Guidebook for Portland
Food Scene
It has everything: pastry, salad, deli dishes, meats, cheeses, hot dishes, a bar, a private banquet room and great staff!
80 locals recommend
Elephants Delicatessen
115 NW 22nd AveIt has everything: pastry, salad, deli dishes, meats, cheeses, hot dishes, a bar, a private banquet room and great staff!
Portland has to be the mecca of food carts. They are downtown, in southeast, in Old Town, practically every district of the city. I like the carnitas burrito at El Jarrito; it's filled with the perfect combo of pork, rice, beans, sour cream, and cilantro.
6 locals recommend
Food truck corner
Portland has to be the mecca of food carts. They are downtown, in southeast, in Old Town, practically every district of the city. I like the carnitas burrito at El Jarrito; it's filled with the perfect combo of pork, rice, beans, sour cream, and cilantro.
Shut Up and Eat
3848 SE Gladstone StIncredible sandwiches
Le Pigeon
738 E Burnside StAmazing food
Rae's has a fun, casual vibe and great outdoor picnic table seating where you can bring your dog. They also have good food and beer selection.
8 locals recommend
Rae's Lakeview Lounge closed
1900 NW 27th AveRae's has a fun, casual vibe and great outdoor picnic table seating where you can bring your dog. They also have good food and beer selection.
This Starbucks is close to Zupans Market, which offers gourmet groceries you won't find elsewhere.
72 locals recommend
Starbucks
6080 S Macadam AveThis Starbucks is close to Zupans Market, which offers gourmet groceries you won't find elsewhere.
They have a tastebud-adventure kale salad and hip-vibe atmosphere.
62 locals recommend
Oven and Shaker
1134 NW Everett StThey have a tastebud-adventure kale salad and hip-vibe atmosphere.
This bakery is about 3 blocks from me. It serves pastries, coffee, espresso drinks, and sandwiches, as well as beer and wine. It opens at 7 am and closes at 3 pm in the afternoon. I like the muffins and the scones. If you order the biscuit, make sure they heat it for you.
64 locals recommend
Lovejoy Bakers
33 NW 23rd PlThis bakery is about 3 blocks from me. It serves pastries, coffee, espresso drinks, and sandwiches, as well as beer and wine. It opens at 7 am and closes at 3 pm in the afternoon. I like the muffins and the scones. If you order the biscuit, make sure they heat it for you.
Carina opened in spring 2017 in a location formerly known as Bastas. The staff is friendly and attentive; the beer and wine selection are respectable; and the food is delicious. The happy hour offers a good variety of tasty snacks. Carina has outdoor seating in the front.
10 locals recommend
Carina Lounge
410 NW 21st AveCarina opened in spring 2017 in a location formerly known as Bastas. The staff is friendly and attentive; the beer and wine selection are respectable; and the food is delicious. The happy hour offers a good variety of tasty snacks. Carina has outdoor seating in the front.
What I like about Thai Bloom, besides its just-across-the-street location, is that they use fresh ingredients, the portions are generous, and the food is reliably good. If you like Thai food, you can't go wrong here.
52 locals recommend
Thai Bloom!
3800 SW Cedar Hills BlvdWhat I like about Thai Bloom, besides its just-across-the-street location, is that they use fresh ingredients, the portions are generous, and the food is reliably good. If you like Thai food, you can't go wrong here.
I especially like Pope House in good weather because they have such ample and private outdoor seating. They have a rotating tap, lots of Bourbon choices, delicious salad and crispy fries!
43 locals recommend
Pope House Bourbon Lounge
2075 NW Glisan StI especially like Pope House in good weather because they have such ample and private outdoor seating. They have a rotating tap, lots of Bourbon choices, delicious salad and crispy fries!
I mention Ken's because lots of people like it. For me, the pastries are over baked, but no one else thinks so, thus I mention it. You can also get coffee, tea, etc.
