Three Portland bars make it to final round of revered Spirited Awards

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Three Portland establishments have been named as finalists in an annual event that champions the best drink purveyors worldwide.

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation will host its 18th annual Spirited Awards in New Orleans next month. The organization announced the regional top 10 honorees in each category earlier in April, but with the ceremony fast-approaching, the final four candidates have since been unveiled.

KEX Portland’s Pacific Standard is still in the running for Best U.S. Hotel Bar, which was awarded to Hey Love in the Jupiter NEXT Hotel last year.

Other finalists include The Sazerac Bar in New Orleans, Little Rituals in Phoenix and Allegory in Washington, D.C.

“Making the top four at the awards ceremony that is put on by all your peers is something all of us at Pacific Standard are super proud of today,” Bartender and Co-owner Jeffrey Mogenthaler wrote on Instagram. “We set out to make a place that would be loved by our community, both local and distant, and any time someone recognizes that, it makes all the hard work a little more worthwhile.”

Portland’s Palomar was named as a finalist for Best U.S. Restaurant Bar. The Cuba-inspired cocktail spot also made it to the last round in 2023, but the award went to Café La Trova in Miami.

This year, it is up against fellow Miami bar Jaguar Sun, Chicago’s Kumiko and Las Vegas’ Cleaver Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails.

Multnomah Whiskey Library is the only Portland spot being considered among international candidates. It was named in the final four for the World’s Best Spirits Selection, along with Eleven Madison Park in New York, Origin Bar in Singapore and Baba Au Rum in Athens.

Winners of the Spirited Awards will be announced on Thursday, July 25 at the Fillmore New Orleans.