SOUTHWEST
835 SW 2nd
LĂșc LĂĄc is hardly a well-kept secret; usually you'll find a long line of people lusting for their fresh, hot bowls of pho, especially their quality vegan/vegetarian options. Happy hour is the perfect time to explore the rest of LĂșc LĂĄc's offerings, too. A single drink purchase during the appointed hours opens the door to an extensive small-plate menu. For two dollars, I'm partial to the mussels in a delicious lemongrass tamarind broth, and the fish sauce chicken wings are a popular choice. The mushroom-y garlic string beans are another highlight. Three dollars bumps you into the larger-portioned salad bracket, where veggies and papaya find themselves in company with steak, seafood, chicken, and tofu. You can easily make a varied meal without straying from the happy hour, but I prefer to approach it as a supplement to the main attraction: the pho. MARJORIE SKINNER
Happy Hour: daily 4-7 pm, $4-6 beer, wine, & "dealer's choice" cocktails, $2-3 small plates & salads
300 SW 6th
The Original bills itself as a "dinerant." "Dinerants," as we all know, are diner/restaurant combos, which have become terribly popular in America during recent years. The fare is amped-up classic diner cuisine, and it works, mostly. The $5 meatloaf sliders are solid, and the chicken and waffles sliders (also $5) are gimmicky, but they're fried food covered in syrup and if you don't like that you probably hate America. There's a $6 punch of the day that, when I went, was an uninspired Kamikaze. The biggest knock against the Original is the décor and ambiance. It's trying for a Mad Men retro thing, and it doesn't quite work. No matter, though. The sliders are great. JS
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4-6 pm, $5 wine, $6 punch of the day, $3-8 menu
Portland City Grill
111 SW 5th, 30th floor
While this high-flying restaurant bar on the 30th floor of Big Pink may appear too classy for your station in life, trust me, it's not. It's basically a Bennigan'sâif that Bennigan's was on an orbiting satellite. And I don't mean that in a terrible wayâthe view is amazing, the bartenders are tip-top, and the drink specials include an array of beer, wine, and fruity cocktails that pairs perfectly with the cheesy live piano music. The food is better than average, particularly the kung pao calamari, which is a spicy pile of seafaring fun. Meanwhile, the crab and avocado roll may not win any awards, but is a completely serviceable snack while you stare across the city, trying to locate your house. WSH
Happy Hour: Mon-Sat 4-7 pm, 9 pm-close, Sun noon-11 pm, drink specials $4.25-6.95, menu $4.95-10.95
340 SW Morrison
Undoubtedly the finest place to drink if you're imprisoned within the soulless tomb of Pioneer Place mall, the sprawling Portland location of the Punch Bowl Social chain is a Chuck E. Cheese for bridge-and-tunnelers, with bowling, cornhole, darts, pinball, and videogames to distract you from the fact that you are, in fact, imprisoned within the soulless tomb of Pioneer Place. Nighttime finds the place packed with exactly the kind of people you'd expect to see getting shitfaced at a mall, but the afternoon yields a surprisingly mellow experience: Service is friendly and attentive, the menu offers well-balanced Old Fashioneds ($6), "Old Man Cans" of Rainier, Olympia, and PBR for $3, and totally fine pork "Street Tacos" ($2.50), and fries loaded with parmesan and truffle oil ($6). They also have a Return of the Jedi arcade machineâall the better to remind you of those years you were stuck killing time at the mall because you weren't old enough to go anywhere better. EH
Happy Hour: daily 3-6 pm, 10 pm-close, $3-4 cans of beer, $4 wells, $6 cocktails, reduced-price wine, $2.50-6 menu
910 SW Salmon
Shigezo is kind of like a theme bar where the theme is HOLY SHIT JAPAN. The bamboo, the Taiko drum at the door, the staff uniforms, Kanji on everything, it's almost too much. But the food makes up for the theme-park feel. Sushi like the spicy tuna ($4) and California roll ($3.50, not actually Japanese, still good) are assembled and plated artfully, and the ebi mayo ($5) combines fried shrimp, crispy wontons, and spicy Japanese-style mayo in ways that I did not think would work, but do. The drinks, like the décor, are a bit on the HOLY SHIT JAPAN side, but they work. I had green tea mixed with chu hai, and was satisfied with the warm, semi-sweet concoction before me. Don't let the over-the-top ambiance fool you; the food at Shigezo earns the atmosphere. JS
Happy Hour: Mon-Thurs 4-10 pm, Sat-Sun 1-6 pm, 9 pm-close, all-day Sun, reduced prices on drafts, specialty cocktails, & wells, $1-8 menu
SOUTHEAST
3356 SE Belmont
