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    Covert Café

    4.9 (15 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Covert Café Photos

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    COVERT CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Covert Café

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    Nico B.

    I'm really happy I settled on the Montavilla neighborhood when choosing a home in Portland. This neighborhood has a long history of growing outstanding businesses that cater to an eclectic community, and Covert Cafe is no exception. I absolutely love this venue. Though I've only just discovered this fantastic business, I can tell it has morphed into its current state through constant community engagement. This is the cafe the neighborhood wants! It's a meeting space, it's where you go for Sunday breakfast, it's the place to listen to music or play Star Trek Trivia! With inviting indoor and outdoor spaces, Covert is filled with dusty old books, quirky art, pop-cultural knickknacks, musical instruments and so much more. There's something for everyone here! In the past week I've been to two events in this space. I attended a Montavilla East Tabor Business Association networking event a few days ago, and also had breakfast and listened to live music this morning. The staff were friendly and accommodating both times, and I felt like I was being invited to a neighbor's garden party rather than a local bar. Covert is that kind of community. I plan to return for more delicious breakfasts, and for their monthly Murder Podcast series that records live in the venue. In fact, look for Covert Cafe videos online. They produce really high quality content from the events that take place in their space. Yet another way these amazing folks help serve the community.

    The cheesesteak, full of chunks of sirloin
    John K.

    I'm thrilled that we read about Covert Cafe on a Montavilla neighborhood site. It's a wonderful addition to SE 82nd. It's always nice to see a smallish menu, which makes me confident that everything offered will be done well, since they presumably gravitate towards their strengths. Based on my first visit, I'm certain this is the case. Red meat is a rare indulgance for me, and steak is even rarer. The Covert version is simple perfection - a slab of perfectly cooked meat, topped with rosemary and butter, accompanied by a terrific salad. My wife went with the cheesesteak, which turned out to be made with chunks of the same sirloin as my entree. Despite us being thrilled with our choices, I'm currently looking forward to returning and trying the pulled pork. Food aside, the decor at Covert is welcoming and comfortable. There's a glass front bookcase full of Star Trek memorabilia, a small stage that hosts a variety of performances and quizzes (check the calendar on the web site), and a TV that was showing a Star Trek TNG episonde, with the sound loud enough that we could have paid attention if we wanted, but there was also music playing through the same speaker, all in all forming a pleasant background for diners.

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    3 months ago

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    3 days ago

    The best! Great cheeseburgers! Small, intimate, the perfect place to hear local musicians from all genres of music.

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    21 days ago

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    2 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Covert Café

    Excellent food (try the grilled cheese with bacon jam!), super friendly staff, and a welcoming atmosphere with lots of indoor and outdoor seating.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Chinese Cowboy

    4.1
    (20 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    Sad to hear this place closed…read more Warsugai rebranded as the Chinese Cowboy. A western / Chinese fusion of not just food but vibes. The food became a bit more paired down and focused more on sandwiches and burgers. BBQ with Asian slaw for example. It was still pretty good but I think it may have gave off a small identity crisis with what it was trying to do. I'll miss some of the food I've had at Warsugai and Chinese Cowboy.

    TL:DR Lovely bar with unfortunately subpar food…read more.. To be painfully truthful I do hate writing sort of meh reviews especially for establishments that are locally owned but there are a couple of things that unfortunately left a bad taste in my mouth. To start off entering the bar was elegant, it feels high class. The ambiance was dark, intimate and again elegant. We stopped by before heading out to some clubs for the evening for some food and drinks. The drinks were delicious and refreshing. They really do take care of their cocktails. The server was pleasant and attentive, although it was a slower night. However when it came to the food it was disappointing to say the least, for a place when you first walk in that looks classy and upscale, you would expect the food to be somewhat decent. We ordered the dumplings and brisket fried rice. To be short the dumplings were chewy and felt undercooked in terms of steam dumplings. The brisket fried rice was overly salty and the brisket was not at all tender; in fact when I tried to share with it my wife I could not tear it apart with a fork or with even my hands, it felt fatty and chewy. Again, the vibes and general area of the bar was immaculate, I appreciated eating by a candlelight and enjoying some drinks, but when it came to the food I felt underwhelmed. I do wish the best for the place however.

    Photos
    The Chinese Cowboy
    The Chinese Cowboy
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    Urdaneta

    Urdaneta

    4.6
    (436 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$$

    Wow. I came here with some girlfriends for dining month and I'll definitely be returning and…read moreincorporating this into restaurants I recommend to friends in town. Hospitality: amazing Ambiance: cozy corner restaurant that instantly feels warm when you enter. You'll witness at least one hug (I saw two!) The set menu for dining month has two options for course 1 and 2, and then a dessert. My favorite was the Nuestra Ensaladilla Rusa with albacore tuna conserva, albacore tataki, confit potatoes, carrots, mayo, and tobiko. This was basically a main course for me and I only finished half the 2nd and my dessert. All very delicious.

