Store and Restaurant Recommendations in Portland

ue · #1 Posted **May 5, 2009, 5:11 PM**

Hi,

So I've been planning a 8-day trip to Portland this summer and I hope all goes well that I do get to go down to your city. I really like Portland.

I've got a good idea of places to check out through PMs with Sekkle.

But I'd love for some restaurant and store recommendations for in Portland. I know about Powell's Books on Burnside and will definitely check that ouut. The Pearl District, Downtown, Northwest, Multnomah (Village), and Lloyd Districts are the main areas that I'm looking for suggestions although if there any others from other spots I'd love to hear them.

So what are some good restaurants? Ones with websites would be awesome. Could be fast food, restaurant, or café just nothing expensive. I'd actually like suggestions from each groups. I don't want to be eating at A&W, Applebee's, and Starbucks the whole time. I don't really like seafood places or steakhouses too much but any other suggestions would be wonderful.

Also retail. What are some cool, quirky, odd, unique, or otherwise interesting shops?

Also one less thing - which doesn't have to deal with the title. What are some nice places to check out (not necessarily shops or restaurants) downtown? Not so much into too many tourist traps but what are some good spots to check out in the downtown of Portland? I know Pioneer Square is pretty good and what not so is the PSU Urban Centre for the Streetcar.

Thanks in advance

!

EE.

jaxg8r1 · #2 Posted **May 5, 2009, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edmontonenthusiast

Hi,

So I've been planning a 8-day trip to Portland this summer and I hope all goes well that I do get to go down to your city. I really like Portland.

I've got a good idea of places to check out through PMs with Sekkle.

But I'd love for some restaurant and store recommendations for in Portland. I know about Powell's Books on Burnside and will definitely check that ouut. The Pearl District, Downtown, Northwest, Multnomah (Village), and Lloyd Districts are the main areas that I'm looking for suggestions although if there any others from other spots I'd love to hear them.

So what are some good restaurants? Ones with websites would be awesome. Could be fast food, restaurant, or café just nothing expensive. I'd actually like suggestions from each groups. I don't want to be eating at A&W, Applebee's, and Starbucks the whole time. I don't really like seafood places or steakhouses too much but any other suggestions would be wonderful.

Also retail. What are some cool, quirky, odd, unique, or otherwise interesting shops?

Also one less thing - which doesn't have to deal with the title. What are some nice places to check out (not necessarily shops or restaurants) downtown? Not so much into too many tourist traps but what are some good spots to check out in the downtown of Portland? I know Pioneer Square is pretty good and what not so is the PSU Urban Centre for the Streetcar.

Thanks in advance

!

EE.

I always have a good time at Bistro Montage underneath the Morrison Bridge across the river from Downtown. Good New Orleans/Cajun food at reasonable prices with a great atmosphere!

pdxhome · #3 Posted **May 5, 2009, 5:26 PM**

If you hanging out in the Lloyd District it would be worth while for you to check out the streets in the Irvington/Sullivan's Gulch neighborhood (approximately NE 15th & Broadway). if you're there in the morning, I would recommend stopping in at Grand Central Baking Co (southwest corner of NE 14th & Broadway... ish) Get there early for a cinnimon roll. In you're in the neighborhood in the evening there is a small restraunt called "Colosso" on about 19th & Broadway (south side of Broadway). It a Spanish restaurant, they have great happy hour tapas, a good wine selection (if you're into wines) and great cocktails. Also the some of the old houses in the neighborhood north of Broadway in this area are nice to look at.

ue · #4 Posted **May 5, 2009, 5:44 PM**

Thanks for the suggestions so far you guys they've been helpful. I'll definitely note them down.

I didn't say this earlier but restaurants that allow minors would be preferred.

PacificNW · #5 Posted **May 5, 2009, 9:57 PM**

Interesting: Coming from Edmonton and interested in the Lloyd District. You are being kind, and humble.

Edmonton Mall?...Lloyd Mall?... I think there probably isn't much of a comparison. Isn't the Edmonton Mall currently one of largest in the world? Lloyd Center was the largest in the world for a very short time right after it was constructed in the early 60's.

ue · #6 Posted **May 5, 2009, 10:29 PM**

^I am going to be staying at a hotel in the Lloyd District probably because it's close to downtown and easy access via the MAX but cheaper than the Downtown hotel(s). I also have an odd fetish for brutalist buildings but I will not be visiting Lloyd Mall! I really don't like malls. I only visit the ones in Edmonton because I live here.

