18 Date Night Restaurants - Portland

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Compiled by Molly Norton

Portland has more romantic restaurants per capita than any other city in the world. Ok, I just made that up, but it’s plausible. A few things are for certain: Portland does design, coziness, and low-lit ambiance really well and the prices (no sales tax) can’t be beat. Romance + supporting Oregon’s farmers, breweries, and wine makers = winning.

And here’s a link if you would like to support Oxfam’s donation drive addressing the East Africa drought and food crisis. OXFAM.

Unless otherwise mentioned, these restaurants accept reservations (good to know if you’re paying a babysitter by the hour).

Top 18 Restaurants for Date Night  - PDX (note that these are just the tip of ye old iceberg)

Price Guide:
$ = Not too Spendy
$$ = Medium Spendy
$$$ = Spendy Spendy Spendy

Pok Pok (SE – Division/Clinton) – Portland loves Pok Pok. Cozy, loungey, hip with interesting cocktails. Known for “Ike’s Wings” – spicy chicken wings and baby back ribs marinated in whiskey. Don’t miss the Khao Soi which has a little less heat than other offerings. If you have to wait, mitigate the pain by sampling the drinking vinegars or the Mango Alexander cocktail at sister bar Whiskey Soda Lounge. (Food: Thai/Vietnamese “street food”  Price: $)

St. Jack (SE – Division/Clinton) – We won’t lie – this place is going to transport you to Paris and you won’t have to deal with any public transportation strikes. It’s swoony romantic and cozy. Start your date off with one of the best happy hours in town and then move on to dinner. Salade Lyonnaise? Mussels? Charcuterie? Whole roasted trout? All wonderful. Just leave enough room for made-to-order Madeleines afterwards. (Food: French  Price: $$)

Coppia (Pearl) – Vino Paradiso has now rebranded as Coppia. Outstanding food and wine pairings – don’t miss the Bagna Càuda with a glass of Deltetto rose. Great place for happy hour with a reasonable price-point. It also has a “vera nahhhce” date night vibe. (Food: Italian/Piedmont  Price: $$)

Beast (NE) – As the name implies, this restaurant will not pleaseth vegetarians. But if the thought of the perfect charcuterie and a selection of cheeses from Steve at Cheese Bar make you salivate, make reservations here. The tables are communal, but they still find a way to make the experience intimate. Chartcuterie and slow-cooked meats are usually the highlight of their set menu which includes both a cheese course AND dessert. (Food: Modern French Price: $$$)

Toro Bravo (NE) – Perfect place for unconventional small plates/tapas. Great atmosphere, festive buzz, always a crowd pleaser. Not sure how they manage to make every item on their huge menu manifest fresh and delicious, but they do. Try the griddled bacon dates in warm honey, the sautéed chard with a sunny side up egg, Steve’s Cheese Board (we dig cheese, ok?), or the “French Kisses.” If you do have to wait, have a drink at the Victorian era lounge Secret Society next door. (Food: Modern Spanish/Tapas Price: $$)

Gilt Club (NW) – Schwanky red booths. Chandeliers. Delicious plates, both small and large. AND it was featured in the opening episode of the show Portlandia (this is where Colin the local chicken was served). Despite the fancy accents, still manages to be cozy, hip, and not too expensive. Sugar fried lavender almonds; chicken liver toast with olio verde, arugula, and onion agrodolce;  crab “BLT” with smoked aioli, fried lemons, house bacon, basil, and tarragon. A creative cocktail list will help you get even luckier (wink wink nod nod). (Food: Creative Northwest  Price: $$)

Tabla (NE) - Bills themselves a Mediterranean Bistro. Their $28 3 course pre-fixe is a steal. The Tajarin with truffle butter and truffle “pearls” is the stuff of dreams. (Food: Pacific NW meets the Mediterranean  Price: $$)

