“ Cocktails are lovely, recently rated one of the top espresso martinis, and I understand why! Lively atmosphere, gets crowded at night ”

“ Fun and hipster, with a little bit of nostalgia, Room for Improvement is one of my favorite places to bring visitors when we want to go out in Portland! The drinks are reasonably priced and delicious. The shots (espresso martini shot, I'm looking at you) are dangerous. You've been warned. If you have good attention to detail, you'll find the beer menu cheeky. I found it comical and totally appropriate that their food offering was a selection of hotdogs with childhood favorites such as orange cheese balls. Staff was plenty friendly, offering our group a table as soon as one opened and no issues getting drinks at the bar on a Friday night. I'm graciously awaiting for more of their iconic merch to drop! ”

“ I would like to avoid giving this place a review to keep it easier to get into but it is totally worth it! The bar program is very good if not excellent! The coconut fat washed Negroni is award worthy and their espresso martini is worth all the write ups and hype. Most people who live in Portland avoid wharf st like the plague. But this is one of the few spots in this incredibly touristy area that even the locals will go to because it is that good. It's a great, hip, divey-ish bar that also has some good snacks. The bartenders are also just so nice considering the amount of tourist shenanigans that happen on that street late night. ”

“ Very good cocktails! Tried the spicy margarita and the old fashion. Both were made perfectly. Just the right amount of spicy in the margarita and just the right amount of vermouth in the manhattan. The glasses each was served in were also spot on! The bar has a very tight fit. Bar stools are very close together. If you're not ready to get cozy with whomever you're having a cocktail with, this place not be the right fit. ”

“ Cool place for a late night cocktails with the girls or for date night! I love the interior vibes and the drinks were so good! Service was also fantastic! ”

“ Solid drinks. Simple without many ingredients. Food wise they have fantastic hotdog. I'm not even a hot dog person but theirs is truly spectacular. Sit by the bar if you can. Bartenders work like a factory and bang it every single time. Super quick service. If you come during dinner time on the weekend, u will get a spot immediately. ”

“ TL;DR: best cocktail bar we tried in Portland, with great service, fun vibes and the most amazing drinks! We almost walked past the door to this place which made me like it immediately - it's on a busy alleyway with a bunch of other bars and restaurants and has a nondescript entrance. It doesn't try hard at all and that is what sold me on the place. It's very divey looking on the inside, and has super fun decor and played rock music amongst other things. The service was extremely friendly, helpful and fast and our server was so friendly. The drinks were really well executed and the furthest from divey I've ever tasted! The bathroom is fun - check it out when you're there. Their menu has great aesthetics and very fun to read. One of the bartenders is a bartender I've seen featured on the Food52 channel so I was feeling very positive about our drinks. And they were... So. Good. And very reasonably priced after drinking through bars in NYC and SF Aviation: I loved the addition of pomegranate and cardamom. This is one of my favorite drinks and I loved their take on it. Espresso martini: ridiculously good - they need to bottle that salty coconut foam and sell it Pimms Cup: extremely well balanced and not too sweet, this was so refreshing Oaxacan Old fashioned: not as smokey as expected since they had both mezcal and tequila, and the chili demerara added a nice kick We got seated right away after an early dinner. But the bar got packed very quickly, though they also had seats outdoors. The bar serves food too but we didn't try anything. ”

“ I loved this bar so much I went twice in three days, first time with a group of five and the second time with my partner. Room for Improvement is a spunky dive bar that serves incredible cocktails - their gimlet is the best one I've ever tasted. I also loved their "Ground Control" cocktail, which is surprising and vegetal and delicious. The bartenders are wonderful, this place has such a chill, fun atmosphere, and they've got great bar food (cheese balls, hot dogs, soft pretzels). There are a few larger group tables that seat 5-6, but this place gets crowded pretty early so the tables are in high demand. We sat at the bar the second time round, which was also a great time. We can't wait to be back! ”

“ A dive bar that actually makes well-balanced and tasty cocktails - sign me up!! Add in cheese balls eaten with chopsticks, to avoid orange fingers, and it's the cherry on top :) Vibe is definitely chill and is a great place to hang for a few before or after dinner. They do have a small food menu too if you get too settled and decide to stay put ;) ”

“ Room for Improvement is small, dark, lively, and a bit hipster. While it's definitely far cooler than me, this has become one of my favorite bars. It's the perfect solution when you're looking for a spot less fancy than a Blyth, but not wanting a full-scale dive like a Dock Fore. The owner, Arvid, created the outstanding bar programs at Baharat and Crispy Gai, so the cocktails live up to the high quality expectations. Most are classics with a twist. For instance, the Negroni is pineapple washed and coconut infused. The Martini has apricot and orange bitters. It's nice seeing more fun versions of cocktails that you recognize. Of course there's Mind Eraser shots (from a specific Mind Eraser machine?!), strong as eff Daiquiris, and other various shots and creative cocktails to ensure your day is Uber worthy. For those who won't order cocktails, there is also cheap beer, local Apres seltzer and (expensive) natural wine. It's a boisterous atmosphere, with a playlist I trust is trendy and an Instagram-approved bathroom. The staff is amazingly friendly and you'll become best buds with the bar crowd around you: I've made drunken plans with traveling salesmen twice so far this summer. Does Room for Improvement have room for improvement? As much as I love red snappers, there's not much for food, so plan accordingly. Otherwise, maybe just add "No" to the bar name? ”