I also hate West Edmonton Mall

, which is the mall you're referring to. That butt ugly thing killed our downtown in the 90s, and we've only recently seen a resurgence of life in the past five years in the downtown (although other urban neighbourhoods have developed). I guess in a sense it has attracted retailers to Edmonton that would not have considered us before Calgary or Vancouver. H&M was first here before Calgary, only Urban Outfitters outside of Toronto, only Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch outside of Toronto, I think we had the first Sephora in Western Canada, and lots more. US Chains that may have 3 locations in a city 10 times smaller than Winnipeg, but they're less spread in Canada. So getting a Hollister or Urban Outfitters is a big thing.

West Edmonton Mall was the largest mall in the world up until the the late 90s. Now it's the largest mall in the Western World, with only malls in China and Dubai being bigger. If you ever visit Edmonton, that mall should be the last thing on your list. I hate that place very much and try to avoid it as much as possible. I prefer City Centre (our downtown mall) or Southgate (high end mall in a matured 80s suburb). But above that I prefer urban street shopping, like (in Edmonton) Whyte Avenue, 124 St., or Jasper Avenue. In Portland, 23 Avenue, the Pearl District, Pioneer Square, Multnomah Village.

You'll notice most Edmonton forumers also have a form of hate on WEM (West Edmonton Mall).

****

any other suggestions?

Okstate · #7 Posted **May 5, 2009, 10:49 PM**

Not sure if you've already booked your hotel but if you get on priceline.com & reserve a room "downtown" & the options really are downtown you can get a killer good deal. My family does it this way EVERY time they visit. I am talking about a hilton across Pioneer Square for $50 us dollars.

My favorite breakfast spot is Besaws on 23rd street within a couple blocks of a streetcar stop. All menu items within $10 or under. http://www.besaws.com/

Kornblatts is a great deli on 23rd street also.
http://www.kornblattsdeli.com/index.iml

You can't go wrong at Blueplate either for a cheap lunch downtown.
http://www.eatatblueplate.com/

If you want real cheap ~$5 check out the streetcarts all around downtown
http://foodcartsportland.com/

As for browsing non-conventional stores I would head to 23rd or Alberta Street. Maybe Hawthorne although it's not my cup of tea.

ue · #8 Posted **May 5, 2009, 11:05 PM**

.

PacificNW · #9 Posted **May 6, 2009, 12:19 AM**

I have had great luck with www.priceline.com, also.....I have never paid more than $50.00 for a excellent downtown, or Lloyd Center hotel.... I think Priceline considers the Lloyd District as part of downtown.

BTW, I agree with you about malls....not my favorite place to shop...although I wouldn't mind visiting the West Edmonton Mall or Mall of America once.

ue · #10 Posted **May 6, 2009, 12:39 AM**

^I see where you're coming from. Actually many people who visit WEM are dissapointed and don't ever want to visit another megamall. I've heard it even more so with the MOA.

Just don't spend 2 days in WEM if you do come LOL ... way more stuff to be seen.

Thx.

****

Sorry to pest, but I'd love some recomendations of places to check out downtown...buildings, theatres, stores, museums, etc.

pdxdash · #11 Posted **May 6, 2009, 1:18 AM**

How about hanging out in Old Town/Chinatown for a morning? Visit the Chinese Gardens, have Dim Sum at Fong Chong on NW 4th Ave., do a little shopping for street wear (graphic tees, vintage style Nike shoes) and Japanese toys at Just Be and other shops around NW 5th and Couch (pronounced kooch), play a few games of Asteroids or Ms. Pacman at Ground Kontrol next door, examine 19th century cast iron architectural gems such as the newly refurbished University of Oregon building, and finish off the day with a cocktail at Ping on NW 4th. And throughout you'll be entertained/scared/propositioned by the multitude of drug users/dealers, homeless, mentally ill, beggars (often all in one person) that populate the neighborhood. And if you want to make it a night you should go to the Embers nightclub on NW Broadway...sort of a retro disco on one side and a bar featuring fantastic drag queen performances on the other side. A true Portland experience.

MarkDaMan · #12 Posted **May 6, 2009, 1:44 AM**

Free parks and stuff:

-Waterfront Park (walk the Eastbank Esplanade for terrific city views)
-Saturday Market...Sunday's too
-Farmers Markets (various days/locations, you probably have these too, but ours have Oregon goods!)
-downtown fountain/park tour
-Schnitzer Auditorium and The Portland Center for the Performing Arts are next door to each other and have free tours

Free interesting buildings:

-Central Library
-Pioneer Courthouse (terrific views of the city from the glass rotunda)
-Commonwealth Building (first glass box tower ever built)
-the lobby of the US Bank building on Broadway
-Portland Building ~ YUCK! (first postmodern building)
-Main lobby of The Nines hotel, don't let the bellmen scare you away from taking the elevator up to the lobby.
-Happy hour at Portland City Grill (I don't know if minors are allowed, but the food is cheap, cheap, cheap, with million $$$ views, 30th floor of the US Bank Tower) you don't have to buy anything to check out the views!

