Nosh at The Noshpit in the Old Backyard Social Space in Portland

Back at the end of September I learned that a new bar/restaurant was planned for what was home to Backyard Social for many years. Called The Noshpit, they look to offer sandwiches, soup, hot dogs, drinks, and more. I spoke with the owner of The Noshpit, Jeff Jones, the other day about the new place, and here is what I learned.

The Noshpit: What’s in a Name?

I love the name, and I wanted to know more about its backstory. Jeff said, “Well, I was describing what I wanted to somebody over the phone—and I think he was probably smoking some weed—and he just said, ‘What don’t you call it The Nosh Pit?’ And that’s really the best reason I can give you.”

He added, “Based on what we want to do here, it’s got a nice vibe to it.”

Jeff Jones: Backyard Social and Before

Jeff was the chef at Backyard Social for close for four years before they closed. Originally, he started as the prep cook and move up over the years. Before that, he worked at a variety of places in Portland for over a decade. “I’ve been all over—McMenamins, Bunk Sandwiches, several other smaller places,” he said. “And Besaw’s for a really long time.”

Why Open The Noshpit Here?

I asked him why he wanted to open a sandwich spot here at this location. Of course, I could imagine that it has something to do with familiarity and a vision of its potential. Jeff started with, “Well, these are my people, this neighborhood.”

He continued, “We didn’t know what they were going to do with [Backyard Social] after we left.”‘

“I was selling hot dogs here on the side when it was still open,” he explained further. “So we were like, ‘Oh, maybe we could do something like that.’ So it just seemed like the thing to do to keep the neighborhood moving.” Plus, those he heard from said they wanted more food.

He said he always had a good relationship with the landlord, which is a plus. And he was discussing the idea of this place with his dad, and he said, “Oh, you should buy it.” Jeff responded, “I guess I should, huh?” And that was the start of this chapter with the space. (Note: they are leasing, not buying the property.)

The Noshpit Interior

They’ve been posting some of the progress on their Instagram and TikTok, but I wondered if they had been working with any outside design firms to help them envision the space. Jeff highlighted the art aspect first and said, “I’ve done everything in here as far as art.”

He continued, “I’ve had people come in and put up their own art, which is going to be something that’s encouraged from now on. So I left everything kind of a blank slate for that.”

He and a friend have been working on the design and piecing it together in a joint effort. They’ve adjusted the interior, turning that bar at Backyard Social into a kitchen and the Gilded Raccoon next door into the actual bar.

And the vibe? Jeff said, “The slogan on the back of the menu says, ‘Feed your inner punk,'” which says a lot. He also referred to the [Teenage Mutant] Ninja Turtles.

“Did you ever see Ninja Turtles?” he asked. Yes, I have (Michelangelo was my fave). “So there’s a part where the bad guys have a hangout, and it’s just nuts, you know, kind of like Neverland. It’s just fun, and no matter how old you are, you remember that spot and how cool it was.”

He continued, “And my whole thing was, if we’re going to do this I wanted to feel like home, but also feel like home back then. It’s not a 90s bar, but definitely has the vibe of an easier time. Everything’s going to be catered towards the millennial and just before the millennial people.” He’s referring to the micro-generation known as Xennials, born 1977 to 1983.

Food and Drink at The Noshpit

They’ll offer classic sandwiches, hot dogs, soup, and more.

Sandwiches

More specifically, they are looking to create a kind of place that points to a New York-style bodega in its approach to sandwiches: toasted, chopped, and classic sandwiches. “Everything’s going to be chopped and toasted,” he said. “Well, it doesn’t have to be toasted, but it’ll be chopped for sure.”

The sandwiches are made with Grand Central Bread, and come with a pickle spear on the side. Sandwich options include a vegetarian, ham and Swiss, Italian, meatball, tuna, turkey and Swiss, roast beef, and a Caesar chicken sandwich.

Sides include red potato salad, “Wackaroni Salad” (cavatappi, carrots, green bell pepper, Mama Lil’s peppers), chips, a pickles. They also offer a broccoli cheddar soup + rotating soup specials.

Hot Dogs

They will also have a variety hot dog options “because I will always be Hot Dog Jones,” said Jeff. “I’ll always have three, but I’ll be rotating them,” said Jeff. Vegan dogs are also in the plans. And he’s thinking about possible falafel dogs.

At the writing of this article, their hot dogs (served on a Franz bun) include El Chingon (an elote-topped dog), the R.O.K.M. (relish, onion, ketchup, mustard), and a chili dog with chili, cheddar cheese, and onions.

Faves and GF

When I asked him about his favorite menu item, it sounded delicious—it’s the tuna sandwich in the list above. “My favorite is from when I was doing Backyard Social—I made an ahi tuna sandwich,” he said. “I carried it over because it was just that good. Smoked ahi, cabbage, pickled daikon, carrot, aioli, that kind of thing. It’s very nice.”

They are sensitive to the needs of those following a gluten-free diet, so he says that most of their sandwiches can be turned into a salad.

Drinks

They’ll also offer cocktails. “I have the owner of Backyard Social sitting at my bar for me,” he said. Look for cider and rotating beer from Portland breweries.

Plus, they will have non-alcoholic options, like bottled water, soda, iced tea, lemonade, and possibly NA beer. Those NA options will be front and center until they start up the bar in January—he doesn’t think it makes sense to pay for a whole year of liquor license for one month of business.

Minors are allowed on the sandwich side, and not at all on the bar side.

“So, just a very low-key sandwich shop vibe,” said Jeff. “And then the bar’s just a fun place. I’m not going to make it an extreme bar, but just the simple one to hang out in.” Plus, they’ll have an arcade—appealing to Gen X, Xennials, and millennials alike.

The Noshpit Chef

The chef at The Noshpit will not be Jeff, but Phillip Hickey. “He has been everywhere in Portland, and everybody knows him,” said Jeff. He’s a diehard Portlander.”

On Instagram, Jeff introduced him like this:

“Meet [Phillip Hickey]. When I started this project I knew he was the guy to call. You’ve probably met this dude, he’s everywhere, and he’s been in the PDX restaurant biz over 20 years! [He] is a Portland Native and a die hard, edgy af chef who is going to be chopping up dopest sandwiches for y’all! I can’t wait. He cooks for us while we work, he stays positive no matter what, and he’s a good friend.”

Bringing the Backyard Back, Among Other Things

I wanted to know what is particularly notable that they will bring to the neighborhood, and he immediately responded with, “First of all, we’re gonna bring this backyard back.”

He continued, “But I think what we’re trying to do is utilize that whole space and have something to do the whole year instead of just in the summertime. I think we’re going to bring back a group of people who haven’t been able to come back here and do some of their scumbag things like smoking cigarettes, drinking loud outside in the back, and having dogs. We bringing back all the stuff we didn’t have back there.

He added, “We’ll see what happens. I just want people to be comfortable.”

Opening The Noshpit

Jeff had a friends and family/birthday party yesterday, but today is the start of The Noshpit’s soft opening. Their grand opening will be January 1, 2026. And they’ll put a lot of focus into the sandwich shop side of things until then, too. 

All the best to Jeff, Phillip, and their team as they re-open the bar there in the Overlook neighborhood.

The Noshpit [soft opened November 24, 2025; grand opening January 1, 2026]
1914 N Killingsworth Street, Portland
Instagram