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A plate of chicken drumsticks in dark mole sauce next to rice and beans.
Mole oaxaqueno at El Yike Oaxaqueno.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Where to Eat and Drink in Portland’s Arbor Lodge Neighborhood

Explore North Portland’s hidden gem neighborhood

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Mole oaxaqueno at El Yike Oaxaqueno.
| Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Best known for the large park at its center — featuring one of the city’s best playgrounds, with a climbing wall and “king of the mountain” synthetic hill — Arbor Lodge is an atypical destination for Portlanders from other parts of town. Easily missed on the way between trendy Mississippi and St. Johns, Arbor Lodge brushes up against two major arterials in Lombard and Interstate, and is served by the MAX’s yellow line, but is rarely a destination itself. As such, the riches of its food and drink scene are found in unabashedly casual settings, with plenty of takeout counters and a high dive-bar per-capita ratio. The map below focuses on restaurants either directly within the Arbor Lodge neighborhood or within a block outside its official boundaries. So put on that flannel, hop on the bike, and explore Arbor Lodge like a local.

Note: Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Cyclemaster Coffee Co.

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In a town with plenty of perfectly inoffensive but forgettably adorned coffee shops, Cyclemaster’s two-fisted embrace of scooter-mad character is refreshing, if something of an acquired taste. Cyclemaster brews vibrant beans from its sister Two Strokes Coffee amid new and vintage motor scooters and local art hung on charcoal-colored walls. The weekday food offerings are typically modest, but weekends usually offer breakfast sandwiches. When not hosting the occasional engine-revving bike meetup, Cyclemaster is a terrific mellow midday hangout on Lombard.

A vintage motor scooter parked next to a bouquet of flowers, in front of a dark gray wall and several colorful paintings.
Bikes and art at Cyclemaster Coffee.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Tiny Bubble Room

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Though Tiny Bubble Room does pour a couple sparkling wines by the glass, the namesake bubbles here are decidedly of the malted beverage variety. Simply on the strength of its over two dozen beers and ales on tap, Tiny Bubble Room is one of North Portland’s top taprooms. The handsome if sparely decorated bar also boasts impressive bourbon and tequila lists, alongside plenty of other spirits and respectable wine offerings. Add a spacious, covered patio with firepits, a Louisiana-by-way-of-Oregon food menu, and an enticing happy hour, and Tiny Bubble Room is far more than just an oasis for beer nerds.

A retro style sign for Tiny Bubble Room.
Tiny Bubble Room.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

El Yike Oaxaqueno

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Perhaps no regional Mexican cuisine gets as much love in Portland these days (apart from perhaps Tijuana’s quesabirria) as Oaxaca. The latest NoPo outpost for the land of the moles is El Yike Oaxaqueno, named for Oaxaca’s yique (sometimes spelled yikin or yike), a goat barbacoa stew that utilizes corn kernels ground into small pieces — chunkier than masa but smaller than full kernels or hominy. Difficult to find outside of Oaxaca and the California coast, yique is the crown jewel here at El Yike, but the rest of the menu is no slouch, including mole amarillo, mole Oaxaqueno, and a solid selection of tamales, empanadas, and of course the ever popular tacos.

An empanada alongside chopped vegetables on a white plate.
Empanada amarillo at El Yike Oaxaqueno.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

One of the newest additions to the neighborhood, Canary (from the avian-loving owner of St. Johns’ Blue Bird Tavern) fills the beloved shoes of the departed Lombard Pub. With thrift-store surreal art on the wall and custom psychedelic countertops, the vibe is decidedly more eccentric than its predecessor, and the chicken and waffles are among the best in town. The hearty breakfast menu includes avocado toast and three different generously portioned scrambles. Expect Canary to continue to evolve in the months ahead. A Canary in a coal mine or a bird spreading its wings? Time will tell.

A plate of fried chicken and waffles on a plate sitting on a psychedelic bar counter.
Fried chicken and waffles at Canary.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

King Burrito Mexican Food

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King Burrito’s evident mission in life is to make sure not one patron goes home hungry. More than 15 generously stuffed burritos highlight the menu, including a wide range of meats and veggies. And while the occasional burger is not unusual on Portland-area Mexican menus, King Burrito may just take the crown in the diversity and scale of its burger and hot dog offerings, including a king-size hot dog and a half-pound king burger, each overflowing with toppings. The pragmatic, fluorescent-lit dining area may be full at busier hours, so be prepared to grab food to go. The King’s kitchen is typically open until 11 p.m. for those late-night hunger pangs.

A cartoon of a chef and hungry patron on the front window of King Burrito.
Window art at King Burrito.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Sweet Home Bar & Grill

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Arbor Lodge is blessed with several divey neighborhood watering holes — including Barlow Tavern and Mousetrap Tavern — each with their own merits, but the intimate Sweet Home Bar & Grill is perhaps the most pure dive of them all, best measured by pre-noon weekday patrons and occupancy rates on video poker machines . The food is greasy bar fare but prepared as if the kitchen wants to make sure its regulars keep coming back. Drinks are generously poured with most cocktails well under $10, increasingly rare in Portland. Join the rowdy karaoke nights every Friday and Saturday, or elbow up to a shark or two on Tuesday pool nights at the cerulean blue felt pool table.

