Happy hour highlights
Students ought to be able to eat well on the cheap without cooking for ourselves all of the time. Our bodies need good food to keep our brains nourished, right?
With tight budgets, finding an earth-shattering cocktail along with a lip-smacking meal is no easy task. Fortunately, Portland’s high falutin’ foodie restaurants and bars want to help you eat and drink with abandon, so long as it is a weekday between 4 and 7 p.m.
The only downside is that happy hour doesn’t last all night. Management lures in customers by pricing certain items super low, hoping to earn loyalty and bring in some new faces, especially during peak hours.
Be aware that you will be expected to purchase the minimum drink order, which is noted when the minimum is high. The usual is about $3 to $4, not unreasonable considering the bargains in the food arena.
How do they do it? Kitchen food cost averages out to be somewhere around 20 percent in a well-run operation, meaning the ingredients cost a tiny fraction of the menu price. Marking down items with a low cost brings in customers when the place would probably be empty otherwise, and keeps cooks busy who are already in the kitchen, getting ready for dinner.
Note, too, that some spots mark down only food prices, whereas others will have drink specials too. Choose the destination based on what the needs of the group are, and how fast you can get there!
Downtown
The Heathman Restaurant and Bar
1001 S.W. Broadway
Happy hour: 4 ?” 6 p.m., daily
Find steeply discounted dishes from one of the city’s famed French chefs here. Don’t let the stuffy clientele scare you away from a menu that’s marked down considerably past 50 percent. A classic croque monsieur is an amped-up toasted ham and cheese and creamy sauce bechamel – it’s a steal at $2.50. Check out mussels steamed in coconut curry broth for $3 and a flawless burger for $4. Soup of the day, with homemade stocks and big flavors, is just $1.50.
Be warned: There is a $3 drink minimum, and drinks are not discounted, so come here to eat. A pint of Full Sail amber ale is $4.75, so just drink one!
Oba!
555 N.W. 12th Ave.
Happy hour: 4 ?” 6:30 p.m., daily
Great prices on Latin-inspired food and drinks. Fresh fruit margaritas are a bargain at $3.75 for mango, blood orange or guava. Try queso fundido – a super-cheesy dip with chorizo sausage and tortilla chips at $4.50. Also, grilled salmon tostada with pineapple black bean salsa for $3.50. The lively bar is always busy and the food is fun and colorful.
Portland City Grill
111 S.W. Fifth Ave., U.S. Bank Tower, 30th floor
Happy hour: 4:30 ?” 6:30 p.m., Monday ?” Saturday; 10 p.m. ?” close, Monday ?” Thursday; 4 p.m. ?” close, Sunday
Absurdly low prices on Asian-inspired dishes like teriyaki chicken, rice paper rolls and tempura prawns for $2.95 each. Worth a trip for the view alone.
Saucebox
214 S.W. Broadway
Happy hour: 5 ?” 7 p.m., Tuesday ?” Friday
Running the happy hour a little bit later into the night, this spot really heats up into the wee hours. Always trendy, prices on Asian food are rock-bottom reasonable and some of the signature tropical drinks are $4. Try anything with house-infused rum. Well drinks are $3 and beers $2. Sapporo draught (a rare find) is $2.50.
North/Northeast
820
820 N. Russell St.
Happy hour: 4 ?” 6:30 p.m., Monday ?” Saturday
Skip over the river on the Broadway Bridge into North Portland and you’ll find our city’s most famous cocktails. The inventive Lucy Brennan, owner and mixologist, has been featured in fancy food magazines and even has classes. Dark and elegant, the space does nothing to detract from the drinks: bright and clean with simply elegant flavors. Time your visit right and pick from 13 on her special menu priced at $5 each. The brief menu from the postage-stamp-sized kitchen next door is short and snacky. Try crunchy sweet potato fries.
Basil Bar
3135 N.E. Broadway
Happy hour: 4:30 ?” 6:30 p.m., Monday ?” Saturday and 4:30 p.m. ?” close, Sunday
Some of the city’s most reliable Thai food at reasonable prices. Tom ka, a creamy, tangy coconut milk soup with lemongrass, is $3. Menu is heavy on fried foods. The special drink menu is not discounted but well drinks are the bargain here at $3.50.
Southeast
Imbibe
2229 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.
Happy hour: 4 ?” 7 p.m., daily
Cozy atmosphere with entire eats menu priced at $3.95, with standouts like the painted hills burger and mac and cheese. Well drinks are $3 and beer is discounted.
Sapphire Hotel
5008 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.
Happy hour: 3 ?” 6 p.m., daily
An old-time bordello, the interior here is aptly bathed in red. The short (but solid) appetizer menu is $2 off, and drink specials are made with top-shelf, high-quality liquors for $5. PBR tallboys are $1. Friendly, warm service.
