One of Portland’s most iconic nightlife corners is getting a second life. Eldorado, a new bar concept from owners Quinn Matthewstearn and David Hall, is set to open this summer at the corner of SE Morrison Street and Grand Avenue. The same place that once was the beloved bar Dig a Pony and, most recently, music venue Lollipop Shoppe. Matthewstearn, who spent his younger years at Dig a Pony, wants Eldorado to bring back the ’90s hip-hop mausic and dancing that once made the spot a neighborhood classic.
The concept will combine DJ sets, dancing, classic and modern cocktails, and a food program led by Lo’s Burgers founder Lorenzo de Alicante, with the goal of restoring the high-energy nightlife destination that once made the location a Portland favorite. Matthewstearn and Hall are no strangers to the Southeast Portland bar scene. The duo owns Panther Club, Jackie’s, Two Wrongs, QD’s, Side Eye, Sugar Hill, and Nevermind, with yet another unnamed concept already in the works for the former Crackerjack’s space on Northwest Thurman.
“The idea is to bring back the fun corner staple of nightlife,” Matthewstearn told the Portland Business Journal. “We want it to be high energy and fun. Then during the week, a chill place to hang and get a cocktail.”
The 2,794-square-foot venue will not undergo major renovations. Instead, the ownership team is focusing on cosmetic updates and targeting a July opening. This will allow the business to open quickly and take advantage of Portland’s busy summer season.
