McMenamins Kennedy School Reviews

We chose this restaurant based on it's reviews, most of which seemed promising, but it went downhill the moment we walked in the door. It seemed cool that it was an old school, but with so many places in it, and very little clear direction, we had no idea where we were going. Everyone was too busy to help us so we just wandered around like idiots. When we asked someone where to go to eat, she couldn't give us a definitive answer but directed us to the more 'family-friendly' dining area. We stood there like idiots until we asked for help and were told that the hostess area was in the middle of all the chaos. We went over and put our names in for a ten minute wait- which is completely reasonable, but soon realized that it seemed that the only reason for a wait, at least that night, was that no one really seemed to know what was going on at any given time and it took at least ten minutes for tables to be cleared off for the next customers. We sat at the bar while we waited and encountered the only helpful person there who explained the different bars and areas in the place, and what they all offered. We were seated soon after and waited about 15 minutes until a woman walked by and asked us if we were being helped. When we told her no she said she'd be right back. About ten minutes after that another waitress came by and said she'd 'steal' the table because the first waitress was too slow. Both waitress came by at different intervals for the duration of the night putting the other down for 'stealing tables' and 'being too slow', which made us EXTREMELY uncomfortable. Twice during the evening someone came by asking us if the wrong meals were ours which didn't give me confidence that amid all the chaos we would actually get the meals we ordered. Between the hostess (who also cleared tables), the waitstaff, and bus-people there seemed to be NO communication whatsoever. We ordered a beer and our food, the beer never arrived and when our waitress finally came by about 15 minutes later she asks, 'where's your beer?' Uh, you tell us. Our meals came out separately because there are separate kitchens. He ordered a burger which came first, but my pizza came out ten minutes later, with congealing cheese since it had obviously been sitting out. By that time I just asked to get the check and take my food to go. I was so frustrated, they seem to be trying a little too hard with multiple bars and multiple kitchens, as well as being a hotel. The food was actually pretty good but my experience was so awful that I would never come back.

We ate in the large dining room of this grand old school. What a clever and wonderful use for an obsolete building. Mc Menamin's has done it again...old classrooms are hotel rooms, a movie theater, various pubs , and a restaurant. They've kept the integrity of the old school, while updating it into an enticing family-oriented destination. The pubs are open only later in the day. We enjoyed the various food and appetizers we ordered for our party of nine, including a four-year old and a toddler. Plenty of seating, tables for parties (two groups were celebrating), good service, and enough hallways to keep an active and supervised toddler exploring. The gift shop has a variety of boutique foods and wines, t-shirts, and souvenirs, but not kitsch. Ample parking in back, nice courtyards and pool area.

Kennedy school has a great atmosphere from their well developed landscaping to the art and design of the interior. They have continued the school motif in all of the interior bars, theater, restaurants, and even the bathrooms. Have gone to the theater and was great with a slice of pizza and an IPA. The seats are comfortable and each seat has a small table in front to put food and drink. Went to the Boiler Room during happy hour. Soundproofing in the room makes talking somewhat of a challenge because it was filled when we were there. The beer choices were great as one might expect from a micro-brewery. The Salad that I had was just OK, nothing special. Four people with one food order and a drink each was $60, so not too expensive.

We have found the service slow in the evening so we choose to snack at one of the bars. But breakfast! We are easily risers, the dining room opens at 7 (coffee elsewhere from 5am!) and have loved the breakfasts here.

We met up with several friends that now live in the area on their recommendation, and I'm so glad we did. The way this school has been transformed is so fun. Things like the Boiler Room Bar & the fact that they kept the showers in the bathrooms really is the icing on the cake. Oh yeah, the food & service was good also. I have already highly recommended this place to several friends traveling to Portland. It's so unique that it is really a must see in my book.

I love this hotel, but would only stay in the actual school not the English wing. The quirky decor and great places to drink not to mention the onsite theater (formally auditorium) make it a destination in itself. The warm soaking pool is also very nice. my only semi negative thing is the staff is not alway the friendliest, not rude just blah, there to check you in, so don't expect a warm welcome, although the last time I checked in (I've stayed here multiple times) the guy at the front desk did his best to accommodate my request which was nice. Overall a great place, like most McMenamins properties, a bit of the unordinary in a very good way.

Such a great idea. It’s like it’s own experience outside the city. Plenty to do, lots of shops, golf, wine tasting, and super friendly people all over to offer suggestions for a meal or drink. They even have their own distillery. Stop by and see what they’ve turned the place into, you won’t be sorry.

Were were here on a weekday around 11am for some hangover food. Needless to say we were starving. It took longer than expected to get our meals. The food was OK to good. Nothing spectacular. I did like the fries. My burger was not as juicy as I would have wanted. But we really liked the atmosphere. It's a great concept that could be improved upon with quicker service and a bit better food.

My wife and I stayed here while in Portland, OR, for the wedding of a dear friend. The school/hotel was amazing. We stayed in one of the converted classrooms. The room was good, except that we could not control the air conditioning, and even in September they kept it quite chilly. The bathroom facilities were adequate, but it lacked sufficient hooks for clothes and sufficient shelves for personal items. It was a very busy hotel with many meetings and parties, but it was big enough that we did not notice them. The hotel had several bars and restaurants, even a cigar bar in the old detention room, a rather ironic twist. Overall we enjoyed our stay.

The food within the Kennedy School is pretty decent with the usual items on the menu: pizzas, salads, etc. What stood out were the unique cocktails. I highly suggest you spend some time with your server discussing what is new and tasty. The only caution is that the dining room can get exceptionally busy. The waitstaff were very honest (and accurate) in their assessment that entrees were taking between 30-45 minutes to arrive once ordered. You can get the exact same food in the movie theater next door - a relaxing way to wait.

My wife's cousin met us at the Grotto, then said lets go to lunch here. We did not know what to expect. As we drove through the residential areas looking for the restaurant. It was in an old school building! Food was excellent!

Will not be back. Bartenders dropped our debit card on the floor, bussed our table when we said we'd be back and chased us throughout the building demanding a tip.

McMenamins never disappoints. This property is a great place to explore. Historical and whimsical mixed with function. We had lunch at the Courtyard and it was good. Service was attentive and restaurant was clean. My husband enjoyed the 3 bean chili and bread and I had the Dungeon burger with just the right combo of fresh mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Fries were great, the rock salt was so yummy. Plan a bit of time here so you can explore. Better yet, spend the night and enjoy the bars and the theater and the pool!

Well I finally had to opportunity to visit this restaurant. IT. WAS. FUN. A renovated school, into a watering hole and dining stop. Entertainment is provided by the staff. Roaming opera singers. School themes everywhere. The burgers were great. The local beers, great. Service was really good and everything was very clean. I want to go back, but I will have to try one of the other properties in this company's repertoire. Worth the visit!

McMenamins pubs all have reliable, tasty pub grub....good burgers, tater tots, salads, etc. It's not the best meal in town but it's guaranteed to be in a fun setting.

My brother and his wife took us here for dinner while we were visiting Portland. They warned us ahead of time that the service was slow. It was. The servers here seem to feel it is our privilege to be in their presence. We started with the humus plate. It was very good, but long finished before we saw our food. The food was good. Portions were large. We could have easily shared an entree. The school is precious. We took the time to wander and see all the fun touches left from the school's golden years. We are planning a family reunion of sorts there for next year. As long as you are not in a hurry, I'd recommend it.

Housed in an old Elementary School, this is a fun place. Ate lunch in the Courtyard Restaurant, superb meal. Both the chicken sandwich and the Flat Iron Steak were excellent. Service was prompt and friendly. Toured the school after lunch - fun. Some classrooms are now meeting rooms and retain the classroom look, others have been divided and turned into hotel room.

