Came in on a Saturday evening. Our bartender Amy was cheerful & helpful. We ordered a whiskey & she gave a sample glass of the on tap blackberry hard cider. Someone came up to the bar and gave a vague description of a drink she wanted (coffee, alcohol, & sweet). She was served something with whipped cream and a straw & happily pronounced it delicious. Unlike what I read above, we were served quickly. We ordered grilled prawns over polenta (spicy, with a delicious red sauce), and a blue cheese burgher & fries (was told it was also good, fries were hot & crisp). Although the bar was decently crowded, we didn't have to wait for service or refills. Crowd was varied and friendly, music good. 2 pool tables and pinball machines in the side room, an outdoor lounge area in the back with heaters. While we were there, someone bought one of the many pictures on the wall (by local artists), displayed and for sale in the side room. Steady flow of people in and out of the place, with people both local and from other areas. Best question as to whether a bar is good: would I go back? Yes.

Been hittin the Slingshot for years and it's always been a solid spot. Bartender's are decent. They've got Big Buck Hunter HD. Enough pool tables to keep you occupied + pinball and enough room to seat a crew. Slingshot Burgers > Foster Burgers.

I think I'll start with the bad parts in order to warn other patrons and there are a lot.

The main one is the bartender. Probably one of the worst bartenders I have ever scene. She is slow, forgetful, and makes a horrible drink.

My experience: I walk in, stand at the EMPTY bar, to wait for a drink. The bartender is talking to one of her friends. I'm fine with that. We make eye contact signaling that I want a beer and to sit down and leave her alone. About 5-7 mins go by. Still talking to her non-drinking friend until she finally asks if she wanted a drink. By this time, there is a line forming behind said friend. The bartenders proceeds to serve the customers who just walk in rather the obviously long line in front of her. Fast forward to me ordering my second drink, longer line that is almost out the door even though the place is not busy at all. The bartender walks off to talk to the cook for a few mins while line gets longer. Finally, she cannot remember a face. Every time the cocktailer would ask who the food from the kitchen is for, the bartender had no idea. The whole time she would just glare at all of the non-regulars it seemed. That is a good way to make newcomers feel welcome and want to come back.

Now the good parts. The atmosphere is awesome; not too bright, and not too dark. Pool tables, air hockey, foosball, and multiple games. Food seemed pretty good if you got in warm (I'm assuming fault of the bartender) which is by no fault of the cocktailer; when we ordered food directly from her, there were no problems.

I can see this place having potential but until they re-evaluate their staff, I will not come back. I'll try again next year if the zombie apocalypse doesn't happen first

I loved the attitude of the staff. The bartender's aren't trying to suck up to their customers, but they have always given me good service and perfect drinks. I love the art, the pool table is almost always empty, and the other drinkers are consistently colorful and entertaining. This is definitely in my top 5 favorite places to booze.

I went in with a group of 12, split over two booths. We were the only people in the bar on a Wednesday. The bartender wouldn't come to the tables, so we ordered food and drinks at the bar—no problem, but weird when you're the only customers. What was he doing back there? Then he charged us an 18% gratuity for having come in a group, despite not having given us any extra service. Fuck this place. The food's good, and the games are cool, but it's not OK to charge your customers extra just for showing up.

Pinball! Table hockey! Paintins! Good food, & a kitty! Plus other games! Non-overpriced drinkies! Try to write more nice ones like this, but generally happen upon one of these & go man, I love such-&-suchs food or man, this place has some of the rudest hipster douches - sometimes erring more on finding time only to comment about douches, so here's a good one to balance it out, living closer to here we might just have to go to Angelo's less, though we love those folks! & they have pinball & pool to, but this here Slingshot place is walking distance...hope they're open tonight! tho really I hope they're getting fat & happy

I just moved into the neighborhood and was directed to check SLingshot's out for their delicious burger. I headed down the street to find the best damn burger I have ever had! The happy hour menu offers the burger for $4.00, you can't beat that. I have also had awesome experiences with the bartenders and locals! SLingshots thanks for the warm welcome to the neighborhood!!!!!

I have lived in the neighborhood for a few years now and always meant to stop by. I finally did and had a great time. The food is wonderful and I had no complaints and felt I have found my neighborhood bar. They have a lot of space, air hockey, pin ball, and the wonderful bar cat. I returned for happy hour and thought it was great. However I have now been there on Thursdays during happy hour and found the bar tender to be horrid. He was rude from the get go and I wasn't sure what I had done. I always go in there with a smile and try to be nice. He just had no manners and was incredibly rude. I will never go back in there while he is at the bar. I will say I have never had a problem with the woman bar tenders and have found them to be very nice. The cooks are also amazing. Sad how one bad egg can make the whole place seem horrid.

