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Bantam Tavern, the bar from the team behind Interurban, Prost!, and Stammtisch, has opened its doors this afternoon on NW 21st Avenue, joining the bevy of other recent openings in the neighborhood. Michael Russell at Oregon Live broke the news today, announcing that it would be serving “its first craft beer, cocktails and burgers to the public this afternoon.” As of 3 p.m., the sign above the front door glowed with an “open” light.
The stylish, dark wood and exposed brick bar is definitively not a concept-driven space. “Remember when bars didn’t need a concept, they didn’t have a food theme?” asks co-owner Dan Hart. “[That’s] what we’re opening...a plain, simple, and honest bar.” To that end, the menu offerings are generally straightforward, echoing the style of Interurban though pared down—guests can find a meat-driven menu of sandwiches, like a prime rib french dip, adobo chicken sandwich, and a classic tavern burger, all designed by Stammtisch chef Graham Chaney, as well as snacky bar food. Still, there are some twists, like Jamaican jerk chicken legs or crab dip served with wonton crackers.
The drink menu, built by Interurban bar manager Ollie Gahlsdorf, is similarly straightforward, with a list mostly comprised of rum, whiskey, and tequila drinks, including a draft old-fashioned. Most of them are priced at $10, mercifully low in a city whose cocktail prices continue to drift upwards past $12. A handful of them, including the old-fashioned and a few punches, are just $6 on the happy hour menu, which runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; you can also find crab dip, fries, and a burger, plus other items, at discounted prices at those times. The tap list won’t have the dedicated focus to German beers that Prost! or Stammtisch do, focusing instead on Northwestern beers with a few German inclusions.
Bantam Tavern is open Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It’s located at 922 N.W. 21st avenue.
