Portland's Vibe

Known for its hip culinary scene and great prices, Portland, Oregon has many happy hours with high quality food and drinks at discounted prices. Happy hours are an excellent way to sample new restaurants without committing to purchasing an entire meal somewhere new. The popular Northwest Alphabet District offers several worthwhile happy hours. Most restaurants in Northwest Portland are within easy walking distance from excellent shopping, buses, the MAX light rail, the Portland Streetcar, and hotels, making transportation in this area simple.

Bar Mingo

Bar Mingo is a relaxed, yet slightly upscale bar next door to one of the best Italian restaurants in town, Café Mingo. It has an excellent happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily, which features a list of $6 cold food plates, hot food plates and drinks. The food items are decently-sized Italian plates, and the staff is friendly. It is a great happy hour to stop by before dinner at Café Mingo or another nearby restaurant.

Basta's Trattoria

Most restaurants have happy hours that stop during dinner to ensure that patrons end up purchasing some full-price dinner entrees. Basta's Trattoria is not one of those. Basta’s has a large happy hour menu that runs from 5 p.m. until late at night. It is the go-to choice of Northwest Portland happy hours to visit during standard dinner hours. With a couple inexpensive happy hour wine choices, a two-page list of happy hour foods, and longer-than normal happy hours, Basta's has one of the least restrictive happy hour specials in Portland. It also has great Italian food in a classy, non-pub location. Most wines and food items on the happy hour menu cost between $5 and $10.

McMenamins Ram's Head or Blue Moon

McMenamin's is a well-known Portland staple, and their locally-produced beers, wines and liquor help travelers in the Portland area get a feel for what Pacific Northwest microbrews and wineries are all about. With two prime locations in Northwest Portland, the local McMenamin's chain is an easy choice when it comes to happy hours. Both locations in Northwest Portland have happy hours from 3 to 6 p.m. during afternoons and after 10 p.m. at night. The happy hours feature reduced-price beers and wines as well as a selection of dirt-cheap food items, including $2 Cajun tater tots, a $5 burger, and a $3 hummus plate.

M Bar

After a long day of shopping on Northwest 23rd and 21st, sometimes you need a relaxing drink more than anything else. M bar is a surprisingly small and cozy wine, beer and sake bar with a convenient Northwest 21st Avenue location. It's happy hour has great deals, including $4 glasses of wine and $15 bottles of wine before 8 p.m. The bar doesn't serve food or liquor, but no other bar can beat $15 for a bottle of wine that would normally cost $30 or more.

Santa Fe Taqueria

Santa Fe Taqueria has a daily happy hour in its bar from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. It’s specials include several plates of food, such as tacos and ceviche, ranging in price from $3.75 to $5.75. There are also drink specials, such as $3.75 well drinks and reduced-price margaritas, beer and wine. The restaurant has colorful artwork covering the walls, T.V.'s playing sports, and friendly bartenders. Happy hour is only in the bar, although there is a separate and larger restaurant section that kids are welcome to dine in.

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