Vault Martini

The staff is absolutely the best! You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, and two thumbs up on the martinis!

This is a funky little place (in a good way) with great martinis and extended happy hour pricing, and the food is good as well although limited. Only thing that kept the rating from a 5 would be the slower-​than-​expected wait times from staff. It was not as though they weren’t hassling as they were totally running around, just were understaffed which is a management problem. The place was packed including outdoor seating and one bartender and one wait staff. I’d think in order to grow this business in this ultra competitive area you’ll need to bring in more wait staff in order not to lose business. The wife and I do look forward to returning for another opportunity to shine.

This place was recommended to us by a friend, and I’m so glad we found this place! We went there on a Sunday (happy hour all day!). The drinks were very good and potent. We sat at the bar and the bartender was really nice and helpful. Would definitely visit when I’m in town again.

Great atmosphere and delicious drinks. For someone who doesn’t enjoy the taste of alcohol, they really made me love their cucumber and strawberry martinis. Music is awesome albeit loud. Drinks are only $ 12. Only drawback is that they close early at midnight even though it’s a Friday night.

I am giving one star as to the fact that the drinks are good. I was given a gift card to come back after a bad experience with the waitstaff. Tonight we ended up having the same waitress and our service once again was very slow and the food took so long we were ready to leave and then the food came.
I felt we were unattended to and it felt like we were an inconvenience.
I am sad because this used to be a stellar place and now their service is down hill.

Great atmosphere and quality cocktails. The appetizer menu has a good selection of satisfying finger foods. It can get a little loud, especially on Friday/​Saturday nights. Staff turnover is also a concern…

Best happy hour deal. Pineapple drops and bacon wrapped dates are both to die for. If your in the Pearl district, don’t miss out!

I was visiting Portland with a friend on Sunday night this week and she was looking for a good Martini when we spotted this place. The place was completely packed and it looked like there would be a very long wait to be served however the bartender Jens was absolutely spectacular! A couple of the patrons we’re trying to rush him and he kept everyone calm and very happy. It was like watching a magician behind the bar how quickly and with such expertise he filled the multitude of orders that were coming at him. Next time I’m in Portland I will definitely come back to this place and I hope Jens will be working.

Vault is a great choice when you’re looking for a creative martini (or two) that you haven’t encountered before. They have a very wide assortment of martinis (at least greater than 50!) that are smartly organized on the menu (eg sweet, savory, dessert, bubbly etc) so you don’t get overwhelmed when visiting for the first time. The Pad Thai martini (lemongrass and basil) and Pear Ginger martinis are some of our personal favorites. The alcohol/“mixer” ratio is appropriate, and much more balanced than Bartini. The food is also actually pretty good here — the bacon wrapped dates are amazing (we may or may not get multiple orders as a party of two when we visit…) and the Vault sandwich is a good choice when you want an actual (but casual) meal. If you’re looking for a laugh, be sure to read the description of each of the drinks — there is a satirical statement under each martini that will keep you chuckling for a while. If you don’t like crowds and loud bars I’d recommend arriving more in the 4−7p time frame, because after this it really picks up.
We love this place and will absolutely come back — but we are holding off on the fifth star because the service has been hit or miss on occasion (two of the «regular» bartenders are really really good, but one of the newer ones is still trying to gain steam). Also, even though other folks have complimented the «hip» vibe here, I actually think the atmosphere is a little less trendy/​classy than many of the other cocktail bars in town. Again — that’s not going to stop us from coming back though and we still love it here.

I visited here late on a Sunday night with a friend I met at the previous bar, and the place was just starting to clear out. First of all, very close to many things, including MAX stops and Powell’s. Our bartender, Jens, was so incredibly nice. He even made us a special cocktail out of nowhere that I honestly loved. I also tried both Wrath (bourbon, peach purée, lemon) and a vodka gimlet. Both were absolutely delicious, especially the gimlet, and with happy hour all day Sunday I felt like I could have paid way more. I wish this place was in Seattle because I would visit again in a heartbeat. One thing to be warned is that the cocktail menu is HUGE. It’s a 14 page PDF online… I personally didnt peruse the whole thing, but after such a great night, I would completely trust whatever they made for me going forward.

