[What follows is one of the many merry articles in the Mercury's Winter Guide 2025. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you're feeling generous this holiday season, support us here.—eds.]
One of the most stressful parts of the holiday season has got to be the chaos of holiday travel. Overcrowded airports, delayed flights, winter storms—watching news reports this time of year always makes me feel grateful my family celebrations are local. But if you have to jet off somewhere this holiday season, at least your starting and/or ending point is PDX—which post-renovation is undoubtedly one of the most gorgeous airports in the world.
If the natural wood architecture and trees in the ticket hall aren’t enough to instill a sense of calm, then I’ll let you in on a local travel hack that will help maintain some semblance of sanity. Aurora, Loyal Legion’s airport “speakeasy,” opened back in February this year. Semi-regular flyer though I am, I haven’t leveraged my travel to access any kind of bougie lounges—so an (open) secret airport bar is the perfect place to tuck yourself away from the hustle and bustle of other travelers, enjoying a well-crafted beverage in swanky surroundings.
As the bar’s tagline reads, “curiosity opens the door,” so in true speakeasy fashion, you’ll have to do a bit of sleuthing to gain access. Without giving too much away, the move is to approach the bartender at Loyal Legion and start asking questions. Once granted access, you’ll step into one of the most aesthetic bars in the city, let alone the airport.
The bar, like its namesake, glimmers with a rainbow of light. A wall of glass block separates the bar top from the lounge area, where a squiggly curved couch invites visitors to gaze out the large, iridescent windows overlooking the tarmac (I suggest visiting when it’s still light out to enjoy the full prismatic effect). The whole vibe is giving the set of an '80s music video, or at least, somewhere way too chic to be at the airport.
Bar manager Al Wolf Utt describes their approach to Aurora’s cocktail menu as a renaissance of “'80s and '90s club classics.” Think Cosmos, appletinis, a Sex on the Beach—drinks that had their heyday, but were cast aside as passé once craft cocktails came to prominence. Now that liqueurs have improved in quality and fresh juices are in the mix, Wolf Utt thinks it’s high time these cocktails got an upgrade and made a comeback.
Frozen and warm beverages are slated to hit the menu for the winter season, including the Good Soup, a savory ramen-inspired toddy. Aurora has a collaboration with fellow airport tenants Missionary Chocolates in the works, which includes a new mixable chocolate and a custom chocolate medallion based off of Aurora’s Borealis Old Fashioned.
Airports are liminal by nature, but Wolf Utt has been surprised by the number of locals who come to simply hang out. Recently, they’ve noticed a surge of people who are using the MAX to get there (the bar is conveniently pre-security), something Wolf Utt proclaims is “really cool and a smart decision if you’re going to be out drinking.” The airport crowd is a diverse one; the space is its own microcosm where the people watching is elite.
“It’s a space for people that need this space right now,” Wolf Utt says.
Aurora, Inside Loyal Legion at Portland International Airport, Monday–Friday,
4 pm–8 pm, Saturdays 2 pm–8 pm, instagram.com/drinkataurora
