Tiger Bar

I went to Tiger Bar once, for someone’s something, and it didn’t stand out to me.
THEN I WENT BACK FOR KARAOKE FROM HELL. Man I love Karaōke from Hell. I’ve sung Fever, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Mother Mother, Handle Me With Care, the list goes on. Someday I may even be bold enough to do Let’s Get It On… I saw a dude own that one night, it was truly something to behold.
One night my friend Robert talk-​sang the karaōke classic ‘Friends in Low Places’ as if he were Rex Harrison from My Fair Lady. When it was painfully over, the hype man of the band said «thank you Robert… he put the hell… in Karaōke from Hell.»
Sometimes there is a cover? But the last few times I’ve gone, no cover. Shrug.
They made a good scooby snack cocktail for my lightweight boyfriend, while I enjoyed some sort of whiskey coke variant with a cherry for fun. The few times I’ve ordered food there, it was bigger and spicier than I was anticipating, and my tablemates consumed it for me.
The bathroom is awkwardly near the stage, and only fits one person, which leads to strange situations where you rush the stage only to turn left at the last second.

Went here to sing karaōke. Had a blast! A lot of fun and so awesome to see the talent that lies in Portland. The bartender was great, she was friendly, efficient, and super self aware, picking up empty glasses and offering more drinks. I did not get a chance to try the food. However, I will be back. :)

Food is awesome. Prices are very reasonable. Bands are decent, but the sound quality; the sound system/​sound guy leave much to be desired.
Got the spicy sweet potato fries and a few drinks. Less than $ 30 and all were phenomenal! Service was outstanding as well.

Came here around 1AM with the last band playing so they didn’t charge us cover. Drinks are ok/​normal-​priced drinks in PDX.
$ 5 for beer
$ 5 for some cocktails
Atmosphere was ok– darker in some parts of the bar. The women’s bathroom toilet wasn’t working the night we went. Service was pretty good.

I used to live nearby and would stop in occasionally, enjoying the vibe of the staff who worked here. However, the staff has changed and the bartenders here have started dressing like they work at Magic Gardens. The last time I was here, one of the bartenders kept bending over and flashing the bar her underwear and self. It was a little awkward. The bartenders now are definitely as close to strippers as possible. Unfortunately, they aren’t great bartenders.
This is definitely a place for guys to come and get drunk without worrying about being cut off. Way too many lonely and very drunk guys for a woman to feel comfortable.

Over the years, I have played at this bar too many times to count. I’ve celebrated my birthday here with friends who have DJ’d the entertainment, met some random cool people, and even accidentally set my own hair a-​blaze by the mood-​enhancing candles set out at booths & tables (and really, what kind of party is it if someone doesn’t catch fire)? Never a boring time!
I’ve always had a blast shakin’ it, throwin’ a stiff cocktail back and acting a (somewhat behaved) fool here. As far as I’ve perceived, all people who step inside are in for a happy, crazy and hopefully a ridiculously fun time.
Tiger Bar is killer because the vibe is a casual be-​who-​you-​are alternative to the china town district clubs if that’s not your thing. Food is standard on average, bathroom is tiny, servers are nice and super fast.
Rock and Roll.

What it has:
Cheap beers
Rock art
Sweet tigers on the wall
A bad ass band to back you up if you do karaōke
What it doesnt have:
Palacial sized toilets
People who go clubbing
A strict vegan menu
An ATM machine
This place is awesome. If you are looking for an up class bistro with a nice wine selection, a fabulous rotating tap of craft beers, and exquisite hor’deurves, go somewhere else. If you need to get money from an ATM, the bonus is that you can use the one in the sex shop next door, which makes for some fun if you are out on a date. This place is a blast if you have a rockin’ attitude.

Tiger Bar… you did not impress me.
Dark, shotty décor… perfectly small and divey. I got my hopes up. Your lame $ 6 cover and HORRIBLE drinks and service will likely not have me coming back.
Reason for going: Friend’s band playing. Great place to see some live music most definitely. I get if I have to pay the cover for this… fine. My beef with Tiger bar? The staff stinks. This girl behind the bar gave me the most awful look before even taking my order… actually I had my date order because she was obviously having a bad night?
Next…Vodka/Grapefruit…How can you screw this up?! Aparently you can. Taste? Rancid.
Next, ordered Vodka/​Diet. Taste? Awful. Date agreed. Even went back to the bar this time to say something… girl noted «uhh it’s definitely Vodka/​Diet like what do you expect me to do about it» Umm… the soda didn’t have enough syrup so you may want to re-​make it/​add some? Do you have to be rude to me?
For a Saturday night it wasn’t very crowded. I wonder why.

Things I want in a bar–
1, Strong drinks– check
2. Clean bathrooms– check
3. Hot bartenders– Both male and female– check
4. Clean bathrooms– check
5. A killer soundsystem for the bands– almost check
Great bar tucked into the area between old town and the Pearl. Fun little place to see a show with a great inexpensive bar. I just wish the sound would be at the level the bands you are entertaining are!