Unbelievably good brunch, this place is a hidden gem. Try the breakfast sandwich and enjoy eating here while it’s still easy to get a table!

Brunch was amazing! I loooooved the Vault Breakfast Sandwich! It was delicious. Great service and ambiance. Perfect selection of food. I tried my friends’ Shrimp and Creamy Polenta, the Bread Pudding, and Pina Colada French Toast. All were big hits. I will definitely be back for more! Since they just started opening for brunch, the secret isn’t out yet and it was easy to get a table for our group. Need to get in again before people realize how great this for brunch!

Great atmosphere, great drinks, best bartender around! Case is amazing! I can say what I’m craving and he will whip up the perfect cocktail! I recommend this place and Case!

Nice hip place to get drinks in downtown. Awesome ambiance! really upscale.

I love stopping in here for the relaxing, upscale vibe and low lights, but the real superstars here are the incredible cocktails. They infuse their liquor perfectly and have come up with some of the best combinations in the city. The pineapple habanero martini is my current favorite but I have to admit, I’ve never had a drink I haven’t liked there.
There are several tables, bar seating, a small area with a loveseat and a couple chairs, and a long communal table (bar height) in the center. There’s also outdoor seating until around 10 I think. They have DJs some nights and nice ambient music the rest of the time. There’s also a little menu with tasty snacks in case you need some nibbles.
It’s a great place to get together with friends, take a date, have an informal business meeting, or pretty much anything that needs a nice mellow, upscale vibe. Not good for party bus stops, bachelorette parties, or other wild nights out.
Bonus: clean bathrooms

Dear Vault,
I love you for your drinks. I love your servers and bartenders. I love your delicious noshing menu bites. I love your drinks. I love love love your ambiance and your music and your mood lighting. I love your vibe and your mood. I love how you feel, how you look, and how you make me feel. I love your prices, your bathrooms, and your furniture and design. I love your location, and how you have to walk down from the street to get inside of you. I love you when it’s raining, snowing, sleeting, and I love you day and night.
I love you Vault.
Yours Truly,
Patrick

Ambiance was amazing. Pretty small so it’s not great for huge parties, but it’s a nice mix of upscale and cozy.
The drink menu is super long, has many really great options and combinations. It also had some of the best and most hilarious drink descriptions (e.g. thin mint — «are they made from real girlscouts?»)
Jens was our bartender and probably one of the best servers I’ve ever had at any bar.
This night had some awesome 80s jams and every one was having a blast.

The ambiance when you get here is great. There was a DJ spinnning old school hip hop. The martini list is extensive and I highly recommend the Gluttony. it was DELISH. There are small dishes available for purchase as well. I want to give this place 4 stars but I was so disappointed to get there at 1030 on a Friday night and the place was dead. I would go back because I definitely had a good time and martinis were amaz-​balls but when your looking to party on a Friday night this isn’t the spot.

Why have I never been here? I think this might be my new go to place! The ambiance is so comforting. The staff is nice. The music is amazing. And the martinis are delicious! I recommend the sloth!

This is a great bar and I come here often. I always have a good time and even more so when Case is working. I love coming here when he’s here. The food is wonderful and the service is fast and friendly.
However I wouldn’t mind the décor and interior being revamped.

Craving a martini, we hopped in here for happy hour this week on a Thursday around 6pm and the place was hopping. So much so that it took fifteen minutes to get noticed. Once we had our menus, though, I have to hand it to whoever came up with these indulgent libations– there is a tremendous amount of creativity and balance that goes into their extensive list of martinis, some of them with house-​infused liquors. The average price of a house martini is 9 – 10 dollars. Happy hour is a different story, with various fruity options (lemon drop, cherry drop, etc.) at five dollars each. I had the Guava drop, made with vodka and guava purée, about 3.5 ounces. I could have had that stuff by the gallon. The fruit overtook the character of the vodka; indeed it tasted more like a juice than a martini. But, for five dollars it was a steal. Other options on the happy hour menu included three dollar well cocktails, French 55, and a gin-​based London Fizz. There is also a food menu with light fare, although on this visit it was cocktails only. After one martini we had enough– the service was slow and she forgot I had asked for the bill because she was both bartender and cocktail waitress. But, as my companion pointed out, would you rather pay an extra two dollars a drink so they can afford to hire more help?

