MacTarnahan’s Taproom

The food was good, the beer selection impressive and the service par excellence. Great trifecta

Amazing service!
Andre was my server, he was seriously the best waiter I have had in weeks.
Good food and good beer.
I went for happy hour and got 2 Amber Ales, pork sliders and garlic for fries.
All in all it was only $ 16
It was a Fantastic dining experience.

Mediocre at best. The chicken tacos tasted like fake butter and our service was friendly, but mediocre. The happy hour was affordable but it seemed almost like a glorified version of Applebees as far as food and service. I wasn’t looking for 5 star service, but it’s not that hard to understand a French accent. Half our language is French. My guests were a little perturbed by how rushed the service was. Not very charming for a pub house or brewery.

Hindsight is always ²⁰⁄₂₀. For example, if $ 13 seems pricey for a salad at a brew pub, then maybe they are trying to incentivize buying other food. I should NOT have bought the salmon Cesar salad… Tastes and looks like canned salmon on the iceberg lettuce. Gross. The brew was the only thing that gave this place stars. Why even put salads on the menu if they are going to be this bad?
Update: the manager did comp my salad when I talked to her, but I still think they need to take this off the menu! Ugh.

Everything is fresh and yummy. A great place for pale ales, which are my favorite. I know I didn’t get my ‘stand by’, a big cheeseburger but the Caesar is very satisfying. The lettuce is crisp and the chicken beautifully blackened; an apricot ale complements this dish well. In conclusion I would say the MacTarnahan’s Room is a hidden gem in this industrial area. To my surprise it is very family friendly and offers great specials for every day of the week!

Well I have to say I am usually a big fan of beer and bar food. We went to this little fly trap twice while over on that end of Portland for a class. The music was way too loud and the place wreaked of steaming hot hops and wort because they were brewing. The menu is really over rated and every single piece of food was dripping with grease all over everyone’s plate. I don’t want too get too graphic but let’s say both times after eating I spent a significant amount of time in the potty. Redeeming quality of this place? The beer for sure. It is excellent and our service was really good too.

I’ve been in the past for happy hour and thought the food was decent. Went today for lunch, $ 13 for a pretty boring cheese burger and service was pretty bad considering there were only 4 – 5 other tables beside ours. Didn’t have any beer on this visit, but have nerver been impressed with their offerings in the past.
I wouldn’t return unless it is happy hour, even that is doubtful

Honestly? Over-​priced (worth an eyebrow raise) and generally inept service means I’ll not be coming back or recommending MacT’s except for the rare HH stopover.
p. s. The background music was something I had to tune out entirely. It was so Top 40s Alternarock, I was surprised to not hear used car commercials and the like break in.

I really enjoy this off the beaten path brewery and restaurant. They have fantastic daily specials including Wednesday 20% off dock sales with a receipt from the pub, $ 2 pints Thursday for 6 – 10, and BOGO Growler fills on Friday. Also hit them up for happy hour as the food is solid and the beers are great. Garlic fries are there specialty but the homemade ships are a good option too if you are hoping to get lucky later that night…
Also they have a entertainment book coupon!

It was good and chill place, I had this beer chicken, its size surprised me, didn’t think I could finish that, but I did! (just skipped the mashed potato which didn’t come with butter or any sauce, was too bland for me to eat).
I like their specials, and especially it was a Thursday so all the beers were half off, so yeah. their happy hours were pretty cool!
For dessert, I had their seasonal special which was the peanut butter caramel cheesecake, it was decent, although I wouldn’t go out of my way to rave about it. Just okay I suppose!
But yeah, nice brewery, friendly and fast service.

Pretty good selection of beers. Delicious burgers and great staff. Nothing out of this world to say but nothing bad either.

Tried a total of 10 beers via the choose your own sampler. I like that each glass is a good 8oz and not some shot glass kind of thing. Gives you a good feel for the brew without getting too full. I think we liked the majority of what we tried, but we especially liked that we can get fill one get one free growlers on Fridays, or $ 2 pints on Thursday. Great deal like that make it worth it to go a little out of our way.
The taproom consists of a nice little indoor area with a fire place, a huge dining room and bar and patio seating for the 2 months out of a year where it’s not 55 and raining.
They have a killer happy hour too. The $ 4 Scottish pie is epic, rich gravy and melted cheese atop a mount of mashed potatoes. I liked the hummus which was zesty and served with warm pita. The Caesar salad was great too, very much worth the $ 4 price at happy hour.
It might be a little out of the way, but it was quit and cozy and the beer and food where an excellent value. We are most certainly planning a trip to fill our tummies and our growlers.