I live in the neighborhood and have been going to the Sling Shot lounge since they opened 3 or so years back. When it first opened it was just the bar. They soon expanded to the game room behind the bar counter. They have Pool, Air Hockey, Pinball, Shuffleboard, and now Foosball as well. I find it nice that I can hang on the bar side and just chat with friends (or the friendly bar staff) without being in the mix of all the games. I love to play Air Hockey, but if you hang out at one of the few bars in town with this game, you know it's loud! The separation is nice. There are no T.V.'s in the bar at all. Some may not like this, not me. It's a nice change, now and then, to get away from all that and just be FORCED to TALK to people! OH NO! If I want to watch a game or another event, I just simply go to any of the other 50 bars in the neighborhood that do. They recently opened a kitchen as well. WITH GREAT FOOD! I was pleasantly surprised with the upgrade. My wife and I gab a bite there often. The menu is pretty simple and has always been satisfying, not to mention the extremely reasonable Happy Hour. A solid burger, basket of fries, and an Olimpia on tap for $8!? Yes that's right, I said eight dollars! How is that "running down hill fast"? I was very disappointed when I read this review. I think the bar has only gotten progressively better as the years have passed. It makes me question the rest of the reviews I usually rely on by Bar Fly. Go see for yourself, and yes, do say hi to Whiskey (the cat).

Had been wanting to check this place out for a while finally got in for a drink on an earlyish weekend night. Cool, long bar, nice booths. Plenty of no frills outdoor seating for warmer days. Jukebox had a nice selection but unfortunately was broken.

I received a very well made drink with mid shelf booze for $4.50 post happy hours.

Great shuffleboard table and pinball x3 (Family Guy!).

There was a sparse crowd and service was fine but very non back-slappy and non-conversational. I only post this because prior posters here have complained about the service/attitude.

Personally I don't need a tender to be my best friend, one that makes a good drink and takes my order within a reasonable amount of time is the goalpost...so that makes this place look pretty f-ing good to me.

Last night the Coffin Cruisers, a local group of Hearse owner/drivers had a Halloween bash at the Slingshot. WOW! Two live punk bands in the newly expanded pub. It's now twice as big. There were a lot of folk in costume and 7 hearses parked outside. Service was good for one bartender with a crowd. After the first band, a second bartender came on duty, and delays disappeared. I hope this is repeated next year.

Roadkill

So if you walk into Slingshot on a Monday night, which has apparently been named hard core night, and try to put money in the juke box, which is still turned on, even though there is noone else in the bar, and you have just ordered a beer, the result: the bartender will offer to kick you out... nice, real nice. And I'm a girl!!!

The last three times I've been there I've been all smiles, left a good tip on every drink and the service has just completely been crap. Theory has not been blown, this has simply just been my experience. My first visits there when they opened were overwhelmingly positive and that's waht brought me back - it just hasn't been the same is all I'm saying. sheez. Still think it's one of the best in the area by a longshot, but not hard to achieve in the fabulous foster-powell "district."

Then I don't wanna be right! I have had nothing but good service- carly's right; try being nice and pulling your head out of your ass and maybe you'll get good service. I've been going there since they opened and now I know all the bartenders by name (and vice/versa)- if I haven't seen one of them in a while, they'll come from the back and give me a hug! Awww... Plus, the frito pie rocks! I can eat one in about .5 seconds. Thumbs up from this girl, and I'll probably see you down there tonight!

ps- I'm certainly NOT a hipster (and neither is my girl Carly up there), and I get treated with nothing but respect and goodwill. Blows your theory there, SE PinFan.

I went in to the Slingshot Lounge this past Saturday night at about 11:00 pm. The place had about 30 people in it and a friendly bar cat! I was able to sit at the bar immediately and was greeted by Doug the bartender in just moments. There were a couple of tables open and they have these huge booths. There is a pretty big choice of drafts - Anchor Steam, Framboise, Pilsner Urquel, more. I got pint of Klamath Basin Stout on tap without waiting. There was music on, lots of conversations going on - people seemed to be having fun I liked the pinball, it's been years since I played. I'll have to practice more!

I just moved to town, and have found a lot of places to hip for my blood. The Slingshot has welcomed me to my new neighborhood with open arms and has become my de-facto living room. The drinks are great (try the Cali Transplant or China Panties), bartenders welcoming and the music on point.

As for the previous poster, maybe you should try being f-ing nice and see what happens. I have had no problems with the staff here, despite my distinct lack of hipness. Maybe the asshole here is you...just saying.

All in all the Slingshot is by far the best bar I've found in Foster-Powell.

You know, I just want to like this place but there's something about the waitstaff that drives me up a freakin' wall. I am obsessed with pinball, so having a spot in the 'hood with 3 fairly current machines is a definite plus; but somehow if you don't have the exact hipster appeal, good fucking luck getting good service let alone a cold beer. I still go for the machines, but the service has taken a massive nose-dive since it first opened. Pull it together, slingshot....>!!!!!!!! Dammit! Don't make me wear thin-as-fuck-"A"-shirts and tight black pants so I can get a fucking drink!

