Beaverton Is Finally Getting a Real-Deal Bar Scene

If you live in Portland, you’ve probably never heard anyone say, “Let’s go bar-hopping in Beaverton.” Sure, the place has always had bars—the Broadway Saloon has hawked cheeseburgers and draft beers since ’93, and the half-century-old Ickabod’s is one of Beaverton’s longest-standing watering holes. But the city has struggled to build a more diverse bar scene, spots with distinct atmospheres, mind-bending cocktails, and impressive beer lists. 

But the vibe is shifting, especially at the intersection of First and Watson. Over the past few years, this city has welcomed a flock of brewpubs, cocktail bars, and taphouses, many concentrated within a few blocks. First came Portland beer, with breweries like Ex Novo (now Lazy Days) and Breakside opening suburban satellite pubs, as well as big-deal beer bar Loyal Legion.

In 2022, the latter was joined by Flora, an elegant, 30-seat speakeasy-style lounge upstairs from the taproom. Its drinks exhibit a meticulously executed playfulness—take, for example, the Peruvian Pie, pisco paired with butternut squash simple syrup and pecan bitters, or the rum-based Dreamsicle, which uses orange, vanilla, and orgeat to replicate the ubiquitous ice cream treat.

And Flora isn’t alone. Since 2023, the over-21 crowd has shared tables with pizza-fueled teenagers feeding tokens into pinball machines at combination arcade-bar Super Champ across the street. And the art deco–inspired June, which opened that same year, lures youthful revelers sipping bright and citrusy cocktails over vegan nachos.

After decades overlooked, downtown Beaverton feels more like a destination unto itself, certainly worthy of a bar crawl.