usa :: portland :: general

[cureOne]

Heading up to portland on Friday, staying downtown at the jupiter hotel (thx for the tip sufu!) We have no plans except to hit up powell's.

I checked the other threads but they're mainly focused on where to shop but I don't give a shit about shopping, what are some other cool places downtown? Any suggestions for places to eat/chill that are close to our hotel? I'll have my car but plan on walking/skating around as much as possible. Where can I get some of oregon's finest greeeen? We're not into clubs and shit, but tips on good, dingy punk rock dive bars will be appreciated.

Thx dudes.

[cureOne]

Also kind of a longshot, but I'm really into beer (good beersnob beer) and I checked out the beerfly guide to portland, but there are so many fucking choices I don't even know where to start. Has anyone checked out the hair of the dog, or bridgeport breweries? I don't even know if those are close to where I'm staying? I heard Laurelwood was supposed to be pretty good so that's really the only place I have any idea about. So what are the best beer bars/brewpubs in Portland?

[RAISED BY WOLVES]

I don't like the poster heartbrokensoulshakened , she has a picture of herself as her avatar and posts shitty cameraphone outfits in waywt and worst of all shakened is not a fucking word.

Also I am sad no one posted in my portland thread in superjetset

I wish I could be of more help to you. I lived there for a little less than a year, but that was mostly spent toiling in a blacksmith's shop, doing mushrooms, or drinking bottles of whiskey whose purchase I would fund by returning cans to the safeway.

That and the occasional graffitti mission sum up my miserable time in a beautiful place.

I sincerely hope you enjoy yourself.

[cureOne]

Okay no one was much help so I figured I'd post what I thought was cool, in case someone else wants a portland thread, I tried to format this, and I provide a rating at the end.

BURNSIDE AREA

Jupiter hotel 3.5/5 - It's okay, it's really really fucking loud, don't stay here unless you are okay with going to bed past 2am every night (which was fine for me) but the walls are so thin you can hear the housekeepers vacuuming two rooms away, which sucks when you get home at 4am and they start cleaning at 7. The rooms are very very very small. If you are staying here you can get free computer/internet access across the street at GRENDEL'S coffee.

Old Wive's Tales 2/5 (restaurant) - This place has a decent tofu scramble, 10-13 dollars a person, food is mediocre and slow. Lame old-people vibes but they have a jazz room and a classical room which is sorta cool.

Biwa 2.5/5 (Japanese restaurant) - Awesome decor and feel, good beer/sake selection, cute waitress with good service. The food is pretty mediocre, we had the ramen ($10) and some yakitori ($10, pork belly, chicken, beef, mushroom) neither was bad, but nothing to write home about.

BURNSIDE BARS

Doug fir lounge 1/5 - Full of assholes, most expensive drinks in the area, bad music, AWESOME decor, and an epic patio area with a firepit though. Saturday was the latino gay/lesbian/bi/trans festival at the doug fir so hanging out with a bunch of latin trannys was pretty entertaining.

B-Sides 2/5 - For a place called B-sides they had NO jukebox and were playing NO music (this was on a friday night at 10pm) This place was always close to empty. Normal drink prices, pretty boring, would be fun if they had music, or if you could take it over with a bunch of friends. Good patio area.

Sandy hut 5/5 - Best bar I went to. 2 dollar pbr tall cans, 2.50 well drink specials, cute bartenders, great jukebox, shuffleboard and pool were FREE. They also had some video poker machines. 21-25 hipster crowd on bikes, with the occasional older weirdo (DRUNK 50 YEAR OLD WOMAN WITH NO FRONT TEETH LEAVE ME ALONE). Always busy, but never overcrowded. Bartenders are friendly and make stiff drinks, if you buy a shot here it's basically a full glass of liquor. They serve food here and a lot of people eat it, which I thought was kind of weird because who eats bar food?

Union Jacks (TITTY BAR) 4/5 - Awesome place, 3 dollar cover, 3.50 well drinks, lots of beer choices. All the girls were very good looking and under 26, lots of 'alternative' looking girls with tattoos. 20 dollar private dances in the back, full nude, no touching. One of the bartenders (shady looking mexican dude? I think he was actually a barback but was helping out) tried to stiff me TWICE and not give proper change. Fuck that guy.

4/5 just because of that shitty bartender.

Laurelhurst Theatre ( Burnside and 29th)

5/5 DRINK BEER AT THE MOVIES! This is one of the most awesome things I've ever done. Movies are 3 dollars and are usually a few months old, blades of glory, grindhouse, pan's labyrith were playing. They also show old movies. Pitchers of Pabst were 6 bucks, and they had cheap pizza/nachos/etc but we brought our own food in. There are little tables in front of certain rows of seats that you can put your beers on. This place fucking rules and if you go to portland without doing this you are a loser.

