Top five sports bars

Cheerful Tortoise

1939 SW 6th Ave.

A perfect little college sports bar, the Cheerful has been serving afternoon drinks to Portland State students for decades. Take a break from the stresses of class with a game of pool, a cold beer and some sports in the background. Drinks and food are priced in an affordable range for its cash-strapped college customers, too. Just knows there’s nothing fancy about it. If that bothers you, then hop on the MAX and head north. 

Blitz Ladd

2239 SE 11th Ave.

Blitz comes at you fast with a lively atmosphere and an overload of activities, all inside a long rectangular-shaped bar the length of a neighborhood block. A clean, well-decorated bar and an exciting place to watch the weekend game. There’s pool to play, shuffleboard and ping-pong tables, too. No complaints on the food either, including large burgers, pizzas, sandwiches and even tachos (tater tot nachos). The crowd can vary depending on the night, although fraternity and sorority-types are most common, especially on weekends.

Claudia’s Pub

3006 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

A relaxed tavern-like atmosphere, Claudia’s has been providing a watering hole for local sports fans since 1958. If you’re looking for a super sports bar, like Buffalo Wild Wings or Big Al’s, you’re way off. Still, if you’re looking for a great place to play some pool, order a pitcher and watch a Blazers game with a group of friends on Friday night, then look no further. With rows of flat-screens, good food and a covered outdoor smoking patio, this pub provides everything its patrons need.

On Deck

910 NW 14th Ave.

An upscale sports bar with flat-screens lining virtually every inch of the interior. On Deck has tons of space, and is a great place to host a party or event. All the necessary components are here—pool tables, poker machines, good food, games, cheap beer and attractive waitresses. When the weather gets warm, the Party Tent fills up on the patio.

Marathon Taverna

1735 W Burnside St.

Although on weekends, the place can be packed full of drunk downtown partygoers, it still provides a great atmosphere to watch a sporting event. The crowd can get pretty excited and rowdy when they’re rooting for the home team, which makes it all the more fun. Drinks are stiff, which helps too—though it’s not uncommon to have a bad experience with a rude bouncer, a rude server or a rude customer. Marathon is famous for its gyros and feta cheeseburger.