According to an article from Bridgetown Bites, Joe Brown’s Lounge plans to move to a new Alberta location at 2622 NE Alberta Street.
The owner, David Ferguson, recently filed for a liquor license for the same address under Sideline Social Lounge. David recently posted on Facebook about the move, elaborating that this will be Joe Brown’s flagship store, and that tensions with previous landlords also led to the move. Further information has yet to be provided upon What Now Portland’s request on what to expect within this move and liquor license filing.
Bridgetown Bites article tells us a bit more: “I’ve reached out to David Ferguson, but have not heard back—-but from what I can tell, things will continue in the same vein as they did over on NE MLK. They will “be serving good food and drinks,” and you can their menu on their website, which includes burgers, a “Jo’Boy” (aka Po’Boy), wings, fries, dirty rice, catfish, hushpuppies, banana pudding, and more Southern/Soul food dishes.”
“Ferguson purchased the almost 65-year-old popcorn company (est. 1932) and the Lloyd Center location about five-and-a-half years ago. He says they’ll “be here until they tear it down [this] year and when they rebuild, we’ll be one of the first ones back.” Fun fact: Joe Brown’s Carmel Corn once had a location near the Hollywood Theatre.”
An article from Willamette Week adds: “The cocktail menu is straightforward, with minimum mixological bluster and maximum “naming a drink for the regular who always orders it” spirit, which is to say, rather than serving high-concept cocktails, Joe Brown’s specializes in two- or three-component bevvies like NeNe’s Colada Sunrise (Bacardi and mango juice, $12) or Deon’s Bourbon Brûlée (bourbon with orange, $14).”
“Both a mango margarita and vodka lemonade ordered at the bartender’s suggestion were made with a heavy pour, so prepare accordingly. Taps were on the fritz during both of my visits, but available bottled beers included a few domestics and familiar imports.”
“The bar’s food menu, conceived and executed by head chef Marcell Goss is a homey mashup of classic soul food, Asian fusion and Cajun seafood. Standouts included all four flavors of fried chicken wings ($12)—which, if you’ve ever been disappointed by, ahem, some wing restaurants, these are the fully rendered, fall-off-the-bone supple, sauced or dry-rubbed wings you may have been questing after; thick, super-dense fried ribs ($12)—pork ribs marinated for 48 hours in a savory-sweet, Asian-inspired brine, dredged in seasoned flour and deep fried; old-school hush puppies ($6); and a po’boy (known here as a “Jo’boy”) exploding with peppery, crispy, cornmeal- and flour-crusted catfish ($17).”
