Downtown Portland Restaurant News & Press

"Is there anything you can't do with ramps? Grill, saute, blanche or pickle ramps - if you've got them, use them. Chef Kyle Rourke at Red Star Tavern in Portland, Ore. serves grilled ramps with grilled Hawaiian blue prawns and chorizo poached potatoes."

"Portland, Ore., bartender Brandon Lockman is stirring up drinks inspired by this year's best picture nominees at Hotel Monaco's Red Star Tavern. 'Finding inspiration for a new cocktail can sometimes be the hardest part. Translating movies into cocktails is a fun way to switch it up,' he tells PEOPLE of his cinematic muses. 'There are different aspects of each movie to draw from.'"

"Brandon Lockman, lead bartender at Red Star Tavern, Portland, Ore., makes a raspberry vinegar via a cold process. He starts with equal weight fruit and sugar and let's it sit for a day or two, after which he presses out the juice, combines with honey vinegar and lets sit for another day. It's ready to use as needed."

"Mixologists fret when their carefully crafted cocktails get diluted by melting ice. Brandon Lockman, head bartender at Red Star Tavern in Portland, Oregon, invented a cool solution. He makes ice cubes out of Campari and sweet vermouth - components of Negronis and Manhattans, respectively - that he plops into drinks to infuse them with flavorful spirits instead of water."

"Cocktails were quaffed, shaken and stirred by Red Star Tavern bartender Brandon Lockman, who if he wasn't a bartender should probably be a movie star. An the place—with jazz musicians and feathery floral bouquets—looked like a movie set as seen through the eyes of King Vidor."

"We hopped on over to the adjoining restaurant and bar one night for a few bites to eat and lots of fabulously crafted cocktails and beer flights. Brandon, the head mixologist who specializes in craft cocktails, made a to die for mezcal cocktail and several other goodies to drink. The Chef spoiled us with Penn Cove mussels, Grilled Octopus (awesome!) , Ceviche, crispy tofu and pork shoulder (double awesome!!). I couldn’t have been happier."

"Damn. I just missed meeting Tim Gunn last night at Red Star Tavern in the Hotel Monaco Portland. Last night he dined on the cuisine of Chef Kyle Rourke at the Red Star Tavern & Roast House with a few friends."

"These spiked Manhattan cubes from bartender Brandon Lockman of Portland’s Red Star Tavern blend bitters and sweet vermouth, mellowing your drink as they melt, so you’ll start out swigging straight bourbon and finish on a more complex note. Keep a stash in the freezer, and you have a quick-and-easy Manhattan any time the mood strikes."

"I like this drink because the ginger and the tea work perfectly together. The balance of the flavors and the fact that it isn't too heavy, like many other autumn drinks, is also a plus. It's crisp, just like a cool fall day."

"And it’s not hard to stop for hearty fare such as Idaho trout and wood-grilled, dry-aged rib eye steaks with roasted beets or butternut squash at the Red Star Tavern & Roast House in the Hotel Monaco Portland."

"Service at the Red Star always impresses me. We've done dinner there, too, and they always seem to do whatever they can to make sure that the time spent in their establishment is enjoyable. Thank you, Red Star, for going above and beyond. And thank you for being one of the only steakhouses in Portland to offer decent vegetarian options on your dinner menu. That's reason enough for me to return, again and again"

"In addition, the Red Star Tavern & Roast House is an on-site restaurant we’ve actually chosen to eat in on days we aren’t staying at the hotel –which says something for a hotel restaurant. The décor is woody library-meets-upscale ale house, and it makes for an ideal spot to meet for drinks and small plates before an evening out or a sit-down dinner with a group. The chef knows what he’s doing."

"Don't miss special Oktoberfest Beer Cocktails and beer snacks from Red Star Tavern's Chef Kyle Rourke."

"If you're in need of a watering hole...check out Red Star Tavern, home to the largest bourbon wall in Oregon. Head bartender Brandon Lockman mixes a mean drink (don't miss the 'Cuore Amaro' made with Hendrick's gin, Aperol and Lillet Blanc), and really understands the art of pairing cocktails with food, a skill lost on many. When I was in town, Lockman served French 75 (champagne cocktail) with fresh oysters, one of my all time favorite combinations. Classic!"

"If you're looking to splurge a bit and stay in a chic, modern spot, check out the Hotel Monaco Portland, a Kimpton Hotel. Despite its offbeat perks - namely, the evening cocktail hour set up with brushes, canvases, and easels for guests to paint with; or the offer of a free companion goldfish for your room - the hotel is decidedly upscale. Rooms are large, with bright, whimsical decor; local art is showcased on each floor and Red Star Tavern has a popular happy hour."

Inside funky, chic Hotel Monaco's Red Star Tavern, an unexpected delight arrived during a special media tasting: marshmallows encased in coffee crumbles and chocolate truffles rolled in tobacco. Served with a cocktail of 10 year tawny port, Bulleit bourbon, maple syrup and Angostura syrup, it was an earthy-sweet joy of a dessert."

"Just pull up a chair at the bar at Red Star Tavern and Roast House, home to Oregon's largest and most comprehensive bourbon wall. Here, Chef Kyle Rourke serves up a menu of small bites perfectly paired with specialty cocktails like the Ruby Gimlet, a delicious fusion of grapefruit vodka, elderflower and lime juice. Then there's the namesake Red Star Cocktail. With ingredients like vanilla vodka and a house-made citrus blend, it tastes just like a Sweet Tart (in a good way)!"

"Across the way, chef Kyle Rourke of Red Star Tavern in Portland (it's housed in a Kimpton property) is topping his Dutch apple pie ith Oregon cheddar pastry crust and a bourbon-infused ice cream."

"Portland is a foodie's dream and Red Star Tavern & Roast House at Hotel Monaco is a local favorite. Cocktails are hand-crafted and imaginative, and whiskey flows freely. Regional American fare and small bites are the perfect complement to the drinks and the restaurant's relaxed atmosphere."

"Chef Kyle Rourke uses Idaho trout in this menu item, which accentuates the dish's Pacific Northwest heritage. It's brined with maple, one of the hottest flavors this year, and is served with early summer vegetables such as fava beans and carrots. Barley provides some starch to the dish, which is served with an unusual black tea broth."

"Before ending the night, we walked through the hotel's gorgeous Red Star Tavern -- home to over 60 bourbons, and 45 scotches-- the perfect place for the groomsmen to gather their groom around a table and salute to his new beginnings. With a bourbon and scotch selection like that, the Red Star Tavern would be a fabulous place to invent your wedding's signature cocktail, which as we know it, is a fabulous way to personalize your reception."