Detention Bar
Concordia, Portland
Bar in Portland, United States
Book with PearlWhy go
Choose Detention Bar for an easy, character-driven drink inside McMenamins Kennedy School, especially if whiskey, house beer, a casual adults-only room sound right. It is not the strongest pick for a food-led night; treat any food as secondary to the setting and drinks.
About Detention Bar
Detention Bar is a Portland venue with a casual dress code, a typical spend of about $25 per person, limited weekly opening days. The clearest planning facts are practical: it is closed Monday through Wednesday, opens Thursday and Friday from 5–10 PM, Saturday from 12–10 PM, Sunday from 2–9 PM.
Use it to decide whether the hours, price point, casual setting fit the visit you are planning in Portland.
Plan around the basics
The information supports a direct expectation: Detention Bar is a casual Portland venue with an estimated $25-per-person spend. No specific food menu, cuisine type, dish list, chef information, happy hour, or beverage program is confirmed here, so it is better not to plan around a particular order or offering.
Go for the basics, not unconfirmed details
There are no confirmed awards, rankings, seat counts, named menu items, or specialty programs in the record for Detention Bar. That does not make the venue less useful; it simply means the dependable planning information is narrow.
For a first visit, focus on timing. Detention Bar is closed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; open Thursday and Friday from 5–10 PM; open Saturday from 12–10 PM; and open Sunday from 2–9 PM. Dress is casual, the listed spend is about $25 per person.
Useful Portland planning links
For broader planning, use our full Portland bars guide and our full Portland restaurants guide. For other dining and drinking plans in Portland, compare schedules, price points, current venue details before you go.
Planning details
- Location
- Detention Bar, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211
- Website
- mcmenamins.com/kennedy-school/detention-bar
- Phone
- (503) 249-3983
Venue details
Ambiance
Set in a former school building, Detention Bar feels like a snug, slightly mischievous hideout: dim, cozy lighting, schoolhouse character and artwork, and a relaxed, grown‑ups‑only atmosphere geared toward sipping whiskey and McMenamins house beers rather than loud partying.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Format
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Hotel Bar
- Late Night
- Closes by 10pm
Planning details
Location
Detention Bar, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211 · Directions
Also consider
Where to go if this is not the right fit
If the night needs stronger food confidence, choose Expatriate or Urdaneta instead. If atmosphere matters more than dinner, Theater Bar is the cleaner alternative.
Bar context
How it compares in Portland
Choose Detention Bar when ease and a casual Northeast Portland plan matter more than a defined food or cocktail identity. Expatriate is the stronger pick for a more intentional bar-food night, while Wilder makes more sense when the room and cocktail experience are part of the draw.
For dinner-first plans, Gabbiano's and Urdaneta are safer choices because the meal is easier to justify as the center of the evening. Detention Bar is the lower-commitment option; useful when the group wants a bar stop, weaker when someone is asking where to eat seriously.
Theater Bar is the better cross-shop if ambiance is the priority and the night needs a clearer sense of occasion. Detention Bar should win only for a simpler, less planned outing.
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Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Detention Bar guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Detention Bar
How it compares in Portland
Choose Detention Bar when ease and a casual Northeast Portland plan matter more than a defined food or cocktail identity. Expatriate is the stronger pick for a more intentional bar-food night, while Wilder makes more sense when the room and cocktail experience are part of the draw.
For dinner-first plans, Gabbiano's and Urdaneta are safer choices because the meal is easier to justify as the center of the evening. Detention Bar is the lower-commitment option; useful when the group wants a bar stop, weaker when someone is asking where to eat seriously.
Theater Bar is the better cross-shop if ambiance is the priority and the night needs a clearer sense of occasion. Detention Bar should win only for a simpler, less planned outing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Detention Bar worth the prices?
Detention Bar is listed at about $25 per person. It is most likely to make sense if that price point, the casual dress code, the Thursday-through-Sunday schedule fit your plans in Portland.
What's the crowd like at Detention Bar?
The dress code is casual, but no specific crowd description is confirmed. Plan around the listed hours: closed Monday through Wednesday, open Thursday and Friday from 5–10 PM, Saturday from 12–10 PM, Sunday from 2–9 PM.
Does Detention Bar have happy hour deals?
Is the food good at Detention Bar?
No specific cuisine, dish, chef, or menu format is here. The confirmed planning details are the approximately $25-per-person spend, casual dress code, Portland location, listed weekly hours.
