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Pearl Tavern was a sports bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon's Pearl District, in the United States. The restaurant was started by former American football player Joey Harrington, bartender Ryan Magarian, and ChefStable restaurateur Kurt Huffman in December 2016. Intended to be more casual than a steakhouse, the family-friendly Pearl Tavern served various cuts of steak, fried chicken, fish, and risotto, as well as bar snacks and other options for brunch and happy hour. The interior had dark leather booths and multiple widescreen television for sports viewing, and the servers wore
Joey Harrington, a former American football quarterback, established the Pearl Tavern with bartender Ryan Magarian and ChefStable restaurateur Kurt Huffman in December 2016. Harrington and Huffman had attempted to open a restaurant together five years prior, but nothing had come to fruition. Upon opening, Roscoe Roberson and Joel Gunderson were Pearl Tavern's chef and sommelier, respectively. Cocktails were designed by Magarian. Three percent of profits benefited the Harrington Family Foundation, Harrington's non-profit organization which "provides scholarships for Oregon students seeking to stay in-state for secondary education". In 2016, Pearl Tavern's rib steak for two and Ox's 42-ounce bone-in rib eye steak were the city's most expensive menu steaks, at $115.
Thomas Boyce replaced Roberson as executive chef in mid 2017. The switch resulted in minor changes to the menu; Mattie John Bamman of '' Eater Portland'' said the most significant difference was "a more focused approach befitting a tavern or pub" featuring "a smaller selection of more carefully sourced and prepared steaks and revamped burgers and salads". Pearl Tavern operated on Thanksgiving in 2017, screening football games and serving special entrees such as confit turkey thigh and maple glazed breast. In May 2018, owners announced plans to close in June. Magarian wrote on social media:
Backwoods Brewing Company confirmed plans to open in the space soon after Pearl Tavern's closure, and began operating on July 9.
Pearl Tavern
at '' Portland Monthly'' * {{Pearl District, Portland, Oregon 2016 establishments in Oregon 2018 disestablishments in Oregon Defunct restaurants in Pearl District, Portland, Oregon Defunct steakhouses in Portland, Oregon Restaurants disestablished in 2018 Restaurants established in 2016
plaid
Plaid () may refer to:
Fabric
* Full plaid, a cloth made with a tartan pattern, wrapped around the waist, cast over the shoulder and fastened at the front
* A synonym for tartan in North America
* A plaid shirt, typically of flannel and worn du ...
. Three percent of profits benefited Harrington's non-profit organization.
Pearl Tavern's rib steak for two was one of Portland's most expensive menu steaks. Thomas Boyce replaced Roscoe Roberson as executive chef in mid 2017. The restaurant's critical reception was mixed, and it closed in June 2018.
Description
Pearl Tavern was an upscale sports bar and restaurant in northwest Portland's Pearl District, operating from a building which formerly housed The Parish. Intended to be more casual than a steakhouse, the interior featured "stately" dark green walls, wood floors, a long semi-circular bar and dark leather booths inherited from The Parish, and five widescreen televisions above the bar, used mostly for sports but with audio during "big games" only. Lighting was dimmed throughout, and servers were required to wearplaid
Plaid () may refer to:
Fabric
* Full plaid, a cloth made with a tartan pattern, wrapped around the waist, cast over the shoulder and fastened at the front
* A synonym for tartan in North America
* A plaid shirt, typically of flannel and worn du ...
prints.
In 2017, Karen Brooks of '' Portland Monthly'' described the restaurant as "a manly sports bar-meets-steak-house-y tavern that never got off the ground", and the '' Portland Mercury'' Andrea Damewood called Pearl Tavern a sports bar, a steakhouse, and "a man cave for those who drink Bulleit and not Bud". '' The Oregonian'' Michael Russell described the restaurant as a "low-key Pearl District steakhouse".
