You’d be forgiven for not having heard of Take Two, the new bar on the corner of Northeast 30th Avenue and Killingsworth Street that was formerly the bar and restaurant Jinx. When it opened in the spring, owners David Sigal, Blake Foster and Heather Wallbergh discouraged press coverage, saying they wanted to make Take Two a popular hangout for locals rather than the hottest bar opening of the week. And hey, no offense. Business owners usually want to find their groove before getting hit with premature expectations.
We waited between our opening week visit in April and the end of summer in August to see how things settled down on the dive-blocks north of the Alberta Arts District. Take Two’s black-and-red decor is the same: less an ode to John Wayne than to Italo-disco albums. Kitschy ’70s pieces stand out next to horse paintings (the red tomato lamp in the bathroom is a prime example). We remembered the expert blend of hot and cold in the signature Green Day cocktail ($14), which, thankfully, remains the same months later.
Billie Joe Armstrong has been openly sober since this year, but since he and his band are playing Providence Park before the end of September, they might wake up and enjoy Green Day as a refreshing mocktail of salt and vinegar chicken wings ($14 for six). Wallbergh says Green Day was inspired by its eco-friendly ingredients, but there’s no reason Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt wouldn’t want one.
Jalapeño peppers and cucumbers are a sophisticated fusion. Too much cucumber will overpower the heat unpleasantly, while too much spice will practically negate the cucumber’s cool factor. Take Two’s Green Day isn’t afraid to up the heat with some extra ginger, but adds mint and lime for the green note, but still allows the cucumber’s calming qualities to shine through. Sans alcohol or mixed with gin and the house Chartreuse blend, Green Day is worth a trip down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
While a Green Day might be a better drink for the transition period between spring and summer to heat up the mood, visitors in the fall when the weather turns might try the zesty sweetness of the Second Date ($15), originally called Impress Your Date. As the name suggests, date-infused tequila is paired with Amaro Nonino, Aperol, dry vermouth, mezcal spritz, and a pinch of salt to create a potent cocktail. There’s no ice to refresh you as sunset approaches, just a smoky sweetness that tastes balanced and nuanced without falling into a dash of barbecue sauce.
Wallbergh says that now that the bar has found its feet, expect to see some seasonal changes to Take Two’s menus, so anyone looking to toast the end of summer should check out what’s new.
“Business on our little corner continues to pick up all around us,” she said via email. “We want to be a place where people feel comfortable, either while waiting for their next seat or making us their hangout for the evening.”
GO: Take Two, 3000 NE Killingsworth St., 503-477-5703, taketwopdx.com. Open daily from 3 p.m. to midnight.
