5 Stars Midtown Beer Garden: Portland's Oldest Food Cart Pod Gets a Safe, Shady Upgrade…read more431 SW Harvey Milk St (at SW 5th Ave), Downtown Portland If you've been chasing Portland food carts since the early days when they first started popping up downtown, Midtown Beer Garden feels like coming home but with better manners and actual security. This place is Portland's oldest food cart pod (been around since the early '80s), recently refreshed into a lush, gated beer garden with 25+ carts, covered tent seating for hundreds, real bathrooms, shade, greenery everywhere, and most importantly two security guards at the gate. In a downtown that still has its signature edge, that gated entrance is a game-changer. I pulled up, parked, and immediately spotted the full Portland welcome committee: one guy sleeping on the sidewalk looking down on his luck, and a couple of zombies shuffling across the street. Classic PDX. One of them wandered over and, with zero hesitation, asked me for a hundred bucks... or at least to buy him something to eat. We had a good laugh about it. I told him, "Hey man, God bless maybe next time." There's something about this city where the best food and the rawest street life sit right next to each other. It's history. It's real. And yeah, it can feel a little intimidating if you're not used to it, especially if you've got your partner or family in tow. But here's the beautiful part: once you step inside the gate at Midtown Beer Garden, that whole chaotic energy stays outside. It's clean, welcoming, and surprisingly chill. You can actually sit down, enjoy your meal, and not worry about getting hassled. The selection is huge everything from legacy carts to fresh concepts and the vibe makes it easy to do a mini food cart tour. I've stopped in multiple times now, and it never disappoints. Parking can be a little quirky downtown (as expected), but once you're in, it's worth it. You're only about five blocks from the riverfront, perfect if you're planning a walk, some light hiking, or just wandering the city. Shade + bathrooms + security + killer food options = a rare win in this part of town. Look, downtown Portland has always been a mix: some of the greatest cooks, the most interesting people, and yes... a few characters who keep life spicy. Midtown Beer Garden threads that needle perfectly. It gives you the authentic Portland experience without forcing you to eat your taco while dodging drama. Next time I'll probably grab something extra and hand it to one of those folks outside if the moment feels right. A little charity never hurt anyone. In the meantime, this spot gets a solid five stars from me not despite the neighborhood, but because it handles the neighborhood with smart, respectful boundaries while keeping the soul of old-school Portland food carts alive. Highly recommended. Come hungry, stay comfortable, and embrace the full Portland spectrum. Just maybe keep a few extra bucks or a spare meal in mind for the sidewalk philosophers.

Such a cool experience at the beer garden. There's so much food to offer in terms of cuisine…read more There was live music and plenty of seating. Love to go back and explore the menu as the vendors all seemed passionate & enthusiastic about their craft.

I really like the concept of a rotating brewery every month. It is a great way to get to try beer…read moreon tap that usually isn't found in the area. Now there is an Alberta location which is great too. I also like the additional seating on the upper floor of the NW location. You can bring your own food in. They also generally have to go cans to buy in their cooler.

Cool place with rotating visiting taps! They also have a sneaky back patio which is awesome to get…read moreaway from the hustle of 23rd but still be right in the middle of the action. Def will go back!

Looking for a top 3 beer in the PNW? Well, here you go! I will seek out most any Great Notion…read morestyle brew but I'm partial to their Hazy IPAs and their sours. It's no secret and there's no denying why this brewery continues to bring home gold medals for their different styles. They are 100% dialed in on what it takes to make good beer. As far as the interior space, it's pretty much industrial standard. Better than a warehouse but really just a no frills space to down some delicious cold beer. If I'm being honest, I don't come here for food because they mostly have pizza I believe and for my money their are better places to grab a slice. Don't let this deter you though, I've had the pizza, it isn't bad at all just not a driver for me to visit. Grab some friends, or just yourself and try this place!

Favorite beers in Portland. They are known for their quality. The food is the perfect pairing to…read moresome great beer, but I've definitely been to spots with better food, so knocking down one star for that. Otherwise, like I said.. favorite beer in Portland. Staff is friendly and it's a lively spot most times.

