Midtown Beer Garden Is Opening This Sunday

Photo credit: Nina Johnson

Back in May (was it really that long ago?) I wrote about the the Midtown Beer Garden (MBG), a collaboration between Expensify and local restaurant group ChefStable, opening downtown on SW 5th Avenue between SW Harvey Milk & SW Oak Streets. Well, the time has arrived and they are having their grand opening this Sunday, August 20, 3pm to 8pm.

I’ll be honest with you: there has been a lot of news about this part of town and most of it has not been good. But, I think this beer garden/food pod revamp is a real positive movement to bring Portland’s downtown—or, midtown—back to a better livability standard. I support this effort and am happy to see this space become a place for good things to happen.

The Party and Expectations

They’ll have some live music: The Last Artful, Dodgr, a hip hop artist originally from Portland, who “will be making her first Portland appearance at the grand opening party since her massive send-off show at Roseland Theater in 2019.” The Shivas and Boka Marimba will also perform.

Here’s what you can expect the Midtown Beer Garden to offer:

25 new and legacy food carts
Central beer cart by Fracture Brewing
Stage for live music and other events
Roomy picnic-table seating for 300 people
Permanent restrooms with daily cleaning
Fenced perimeter with 24/7 security
Custom paved lot with gold mica flakes and tan sealcoat
Hundreds of fresh flowers and other greenery
Heaters and tents for cold and rainy months

I’ve also learned that first responders who stop by MBG will always eat for free while on duty. This includes anyone on duty from police, fire, and ambulance services, as well as Downtown Portland Clean & Safe.

Photo credit: Nina Johnson

Some Quotes

“We want to bring back the liveliness and vibrancy of our neighborhood that was lost somewhere along the way during the pandemic,” says David Barrett, founder and CEO of Expensify. “All of us at Expensify are huge fans of the food cart culture here, and it was such a shame to see its slow decline over the past few years. This revamped experience will remind everyone that the heart of our city still beats strong, and hopefully stoke a renaissance for surrounding businesses as well.”

“Midtown Beer Garden makes us feel back at home again in our community,” says Jesse Green of Iron Strike Smashburgers. “We’re super excited to see some familiar faces and sling a ton of handcrafted burgers to new friends and neighbors. The upgrade to this location fills a real void in the neighborhood, and we’re more than ready to serve anyone craving one-of-a-kind Portland cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere.”

Midtown Beer Garden Carts

Photo credit: Nina Johnson

Here are the carts that will make the Midtown Beer Garden their home:

Legacy Carts (all vendors from before are back on the lot)

Korean Twist
La Jarochita
Tito’s burritos #1
Alibaba Takeaway
Ocean Aloha
Khongthai LLC
Mawj Babylon
Gyro Place
Mr Taco
Korean Twist
La Jarochita
Small Pharaoh

Photo credit: Nina Johnson

New Vendors to the Pod

Iron Strike Smash Burgers
Stretch The Noodle
New Dhaba Indian Kitchen
BopCha, Eat Korean food
Monster Mac and Wings
Best Taste of India
Bring! Treats for Dogs
Shawarma Station
Santo Tomas Taqueria
Fracture Brewing Bar Cart

So head to Portland’s downtown/midtown this Sunday and check it out!

Midtown Beer Garden
Grand opening party: August 20, 2023, 3pm to 8pm
SW 5th Avenue between SW Harvey Milk & SW Oak Streets, Portland
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