The Knockback is a whole vibe,loud, packed, quirky decor (yes, mounted animal heads and roses), and…read morereally good food. I had the patty melt, tasty but the onions were surprisingly sweet. But the queso and chips? Unreal. Order it, trust me. Funky cocktails, tons of sandwiches, indoor or patio seating. Super laid back and not the least bit pretentious. Just know Fridays get wild, every other day is way more chill. Don't forget the have an awesome happy hour Great neighborhood spot with personality for days. I definitely recommend.

At first glance the queso fries looked only moderately appealing: "nacho style" processed cheese…read moreand CUBED pulled pork. But the taste was loaded goodness. Yum. Their take on a Negroni cocktail was excellent. Great vibe and awesome bar. Decent prices, friendly service, doable parking.

Dream House is great. The cocktails are good. The food is the kind of cozy, comforting stuff that…read morehits even harder after a couple drinks. Nothing pretentious, just the sort of menu that works. The vibe is dialed in too. It's chill without being sleepy, lively without being chaotic. They've got local XRAY DJs spinning, trivia nights, and hot jazz that's so good. It's the kind of place you stop by for "just one drink" and end up shutting down hours later.

Really cool neighborhood bar. Solid staff and friendly atmosphere. Definitely worth stopping in for…read morea drink.

Kaya has immaculate vibes and they've got a DJ turning it up after 8pm(?). I know I'm at a cool…read morespot because all the melanin in the Portland metro area is here. Love the decor and the drinks are fun and super tasty. Happy Hour is lit! We ordered a bunch of truffle/parmesan fries and the food was very hot/fresh. Will definitely be coming back here!

Stopped in last night with a few girlfriends to celebrate my birthday. Such a cute spot for a chill…read morenight out with friends. Good vibes and good ambiance with great music. Service was great. Staff was nice. They were very accommodating to our large party (8 people). It did take awhile for us to receive our last round of drinks, but we weren't sure if the bartender knew how to make the shots or not that we ordered. Before we left, a DJ was setting up to play live music. They do pay you down and check your bags/purses when they check your ID. Will definitely be back soon with my friends.

A funky and chill bar with an extensive whiskey collection!…read more Bartender was super chill and you can take your drink anywhere on the premise. A great spot for drinks to accompany your food from the other stores.

Ever find yourself at a fantastic food cart pod and think, "This would be perfect if there was a…read morekiller whisky bar nearby"? Enter Paydirt--your wish granted. This spot boasts an excellent whisky selection and an expansive cocktail menu that keeps things interesting. One of the highlights? The Old Fashioned Roulette, where you let the bartender choose your spirit. It's a little risky, a lot of fun, and always delicious. Whether you're a whisky aficionado or just looking for a creative cocktail experience, Paydirt delivers in spades. Pair it with the food carts outside, and you've got a perfect night out.

Expatriate in Portland delivers exactly the kind of experience you want from an intimate cocktail…read morelounge with serious food. The atmosphere is dark and moody with an intimate, cozy feel that makes it a great spot for a late-night drink or a low-key dinner. I ordered the burger, which comes as two slightly smaller patties on a potato bun, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The cheese was perfectly melted with almost a steamed texture, the meat was fantastic, and the whole thing was simple, balanced, and incredibly satisfying. Honestly, it might be my favorite burger in Portland. At $22 for the two burgers, it's not exactly cheap. I had thought there might be a late-night food discount Sunday through Thursday, but that doesn't seem to be the case. That said, the quality of the burger helps justify the price. Service was good throughout, and parking is standard street parking. Overall, Expatriate is a great spot with a standout burger and a cool, intimate vibe. Definitely worth visiting if you're looking for an excellent burger in a cocktail-forward setting.

This was my favorite place of all time. Thank you for all the magic. I will love you forever.read more

My favorite coffee shop / bar in Portland! It's the closest feeling I've had to Central Perk from…read morefriends - very electric and community focused. When going in the afternoon, I LOVE their strawberry fields matcha - hand whisked and so delicious. When going in the evening for cocktails, I love their espresso martini, seasonal cocktails, and usually go for "Bartender's Choice". My favorite third place in Portland.

I like this spot - coffee shop and bar, it makes good use of the space with varied seating for…read morereading, being on your laptop or catching up with some friends. I grabbed the espresso martini month special and the fruit and prosciutto plate which was great for sharing. I'd come back to sit and work on something when in the area.

