LULU is a cocktail lounge on SE Grand Avenue in the Central Eastside, open since 2019 and run by bartender Vijay Kumar. The bar is known for a seasonal cocktail menu and a deep spirits list that spans Japanese whisky, tequila, mezcal, American whiskey and Scotch.
Who would love it: drinkers who want a serious spirits selection and a seasonal list that changes through the year. Who would skip it: anyone after an early evening or a family table, since the room runs late and strictly 21 and over.
The lounge sits in the Central Eastside and pairs with Jarana for food service, so a table can order plates alongside the drinks. The room runs late, with a 1:30am close Thursday through Saturday.
The seasonal cocktail menu turns over through the year, and the back bar carries one of the deeper whisky and agave selections in the neighborhood. Regulars lean on the bartender's seasonal builds and the Japanese whisky pours. The kitchen partnership with Jarana keeps food on the table for longer sessions.
Industry regulars and Central Eastside locals fill the room, with a later crowd on weekend nights. LULU runs Wednesday through Saturday and closes Sunday through Tuesday.
Yelp reviewers point to the drinks selection, the music and the late hours as the draw. The happy hour food gets a more mixed read than the cocktails, per repeated reviews.
Best time to go: a Thursday or Friday evening for the seasonal list and the later close, with a Jarana plate to anchor the table.
Who it is for: a spirits focused nightcap, an industry crowd, or a long session over Japanese whisky. Skip it if you want an early or family friendly seat.
The Central Eastside has grown into one of Portland's busier nightlife districts, and LULU sits among its more spirits driven rooms. The deep back bar and the seasonal builds put it closer to a destination cocktail bar than a casual local.
The Japanese whisky and agave selection is the bar's calling card, and the staff lean on it for both straight pours and seasonal cocktails. Regulars treat the changing menu as the reason to return through the year.
The partnership with Jarana means food stays available through the night, which suits the late hours and the industry crowd. A table can order plates well past the point most kitchens close.
Reservations help on weekend nights, though the bar keeps room for walk ins early in the evening. A Thursday or Friday seat at the bar is the best vantage for the spirits list.
LULU sits a short walk from the cocktail rooms and breweries of the Central Eastside, which makes it a strong anchor for a longer night. Start here for the whisky and the seasonal builds, then carry the night to a nearby room and let the contrast do the work.
The seasonal menu and the depth of the spirits list keep LULU on most local best of Portland cocktail roundups year after year. Regulars treat the changing builds and the late hours as the reasons the room stays a fixture of the Central Eastside drinking scene.
The room has held its place through several waves of new Central Eastside openings, which speaks to the strength of its spirits program. A late seat at the bar remains one of the deeper whisky pours in the district, and the seasonal list keeps regulars coming back.
Pair this bar with Scotch Lodge, Expatriate, or Canard to round out a Portland night.
See where it sits among the best cocktail bars in Portland, or browse the full Portland bar guide for more rooms nearby.
Sources: LULU official site (2026); EverOut Portland; OpenTable listing; Yelp reviews.
