It’s a place of comfort any night of the week: paneled walls, double-negative neon signs of deceased beer brands and perhaps a few too many mirrors. At the end of the shoebox-shaped room is a mural of regulars—spotting them at the bar is generally the most excitement you’ll have on a weeknight in Kay’s, which is located on southeast Milwaukie Boulevard in one of Portland’s most outlying communities. But Wednesday has a deal that brings a different crowd from those on the black and white mural.
For five bucks, enjoy a 1/4-pound burger on a light brioche bun, seasoned shoestring fries and either a glass of craft beer or a pint of PBR, and as you indulge, enjoy an exuberant young crowd that seeks out the cheap eats north from Reed and south from Lewis and Clark Colleges. Not to degrade ol’ Bob, who occupies the foreground of the painting in the back—he’s great if you want to eat while listening to words gone sultry with age and mixed with the smell of decay—but it’s important to enjoy the lightness of being from time to time.
Students sporting optimistic smiles wander among the regulars, eager to engage with anyone about their experiences and purposes in Portland. It’s even possible to chat with laid-back guys who aren’t strictly focused on getting boozed and laid. An open mind will leave Kay’s with new bands and books to check out, things to do around town, and a myriad of thought-provoking ideals.
The conversations contain fervor that displays Portland’s progressivism, without the pretention that exists in hipster bars all around town. It’s common for first-time visitors to feel uncomfortable with the judgmental stares behind wood-framed glasses, but it’s still a great city! Neighborhood establishments like Kay’s make the town inviting. They also feed you cheaply, offer craft beers from all over the state and display the eclectic interests of Portland’s inhabitants.