There was a time when the Aalto Lounge was the unofficial HQ for Portland's independent fashion sceneâback when the smart money would have been on SE Belmont over SE Division as the next Southeast strip to blow up. Instead Belmont keeps its busy-but-laidback pace, more of a local's destination than a food tourist's, and the Aalto remains one of the neighborhood's best bars. It still has many of the same things going for it that it always had, from the flattering lighting and cozy couch nooks to a happy hour that is among the smoking-est deals in the city. For two hours every day, you'll find a mini-collection of cocktails at an unbelievably low $2, from a Serrano-infused vodka concoction called the Slow Burn to "grown up Jell-O shots." Perhaps even better is a rotating selection of wine available by the bottle for just $10! If you're more into the beer scene, those come by the bucket, ranging from $4-12 for four bottles. It's the perfect thing to split with a friend or two over a grilled cheese with tomato soup or hot pretzel with cheese sauce, each of which, again, go for a mere $2. All the better to save money you could otherwise spend on clothes! MS
Happy Hour: daily 5-7 pm, $2 cocktails, beer & wine to share from $8-12, $2 menu
215 SE 9th
This ramen, people. This ramen is as good as any in the city. It is served, like all Biwa's food, with a prologue of hot towel and spicy, deep-orange popcorn. And during the SE Portland izakaya's daily happy hour it is just $5âumami-licious broth, vegetables, egg, and noodles. For an extra $4 you can kick in pork shoulder that's too unwieldy to work with chopsticks (other add-ons are available, too, and cheaper). For a not-inconsiderable $10, Biwa's only happy hour drink special is a small glass of "premium sake" overfilled so it forms one of those tiny, physics-defying domes on top and becomes impossible not to spill while sipping. Like pretty much everything at this small, garden-level gem, even that's charming. DVH
Happy Hour: daily 5-6 pm, 9-10 pm (Fri-Sat 9-11 pm), counter service only, $10 sake, $5 noodles
2821 SE Stark
If you're looking for a substantial supper at an economical price point, the Bonfire Lounge's happy hour has a gut-staunching array of tasty options. Gyros, tacos (chicken, pork, fish, or tofu), or burgers (veggie too!) are all available for a mere $4 with the purchase of a beverage. Micros and wells are $1 off, as is the menu of inventive cocktails. The Come Again turns the martini on its ear, mixing peach bitters and mint with a traditional gin base (they use the locally distilled New Deal 33). It's a little unusual, sure, but it's good, and when you combine that with one of the liveliest sunny-day sidewalk table scenes around (summer is coming) and a rainy day pool table, it makes a very fine case for wrapping up work early. Its extended hours sweeten the deal further, inviting you to linger and slowly gather a crowd. MS
Happy Hour: daily 2-7 pm, $1 off micros, wells, & specialty cocktails, $4 food menu
3525 SE Division
Ask me where I want to meet you for happy hour, and I'll answer "Cibo." This upscale, but not fussy Italian eatery has some dynamite deals on their superb menu during happy hour, and after a pokey opening, the neighborhood has smartly embraced itâto the point where you might have trouble finding an empty bar stool during peak occupancy. Run, don't walk, to get the steal of a deal on their margherita pizza ($7), with a well-seasoned tomato sauce and blocks of fresh mozzarella transformed into oozing goodness by their Ligurian oven in minutes flat. (Be sure to get there before 6 pm to get your pizza order in.) The mussels ($8) come in a saffron tomato cream sauce, and the burger ($6) comes with prosciutto, so Cibo's the best place to pamper yourself without breaking the bank. A small handful of cocktails, like the Rosemary Sour ($6), are available at a discount, but their solid wine list might be even more appealing. NL
Happy Hour: daily 5-6:30 pm (last pizza order at 6 pm), Sun-Thurs 9-10 pm, Fri-Sat 10-11 pm, reduced-price cocktails, $1 off beer & wells, $2 off wine, $3-8 menu, discounted pizza of the day
1400 SE Morrison
Crush is a legendary LGBT venue that's welcoming to everyoneâthe main bar is casual with a laidback atmosphere and populated with regulars. The friendly bartenders mix some pretty stiff drinks, so if you like your martini with just a lick of vermouth, this is the place for you. There are a handful of other happy hour cocktails, plus well-priced house wines ($4.50), well drinks ($3), and drafts ($3.25). There's an extensive food menu, ranging from yams with vegan curry gravy to pulled pork sliders. The burger ($5.75) is a little bland and nothing to get too excited about. The Idaho nachos ($5.75), on the other hand, are anything but standard issueâit's a ridiculous combination of fries covered in melted cheddar, mozzarella, bacon, and sour cream; a pleasant afternoon was spent trying to pry the delicious crispy bits off the plate. MJS
Happy Hour: Wed-Sun 3-7 pm, Tues 3 pm-midnight, reduced-price beer, wine, & cocktails, $2.75-5.75 menu
2002 SE Division
Double Barrel is the Platonic ideal of a Southeast Portland bar. The rustic Western-themed bar is purdy, the ample patio and sidewalk seating are sunny, and the big fireplace is roaring. Plus their $5 happy-hour burger is damn delicious. You can scarf down that fine beast all day long on Sundays, like, say when you're watching some sportsing on Double Barrel's big screen, playing darts, or reading a book by the fire. Their happy hour menu also has a fine selection of delicious dips and wings, if those are your favorite thing-a-lings. CF
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 2-7 pm, all-day Sun, $1 off wells & wine, 50 cents off drafts, $5 menu
1800 E Burnside
