Mama’s Crowbar

Cash only beer bar with nice selection of local brews. The bartender was very friendly and helpful. We had fun with the trivial pursuit box questions and enjoyed the local popcorn available for purchase. I believe they are closing down in September 2015 though.

While visiting Portland, I learned that you can get drunk pretty quickly. In fact, most places seemed to encourage it. And I’m not gonna lie, I accepted the challenge while on vacation. And, while I only imbibed one drink at Mama’s Crowbar, it was hands down my favorite bar I stopped into in Portland.
We went in the day time so I’m not sure what this place is like at night. But it was very quiet, with a few regulars sitting at the bar and the bartender was incredibly helpful in giving beer recommendations. He seemed really proud (and we were really impressed!) that most everything they served was local, in some capacity. Mama’s Crowbar only serves beer and, yes, it is cash only. We loved that they had old school Trivial Pursuit cards to play around with right at the bar and it looked like they had a small stash of board games, as well. The only kind of bummer was that their darts board is warped, presumably from age and swelling from heat or something, so it was not discouraged but also not recommended that we play a round. It’s also placed right by the front door which, you know, could get dangerous.
We chose this bar blindly off Unilocal because it was described as a dive but I almost want to say it’s a little too cool/​nice to be a dive. It’s a baby step up. I’m not complaining or anything. It’s in a cute neighborhood too!

Cash only, great beer selection. What makes it is the staff, though. They’re just a super friendly, no bullshit crowd.

Character and characters, the place has it and them. A thoughtful quality selection of beers and nights like open mic comedy night on Sunday are what elevate the place out of dive bar status. I of course use the term dive bar with love and respect. It’s the «hole in the wall» atmosphere with it’s low ceiling, dartboard and a fine collection of random board games that keep’s Mama’s Crow Bar comfy and grounded. However, unlike generic dive bars you’re not going to find any Budweiser products on their beer list. It’s a high brow dive bar.

I don’t get to Mama’s as often as I probably should. I seriously don’t have an excuse. Every time I go I meet friends and neighbors and enjoy singing along obnoxiously to Concrete Blonde. Tricia (the owner) has spectacular taste in 90s music and she’s a riot, to boot.
The setting is intimate and friendly — this is definitely a neighborhood bar. The joint is «Beer Only Cash Only» so come with something in your pocket other than plastic. I can’t really speak to the beer selection except that it seems to be varied and plentiful. They do usually carry a cider or three and some non-​alcoholic drinks like Izze sodas. There’s also Little Lad’s popcorn for a couple of bucks if you feel the need to snack. There are also Trivial Pursuit decks scattered about if you need an excuse to strike up a conversation with a stranger or if your company is less than stellar.
Sunday nights has open mic comedy. The comedy is hit or miss but the atmosphere is one of support and friendly ribbing and rarely descends into mean-​spirited heckling.
Mama’s Crowbar just an easy, laid back place. It kind of doesn’t get any better.

This has become my favorite dive bar in Portland. Except it’s not really a dive bar because it has an amazing collection of local beers on tap at reasonable prices. So it’s a small beer bar disguised as a dive bar. All the locals who frequent Mama’s Crowbar are friendly and chatty, as is the bartender (who has been here the two times I have). It has a really warm, unpretentious vibe, and one of the locals played the piano while everyone else sang along during my first visit. And it’s not packed; I’ve never had a rough time getting a seat at the bar. People come here to chill out and to chat after a long day while drinking seasonal Rising Tides and Allagashes.
Best part of this place (after the ‘house’ Allagash Black on tap at $ 5) is the happy hour. All beers are $ 4! Depending on what I drink, I feel like I’m stealing from them.

[Negative review withdrawn after I visited again and found it a lot more congenial than before. Will repost with a clearer opinion.]

Good beer selection and a great vibe. Perfect example of a great neighborhood bar.
It is beer only and cash only but they pride themselves on that so don’t go in looking for mixed drinks. This great place for a beer and a conversation.

