Not long ago , a untested charwoman got on the bus following an particularly longsighted day at the office .
Trying to take up as petty space as possible , she sat with her hand folded in her lap and gaze out the windowpane . lashings of sight passed by as the bus roll along : cheap liquor stores with graffiti on the walls , ragged men playing jazz in the park , dilapidated streets , wild drivers . Suddenly , one affair leap out at her .
“ Steak and lobster special , $ 9.99 , ” paint above the doorway of a slip nightclub .
Daniel Fishel/Thrillist
In case you ’re not picking up on this tale , that girl was me , and the sight of the sign led to the doubtfulness that would go on to influence the next two weeks of my liveliness . Could it be potential that strip club food , like that cheap - as - hell steak and lobster special , was actually delicious ? arm with an ample appetency and the desire to see some sexy ma’am , I set out with my bride-to-be ( misfortunate motherfucker ) on a quest to find the best strip lodge food in PDX .
Casa Diablo
With humble beginnings as a vegan eating place called Pirates Tavern back in 2008 , Casa Diablo has since transformed into a vegan strip club , an ethos that it takes passably in earnest , Bambi told me . While she was only a newbie , she informed me that the owner did n’t allow any brute products – leather and pearls included – in the join . Very posh . The menu is full of Mexican - American fare , like burrito , chimichangas , tacos , and quesadillas , with a few extra staple like burgers thrown in for serious measure . I asked the bartender what the best point in the house were . “You’re go to need to get the Crunch Wrap , " she allege , smiling coyly . It was a matter of beauty . Not only was it veritably immense , but it was satisfy to the brim with glorious bed of pico de gallo , nacho " cheez , " cilantro lime medical dressing , and “ taco soy curl ” which furnish a luscious compaction . Meanwhile , it was almost impossible to tell the cheese on the nacho was vegan , and the deep - fried Oreos ( yep , those are vegan , if you were unaware ) were an unconventional , albeit delightful , style to end the eventide . Takeaway : Vegans should probably always turn tail strip clubs .
Lucky Devil Lounge
I really , really wanted to love the solid food here . After take aBon Appetitarticlesinging the praises of Lucky Devil ’s penne mac & cheese , I walk into the place with a grin on my face and ample ones in my pocket , prepared to sate my venter and eyes with all things delicious . I was , however , sadly disappointed . One insect bite of the mac & cheese yielded a watery sauce that could n’t quite hold itself together , and an aftertaste that did n’t sit well on my roof of the mouth . The rest of the menu was more or less typical bar fare : offstage , volaille slip , sandwich . I decided to order the steak bites , and was glad I did . process with a ruddy wine reduction and plenty of peppercorn , the pungency were tender and went down easily . The happy 60 minutes menu also shoot a line some good mint on tawdry drinks and burgers , which were also amazingly tasty considering the $ 4 price point . takeout food : Don’t always listen to themedia.*Cough . *
Kit Kat Club
Thanks to a well-chosen metropolis regulation that requires venues which serve intoxicant to also allow food , Kit Kat Club shares its space with the Pink & Black Waffle Shack . It opens " when we wanna " from Thursday - Sunday nights ( around 10 - 11pm when I dined there ) , but " never closes before 2 am , " and provide a cooking stove of both savory and odoriferous waffle sandwich . It ’s a John Cash - only joint ; $ 6 will get you a half a sandwich , $ 11 - 12 for the full heap . The carte also has other snackables like avocado goner and " totz " on the cheap . I ordinate a Wake n ’ Bake to go , which consisted of a sausage cake , an egg , provolone tall mallow , and a " secret maple glaze " sandwich between two fluffy waffle . The combining of the piquant sausage balloon along with the maple glaze ( it ’s real sirup , not just sugar ! ) was the perfect complement to my hard drink - fill stomach , and would more than likely make for an excellent hangover curative anytime . Takeaway : I always think the booze - intellectual nourishment regulation was overwrought until now !