Menu
The family-friendly restaurant served "high-end bar food", including seven cuts of steak with seven sauces such as béarnaise and chimichurri, fish, various sides such as bacon-wrappedbaked potatoes
A baked potato, known in some parts of the United Kingdom (though not generally Scotland) as a jacket potato, is a preparation of potato. It may be served with fillings, toppings or condiments such as butter, cheese, sour cream, gravy, baked be ...
and lobster bisque, appetizers, and salads. Cuts included flank, rib
In vertebrate anatomy, ribs ( la, costae) are the long curved bones which form the rib cage, part of the axial skeleton. In most tetrapods, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the ches ...
, and strip steak. Fried chicken, cornmeal-crusted trout, and winter squash risotto were also available.
Bar snacks included avocado toast, fried cheese curds, onion rings, pigs in a blanket with Olympia Provisions
Olympia Provisions (formerly Olympic Provisions) is an American meat and restaurant company that produces artisan charcuterie based out of Portland, Oregon.
Background and history
Founded in 2009 as Olympic Provisions, the company began as Ore ...
sausage, and spiced toffee nuts. Brunch options included Dutch baby pancakes and "yeasted" waffles. The drink menu included craft beer
Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...
, wine, and fine spirits. Bottle service was also available. For happy hour, Pearl Tavern offered a cheeseburger, chicken wings, macaroni and cheese, and drink specials.
History
Joey Harrington, a former American football quarterback, established the Pearl Tavern with bartender Ryan Magarian and ChefStable restaurateur Kurt Huffman in December 2016. Harrington and Huffman had attempted to open a restaurant together five years prior, but nothing had come to fruition. Upon opening, Roscoe Roberson and Joel Gunderson were Pearl Tavern's chef and sommelier, respectively. Cocktails were designed by Magarian. Three percent of profits benefited the Harrington Family Foundation, Harrington's non-profit organization which "provides scholarships for Oregon students seeking to stay in-state for secondary education". In 2016, Pearl Tavern's rib steak for two and Ox's 42-ounce bone-in rib eye steak were the city's most expensive menu steaks, at $115.
Thomas Boyce replaced Roberson as executive chef in mid 2017. The switch resulted in minor changes to the menu; Mattie John Bamman of '' Eater Portland'' said the most significant difference was "a more focused approach befitting a tavern or pub" featuring "a smaller selection of more carefully sourced and prepared steaks and revamped burgers and salads". Pearl Tavern operated on Thanksgiving in 2017, screening football games and serving special entrees such as confit turkey thigh and maple glazed breast. In May 2018, owners announced plans to close in June. Magarian wrote on social media:
Backwoods Brewing Company confirmed plans to open in the space soon after Pearl Tavern's closure, and began operating on July 9.
Reception
Shortly after Pearl Tavern's opening, Julie Lee of ''1859
Events
January–March
* January 21 – José Mariano Salas (1797–1867) becomes Conservative interim President of Mexico.
* January 24 ( O. S.) – Wallachia and Moldavia are united under Alexandru Ioan Cuza (Romania since 1866, final u ...
'' said the "adulation is immediate for the killer atmosphere, wrap around bar, big screen TV's, inviting leather booths and, most discernibly, delicious food". In 2017, Samantha Bakall included Pearl Tavern in ''The Oregonian'' list of Portland's 10 best new happy hours, and Mattie John Bamman of ''Eater Portland'' wrote, "Pearl Tavern has received mixed reviews since opening last year, but it hasn't been totally panned or anything — although neither the ''O'' or '' PoMo'' have deemed the restaurant worthy of a full restaurant review." ''The Oregonian'' Michael Russell included Pearl Tavern in his list of "Portland's 50 most notable restaurant openings of 2017". The ''Portland Mercury'' Andrea Damewood recommended the burrata
Burrata () is an Italian cow milk (occasionally buffalo milk) cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is typical of Apuli ...
appetizer and the General Tso's lamb ribs. However, her review was not entirely positive; she noted "a few serious failures", including the Chinese broccoli side and the trout entree.
See also
* List of steakhousesReferences
External links
Pearl Tavern
at '' Portland Monthly'' * {{Pearl District, Portland, Oregon 2016 establishments in Oregon 2018 disestablishments in Oregon Defunct restaurants in Pearl District, Portland, Oregon Defunct steakhouses in Portland, Oregon Restaurants disestablished in 2018 Restaurants established in 2016