What a cool place we loved the atmosphere . Great beer and burgers just wished the food service was faster , the fries were cold by the time we were served.

masked up we wanted to return to kennedy school, and sit out in the courtyard for lunch...i had a pint of ruby, my partner had the rubinator...next, i had the bombay tuna sandwich with sub salad, and my partner had the veggie hammerhead commication breakdown patty with sub sald....the food was great, and the staff great.....be sure tip big during these challenging times...thx so much.

We were excited to visit the Kennedy school after learning about its history - and because my daughter is named Kennedy. This was our first visit to Portland, and the Kennedy School was our first stop on the way from the airport to explore the waterfalls. Everything is tight and cramped. It is not really a kid friendly location, though they do offer a kid menu. This is great for couples or friends wanting to have a glass of wine. We ordered the tots, which were the highlight of the entire meal. Everything else was extremely bland. We had the Aztec Salad, Hummus, Caprese Chicken Sandwich, and a pizza.

How about that? A review praising the location for their movie's offering. You bet. This place is pretty much the only place we have been going when our sons are below 4 years old. The cozyness of the location (couches and small tables), the easy food selection (bar food at a medium quality as expected at McMenamins) and mostly the movie selection for young one is why we will return over and over. We even drive 40+ minutes to get there. Totally worth it.

One of my favorite places in Portland. It is so cool with the old school and the decor and art. The food was really good there too. Had dinner on the patio and it was nice. Good drink menu and beer as well.

Probably the best example of how much a sense of atmosphere can make a restaurant that we’ve ever run into, McMenamins was yet another great recommendation from local friends (trust the locals!). The Courtyard Restaurant is great fun in the middle of the larger McMenamins experience; once you’ve found the right door, you pass beneath glass-and-metal custom light fixtures, taking inspiration from some mix of old censers and kaleidoscopes, on your way to your table. Expect to spend much of your meal staring at the décor and being greatly entertained. The food was rather good overall – between our group of four, we got the Berry Patch Salad, Hogshead Burger, Chicken Marsala, a cup of butternut squash soup and a personal pizza with pepperoni and sausage, and all pretty much hit the mark. The burger was a bit underdone, but the recommended Cajun tater tots were delicious. Everything came out presented beautifully and the chicken marsala was probably the best of the lot. The drinks selection definitely impressed – with many local beers on tap, one of our party greatly enjoyed the recommended Ruby Ale, while another ordered a custom mixed drink with the house rum. (We were pleasantly surprised to find that drink charged on the final bill cheaper than any mixed drink on the menu, effectively just as a serving of the house rum.) The wine list also ran more than two full pages, with many tempting local options, though we didn’t get wine on this visit. The atmosphere and the service, hands down, are why this is a required stop in Portland. Our waiter frankly made our evening, as glad to make conversation as he was to make menu recommendations. There’s no “oh, that’s my favorite too” style of forced familiarity here, just natural conversation. In addition to our food coming out quickly, we found we had a fun series of connections with our waiter, having grown up many thousands of miles away in the same area as one of our party, and learned the story behind one of his tattoos late in the meal. It should also be noted that our server managed his time carefully – while getting us our food and chatting, he was also serving five or six other tables deftly, making sure to leave no one hanging. We’d be glad to run into him again on a future visit, but regardless, we’ll definitely be back here again the next time we’re through Portland – and maybe we’ll take in the theater or stay upstairs this time.

I make it a point to hit all the McMenamins I can. I've been to the Kennedy school house a few times now and will continue to go back. The food and drink are just good, the service is above average, but the experience itself is what draws me back. I love the repurposing of old spaces, and they've done a great job with this one. Rich history and unique uses of space abound.

We stayed over the weekend with some other family. We ate at the Courtyard Restaurant four or five times. Service was slow and unfriendly. There was one bar tender who seemed to care. He offered to comp my nephew's meal because it took so long, but then was annoyed that the bill included his cousin's mimosa too. (This was Saturday am) My breakfast Sunday am took two hours from the time I arrived. When I asked a server if we could order, she said someone else would do it. That happened three times. Our family at tables on either side of us ordered and finished eating before we got our food (and they came in after us.) The food is good, but not great. I most enjoyed the Apple Berry crumble and I can recommend the Hummus plate. We didn't have a great experience generally there. We also ate at the Boiler Room bar. Someone came to our table after we were seated and made a speech about criteria for service. It was quite rude. No one was drunk. The food was the same as the Courtyard.

We attended a rehearsal dinner at the Kennedy school. First impressions of this place is that it is CRAZY! It is a whole city block & there is stuff, and people, and details everywhere! Walking down the halls & peaking in rooms really was a trip. You could go here for 2 weeks & still not eat/drink in all of the different areas. The food was ok; selected for our group was a green salad, corn on the cob, bbq chicken, bbq beef, beans, apple cobbler & biscuits. The salad was good. The corn looked like my fingers after I have been in the tub too long. The sauce on the chicken & beef was unappealing. And I don't know how you mess up baked beans but theses were messed up. I think they were supposed to be whiskey or bourbon flavored. But it was like somebody dumped a bottle of booze in the beans & then didn't cook them. They were just off. And the biscuits, the one hope I had.....were hard. Ugh. If you just want to go & hang out with your friends, play pool & have a few drinks, this place is awesome. Other than that, I would steer clear.

Such an eclectic and fun plane! So crazy it's in an old school building. Loved the interior and also the exterior and gardens, all very interesting. Make some time just to walk around the place. We came for dinner and I had the burger. Loved the burger and tater-tots. Serving was good and prices were right. Enjoyable experience!

We were staying nearby with friends and this was the first restaurant we came across. The old school is an interesting place to wander around (we had to wait maybe 10 minutes to be seated). Once seated, our server was delightful, and upon learning we were tourists gave us some great advice about places to visit. The food was very good indeed and portion sizes very satisfying. The prices were not very cheap but nor were they extortionate, in fact given the portion sizes the prices mostly seem quite fair. The menu is not long, but what they do, they do very well. My partner had a steak and I had a marsala chicken, plus a lamb flatbread for starter, and all were truly delicious. This restaurant is definitely worth a visit if you're in Portland (it also has the advantage of being outside the city centre and so parking is plentiful).

We were in Portland for our best friends sons wedding. The evening before the wedding we had a pleasant meal on the patio.

This is one of the restaurants right inside the Kennedy School, so you can't beat the location when you don't want to go far. The restaurant has a good feel to it. There is a section of seating outside. The staff was nice and fairly well attentive with a few extra waves for attention. I had the Aztec salad, which sounded delish and was supposed to be loaded with all kinds of good things. However, it ended up being a big pile of romaine, a few tortilla strips and some tomatoes with barely any dressing. The waitress even commented on how lame the salad was...but did she offer to do anything about it?? Nope. The Caesar was good, the burgers were fine, the French fries were really good.

I love everything about this amazing school that have been redesign by the McMenamin family from the selection of restaurants to the intimate movie theatre to the detention room. It's cheeky and really cleverly designed to incorporate iconic elements of the school and great stories of the past. It's like a museum but it feel's cool, fun and hip. Service was friendly, food was better than average, the environment and experience = priceless.

I'll admit it, I was reluctant to try The Courtyard. Pub food? Not my favorite. When we saw the menu, however, we had another thought. Curried Butternut Squash Soup? Entree Heirloom Tomato Salad? We were all in, and were not disappointed. I had a Terminator Stout. Not such a big drinker, five good sips and I had to quit, it is strong stuff. We went again for breakfast, husband had stunning biscuits and rosemary mushroom gravy, and I had smoked salmon benedict with avocado, both totally to die for. Both evening, and morning our servers were excellent and personable. We were so impressed.

My husband and I were visiting family from out of town and they chose to take us to the Kennedy School for dinner one night. Bonus* great idea taking old buildings and making it into a hotel/restaurant area. That’s about it. It was fun to walk around and peek into all that the Kennedy School had to offer. We ate at the Cypress Room outside. I liked the fact they offered GF and vegan options. The Chick Pea of the Sea was interesting in taste. Their tarot toys were good. Beer and wine selection were lacking imagination (for wine they had a “red” and a “white”). Which was just weird. I feel like this was overpriced pub food, nothing special or outstanding. I probably won’t come back during another trip.

