Wow! Been sleeping on this place. Everyone that worked there was a delight and seemed to work…read moreeffortlessly together. Special shout out to the kitchen staff for big multitasking energy: watching the game, closing out the place, and firing out some amazing food. Wilder's near-close happy hour offerings were both tasty and generous. Cocktails featured offerings from local distillers that yielded complex flavors but nothing that was "trying too hard" to be artisanal. Also Made my date's night that they were using polenta as a bun.

Fiance and I decided to celebrate our 8 year anniversary at Wilder because we saw Steak Tartare on…read moretheir menu and knew we had to come try it! We walked in at about 6:30pm on a Wednesday night and was kind of greeted by one of the servers. She wasn't too friendly and seemed to be irritated that we said we'd wait for a table as opposed to sitting at the bar. Once seated, that same server came over to try to take our orders and once again seemed irritated that we weren't ready to order. Luckily, another server took over from there and we had a pleasant anniversary meal the rest of the time! Here's everything we tried: Devilish Eggs - This came with 4 deviled eggs and was just okay. The crispy bacon pieces was the best part of this dish! Steak Tartare - This was the main reason we chose this restaurant and we were definitely not disappointed! We spent our first anniversary together in Europe and had so much tartare and this really brought back some wonderful memories for us. The tartare was rich and mustardy, beef flavor was great, and it sort of just melted in your mouth. The crispy chips paired well with the tartare and I can't wait to come back and have this again! Mussels - This was a big bowl of mussels in a white wine garlic sauce with toasted baguettes. Mussels tasted fresh and garlicky with just a bit of funk from whatever cheese they grated on top. The toasted baguettes were so good dipped into that white wine broth. I wish this dish came with skinny fries but it was also so good as is. Would definitely order this again! Field Greens - I asked for this to come out with my meal but it came out about 10 minutes before the entrees came out. It was very light and refreshing. I saved half to have with my meal but most of it was wilted already by the time our mains came out. But it's okay! The fried chicken actually had a small portion of this salad on its plate. I wouldn't have ordered this had I known, so next time will skip the side salad altogether! Fried chicken - I really wanted to like this dish but alas, fried chicken breast is very hard to make juicy. I definitely prefer dark meat because that's harder to mess up. My partner enjoyed it but he doesn't mind dry chicken. The sauces were phenomenal! That mustard sauce was great and the sweet glaze was delicious! The potatoes would have been a lot better if they were smaller to get more of that crust to creamy potato ratio but still okay the way it was. My fiance cleaned this plate up! Brown Butter Cake - This cake was phenomenal! It's hard to mess anything with Brown Butter up so I had really high expectations for this and they certainly did not disappoint. The server was nice enough to throw candles on it since we were celebrating and it really ended our meal on the sweetest note! The restaurant itself is small and cozy. A bit dark and romantic. It really reminded me of the small bistros in France that we frequented while we were out there. We'll definitely be back to try other things on the menu!

It was my first time here and I drive by this area all the time. I would say it is a little gem. I…read moredid not get to try any of the food or snacks. There is a food cart in the back with Hawaiian goods which I am down to try next time. The service is friendly and acknowledge me when I first got in. The reason why I went to this bar was to check out the vibes if it was too loud or too busy or if it is chill enough to hear conversations with one another. That would be it ! It was quiet enough to have conversations even for a drink with a large group. There is a Photo Booth and a vending machine for nicotine I believe. And there are signs that they have karaoke on Saturdays, which I will have to come back for so this is definitely a spot to check out. I did not give it a full five stars because the parking was not the greatest.

A fun little hidden gem of a bar. This isn't what I would call a dive but it's far from modern - it…read morehas the vibe of an old school lounge. It's chill and has character. The best thing about this place is the lighting. There is something about the tone that makes you feel like someone turned on a warm lens filter. It just makes me feel relaxed. Crowd was modest but fun for Saturday karaoke. I am going to have to add this into my regular bar rotation.

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.

Vault 31 is such a cool spot. Imagine your favorite retro arcade... but with a bar…read more The neon lights, giant game screens, and nostalgic décor make the whole place feel like stepping into a gamer's playground. We ended up staying way longer than planned because it's just that fun -- grabbing drinks, watching people battle it out on the big screens, and soaking in the atmosphere. It's not your typical bar where everyone just stands around. There's always something going on and the vibe is super welcoming and energetic and the owners are so cool! If you love retro games, colorful arcade energy, and good drinks, Vault 31 is an absolute gem.

Food, service, ambiance was awesome. They let us draft for a birthday and just good vibes all…read morearound. Would recommend and plan on returning. Everyone rocked.

We came in for the Social Hour and got a table by the windows in the bar. The view across the river…read morewas perfect to watch while we ate. The duo of bartenders covering the area did an awesome job (thank you guys!). I tried a draft cider and we got an order of coconut prawns to start. Not only were the prawns delicious, the slaw they came on was soooo tasty. We both tried the social hour burgers. We got them with double patties and fries. The burgers were cooked beautifully and the seasoning really worked well. The fries were a perfect crisp golden brown and they were salted well. I got some garlic aioli, so so so good! Great service, great venue, great food!