EastBurn has a hell of a whiskey selection (which is enough to recommend any bar), and it also has cheerful, quick service, a solid selection of beers, and a location that makes meeting up with people easy (which is enough to recommend it for any social happy hour). And its big, varied happy hour menu doesn't fuck around: Basics include their great EB cheeseburger ($10, with an excellent veggie burger option) and a $5 baby spinach salad that boasts red onion, candied pecans, and an acorn squash vinaigrette, but you can also get calamari ($7), goat cheese and kale dip ($8), and a grilled portobello sandwich ($9). Oh, and +10 points, EastBurn, for playing "Rhythm Is a Dancer" during happy hour. +1,000,000,000 points for playing "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)." EH
Happy Hour: daily 3-6 pm, $5-10 menu, rock your body right, BACKSTREET'S BACK ALL RIGHT
3267 SE Hawthorne
Of all the happy hours in town, this may be one of the most famous, and for good reason: The atmosphere is romantically cool, the drinks are stiff, and the happy hour menu is well curated and delicious. And since these specials are served from 2-8 pm EVERY STINKING DAY, Gold Dust obviously appreciates its clientele and knows which side of its bread is buttered. Obviously you're going to enjoy their 50-cent-off wells and pints, but for surefire food specials, eat their deviled eggs ($4), Caesar salad ($5), (my personal fave) the garlic green beans ($5), the BBQ chicken flatbread ($5), the crab cakes ($6)... and I'm going to stop there, because Gold Dust has happy hour dialed in, and I've made my point: Their reputation is well earned. WSH
Happy Hour: daily 2-8 pm, 50 cents off wells & pints, $1 off wine, $4-6 menu
4111 SE Hawthorne
The Hawthorne Hophouse isn't much to look atâit's in a rather dull strip mall on SE Hawthorne, and the dĂ©cor isn't anything special. But don't let that dissuade you, or else you'll miss out on one of the best beer 'n' burger establishments around. Hophouse has a metric ton of beers and a delicious Painted Hills beef burger ($4 at happy hour), alongside basically any kind of fried food you might want ($4 garlic fries = A+, would garlic fry again). The Hophouse isn't trendy, but it isn't buttoned up either, which makes for a nice, neighborhood atmosphere; it's the perfect no-frills spot to meet up with a friend for some meat, potatoes, and booze. Just don't go on trivia night (you know, unless you love trivia), and don't order the extra-spicy deviled eggs ($3), unless you have extreme tolerance for spiciness (or a sinus infection). MB
Happy Hour: Mon-Sat 3-6 pm, 9 pm-midnight, Sun noon-11 pm, reduced-price beer, $3-7 menu
3412 SE Division
Lompoc Brewing's Hedge House is quite possibly the most homey spot for drinking fancy beer and stuffing your gullet with greasy pub snacks. Housed in an old bungalow next to a car-repair shop on SE Division, the Hedge House feels cozy, warm, and pleasantly ordinary, like hanging out at a friend's house. The back patio is a quasi-outdoor space that's comfy even in winter, and if you're a beer drinker, it might be your Valhalla: The Pamplemousse Citrus IPA and Fool's Golden Ale are both crisp and not too hoppy, and there's a small army of lagers and stouts on tap. All of these pair well with Hedge House's simple, very tasty food, like (weirdly) the Welsh rarebit. Basically melted cheese on toast, the Hedge House's version of it is more delicious than Welsh rarebit has any business being. MB
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, 10 pm-close, reduced-price cocktails, beer, & wine, $2-5 menu
2944 SE Powell
Beware the Terrordome that is the rest of Hopworks' main brewpub, where children run amok like packs of wild rats armed with deadly bacteria and complimentary crayons. Once you're in the bar section that overlooks SE Powell, there's nary a booger-laden toddler underfoot, and there's a great happy hour menu to boot. The "pint o' pretzels" ($3, not necessarily served in a pint glass) are warm and soft and won't overwhelm whatever terrific Hopworks beer you're working on. For something with a bit more character, check out the chipotle pepper wings ($5.75), which are sweetly savory and finger-licking good. (Seriously, wash those hands first, thoughâthere are kids everywhere.) Veg-heads can check out the black bean corn cakes ($4.25), which come with a pleasant cilantro lime sauce and are quite filling. There are also sliders and pizza slices and stromboli on the menu for cheap; with the full array of Hopworks beers on tap, you're bound to find something to line the stomach for a serious suds sesh. NL
Happy Hour: Sun-Thurs 9 pm-close, Fri-Sat 10 pm-close, $1 off beer, $2.50-5.75 menu
720 SE Grand
Kachka's world-class cooking and ever-impressive stream of infused vodka puts it in the top five Portland restaurants, hands down. But you know what? It's not classy, nor does it want to be. Kachka wants you to keep toasting and eating, all while raucous, growling Russian music bursts forth from the hi-fi. Grab a spot at the bar (don't even try to get the happy hour menu at a table) and start with infused horseradish or zubrovka vodkas ($9 down from the usual $12). This will be enough to get your cheeks rosy, so get the assortment of pickles ($6) and play around with their famous dumplings ($9), or try the sublime Red October ($9) lamb meatballs, adjika, and cheese on a hoagie roll that's happy hour only. Go for the Russian gold, if you can: Start at the afternoon happy hour, party for a few hours, and close out the night singing old Communist propaganda songs. AD