A former elementary school-turned bar/restaurant/hotel/cinema, this is a really cool spot. We came here to grab dinner, but you definitely want to start by grabbing a drink and exploring the property first. It is tucked away in a neighborhood out of the city, so you will need to commit to staying here but it was definitely worth checking out.

You’ll find great food in this restored school built over 100 years ago. This McMenamins has outdoor seating, full bar - more than one, hotel, theatre, and soaking pools. If you’re just coming for the food it’s well worth. It’s a busy and lively restaurant. Expect to pay $13 to $27 per plate not including drinks.

I had been here in December and it was great eating indoors in the Courtyard restaurant. Today we ate outside on the patio and it was really nice. Great service and great atmosphere- families, business people, larger groups. My sister was visiting from Indiana and loved it. We started off with a giant basket of tater tots. After that it was a burger, the torta, fried chicken sandwich and Thai seafood curry. Ample portions and all good. We topped it off with the dessert sampler.

Order a flight of whiskey and a flight of beer and an order of tasty Cajun tots, kick back by a fire pit and chill-lax. The staff will keep the fire going.

We were taken here by our friend that lives in Portland this is a very unique building refurbished into a neat eating establishment The beer and cider was great and the food was good as well. The spicy tots were very good

As a teacher and lover of old buildings, I was doubly-thrilled to visit the Kennedy School. Each room was more spectacular than the next. There is some quirky decorating going on here, to be sure! This place is a labyrinth of excitement and discovery. The rehab and landscaping don't take a back seat either. Oh..and the food....terrific! DO NOT miss an opportunity to enjoy the Kennedy School when in Portland.

Really unique and fun environment. My group of 8 was just here for dinner, but the facilities are amazing to walk around. Dinner for our group was reasonable and delicious. A wide variety of well prepared dishes. Service was friendly. Worked well for our group dinner. Was quiet enough to hear the folks around the table and we felt welcome. Parking in the back is convenient too. I can see it would also be a great place for kids. Lot's of kids food and fun around the hotel and restaurant property.

Even though we had a full size all wheel drive rental, and we're from Alaska, The roads in Portland were not good after a snowstorm. So eating at the Courtyard Restaurant and other in house was a pleasure.

We had tried McMenamins ST Francis School in Bend Oregon a couple days before being in Portland, and had this location recommended by our server at the other location. It was about 15 minutes from downtown Portland and so worth the little drive over. The entire place is located in an old school, keeping the charm of the school setting. After 12 years of catholic school, I felt like I had gone back in time to my childhood days. There are several different locations to dine within, each having their own bars and each menu offering slightly different fare. We checked out all of the locations and loved the outdoor dining area the most, but as it was a chilly night, we moved on to the Boiler room for dinner. The railings were made out of old pipes, and the decor was all reminiscent of an old boiler room with two tiers for dining. After having our dinner we relocated to the lowest area of the Boiler room to play shuffleboard a while. There was also a pool table and the bartender kept our beers in hand. So much fun! I would definitely recommend this location to anyone in the Portland area. Take your time walking around to see which area interests you most before choosing a spot to eat. I would love to stay here on a future visit to Portland. They even have events in the Gym/Auditorium. It so reminded me of spaghetti dinners and gym class at my old childhood school. The public restrooms are even the original school bathrooms. Nostalgic!

The food was very good to excellent. My friend believes that their blue cheese dressing is the best she has ever had. I appreciate the friendly and patient service. Great to be able to eat outside!!

Plenty of artwork throughout the first floor of the building. A theater offers current running films. Then we have the food to consider. We dined in the Cypress Room Bar lovely decorated in pub fashion. The food was alright. I feel I was batting .500 since the hummus appetizer was flavorful and filling. enough for two people complete with pita chips, yummy hummus, olives and pickled carrots. Then for the main meal I ate the pastrami sandwich which was so-so. Nothing special. I did have a bit of room left for the crumble. Sad to say it took well over twenty-three minutes for it to arrive. I feel this was a great dessert but I could have done without the wait.

We visited this place on the recommendation of our son who's living in the Portland area. The food was good, pretty simple fare. But the whole "school" divided up into a restaurant, bars, cigar bar, movie theater and guest rooms is a FANTASTIC idea. We had a great time visiting all the spots. Highly recommend it.

Quirky place that is worth a visit even if you don't stay at their hotel. Interesting to see how the school is converted into different bars/restaurants/movie theater and hotel. Unique atmosphere, eccentric design, fascinating experience. We had dinner at the Courtyard Restaurant, which by itself is just average. However, considering the unique space and decor, eating was just a pretext to visit this peculiar Portland institution.

This place rocks. Incredible selection of beer, great food and just a very cool setting. Love the cigar room detention area. Totally worth a visit to get a taste of Portland

Very unusual hotel and restaurant with more than one bar, delicious food at a great price. A must do if you are in the Portland area.

About two years ago my husband and I spent a date night out in one of the old class rooms and purchased the beer package. The building is just so awesome and so are the bars. For breakfast we ordered their special for the day which was buckwheat pancakes and corned beef hash. It was such an huge serving that three people could've ate from the plate and it was delicious. The experience was so awesome we decided to have our wedding here last May and we couldn't have picked a better location.

The food and quantity was better than I expected. Really nice staff . Just a neat place to wonder around. We sat outside and it was beautiful. It's not for those on a budget though because the prices are high.

A friend and I visited the Kennedy School during a trip to Portland base off a recommendation, and I couldn't have been more impressed! Dinner was delicious, and we loved the themes of all of the little bars inside. It is such a cool place; an old elementary school converted in a hotel, restaurant, bar, gift shop, theater, etc. A definite must see if you're traveling in the Portland area!

I settled on McMenamin's Kennedy school for a family get together, and it turned out to be perfect. There were 10 of us, and we were seated in the courtyard. It was a lovely spot on a nice summer night. It was easy to talk and visit, the service was excellent, and the food was good. I had their hamburger and a salad, and both were very good. The venue is an old grammar school, and it was a fun, comfortable place for dinner. I highly recommend it.

Between my most recent trip to the Kennedy School restaurant and the time before, I started eating gluten free. During this most recent trip to Portland, I was struck by how many restaurants had wonderful gluten free options. The Kennedy School does have options for a gluten free dinner. However, we were there to celebrate a birthday, and the only gluten free dessert on their menu was ice cream. I wondered, as I ate my ice cream, why they couldn't take one of the gluten free brownies from one of the wonderful g-f bakeries in town, and make the "Black & Tan" sundae a gluten free option.

11 minutes to the airport. Multiple restaurants and bars on site. Thanks to a couple of friends of mine this is perhaps my favorite place in the greater Portland area to visit for dinner and drinks. It is in a class by itself.

Really cool place to visit! I stayed nearby and came for entertainment. I had dinner in the boiler room bar, and food in the movie theatre. The small tater tot order is a pretty large portion for 1 person. 10/10 would go again! Really unique experience.

The service was unbearably slow. There was 10 of us. The food came out in 4 different time frames - about 15 minutes apart. Each dish arrived cold. The salmon was not edible. Dry, hard as a rock. Our server was great (it's not his fault) but he knew NOT to ask how our meal was...is everything ok. If the cook thinks that its ok to put this type of food out, there obviously is a management problem. When sharing this information with friends, 2 said they went for their Thanksgiving dinner and it was not good...and cold. I have been disappointed the last 3 times trying to meet friends here for dinner. We all agreed we will find a different spot.

Unique school from the 1900's with incredible arts, unique rooms, and eye catching items that will keep you smiling the entire time. We just walked the area, but would have loved to enjoy a movie at their theater, a meal in their restaurant, or a drink in their bar. A must see while in Portland!

