Intended to be more casual than a steakhouse, the family-friendly Pearl Tavern served various cuts of steak, fried chicken, fish, and risotto, as well as bar snacks and other options for brunch and happy hour.

[9] The family-friendly restaurant served "high-end bar food", including seven cuts of steak with seven sauces such as béarnaise and chimichurri, fish,[3] various sides such as bacon-wrapped baked potatoes and lobster bisque, appetizers, and salads.

[10] Bar snacks included avocado toast, fried cheese curds, onion rings, pigs in a blanket with Olympia Provisions sausage, and spiced toffee nuts.

[11] Joey Harrington, a former American football quarterback, established the Pearl Tavern with bartender Ryan Magarian and ChefStable restaurateur Kurt Huffman in December 2016.

[6] The switch resulted in minor changes to the menu; Mattie John Bamman of Eater Portland said the most significant difference was "a more focused approach befitting a tavern or pub" featuring "a smaller selection of more carefully sourced and prepared steaks and revamped burgers and salads".

[7] Pearl Tavern operated on Thanksgiving in 2017, screening football games and serving special entrees such as confit turkey thigh and maple glazed breast.

This said, we have made a deal with a really exciting group/concept whom I believe will be not only a great fit for the corner of NW 11th and Everett, but offer the neighborhood a super awesome place to enjoy each other's company and some rad beverage and food to boot.

[17] Shortly after Pearl Tavern's opening, Julie Lee of 1859 said the "adulation is immediate for the killer atmosphere, wrap around bar, big screen TV's, inviting leather booths and, most discernibly, delicious food".