The Peddler and Pen Tavern

Let’s get down to it.
This place is pretty awesome. Cool staff, reasonable pricing. Great happy hour. Good selection of everything. One of the best things is that it’s out of the way and the hipsters haven’t glombed onto it yet. My new hideout.

super low key and beautiful ambiance! went on NYE and was surprised to find this gem so quiet! plenty of games to play– bartender was polite but not overly friendly. if you’re looking for a chill laid back place that’s unique– check this place out, it won’t disappoint!

Good beer list. Good mixed drinks. Great food. Casual spot. Low key. Off the beaten path on a very beaten path (23^rd). Wanna have a night out and a conversation too? This place.

Loved the place, good drinks, what ever we ordered to was very good. Really like the ambiance of this place. This is just the kind of place I always dream of owning one day.
I am definitely going back.

First off, the ambience is lovely. I dig the reused crates as shelving for the bottles. The outside front patio is cute and I really appreciate bars that have atmosphere like this one. We went on a week day night and it was pretty dead– there was only one other person there who was a regular. The bartender was a little strange. He was nice but at the same time had this sarcastic tone which confused me anytime I asked a question. I wish we could have been there when it was busier to see what the place is like in full swing. Overall, the atmosphere is the major appeal for me.

First of all let me say that the food is excellent!!!
We love the scotch eggs and the stuffed pastry!
My husband had breakfast this morning which included 2 eggs any way you like them. Huge sausages and potatoes that are to die for. It also comes with bacon And mushrooms and a fried tomato!
Their drinks are great and you have to try the codswald cheese!
The service is hit and miss.
The very first time we went there we had amazing service while sitting outside in the front porch.
Ever since then it’s been just ok.
The last two times they didn’t have servers so we had to keep going in and back out to our table every time we needed anything.
Sorta weird since it was 11:30 on a Saturday.
They really need servers.
The bar tender seemed overwhelmed and annoyed.
This is one of those places where it’s frustrating to have such amazing food and service that leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
With such fabulous food I would hope they would also provide fabulous service.
It’s definitely worth going and trying the food and spirits.
Maybe they will correct this flub.

Delicious unique cocktails and friendly, warm vibe. We took advantage of some of the games available and I finally had an opportunity to whip my husband at Scrabble. ;)

Stopped in to get drinks while celebrating a friends bday and loved this place. Adorable little house turned bar and the bartender Jeffrey was super friendly and great! Very cute and relaxed place to grab a drink and enjoy happy hour. Didn’t try any food but loved it as a place to stop and get a drink and they have card/​board games which we enjoyed :)

Perfect spot to stop in after hectic day!
Was looking for a bar that had a mellow atmosphere where I could sit and sip and work a bit on my own but make small talk with fellow customers and I found it! (Thanks Unilocal)
I have to say the name itself drew me in… figured it must be a literary lover’s spot and it was (though all are welcome and it was nice to see a mixed age group, some drinking and playing games, some chatting up their friends, some just reading… my kinda place!
Bartender JEFF was friendly and fast pouring my beverages. Nice selection of beers that includes a cider and several wines for the non beer drinkers (me). I would have liked to have seen a local Oregon Pinot Gris on the menu… but that didn’t stop me from ordering a couple of italIan Pinot grigios which hit the spot.
I wasn’t planning on eating but the menu looked worth a try and I am glad I did! Zenners local sausages… I had the Portland dog… sundried tomato chicken sausage In tasty roll with humboly fog goat cheese, roaster red peppers, and portland ketchup served with an organic Arcadian green salad with delicious pickled onions and vinaigrette. (Though you could have had curry fries or chips if you preferred) which was dee-​lish! (Since they carry the portland ketchup~a local company that also makes a mustard~wouldn’t be a bad idea to carry the mustard too, but honestly I preferred the mustard they did have so that all worked out well for me.)
I only gave it 4 stars because when talking to the cook telling him how much I enjoyed my meal, he said I hadn’t even ordered the best thing on the menu (apparently the fish n chips) and I didn’t order dessert this stop, so I am reserving my last star for when I return for that.
Highly recommend!

I am actually English and I love curry fries. The curry fries are definitely not curry fries. They are frozen French fries with curry seasoning lightly sprinkled on top. Curry fries have curry sauce over the top, almost like a poutine, but with curry sauce I. e a tikka masala. It’s outdoor seating is indeed lovely and I had a good few bevvies here so when I spotted my beloved curry fries on the menu I was in the mood to drink more beers and eat some fries. When they came I wanted to cry. How could this travesty happen. If I want frozen French fries I go to dirt Maccas on burnside and pay $ 2. I will happily come and show your kitchen how to make curry fries. Hit me up.

Non pretentious, laid back bar with wide variety of whiskeys and unique beer selection. Happy hour is very affordable, & also some different options, all good! Outdoor patio is lovely and a good people watching destination, music is excellent and never too loud. Bartenders are inviting, engaging, & ready to talk drinks, but only if you want to. Proud to be a duchess here!