I was casually walking down Alberta enjoying the beautiful day with my dining companion, not even…read morethinking about lunch when the window/storefront/something or other made me skid to a halt saying to my subconscious, "this is Hawaii food." Laulau, chicken long rice...CHICKEN LONG RICE! I haven't had that in years and suddenly my mouth was watering. None of the other plate lunch/Hawaiian food places in PDX have had that to my knowledge, and I needed to have it now. My dining companion was taking in the meat jun on the menu, as well as the fried rice omelette. We went in and ordered the chicken adobo fried rice omelette and chicken long rice on the side. Double starch, double chicken, check. Loved that the menu pointed out they serve koshihikari rice. I knew I was in good hands. No medium grain rice for this gal. The service was friendly, the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. There was a nice note on the wall saying the table would be bussed by staff, so we didn't have to play the guessing game of "search for the bus bins." Clean tables, bright light from the windows, good food. The adobo gravy on the omelette was winnahs. The omelette itself was not holding a candle to Elena's Food Truck, but tasty and filling. The chicken long rice was perfect. The only improvement would have been a nice hit of white pepper, maybe. The only thing not quite to my liking was the mac salad, but that didn't stop us from mopping our plates clean. We will be back for everything else on the menu.

Kau Kau is a cool and authentic Hawaiian eatery located on Alberta St. There is street parking all…read morearound the area. Inside, they have a modern and cozy setup with about 4-5 tables for seating. For their menu, they have a nice selection of dishes and combos to choose from. Wifey and I ended up grabbing a Hawaiian Combo with a Lilikoi Limeade. We enjoyed the food and the authentic flavors. All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. Definitely stop by to support them if you are ever in the area!

We came here on a whim in a Saturday evening since it is within walking distance of Portland…read morePlayhouse. We were warmly greeted, seated in a booth, and promptly served a basket of crispy tortilla chips and homemade salsa. The family-friendly atmosphere had a cozy neighborhood destination vibe. We shared a carne asada platter with a chile relleno and taco al pastor. The carne asada was amazing! Generous portion of grilled meat that was perfectly seasoned. All the sides you would want...guac, pico de gallo, sour cream, grilled scallion and jalapeño, rice, beans cheese plus your choice of tortillas to wrap it all up in. The chile relleno had lots of melty cheese and was thinly battered, just my style. So much yummy food, plenty for two. We had grapefruit Jaritos and n/a Corona but the margaritas look to be very popular, we even saw several huge ones with two straws being shared. Cannot comment on dessert, not enough room. We will definitely be back. Perfect pre-theater dinner and looks to be a great spot for family dining. We'll be back!!

If you are in NE Portland and want some genuine Mexican food, this is your neighborhood restaurant…read more& bar destination. Picture is their Taco Tuesday offering. You have your choice of 4 proteins and you have to pick one or two. All four are filling and flavorful. The complimentary red salsa and fresh tortilla chips begin your meal with a nice start. The can and draft beers are cold! Service is top notch too. The management and wait staff strive to serve you quickly, friendly and professionally. A favorite meal on the Happy Hour Menu is their ground beef enchiladas with refried beans & rice. Served with a $5 Draft Pint of Dos Equis (or two).

It feels like every time Gumba moves, they go a bit further upscale -- not so much the prices…read more(although those have gone up too, but hey, it's 2026), but the style. I tried out the new location on Alberta for a date, and I was glad I did. The seafood pasta was only one step below Daily Catch's famous seafood linguine in Boston, just really excellent. And, of course, they still have their famous "fry bread".

Huge thank you to Gumba for such a memorable birthday meal…read more From the moment we walked in, everything felt warm and inviting -- the ambience, the food, and the genuinely kind staff all made the experience feel special. Every dish was delicious, comforting, and clearly made with care. It was the perfect place to celebrate and slow down for a bit. We were visiting from out of state, but this is absolutely a spot we'll return to anytime we're back in Oregon. Already looking forward to the next visit.

We came here for a couple drinks while waiting for our dinner reservation. It's an interesting…read moreplace with cool murals and decor. Drinks are pretty good. I got a happy tree friends- I liked the creaminess and hint of pandan. The Pagan holiday was a bit too vanilla forward for me, could be more balanced. They had a few drinks that I would be interested in trying whenever I come back. Bartender was quick and overall welcoming. Playing bangers this night!

Date: Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 Time: around 4:45pm…read moreParty of: 2 which turned into 4 later *Ru Paul Sparkle Pony ($12) *Glenfiddich 12 yr ($18) *Soda Water ($2) We were meeting up one of my old friends for dinner. Since we had some time to kill, the hubby and I stopped by The Box Social to wait out the 30ish mins. I wanted something light and refreshing so got the sparkle pony. It was indeed bubbly and refreshing. Tho very light given there was vodka in it. The aesthetic of the place is very minimalistic. It was super quiet and bright when we were there. So the vibe can be a little sterile. Bartender was great. We just wanted a quick drink and he delivered. Once my friends joined us, one ordered a quick soda and we were on our way to dinner. Great if you want a very chill bar. Worth checking out for a round. REVIEW #3731