Case was the most amazing bartender I’ve ever had. Honestly so attentive, sweet and kind. He always checked up on us and engaged in conversation. It’s a breath of fresh air to have someone that actually cares about their customers. Not to mention the menu, HUGE and we asked him to make us something that he was a fan of, both drinks were absolutely amazing. Excellent bar, excellent service, excellent drinks. Come to vault anytime and enjoy!!!

Drinks are amazing here. Hard to decide which to get because they all sound and are amazing. I’m from the Bay Area and it was nice finding a spot that played good music… Lastly, service was great. It was super busy but the server always made sure we were well taken care of.

Bad service and okay drinks. Go to Teardrop or Hamlet next door if you want an enjoyable experience. Better service and better drinks elsewhere. Had to grab own menus after waiting 10 minutes and had to ask twice to get table wiped off. Asked for separate checks and server agreed to it but then brought us a single check. Done!

I have had yummy, creative cocktails every time I’ve been to The Vault. Recently I was in for a friend’s birthday and we chose from the $ 5 menu, which had a great range. I was able to order the French 75 I had been thinking of all day and she had the habanero martini. We would have gotten a second round but the server seemed to forget we existed, so I paid the tab in cash and we were on our way. We’ll probably be back to try again.

Very cool vibe. Quaint. Great drinks. Great happy hour menu! Heart of downtown Portland.

Bad service, bartender was rude!
It’s expensive for what they serve «sugar water»
I don’t recommend it!
If I could rate it I would rate it 0.

Worst service ever. Will not be back despite the great drinks. Was rushed he first half if our visit. The was completely ignored. Took over an hour to get out tabs. Will not be back. Plus we ordered a drink and they never brought it! the waitress Claire was just peachy! NOT! She accused us of trying to dip out on our bill when one of us was going to the bathroom and one of went to smoke. Seriously. This place was horrible.
Ok so I just went back. This time was much better. The drinks and appetizers were awesome. The service was decent. And 100x better than last time. Since going back last week I have actually recommend it to 2 people. I’m glad I was given the opportunity to try it again!

Walked in during happy hour to no wait and sat down at a nice table. Server was prompt initially, but I could tell he was flying solo and the place was filling up quickly.
After a personal pep talk and muttering «yolo» to myself, I went for it and ordered the habanero martini. It was extremely delicious and just spicy enough. Sugar rim, mixed with some items to balance out the heat… I had to order another one. Drinks were $ 5 each, so the wife and I also ordered some $ 2 «bread & oil» — which is mini toast and some high quality olive oil.
Service became unbearably slow at this point. I understand flannel-​man was busy, but just checking in to tell us that (or to let us know our cheap app was going to be over 20 mins) would have been cool. Dude came by with round #2, we asked for the check since we didn’t know when we’d see him again — slammed the drinks and left. Four stars b/​c the drinks were damn-​near perfect and the price was low. Cheers!

During my recent trip, I wanted a girl’s day out with some of my friends. We originally had plans to meet at Clyde Commons later that evening but some of us decided to head to the Vault since we were already in downtown and (honestly) had nothing better to do but drink. We went on a Monday around 5PM and to our surprise it was HH all day! I tried the firestarter, habanero, and mango drop. Out of the three, I preferred the firestarter. The drink was spicy but the heat wasn’t overpowering since the drink was sweet.
I didn’t get to try any of the foods my friends ordered as I was too busy liquoring myself up. Not to sound like a major alcoholic but the drinks were 5 bucks and I had to take advantage! I really liked the Vault, in fact I prefer Vault over Bartini. The décor is nice and I almost felt too «young» to be there. Our waiter was very accommodating since we had to move to a bigger table when our party grew. If I still lived in downtown Portland, I would definitely come here often.

Vault martini was a great experience !
Atmosphere: When you walk in it is very classy environment with low lighting, that hugs the bar line and into the bathrooms. But it also has complementary natural lighting for the big windows that span the whole front of the building.
Service: The server was great, service was a little bit slow. You were there about half an hour before happy hour ended and they were ½ full. The drink selection is amazing! I love the creativity of the drink names and concoctions as well as the happy hour food and prices. You can choose from either the seven deadly sins, beer, wine, or anything else that will suit your fancy.
We have frequented the V over the years and will continue to come back for more. Job well done!