This was worth the trip from the downtown area. The century-old elementary school has been completely transformed into multiple bars, a restaurant, a hotel, etc. They encourage you to wander the hallways to peer into all the remodeled areas and there's a great assortment of memorabilia along the walls. The food stood on its own as did the beer brewed on site. This was a great find and could easily have been a whole night in and of itself.

Breakfast here was tasty, quick, and quiet, with good WIFI. What more can you ask for in a hotel breakfast? Not too expensive either.

We love coming here and love the comfortable atmosphere including the coaches when watching a movie a bit warm today and the ac needs improvement but this is always a go to place for our family .

Love the Kennedy School. It's one of McMenamins architectural "saves," and you never get over walking the grade school halls with a beer in your hand...waiting for a teacher to come out and catch you and send you to the Detention Room, a small smoking bar in the establishment. Had a good Caesar and some excellent black cherry brew.

This is a great place to eat or drink. The food Is great there are 3 choices of places to eat. This is a converted school. There's also a hotel a cinema and 2 bars. The service is great. Very friendly

The concept of this place is really cool. They took an old school and converted it into a hitel with restaurants and bars. We ate in the main restaurant. The food was good, not amazing. The service was very slow with zero updates from our waitress (about an hour from ordering to delivery). Go for a unique place to eat, or one of the bars, pass on the restaurant.

This is an old school that has been converted into several restaurants and bars with a different genre. My group ate at the Courtyard restaurant with American food. The waiters and bartenders were extremely friendly with their own particular personalities. The pricing was fair but not cheap. This is a place that you can go several times and have a different expereince each time.

the food is fairly standard pub fare. but its a neat property with soaking pool, grounds, etc. walk the halls of the old school and look at historic photos, new art, peek in at the brewery, or slip into one of the many small pubs.

This place on 33rd Ave in Portland is simply amazing. It's in a residential neighborhood that also has restaurants and bars in abundance. This pub and restaurant and hotel is located in an old school which absolutely feels like a school, with its hallways, rooms containing meeting spaces, bars. In the basement (boiler room) is a wonderful two level bar complete with metal pipework and antique lighting. It has to be seen to believed. It is clearly a location that attracts a mixed crowd in terms of ages. There is a pretty good selection of beer, and they also specialize in some unique cocktails. There is a nice outdoor seating area with a fireplace too. Well worth checking out and conveniently located on public transportation routes.

The food was delicious and service was friendly and took an appropriate amount of time to receive food and drinks. I liked that our server checked on us, but wasn’t overbearing. We will return.

I want to start this by saying I would love to give this place five stars but unfortunately my meal arrived after after the other members of my group had finished theirs. But the building is amazing. The transformation of the school to bar, restaurant, and hotel was masterful. The drinks are great and the food is excellent. The art on the walls is captivating, and the staff was helpful and friendly. The different "rooms" ie: detention, honors etc. make this place extremely unique. The outside area is beautifully done and a nice place to relax enjoy a meal and some drinks. Great historic building that has repurposed and done very well. Worth the stop. Don't be the only one ordering a speciality pizza or you will be eating alone

The service and beer were good although the menu was a bit basic. The most enjoyable part of the lunch was seeing the myriad of decorations and the walk around the facility after we ate - fascinating!

My husband and I arrived in Portland and we’re heading for the coast from the airport. Needed some food and decided to look for something interesting rather than some chain restaurant. Found the McMenamin‘s Kennedy school location. Very cool old building with lots of little bars within the overall building as well as a hotel and several restaurants. Enjoyed a nice brunch and my husband enjoyed their beer with it. It’s really a huge place and I love that they have kept elements of the school, such as naming certain rooms after teachers and having pictures of the original school back in the day. It’s in a pretty little neighborhood, too. Food was really good.

At McMenamins it's NOT about beer, time, or about place. It's about experience, and in that respect these guys are Picassos. The Kennedy School is beyond typical ... a historic building, lovingly restored, now modernized, and re-purposed. The food and beer ... well, they're ok, but if those were the criteria, this would be a three or four star place. But that's not the story. Our meals were a little late, but enough to embarrass our waitress. We didn't complain. We were content with our conversation. Nonetheless, we were treated to a dessert sampler and our beer was on the house. That's customer service! That's about exceeding expectations. That's what makes this place exceptional! Frankly, you could serve me burnt toast at a place like this, and I'd still give it five stars. It's that good.

We ate at the courtyard restaurant with our two little kids and it was great. Ordered beers and tots from the happy hour menu, then dinner. Good food, friendly service and patrons. Our daughter loved exploring the halls of the school and so did we. This place is so cool with all the old photos and history on display, plus the little bars throughout. Even the gift shop had some nice local cards and things.

Great staff and wonderful food options. We had breakfast and dinner followed by a movie at the hotel.

A friend of mine asked me to join them at the soaker pool. I have been to the detention room, theatre and restaurant but this was a first as a destination for the soaker pool. It's quite nice with lots of plants around it. Large enough to feel like you have some space until the mommies club descends. Not that I have anything against young mothers but trying to relax the around kids is hard, so my advice get there right at ten and expect 1 hour of adult time then it's open yo all. $5 and your license is all you need oh and a towel! Good time overall

I have been to this place and the patio restaurant(actually breakfast there inside too) at Edgefield. Such lovely places but always the bad service??? Takes about an hour to get some tater tots, longer for a meal. I was a restaurant manager for many years and I tried to figure out where the process is off? the servers or the kitchen? I have to think both. Must be very weak management? I would go back as long as I was not in any hurry at all.

We visited based on a recommendation from family. We had never been to a McMinamins property before. We enjoyed cool drinks and nibbles in a casual environment. Afterwards, we explored the property and discovered some of the amenities and decided we would be back on our next trip to stay and enjoy the experience. I saw four different bars, each with their own style and flair, a movie theater, pool and restaurant. Can't wait for our next trip to Portland to explore the entire property!

We stopped here on the recommendation of a friend. We found the old school to be interesting, and a wonderful use of an old building. The restoration is very well done. We ate outside, and it was good, but a little expensive with slow service. It was a beautiful day, so no big complaint with that. We wanted to eat at the "boiler room" (picture attached), but kids were not allowed because it is a "bar". I would say there IS a bar, but in the 2nd floor it is a restaurant. Oh well. I think worth a stop to poke around and grab some food. The "gift shop" has a focus on their beer, so not a big draw for us.

This was our second stay at the Kennedy School. If you're a fan of other McMenamins properties, you won't be disappointed. Lots of historical references, artwork, architecture. Hotel staff very friendly and helpful. The restaurant, however, needs to greatly improve their wait staff service. It seems there's plenty of people working, but they rarely come around to your table. Our main complaint, tho, is the fact that the very very tiny, postage-stamp sized "pool" is open to the public. And use it the public does...so much so, guests can't really get much use of it. But if you enjoy being a part of a big human soup, go for it.

After a tour of the Kennedy School and their scavenger hunt, we had dinner at the Courtyard Restaurant. The Kennedy School is a former Portland Elementary School and is now a part of McMenamins Pubs, breweries, and historic hotels system. We had their salmon and seafood pasta with calamari and mussels. Bread is extra. Get your passport stamp at the bar.

This place is so cool, I couldn't imagine anyone saying a bad thing about it. A theater, multiple watering holes a full restaurant and a place to stay the night. What an amazing idea. Taking an old school and making it into a days worth of entertainment. It was so much fun and the staff really were so nice. Our waiter was amazing, and really had some great tips to share with us, like order the fish tacos. I would absolutely return to Kennedy School and maybe stay the night.