Spyce Gentlemen’s Club
The home that started it all , Spyce is locate a stone ’s throw away from Kit Kat – and has that sweet , sweet deal on $ 9.99 steak and lobster between 7 - 10pm on Fridays . While part of me was slimly worried about the possibility of going home and spending a dark praying to the porcelain gods , my bride-to-be and I decided it was an chance too safe to sink up . Or at least try once . To my Brobdingnagian astonishment , the steak and lobster special was jolly all-fired toothsome . Served up along with a rather bland scorched Solanum tuberosum , the lobster was a miserable portion which only concede a few bites , but the taste – buttery , velvety – was all there . Cooked medium - uncommon , the steak had grill chump intact , yet stay crank , and was well - mollify to boot . It was also a fairly large fate , too , making this a plenty you definitely wo n’t need to miss out on . Takeaway : Never ignore your intestine when it comes to a seraphic , sweet deal .
Nicolai Street Clubhouse
Nicolai ’s is an unusual place in the sentiency that it ’s a strip night club from Monday - Friday , but just your modal running play - of - the - mill dive bar with live euphony on the weekends . Why this was the showcase I ca n’t be sure , but I ’d heard Holy Writ that they dish up up a pretty decent burger , so I was game for anything . The Warren E. Burger on the fare ranged from your typical hamburgers to more eclectic offering like the Hawaiian Warren Burger with grilled ananas , ham , and teriyaki . I ordered a stock cheeseburger and hold off until I came across the following notice on the menu:“We cook our meat and egg well - done , but will cook to order . ”NOOOOOOO.Despite the fact that it was well - done , my least preferred method of gist preparation , it was still a tasty burger . The American tall mallow melted into a flavourful cake , while the raw Allium cepa add texture , and the skinny Christopher Fry serve alongside it were extra - crispy – all for a simple $ 7.50.Takeaway : Still hung up on the schedule of this stead , to be honest .
Hail Seitan - Rose City Strip Club
Who have intercourse Portland ’s underbelly was filled with vegan restaurants aplenty ? Inside Rose City Strip Club is Hail Seitan , a vegan restaurant designed to provide option dining options for athirst horndogs . Snacks and menu items here are unlawful to say the least . For instance , one of the entrees dub " Hellvis " consists of tempura - fry bananas along with " Bac’n ' " pieces thrown together with habanero Sriracha peanut butter bundle up in a grilled pita . By this point in my quest , my belly was a thin husk of its former glory , so I opted for some safe pick : the Karma Chameleon hummus triad ( Sriracha , roasted ail , and pesto hummus ) , along with some El Diablo street tacos . I would have never been able-bodied to reckon that these were vegan wetback . The inwardness substitute looked and tasted like steak , while the fresh peppercorn and onions add much - require compaction and a in effect dose of impudence from the coriander plant . I polished off all three in record prison term . The hummus , however , was hit - or - pretermit : Sriracha made for a aphrodisiacal flavor , but for whatever reason , the roasted garlic was described by a friend as " tasting like carpet . " Alas . Takeaway : Vegans ! ! !
Acropolis Steakhouse
It ’s not the most glamorous of spot but , by god , it ’s Americana at its best . With over 65 beers on strike and a computer menu chock - full of … steak , it ’s soft to see why Acropolis manages to keep the reigning title of best strip cabaret food for thought in the city . The Acrop house special was an 8 oz sirloin that occur with your choice of salad or baked potato for $ 7 – all in all , a great deal for some tender steak . you may choose from other alternative , like a 16 oz liothyronine - bone if you ’re peculiarly hungry , or an 8 oz filet mignon if you ’re feeling classy , all for under a nerveless $ 10.50 . Damn . Takeaway : Strip nine steak always delivers . Always .
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Daniel Fishel/Thrillist
Daniel Fishel/Thrillist
Daniel Fishel/Thrillist