Also across the street there is a restaurant/bar called HOLMAN'S (5/5) with a happy hour from 4-7 that is 1.25 well drinks, dollar drafts, and half price appetizers. I got 2 whiskey&cokes and an order of buffalo wings for 5 bucks +tip!! We got to the theatre at 5:30 and drank here till our movie started at 7pm

DOWNTOWN AREA

Powell's books, a million/5- If you are a book nerd this place is mecca, you can't comprehend it's size without actually going. Kind of a shitty magazine selection though, which was strange.

Rocco's pizza 5/5- Across from powells, cool hippy vibe, 3 dollar GIANT slices of decent pizza, $4 pitchers of pbr (best deal in the city?) Great spot to get drunk and people watch. Pinball and multi-arcade.

Rock Bottom Brewery 3.5/5- Apparently this is a chain and I didn't know. Good food, and good beer, 8-15 dollars for food. Pitchers of beer are 13.95, but I think they have deals on certain days. (expensive pitchers!)

There was some street festival thing going on across from the burnside bridge, that had mad street vendors and cheap food and some rides and stuff, this was great and free. I don't know what it was called, possibly related to the parade of roses that was going on? 5/5

DOWNTOWN BARS

Okay so I actually went to a bunch of bars down here but only two of them were really worth posting about/I only remember the names of these places

The Tube 4/5 - Second best bar I went to in portland. A post rock band was playing and there was a 3 dollar cover, but the bouncer let us in for free since we just wanted to drink and they were almost done. The band was actually really good. Bar has a cool decor and there were a lot of good looking girls. 3 dollar highlife/bud/coors bottles, I think pabsts were 2 bucks? Well drinks were 3.50, bartenders were friendly and good looking. Interesting crowd, lots of dirty punks, and some old grimey dudes as well.

Magic Gardens (TITTY BAR) 5/5 - This place is great, no cover, 1 drink minimum, full nude. The bouncer is huge but is really nice and looks like he's 10 years old somehow. It's just a bar, a small stage, a couch (for private dances in full view) and a pool table. This place is basically a bar that happens to have a girl stripping, it's not like a strip club at all. The girls here were stupidly hot, and very personable, talking to the patrons very laid back. 1 dollar required tip per song if you are sitting at the stage. The girls pick their own music (played over an ipod/imac) and many of them have great taste, I never thought I'd see a girl strip to tom waits, portishead, or belle and sebastian.

In conclusion portland is a great city for riding bikes, drinking cheap (can't emphasize this enough) and seeing naked chicks. 5/5 for the city as a whole.

Also I did other shit before all the jerks say "drunk guy comes to portland to get wasted and hangs out in burnside the whole time" I went all over the city and did some touristy stuff but it's not very interesting and you can find guides like that all over the internet.

[snugglepony]

sorry i missed this thread before you'd come and gone...

you found some gems and you found some weak-ass spots, which is to be expected when you don't have a guide

PM me if you're coming back and i'll help.

[jonesy]

Best pub in my opinion is the Horsebrass on SE Belmont and about 47th or so. They have probably 40 or so beers on tap, darts, real relaxed, proper 20oz. pints. I highly recommend it. Good fries too.

[Christmas In A Submarine.]

It's sad to think that Rocco's recieved "5/5" when it's so shitty and Hot Lips is only a few blocks away . . .

[Appleseed]

Stayed at Jupiter and didn't walk down the block to Le Pigeon???? ouch.

And, I an't gonna say that Rocco's is that shitty, but Hot Lips>>>>

Also, shouda gone to Rogue.

[Christmas In A Submarine.]

not to mention Bridgeport, Virginia Cafe, Voodoo, Chesterfield, The Goose, Lucky Lab etc etc etc.

[cureOne]

well guess what this thread got no replies and I don't know anyone that lives there so what did you expect!

[thelion1856]

yeah rock bottom brewery is all over so cal (south california)

[fearitself]

bump, does anyone live here besides me??

[renski]

bump.....

I will be going to Portland this Friday as a detour from a trip to Seattle. will be staying at the Ace. Looks like there's a lot to drink within that sq mile. Does anyone have recs for food? possibly vegetarian friendly too?

[Appleseed]

Prolly not too helpful, but last time I stayed at the Ace a couple of blocks away was a pkg. lot with a congregation of food trucks. Ethnic, veggie, vegan, etc. Besides a few of the brew pubs (you could easily skip over to the big Deschutes Brew joint from the hotel) I don't think I've had a formal meal right in that part of downtown, actually. In the bottom of the the Ace is a bar, coffee joint, and bistro; frankly if you don't get a walking distance restaurant rec. on here, just ask the concierge.

I haven't been in a minute, but if you want to drive to the other side of the river, Le Pigeon is still one of my favorites. Miss their old brunch menu....

[Grim Ryan]

Headed to Portland in a few days. Staying for 4 nights at the Ace hotel. Looking for places to go: museums, sights, bars, and cheap eats.

So far on my list of stuff do do is:

Mississippi Records

Powells Books

Pirate Store

Voodoo Donuts

Japanese Gardens

Eat at the Food Carts

Give me good bars to hang out at night and cheap places to chow down?\

[aleopold]

Headed to Portland in a few days. Staying for 4 nights at the Ace hotel. Looking for places to go: museums, sights, bars, and cheap eats.

