A California Mexican Bar Will Open in Northwest

A California Mexican bar is taking over the former Rae’s Lakeview Lounge space in Northwest Portland, serving everything from taquitos to mezcal.

Impala, from the team behind the Triple Lindy, will specialize in the assimilation Mexican food found throughout Southern California, on which co-owner Mike Miller grew up. “It’s going to be Southern California Mexican — A mix of Mexican American things, taquitos, carne asada fries, as well as tacos, quesadillas, as well as burgers,” he says. “It’s that Chicano, drive-in culture, where you can get tacos and burgers at the same place.”

The bar will specialize in tequila and mezcal, with a handful of dive staples like tall boys under $3. Miller and co-owner Samantha Phenix plan on serving slushies, as well, with a full bar for those uninterested in agave. “I want families from the hill to come down and feel comfortable,” Miller says. “I’m not taking any concept so far that people will feel excluded for it.”

The bar space has been fully gutted, to be redesigned with an aesthetic inspired by ‘80s and ‘90s Los Angeles — think: chrome, metallics, and a few pops of color. “It’s really bright in there, there are a ton of windows, so it’s always hard to figure out what it’ll look like once it’s down to bare-bones,” Miller says. Stay tuned for more updates as the bar approaches its May opening.

• The Triple Lindy [Official]
• Rae’s Lakeview Lounge Has Closed; Another Beloved Portland Bar Bites the Dust [Portland Mercury]