Veritable Quandary /VQ (Downtown) little spendy, but VQ has one of the nicest atrium and outdoor garden patio set-ups in town. The food is consistently terrific as are the cocktails and the wine list. Duck confit spring rolls; poached egg, smoked bacon & butter lettuce with crispy cornbread, house made fettuccine with prawns. Need we say more? (Food:  Modern “Northwest”  Price: $$$)

Andina (NW) – Festive and romantic. Interesting ceviches, tapas, and sangria. Try a Tortuga (gin with cucumber, mint, and lime) and enjoy the twinkling lights with your tasty tapas. (Food: Peruvian/Spanish Price: $$-$$$)

Vindalho (SE Division/Clinton) –  Was thrilled to find amazing Indian food in Portland in a gorgeous, light-filled, vaulted space. The creative chutneys and papadum alone are worth the price of admission, but try a little of everything. The “Saffron Robe” cocktail with chile syrup is crazy good, even if it does temporarily set your nose hairs on fire. (Food: Indian meets the Pacific NorthWest  Price: $$-$$$)

Metrovino (Pearl) – Specializes in food and wine pairings. One of the best places to sample a variety of wines with options of pour sizes. Great place to come if you’re craving a perfectly cooked steak. (Food: New American  Price: $$-$$$)

Irving Street Kitchen (Pearl) – Top-notch happy hour. Great vibe inside and out. Upscale Cajun meets creative comfort food. Entire menu rocks. Try everything. (Food: Upscale Cajun/Comfort  Price: $$-$$$)

Departure Lounge (Downtown inside the Nines hotel) – Go here if you’re interested in a rather sexy, “loungey” vibe with a dance beat. Some of the best views and Asian-fusion small plates in PDX. And Chef Gregory has vegan selections that will knock your socks off. (Food: Asian Fusion  Price: $$-$$$)

Le Pigeon (E. Burnside) – Cozy, quaint, and charming. The pork with cabbage, bacon, and mustard is moist and juicy. Cornbread cake with apricots and bacon is a wonderful sweet and savory finish to a meal. Because bacon really does make all things better. (Food: Modern French Price: $$-$$$)

Brasserie Montmartre  (Downtown) - The red brick interior with indentations in the wall highlights the fact that the restaurant once was next to a jewelry store where an attempted robbery occurred. And they make the most of their history. Soaring ceilings, lots of light, a hopping happy hour, and live jazz make it a venue for a date with “buzz.” You might be tempted to kiss each of the black truffle frites with sel gris – they are that good. Everything from the tomato fennel soup to the charcuterie to the perfectly cooked pork loin to the buttery/garlicky escargot was wonderful. And that live jazz may just put you in a sentimental mood. (Food: French  Price $$$)

Portland City Grill (Downtown) – There isn’t much that beats the view from the US Bancorp Tower which makes it good for business dinners and special date nights. They do a nice job with salmon and have a pretty decent wine list. If on a budget, go during one of their two happy hours featuring asian-fusion small plates and piano jazz.  (Food: Steak/Seafood/Asian Fusion Price – $$$)

Gracies (in the Hotel deLuxe) (SW) Order the lovely lavender “Elizabeth Taylor” (Creme de Violette and champagne) and be transported to the Golden Era of Hollywood. Their pre-fixe menu is usually a pretty good deal. Retire to the elegantly retro Driftwood Room afterwards or see a show at Artists Repertory Theatre. (Food: Modern Northwest  Price: $$)

Scratch (Lake Oswego) – Chef Patrick Warner is building a mighty local empire: in addition to Scratch LO, he has already opened a café downtown, is working on a cookbook, was featured in Sunset Magazine, and had a stint on Iron Chef America. His tagline is “Modern Soul Food” (in, good for the soul). Scratch is cozy and loungey with interesting cocktails and small dishes that are deconstructed, but not pretentious. Don’t miss the “cheese course” if it’s on the menu – he manages to make each bite light and flavorful. His radishes with smoke and sea salt served with sweet butter are like eating crudité at a BBQ and the tuna poached in olive oil might make you swoon. (Food: Modern French Price: $$-$$$)