| Donnie Vegas | |
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The restaurant's exterior in 2022
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | March 2, 2015 (2015-03-02) |
| Owner(s) |
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| Street address | 1203 Northeast Alberta Street |
| City | Portland |
| County | Multnomah |
| State | Oregon |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 97211 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 45°33′33″N 122°39′13″W / 45.5592°N 122.6535°W / 45.5592; -122.6535 |
| Website | donnie |
Donnie Vegas is a dive bar and restaurantinPortland, Oregon. Opened by chef Benjamin Artaiz and bartender Jeremy Wilson in 2015, Donnie Vegas specializes in hot dogs and cocktails.
Donnie Vegas is a dive bar[1][2] and restaurant on Alberta Street in northeast Portland's King neighborhood. Danielle Centoni of Eater Portland said the business has the "soul of a dive bar" and wrote, "The decor is fun, but minimal, the food and drink menus small and approachable."[3] Ben Waterhouse of The Oregonian said Donnie Vegas offers "premixed cocktails served in pint glasses and hot dogs with unusual toppings in a room decorated with images of old Las Vegas".[4] The 860-square-foot space has a bathroom mural by Brandon Gomez depicting Bruce Lee and Mike Tyson fighting.[3][4] Donnie Vegas also has a back patio and a vending machine "full of oddities, including vintage paperbacks, 'misfortune cookies' and other sundry amusements".[5][6]
Hot dog variations on the menu have included chili cheese, the Old German with sauerkraut, and the Seattle with cream cheese and caramelized onions.[3] The Banh Mi Dog has fresh and pickled vegetables as well as mayonnaise, and the Tokyo Dog has cream cheese, scallions, and togarashi seasoning.[4] The Seoul Dog has kimchi, scallions, and sambal aioli,[7] and the Tijuana Dog has cream cheese, pico de gallo, jalapeño, and cilantro.[8] The currywurst has curry-flavored ketchup and caramelized onions, and the Frito pie has chili, chips, and lettuce.[4] The restaurant's beef chili has black, kidney, and pinto beans, chipotle, coriander, and cumin, as well as green onion, jalapeño, and sour cream.[9] Field Roast vegan hot dogs are also on the menu.[7]
The cocktail menu has included a Moscow Mule with Volstead Vodka and Rachel's Ginger Beer, a wine spritzer with Pok Pok Som drinking vinegar, and a White Russian-inspired caffeinated drink called The Dude, which has Stumptown cold brew, Cruzan Black Strap rum, allspice dram, and condensed milk.[3][10] The Marg-a-Weed-a is a purple cannabidiol-infused prickly pear slushy with cranberry and blood orange soda, and a lime wedge on the glass.[11][12][13] Beer, champagne, Jello shots, and wine in a can are also available.[4][14]
The restaurant's menu says, "Donnie changes the menu whenever he wants, ya dig."[15] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Donnie Vegas specialized in cocktails on tap, according to Janey Wong of the Portland Mercury. The business prioritized wine-based drinks during the pandemic to accommodate Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission regulations.[7]
Chef Benjamin Artaiz and bartender Jeremy Wilson's opened Donnie Vegas on March 2,[16] 2015.[3][4]
In 2015, Ben Waterhouse of The Oregonian opined, "The cocktails are simple, well-executed standards, many of them featuring ginger beer, and the hot dogs are the kind you find at the grocery store. It's an odd place, but not a pretentious one."[4] In 2018, Matthew Singer of Willamette Week called Donnie Vegas a "lovingly trashy tribute to Old Vegas".[12] The Portland Mercury's Janey Wong said of the Marg-a-Weed-a in 2021:
The name is a little corny and yet a little genius, which is to say I absolutely love it. The frozen slushy contains 5 mg of hemp derived CBD per serving, tequila, and (the current rotating flavor) pomegranate. Relaxant, booze, and some antioxidants… I feel like you can't ask for much more out of a cocktail. The pomegranate lends a nice tartness that plays well off the tequila.[7]
Caroline Pardilla included The Dude in Eater's 2015 list of "22 Impressive Cold Brew Cocktails".[10] Donnie Vegas was also included in Eater Portland's 2015 list of the "Ten Portland Bars with Outdoor Games",[17] as well as Nathan Williams' 2022 list of "17 Places Serving Portland's Finest Hot Dogs".[18] Thom Hilton included the restaurant in Eater Portland's 2022 list of "14 Spots for Late-Night Dining in Portland". He described the bar as a "funky, Americana space".[8] Katherine Chew Hamilton and Nick Campigli included Donnie Vegas in Portland Monthly's 2021 list of "7 Must-Try Hot Dog Hotspots".[1] Amanda Tarlton selected Donnie Vegas to represent Oregon in Reader Digest's 2022 list of "The Best Hot Dog in Every State".[19]
Media related to Donnie Vegas at Wikimedia Commons|
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