The Common Loon is set to open at 5836 SE 92nd Ave in Portland’s Lents neighborhood, taking over the space long known as Eagle Eye Tavern, a dive bar known locally for karaoke, pool, and pinball. Co-owner John McIntyre, alongside partners Matthew Morrissey and Brendan Hulegaard, confirmed to What Now Portland that the bar’s grand opening is set for September 12, with the band Family Worship Center headlining the launch night.
McIntyre said the plan is to keep the neighborhood spirit of the old tavern intact while layering in new programming, including live music every weekend and some form of entertainment seven nights a week, ranging from trivia and karaoke to open mic and comedy nights. He said prices will stay affordable rather than shifting toward a higher-end concept.
On the food side, McIntyre and his partners are bringing a taste of home to Southeast Portland. Two of the three owners are from Massachusetts, and the bar’s signature item will be a freshly roasted, in-house three-way roast beef sandwich, a staple on Massachusetts’s North Shore that McIntyre said is largely missing from Portland’s food scene. The roast beef will be cooked and sliced fresh daily.
What sets The Common Loon apart from other entertainment bars in the area, McIntyre pointed to community as the core focus, “We’re focusing on community, and building a reputation in town that we care about people.” McIntyre told What Now.
Eagle Eye Tavern is expected to close around August 30, giving the new ownership group roughly two weeks to prepare the space before opening night.