Stopped in for our 4th or 5th visit to celebrate my wife's birthday last Friday night April 17th…read more.. The Cove has always been a great choice in the past for special dinners/occasions. Unfortunately this time, we left very disappointed. My wife has a sensitivity to spicy foods. Upon ordering appetizers for the table, we asked if any of them (that had a spicy description on the menu) had the option to have the sauce on the side. She proceeded to ask how the scallops were and went ahead with that order. There was absolutely no description of having any spicy component on the menu nor any mention by the server. Upon her first bite of the risotto, she went into a severe coughing fit :( I tasted it and acknowledged how spicy it was. She proceeded to just eat the scallops. We were mostly done when the waiter came to check on us ... My wife asked if the dish is typically spicy. Response was "oh yes" ... It was completely lost on us why he wouldn't have mentioned that to her upon ordering knowing how she questioned the appetizers. His offer at this point was a new meal .. which was nice but we were mostly done. There really wasn't much in the way of sincerity beyond that. It seems the right thing to have done was offer my wife (celebrating her birthday) who didn't enjoy her meal ... maybe a comp'd drink or maybe a dessert (no acknowledgment of her birthday at all. When you spend north of $300 ... Disappointing to say the least. Upon leaving, I decided to just express my concern to the hostess and suggested adding the spice level of this specific entree to the menu. I reaffirmed my wife didn't get to fully enjoy her meal. I received a lukewarm "thanks for letting us know." The worst part of the whole experience was a manager/owner type was a few steps behind her, made eye contact and was fully aware i had an issue and made absolutely no attempt to come over and address the complaint. I no longer blame the waiter for his lack of concern knowing it flows from the top. We all go out and spend top dollar at nice restaurants for good food but also, for service and the experience. The restaurant has been opened awhile and maybe is established enough where this isn't as much of a priority as it was early on. In contrast, we went out the night before to a more established fave restaurant of ours in Portland (Ava Genes). Had an incredible meal, incredible experience, and uber attentive service. They even went the extra mile and made a big deal that we chose them to celebrate. Ended our evening with a simple complimentary scoop of gelato/candle. It was a nice touch. Certainly didn't mind spending the $$$ for that evening. I wouldn't dissuade anyone from trying The Cove if they've never been (I'm hopeful they just had a bad night) ... but there are so many good choices out there, it will most certainly make us think twice before going back.

We celebrated my dad's birthday at Cecilia, and it was fantastic. The ambiance was lovely, our…read morewaitress was so friendly, and the manager went above and beyond to make the night special. The Highlights: * Spinach Artichoke Dip: A must-order! The bread was deliciously paired with the dip. * Top-Tier Service: I ordered a dish that wasn't quite what I was looking for, and they graciously took it off the bill and swapped it for the Rigatoni alla Pasta. I had the pasta the next night and it was absolutely delicious. Great food and even better hospitality. We'll definitely be back

The homemade donuts are treats from heaven. They melt in your mouth and paired with their coffee…read moreare perfection.

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

The only reason it's not 5 stars is because the servers were SO SLOW. It took a very long time for…read moresomeone to come take our order and check in on us. The food and drinks came out pretty fast but then it also took forever to get our checks! Other than that this would have been 5/5. They have super unique cocktails and Indian street food. Honestly everything we had was good so go try something new! I think my favorite was the cauliflower fritters and the sandwich.

More of a cocktail bar w/ a few small plates/bites than a food destination for me. The food is a…read morefancier take on classic Indian street foods, better fare than the usual cocktail bar bites. I enjoyed the Ros omelette w/ chicken curry & I liked they came w/ a couple buttery buns to mop up all the curry goodness. A bit expensive and small portions. But they have an extensive list of some very creative cocktails, if you're into that I'd check them out.

Surprisingly large, and uncrowded at the Portland airport, the Escape Lounge provided a…read morecomplementary place to eat/drink while we waited for our flight back to Los Angeles. I wasn't expecting much, and was pleasantly surprised by the food, drink, and especially the friendly and helpful employees of the lounge. My wife, her mom, and I came to the Escape lounge in Concourse D on a Saturday, and were greeted by a super friendly and chipper attendant who checked us in. There are many ways to gain entry, two of which I had privileges: via Priority Pass (provided by Chase Sapphire Reserve) and via American Express access (provided by the AMEX Delta Reserve if flying on a Delta flight). Unlike the nearby Delta Skyclub, one can enter even if on a Delta Basic ticket. It was easier using Priority Pass since those come with 2 additional guests, but did confirm that if there are capacity constraints, the AMEX guests would get priority. Once approved, an elevator (or stairs) must be taken up to enter the lounge. Once you enter, there are complementary lockers to store your stuff. The middle of the room has a small wooden rotunda, mimicking the style of the wooden ceiling at the airport. There is a small buffet with non-traditional choices (this day it was Indian, with butter chicken and naan, and other choices like sandwiches). A nice waiter came around to ask if I wanted a drink (I obliged with a local pils), and kept coming back to refill as I finished. The beer was very good, confirming how good the local beer here is in Portland. The bathrooms are nice but small, with full coverage stalls. Some people were asking about the sleeping rooms, and were told that it's first come/first serve. As I was leaving, I noticed how relaxed I was, before heading to board the plane. It definitely had a lot to do with the niceness of the employees at the airport, especially the folks at the Escape lounge.

I've gone here about 3 times since they've opened and while I miss Capers being apart of Priority…read morePass, I'm super excited for Escape Lounge. First off I love how large it is, I've never had to wait when trying to go here. The food is always well stocked and most of it is wholesome nutritious food with a variety of salads, dips, protein roasts, really tasty vegan food, and soup. The cookies here are fantastic. I'm not a huge cookie guy, but I can't help myself but have 2-3 every time. The staff are one of the friendliest and most attentive of any lounge staff in America. The bartenders are fantastic and are very social and can make pretty much anything I've thrown at them. Pro tip...utilize the lockers when you head up the elevators so you don't have to haul them around everywhere. Also very handy if you have to leave for any reason and don't want to haul your luggage and will return later. Also there are 2 private beds for you to take a quick nap in which is fantastic.

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.