I was fixing to be a regular here for a short time when I lived in Portland. The cozy atmosphere was right up my alley, and the staff and patrons were typically super nice and accommodating. You might find, though, that there’s a community here that is somewhat insular, and you may find yourself feeling like you finally found the perfect bar in one moment, and feel awfully cold the next, when you get too comfortable.
If you’re here to visit, enjoy the great beer selection (one of the only places I know that serves Allagash Black; a stout vastly superior to their Belgian white). If you think you might want to be a regular, though, be sure you put in the time before getting friendly.

Oh, how I wish the Crowbar smacked my skull the last half-​dozen trips to Portland.
Sure, the Beer Bar, Cash Only shtick gets played out a bit quickly (T-​shirts? Really?) but in reference to its long-​standing pub mindset, I reckon a mantra is a mantra. So, as if you won’t be clocked with the shpeel ten times in your first ten minutes here, yes, Mama’s Crowbar only serves beer, and they only accept cash.
Now a peek at the taps (entirely local, bottles can be US imports), and assorted nuances about the wee grotto will have your butt softened and sealed to the barstool like Yankee Candle runoff. Herbal popcorn for purchase, Trivial Pursuit cards to quell those first date jitters (and ensure a second date, once it’s realized you’re both equally dumb), a dartboard sunk in to the front wall, an eclectic soundtrack and, of course, the Karmic Pints system for positive juju. Karmic Pints, you say? It’s buying your friend a drink when your friend ain’t with you. Give it a go.
We killed a few pints of Rising Tide’s American Pale Ale and lost ourselves in conversation, easily passing an hour before dinner reservations, and honestly not wanting to leave. If this is your neighborhood, this should be your local. *drops mic*
*picks up the mic*
Happy hour: $ 4 drafts from 4−6p.
*drops mic again*

Bring your cash and leave your PBR buds at home. Cool little neighborhood beer bar. Not about quantity, but quality. Freshest local brews on tap, probably most weeks old if that. Plenty of cans as well.
This is what I envisioned for my house with a garage underneath to be, only they pulled it off.
Good tuneage and not everyday you get a wizard pulling down a tap handle.
Be a regular stop on our Portland trips from here on out.

You know you’re in a hipster bar when the loudest conversation in the bar is about Sharknado trending on twitter…

This place is the bee’s knees. This is the kind of hipster dive bar that makes Williamsburg/​Bushwick look like a bad rip-​off.
–Great local beers (no effin PBR)
–Beers only!
–Cash only
–People reading books (but not for show)
–People having intimate conversations
–All sorts of fashions, ages, orientations, and mustachios
–Quietest bar ever, without trying to be
One guy in a flapper outfit sat next to us sipping his beer for about 20 minutes, finished it and left. A few post-​collegiate kids in Northface and LL Bean walked in later, but they were pretty well-​behaved!

Very small and cozy. Pretty decent beer list. Cool people. Lots of darts going on. People eating popcorn. Did I see some board games?
Cash only, y’all.

I have found my true dive when coming to Portland. Oh. Hell. Yes.
Cash only btw.

Great people.
Cool draft and bottle selection.
Chill place.

The atmosphere is great. The People are great. The beer is great. Definitely best pure bar on hill. Tuesday is piano night.

Why can’t this be my neighborhood bar?!
The crowbar is amazing. This is a place where great locals swing through for a drink and a story, and there are plenty of games lying around to pass the time while you wait for the next round of regulars. The trivial pursuit decks scattered throughout lend themselves to spontaneous bar-​wide trivia games.
Low ceilings and a hallway-​like setup make this tiny establishment quite the dive, but the delicious local beers coupled with knowledgeable bartenders make this a gem.
Great prices, yummy beer specials… Cash Only Beer Only!

From the outside I was initially a little skeptical of this place, but I knew I had to go in. It looks like it could be skeezy, but for those who are in no way doing the dive bar thing, don’t worry — Mama’s is clean and not too bad. For those of you that like a good dive bar, this won’t be exactly what you’re looking for but it’s still got some grit and character.
Great local beers on tap and in bottle/​can. The bartenders were very nice to me, and they knew their suds. The place is a tiny shoebox space, so it can get a bit crowded on a busy night. Still, it’s a totally laid-​back bar that I would not hesitate to stop in and visit again. A far cry from it’s San Francisco Bay Area name-​twin …

If you’re on the East End, you need to go here.
The skinny:
Cash only
Beer only
Music several times a week
American Beers