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, 10 pm-midnight, $3 draft beers, $5 wine, $9 vodka, $2-9 menu
2100 SE Clinton
With some of the best bar food around, the Night Light doesn't need to impress anybody with what they're throwing down at their lengthy happy hour. Indeed, the ĂŒber-cheap eats are by-and-large traditional, with a heaping platter of nachos with guac ($5) and some deliciously seasoned fries ($3) sitting along some of their other standbys, like the craveworthy mac 'n' cheese ($4) and the enough-food-to-count-as-an-actual-meal twofer of pulled pork sliders ($5). With good food across the board, you can focus on your drinking, and Night Light's happy hour relieves a little of the tension on your wallet, too. So order plenty, and either grab a seat that lets you soak in the bubbling main room, jump on a patio seat, or get cozy in the smaller back room. NED LANNAMANN
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 2-7 pm, Sat-Sun 3-7 pm, Sun-Thurs 11 pm-1 am, 50 cents off beer and well drinks, $1 off wine, $3-5 menu
5008 SE Division
I'm real partial to the charms of neighborhood hangout North bar (however un-Googleable it may be). People treat it like their personal living room, myself included, because you can always watch the Blazers, play some pool, and drink a beer while watching crappy-ass drivers rocket through the intersection at SE 50th and Division. Plus there are always cute dogs to pet outside! North's happy hour is long and Tuesdays bring all-day $1 Hamms on draft. Their happy hour food is only $2 for standard fare like quesadillas, hummus, and chips and salsa. (Pro tip: Hit up the Ă La Carts pod, Los Gorditos cart, or next door's Mi Mero Mole for a takeout order and eat it while quaffing North's fine boozes. It's totally the way to go.) CF
Happy Hour: daily 3-6:30 pm, $1 off wells & drafts, $1.50 PBR, $2 menu
8115 SE Stark
A well-established neighborhood restaurant, casual and buzzy, where both the customers and staff seem at home. On a sunny day it's bright and radiant, while the evenings are more snug and intimate. Happy hour will get you a deal on drafts, cans, and well drinks, while the house wines are good for the $5 price tag. They're known for their cocktails here, so the daily special (also $5) is worth a look. Food is generally of the comfort varietyâsmall salads, soups, fries, and the likeâand portions are generous. The oregano fry bread ($3) came with a rich tomato dip; the smoked whitefish spread with crackers ($6) was exceptionally tasty, especially accompanied by a fine horseradish sauce. MJS
Happy Hour: daily 3-6 pm, Sun-Thurs 10 pm-close, $1.50-2.50 beers, drafts $3.75, $4 wells, $5 wine & specialty cocktail, $2-6 menu
726 SE Grand
It would be easy to make happy hour at Oso a daily event. For starters, any of the 20 or so wines by the glass are $2 off (which makes them $5-10), while retail bottles are also available for a 10 percent discount. Or you can go for beer and drink anything from the cold case without corkage. Then there's the food: A dozen or so items, ranging from something as innocuous sounding as roasted carrots (that are, in fact, damned marvelous) for $3 to the more elaborate chorizo-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon at $7. Some plates are scaled-down versions of the main thingâthe mini fish board ($7 instead of $15) has fewer items but it's still substantial, especially when the chef switches out the pĂątĂ© for a stack of delicious, house-smoked oysters. Salads, on the other hand, fill a plate and are a deal at $6. Add in the knowledgeable staff and a relaxed, cafĂ©-style atmosphere, and you'll want that Holy Grail of a happy hour that lasts forever. MJS
Happy Hour: Tue-Sat 4-6 pm, reduced-price beer, wine, & wells, $3-7 menu
PaaDee
6 SE 28th
The happy hour menu at this popular Kerns restaurant exhorts you to "Drink the Thai way!" with a $6 happy hour whiskey soda (featuring your choice of bitters). The "Thai way" is apparently mostly just whiskey, served in a tall glass dominated by an obelisk of iceâand that's fine. PaaDee is New Portland, situated at the base of relatively recently built condos on booming E Burnside, with a spare interior pepped up with flourishes like birdcage lamps. But focus! You're here for the cheapo food. Definitely try the fried chicken wings, breaded, tossed in fish sauce, and spicy. And if you like the wide egg noodles of pad kee mao, the $5 portion is as reliable as any in the city. PaaDee can fill up quickly during happy hour, but even if you miss the short window for restaurant-wide specials, take heart. The menu's available all night at the restaurant's small bar. DVH
Happy Hour: daily 5-6 pm, $3 drafts. $5 wine, $6 cocktails, $2-7 menu
600 E Burnside