A haiku review:…read more Chorizo verde Avo crema on the top Whole plate full of green Chips crunch in each bite Molten green chili queso Strong bee's knees cocktail

The whole experience felt like everyone working there would rather be anywhere else, and honestly,…read moreafter eating there, I felt the same way. The burgers were massively overpriced for what they were. We sent the first one back for being overcooked and they replaced it with another overcooked, underwhelming burger and nowhere close to worth the price. To make it worse, fries are extra, condiments are extra $$, which feels ridiculous when you are already paying premium prices for a very average burger. Overpriced food and nickel-and-diming for sides. I would not go back.

This was me second time here and a different season so the menu changed. I had the whole pan fried…read moreriver trout and it was delicious, deboned nicely and light. The butter, garlic polenta was lovely, rich buttery and garlicy. Overall the meal was really nice but the trout was outstanding, fresh, flakey, moist and mild. cooked perfectly, please order this if you eat here

Fireside sits on a busy corner on NW 23rd. There's outdoor seating, so like many places in…read morePortland, well-behaved dogs are welcome. What sets Fireside apart is their servers. They are genuinely happy. I've been here maybe a dozen times in the last two years, and the serving crew is always top notch. The cocktails are consistently great too. So, that goes a long way for repeat business! The food is usually excellent, and a recent brunch was outstanding (see pics). Occasionally, there has been a near miss with too much salt on the Brussels sprouts or other minor infraction like that. All in all, it has displaced Serrato as my "go to" to meet up with friends. I've only eaten outside, so I have no idea what the inside experience is like. Outside, it's a sheltered patio with heaters if needed and a few small tables against the building as well. Bonus for this area in general is that it's a great place to walk around and window shop, and it's relatively close to the Japanese and Rose Gardens (by car).

This was exactly what we needed on a hot summer day! Prices were great, beer/cider were crisp, and…read morethere was seating in the shade. I opted for the dry cider which was the perfect option for a non-beer drinker without being too sweet.

I absolutely LOVE The Pour House! Always fun to have a drink while waiting for my food, or…read moresometimes just because I'm walking my by. They have great beer selection and some kind of seasonal cocktail that's always good!

Love this bar. Open 7 days a week, open late. Nice fire pits outside and decent wrap around bar…read more Good drinks and good food. I usually get a paper plane and they make those wonderfully here. Food: ordered this tuna dish with this light sauce that was amazing. Licked that plate CLEAN. Also ordered the crispy chick sliders. I though the jam would be to much (and it IS slightly messy), but it was worth it. Chicken was cooked to perfection, had that nice crunch, buns were soft and buttery, and the jam gave a nice sweetness to each bite. Highly recommend. Keep up the good work Bantam

Best service, drinks and epic food! It's the elevated neighborhood bar that I've always wanted,…read moregreat food options, reasonable prices, great selection of alcohol, comfortable- welcoming vibes. And best of all it's open late when the rest of Portland shuts down. I would post amazing photos of the food but I eat it to quickly to take a picture. I'll update the review with some good food! I found the hidden treasure of Portland, and hate to share it but the staff and proprietors need a massive shout out - thank you for providing a fantastic neighborhood bar/restaurant!

Our first time here. Stopped in for pre-drinks before going out for the night. Drinks were yummy…read more Our server was great! The ambiance is chill, very modern 70s retro kinda vibe. I'll be back to try their food.

Came here for drinks…read more Pros Great selection of drinks and almost all of them can be made spirit free A decent selection of alcohol free drinks Enjoyed our drinks Good service Cons: Guacamole with peanuts, blue corn chips and plantain chips fell flat. The guac itself just didn't taste good to me. I'm an adventurous eater and like new things, but the peanuts on top of the guac didn't do anything for me. The Corn chips were crispy when bitten into, but very hard and chewy afterwards. I wouldn't seek coming really like to come back and try other food.