No airline or credit card status needed to enter this airport speakeasy
Since its debut in 2024, the new $2 billion, ZGF-designed main terminal expansion at Oregon's Portland International Airport (PDX) has been getting rave reviews.
Both locals and visitors love the forest-like main hall filled with skylights, the live plants and trees, and the soaring 9-acre roof made of sustainably harvested Pacific Northwest wood. Presecurity amenities, ranging from outposts of beloved regional shops and restaurants to lounge areas sporting the famed PDX carpet design, get high marks and loads of social media posts, too.
Now there is one more standout amenity at PDX: the first airport speakeasy that's open to anybody, and not limited by airline or credit card status.
Named after the Roman goddess of dawn, the 49-seat Aurora speakeasy was designed by Portland-based ELK Collective. It's located inside Loyal Legion — the presecurity beer hall on the airport's mezzanine level that has views out toward the airfield and 96 Oregon beers on tap.
According to Kurt Huffman, owner of ChefStable (which operates Loyal Legion bars in Portland and nearby Beaverton that also sport speakeasies), the speakeasy at the PDX branch of Loyal Legion is intended to be a space that feels "apart" from the rest of the airport. It should serve as "a calm before the storm that travel can be."
Huffman said that aesthetically, Loyal Legion's speakeasy spaces are intended to contrast the bars' darker, lumberman-style decor, and they "tend to skew more feminine and cozy."
Aurora does just that — with some twists. The airport speakeasy has a bright, art deco interior, technicolor window treatments, a great playlist, a silver-leaf ceiling finish and west-facing windows offering views of the airfield and Portland sunsets.
It all adds up to what the airport operator Port of Portland describes as an "ethereal vibe."
Aurora's menu includes local beers and wines, as a well as creative and reasonably priced craft cocktails such as Hot Soup — a drink made with Wild Turkey, bone broth, sesame and green onion tincture — and Resting Rich Face, which is made with Beefeater gin, Italicus liqueur, lime, grapefruit and soda.
As a nice bonus, diners presented with the shareable plates menu at Aurora can also order from the much larger Loyal Legion menu.
How can you find — and get into — the PDX Speakeasy?
The Aurora speakeasy at Portland International Airport is inside the Loyal Legion beer hall space, on the presecurity mezzanine level, between the main bar and the restrooms. Look for the words "Curiosity opens the door" next to the unmarked entrance.
For now, the speakeasy's hours are somewhat limited — 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, airport officials say those hours may expand as the summer travel season picks up.
And what about the password?
No password, airline or credit card status is required. You don't even need a membership or pay a fee to get in.
"I don't want to give away all the fun," Huffman said. "So I'll just say what the sign on the door says: Curiosity opens the door."
But here is a hint: All you need to do to gain entry to the Aurora speakeasy is to ask anyone at Loyal Legion how to get inside.
"Travel is all about discovery and discovery is built on curiosity," Huffman said. "We are betting that there are a lot of PDX travelers who will love having a beautiful space to relax before or after their flight."
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