1201 Cafe and Lounge   

1201 SW 12th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
503-225-1201

Directions   Email   Send to Cell  

Cocktail culture, live sets by house band Pink Martini and kitschy versions of 'Family Feud' carried the swank 1201 Cafe and Lounge through the mid-'90s, baby. But by the time the new millennium rolled around, it was time to shake up more than just the frou-frou drinks. It's still very much a dark underground scene -- the club is hidden in an old bank tower and recognizable only by its red door -- but new ownership has given the 1201 a more traditional nightclub atmosphere. The new dance floor is crowded with urban twentysomethings grooving to a rotating roster of DJs instead of live music. The turntables spin deep house, funk, soul, hip-hop and old-school '80s beats five nights a week after 10PM, but come earlier to dine on comfort food and store up energy for a long night out. -- Karen Vitt