This is one of the more upscale breweries for the Portland area. It is placed a bit deep in the NW around the industrial area of town. The place is pretty classy. They have beautiful large seating areas and a nice bar section. One of the rooms has a lit fireplace and has a very nice warm and cozy feel. When you first walk in to this place you can almost sense that you are about to have a great experience.
The food is basic bar pub food but it done really well! We had a happy hour burger, pulled pork sliders, and a scottish pie. The burger was okay. A little on the dry side for mentioning that it was going to be cooked medium. The dinner menu burger was listed as a kobe beef burger. I don’t think this was kobe beef for the happy hour one.
The pulled pork sliders were awesome. The cole slaw on top was nice and crispy with just a little bit of the mayo sauce. The pork was cooked to perfection and had a really good BBQ sauce that blew my mind. The bread was like mini dinner rolls. So tasty! My favorite happy hour thing we ordered was the scottish pie. It was a small bowl with what I would call a pork style chili on the bottom covered in garlic mashed potatoes and topped with cheese and chives. How can you go wrong with that?
I had the hum bugr winter beer and also an oatmeal blueberry stout that was just recently put on tap as a seasonal. Both were done well with a bold front and a smooth finish.
This place is owned by pyramid or something along those lines because they had pyramid beers as well as «macTarnahan» beers. Overall this is a really nice, classy brewery and would be great to take people who are visiting from out of town or if you are looking for something a little bit more upscale.
They also have two for one fill-​ups on growlers on fridays! Bonus!!!

Well sh*t.
When I first moved to Oregon from Montana, I was a hard-​core Budweiser drinker. There was no way them yuppies were going to get me drinking this fancy micro brew crap. I’m a man, damnit. I liked my beer cold and clear and similar in color to the pee it would inevitably become.
Then someone introduced me to MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale. I sold out then and there. The flavor haunted me in my dreams (in a good way.) I could catch a buzz from three pints. It was heaven.
MacTarnahan’s is still my favorite amber ale, so when I scored the Groupon to the Taproom, I was ecstatic. I’d eaten there once before – long before Pyramid took over – and I loved the food.
A friend was visiting from out of town, so I suggested we all go to the Taproom for dinner. We did, and after perusing the menu, three of us decided on the prime rib. One medium-​rare, and two medium.
As a Montanan, I’ve had my fair share of prime rib. My pa taught me how to perfectly cook my own prime rib. What came out of the kitchen at MacTarnahan’s Taproom did not remind me of any prime rib I’d ever seen. Maybe, much like the micro brews, there’s some fancy yuppie version of prime rib I’m unaware of? I accepted the odd appearance, and cut in, expecting a perfectly pink center. Foiled again. All three – including the medium rare – were cooked well-​done.
Apparently, the burgers ordered by two other members of our party turned out pretty good… Once the correct burgers were brought out. One friend of mine ordered a bacon cheeseburger with lettuce and ketchup only. He received a cheeseburger with mayo and no bacon. NO BACON! I’m sure you can imagine the horror – especially if you truly understand the importance of bacon. Everything is better with bacon.
The burger went back to the kitchen to be fixed, but the rest of us had seen the movie «Waiting», so we ate our prime rib in silence. To be fair, it would’ve qualified for a decent overcooked slab of roast beef. I mean, it wasn’t horrible. It just wasn’t prime rib. For $ 20, I expect it to somewhat resemble the beef of my childhood.
There were two highlights to the evening.
1.) The beer was, as always, damn good.
2.) The waiter brushed his junk up against a female member of our group, and she seemed to enjoy it.
As far as service goes, the bartender was outstanding, but our waiter seemed a little grouchy and impatient. He did, after seating us, ask if we needed separate checks. We did, so it was cool that he was proactive in that aspect.
I really wanted to say good things about this place, but I can’t. I can see myself stopping by for happy hour beer, but I doubt I’ll ever be back for dinner.