You know Rontomsâcavernous and firelit and couch-strewn, like someone's just come into money and has no idea what to do with their mansion's huge den. The bar's unquestionably hip (above even putting its name on the door), but we're damned if a Portland establishment gets to slide by on ambiance. This issue is all about value, and Rontoms is bringing it. For three-and-a-half hours every day the bar offers an array of seven dishes for just $4.50, meaning your inevitable two-item gorging is coming in under $10! I took down the saliva-inducing French dip and serviceable Caesar salad alone and proud at the barâwith much lip-smacking and alacrityâand did not once feel ashamed or bothered by whatever side-eyes Portland's pretty people may or may not have been tossing about. Value will do that. DVH
Happy Hour: daily 3-6:30 pm, $1 off well drinks, $4.50 menu
720 SE Sandy
The Rum Club is the kind of place where you want to linger for days: a cozy but elegant hideaway that's like a cross between a 1940s ritzy Hollywood bar and your coolest friend's well-appointed rec room. The cocktails have earned a following among Portland's mixologists, so you know they're legit even before tasting. And once you do, you'll fall instantly in love. At happy hour, grab some of the house-made punch ($5), check the chalkboard for the classic cocktail of the day, or simply get the note-perfect daiquiri ($6). For eats, step back in time with their pickled eggs ($3), the chile-lime spiced nuts ($3)âwhich taste like the best Corn Nuts you've ever hadâand the rum-glazed shrimp ($6), a pleasing tweak on the old-fashioned shrimp cocktail. With yacht rock on the speakers and knowledgeable, friendly hands on the cocktail shakers, the Rum Club is a club you'll be pledging your membership to for life. NL
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, reduced-price cocktails, $3-6 menu
2500 SE Clinton
Savoy Tavern subscribes to that grandpa's attic aesthetic that's so hot right now: low lights, dark wood paneling, and taxidermy (the only thing missing is a stack of yellowing National Geographics and a worn pair of slippers). Fortunately for everyone, the vibe doesn't stop there: Savoy serves up a fine Tavern board ($7), with thick slices of salami, 'Sconny-made sharp cheddar, porter mustard, white onion, and a sleeve of saltines. It's like Lunchables for adults, and as a kid, I fucking loved Lunchables. Unlike Lunchables, you can pair your cheese 'n' crackers with a strong drink (the Sazerac, $4 at happy hour on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, is very strong and very good). And don't forget the fried cheese curds: the adorable, crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside li'l puffers are well worth their $6 price tag. MB
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, 10 pm-close, reduced-price cocktails, beer, & wine, $4-7 menu
1615 SE 12th
Walking up a flight of stairs inside Teote and then down half a flight to the covered patio feels like some kind of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe trip. Making matters more confusing, the whole patio feels like it's going to flap its wings and take off into the sky in the last act of a steampunk movie. But maybe the most otherworldly thing about Teote is its happy hour: $5 arepas and $2.75 micheladas? It's a fantasy world. The arepas (Venezuelan corn cakes) are served in a deep bowl filled with your choice of meat, and you can't really go wrong. Keep in mind the pernil (a chile-beer pork shoulder) and pabellĂłn (brisket with peppers, black beans, and cheese). Meanwhile, those micheladas can be traded out for a pineapple-lime-beer drink called a Princesa Sucia if you're feeling more sweet than spicy. TR
Happy Hour: daily 3-6 pm, reduced-price drinks including $2.75 micheladas & Princesa Sucia, $2 Tecate, $5 arepas
3652 SE Division
If The Americans is your favorite TV show, Victory Bar should be your favorite place for happy hour. I mean, really: Do you like Soviet-adjacent propaganda inspired by Orwellian dystopias? The walls of this dark, vegetarian-unfriendly bar are covered in it! Wanna play Battleship in a dreary corner while you plot your global domination? You can! You can do it while tucking into a flavorful venison burger, and glugging a Famous Bourbon Ginger, whose fame seems truly earned: In the sea of bourbon gingers that is Portland, Victory Bar makes my favorite. The bacon cheddar fries, GruyĂšre spaetzle (egg noodles made in-house, then rendered unrecognizable under layers of cheese), and the house Manhattan (it's potent!) are all good options too. MOTHERLAND! MB
Happy Hour: daily 5-6 pm, 11 pm-midnight, reduced-price cocktails & beer, $5.75-7.75 menu
White Owl Social Club
1305 SE 8th
Despite a few earsplitting live shows on their calendar, the White Owl Social Club never quite became the metal bar Portland so dearly deserves. However, the Owl has plenty of other things going for itâit's a bright, airy, hip but invitingly low-key place for pretty things to grab a couple of drinks and fill up on vegan barbecue. The huge, terrific outdoor patio is the main draw here, but the happy hour menu offers a few discounts, tooâlike the rice and bean bowl ($6), which also includes barbecue tofu and savory collard greens, or the dairy-free mashed potatoes ($5), which are made with almond milk, olive oil, and vegan bacon bits. House cocktails aren't part of the deal, but you can knock a dollar off their respectable tap list or the well drink of your choice. NL