    This is such a wonderful restaurant. My wife and I dined here with four other friends. I had a…read morebourbon+amaro cocktail and red wine. I ordered olives+anchovies,potato+onion+egg+tortilla, albacore tuna+potato+carrot +peas+mayo+avacado+toasted bun, blood sausage+quail egg+peppers+ piquillo jam+toasted bread, potato waffle+brava sauce+herb aioli+chives, shrimp toast+garlic+chili+sofrito+yuzu aioli+green olive relish, pan (warm baguette) olive oil+brown butter, jamon iberico de bellota, croquetas de jamon+bechamel+hard boiled egg+aioli, octopus+truffle potato+leek marmalade+chorizo, iberico pork collar steak+eggplant+apple relish, nantes carrots+yogurt+date+almond, lamb belly+rhubarb+onion+garlic. All of it, so very good. Our waiter was also great.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Gilda 2.0
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    Navarre

    Navarre

    3.9
    (478 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    We met a friend here last night - - he had been several times before, but it was our first time…read more Tables are pretty close together with a decent sized dining area and both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu is clipboard style with lots of options - - just choose what you want in a small or large size. We shared a bunch of things - - but we were limited a bit because I am gluten-free and dairy-free, but what's new. The menu isn't marked for allergens, and our server wasn't quite sure what was safe for me - - she said to stay away from the gratins and that she would double check on the items we ordered to make sure they were ok. I'm not sure if what I had was made the way the chef normally prepares the dishes or if they altered dishes for my diet. So, keep this in mind while I run through my thoughts. Food came out in good time. Our table was filled with lots of little plates. Most of the vegetable dishes we ordered were kinda dry - cauliflower, zuchini, greens and the beets were ok. Nothing really special. The shrimp and tuna were prepared well. Wine, beer and cider only. Server was efficient. Street parking.

    We went here with a big group and did their "dinner for the table" family style. The bread as…read morestarter was good. I felt like every dish was almost just one ingredient that when I put them all together and made my own dish was good but separately wasn't anything to truly rave about. That being said their fish was very soft and delicious. That paired with one of their salads, that was mostly just lettuce, and green beans with fish was good. The liver dish I didn't really like. The chicken was fine.

    Photos
    Navarre
    Zucchini Benedict, Bacon, Lamb + Tapenade, Cumin Cauliflower, Chard, Fried Eggs.
    Zucchini Benedict, Bacon, Lamb + Tapenade, Cumin Cauliflower, Chard, Fried Eggs.
    Beer, wine and cider only

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    Beer, wine and cider only
    Parallel

    Parallel

    4.8
    (24 reviews)
    2.8 mi

    I took my spouse here for his birthday and reserved the tasting menu, and it turned out to be an…read moreincredible experience. Every dish was beautifully prepared and absolutely delicious, and the wine pairings complemented each course perfectly. The service was outstanding. Everyone was warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. You can really tell they care about the details, from the presentation of each plate to the glassware used for the wine. If you're in the city and looking for a winery-style dining experience with exceptional food, I highly recommend this place. The tasting menu is especially worth it, as it gives you the chance to try a variety of dishes along with thoughtfully selected wines. I would definitely recommend it.

    Parallel is a wine-forward establishment with fun and delicious food. We're drawn by their crazy…read morehappy hour deals: 50% off selected their $45-50 bottles from 4-6pm daily, coming in at around $10/pp for a great time! The Spanish Orange wine we tried was funky and unique. The deal was a safe way to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. For food, the smaller shareables we tried were all delectable. Freshly made and artfully crafted with bold flavor combos. The Smoked Onion Dip was rich and savory. Those housemade chips were so salty and crispy, making them the perfect drinking snacks. The Hush Puppies were another fun item, paired with the slightly sweet and umami Uni Butter to make the most interesting bite in terms of textures and flavors. Having their Donut for dessert was also the way to cap our meal. The sugary exterior broke like glass when we cut through the treat - it's that crispy - revealing velvety pumpkin spiced cream filling that went surprisingly well with the aged gouda grated on top. It's a great time visiting Parallel and they certainly left us wanting more. We'll be back for more wines and to try their mains!

    Photos
    Restaurant entrance.
    Restaurant entrance.
    Parallel
    Parallel

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    Luc Lac

    Luc Lac

    4.1
    (4.7k reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Family-owned & operated

    This place sometimes feels like a hit or miss with this last experience as being a hit, we ate it…read moreall up and took the rest to go. Portions are large and meant to be shared family style. We shared the cream cheese wontons, coconut curry with chicken spice level 2(which comes with rice), and the luc lac. Everything was deliciousss! The chicken in the curry broke apart so easily and the curry itself was very flavorful. Spice level 2 was perfect for a little kick, but not too much. The meat on the luc lac has a nice char on it and a sauce that is almost sweet. Service is quick and the vibe inside is very trendy with colorful decor and lights. Great for a night out. Previous visits have sometimes left us confused as if we ordered something different than a usual so i would say it is not too consistent but great if you catch it on a good day.

    Disappointed in the price and quality…read more The taste of the pho was okay. Also, my partners shrimp dish did not have a lot of shrimp for being $22. I was very disappointed and the Vietnamese iced coffee being told that's just how it comes and talked down to like I was dumb. I've had iced coffee, several Vietnamese places and this is the first time it's been about a tablespoon or two of liquid and almost all ice. See photo of finished beverage. For $6.50 this was massively overpriced. The ambiance is super cool which is why I think this place is rated so high. It is fun with all the decoration but not worth it for the food.

    Photos
    Boo'd Up
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    Indoor Dining
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    Papaya Salad, Luc Lac, Pho Train, Coconut Curry, Cream Cheese Wonton

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    Covert Café - bars - Updated June 2026

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