Mrs. Burgerdogboy and I frequently ‘challenge’ each other when we ask the other «what do you want for dinner?» I’ll say something silly like «Steak Tartare from a little bistro in Paris,» and so on, you get the idea.
Last nite when I asked her, she replied «Shepherd’s Pie,» and I thought, «yes, that would be good,» but didn’t really feel like making it (I would have to go to the store), and didn’t know of any place I could grab some and go.
As usual, when our household is stumped on puzzlers like this, I turned to Delivered Dish for the solution. And although you cannot search DD by a specific entrée (please add that!), you can get lists of different cuisine, and after a bit of searching, I found her craving at MacTarnahan’s Taproom in NW.
Now i just had to find something on their menu for me… which didn’t take long, I went with the pastrami Reuben, with the special request to leave the usual thousand island dressing in their kitchen.
I ordered at 5:05P, received my email confirmation immediately, and they promised delivery by 6:30P.
They arrived instead at 5:45, Delivered Dish, you are my heroes! We love you guys!
The «Shepherd’s Pie» on the menu was described as «Scottish Pie», and ‘savory meats, mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese accompanied by seasonal vegetables’, and Mrs. BDB couldn’t have been more pleased with it.
The Reuben was hefty, and a huge serving of garlic/​rosemary fries was included.
We split a small caesar salad which was also good. Total including delivery and tip? $ 35.
Great home cooking without the effort or clean up.

Really, I’d say 4.5 stars for this place. First off, my first visit to this area was for the freaking adorable «Pugalicious» Pug Crawl that OHS hosted. Didn’t get a chance to really go inside, but loved the vibe of the area.
So we finally got a chance to come back after my boy confessed his new like of the Thunderhead IPA, so I took a chance to come out here and see what’s it’s all about. Yup, it’s in the creepy-​esque industrial area of NW and really kinda sneaky too. You pull up and it’s QUIET, until you walk inside and notice it’s a happenin’ joint.
We were seated quickly and beer orders taken within minutes with a friendly smile from our waitress. Their menu isn’t huge by any means but I’m quite ok with that — makes choices easier for me. I got myself a pub burger and added provolone & avocado — there’s plenty of options to toss on there for $ 1 a piece which was sweet. I also sampled the clam chowder and dang if it wasn’t tasty on it’s own merits. Plus, you can get these rosemary garlic fries that shocked me in their absolute yumminess. Oh yeah, loved the burger too. Plus, my not-​super picky boy who usually just finds places «OK» put this as a «must come back» so that’s like a star itself on that.
And of course, the beer is hecka tasty. We each left with a growler of Thunderhead — and on Fridays it’s buy one, get a fill for free so that’s a total bargain!
Overall, pleasantly exceeded my expectations — the only thing that will stop me from coming here a ton is that I live in Beaverton :-/

Nitro MacTarnahan’s.
Beer lovers will enjoy profiling the Nitro and CO2 versions. I’ve always overlooked Mac’s amber ale at the store for some reason. Their Hum Bug’r and Summer Grifter IPA are two of my favorite local seasonals. Their beer sampler gives you a choice of five with a few choices that aren’t on the menu.
The Thomas Kemper root beer on tap kept my non-​beer drinking fiancé happy while I enjoyed the barley soda.
In our experience the food was typical pub fare, not bad not outstanding. The BBQ Pork sandwich was a nice pairing with the IPAs. Our fries came to the table cold but were omitted from our final check.
~-~-~-~-~ um I think I’m lost ~-~-~-~-~
A GPS may come in handy finding Mac’s. We passed a sign along the way that reads «Beware Molten Zinc» — needless to say it’s in an industrial area.