Having eaten at the Courtyard Restaurant at Kennedy School several years ago, we were pleased to have an opportunity to return. A local friend made a reservation for our party of 10 and they put us at a lovely outside linear table in the shade and out of the traffic pattern a bit. Lily was our server and she did a fabulous job in every respect. Our friends brought two bottles of special wines and they were readily received at a small corkage fee. We ordered a couple other bottles of nice wines and a beer or two and all were very good. The specials that evening had a German flair, perhaps for a pending Oktoberfest, and some of us chose the rabbit stew and others the sauerbraten. Truly authentic dishes, each, and reasonable. A cheese fondue appetizer dish with good breads was also wonderful. There were also a couple of hamburgers at our table (this is, after all, essentially a pub), and they were also very good. None of us had a single complaint about the food or drink, and the service was exceptionally good. The venue itself is fascinating. It is an old elementary school and has been remodeled to be a unique hotel and two or three restaurants. After dinner is was interesting to wander about the building and see what has been done with the old school rooms, lavatories, boiler room, hallways, and other rooms. There is plenty of free parking and the food is wonderful. What's not to like?

We had a very fun lunch here, lots of whimsical lampshades hanging from the ceiling, good food, very fun and friendly waiter with a dry sense of humor. The place is very busy and you can walk around after to see the different rooms and bars, well worth a visit.

Go for their great beer selection, but the food is over-priced and poor quality. I ordered the salad with beans and corn. The greens were pale, and barely any beans or corn. But go for the beer

At the suggestion of a friend, went here before our flight left Portland. What a unique environment. Our food was decent enough, the service was just okay, but it was a beautiful day and we were able to sit outside. The atmosphere and the historic photos and relics are something to behold though, I wish I had more time to walk around and read and just explore. Would have been fun to see one of the hotel rooms too. I would go back for the food and attempt even a hotel stay too, this play intrigued me.

We had a delicious Sunday brunch at the hotel. There was a nice variety of traditional and vegan menu options-- all fresh, high-quality ingredients. The outdoor garden is very' cool and though it's a fairly large area, most tables offer privacy. Service was reasonably attentive, but slow.

The use of a historical building, such as this one, is absolutely genius. This is s Portland must-see! We ate dinner in the boiler room, and the restaurant still looks like a boiler room. It was a Saturday night, so it was busy. I only saw one waiter so the service was kind of shoddy.

After visiting the Lighthouse on the coast my wife was intrigued about McMenamins and what they've done. This is an old elementary school that's converted completely into separated venues. They have different bars in rooms suck as the boiler room and detention. It has a restaurant in it also. We absolutely fell in love with the place and how they are taking historical places and giving them new life instead of letting the get demolished and turned into another chain. It's a little outside of the downtown area so I recommend Uber/Lyft to get you there. But if in Portland you MUST see it to believe it.

My husband and another couple stopped here to have lunch and get some passport stamps. Every staff we talked to except for the hotel desk & theater were unfriendly and borderline rude. We ate lunch here and waited well over an hour for our food while those that came in after us were served, ate and left prior to our burgers arriving at the table. The place was not jammed packed and we didn't receive an apology or explanation. I'm very sad to report this bad service as we have always received wonderful, friendly service at every other McMenamins. This was our second time back to this location and I don't remember being treated this poorly the first time. I don't know if it was because we had our passports or not. I hope management takes a close look at what's going on at this location. As of current, we don't have any plans to return here. Food & drinks were ok, but definitely not worth the wait or attitudes. Atmosphere is funky and artwork is interesting.

As an out of town visitor, I knew I would be with a moderate sized group for a celebration at this venue. From online reading, I was excited to learn about the history of obtaining structures and transforming them into hotel/restaurant venues. In reviewing the online menu, it appeared to be 'pub basic' or less. Once there, I ordered one of the salads....'pub basic, or less'. Others ordered burgers and fish dishes and rated them slightly better. I deliberately do not order a drink until I am mid way through my entree. Still, pub basic or less. The venue appeared to appeal more to the 'have a drink crowd', than the dining crowd. What I can say, is the venue was an experience in and of itself. As a former public school, there was dining in assorted areas, including the old boiler room, patio, gymnasium, auditorium and even noted hotel accommodations. The history of the school was presented on wall displays. I would be interested in visiting other Mc Minamins venues to note the history of the structures, being aware the food could be perhaps pub-basic or less. I would hope for more.

Came here post Blazer game. Spent a couple hours eating, drinking and exploring the school. They have lots of different bars with names like detention and they all offer a little different menus. Our favorite was detention that served all types of whiskey including an amazing 18 year Jameson. We had a blast here and plan to stay the night in the future.

over an hour for breakfast. drinks when served good, food when served good. Took too long for greeting after seating, first round of drinks (14 min from order to serv) 30 min food time from order to serve. Sorry, but the venue deserves better

Just checking in was difficult. Had to lug suitcases down long, dark, narrow corridor then checked into room and found if you wanted "heat" you plug in the portable heater located in the closet. No coffee in the rooms and the décor was overly eclectic. Maybe not our taste, but will never stay here again especially with the added terrible restaurant service where it took so long to get our drinks, we had to walked out.

McMenamins is such a Portland institution that we keep trying to like at least one. I thought it might be Kennedy School, since the menu there is more expansive than the boring pub grub at most of the locations, and the outdoor seating is nice during the sunny months, but no. Disappointed, yet again. Burger and fries where the fries weren't completely cooked and had to be sent back. Almost 45 minutes to get served at all, and biscuits and gravy that contained non food items baked into the biscuit. Overall, so disappointing that no matter what I think of the beer, it will be hard to go back.

Stopped by the Boiler Room Bar for a quick drink before the Annual McMenamins Crab Boil and was super impressed. The bar itself is very industrial chic yet comfortable and soothing. Service was top notch - proficient and pleasant. I ordered a Salty Dog and it was perfectly prepared....so I ordered another one! ...and it was great too. Love consistency. I look forward to returning here and absolutely recommend it to others. The Annual Crab Boil was amazing. Since it's a crab boil we tried so very much to avoid filling up with beer, salad, pasta and bread. Total fail. It was all so good we couldn't help ourselves. When the Dungeness Crab finally came, it was fresh and warm and they just kept on bringing more. Needless to say, every single one of us left the table very full and satisfied. What a great experience!

After arriving in Portland, our transplanted friends put the Kennedy School on our recommended lunch stop. Much like the very popular and highly successful "Lettuce Entertain You" Group of dining establishments in the Chicago area, the McMenamins Group in Oregon rarely disappoints. The building is a very old, historic school that's been converted into a hotel, restaurant and functions property. Just walking through the place transports you to another place and time. As for the restaurant goes, the menu, food and atmosphere didn't disappoint. It was mid afternoon, so it was somewhat empty and yes, the service can be a little slow and the place possibly noisy at prime times. BUT if you are visiting Portland for the first time, this represents a unique and satisfying dining experience that will not bust your wallet. The place has its own parking lot in back and is located in a residential neighborhood - as a school would normally be found.

Back in my day school lunch was not this amazing! 😜 The service is slow but if you are not in a rush it's all good. The staff is friendly. The food is really good. I recommend the Cuban sandwich & the chile verde bowl. The Cuban has a really strong Dijon mustard that can open up your sinuses so you might want to say "easy on the Dijon mustard" Other than that is a must try place. 😋 Oh and the marionberry crumble is a must have for dessert!! Yummy!

This old elementary school has been turned into a restaurant, bar(s), movie theatre, hostel and soaking pool. There's so much to explore here. The Detention and Boiler Room bars are recommended!

The staff really cared about our experience and were attentive to any issues that we had. The food was good (we ate here for 3 meals in our two days at the hotel) and the drinks options were extensive featuring all the McMenamin signature drinks and more.

