Oregon is home to a lot of restaurants, bars, wineries, and breweries, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Portlanders just aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's many food players to share their under-the-radar recommendations for a weekly feature dubbed Dining Confidential.
Image of M Bar courtesy Facebook
Ryan Magarian is no stranger to great liquid libations. The co-founder of Oregon's Aviation Gin and founder of the Portland-based cocktail and bar consulting company, Liquid Relations, Magarian knows a thing or two about what to drink and how to serve it. These days, Magarian is the buffed-up brains behind the innovative cocktail menu at the Pearl's new pizza joint, Oven and Shaker. That's why it came as kind of a surprise when he mentioned that is preferred hangout is M Bar, a quiet, super low-key joint up in the Alphabet District that doesn't even serve cocktails. So, why M Bar?
After a long day of service, a quiet drink at M Bar is just about nightcap perfection. Why? First, the vibe rocks. The room is tiny in a wonderful way; candlelit with a stark semi-modern interior that feels sexy and comfortable at the same time. Second, there is something to be said for simple, yummy bevs. M Bar offers a very tight selection of beer and wine, no hard stuff, making decisions easy for the worked and weary. You'll usually find me crushing a Guinness or taking the bartender's wine recommendation. Lastly, the service at M Bar is like having a buddy serve you, as if he/she had a secret bar tucked away in a large home. Seriously, it's pretty much the perfect neighborhood hideaway when you need that little something before heading home for the evening.
· M Bar [Official Site]
· All Previous Dining Confidentials [Eater PDX]