Well — to be honest — we were attracted to try out this place because they have started promoting that they have live blues music on Tuesday nights… Well — This past Tuesday ⁴⁄₂₄ — we checked it out — and I stayed for 2 songs then split. It was most definitely NOT blues music. Was really disappointed. The venue looks interesting and there is even a small dance floor. Maybe there is potential.
I liked the ambiance of this dive bar and would probably be tempted to try it again if I was in the mood for a dive bar. Wouldn’t suggest going for the music though — if you like blues.

I am a sucker for curved vinyl booths. And judicious use of animal print and borderline-​disturbing paintings. And hot bartenders. Tiger Bar totally has my number.

So, Karaōke From Hell…
I’ve never, ever sang karaōke before. I joined the fam-​fam for some singing fun and decided to throw caution to the wind and do it. However, at about 9:20, I hear my name called. Shit. I am not nearly drunk enough for this, I claim. Unfortunately, I was the 3^rd name called, which was not good. I was in panic mode. As I slithered up onto the stage, everybody could tell I was completely terrified, as well as bordering on a legitimate panic attack.
However, the lovely leading man noticed I was hating life, and basically sang the song while I tried to blubber along. He made the worst moment of my life a little bit bearable, which I am really thankful for.

Every time I have been here I have had such a blast. The band really rocks and does a damn fine job of backing up the singer. I have been really impressed by the talent of so many of the folks that get up on stage, including some of my fellow Yeeps.
I am especially fond of one of listening to one my friends that will sing Johnny Cash exceptionally well. He really rocks it.
So far, I have been too much of a chicken to get up and sing myself… that could change one day. We’ll see. But for now, I will just enjoy my stiff drink and everyone else’s talent.

I recently (finally!) got to see what all the buzz was about with this Thursday karaōke-​with-​a-​live-​band business at Tiger Bar. And my fellow Unilocalers did not steer me wrong… it ROCKS.
Karaōke From Hell is a live band that plays at a few bars in town, but every Thursday night, you can find them at Le Tigre. Their song list is not as enormous as the huge binder you see at karaōke-​machine places, of course… it’s more like a ten-​page booklet.
But, all the songs on the list rock, and the band is tight. They are also entertaining to watch, as the MC changes into different costumes to suit the song choices.
They will even help you out and fill in lyrics if you miss your cues, which you may well need unless you know the song by heart, since there’s no screen to watch, just the lyrics printed on a sheet of paper.
If I have one complaint about this setup, it’s that it can be hard to hear your own voice because the band lays down such a fierce beat, so a bit tricky to tell if the crowd can actually hear you or not. But hey, you’re not there to audition for American Idol, so it’s no big deal if you’re «a little pitchy, dawg.» The crowd are very supportive and will sing and clap along with you. It’s a great time, even if you don’t get up and sing.
Protip if you do plan to sing: Get there around 9PM when it starts, and get your song request in to the lady sitting at the table next to the stage ASAP, lest you end up waiting 2 hours for your song to come up.
The bar itself is in Old Town, and the front is pretty inconspicuous — it looks like a standard Old Town dive bar. Once you walk in, it looks much more welcoming. The location is a pain in the ass to park near, though, and really, you probably won’t be in any shape to drive after anyway.
Can’t comment on the food, just the drinks. The beer selection is decent, and the bartenders are on top of things. Oh, and the prices are NORMAL, not inflated. This all adds up to Good in my book.

Seems I have been sleeping at the wheel. I have lived here almost all my life, heard of this place from several sources and I FINALLY got my ass in there by default last night because the new wine bar next door that advertised it was open until 8 was not open.
My friend and I were greeted at the door by a friendly bouncer dude. We sidled up to the bar, grabbed a seat and were enthusiastically greeted by Tess, the manager. As others have mentioned, the servers are eye candy for the boys (or girls) and everyone seemed to have swallowed just the right dose of happy pills prior to the start of their shift.
The ambience is dark, slighly seedy but in an on-​so-​good way. Old brick walls give the place a nice old world charm of yester century.
And I say «HELL YES» to the happy hour that goes until 8:00 p.m.

This place is a bit sketch… I was with 2 other guys and a girl… but if I weren’t with the guys… I don’t think I would’ve gone in.
We ended up here on our happy hour bar hopping since it ends at 8pm. I ordered the mandarin orange vodka with 7… and it taste HORRIBLE. I forced myself to drink half… but couldn’t finish the rest.
They had a live band playing… and boy did that hurt my ears. …or am I just getting old? Ha!
I don’t see myself going back.