Taken to The Kennedy School location of Mc Menamins by our Portland hosts. They know we are history buffs. This is a resort established within an old Portland schoolhouse. What a concept. We came for burgers and/or pizza, but the menu features a much wider selection all served in a festive dining room. The burgers and pizza were very good, but the after dinner meandering tour of this reclaimed schoolhouse complete with soaking tub, gift shop, multiple dining/banquet rooms, hotel rooms, bowling lanes, and more was the real entertainment. From the brochure we picked up, it appears there are currently 58 McMenamins' locations troughout Oregon and Washington-each with a unique history and style. Come for the food and the history-a unique experience!

Took my team of 15 out for an appreciation lunch. Called a day ahead to reserve a big enough table. Note: you may have to call a few times if you call during the dinner rush, as the phone will just ring and ring after the initial transfer. The food was excellent, best clam chowder! Atmosphere is open and great! There is a nice option to eat in the courtyard outside too, but it rained the day we were there so inside it was. Overall, great place!

What a terrific, creative idea-turn an old school into a destination for food, drinks, entertainment, lodging, and history! Some locals told us about this place, and we had to check it out. An amazing building with artwork and old photos on the walls, we loved the ambiance of the place as a whole. We went into each room that we were allowed to enter to look at the decorations, menu, etc. We ended up spending most of our time in the Boiler Room, a wonderfully decorated, multi-level bar/restaurant that is the old Boiler Room for the school. The food was quite good-basic, burgers, salads, etc. A unique destination, and well worth the time to visit.

With a number of options for wetting your whistle in various interpretative settings, this is a great place to visit. It's literally a converted school, with as much retained relevant history as possible. Even just to look around, it's borderline fascinating. From the smokers in detention to the boiler room shuffleboard types, this is a place where pretty much anyone can find their niche. But that may or may not remind you of school.

Yes, it is a great unique setting, but on a Saturday night, the restaurant was way too crowded and way too noisy. It took forever to get our food, and although different, not overly impressive. for example, tator tots for an appetizer were just that, nothing special. also had to wait around half an hour beyond our reservation time. the people around us were also complaining to the service about the slow service.

This restaurant had lots of seating, indoor and outdoor with a decent menu, a few vegetarian options but nothing super unique. Tasty food.

We ate breakfast and dinner here. Breakfast was great. Dinner outside on the patio, by a fire pit was fun. There was one waiter in the the patio, and service was really slow. Our burgers were good.

Very interesting building, a former school which was turned into a restaurant and offers other attractions as well. Varied menu with offerings for all ages in our group.

Since we stayed about a mile away, our host recommended that we breakfast at Kennedy School. That was a fantastic idea. It was an extraordinary experience for us as we wandered along the corridors looking into some old school rooms, visited the auditorium/cinema smelling of popcorn, took a peek at the swimming pool, and went into the gift shop. We chose to breakfast in the courtyard, since it was a lovely sunshiny morning. Breakfast was a Victory Garden Omelette (11.55) and two Schoolhouse B/Fast (10.80 each) and Fruit (1.00). We had Hot Tea (2.70), Coffee ( 2.80) and Irish Coffee (7.00). The meal for 3 of us came to less than $50. Service was friendly; our server was Maggie H.

My fam and i stopped here a few times while staying in pdx. We hit up the downstairs bar and the restaurant, beer was solid, food was good. We came back another day and went in the soaking pool (with a pitcher of course), it was relaxing, but bring your own towels or you get charged!

Stayed the night so it was cool to wake up to a restaurant in the hotel, it was good basic breakfast but not memorable.

Cold food for room service. If it was actually delivered hot it would have been a great meal. I think when we ordered they forgot all about us. And finally brought it with no apology. Sad that service has just never been like it used to be.

I have been to many events and meeting as this hotel/restaurant, and their food consistently comes well prepared, hot from the kitchen, and served by the waitstaff with quick attention. The inside space is large with high ceilings, and so can be a bit noisy if the place is crowded, but still a nice place to go. Also in Summer the outdoor seating is lovely, some in the shade, most in the sun

Was very busy. We sat at the bar. Fast attentive service. Clam chowder was great. Cajun tots were a delicious surprise. Fun place to walk around and see what can be done with an old school.

Located in an old school. The restaurant was full but I managed to get a small table at the bar. I came for a themed event with a modified menu. My pizza was amazingly delicious, clean tasting and fit the theme perfectly. And went well with the Stout. There are six bars and the restaurant. Great fun. The decor alone is worth the trip.

We were seated outside in a courtyard area. We ordered two pizzas and the Dagwood Sandwich (which truly is a Dagwood ... see the picture, it was too tall to eat). We were told the Pizzas are cooked in a different kitchen, so the food would not arrive together. We had completely finished the sandwich and tots before the pizzas for the other diners arrived, so that is a bit awkward if you're trying to dine together. Unique location and delicious food.

One of the most unique spots we visited during our trip to Portland Oregon in June was Kennedy School. The historical elementary school circa 1951 has been renovated by McMenamins into a hotel, restaurant/bar, brewery and so much more. It was great walking around the hallways, looking at original artwork and historical photographs on the walls, ceilings, and even the doors. It was like walking through history. We went there for lunch at their Courtyard Restaurant. As the name suggests, Courtyard Restaurant have nice courtyard, which seemed to be very popular. For us, it was a bit too hot on that day, so we decided to sit inside. There were not many sitting indoor, seems the outdoor seating was more popular. We ordered Flagship Brewery Flight so we can try some of their beers made in their brewery. we chose six different types of beers; some dark, some fruity, and some light ones. Each one had distinctive flavors, and we enjoyed them all. For food, I ordered Agnes’ Breakfast Sandwich, which was a nice sandwich, good size and all, but the price felt a bit high since it doesn’t come with any side. Overall, it was very satisfying. Our friend ordered a burger with side of fries or tots, and she went with tater tots. Their tots are quite good! We did add an order of their Cajun Tots to share, with peppercorn ranch. It had a nice kick to it, and was quite addictive! My hubby went with JR’s Jumbo Deluxe and substituted the side with a soup, since we already had a additional order of tots to share. The soup was comforting, and the burger came loaded with protein. It was juicy and tasty. We had a fun lunch, but unfortunately, the service was almost nonexistent. We felt like they focused more on the customer sitting outside, and we were completely forgotten. Due to this issue, the lunch took a very long time, causing us to cancel the next appointment we had on schedule. The server did apologize at the end when we talked to her about it, and gave us a few of discounts by giving us Happy Hour pricing on a couple of items we ordered. If it wasn’t for the lack of service, we would’ve enjoyed the experience much more.

Enjoyed a great early dinner with family. Nice for a large group. Enjoyed happy hour specials and local beer.

The food and beer was great! The decor was just out of this world. All the local towns with empty schools across the United States should take a look at this place.

The venue is amazing. There are so many different areas. Loved the boiler room bar which felt like an Irish pub with dim lighting and great wait staff. Ate in the courtyard. The food was excellent. But the food delivery was sooo slow. Over 40 minutes from order to delivery. Drinks took 20+ minutes. I would come again I. A heartbeat with a group of friends so laughter would overcome the extremely lo g waits.

We ate breakfast here and enjoyed the food and the building so much we came back to eat dinner another night. We arrived at open for breakfast and were seated quickly in a booth inside. The Simpson Omellete was amazing. My son's pancakes looked incredible! When we came back for dinner - we were seated in the Courtyard. It was a lovely cool evening to be outdoors. Our waitress was attentive and wonderful. We ordered the filet, a burger, and the Scooby snacks. All were really delicious.

McMenamins is such a unique group in Portland. Kennedy school is proof of that. McMenamins is a old school that has been transformed into a hotel/restaurants/bars all in one building. Almost like an urban resort, you never have to leave. The hotel is on the upper floors with multiple restaurants, bars, and a small movie theater on the first. We ate dinner in the boiler room and really enjoyed the crazy art that was made out of the old iron heaters. I wish it wouldn't have been so dark, but it does add to the ambiance. The food is gastro pub style with gluten free options. I really enjoyed by cheeseburger with the gluten free bun while my husband liked his philly cheesesteak. Next time I would like to plan ahead to watch a movie after dinner. Such a great way to reuse the older building.