81 locals recommend
Ken's Artisan Bakery
338 NW 21st AveI mention Ken's because lots of people like it. For me, the pastries are over baked, but no one else thinks so, thus I mention it. You can also get coffee, tea, etc.
Great atmosphere, good people watching and good food and drink
16 locals recommend
Jo Bar & Rotisserie
715 NW 23rd AveGreat atmosphere, good people watching and good food and drink
Drinks & Nightlife
23Hoyt
529 NW 23rd AveThey have a good happy hour, and it is a quiet, elegant atmosphere.
Jake's Grill
611 SW 10th AveGood place to go for late night happy hour
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside StFun place to dance on the weekends
They have a beautiful bar and it is within walking distance of my place. The drinks are delicious and innovative and they have a decent selection of IPAs.
11 locals recommend
The Solo Club
2110 NW Raleigh StThey have a beautiful bar and it is within walking distance of my place. The drinks are delicious and innovative and they have a decent selection of IPAs.
The Wonder Ballroom has a great dance floor and three stories with a couple of bars. The vibe is casual and and friendly. Some shows are 21+ and others are all ages.
111 locals recommend
Wonder Ballroom
128 NE Russell StThe Wonder Ballroom has a great dance floor and three stories with a couple of bars. The vibe is casual and and friendly. Some shows are 21+ and others are all ages.
I've seen some great acts and attended some fun events at Revolution Hall: Storm Large, Floydian Slips, Dan Savage, and the Oregon Beer Show, among others. It used to be a school and still has the basic school layout only fixed up and minus the grade school art on the walls. It has bars on the first floor and the second floor with a beer selection to make everyone happy.
124 locals recommend
Revolution Hall
1300 SE Stark St I've seen some great acts and attended some fun events at Revolution Hall: Storm Large, Floydian Slips, Dan Savage, and the Oregon Beer Show, among others. It used to be a school and still has the basic school layout only fixed up and minus the grade school art on the walls. It has bars on the first floor and the second floor with a beer selection to make everyone happy.
Essentials
I thank the universe that I live a block and a half from Trader Joe's.
480 locals recommend
Trader Joe's
2122 NW Glisan StI thank the universe that I live a block and a half from Trader Joe's.
One-stop shopping: groceries, prescriptions, and sundries. They remodeled a couple of years ago and put in a beer/wine bar with televisions, a hot/cold deli, and improved their selections of almost everything. Annoying that Freddy's separates organic from conventional, so you have to shop in different spots.
616 locals recommend
Fred Meyer
3805 SE Hawthorne BlvdOne-stop shopping: groceries, prescriptions, and sundries. They remodeled a couple of years ago and put in a beer/wine bar with televisions, a hot/cold deli, and improved their selections of almost everything. Annoying that Freddy's separates organic from conventional, so you have to shop in different spots.
New Seasons is about a mile from my place, and they have excellent produce, lots of organic choices, bulk food, many local choices, and an in-store beer and wine bar. It is like a local Whole Foods Market without Whole Foods prices.
974 locals recommend
New Seasons Market
1954 SE Division StNew Seasons is about a mile from my place, and they have excellent produce, lots of organic choices, bulk food, many local choices, and an in-store beer and wine bar. It is like a local Whole Foods Market without Whole Foods prices.
Zupan's is like a small, upscale Whole Foods, and its prices reflect that. They have outstanding produce, meat, and lots of fun and expensive candles, soaps, and flowers.
72 locals recommend
Zupan's Markets - Burnside Store
2340 W Burnside StZupan's is like a small, upscale Whole Foods, and its prices reflect that. They have outstanding produce, meat, and lots of fun and expensive candles, soaps, and flowers.
Entertainment & Activities
Cinema 21
616 NW 21st AveIt shows independent and foreign films and has good seating and staff.
The McMenamin Brothers are famous for repurposing old churches, schools, and other public spaces into restaurants, pubs, and inns. The Mission Theater is over 100 years old and began life as a Swedish place of worship. Now it hosts Geeks Who Drink every Tuesday, movies, and musical groups of all stripes.
