Portland's Best Singles Scene

A Beaverton magnet that attracts a crowd with dependably good food and a lively bar scene.

Reviews:

• “HORRIBLE management with no idea what customer service is”
• “Disappointing”
• “TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!!!!”
• “Not worth the money!”
• “Fake Upscale”

Tips: Get great deals on drinks and appetizers weekdays, 3pm-6pm and 9pm to close. For $3, you can get items like a glass of chardonnay or buffalo wings.

Hall Street Bar & Grill

This refined lounge shakes and remakes the perennially cool martini in Portland’s hippest ’hood.

Reviews:

• “Great place for a drink Friday after work.”
• “Best martini bar in the Pearl”
• “Always a great time!”
• “They lost my Debit card….”
• “Pleased with this martini bar”

Tips: Drink specials run from 4pm to 7pm weeknights. Sip martinis and cocktails for $4 or margaritas and bubbly drinks for $5.

Vault Martini Bar or email Vault Martini Bar

An inviting bar in the up-and-coming North Williams corridor offers unpretentious libations and pub grub.

Reviews:

• “Great Drinks”
• “Great if you have low self-esteem…”
• “Love it love it”
• “Favorite Bar in N. PDX”
• “Too cool for school”

Tips: “Salon Q,” a social gathering for the middle-aged gay community takes place on the second Tuesday of the month.

Vendetta

Latin eatery heats up the Pearl with its sophisticated decor and inventive food.

Reviews:

• “Resting uncomfortably on its laurels”
• “Home of the $24 tamale”
• “Thoroughly enjoyed our evening”
• “Great happy hour and drinks!!!”
• “Innovative menu, great wine list and excellent service 4.5 stars”

Tips: From 4:30pm to 6:30pm daily all well drinks are $3 (including margaritas, lemon drops and cosmos), and a special selection of tapas are $3 to $4. Available in the bar only.

Oba Restaurant or email Oba Restaurant

Being Irish is all in the attitude at this downtown pub and eatery.

Reviews:

• “Horrible customer service”
• “Proper guinness pours AND a never fail hookup spot! What more could you ask for?”
• “Best Bar in Town”
• “Hospitality at its best!!!”
• “Favorite place on Earth”

Tips: A bartender will toss your greenback (plus two quarters) up to the ceiling—where it sticks—for Irish luck. Once a year, the money is swept down and donated to Providence Child Center.

Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub

Dazzling dishes created with exotic ingredients and luxe urban decor add luster to the Pearl District’s dining scene.

Reviews:

• “wonderful evening”
• “Love It!”
• “Nice but overrated”
• “This is the place to be.”
• “Divine Dinner”

Tips: Entertaining? Book the long, elegant chef’s table in the middle of the restaurant; it seats 14.

Bluehour

A favorite after-work haunt with well-executed Pacific Northwest cuisine and a lively patio scene.

Reviews:

• “Even though its close by, don’t go on show night”
• “Hands Down – My Favorite restaurant in Portland”
• “Phenomenal food. Horrible service”
• “Hot Numi Tea – really!”
• “Disappointing”

Tips: A commitment to unusual and hard-to-find wines distinguishes the list here. Plus, the restaurant features numerous by-the-glass options at low prices.

Veritable Quandary or email Veritable Quandary

Downtown restaurant and lounge attracts diners and dancers with its contemporary fare and sleek setting.

Reviews:

• “nicest place EVAAAA..good service..”
• “Excellent Birthday!”
• “Best VIP Birthday Experience Ever”
• “Amazing space and service!! The chocolate fondue is one of a kind!!”
• “Will NEVER go back again!!!”

Tips: House drinks are color-coded from red to brown. Purple is a complex mix of raspberry vodka, grape juice, lavender and essence of lime.

Aura Restaurant and Lounge or email Aura Restaurant and Lounge

Deliciously dark and seductive, this downtown hot spot has set Portland’s bar scene on fire.

Reviews:

• “Never liked this place, but now I can safely say it’s somehow worse.”
• “Saturday Night Entertainment”
• “My hang”
• “Sundays are fun, other nights appear a little hardcore if you are without ear plugs”
• “Good bar, bad pizza…”

Tips: Munch on New York-style pizza by the slice, available until closing.

Dante’s