The food was very good and the service was superb. The choice of offerings were varied and delicious.

This was our first visit to this McMenamins location and it was horrible derived. It took 75 minutes to get out food. The wait staff disappeared for long periods. The bar manager finally comped our meal and said the kitchen manager was not on site. I think the establishment could have been more prepared for their advertised OctoberFest. We'll give them another shot since this is out of character for a mcmenamins.

Find another hotel. This place emphasizes funkiness over comfort. Claims to be accessible but it is not. Never again.

My favorite of the McMenamin properties (to date), the grounds feel more "comfortable" than Edgefield, which feels like a maze (and I'm already irritated after trying to find parking). The two-story Boiler Room bar was my favorite space, with decorative pipes and golden-lit ambience. Food was great, too, your standard bar food. Happy hour was a decent bargain, with pizza by the slice (not bad!) and the seasonal cider was on tap. The Detention Room was my second favorite space, a dark and cozy place to sip whiskey or bourbon by the pot-belly stove. Classic cocktails served there with Edgefield liquors (and more), of course. Service was phenomenal throughout.

Visited this elementary school building for lunch in mid-April. Brought back memories because it is much like the elemetary school I attended in the '50s. The Kennedy school is a multi-use facility that has been decorated very well without losing any of its old-school charm. Food was very good with a quality lunch offerings including soups, sandwiches, and generous salads. Prices are moderate. Staff was friendly and the service was very good (we were there at a non-peak time in the afternoon). Would go to the Kennedy school without hesitation on future trips to Portland.

We have wanted to stay here when visiting for awhile, but the rooms are a bit spendy for our budget. However, we decided to treat ourselves and start the New Year off with some time just for ourselves. The place was packed! I have been to a few of the McMenamins and I don't know if it is always like this, but kids everywhere! Of course, it is a school! Overall, the place was fabulous as always and we enjoyed to amenities. We took in the movie, which is offered free with your stay. Avoided the soaking tub in the afternoon and evening due to crowds, but first thing in the morning was heavenly. We even had snow! It was very relaxing overall and really enjoyed our stay.

This is a hidden away gem and when you drive passed it you would never know it was there. From the outside it looks like a school because it was a school. Make sure you drive in the parking lot. The entrance is more towards the end of the parking lot. When you walk in you see a lot of different types of bars you can choose from.. we ended up in the restaurant.. the food was good the people where nice and the atmosphere was great. If we had more time here we would go back just to check out the other bars.. prices were pretty reasonable. Our check was under $100 drinks included but not tips for 4 people. Definitely check it out

I am always impressed with the atmosphere of this unique destination. Whether it's a drink at The Honor's Bar or a smoke in the Detention Bar it's always a good time.

Wonderful and eclectic atmosphere! Menu is small but believe me the portions are huge..the French fries are yummy! My sandwich could have fed 4! Bread was fresh and soft, service was very good! Next time I am in Portland I will be back!!! Cool place

I did not stay here, but I did visit and ate and had some of their beers. It is an old middle school that was made into a hotel/ bar/ restaurants. The food was good and like all the McMenamins places they have a lot of good beer to try. You can walk around the hallways and there are different bars you can try.

Let me preface by saying we were here with a business group, which means I expect slower than normal service for bigger groups. But service was really, really slow. The server was inconsistent and it took a long time to get beer to start. And my food was not good - not hot at all. The cheese on my burger didn’t even melt- that’s how cool my food was. The fries were limp and barely warm. I’d be hard pressed to come back, even in with a small party.

Have been to the restaurant, bars and theatre here a couple of times. It is really awesome here. The brothers bought this old school that was close to falling down and refurbished it but left it's character and old historic charm. Lots of holiday events take place here. If you come to Portland you must not miss this place. The food is good and the service too!

This place is so interesting it is an old school converted into a hotel and restaurant. So many fascinating details and works of art to see. I was here for a rehearsal brunch that was fantastic. I took a self-tour of the hotel to admire all of its fascinating details; a maid let me into one of the hotel rooms. I was complete with high ceilings and a large chalk board. Every nook and cranny had something worth viewing.

Interesting options and very good food. The service was fine. Interesting to eat at an old school. Even the walk into the restaurant was interesting.

This review is about the restaurant. A couple of people recommended McMenamins Kennedy School so I went there for dinner. The waiter was very kind and the location special. The burger was ordinary, and my wife's pizza arrived after I had finished eating. It was already cold. The Kennedy School is a very interesting place, and is totally worth a visit. But don't go there for dinner. I would really not recommend the food.

Enjoyed a nice meal, great service. Consider the burgers as a treat. Decent fries,too. Prices are mid range. Larger bar. Part of a great concept of a redesigned school that is now a hotel, restaurant and live theatre. Nice.

Marvelous use of an old school utilizing many of the old rooms for new experiences. Courtyard was a wonderful seating area. Service was great. Limited menu but what they made they made and served well.

This place is a great addition and revitalized this neighborhood. The place is large and a typical McMenamins with great history and wonderful edgy art. Food is excellent but the atmosphere is what makes this place. There is a cozy bar with a potbellied stove. Parking is on the grounds and if you can stay the night, it's pretty cool as rooms are in old classrooms with chalkboards.

This campus had most of what you needed without ever leaving. I would say the rooms are not the highlight of our stay but the site itself was a great experience and we would do it again. I do wished they had coffee makers in the room but my husband just went every morning to the office where they served fresh coffee for the guests.

We booked a room at Kennedy School for the night on a trip to Seattle. The rooms are old class rooms modified into living quarters. It is a great experience. Throughout the school are at least (7) different bars, restaurants, a movie theater and I am sure much, much more. The food and drinks were good. The staff could use some training. We noted a common answer of "I don't know" a lot. It was a great experience and I would recommend trying it, just make sure the weather is cool as I do not believe there is air conditioning.

The food is good and the menu is varied although it is not too far off the beaten track of American pub food but the artwork everywhere and the ability to roam around the old school with your drink, or dip into another restaurant for dessert is so much fun.

Our professional association had dinner in the Courtyard Restaurant this evening at 7 pm. The parking lot is large, but was nearly full - who knew this was such a popular place? The restaurant was quite busy - and it is a rather large place. It took awhile for our server to arrive, but once he did, food and drinks arrived quickly. The chicken Marsala and short ribs looked great. I had a burger with spicy Cajun tater toys. It was a fun time and a fun place for dinner- great atmosphere and good service!

Been at the Kennedy twice and always have a great time. Our room was large and spacious and we enjoyed sitting in the garden for a light snack/beverage. There is always something going on here so one doesn't feel lonely. We used the small pool once and enjoyed the warm water.

There is even a bar at the movie theater where you can order from the kitchens and enjoy a real meal while you watch a film.

I brought a group of 14 to Oregon for a retreat, so we stopped at the McMenamins Kennedy School for lunch immediately after leaving the airport. The restaurant was wonderful to make reservations for us. The grounds were beautiful -- gorgeous flowers and trees. Roaming the halls was great fun -- and we all marveled at what a creative use of an old school. In addition to the great service and beautiful, creative setting, the lunch was wonderful. Everyone was completely pleased with their orders. The food was delicious, and it was great fun sharing the mini-desserts at the end of the meal. This was such a wonderful first stop. Thanks to the Kennedy School for the wonderful service, food, and setting.

We really enjoyed our early dinner at the Courtyard Restaurant. The pizza was very good and the tater tots were also good. The vegetarian hemp burger was excellent. There were a number of interesting options on the happy hour menu. We had a late snack at the Boiler Room - it was a more limited menu, but had the same pizzas and tater tots. Breakfast at the Courtyard was just ok. The cinnamon roll was dry and seemed a bit stale. The eggs and bacon were fine, but there was nothing exceptional about them.