44 locals recommend
McMenamins Mission Theater
1624 NW Glisan StThe McMenamin Brothers are famous for repurposing old churches, schools, and other public spaces into restaurants, pubs, and inns. The Mission Theater is over 100 years old and began life as a Swedish place of worship. Now it hosts Geeks Who Drink every Tuesday, movies, and musical groups of all stripes.
Arts & Culture
They have a stellar permanent collection and great rotating exhibitions.
785 locals recommend
Portland Art Museum
1219 SW Park AveThey have a stellar permanent collection and great rotating exhibitions.
A large space, the Russo Lee Gallery usually features the works of at least three artists.
Laura Russo Gallery
805 NW 21st AveA large space, the Russo Lee Gallery usually features the works of at least three artists.
The Pearl District used to house mechanics' garages, breweries, warehouses, and all things industrial. Entrepreneurs and developers have replaced those with high-rise apartments, condos, restaurants, salons, boutiques, bars, and nightclubs. You can still find a few breweries: Deschutes, Bridgeport, and 10 Barrel all live in the Pearl.
264 locals recommend
Pearl District
The Pearl District used to house mechanics' garages, breweries, warehouses, and all things industrial. Entrepreneurs and developers have replaced those with high-rise apartments, condos, restaurants, salons, boutiques, bars, and nightclubs. You can still find a few breweries: Deschutes, Bridgeport, and 10 Barrel all live in the Pearl.
Parks & Nature
This place is huge with multiple entrances and miles of hiking trails.
940 locals recommend
Forest Park
This place is huge with multiple entrances and miles of hiking trails.
This is a beautiful park with lots of walkways and an extensive rose collection.
627 locals recommend
International Rose Test Garden
400 SW Kingston AveThis is a beautiful park with lots of walkways and an extensive rose collection.
You can hike, run, ride your bike along this trail that parallels the river and the railroad tracks.
91 locals recommend
Springwater Corridor Trail
8738 SE 19th AveYou can hike, run, ride your bike along this trail that parallels the river and the railroad tracks.
Good place to walk, bike, listen to music. Right on the southwest side of the Willamette River.
212 locals recommend
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
98 SW Naito PkwyGood place to walk, bike, listen to music. Right on the southwest side of the Willamette River.
People walk and ride bikes along this trail, which extends from the southwest to the northwest of Portland and fronts the Willamette River.
91 locals recommend
Waterfront Park Trail,
209 Waterfront Park TrailPeople walk and ride bikes along this trail, which extends from the southwest to the northwest of Portland and fronts the Willamette River.
Everything Else
Old Town Chinatown is definitely seedy, but if you can get past that, you'll get a glimpse of how Portland looked in the early 1900's. Saturday Market is also in this part of town and you can find all kinds of treasures there.
27 locals recommend
Old Town Chinatown
13 NW 4th AveOld Town Chinatown is definitely seedy, but if you can get past that, you'll get a glimpse of how Portland looked in the early 1900's. Saturday Market is also in this part of town and you can find all kinds of treasures there.
Several neighborhoods in Portland have thriving commercial streets. In north Portland, one of those streets is Mississippi. You will find good restaurants, fun shops, the Rebuilding Center, small and cute bars, and new apartment buildings.
217 locals recommend
North Mississippi Avenue
North Mississippi AvenueSeveral neighborhoods in Portland have thriving commercial streets. In north Portland, one of those streets is Mississippi. You will find good restaurants, fun shops, the Rebuilding Center, small and cute bars, and new apartment buildings.
Home to now-famous Pok Pok and lots of other restaurants, SE Division Street is an interesting place to stroll.
6 locals recommend
Southeast Division Street
Southeast Division StreetHome to now-famous Pok Pok and lots of other restaurants, SE Division Street is an interesting place to stroll.