Went here for happy hour with my friend. I am not a fan of sweet drinks so I just got a dirty martini. It was good but nothing to rave about. I noticed weird smell as I entered the bar and I’m not sure what it was! I didn’t try the food so I can’t comment on that. I would go back for the happy hour. Not sure if I’ll go for the food because the menu didn’t seem interesting to me.

Walking around looking for an easy swanky dranky and ended up bumping into this place. Dark and cozy with industrial elements, we parked in the two leather king’s chairs adjacent an unlit fireplace on a sticky night. We quized over the maybe-​clock maybe-​sculpture neon thing, and the contiguous maybe-​jarred brains maybe-​infused vodka science labby looking vessles while we waited for the tender with the Billy Mays beard. We orderd while Too Short serenaded us over the speaker system.
He brings us water in what look like stemless champagne glasses and everytime I take a drink condensation spills on my shirt for like the 18^th time tonight making me look like I’m drunker than I want people to think I am. Seriously, I always sing along when No Diggity hits my ears.
We order Greed and Wrath off the cocktail list and the prawns off the small plate list.
Greed. House infused citrus vodka, black berry purée and fresh lime.
Wrath. Bourbon, peach purée and fresh lemon.
The drinks come at a laughable speed like Billy makes these things in his sleep. Or were they someone elses sent back order? I’m not normally a vodka drinker, but I didn’t want to be the a-​hole ordering a salad at a steak house. *cough*. We both agreed that Greed was the superior beverage and I had to do the hipster struggle trying to drink through a full beard while slurping the purée off my mustache after every drink. Big berry flavor with citrus notes and a boosey finish that barely cut through the sugar. Wrath was a bit more delicate and not very eccentric. Tame when tasted next to Greed which went down like a smoothie with an alcoholic suprise. Entirely too fast, less the brain freeze.
The prawns came out on skewers on a white rectangle plate with red and yellow kitchy lightning bolt condiment streaks on each side. Think of the schematics of a prawn on skewers and having to pull it off the skewer to remove the tail in order to eat it. It’s a 3 step process. The plate presentation looked like it was bleeding edge design in the 90’s, or like the product of the guy on Hell’s Kitchen who’s only experience is that he inherited his cool uncle’s food cart and he wants to make something badass for the guy with stars but doesn’t have the capacity to wrap his head around the garde manger. The shrimp was perfect, but the cocktail sauce was sparse. I needed atleast 2 more lightning bolts.
In the mood to finish with some lighter notes I saw a drink on the menu that featured a house-​infused lavender vodka and bugged the bartender to gimme just the vodka over soda, to which he politely obliged. The wife chased with a whiskey. The same whiskey we have sitting on the fridge right now, to which I rewarded her with a blank stare when she passes me her drink and was like «taste this…» The lavender vodka tastes like pillow spray. But like in a good way. Complex floral pallete unfolding in layers of light-​purplemocity. Delicate and smooth. A great cleanser on a hot day.
The drinks spanned from pleasant and intriguing to bold and refreashing. We only got one plate and wouldn’t judge the place’s cuisine on something as simple as a few prawn, even if I poke at the presentation.
Two of their premier cocktails and a whiskey pour, vodka soda and a small plate for 50 bucks. While not entirely offensive, the price is less than impressive. I’d stop by again for more of the same, but wouldn’t invite the crew in to get tipsy on spiked smoothies when the competition is stiff in these neighborhoods. However, grab a lowball of house infused spirits over soda, or one of the 7 sins and move along and you can’t do wrong.