Happy Hour: daily 3-6 pm, 11 pm-1 am, $1 off drafts & wells, $4-9 menu
NORTH/NORTHEAST
3939 N Mississippi
Bar Barâthe beefy/boozy sidecar affixed to Mississippi Studios' beautiful musical motorcycleâis almost too easy to pass when stalking through food- and bar-drenched North Mississippi, overshadowed by flashier façades and more ostentatious offerings. Don't make that mistake! Bar Bar is, at worst, impeccably solid. It's old-fashioned in a charming way. And you can spend a fine few hours sipping sturdy and balanced cocktails, guzzling through an unusual beer list, forking up surprisingly compelling toasted raviolis ($6), or inhaling their bacon-heavy "shredded" take on the classic wedge salad ($5). But at Bar Bar's best, when it's nice enough outside to sit on the ample patio and you're starving for a well-crafted burger plopped next to a pile of Cajun fries ($2-3.25) that actually deserve the fucking name? It's almost transcendent. It's not bargain-basement cheapâbut you won't regret the outlay. DCT
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, reduced-price cocktails & beer
4605 NE Fremont
Smallwares has a good happy hour menu from 5-7 pm. They get bonus points for "Draw Me Like One of Your French Girls," their name for the Iceberg (lager with a frozen margarita floating in it, $5). But when Smallwares closes for the night, backroom drinkery Barwares busts out one of the great happy hours of Northeast Portland. Rotating deals on cocktails ($7), wine ($6), and sake ($4) back up food like the fried six-minute egg ($3, gooey on the inside and crispy on the outside), half a lemongrass pork sandwich ($5), and a whole slew of kimchi choices ($3). But it's the daily specials that will keep you coming back night after night. Head in Thursday for $1 off all beers, Wednesday for half-price oysters, or Tuesday, when those fried chicken lollipops everyone rightly raves about are a buck a pop. TR
Happy Hour: daily 5-7 pm, 10 pm-1 am, drinks $4-7, $2-13 menu
3971 N Williams
The Box Social is an attractive neighborhood bar that serves up happy hour in a series of cocktails: Either short ones ($4), such as a gin and tonic, or tall and more elaborate ($6)âMoscow Mule, Brown Derby, and, most interestingly, the Seelbach. Named after the hotel in Kentucky where it was created in 1917, the Seelbach blends bourbon, orange liqueur, bitters, and bubbles into a balanced and intriguing drink. Draft beer and house wine (both $4) also feature. The food is mostly bar snacks but they're remarkably goodâwitness the flawlessly executed grilled cheese and house-made tomato soup ($6), or the herbed croutons, which tasted like a superior version of the boxed stuff you had when you were a kid, with added parmesan and a punch of spice. The bartenders are friendly, the lighting subdued, and the atmosphere mellowâit makes for a great meet-up den. MJS
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, Sun-Thurs 11 pm-2 am, reduced-price beer, wine, & cocktails, $2-6 menu
2926 NE Alberta
Fact: If Branch were located anywhere in Northwest Portland, it would be crawling with douchebags. Not to say that NE Alberta hasn't seen its share of condo-fication in recent years, but Branch remains an open, welcoming space that usually has a table or two open and lots of good boozing options. Their afternoon happy hour is painfully short (5-6 pm), but get in while the getting's good: There are no fewer than 10 cocktails for $4-6 including their delightful Old Fashioned. The bartender plays around a bit tooâa new addition, the Enlightenment, is a bourbon with tart cherry and lemon syrup and a lager float. The food menu is short, but duck fat fries and a substantial house salad each for $5 is still sweet. I guess this is why their happy hour is so short: to keep it going any longer would bankrupt the place. AD
Happy Hour: daily 5-6 pm, Sun-Thurs 9 pm-close, Fri-Sat 10 pm-close, $2 Old German, $4 drafts, $4-6 cocktails, $3-8 menu
Cocotte
2930 NE Killingsworth
On an aggressive culinary corner like NE 30th and Killingsworth (Yakuza! Expatriate! Beast!), a pretty French bistro is not exactly what's expected. Yet Cocotte is such a charming and comely place that even its happy hour feels romantic. With $5 wine and $1 off beers and house cocktailsâlike the Apple Old Fashioned ($10), made with applejack and rye whiskey sweetened subtly with apple sugarâyou can be a cheap date and still feel fancy. Then there's the food: The beet salad is rich and bright ($6), and the polenta is a pat of heaven with a soft sunny egg on top ($7). But if you're really trying to get lucky, head in on Tuesday or Thursday for $1 oysters and deals on bubbles. But fair warning: If you're just trying to have drinks before heading to Beast... you might cancel that reservation once you get a taste of Cocotte. TR
Happy Hour: Tues-Sat 5-6 pm in the bar, all-day Sun-Mon, $1 off beer & cocktails, $5 wine, $3-9 menu
2733 NE Broadway
