Queen of Hearts expands music, space
& food to continue successful growth
by KT
The Queen of Hearts, located at S.E. 72nd and Harold (just south of Holgate) is growing bigger and better all the time.
The venue was originally built about 75 years ago and is in the loving care of Joe Evans and his son Joey for eight years. Joe is living a longtime dream of owning his own place and the Queen of Hearts is a continuing success. The recent expansions and upgrades set the stage for the in-process expanded live music and healthier menu.
On a recent Thursday evening, this writer stopped in for the regular jam session and to see the "new" plan for this venue. The corner entrance is the same, but inside you see more and more comfort, fun and geniality. The bar area is lively with three TVs, plus one big screen. Neon lights create pools of color and the Oregon Lottery machine sits waiting.
Beyond the bar is a nice table-seating area that includes a genuine Rock-Ola digital space-age touch-screen jukebox and a new stage for the live music performances. This writer found the seating very comfortable and the ambience well-settled. Once you sit down, you just want to stay there, relaxed and happy.
The pool table room is one step beyond the live entertainment area. Now you can play pool without negotiating for elbow space with seated patrons! The game of pool is a big item at the Queen of Hearts, especially for the City Pool League. Many large trophies occupy overhead shelves. The pool fans usually gather Mondays and Tuesdays.
Wednesdays showcase an open mike session, Thursdays are jam nights with Danny Hay Davis and friends, often including Gary Fountaine on bass. Fridays and Saturdays feature live bands. Check out the Sunday session as well.
Now in the new, non-smoking era, the focus at the Queen of Hearts is on enhanced and expanded entertainment, with a future goal of seven-nights-a-week fun. The full-service bar offers many microbrews especially Roots Beer, a Portland area success.
Joe Evans and fiancée Heidi note healthy changes in the neighborhood, so the current prospects for the Queen of Hearts are virtually unlimited. Future plans include a dance floor, internet access, enhanced variety in live music, a "healthier" menu and more. Evans also observes that many live music venues are going away and the Queen of Hearts is the "best bet" for entertainment with the ease and convenience of eastside access. You don't have to go downtown any more just to enjoy all-star live music, especially because on-street parking is always free.
Evans emphasizes that the Queen of Hearts is the closest thing to Austin City Limits without leaving Oregon. At least three times a year, the venue hosts benefits for non-profit organizations and neighbors in need. Both Evans and Heidi express the aim to "blow the lid off....make a mark in Portland." They provide a place where folks from a broad spectrum of socioeconomic origins can be as comfortable as in one's own living room.
"I want to provide the best there is," says Evans. "What drives this place," he adds, "is respect." Some borders between management and staff happily overlap, with mutual respect for everyone, including patrons, as a consistent practice.
If you've been looking for a comfortable, casual-dress hang-out that's easy to find, comfy and clever, come to the Queen of Hearts for a winning hand. Stay tuned for a special blockbuster live music party around "Valentine's weekend." (See ad this issue for more information.)