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!

First time in this friendly neighborhood beer hall. Came for their offering during Portland Pizza…read moreWeek. The intent is that you can get a creative slice for a uniform price at any participating location during the promo week. But here they only sell a whole pan. Would it kill them just to play along? Feels kinda underhanded. That said, their square "Let's Get Baked" was kinda weak, but with a yummy crust. After this experience I conclude that potato does not go well on pizza, the flavor profile is too bland. The wait was long. No condiments other than pepper flakes. The tables propped up by a large beer keg kinda suck as it's difficult to stretch your legs. Friendly bartender. iPad defaults to a minimum 20%, but that's Portland. The Trainsong Saison beer completed the meal well. Doable parking. People look happy here.

A classic example of a neighborhood brewery…read more The brewery is unpretentious and blends naturally with the area. Plenty of well worn seating inside and out. The beertender with glasses was right on friendly with his welcoming making you think you are undoubtedly going to keep your card on tab. Cool guy. Their core Watershed IPA is solid but a seasonal favorite is the Ill Tempered Gnome Brown Ale. Small batch brewing keeps new brews in rotation. Pizza is ~ 8in Detroit style a bit pricey but good. Seasonal events makes this a popular spot for repeat customers. Street parking. The music is loud on the weekends.

THE BIG: Taprom right in the heart of the historic art district of Alberta in North Portland. Does…read morehave AC inside and indoor/outdoor seating. Street parking available. THE BLACK AND WHITE: The wife and a couple of friends came here before our dinner and after we tried Great Notion Brewing right across the street. It was a hot day and boy did the AC feel great inside. Plenty of beers on tap however they don't provide food, but that's alright. There's a couple of food trucks/spot outside and you BYOF. The beer I got was the Chill, which was their Helles lager. Delicious for a hot summer day. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall the beer was around $7 and you can customize it to be a 12oz or 16oz. Will be back to try more beers!

Super great beer!! Such friendly staff!! I wish I lived in Portland so I could be a regular here…read more The beer was delicious. And If you're wanting to grab food and have a beer there is a food cart lot right next door with a pizza cart, Mexican food cart others. They have both a great patio and a great back porch too!! I'd definitely come back!

Years later, and I still enjoy Great Notion. When an out-of-town guest asks for some "fun beer,"…read morethis is where I take them. The Blueberry Muffin is an all-time favorite, and even though I get annoyed when they're sold out, it's never enough to keep me away. Most times I get a flight and try a bunch of different things. This location is charming. It has the industrial decor that now feels cliché but was groundbreaking for beer and burger spots a decade ago. With a very large patio and big garage doors, it's great during summer especially. Staff is knowledgeable about their beer, patient while we deliberated, and did us a favor to help the beer travel on the plane. The kitchen is now operated by Matt's BBQ Tacos (which I will review separately).

Confessional time: yep, I'm old…read more I'm right on the cusp of the Millennials and Gen X. And you will pry my hoppy IPA from my cold, dead, but very happy hands. I have to admit I was a teeny bit worried when I saw Great Notion's hazy/tart-forward taplist yesterday. But The Soughten--a collab with Breakside, dry hopped with (per the website) "Citra, Amarillo, and Chinook hops along with Euphorics"--was SO SO SO GOOD. One of the driest IPAs I've had in years, and just delicious! Really unique. Instead of a punch-you-in-the-face hops (which I also like), this one had a super complex flavor. As for Great Notion itself, this location is just lovely. Airy, with dangling plants and assorted vintage/antique light fixtures. You order your Matt's BBQ Tacos from a computer kiosk, and then order your drinks from the bar. As always Matt's "The G.O.A.T." taco is the thing to order--yumm. We'll be back.

Eric who was the owner and our host. 5 star service. He KNOWS his stuff when it comes to wine. My…read morefriend Brian told him he had an "orange wine" but didn't really like it blah blah (I shut down at @orange wine... I'm from Florida and that meant he didn't drink real wine lol...) But Eric suggested a Rose. It was a German Rose. Which was another surprise. Usually I'm PRETTY snobby about "why isn't it from OREGON?!? We make all the best wines!!" But Brian, my sweet friend, said oh this is delicious. And was carrying on so I said OMG I'll try it too. Well wow. It ass so delicious. Flavorful but so light. Effervescent just on the front of your pallet. It was delicious. So much so we finished a bottle. And a bit more than that lol But it's DELICIOUS wine. What a great setup. Intimate, cozy, great spot, great music. And like I said, Eric was a great host. We even got to meet his lovely partner and their son. Who was an absolute doll and pleasure to hang with. We both signed up for the mailing list and we WILL be back!!

Superb selection of domestic and foreign wines and beers and charming and very well informed…read moreservice. In an arty part of Portland. Has the potential to become an important cultural meeting and event venue.

