In Lush Life this week, Ned pans the bar that has taken over half of the deceased It’s A Beautiful Pizza spot on Belmont, Hall of Records. Ned is saddened that Hall of Records isn’t the “home away from home” he was hoping the bar/sandwich store/record shop could be: “It pains me to say that Hall of Records doesn’t quite live up to the paradise it occupies in my mind. As a bar, it’s somewhat antiseptic. As a record store, it caters to a specific niche (pricey, used soul-jazz) and doesn’t venture beyond it.”
Counterpoint! I live just a couple blocks away from Hall of Records and it is now my new favorite bar. I like my bars to be a happy medium: not too posh, not too fratty, not too expensive, not too divey, not too anything. Just a damn bar. One with decent food, reasonably priced drinks, good music, and an ambiance that allows me to use the bathroom without a Hazmat suit. And until Hall of Records opened, this kind of bar—just a solid, normal bar—didn’t exist on the block. I don’t want to sit around feeling ugly at the hip hip hip Aalto Lounge. I don’t want to fight for tablespace with the Belmont Inn bros. Hall of Records is just right.
I don’t give a shit about buying records, but the music at Hall of Records is guaranteed to be good. Friday nights get busy and the bar hosts open tables, where anyone can sign up to spin on the bar’s turntables, so whenever I’ve been there, there’s been an interesting crowd and music that’s a welcome change from the constant drone of the Decemberists elsewhere in Portland.
Finally, here’s the clincher: Monday night is half price sandwich night. Half price! $3! For a tasty sandwich! That tips the scales for me. I love the place.
Smirk, have you forgotten about Side Street Tavern?
But you’re right about the Decemberists. Fuck those guys.
Yeah, the Side Street meets those criteria, although they’ve been catering pretty heavily to hipsters lately (there’s a separate menu for ironic PBR drink combos now). No matter, I’m just glad there’s more competition in the “regular bar on Belmont” industry.
Agh!
I’d be wary of any bar that would let anybody DJ. Too much potential for self-indulgent wankery… Like most boutique type record shops, a glut of one type of music is pretty typical, as they’re usually run by collector snobs who’ve always dreamed of running a record store. Turns out you can’t pay the landlord in first edition ESP records, nor can you move them to thrifty hipsters at $100 a pop in this economy. Go figure.
Side Street is okaaaaay but the service is always slow to the point of being a joke and the food is meh. Also it has a clientele weirdly populated by really loud dudes who smoke a lot and have ugly dogs. … which is exactly why I didn’t mention it, because my reasons for not liking it sound crazy. BUT I DON’T LIKE IT.
The really loud dude who smokes a lot and has a dog doesn’t go there anymore. Everyone got sick of him and his stupid dog and told him to get lost. He and his people don’t come around anymore. You’re right though. He was there every single day for hours and was really annoying.
I believe the PBR menu was stolen from the owner’s brother’s hipster bar on Alberta…Binks. Never noticed the slow service unless it was really busy in there.
My dog is not ugly!
Rich23 – I’ve met one of the owners and he’s a huge record collector and not snotty at all. I totally know what you’re getting at but all the people who work there that I’ve interacted with are pretty laid back and nice. Plus there is a huge rack of $5 and under records.
Sarah, I love cheap Monday night sandwiches too! SO GOOD.
hall of records is cool but they don’t serve hard alcohol…. and the one time I went all I wanted was a vodka soda. HOWEVER, there is a bar next door that you can access through a door in the back of the hall of records. I popped over there for a drank and went back when I was finished and it was a lovely time. I like the side street ok but the last time I was there it was so damn loud.
Is Hal’s too far away? Because, Hal’s.
COUNTERPOINT, Sarah, that has pretty much already been made by lady. I emailed them right around the grand opening asking what American whiskeys they would be carrying and guess what their email rep, Katie, said?? “We thought it better not to mix our beloved records with liquor.” So even though I only live about as far from there as you, I likely won’t be spending too much, if any, money there any time soon.
I like both. The folks in charge of both are swell. Go to both.
I noticed Belmont Inn wasn’t mentioned as part of the “regular bar on Belmont” discussion. Why come?
Because you have a better chance of being knifed at Belmont Inn than if you were standing on 82nd avenue with a wad of money in your hand asking passers by to stab you and take your money. Fact.
No bar/eatery can be all things to all people, and that’s what makes the world go around.
Hall of Records is a FRESH new idea…a social collective environment for people to have a brew, or a glass of wine, and a great sandwich. (Delicious! If you haven’t tried one, then you’re missing out!) Oh yeah, and of course if you love music, that makes it even better.
The owners are incredibly hospitable and once you sit down and settle in, you’ll find yourself more comfortable there that a bunch of other Portland bars.
No bar/eatery can be all things to all people, and that’s what makes the world go around.