The NW Industrial area seems like another world and this brewery an oasis in its midst. Only a few blocks from Nob Hill, yet it feels miles away. You can even park here without pulling your hair out.
My first visit was for an Elite event last year and it was such a pleasant experience I had to return with the family. Mac’s fondly reminds me of one of my favorite brewpubs from college. A casual place to hangout that serves food, not just snacks, and lots of beer. There is a little German influence in the décor, yet the look and feel are decidedly Northwest.
The patio was full on a warm (almost summer) night, so we sat in the main dining room. Half of the patio is open air and they have the grill going outside. The other half is covered and was being used as a banquet room for a private party. They have several flat screen TVs inside showing sports and movies so the kids were easily entertained and there are good options on the kid’s menu. In addition to numerous Mac’s beers they have Thomas Kemper rootbeer on tap.
Mr. K ordered the St. Louis ribs and it was a large platter. I ordered one of the daily specials, a po’ boy with salmon, and it was interesting. Sides are garlic-​rosemary or sweet potato fries and we totally channeled our college selves by ordering potato skins as an appetizer.
I’ve made the rounds of Portland brewpubs with the family trying to find places that my husband and I can enjoy and where we can also bring the kids without getting the stink eye. And I’ll say our overall experience here was better than at most McMenamins and Lucky Lab locations. The food and service are just superior here. Certain McMenamins still win for ‘atmosphere.‘
They have daily specials, happy hour, trivia nights and special events, so check out their calendar. You can also pick up a discount certificate at
to save some $$. If you don’t want to deal with the usual crowds, parking and so-​so service at other breweries in town, you might consider this as an alternative on a hot summer night.

MacTarnahan’s is a great brewpub that sits just inside the NW Industrial area just near Montgomery park. While it’s many things to many people, I can say with certainty that there is one thing it’s definitely not: A McMenamin’s (I hear that lots of folks confuse this place with said infamous local chain).
MacTarnahan’s offers some great locally-​made brews in a nice, clean, friendly setting in the midst of a fairly gritty, industrial area. While not locally-​owned (they were bought by Pyramid), the beer is still made here, by the same folks. The space has bright, warm colors, a nice, well-​appointed bar, an on-​point staff of servers, and much better food than you would expect for this type of establishment. I’ve both dined here and worked with them on a Unilocal event, and even dining here prior to working with them on a Unilocal basis, I was always offered some great service.
The food is definitely brewpub food, but taken up a notch. Rotisserie chicken, creative (and pretty damn good) sandwiches, burgers, salads and the like. I thoroughly enjoyed the beer-​bread hot ham and cheese sandwich I had last time I was in. Definitely not for the weight-​watching crowd, but oh so good. The beer holds its own, and is generally accessible without sacrificing too much flavor. I would not be disappointed to find a sixer of Summer Grifter in my fridge right now, if you know what I mean. My wife digs the slingshot too.
What also separates MacTarnahan’s from it’s similar brethren in Portland is the service. They go above and beyond to give honest and high-​quality service without that fake, corporate smarm that usually comes along with said higher-​quality brewpub service.
In honor of total transparency, I will mention that we did host a Unilocal Elite event here, and that’s why I’ve waited so long (and through a couple more visits) to write my review. Were this a review on the event they threw for us, and the SIMPLY AMAZING service they gave us, this would be an easy 5-​star review, but based simply on my experience here ordering off of the regular menu, paying regular price, I give them a solid 4-​stars. Good beer, better than expected food, and great service.
I have to say, since I live on SE 82^nd, I don’t visit as much as I would otherwise due to location, but were this near my house I would choose it more often. Fully a step above a Rock Bottom or Gordon Biersch, with, IMHO, much better food and way better service. Definitely more in the style of a nice, clean brewpub and it does a good job of it.

The address is NW 31^st and Industrial — and they weren’t kidding.
It is odd how my two favorite breweries are in the most complicated and unlikely locations… under a bridge, in the middle of a construction nightmare… and now this? I felt like we were on our way to a desolate place where Ikeas and Costcos go to die.
Allow me to clarify: although it is less than 10 blocks away from buttoned up NW 23^rd avenue, it could be 10 light years away in terms of scenery and ambiance. In the midst of industrialized NW Portland, this bright yellow building stands out like a sore thumb from its off-​white and tattered concrete neighbors, but luckily, so does the service, the food, and the beer.
MacTarnahans makes an unpretentious statement and is clearly the only reason you would be in this area, unless of course you were in the market for a 30-​foot iron beam or the likes. The food is upscale pub fare — delicious garlic and rosemary fries, dungeness crab dip, onion rings in MacTarnahan’s ale batter, but I was pleasantly surprised by their healthier entrees like grilled chicken with pear-​pablano salsa and Hazelnut glazed halibut.
Sipping a Pyramid Apricot Ale on the outdoor patio was a brilliant escape — and being in the middle of nowhere only added to the experience. It’s definitely worth the drive for a beer and some delicious rotisserie cookin’, and for an added bonus, catch a «cooking with beer» class or an outdoor movie while you’re there!