If you have to go, you might as well do it in style. Portland might not have made the cut for America’s Best Restroom contest this year, but we don’t want to let Rose City’s best bathroom contenders go to waste. We flushed out seven spots for you to vote for in our own contest — who will take the porcelain throne?
Kann, 548 SE Ash St.
What do you do when you score a reservation at the hottest restaurant in town? You snap a selfie in the loo, which features a beautiful scene of the Haitian countryside.
Barista, 823 NW 23rd Ave.
The walls of this uber-trendy coffee shop’s bathroom will wake you up if the espresso doesn’t. Wrapping around the walls is a giant, black-and-white leopard chasing its own tail — gaping mouth looming just over the above-sink mirror.
Bible Club, 6716 SE 16th Ave.
Everything about this Sellwood speakeasy will make you feel like you stepped through a portal to the Roaring Twenties, restroom not excluded. Bare bulbs cast a dim glow over a space decorated with old newspaper clippings and photos. Don’t spend too much time gawking or your party might worry you actually time-traveled (or fell in).
Mox Boarding House, 1938 W. Burnside St.
All that glitters is not gold — sometimes it’s just the massive crystal chandelier suspended over a communal hand-washing fountain. If the idea of renting a board game to play while you dine in a dreamy Parisian-inspired restaurant isn’t enough to draw you into Mox, then know that this opulent wash closet offers floor-to-ceiling enclosed stalls of black quartz for maximum privacy.
Old Town Pizza & Brewing, 226 NW Davis St.
A collage of pop-art images plasters every square inch of wall space in this otherwise divey bathroom, so you’ll have no shortage of viewing material to enjoy during your visit.
Puff Coffee, 2816 SE Stark St.
The dripping, black-and-white graffiti provides a nightmarish setting completely at odds with the tidiness of the space.
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, 3354 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
We love when a business shows its love for the City of Roses, especially when it goes so far as to incorporate its imagery into its bathroom. Black tiles interplay with artistic renderings of the White Stag Sign, roses, and other designs that will remind you exactly which city you’re in.
Who will take the throne? Vote for your favorite Portland bathroom — or let us know which impressive restroom we missed.