I can get behind this concept. Great space. AC was on point when I came here it was 90 outside and…read moreI biked here, why not! It's beer! I'll be back with a crew next round. I hope this place stays in the hood.

In a world that's rapidly losing beer bars, I love that Function exists. Monthly guest taps are a…read moregenius idea and a great way for locals to try some faraway brews. Nice that there are options to sit inside or outside. Hasn't really been busy any time I've dropped in, but the service was fine. HUGE shout out to Spanish Marie. Kind of obsessed with that brewery now, and I wouldn't even know about them if not for Function. Great way to try to beers we might not otherwise get around here. Flights are a great option to try several offerings at once. Fun place in a great neighborhood.

This is a true gem of Portland. Low key and welcoming with a great atmosphere. Knowledgeable bar…read morestaff and kind customers. You can order food from the surrounding neighborhood businesses and bring it into the bar. Music on Saturdays and lots of other fun events during the week. Music bingo, bluegrass jam, etc. are always well attended. This my favorite neighborhood bar -

This tap house is pretty incredible. If you're a Phish fan you may recognize the name from a song…read morelyric. When Phish is on tour they simulcast the show and give you high quality headsets to listen as loud as you'd like. The show plays in the bar overall. But it's at a normal volume. So the headsets are VERY nice to filter out all other noise. Now the taps! Another knockout. They offer a rotating list of offerings from the best beers in a major beer city. You can't go wrong with any of them. The staff is fun, friendly and knowledgeable. My wife and I had such a good time we left with a t-shirt and beer can koozies to give friends so they don't forget to visit when they are in town. Overall loved this place and went twice while we were in town.

For locals and visitors alike, you Must visit McMenamins…read moreKennedy School. Whether you visit the boiler bar for some billiards and shuffleboard or get sent to detention to try some great whisky the atmosphere is always eclectic and serene at the same time. Sound juxtaposed? Just go and visit, you'll see what I mean. Feeling adventurous on a warm evening, visit the courtyard restaurant and order a Moscow mule but substitute the vodka for their signature Aval Potta whisky, while sitting next to the fire place. Trust me, this is the night out you've been looking for!

Didn't realize this place is in a neighborhood so it's understandable that they close early. We got…read morein there before 10pm (when most of the rooms close) and ordered. We did not get our appetizer but had to ask about it. Our waiter did not address until we did... So that was a bust. We did not see our waiter again as another lady took over. Not sure why. Anyway, the food was alright, nothing crazy, nothing too impressive. We ordered drinks at one of the rooms that was also closing at 10pm. The lady was taking our order when her friends showed up and she decided to greet and talk to them in the middle of me ordering. That's right, she literally stopped listening to me and started talking to them. She did a little, "oh I'm sorry" but definitely felt the ick. Weird vibes from that place and the restaurant. The Boiler Room was the best place cause it stayed open late and the vibes were chill. Ordered a few drinks that were delivered to us since the bar is downstairs & our table was at the top. Cool room and decor.

Came on a Friday before our dinner reservation. It was very chill vibes for 5pm. The setting is so…read morecute and quiet. Space is shared among food trucks. There is a lineup of the beers they offer. It's a straight to the point beer from a trailer. Service is chill. They offer live music later into the evening. Bathroom is HOT! Code required.

The lady was super rude. I was waiting for another food cart and she starts giving me grief for…read morechecking to see if someone was in the cart. I asked her a simple question and she then proceeded to give me more lip talking about how would I know maybe go ask someone else. I've never had the food from there but based on the impolite service alone I would not recommend.

I was not prepared for what happened last Monday thanks to Binks. My dear friends live close by and…read morewe met for a show at Alberta Rose, down the street. We were having such a great evening, we decided to get a drink but were clueless as to where. We decided to walk down the street and find a spot which turned out to be Binks. We grabbed a table and immediately were amused by the diverse cast of characters who were throughout the inside and outside spaces, including playing a game of pool. Everyone seemed to kinda know each other which was already a different dynamic since everyone bar I have been in is smaller groups of people who are there together and separate. The music... every song was fantastic... New Order, Men Without Hats, The Cure, Berlin, The Sugarhill Gang... come on, so good - impromptu dancing and people with really great energy. I was on the fence about getting a pizza when a random guy had JUST grabbed a pizza at the counter right there... he put it in front of me and my friend saying to have it since they messed up and added olives. It was is pineapple and olive... I actually hate olives... but my friend loves them and hates pineapple! So she ate the olives and I ate the pizza. It was actually quite delicious - even better as it was free! By the end of the night, we were friends with the whole bar and everyone joined in for an impromptu sing along (thx Wayne's World) to Queen's Bohemian Rapsody. It was amazing and again, on a Monday night.