Fremont is Getting a New Cocktail Bar with a Killer Patio

Fremont will be getting another cocktail bar at the end of the week. Hi-Top Tavern — from the team behind The Old Gold, Paydirt, and Tough Luck Bar — will open on Friday, featuring a large spirits list with a focus on dark spirits and agave spirits, sandwiches reminiscent of Old Gold’s, and a decked-out back patio with TVs, speakers, fans, and a separate bar.

The concept is familiar: some classics (including a dealer’s choice old fashioned), some original drinks including shrub-based ones, a tap list, and some wines by the glass. There’s a bit of added fun, though: a menu of “drink friends” includes shots of pickle juice or a spicy pineapple juice called verdita, a Miller High Life pony, or a dram of draught beer. Likewise, any of the canned beers can be “dressed,” a Texan term for a dusting of salt, flavored or otherwise, across the top of the can. As it’s from the same team as the bar with “too much whiskey,” visitors can expect a bounty of bourbon, scotch, and the rest, as well as a sizable collection of agave spirits.

Food will be similar to Old Gold’s rather excellent sandwich menu; guests can find items like a chacarero (Chilean flank steak with green beans and peppers), medianoche (a take on a Cubano), and a spiced-pork belly banh mi. Vegetarians will be happy to note that there are a number of sandwich and salad options for them, like a harissa-cauliflower pita and a Mediterranean salad.

The space itself will likely be a major draw: Once home to the bottle shop Bottles on NE 50th and Fremont, the interior is low-ceilinged, with lots of natural light and private nooks and rooms. The sprawling back patio is fully decked out with TVs for games and fans for temperature control, plus an outside bar for refills. The bar plans to open on Friday, June 21 at 5015 NE Fremont Street.

• Hi-Top Tavern [Official]
• The Old Gold [Official]
• Paydirt [Official]
• Tough Luck [Official]
• All Previous Old Gold Coverage [EPDX]
• All Previous Paydirt Coverage [EPDX]
• All Previous Tough Luck Coverage [EPDX]