A blue felt pool table in front of a red wall and rack of pool cues.
Pool table at Sweet Home Bar & Grill.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Tuk Tuk

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Named after the trademark motor sound of the popular three-wheeled scooter ubiquitous in Bangkok, Tuk Tuk is a colorful neighborhood Thai restaurant, offering both stateside staples and more uncommon specialties — we’re talking pla dook shu-shee, a deep-fried catfish dish, and hot pot-steamed shrimp. Grab takeout or dine in Tuk Tuk’s casual dining room seven days a week.

Three patrons eating inside a colorful Thai dining room.
Dining room at Tuk Tuk.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Sushi One

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Sushi One offers Arbor Lodgers a prototypical neighborhood sushi restaurant, with a particular emphasis on freshly sourced ingredients and generous portions. While nigiri, sashimi, and rolls are the main attraction, Sushi One also offers excellent ramen as well as some land-locked entrees like teriyaki and yakisoba. Order takeout or dine in the small, unpretentious dining room.

A plate of fresh fish, avocado, fruit, and roe.
Sushi One.
Sushi One

Grind House Coffee

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The funky, partially covered Grind House Coffee is more than a cart yet not quite a full coffee shop. Necessarily takeout-only on especially hot or cold days, Grind House has built a loyal base of regulars on the strength of its consistently excellent coffee, using single origin beans via Extracto. Also on offer are two kinds of chai, hot chocolate, and a small-but-mighty food menu including bagel sandwiches and a carb-free breakfast cup featuring egg, cheese, tomato, and avocado. GrindHouse is open mornings and early afternoons seven days a week.

An eclectically decorated coffee stand with covered seating.
GrindHouse Coffee.
GrindHouse Coffee

Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge

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An iconic sight on north Interstate for nearly 100 years, Nite Hawk is a reliable something-for-everyone diner and lounge, providing a varied but unintimidating food menu of dishes like chicken fried steak, chili, and liver and onions in a nostalgia-inducing leather and frosted glass setting. Breakfast is served all day, and the lounge includes a full bar and three pool tables. Get in the green felt action at the regular Sunday night “8 ball pool tournament.” Nite Hawk has a small patio but expect nearby smokers.

Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge.
Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge.
Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge

Madrona Hill Cafe

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Madrona Hill on North Greeley is a charming bakery and café open for breakfast and lunch, giving particular care to its in-house baked goods. The coffee is unexceptional but the house-made biscuits, scones, and breakfast sandwich bagels are more than enough to make it a neighborhood draw. Eat your pastries the dining room, lined with rotating local art, or grab takeout Wednesday through Monday.

Scones and identifying labels on a metal tray.
Scones at Madrona Hill Cafe.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Cyclemaster Coffee Co.

In a town with plenty of perfectly inoffensive but forgettably adorned coffee shops, Cyclemaster’s two-fisted embrace of scooter-mad character is refreshing, if something of an acquired taste. Cyclemaster brews vibrant beans from its sister Two Strokes Coffee amid new and vintage motor scooters and local art hung on charcoal-colored walls. The weekday food offerings are typically modest, but weekends usually offer breakfast sandwiches. When not hosting the occasional engine-revving bike meetup, Cyclemaster is a terrific mellow midday hangout on Lombard.

A vintage motor scooter parked next to a bouquet of flowers, in front of a dark gray wall and several colorful paintings.
Bikes and art at Cyclemaster Coffee.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Tiny Bubble Room

Though Tiny Bubble Room does pour a couple sparkling wines by the glass, the namesake bubbles here are decidedly of the malted beverage variety. Simply on the strength of its over two dozen beers and ales on tap, Tiny Bubble Room is one of North Portland’s top taprooms. The handsome if sparely decorated bar also boasts impressive bourbon and tequila lists, alongside plenty of other spirits and respectable wine offerings. Add a spacious, covered patio with firepits, a Louisiana-by-way-of-Oregon food menu, and an enticing happy hour, and Tiny Bubble Room is far more than just an oasis for beer nerds.

A retro style sign for Tiny Bubble Room.
Tiny Bubble Room.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

El Yike Oaxaqueno

Perhaps no regional Mexican cuisine gets as much love in Portland these days (apart from perhaps Tijuana’s quesabirria) as Oaxaca. The latest NoPo outpost for the land of the moles is El Yike Oaxaqueno, named for Oaxaca’s yique (sometimes spelled yikin or yike), a goat barbacoa stew that utilizes corn kernels ground into small pieces — chunkier than masa but smaller than full kernels or hominy. Difficult to find outside of Oaxaca and the California coast, yique is the crown jewel here at El Yike, but the rest of the menu is no slouch, including mole amarillo, mole Oaxaqueno, and a solid selection of tamales, empanadas, and of course the ever popular tacos.