Interesting attractions at a cost:

-Portland Art Museum
-Oregon Historical Museum
-Washington Park (Oregon Zoo, Children's Museum, Forestry Center) accessible off the MAX, take the 1 hour hike down to the Rose Garden, and then back into the city through Kings Hill, an incredible neighborhood!
-Streetcar to the South Waterfront, ride the Tram up to OHSU
-Chinese Classical Garden

Downtown Retail:

-Made in Oregon
-The Real Mother Goose
-Finnegans Toys and Gifts
-Columbia Sportswear's flagship store
-Nike Town (kinda boring)
-Voodoo donuts
-Powell's, a given...

PacificNW · #13 Posted **May 6, 2009, 1:55 AM**

If the weather is good...spend some quiet time on the South Park Blocks (next to the culture center of downtown Portland. Also, Portland State University sits at the south end of the blocks.) Bring your newspaper, tour guide and coffee and relax. Well worth the break. For people watching try Pioneer Courthouse Square.

ue · #14 Posted **May 6, 2009, 3:00 AM**

Maybe to give you guys an idea of what I had planned to see before your suggestions. Because of your (wonderful) suggestions I might make some adjustments.

This is what I had planned earlier:

-Saturday Market
-Pearl District (any particular areas?)
-Museum of Contemporary Craft (is it ny good?)
-Pioneer Square
-Maybe check out a vendor
-Hot Lips Pizza
-Powells
-23rd Ave
-Lloyd District
-East Side Industrial
-Ladd's Addition
-Hoyt Aboretum
-Oregon Zoo
-Pittock Mansion
-Streetcar (as well MAX)
-SoWa
-Rose Test Garden
-Multnomah Falls
-PSU Urban Center
-Multnomah Vill. (age)

Thanks for the suggestions. I wasn't seriously considering the Old Town just because it seemed quite sketchy, but maybe if I go during the day I'll check out a few places there. I usually take photographs, cause of the homeless, will it be a problem with an expensive camera (SLR camera here)?

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions really! Thank you! I really appreciate it.

brandonpdx · #15 Posted **May 6, 2009, 6:46 PM**

I would add Hawthorne, NE Alberta (if you're here the last thursday of a month you must go to NE Alberta) and N Mississippi as enclaves to check out on your itenerary. Old town is perfectly safe in the day (and night), you'll see some sketch balls but just keep walking.

jaxg8r1 · #16 Posted **May 6, 2009, 6:56 PM**

Council Crest is a cool park located up in the hills with a good view of the city/mountains...

ue · #17 Posted **May 6, 2009, 9:53 PM**

^^I'm supposed to be coming at the beginning of August. If Old Town is pretty safe, rather than what I thought then I'll try to put it into my itinerary.

How is the MAX at night time...I also heard that it can be kinda sketchy ... but then again I heard Old Town was sketchy and kinda scary and I guess it isn't.

^Thanks. Never heard of that spot. Any pictures?

Thank you guys - all of 'ya - so far for all the suggestions - even the ones that didn't pertain to my original question - I really appreciate it. Thank you.

jaxg8r1 · #18 Posted **May 6, 2009, 10:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edmontonenthusiast

^^I'm supposed to be coming at the beginning of August. If Old Town is pretty safe, rather than what I thought then I'll try to put it into my itinerary.

How is the MAX at night time...I also heard that it can be kinda sketchy ... but then again I heard Old Town was sketchy and kinda scary and I guess it isn't.

^Thanks. Never heard of that spot. Any pictures?

Thank you guys - all of 'ya - so far for all the suggestions - even the ones that didn't pertain to my original question - I really appreciate it. Thank you.

I've ridden Max for years and never had a problem. I think the only problems have basically been out on the far east side, near 181st. But I've never felt threatened or even uneasy out that way. In fact, one of the first things I noticed about Portland (the first time I visited) was how friendly people on the Max are.

ue · #19 Posted **May 6, 2009, 11:11 PM**

^even at night? That would be odd. The transit system is great in Edmonton during the day but some characters do appear at night.

jaxg8r1 · #20 Posted **May 6, 2009, 11:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edmontonenthusiast

^even at night? That would be odd. The transit system is great in Edmonton during the day but some characters do appear at night.

Yeah, I do most of my riding at night. Again, there are some "characters", but I've personally never felt threatened. I think if you ride and use common sense, you'd be fine. (ie if someone is visually acting strange, just avoid them)