The World Famous Kenton Club, or simply Kenton Club, is a bar and music venue in north Portland, Oregon, United States. The venue was established as the Kenton Club in 1947, and became a biker bar.
- Venue
- World Famous Kenton Club
- Town
- Portland, US
The World Famous Kenton Club, or simply Kenton Club, is a bar and music venue in north Portland, Oregon, United States. The venue was established as the Kenton Club in 1947, and became a biker bar. The "world famous" tagline was acquired after appearing in the film Kansas City Bomber (1972); the venue became known as World Famous Kenton Club, and memorabilia related to the film and its star Raquel Welch are displayed throughout the interior. The Kenton Club is located in north Portland's Kenton neighborhood. The music venue hosts disc jockeys, karaoke, and other live events in a variety of genres. Kenton Club's clientele has been described as "gray-haired", but has catered to late-night and younger audiences in recent years with the addition of live music and inexpensive beer options. The interior has wood panelling, and in front of the stage is a large hardwood floor. There are low ceilings, Formica tables, linoleum, and vinyl-upholstered chairs, as of 2007. The venue's designated smoking area has been described as both "vast and intimate". Billiard tables, darts, pinball, trivia, and video poker machines are available for guests. In his 2016 overview of Portland's jukeboxes, The Portland Mercury's Santi Elijah Holley described the Kenton Club's jukebox selection as "packed with plenty of classic country, blues, and punk - Hank Williams Sr. alongside Hank III". The bar has happy hour each weekday, as of 2016. In her 2013 walking guide of Portland, Becky Ohlsen described Kenton Club as "an excellent lowbrow hangout with a rocky facade, a wood-paneled interior, cheap drinks, live music, and a friendly, rowdy crowd". The Kenton Club opened in 1947, and became a "honky-tonk and rumble-ready" biker bar shortly thereafter. In 1972, the venue appeared in Kansas City Bomber, starring Raquel Welch. The Kenton Club adopted the "world famous" tagline, and became known as the World Famous Kenton Club as a "permanent memorial" to the film and Welch. Memorabilia related to Kansa