bottles of draaanks so whatever ya sip I'm sure they got it Had a few bites of tots, paneer sando, fried pickles (spear shaped) and fries made diff 4 ways. Service was good at bar and table service. Will put on list of places to return to fo shooooo. read more

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A decent neighborhood watering hole/sports bar w/ plenty of seating including a patio w/ a fireplace. As far as the grub, pretty average bar food & kind of high prices for the quality. HH might have some better deals. They do some fun stuff like drag bingo nights and such too. read more

*The luck there is good i saw a leprechaun *there was someone giving birth in the bathroom *the waitresses were putting babys on people and forcing them to eat the babys *The food was food *The drinks had leafs in them they were mot very tasty *It looked like it had not been remodeled for a couple centuries and there were dead dinosaurs on the floor gasping for air read more

Tough Luck - and here you can see the leafs in my drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Went jet skiing and was looking for a pub near the river and this was the perfect spot. Had the pineapple hops and they were able to give me a half size. My friend got a strawberry margarita which had a smoky taste, mezcal? Once before at Buffalo Wild Wings they had a smoky margarita and I returned it. Is this a new thing? The tater tots were crispy and the vegan chicken burger was delious! Cool little hang out spot. read more

We came here on a July afternoon because our favorite nearby restaurant was closed for the day. Bummed but hopeful, my husband agreed to lunch here and was not disappointed. Order at the bar--trigger warning: one must return to the bar for additional orders. We kept it simple with our first order. Get your own water. If that bugs you, TL will invite your ire. The drinks were good: a recommended robust wine for me and a lager for my husband. We might have ordered a second round with table service. The wedge salads were excellent--the chopped bacon was outstanding. Next time, I'll ask for half the blue cheese crumbles and dressing. While delicious, it was heavy and plentiful. The garlic fries were delicious--I especially enjoyed the chunks of garlic. Our lunch here was pleasant--soccer fans were cheering for the game playing out on several large screens. We had the choice of tables, booths and inside/ outside seating. I'll be back and will likely be able to drag my husband back--he was less enthusiastic. read more

Tough Luck - Cute ketchup bottle! The garlic fries happen be excellent, too - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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New, modern, spacious bar with large windows. It's the main floor of a new apartment complex. The pretzel is good! Friendly staff. Dog friendly. Outdoor seating available. Street parking can be hard because it's in residential neighborhood. read more

Tough luck is such a great bar. I love the food offerings, the drink selection and the shuffleboard! It is kid friendly before 9pm and they have board games in the bar to play as well. The firepit and heated patio is great all year round! You order your drinks and food at the bar and the food is pretty darn good with a healthy portion. Love this place. read more

Great neighborhood gathering space shiffleboard, outside fire pit, great food and drink selections, well designed interior and friendly staff. The kind of place you would meet a first date or console a good friend in. The atmosphere feels like Portland meets Seattle. read more

Tough Luck - a book and a jar of nuts on a table - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great bar, delicious food, good vibes. Got the pulled pork sandwich, was delicious. Went on eggnog competition night. Alex rocks. Shoutout to Alex the bartender. read more

I like the food and natural light at this spot. However, the service is consistently poor: in my most recent visit, the bartender was actively rude and though there was almost no one in the place except for me and my husband, she ignored us repeatedly. She also made a mistake with our food and acted like it was my fault. It's a bummer because I want to like this place! read more

It's like being home if my home was a super cool bar. The drinks are delicious as well as the food and the atmosphere is on point! Always a good time at TL! read more

Well here it goes.... We came here for a bit of social time with friends since we don't get together much. We got to the bar and everything was cool then it went downhill fast. First discovery was that the menu prices are NOT updated. The staff did not offer to correct the prices, only a statement that they would let management/owner know. The only reason we found this out is because one of the five of us closed out a tab. The add-on for burgers is actually $2/egg and $3/bacon (menu states $1.50 and $2) I added a cup of soup to my grilled cheese, it should have been $3 not $5, which $5 is for stand-alone cup of soup. This was not corrected as well. The waitress then proceeded to get an attitude when we asked for the items/sides of sauce that we originally ordered with our food. One of the burgers came out without everything that came on it per the menu, followed with a tudy answer "I'll let the kitchen know" Now for waitress yelling at my friend from across the bar! My friend waited to order at the bar and was not helped. When she sat back down and then the waitress came by the table she asked if she could order some fries she replies LOUDLY "you can order at the bar" when my friend says she tried and waited 5 mins, the waitress responded LOUDLY again "it was only a min" well if it was only a min why didn't you help her!? Then this starts an argument she yells at my friend and then ask her to leave from across the bar while we are seated at our booth. Now when my other friends tried to have a quiet adult conversation about what just happen, the waitress raises her voice as well at the bar. I could not hear my friend from the table only the waitress. NOW I go up to bar and to talk to her. She gets loud with me. Having no idea that I too am a person who works in service. My one friend she originally yelled at owns a food cart. You have now yelled/ raised your voice at 3 of the 5 people in my party who have not talked bad to you, raise their voice, or been disrespectful at any point. We never cussed at this lady either. If you can't handle going back to work then you should think about it. You don't get to take out your frustrations on your customers that you have wrongly charged, did not offer to fix the cost, and got an attitude with us for wanting what we ordered. Oh and attempted to kick out my friend. This was purely the meme of going back to work in service and having a meltdown. The waitress then tries to apologize but it honestly was a waste at this point as took so much energy. Purely rude to the only black party in the bar. Update: I have talked to the owner about this issues. They were very open to dialogue to speak about this issue. We were refunded as well read more

