Star Theater

The 100-year-old Star Theater (13 NW 6th Ave., startheaterportland.com) has been a strip joint, a burlesque bar and a speakeasy. Its latest incarnation isn’t the first time the room—with its impressive vaulted ceilings, long red curtains, second-story lounge and narrow staircases—has been a music venue, but it is the first time in recent history anyone has given the place some dignity. The new Star Theater is as clean and unpretentiously classy as it is really fucking loud on show nights. It also has an ingeniously positioned mirror behind the bar, so you can sit and drink with your back to a band without missing the show. And while one can’t help but wonder if Portland needs more 21-and-over rock clubs, the Star is open nightly with cheap drinks, a huge patio (heat lamps coming soon?) and some of the tastiest bento boxes in town—so it doesn’t take a concert to take in the rather majestic club’s charms.