# Portland, OR



## Mark from Plano (Jan 29, 2007)

Going to be in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area next week on business. Not going to have lots of time for fun and frolick, but may be able to get away for dinner or drinks somewhere. Likely staying downtown Portland and visiting a client in Vancouver, WA.

Any recommendations for dinner, drinks, music etc. to occupy my evenings? I'm on an expense account, but a fairly modest one, so no $100 dinners please...say $25-45 would be OK.

I've never been to Portland before, so assume I know nothing.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

If you're driving up from Portland for that Vancouver client visit, you should see if you can hit a winery or two en route...and then send me some


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## Mark from Plano (Jan 29, 2007)

Wayfarer said:


> If you're driving up from Portland for that Vancouver client visit, you should see if you can hit a winery or two en route...and then send me some


Remember that this is Vancouver, WA, not Vancouver, BC so it's only across the river from downtown Portland. Are there wineries along that route? :icon_smile:


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Mark from Plano said:


> Remember that this is Vancouver, WA, not Vancouver, BC so it's only across the river from downtown Portland. Are there wineries along that route? :icon_smile:


DOH!!


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## Count Bassie (Oct 2, 2007)

Mark from Plano said:


> Going to be in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area next week on business. Not going to have lots of time for fun and frolick, but may be able to get away for dinner or drinks somewhere. Likely staying downtown Portland and visiting a client in Vancouver, WA.
> 
> Any recommendations for dinner, drinks, music etc. to occupy my evenings? I'm on an expense account, but a fairly modest one, so no $100 dinners please...say $25-45 would be OK.
> 
> I've never been to Portland before, so assume I know nothing.


I haven't lived in Rain City in years but The Ringside has always been regarded as a great old PDX restaurant. While in Portland, you have to treat yourself to some microbrewed beers. Portland is the veritable ground zero for microbreweries...try Bridgeport Brewing or Rock Bottom if you're staying downtown.


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

Count Bassie said:


> I haven't lived in Rain City in years but The Ringside has always been regarded as a great old PDX restaurant. While in Portland, you have to treat yourself to some microbrewed beers. Portland is the veritable ground zero for microbreweries...try Bridgeport Brewing or Rock Bottom if you're staying downtown.


My late wife and I were "stranded" in Portland after a cross-country rail trip abruptly ended when massive landslides closed the Portland-California route. We were put up by Amtrak at a lovely motel and fed at the Ringside. The food was excellent. as I recall, with an emphasis on steaks but a rather mediocre choice of wines. Granted, this was a number of years ago and things may well have changed. We didn't have too much time for sightseeing, but I do remember the city as being very lovely; Mt. Hood, of course, is a dominant feature of the landscape.


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## 18677 (Jan 4, 2006)

*.*

I am glad to hear you will be in town. I might be able to set aside time for a meal and a drink.


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## jrandyv (Apr 3, 2006)

Walk the three streets on either side of Broadway from the Heathman Hotel to the Benson.
Take cab to the Pearl district at 10th and Glisan and walk around; also NW 23d.


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## Count Bassie (Oct 2, 2007)

rip said:


> My late wife and I were "stranded" in Portland after a cross-country rail trip abruptly ended when massive landslides closed the Portland-California route. We were put up by Amtrak at a lovely motel and fed at the Ringside. The food was excellent. as I recall, with an emphasis on steaks but a rather mediocre choice of wines. Granted, this was a number of years ago and things may well have changed. We didn't have too much time for sightseeing, but I do remember the city as being very lovely; Mt. Hood, of course, is a dominant feature of the landscape.


The Ringside is one of the older PDX eating establishments. I remember having dinner there one time and Hal Holbrook was sitting in the booth across from me. I also used to sit in the bar nursing a martini and eating what at the time were some pretty darned good onion rings.

I have to be candid about Portland however: PDX isn't about the restaurants or the bars or the microbreweries (of which there are many good ones). The thing you will no doubt notice if you drive around the city much is the jawdropping number of strip bars (more per capita than any other city in the country). Full nudity. You want a weird dining experience? Go to the Acropolis Club ($2 cover?) and sit at the edge of one of the stages and order a $8 chicken or steak dinner. It's just too bizarre. And don't forget to tip the dancers in between bites.


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## cgondek (Nov 22, 2005)

*Strip Bars?*

Sorry, I am a PDX local who has lived in other cities (Dallas, Houston, L.A.) and there is no surfeit of strip clubs in Portland compared to those other towns. This news is a little late for the man who started this post, but if someone else reads this, we are NOT strip club central.

Ringside is OK, but El Gaucho is much better for steaks. Ask the bartender to make you a Deadwood Old Fashioned, the best Old Fashioned I have ever had.

For the lady who said Portland isn't about the food, that must be why the New York Times has been reporting about our local food scene fairly steadily all through 2007. We are all about food and drink.

There are quite a few men's stores who are trying to be "nouveau trad" (don't ask) Stick with either John Helmer's on Broadway or Brooks Brothers in the Galleria (10th and SW Morrison) for the real deal.

Take a walk down the South Park blocks and look at the statues of TR and Lincoln on the way to the Portland Art Museum or grab a concert at the Schnitz (The Arlene Schnitzer Theatre) on Broadway. Look for the big "Portland" sign.

Grab some magazines and newspapers at Rich's Cigars. I don't smoke, but love that tobacco smell.

Have fun. Portland is a great city.


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