Mississippi Studios

From Eight Venues, Seven Days, One City: Portland's Venue Bucket List:

From a Baptist church to a recording studio to a live music venue created for musicians by musicians, the lovingly crafted, sonically superior, intimate room recently saw a remodel that efficiently reconfigured the in-venue bar and streamlined the space. Located in the heart of Historic Mississippi Avenue’s commercial corridor, the venue hosts two- and three-band bills just about every night, each backed by illuminated bass drums emblazoned with the marks of other local, musician-owned boutiques like instrument specialists Revival Drum Shop and Black Book Guitars.

Check these off your list:

▶ Chairs are only available on high so arrive early if you want the bird’s-eye view from the seated balcony.

▶ But if you show really early, plunk down in the adjoining Bar Bar or on its massive patio and start with a $5 daytime drink special—margarita or Bloody Mary. Although that ends at 4pm, it's precisely when happy hour starts.

▶ Seeing as it’s a burger lounge, the rotating Burger of the Month is a requisite. Pair with fries or onion rings, but if you insist, you could get something healthy on the side like a kale salad.

▶ Take your drink inside the venue, bask in the dim glow of the orbed chandeliers between acts, and when all the dancing is done, head back to the patio and settle in next to an open flame or find an isolated corner in the secret garden.