Tough Luck - Over charged - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Need a patio to soak up some rays while enjoying an adult beverage? Need a place to catch a Blazers game? How about a place to have a serious shuffleboard tournament? Tough Luck is the answer! This place is fantastic. I had been here a few times over the winter and had a great time. Was here recently to catch game 7 between the Blazers and Nuggets. Place was packed and had such a fun environment for the game. They have two roll up doors and windows everywhere. Like watching the game outside! Tough Luck has several craft beers to choose from as well as a nice cocktail menu. They also keep firewater bitters on hand so they can spice up any of your beverages (my favorite!). I have not had any of their food yet, but the things I saw coming out of the kitchen looked great. I'll be back for sure! read more

Appreciated the AC on a 100+ degrees day, this spot has a great bar with lots of delicious food options and lovely patio out front. Service was friendly and fast! Obsessed with pasta salad I had. read more

Tough Luck - Elote pasta salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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First time here, certainly won't be the last! The 'For Your Health' cocktail was one of the best I've ever had! The beet salad was beyond amazing as well. There weren't too many people in there but service was great and they were quite attentive. It's spacious and several different seating options- high tops, big tables, and booths. Love that they have shuffle board. All in all, this was a great find and I can't wait to return! read more

Tough Luck - For Your Health drink- so good!!! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

What can be said about such a place. Sports, burgers, brews and the best patio for the first warm day in Portland. Chefs killed it with the tomato jam burger, beet salad and cheddar fries. The vegan fry sauce was to die for. Also Alexis is bartender of the year and kept the cups full all day. Do not miss this spot or you'll be doomed to an eternity of mediocrity. read more

Tough Luck - a glass of beer and a receipt on a table - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My first time in Portland and I'm so glad I stumbled here by default. After checking in to our room, we walked over to Tamale Boy since we had a lot of positive recommendations. We went there and the gal told us immediately upon walking in, they were closed. It was a quarter til nine on a Sunday, so it was Tough Luck for us (no pun intended)! We walked out and having no idea where to go, we looked directly across the street and see the signage. We said, "why not?" We sat at the bar and ordered our drinks and food. The restaurant is pretty cool, you have a large bar, and a large indoor and outdoor dining area. The huge garage doors incorporate the indoor/outdoor space together, which gives the place a comfortable laid back vibe. The bartenders were all friendly. Our food came out quick and no complaints! We ordered: *steak and potatoes-hanger steak with duck fat potatoes, charred broccoli and mushroom butter *BFP-big, fucking pretzel *house salad with champagne vinegarette Everything we ordered was delicious. My vodka tonic was perfect as well. This place was a great place to kickstart our vacay in Portland. read more

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Good venue for outside seating in sunny weather. While the stocked bar is impressive, the cocktail menu is a bit weak. Nevertheless, a good place overall for libations. Strike One - I'm not a fan of what's become the norm in PDX: order food and drink at the bar. Want another round? Guess what, get your ass back up and stand in line. Hey, I could go for a bit more to eat (you know, give the business money): ass off the chair...see that line...now go wait in it. Strike Two - not one food option was exceptional or even value in terms of portion. Burger:weak Grilled cheese and kimchi on Texas Toast. What was I thinking, disgusting. Banh Mi sandwich: my Vietnamese friends will cry at the destruction of their beloved sandwich. Steamed Bun Sunday and Monday: a super Americanized version of this Asian staple. Kale Salad with fried chicken: this one looked okay. The person who ordered it said the chicken is a must as the kale can't carry the dish. Asian Corn Dog: meh Fries: average Bartender was cool. Parking a bit spotty as the area is getting very popular. Go back? Nope, not if it's my choice when deciding for the group. read more

Tough Luck - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Delicious stiff drinks, an inviting decor, and Asian-fusion food. Personally I love the Ouija board painted on the wall, but there are a lot of other nuances to the decor that make one feel welcome. Today was a soft opening, the modest crowd buzzed with positive vibe. Cheers to a new neighborhood joint that I hope will be here for a long time to come. My wife and I both had the Tough Luck burger. Despite the fact I thought I would not enjoy the burger because I'm a picky eater, I happened to enjoy it thoroughly. For drinks we had a few beers from the tap, along with a Strawberry Lemonade Scrub and a Bourbon Old Fashioned. Being a fan of the Old Fashioned, I found their drink smooth and crisp - perfect for a warm spring day. While their social media chatter states kids are allowed, there currently do not have high chairs, and when we visited there were more than a handful of families with small kids tryouts no to figure out a seating arrangement. The concept of ordering at the bar also seemed to be a bottle neck but hopefully this was due to the staff working out the kinks of their soft opening. I'm also hoping the empty patio is eventually filled with much needed extra seating. As we were leaving the crowd was approaching standing room only. Once the hype and expectation dies down we'll see what this place is really like, but so far it looks very promising. read more

Tough Luck - Mezcal Old Fashioned. Delicious & smooth. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Honestly, I don't know how they do it. Their food is amazing quality and fun but their prices are affordable.

Met some friends here on a Tuesday evening. There was plenty of room and parking in the lot. Service was super friendly! Love the big space. I ordered the hatch chili burger and fries. The burger was yummy (she's slim but we'll balanced ...though I ended up removing some bun toward the end). The fries were so good and crunchy - I think beer battered. Would love to come back. I wanted to play shuffleboard but it was nonstop busy lol. Ah well. read more

Very tasty on draft Manhattan! Several on draft cocktails, never seen that before. Comfy booth. Cute decor. Tater tots were ace, didn't order anything else. read more