I live in the neighborhood of the Slingshot. I went in on a Friday evening about 8 pm. There were about a dozen people there. The air was pretty clean and there are 2 smoke scrubbers and ceiling fans to keep the smoke at more than tolerable levels. The jukebox was full of punk and rock tunes that tell a lover of punk filled the playlists. The bar is well stocked and there is an awesome variety of unusual brews on tap - Anchor Steam, Pilsner Urqhel, Frambois and a Klamath Basin Stout that is smooth and chocolate-y, it's my new favorite. Dollar Oly's! The bartender was friendly and attentive bartender. The decor is pretty unique with large framed photos of some hard corp Yakuza tattoo art. The pinball machines are entertaining. The bar has a cool concrete slab with comfortable stools and the booths are huge, seating six comfortably and able to sit a party of 8. A regular told me that the Slingshot opened less than 5 months ago and there had been some bar staff that hadn't worked out and are no longer there. Whatever, I'm making the Slingshot a regular stop. It's new and really seems to be building toward being a special place in this neighborhood.

I think this place is the drama capitol of Portland. I was treated very poorly. The beer was warm at best and the bartenders as cold as I wish my beer had been. C'mon Portland you can do better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have been going to this place since they opened. At first it was okay. The service and drinks were good but the atmosphere was so-so. Everytime we have gone in the past 2 months, the service is non-exsistent and last night my friend's drink was half-full! Not to mention that there is never anything going on in that place. You can hear the crickets. We are definitely moving on-way too many bars in Portland to waste our time on this one.

I was told to try this place out by a friend. I read the reviews and thought it sounded fun. I went and was treated poorly. The bartender was a real bitch and the regular customers were assholes to everyone that walked in. I will never go back. Assholes!

So, I was in there just hanging out and another local walks in, and holy shit was the bartender a dickhead. The guy wanted the cheap beer- hey asshole, not everyone in this 'hood has a trust fund. Rule number one- do NOT piss off the locals. We're all in this together, looking for a good place to hang out and make new friends and drink ourselves blind, so don't go slinging your hipper-than-thou, punker-than-thou, richer-than-thou attitude and expect to stay around for long. You might scoff at Smokey's but the bartender doesn't give you shit for ordering cheap beer. You haven't been here long enough to turn your backs to the locals checking out the new place. Take that exclusivity bullshit back up to Alberta Street.

The service is fantastic. Just amazing. The Bartenders made me feel at home, like my bars in Chicago Delilah's and The Exit. Havn't found a place in Portland that compares to these two Chitown staples except this bar. The food is amazing, the Juke box is loaded with good picks and the kitty is adorable. The newly installed art is breathtaking - wow. Wow. Only a few things could be improved - it's a bit cold in there always - but perhaps for ventilation reasons? Continuous music would be nice too (maybe just a jukebox setting?)- Exit and Delilah's would have punk, Psychobilly and horror punk DJ's, on designated nights, and it was awesome to never have silence.

The first time we went, a few guys talked shit but the bartenders were so awsome we came back and I'm glad we did.

I love this place! The only problem is anonymous hipsters who complain about it being too smoky. It's a fucking bar! If you don't like the environment, drink at home! Next you'll be complaining that there's alcohol in the drinks, and you can't find the treadmills and freeweights.

Pros: Good looking bar, good beers Cons: smoky with little ventilation, and rectangular shape of area makes for acoustical mess.

This awesome bar is gonna be a huge hit.It rocks It rolls and everyone should check it out.....Enjoy the awesome bartenders who give the best service..Make it a point to go in during the day from Wensday to Sunday and see Mr Chazz at work fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great new dive in a crazy neighborhood.BONUS:Doug from Sabala's got a job there now so ya know the pour is on.......

I've always loved the SE Foster neighborhood. Especially the cheap rent and weird little shops. Now I have a reason to drink down here when I don't feel like going to a super-dive! Great mojitos! Friendly staff that keep undesirables out. Never knew there were so many young people in my hood! Awesome!

love this place,love eric and mercedes,but i must hate my liver.I cant stay away.this is just what s.e. foster needed...see you there.

Yeah, a good bar to be sure. Great jukebox, excellent bartenders, swell space.

Just got back from opening night! ?The place was electric. The Baristas/Owners Eric and Mercedes were poetry in motion serving up the goods. Good beer, lots of folks! (Standing room only!)Best Juke Box I've seen in years. Pinball!! (Addams Family, The Sopranos, and Pirates of the Carribean). Good stock of poured drinks. Full measures. Punks, rockers, bikers, even a freek or two. All laughing and buzzin'. Good time. Check it!