Portland Is Getting a Low-Proof Cocktail Bar in a Motorcycle Shop

Portlanders can look forward to a new, distinct bar at the end of the month, when a motorcycle shop on North Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, opens its adjacent cafe and bar. Owned by a team of military veterans, Legion Motorcycle Company specializes in spritzers, wine, and beer on tap, served alongside charcuterie plates, vegan sandwiches, and drip coffee from local roasters.

Co-owners Alex Glover and Gabriel Court bought Portland Moto Collective in July of 2019, renovating it and rebranding as Legion Motorcycle Company. The two planned on opening a bar and cafe in an attached garage, and brought on Lucas Plant, a fellow veteran and experienced Portland bartender (Interurban, White Owl Social Club), to help set up the bar program.

Rather than spirit-based cocktails, Legion Motorcycle will have low-proof, wine-based drinks such as Italian-style spritzers in cans and on draft. It will also have a red and white wine and beer on tap, with the option to fill to-go containers so visitors can grab a bottle after fixing up their bike. Labrewatory, an experimental brew lab and brewery on North Russell Street, will make a Legion Lager for the bar, and the team is playing with the idea of adding brunch drinks like mimosas and sake-based bloody marys. To keep folks caffeinated, they’ll also offer drip coffee from local roaster Deadstock. Every drink will be below the $10 line, with wines at $6 a glass and cocktails around $8.

Food, likewise, will be quick and casual. The bar will offer some “old man staples,” in Plant’s words, like pickled eggs on the bar, but hungrier diners will find options like charcuterie boards made in-house and sandwiches from Snackrilege, a local vegan sandwich maker.

The space, like the motorcycle shop, is housed in a garage, with a few bar stools and some cafe tables throughout. It seats around 25 people, and in the summer the large garage door against the far wall will be open with picnic seating out on the front lot. Glover, Court, and Plant plan on having community barbecues, parties, and guest food carts, as well as fundraisers for organizations that benefit veterans and homeless Portlanders, such as Do Good Multnomah and Transition Projects.

Legion Motorcycle’s bar will be opening sometime toward the end of the month at 2145 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Suite B. The bar will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday to start, possibly with Mondays open as well to serve industry workers.

• Legion Motorcycle Company [Official]
• Labrewatory [Official]
• Deadstock Coffee Roasters [Official]
• Snackrilege [Official]