RAWR. Tiger Bar, along with its other sexy kin including Devil’s Point and Dante’s, is a great spot and the location of my very first karaōke performance ever, just a couple of months ago.
I’d bookmarked this place (to review) in April 2009, totally forgot about it and deleted it, but then due to what’s become a regular Thursday event, Karaōke from Hell, it’s time to recap this madness. I was really skeptical of this idea of the live karaōke band at first, but holy hell it is fun. They truly want people to do well and will speed up/​slow down, fill in vocals if needed, and have a great time. Really fun band.
Bartenders are sassy and sexy. One of them gave me a recent hot tip on where to find a necklace made out of brass knuckles that says, «Bitches Get Stiches». Their sweet potato fries with coconut and chili sauce may be one of my favorite bar snacks of all time. Wicked rad art on the walls, great drink specials, and good music all the time round out the reasons why we collectively love this place.
You will encounter some colorful characters out front, some panhandlers, some regular neighborhoodies, and in general, people who like to party. Sidling up to the bar encouraged, don’t be shy. It can be tricky to get up to the bar when it’s busy, but just bust through the rock and roll crowd, no one will mind, I promise.
–I owe the recent TB revival to Joe M, Danni D, Jarrod S and Chrisi B.
–I owe the Anna B Karaōke Debut to Amado L. and bourbon.
–I owe many rides home from this place to Matt E.
–I probably owe the Devil my soul, but let me tell you, the night we spent at Tiger Bar during Fleet Week when it was packed full of sailors was worth it.
RAWR.

Perfect 5-​star dive. The only way it could be more perfect would be if I could plop it down on Hawthorne within stumbling, er, walking distance of my house.
The Tiger has become a frequent haunt for a group of us on Thursday nights because it hosts Karaōke from Hell, the perfect merging of a live band with the vocal musings of, well, anyone in the place on any given Thursday. It works. There are regulars who rock the mike weekly, and there are stragglers who wander in, share a song or two, and then disappear back into the Old Town jungle just outside The Tiger’s front door. Frankly, whether the singer is great or not, the band elevates the experience for all. It’s contagious like the clap.
The bar is dark, and much larger than it first seems. You have your choice of basic bar seating, basic table seating, or the mother of all seating — elevated horse shoe shaped booths that really are the best seats in the house to enjoy the live music.
There are typically three bartenders working their asses off. It’s rare to wait for drinks. If anything, I would say guard your drink once you have it. They are crazy quick to clean up tables, and I have had a few mostly empty drinks swept off the table when my attention was elsewhere. This is the sort of place to order a beer, or a drink with one mixer. Though, I have recently sampled their much larger, more complicated Bucket o’ Rum, and all I can say is, «Bucket o’ Yum!»
Oddly, this dark dive is also a decent place to dine. I have shared many a plate of sweet potato fries tossed in coconut and served with sweet chili sauce. Happy hour goes to 8:00 PM, but if you miss it, no worries, it comes around again at 11:00 PM. And if you’re there on a Thursday night, you’ll still be there at 11:00 rockin’ out with the band.

I have a confession to make: Thursday nights at the Tiger Bar has become the hangout spot for me and a group of friends for the past couple of months. They play awesome rock music during the day and happy hour for food and drink goes until 8 daily. The bartenders are sweet and sassy. Service is prompt and serves up huge dishes of food.
The reason we have been trekking over on Thursdays is because of the infamous «Karaōke from Hell». The song line up is the same as their sister location at Dante’s Inferno. You pick your song out, graciously tip the lady, and wait to be called on stage. There is no TV screen boys and girls; just a piece of paper and a loud mic are provided for your use. What I like about this karaōke spot is that it is ultra laid back and you will be called at least a couple of times to grace the stage. If your a super star and the tip is right, more appearances will be frequent like my best friend.
The past few visits, they have been rewarding great performances with gift certificates. My best friend and I scored when we performed a duet. Jarrod S. claims there a video but I have yet to see :). The late night happy hour goes from 11 till close. It is for food only but you will need it to soak up the boozy drinks they serve. The Tiger Burger for $ 5 special hit the spot for me last night. It was very juicy and thick. It’s certainly one of the better bar burgers I have had in a long time. The fried rice is enormous. It even comes with a cabbage salad on the side. I added chicken and it’s white breast meat of goodness, no skimping at all.
So if you want to see what it feels like singing with a live band, this is a great place to start. I have had a great experience everytime and hope the trend continues in the future.

Don, O Fearless Leader, you certainly know how to throw a party… or an after-​party, even!
Already happy (and slightly buzzed) from the Gilt Club event, a pack of babbling Unilocalers (self included) traipsed across the road like lemmings, heading for the Tiger Bar. And while the fancy custom chopper parked in front of the door might otherwise have marked the place as Not My Style, the inside — while dimly-​lit — was anything but a seedy biker-​bar. No yolk; this place didn’t smell like 20-​year smoker’s backwash, had comfortable booths, and had stellar bar-​staff. The Jameson’s whiskey sour was tasty and a good balance (I don’t like them too boozy, nor too light). I didn’t try any of the nibblies, but I was pretty amused by the fact that the Tiger Bar had a Prince impersonator on the stage. (One of the other Unilocalers gravely informed me that Prince is only 5’2″ — the impersonator was too tall.)
His Goatness found plenty o’ love on tap, and I found plenty o’ friends to blather at. I left shortly after not-​Prince fired up, as the band was loud enough to preclude conversation.