Hall of Records is a FRESH new idea…a social collective environment for people to have a brew, or a glass of wine, and a great sandwich. (Delicious! If you haven’t tried one, then you’re missing out!) Oh yeah, and of course if you love music, that makes it even better.
The owners are incredibly hospitable and once you sit down and settle in, you’ll find yourself more comfortable there than at a bunch of other Portland bars.
Hall of Records is NOT A BAR! Technically its just a Cafe with a limited liquor license. AKA a Pub or a Tavern. A real Bar serves Booze. Straight Up.
Obviously these folks don’t have a lot of experience and that is fine but their cry baby response to the article referred to the Writer as “reeming” their establishment when it was actually the first truthful and well rounded Critique that has been written. God forbid someone pointing out that is probably nothing special and ((GASP!)) Mediocre. The article didn’t even say anything outright negative. Reaming?…a bit overly dramatic dont you think?
And for the record, Its not a new FRESH idea. I cant tell you how many record stores Ive drank beer in or smoked weed at. Not to mention there is a place in NY thats been doing this for awhile and 2 places in Portland with the same thing going. Its cool, learn to take things with a grain of salt and improve upon the weak points. I would suggest chilling on the aggressive FB’ing and Hurt Feeling Blog posts.
@Freddie: I wouldn’t really call the blog response a “cry baby” thing, it seems like they are learning to take the good with the bad. It’s something all business owners go through at some point.
Freddie – I don’t know how many “record stores you drank beer or smoked weed in”…but what Hall of Records offers is a FRESH idea because of the socialized environment they create…and having frequented enough record/music store environments, I find it thoroughly refreshing. Maybe it’s not a NEW idea…but it is indeed FRESH…and again, it’s a whole lot better and more comfortable (in my opinion) than a whole lot of other places in Portland. And oh yeah…so they don’t serve hard liquor. I find that just another reason to go there, have a brew, eat a great sandwich, and listen to the music. Less barflys.
I would think Hall was great, except that the music is excruciatingly loud in the evenings. (At least, it was a few weeks ago when I last went; perhaps someone has told the manager, in the hey-you-have-spinach-between-your-teeth-but-noone-wants-to-tell-you way, that the reason everyone insists on standing outside on the sidewalk in pouring rain is not because they love rain so much, but to hear themselves think.)
It’s just painful to be in there, and very hard to have a conversation. But if they turned it down a little bit…perfect neighborhood bar!
Michelle – Why not mention that to the manager while there? That’s how businnesses learn what’s best — customer feedback!
@musicguy I was just pointing out that Record Stores have always had, since the beginning of Record Store Time, had sort of a Clubhouse Feel with my smoking and drinking comment. Saying that Hall of Records is offering something NEW by providing a place to sip, listen and chat is far from true. We’ve been doing it all along sans Minimal Alcohol Permit thank you very much. So I guess I don’t really get your Not New But Fresh contradiction unless you are a Prince from Bel Air. In reference to your “barfly” comment I have to guess You are implying that there will be no riff raff at HOR because they dont serve booze. I can tell you that is a highly insulting presumption and that you would be sorely mistaken as Dirty Ol’ Men and Belly Up Lifers want nothing more than a cheap beer and some free peanuts. I dont have anything against HOR, I just don’t like that they call it a Bar when it is technically a Tavern. What I really have a problem with is the term “Socialized Environment”
@Freddie: You’re right–they’re not a FULL bar, they are a beer and wine bar. Doesn’t matter an ounce to me, but I see your point.
As for the “social environment”–I think the layout of the room itself, with listening stations, lounge area, tables, barstools, etc, seems geared toward socialization and entertainment in a way that I think is fairly unique for a vinyl shop/bar (tavern/saloon/pub whatever.) I think the fact that it’s a record store inside a bar (or a bar inside a record store) is what gives HOR an interesting “social” atmosphere. I’ve been to plenty of record stores that aren’t social (in fact, they might be the antithesis of social). I like that I can drink a beer while looking through old records. I like that I can bring my computer and hang out there for a few hours while doing work and listening to great music. I like that I can listen to practically any record they have in the store, and that they’ll throw it over the PA if I want to hear it.
But again this all comes down to taste, semantics, and opinion. I think it’s a cool spot and enjoy having another place on Belmont to frequent.
Gummyworms – Thanks for your follow-up and you nailed it as to what I was saying exactly. I still think HOR is a fresh idea…maybe I should say “refreshing” idea…and I found the layout and whole environment very comfortable and inviting. I certainly have never seen anyplace like HOR and that’s what I think makes it unique. As for Freddie’s assumption that my “barfly’ comment referred to riff-raff, his assumption is dead wrong. Then again, maybe I was tool iberal in my use of the word. I meant people who merely drink to REALLY drink lots of hard liquor. The ones that many bars have (or need) as patrons. As for the trouble he has with the term “socialized environment”, I can’t comment. I found HOR to be a completely socially engaging atmosphere…more so than many bars/taverns/whatever you want to call them.