I'm currently attempting to join Hale Pele's Ancient Order of Water Bearersâthe club you belong to when you've tried every drink on the menu. Hale Pele's cocktails aren't cheap, so the fact that there are eight happy hour options for $6 makes it easier to achieve my bucket list drinking dream. With fake volcano eruptions and a school of pufferfish-turned-lanterns overhead, this is one of the easiest places to forget you've just spent eight hours at a desk. Suck down the delightful bitters-heavy Rangoon Gimlet or go old-skool with the Blue Hawaii in all of its aquamarine glory. The real glory at Hale Pele is the drink menu, and the hot menu items are forgettable. Soak up the rum with pickled eggs for $1 or sweet Hawaiian bread with guava jam for $3. You'll probably stay past 6 pm; that's okay. You may start the next day with a headache, but a temporary tropical vacation doesn't come without a price. AD
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, $6 cocktails, $3-5 menu
1914 N Killingsworth
Part bottle shop, part pub, the Hop & Vine's sunny space is a cozy, casual neighborhood spot where young families are more likely to congregate than young punks. The menu is scrawled on a board on the wall, with happy hour deals scattered throughout, identified with a simple "(HH)" written next to them to denote $2 off. The choices are relatively limitedâa kale Caesar, a grilled cheese and tomato soup, and a burgerâbut they're substantial. The burger, in particular, is quite a meal at $8, a behemoth complete with cheese, egg, and bacon. The choices for "HH" eligibility when it comes to happy hour drinks seem similarly arbitrary, as if someone threw a dart at the list of cocktails. They came up with two: a variation on a Manhattan, and a "Sweet and Savory" that takes house-infused rosemary vodka as its base. There's nothing wrong with this approach (one gets the sense the Hop & Vine simply felt they had to offer some kind of happy hour because everyone else does). But hey, it works. MS
Happy Hour: daily 3-6 pm, 10-11 pm, $2 off cocktails & food
4057 N Mississippi
I recommend showing up as early as possible to Interurban's happy hour and grabbing a table upstairs, next to the wide windowsill, where there's plenty of room to spread out with a book, phone, or laptop (or all three) while you partake of their offerings. The food is as good as it sounds: stuffed piquillo peppers ($6), penne alla vodka ($7), a chili and cheese quesadilla ($6) made with a great deal more care than the words "chili," "cheese," and "quesadilla" would ordinarily connote. Wine and cocktails run you $5, and small selections of beer and scotches are $2-4 and $6-8 respectively. Oh, and they have $2 Jell-O shots as well, since apparently that's become requisite at just about any class of Portland bar. Perched above the street with the sunshine splashed across your table, the freshly scrubbed former house makes a fine spot for anything from a late-afternoon tĂȘte-Ă -tĂȘte to a one-on-one with your daydreams. MS
Happy hour: Mon-Fri 3-6 pm, Sun 10 pm-2:30 am, $2-4 beer, $5 wine & cocktails, $6-8 scotch, $2-7 menu
The Knock Back
2315 NE Alberta
Watch yer eyebrows: The Knock Back bartenders have a blowtorch and they're not afraid to use it, especially to set your drink ablaze two feet away from your face. So of course, I come here as often as I can. It's a mid-priced bar with serious food and drink aspirations: At happy hour, it's $2 off any house cocktail, like the Dragos Batida (Brazilian sex machine), a cachaça, rhubarb shrub, coconut, and lime blend ($7). Sit at a long table inside or make your way to the covered outdoor fire pit to make a dinner out of an ample bowl of cheap-ass popcorn ($2), a big-ass bowl of fried Brussels sprouts ($5), and a tempeh Reuben slider ($4). You literally cannot go wrong. Oh, and get a liquor-infused marshmallow, toasted with that blowtorch for 50 cents before you go. AD
Happy Hour: daily 4-6 pm, crap-ton of drink specials including $2 off cocktails, $1 off drafts & boilermakers, $5 wine, $5 shot & a beer, $2-7 menu
1625 NE Killingsworth
This popular Tex-Mex cousin to Podnah's Pit always seems to be hoppingâwhich may be the reason their "happy hour" is barely there. Their tacos are flavorful re-creations of Mexican border authenticity (my go-to fillers are the smoked brisket and carnitasâbut you have to try their puffy tacos as well), and their margaritas are a tangy, salt-rimmed treat. Unfortunately, their extremely short late-night happy hour only yields a meager 50 cents off regular tacos (why not the puffies too???), a couple of random reduced-priced cocktails (no margaritas???), and a buck off draft beer. What they offer simply isn't enough to warrant a regular stop on your cheap bar crawls. Just go during regular dinner hours, enjoy the excellent food, and forget La Taq and I ever brought up the idea of a happy hour. WSH
Happy Hour: daily 10-11 pm, $1 off drafts, limited reduced-price cocktails, 50 cents off regular tacos
4057 N Interstate