I’d swear that drinking a martini makes me feel fancy. Put that skinny glass stem that blossoms into a wide-​brimmed well of libation in my hand and I instantly develop an attitude of extravagant sophistication. It may not be externally obvious, but I know I’m sitting up straighter with this drink in my hand than I do with a pint of beer, a glass of wine, or even a jug of the well-​decorated cocktails I have a tendency to order when I should be cut off. So when I’d had my fill of First Thursday galleries, I spied Vault and headed over to enjoy a handcrafted cocktail and a bit of swankiness.
Walking in it’s easy to be taken aback by the music. I am guessing the volume knob may have been inadvertently broken off earlier in the evening which left them stuck with this unfortunately loud, bass-​in-​your-​face situation. I’m offering up this assumption because I have difficulty believing any establishment outside the Strictly a Dance Club genre would purposefully pump jams this loud. Thankfully there’s outdoor seating, limited for sure, but an open table for me so I take it. Out of doors is a better stage anyhow, for me to put on airs and graces.
In that spirit, I put my pinky up and perused the menu. Wow. There is a definite something-​for-​everybody approach here and it was difficult to make a decision accordingly. Sorting by sweet and savory made it easier and I put an order in for the Dear John (cucumber, dill, vodka). Anticipation probably made the wait feel longer than it was, but it certainly wasn’t quick service. And then it arrives and is placed on the table before me looking prettier than a small town beauty queen on parade day.
The Dear John martini is magic in my mouth. It’s incredibly flavorful and simultaneously simple. It is completely deserving of my temporarily improved posture and ladylike mannerisms. I enjoy every last sip of it while eavesdropping on passing conversations. The outdoor tables are made for that and it’s the ideal setting to enjoy this magnificent, magnificent cocktail. Cheers to that.

I guess this place is fine, but that’s about as much enthusiasm as I can muster for Vault. The drinks are OK, some of the food is alright, and the atmosphere isn’t what I’d call offensive. But try as I might, I just can’t get excited about a visit to Vault.
Vault’s happy hour goes until 7 every night, which is admittedly a great deal and a rarity in Portland. I’m not crazy about most of the HH drinks, but they do have Manhattans on the list, so I’m happy. That’s what I almost always drink anyhow, so bonus! The rest of the list is a bit too sweet for my tastes, but if you like candy cocktails, Vault has you covered. Happy hour food, on the other hand, is weak. On my last visit I had their «flatbread» which my husband and I both decidedly ultimately was no better than Papa John’s cheese sticks, topped with some honey. Much better are the sandwiches which are not discounted during those magical boozy hours.
There are some definite positives, including some incredibly friendly and attentive employees. My last waitress, who works Wednesdays at around 6:30? She was awesome. So kind, funny and on top of her game. They should really try and clone her. Unfortunately, for every nice interaction I seem to have two that are negative. Not that they’re hostile or rude, but just rather inattentive and aloof.
I’m sure that I’ll be back, as I think in PDX you lose your gay card if you don’t visit Vault at least once a quarter. It’s just not on my list of places to recommend.

this is not my typical scene as it’s fancy inside and expensive: P
that said!, the drinks here are to die for! fun and creative artistry takes place here with every martini or mixer. the menu is creative and quite comical. when i’m here alone i just read it like a book. i’ve compiled a list of my favs and potentials to try as should you! it’s a journey of your taste buds. my first adventure was the diane keaton, i highly recommend. don’t judge by the ingredients list, it’s a perfect balance of savory and sweet in a glass. cheers!
charming servers, Jens is my favorite! he’s quiet but sweet.
and the best part is that this is still portland and you probably wont’ get any dirty looks for wearing your normal getup despite the swank interior design.

Great cocktail lounge with good drinks and an upbeat vibe. This is a good place to mingle or just hang out with friends. There is bar seating, a couple of small tables, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get the booth or couch seating. When we arrived, there was an obnoxious group outside pretending to be bouncers, trying to check our IDs. Other than that, no problems.
We ordered a couple of martinis, which were all good. I liked the mango one. Hang out and order a couple drinks. The restrooms weren’t bad. The bartenders and waiters were friendly. They even offered a coffee on the house when they saw our friend dozing off. We were here til closing. Nice place!

Cherry drops. Pineapple drops. Mmmmm!
Vault has a great happy hour where I can get my sugary drink fix for $ 5. They have a small, but decent food menu. On the weekdays it’s usually mellow, but the weekends pack them in. This place attracts some pretty people! If your an upscale gay man, you will find some good company.
I prefer Vault to the other all martini bar in town by leaps and bounds. It’s fun to read their well-​written drink menu too! Comfy seating and mood lighting makes it a nice place to go on a date or visit with your pals.