So far on my list of stuff do do is:

Mississippi Records

Powells Books

Pirate Store

Voodoo Donuts

Japanese Gardens

Eat at the Food Carts

Give me good bars to hang out at night and cheap places to chow down?\

If you like sandwiches, check out Kenny and Zuke's Delicatessen, it's only about a block away from Powell's. That's probably my favorite sandwich shop in the whole city. Shoot me a pm f you decide you want to head up there with some company. Up the street from powells you can check out Everyday Music as well; they've got a good selection of vinyl and CDs. Also, head over to Couch street (this is for shops) and check out the Upper Playground, Just Be, and make a stop a Hecklewood to say whatup to Kix and check out Tanner Goods (which is in Hecklewood). I'm U-21 so I don't have any good bars to check out, sorry!

[Grim Ryan]

If you like sandwiches, check out Kenny and Zuke's Delicatessen, it's only about a block away from Powell's. That's probably my favorite sandwich shop in the whole city. Shoot me a pm f you decide you want to head up there with some company. Up the street from powells you can check out Everyday Music as well; they've got a good selection of vinyl and CDs. Also, head over to Couch street (this is for shops) and check out the Upper Playground, Just Be, and make a stop a Hecklewood to say whatup to Kix and check out Tanner Goods (which is in Hecklewood). I'm U-21 so I don't have any good bars to check out, sorry!

Thanks for the shopping recommendations.

I've added Horsebrass, Pendleton, Zacks Shack, Japanese Gardens and thrifting in Hawthorne to my list of stuff.

Anyone got any other recommendations for Bars with good beer or whiskey cocktails and places to get cheap ass good food?

[jewbagel]

Food:

If you're out on Hawthorne the cup and saucer has really good vegan friendly food.

I recommend the 12th and Hawthorne food carts. Not as many as the ones at 10th and (is it Morrison?), but all of the carts are very good, especially Potato Champion.

If you are visiting portland and have a car go to the voodoo on the east side. Much easier to find parking and usually the lines are shorter.

Pine State Biscuits on Belmont is extremely delicious and affordable. I highly recommend visiting. There are lines on weekend mornings, but its well worth the wait.

Sushiland in the pearl is cheap and not bad either

Shopping:

If you're interested in thrift stores and hipstery apparel, the Goodwill Bins out in Milwaukie can be interesting and fun. By the Ace Hotel, Billy Galaxy, Reading Frenzy is interesting, Jackpot Records and Everyday Music are excellent record stores.

As far as clothing goes, I recommend Winn Perry, Stand Up Comedy, The Woodlands, and Local 35.

If you're interested in streetwear/sneakers, Just Be is good, and Upper Playground is more or less right across from it.

[frofivealpha]

I'll be there next weekend. Anyone know about the First Friday art series? Which galleries should I try to check out for photography/graphic/design?

http://www.firstfridayguide.com/

[popeyejawns]

aleopold-

i'll be staying at the ace at the end of march.

i want to take some good photos, where are the best sights and scenic spots in portland?

[poopslushie]

think I'm going to move to Portland, sight unseen, at the end of this month.

I like to drink good beer, ride bikes, and go outside. PM me in June if you wanna do either one of those 3 things (or all three together).

[An Oxymoron]

Bump for rose city. Transferring up to portland state from oregon state next fall. Probably gonna find a place up there this summer to get situated before classes start.

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

just landed in portland.

i'm in fucking love.

[spudeey]

Trying to go to UO and spend a lot of time in portland

[fallen angels]

im going to Portland in september, just bought tickets from that Southwest sale. could anyone please recommend a decent hotel in a good/convenient location? it will be my first time so i am not familiar with the city.

[EG562]

im going to Portland in september, just bought tickets from that Southwest sale. could anyone please recommend a decent hotel in a good/convenient location? it will be my first time so i am not familiar with the city.

ace hotel is always a popular choice. walking distance to plenty, easy bus ride to the east side, good food/bar downstairs, people trying hard, and one of the best coffee shops.

[frofivealpha]

It's a walkable city, no need to worry about where you stay.

Had a blast when I was out there - awesome people, funky stuff.

Didn't eat at a food cart because I hadn't had Trader Joe's in a while.

[ulysses?]

It's a walkable city, no need to worry about where you stay.

Had a blast when I was out there - awesome people, funky stuff.

Didn't eat at a food cart because I hadn't had Trader Joe's in a while.

damn, the food carts are pretty amazing

future tip to those visiting portland: always hit up the food carts. at least once

[Yardsale]

im going to Portland in september, just bought tickets from that Southwest sale. could anyone please recommend a decent hotel in a good/convenient location? it will be my first time so i am not familiar with the city.

we're gonna be in portland over labor day weekend, was able to get reservations at the ace hotel even though they were booked

[fallen angels]

yeah Ace Hotel seems a little too hip for me and i read the rooms arent that comfortable. i'll be staying at another hotel in downtown