Cannot and will not recommend. Poor service, slow food service, false advertising of wifi availability.

There are a lot of places to go drink in Kennedy School. But if you feel like having a meal then the Courtyard Restaurent is the place to go. You can eat inside or eat outdoors on nice sunny days. To get to the Restaurant enter either the Main entrance or the East entrance and simply walk north up the hallway. This restaurant has lots of lamps all over the room. Take a look up at the ceiling and take a good look at all the different types of lamps they have. There are many tables and of course there is the bar. The sign tells you to wait to be seated. I didn't really feel like having a meal so I just walked up to the bar and ordered a pint of Blackberry Cider. I am a fan of old films. If you look at the art in this restaurant you will find one of Clark Gable and some sheep with him parting the clouds over the school. Before he made it in Hollywood, he used to work in Portland. I think he worked in the old Meyer and Franks store downtown. Hours are 7 AM till Midnight, except on Fridays and Saturdays when it stays open until 1 AM.

We stopped in for lunch after a referral. The school is in amazing condition and definitely a throw back in time. Lots of people milling about and lots of activities going on. The menu has a lot to offer and I opted for the Bacon Mac & Cheese. Probably the best I have ever had. Our server Russell was friendly and helpful. Our son had a 'Principal's' pizza and said it was amazing. Prices were very reasonable. Will definitely consider staying there next time in the area to take full advantage.

Very unusual venue which was a school and now turned into a hotel with pool restaurant bar area. Very well done and kept in excellent condition and very clean

Better be very familiar with Portland or have a really good GPS to find this place, but it is well worth the effort. We were visiting from out-of-state and our son took us there. This is a large, old school (late-1800's/early-1900's, I think) that was purchased by the McMenamin brothers and revamped into a REALLY cool place for meetings (in old classrooms), entertainment, and food. The art hanging throughout the halls is a bit "kitschy, abstract Americana" and SHOULD be viewed. My praise to the decorator. There are a few small bars in the building, 2-3 places to eat, including a large THEATER where you can actually watch a movie AND eat a burger, even a cigar bar, and a small, outside community swimming/wading pool. Totally weird, totally Portland. Unfortunately, we had other dining plans so did not eat there, BUT we did go into one of the bars, called "The Boiler Room," and I will say it is the coolest bar I have ever seen (and I'm OLD, with a bit of bar experience). It is in a back corner of the school, on 3 levels, with a pool table, a very few DARK booths, FANTASTIC railings of pipework, and an absolutely eerie metal sculpture of some sort of demon (or "god"). I loved it. Something else we loved: Their "tater tots." Please do not dismiss this review because of that! We (x3) did have a beer and I ordered some of their tots. They were a little spicy, VERY crispy without being over- or under-cooked. The best I ever had. This place is off the beaten track but is amazing. Go!

The Kennedy School is a restored school building which serves as a hotel and contains a movie theatre, bars and restaurant. The building is a great place to explore with many interesting items. Four of us visited the Courtyard Restaurant for lunch. The restaurant has a delightful ambience including an interesting lamp shades and a wood-burning heater. We ordered a Wilbur's Jumbo Deluxe Burger, a Jambon Royale Melt and a Verde Rice Bowl together with Seafood Gumbo and a Curry Chickpea soup. All food items were good with the exception of the Chickpea soup which was disappointing. Service was friendly and efficient.

Went to the movies and had a great time. The have old school rooms that are converted into to hotel rooms - the complete room (chalkboard and all).

We had dinner recently on a gloomy, rainy day. Menu is simple as this is a casual place but the food was very good as always. I had the special pizza and my boyfriend had the Chicken Marsala. We were both very satisfied with our choices. They also have great wine and beer. I had Edgefield White Rabbit and then the Red Rabbit with my pizza. Both were yummy!! My boyfriend is a beer guy and I don't remember what he had but he liked all the choices. Great place for a casual dinner. It was a bit noisy but we were there on a Friday night so we kind of expected that. A great choice when you are in the Hollywood area of Portland.

I was already a guest and too tired to go anywhere else so let me just say ... this restaurant is so lovely and relaxing and was just the perfect end to a long day. Did have to wait 15 minutes for a table on a weeknight so -- I recommend reservations!!

This was my fifth time staying at the Kennedy School. The place is great, and has everything one could ask for. I found the shortcut from the airport this trip, and it is a great location for people to fly in. Several choices of food venues. Every room is themed on someone who had a connection to the property in its former life as an elementary school. I stayed in the magician's room. Above all, the casual, friendly staff and the quirky art work make the stay unforgettable. It is one of my favorite destinations. i give it my highest recommendation.

Set in an old school. We ate in the courtyard near the fireplace. Big mistake. The guy comes to light the logs, jostled everything and ashes are going everywhere all over our clothes and hair and into the tables. Once lit then all you smell is smoke. If a breeze kicks up, well...more ashes on your food. eat here but steer clear of the fireplace in the courtyard.

We ate at the McMenamins Raleigh Hills Pub American on 4495 SW Scholls Ferry Rd, but there is no link to review this one. Had the fish and chips. A little greasy but great flavor. Waitress allowed me to substitute a couple of non-hoppy beers on the beer sampler. There were a couple of stoudts on the menu that were really tasty. Everyone enjoyed their meal. The fruit crisp was delicious, as was the milkshake made with their stoudt beer. Would repeat the experience if I ever find myself in Portland, again.

My husband and I took my mother in law and sister in law here for lunch. They were visiting from out of town. Meal was good. Ribeyes were very fatty, flavorful. Glaze was more like gravy but ok with me. Mashed potatoes and fresh beans delicious. Pizza crust good but crab on it a fishy. Soups were very good. Burger was ok per my husband. He's had better burgers on better rolls. Dessert sampler delicious. It's nice to stroll inside after lunch, learn about the place and visit the gift shop. You can purchase chilled wine and spirits. I don't think will visit without out of towners except for a visit to the theatre.

Outside courtyard is just gorgeous!! Menu varies , had some really nice meals, BEST WAITER definitely was Raymond!! Very friendly, polite, just made our evening a pleasure!!! Thank you for your great service!! Makes a huge difference in a dining experience!! We will go back and ask for same server!!!!

I've been going to Kennedy School for years and it never disappoints, either as a restaurant, a movie theatre or a place to send out of town friends. If you enjoy history with a funky touch this is your spot.

Wandering down Killingsworth St at night after taking TriMet bus Route 75, we had no idea what Kennedy School had in store. And It blew us away!! We enjoyed first walking down the halls and appreciating all the art and design of this restored elementary school (ex. the movie theatre, with original classroom chalkboards). Some of the paintings were quite creepy actually. There is what I call a walking tour guide to all the art and spaces at the front lobby area, that helps you understand what you're looking at. Then at the back corner at an unassuming entrance is a two story restored boiler room that has been converted into a bar. It is BEAUTIFUL! Pipe designs and somewhat gothic interior design, and the huge pipe down the middle. Pool tables on the top floor. We headed to the bottom floor to the bar and enjoyed a night of libations - they have great craft beer (I recommend their hazy IPA) and other cocktails, and some good flatbreads and pretzels with beer cheese. This was one of the highlights of our trip, we had a great time at this bar and would go back in a heartbeat.

This is a great destination to stay and play at when in Portland. We were just visitors and did not have a room. You don't have to stay to enjoy the Kennedy School. There is a pool, movie theater, restaurants, and a bar. So go play if you can't stay. We did.

I know a lot of people have had issues with the service here, but that wasn't a problem for us. We sat outside at the Courtyard restaurant, ordered drinks, appetizer and entrees without a glitch. The food is only just above average, yes. But you don't really go to McMenamins for the food. You go for the unique atmosphere and the CAJUN TOTS. ;) Their beer and cider is also solid.

Typical McMenamin food but, as we were there for a special event, the beer selection in the gymnasium was very limited.