Miho Izakaya is cozy and sweetâcarved into a charming old bungalow somehow still malingering among the pot shops and faded neon hotels on North Interstate. But be warned: Stepping inside will immediately make you wish you brought (had?) friends. Miho's slightly discounted happy hour drinks are matched with a dizzying array of so many Japanese-style small plates, that it's hard to share just a couple without worrying that you're missing something better. If it helps, you should definitely order the sesame pork meatballs ($7), even if you're alone. You could also do worse than the calamari salad ($7), a little bit sweet, but crunchy and plenty green. There's ample sake reserves if you go for that sort of thing. But if not, the cocktails are pretty wonderful, too. Most of them star shochu, a Japanese spiritâbut other cocktails, like the Yoshimi ($6), are perfectly strange and pleasant assemblages of Western spirits you'd never have thought of yourself. DCT
Happy Hour: daily 5-7 pm, reduced-price drinks, $1-13 menu
2105 N Killingsworth
Happy hour's nothing fancy at this near-perfect (if beard-and-designer-ball-cap-filled) neighborhood watering holeâdeservedly beloved for its sandwiches, expert cocktails, well-curated tap beers, and prominently displayed roster of astonishingly rare whiskeys. Pay $1 less for your fiery and crisp tofu banh mi (the sweet, pineapple-speckled chicken salad's a fine alternative) and pay $1 less for the microbrew you'll want to wash it all down. One warning: While well drinks and wine get the same dollar discount, the whimsical entries on the Old Gold's cocktail list do not. Order one anyway. If you can stomach licorice, go for the Sam Elliott ($8), a "handsome" blend of absinthe and Steelhead root beer. DCT
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4-7 pm, $1 off wells, wine, micros, & sandwiches
2811 NE Glisan
Happy hour at Pambiche is everything you would expect from this lively Cuban cafĂ©: excellent cocktails, affordable and tasty merienda (light snacks), and a nonstop soundtrack of Cuban rhythms. A recent happy hour cocktail, the Havana Sidecar ($7), was fantastic, a refreshing combination of Bacardi reserve, orange liqueur, cane sugar, and lime juice, while the more eccentric Las Tunas Tea ($5.50)âpurple tint, in a pint glassâhad rum, sugarcane brandy, lemonade, and tropical tea; oddly, it tasted a lot like a piña colada. The menu boasts plenty of flavorful fried food. Typical are the croquetas ($5), empanadas ($4), and pollo frito ($4.50), while the sweet, rich, fried ripe plantains ($4.50) were extra special. For something lighter, try the Cuban coleslaw ($3.50). MJS
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 2-6 pm, Fri & Sat 10 pm-midnight, reduced-price beer, wine, & cocktails, $2.25-5.50 menu
1932 NE Broadway
Swift used to be so perfect. It was the dim bar with giggle-inducing drinks in mason jars and real-deal food that this Lloyd Center-adjacent sector of NE Broadway desperately needed. And Swift's still that. It's just... everyone knows about it now, so you need to jockey a bit to take advantage of the bar's excellent and always improving food menu. During Swift's long "Jolly Hour," the bird-themed tavern offers what might be the best happy hour selection in townâan array of quality $3-5 fare ranging from the satiating Luke's Bowl (pulled pork, brown rice, and black beans) to fried chicken to fondue fries. There's a bunch of drink specials to go along, but really no reason (except maybe temperance) to order anything but one of Swift's fine, varied mason jars ($5), which are certain to make your hour(s) jolly. Bonus: As of this review, they have Street Fighter II. DVH
Happy Hour: Mon-Sat 4-8 pm, Sun 4 pm-2 am, reduced-price beer, wine, & cocktails, $3-5 menu
NORTHWEST
1639 NW Marshall
Located across the street from the decidedly more chill Paymaster Lounge, the Bent Brick's warm, welcoming aesthetic sets it apart: It's all old red brick and smooth-burnished metal, with a comfortable, curved bar. I bypassed the fancier happy hour options ($8 steak tartare, $5 chicken liver mousse) for an escarole and herb salad ($5) with thin-sliced radishes and a punchy pickled vinaigrette, but my drinking buddy did better, devouring a bratwurst ($7) that came with jojos and a side of ranchâdespite being on the happy hour menu, it's more of a meal than some restaurants' regular offerings. The Bent Brick's Old Fashioned ($5) comes with those cool big ice cubes, while an unnamed cocktail ($5) combined vodka, house shrub, and soda, offering hints of cinnamon and strawberry without being too sweet. I just had to look up what "shrub" is. I mean, I know it's a plant. As a thing to drink? I did not know. Now I know. DO YOU? EH
Happy Hour: Tues-Sat 5-6 pm, all-day Sun, $4 drafts, $6 wine, $5 cocktails, $2-18 menu
Mi Mero Mole
32 NW 5th
It may seem like happy hour all the time at Mi Mero Mole's Old Town location. You can get a burrito with a beer and a shot for $10 from open to close, Monday through Saturday. But play your cards right and head over between 2-6 pm for a big old pint of margarita for $6. You'll need it anyway. After a burrito big enough you could legally drive it, you'll barely feel the shot and a beer. The taco and burrito fillings (guisados) change regularly, but keep an eye out for the lengua ahumado (smoked tongue that falls apart like pastrami) and always spring for the lamb. But if you do stack a burrito on a margarita, maybe stay away from the plantain marg, which is deliciously cinnamon-spiced, but dense enough to be a meal in itself. TR
Happy Hour: daily 2-6 pm, $2.50 drafts, $4-6 margaritas, $10 burrito & beer & shot
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