First look at The Malarkey: Flamboyant new Woodfired Steak & Seafood Lounge in NW Portland
The Malarkey is one of Portland’s most anticipated restaurant openings of the year. Combining elements of the Oregon Coast, cattle ranches of Central Oregon, Mexican wood-fired grilled specialties, and a Portlandia “Keep Portland Weird” flair, The Malarkey is certainly the most wild and free-ranging concepts to open in awhile.
Brian Malarkey grew up on a cattle ranch outside of Bend, attended the University of Portland and flunked out, quit acting school, and then turned to culinary school—a path leading to a career of throwing dinner parties. Brian built a national TV presence on the Food Network (Top Chef, Guy’s Grocery Games, Tournament of Champions), and started a restaurant group called The Brothers Malarkey (Brian’s restaurant group with his brother James), with their first location in Bend - Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge.
Brian brings a flamboyant showmanship to the fore at The Malarkey, referred to as “a maximalist ode to the state that shaped him.” The 10,000-square-foot space has a sunken bar, a small dance floor and DJ stage, and an upstairs dining room, and more dimly lit private back room for events and spillover. The space has lots of natural light, crystal balls, mirrors, and silver and gold like the elk sculpture that makes for the centerpiece of the bar, and a vintage motorcycle that sits over the edge of the upper and lower level floors.
The Malarkey is primarily a wide open floor plan with ramps and open levels creating separation between unenclosed “rooms” each with a different theme, primarily bright and pastel swathed with only the back room and bathroom hall taking on a darker more moody woods and ranch tone. The space is designed by Heylen Thienes of Bend-based Tricorn Black, who has covered one area in extra Portland concert posters instead of paintings or prints, and the bar/lounge area with vintage Oregon photos, wall mounted fish, and ornamental mirrors. Above it all are neon tubes throwing off an ambient pink hue, and punctuated by neon signs and hanging plants. There is also a private dining nook inspired by Chinatown. But what has received the most talk is the stripper polls in the bathrooms, though we did not experience them in the men’s room. Instead we were greeted by crystal balls, and a retro 70s club chic.
I won’t comment too much on the food, as we only experienced small bites and snack food at a pre-opening party and I still can’t find a full menu online for the Malarkey. But I will say the steak bites, roasted salmon, and trout crudo, were all excellent.
The full menu is stated to respect local ingredients and the farmers behind them with emphasis on steak, seafood, the Oregon coastal flavor with Mexican seeping in.
Chef Lalo Camarena is heading up the kitchen after leading the nationally recognized República as executive chef, a role he stepped into at just 23. Raised between Mazatlán and Los Angeles, from generations of ranchers and farmers, Chef Lalo’s approach is shaped by wood-fired cooking, fine-dining playfulness, and a wide-ranging, cross-cultural perspective. Above all else, his approach is guided by a simple ethos: “Feed them like they’re your grandma.”
Chef Lalo will focus on simple, yet perfect, preparations. An abundant raw oyster selection and geoduck fritters celebrate the Oregon Coast. Wood-fired tomahawk steaks, marrow bones, and beef cuts will arrive on spinning lazy Susans for the whole table. Steakhouse classics like Caesar salads and baked potatoes will have distinct Lalo spins, drawing inspiration from both his Mexican-American upbringing and the diverse culinary cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Sourcing remains close to home and includes hemp-fed beef raised on Brian’s family ranch in central Oregon.
With The Malarkey, owner Brian Malarkey is returning to his birthplace, where his family has been since the 1880s and he is not shy about attracting attention in any way he can with his maximalist sensibility.
“I'm just building a beautiful venue for Lalo to throw an amazing celebration for all of Portland to enjoy,"said Malarkey.
The Malarkey, 1210 NW Hoyt St, Portland, OR 97209, reservations are now live on OpenTable.