An empanada alongside chopped vegetables on a white plate.
Empanada amarillo at El Yike Oaxaqueno.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Canary

One of the newest additions to the neighborhood, Canary (from the avian-loving owner of St. Johns’ Blue Bird Tavern) fills the beloved shoes of the departed Lombard Pub. With thrift-store surreal art on the wall and custom psychedelic countertops, the vibe is decidedly more eccentric than its predecessor, and the chicken and waffles are among the best in town. The hearty breakfast menu includes avocado toast and three different generously portioned scrambles. Expect Canary to continue to evolve in the months ahead. A Canary in a coal mine or a bird spreading its wings? Time will tell.

A plate of fried chicken and waffles on a plate sitting on a psychedelic bar counter.
Fried chicken and waffles at Canary.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

King Burrito Mexican Food

King Burrito’s evident mission in life is to make sure not one patron goes home hungry. More than 15 generously stuffed burritos highlight the menu, including a wide range of meats and veggies. And while the occasional burger is not unusual on Portland-area Mexican menus, King Burrito may just take the crown in the diversity and scale of its burger and hot dog offerings, including a king-size hot dog and a half-pound king burger, each overflowing with toppings. The pragmatic, fluorescent-lit dining area may be full at busier hours, so be prepared to grab food to go. The King’s kitchen is typically open until 11 p.m. for those late-night hunger pangs.

A cartoon of a chef and hungry patron on the front window of King Burrito.
Window art at King Burrito.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Sweet Home Bar & Grill

Arbor Lodge is blessed with several divey neighborhood watering holes — including Barlow Tavern and Mousetrap Tavern — each with their own merits, but the intimate Sweet Home Bar & Grill is perhaps the most pure dive of them all, best measured by pre-noon weekday patrons and occupancy rates on video poker machines . The food is greasy bar fare but prepared as if the kitchen wants to make sure its regulars keep coming back. Drinks are generously poured with most cocktails well under $10, increasingly rare in Portland. Join the rowdy karaoke nights every Friday and Saturday, or elbow up to a shark or two on Tuesday pool nights at the cerulean blue felt pool table.

A blue felt pool table in front of a red wall and rack of pool cues.
Pool table at Sweet Home Bar & Grill.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Tuk Tuk

Named after the trademark motor sound of the popular three-wheeled scooter ubiquitous in Bangkok, Tuk Tuk is a colorful neighborhood Thai restaurant, offering both stateside staples and more uncommon specialties — we’re talking pla dook shu-shee, a deep-fried catfish dish, and hot pot-steamed shrimp. Grab takeout or dine in Tuk Tuk’s casual dining room seven days a week.

Three patrons eating inside a colorful Thai dining room.
Dining room at Tuk Tuk.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Sushi One

Sushi One offers Arbor Lodgers a prototypical neighborhood sushi restaurant, with a particular emphasis on freshly sourced ingredients and generous portions. While nigiri, sashimi, and rolls are the main attraction, Sushi One also offers excellent ramen as well as some land-locked entrees like teriyaki and yakisoba. Order takeout or dine in the small, unpretentious dining room.

A plate of fresh fish, avocado, fruit, and roe.
Sushi One.
Sushi One

Grind House Coffee

The funky, partially covered Grind House Coffee is more than a cart yet not quite a full coffee shop. Necessarily takeout-only on especially hot or cold days, Grind House has built a loyal base of regulars on the strength of its consistently excellent coffee, using single origin beans via Extracto. Also on offer are two kinds of chai, hot chocolate, and a small-but-mighty food menu including bagel sandwiches and a carb-free breakfast cup featuring egg, cheese, tomato, and avocado. GrindHouse is open mornings and early afternoons seven days a week.

An eclectically decorated coffee stand with covered seating.
GrindHouse Coffee.
GrindHouse Coffee

Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge

An iconic sight on north Interstate for nearly 100 years, Nite Hawk is a reliable something-for-everyone diner and lounge, providing a varied but unintimidating food menu of dishes like chicken fried steak, chili, and liver and onions in a nostalgia-inducing leather and frosted glass setting. Breakfast is served all day, and the lounge includes a full bar and three pool tables. Get in the green felt action at the regular Sunday night “8 ball pool tournament.” Nite Hawk has a small patio but expect nearby smokers.

Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge.
Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge.
Nite Hawk Cafe & Lounge

Madrona Hill Cafe

Madrona Hill on North Greeley is a charming bakery and café open for breakfast and lunch, giving particular care to its in-house baked goods. The coffee is unexceptional but the house-made biscuits, scones, and breakfast sandwich bagels are more than enough to make it a neighborhood draw. Eat your pastries the dining room, lined with rotating local art, or grab takeout Wednesday through Monday.

Scones and identifying labels on a metal tray.
Scones at Madrona Hill Cafe.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

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