I visited The Peddler a few weeks ago with a big group of friends. We sat at the long table near the big window inside. What a lovely atmosphere!
The group of us shared a bunch of dogs, chips (which are crazy-​good thick-​cut potato chip-​shaped contraptions with a creamy, fry-​like texture inside), salad, and really tasty pasties.
I wasn’t drinking, but our waiter kept me in soda-​lime-​and-​bitters all evening, and the taplist and cocktail list were really popular with my friends.
Service was prompt and friendly, and prices are very reasonable.
Excited to come back next time I’m Portland!

The building that houses Peddler and Pen is downright adorable. The multi-​level patio is cozy, and the indoor spaces are charming too. I love that it’s dog friendly on the patio. That said, this place has a lot of nice ideas and a lot of really poor execution.
Staff: seems a little confused, and signage is confusing. My friends arrived before me, read the outdoor table signs that say «see bartender for service,» and headed inside to find the bartender. While not overtly unfriendly, the guy had a sort of «ok, what do you want me to do about it?» attitude. Weird. Our server was nice, though not particularly friendly or prompt.
Menu items: Beers are very overpriced. This is Portland, and there should be at least one $ 4 beer available, but the lowest for fairly low ABV brews was $ 6. Meh.
The salads sounded appetizing, but the Greek salad I ordered was by far the very worst rendition of a Greek salad that I’ve ever encountered. It was dripping with sweetness, soft/​sweet/​soggy pistachios, huge chunks of oily cucumber with a sweet vinaigrette, and tiny cubes of the worst/​dry/​flavorless feta ever. I couldn’t get more than 5 bites down. My friend got some kind of hot dog and had similar clashing flavor issues with unwelcome amounts of sugar on things. My boyfriend’s fish and chips were actually okay — the fish was nice and crispy and well cooked. The chips were an clever compromise between actual chips and British chips, but they were undercooked.
Hey, it’s new. I’m hoping this place improves. I’m a legit piggy and have never been completely unable to eat an entrée before. That was pretty disappointing.

Ok. Since my last review the owner has reached out and assured me our problems with their fried food have been fixed. Looking forward to returning to what was once our favorite patio in NW. Hope that Peddler and Pen Tavern becomes our favorite patio again.
Thanks for reaching out, more kudos for addressing the issue.

Food was awesome. We had bacon-​wrapped chicken sausages with aioli on pretzel buns for lunch. Delicious.
Service was stellar. Quick, friendly, and helpful.
Sat out on the porch in the shade, with a view of NW 23^rd.

I really enjoyed my evening here. This place is really low key in a transformed old house. The cocktail/​beer/​wine list is extensive and they have quite a few dishes that I wish I would have ordered. We only came here to drink and enjoyed some beers and the Kearney fizz. This cocktail is aviation gin, muddled cilantro, fresh honeydew, lime juice and a spritz of soda. It was heavenly and refreshing! I could have ordered ten more of these.
I will definitely come back!

Love this charming location and even more charming Tavern. The food is wonderful with a taste of Scotland. We had a great brunch. The French toast with tangerine and vanilla is the best ever!
The bloody Mary’s are my favorite.

The best new addition to NW.
We lived in NW for years, and while we no longer do, we like to go back often to sample our old favorites and check out the new spots. The Peddler and Pen is doing everything right. We have been in several times now and the drinks are always spot on; specialty drinks are well crafted, unique, but not pretentious, and they can skillfully mix up the classics. The bartenders and servers are so friendly and attentive. They seem to really enjoy what they do. The food has been great. Love the fish & chips, and their salads are just so well done. Plus, an outdoor seating option (such a gem when you can find it) that is comfortable and just off of the busy street. So nice.
The literary theme is apparent throughout the whole bar and it is obvious how much attention has been paid to details. The décor, the art, the menu, the atmosphere; it all works together so well. NW may no longer be my neighborhood, but this is totally my neighborhood bar.
Absolutely check this place out.
Stop by the lending library.
Take a love letter.
Leave a love letter.

Definitely check out this place when you’re walking up and down 23^rd. Been here twice and can’t wait to go back.
We were lucky enough to meet the owner second time around. His cocktails were AMAZING. We have finally found our place that serves handcrafted cocktails without the drama and frill that goes with it.
The food is incredible as well. Just simple, quality food with a spark. Got the Portland dog and it was soooo good. The chef is awesome.
I highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a chill indoor/​outdoor bar with good cheap but quality food.

We thought we would check out the newest spot on the block…
Awesome atmosphere. Delicious food. The Curry dog is my favorite.
They have a killer draft list, packed with a lot off beer that you won’t find in the neighborhood.
Then we tried some of the signature cocktails and they were all well rounded and infused with lots of flavor.
This is an A+ pub and they, for sure, will do real well in the future.