Syun brings the feel of a Japanese izakaya to the far west side of Hillsboro with an extensive menu of sushi and snacks, including sake-pairing favorites like steamed clams in sake or saikyo yaki, a grilled cod in a Kyoto-style sweet white miso. If you can’t finish your bottle from the selection of more than 40 sake options, Syun Izakaya will keep the bottle with your name on it for 100 days to return and enjoy on your subsequent visits, a common practice in Japan.

This hole-in-the-wall in Beaverton is hard to spot, but despite its humble interior it offers almost 20 sakes priced by size (small, large) or by the bottle. Pair your choice with a massive menu of izakaya favorites like tender buta no kakuni, a “cube” Carlton pork belly slow-stewed in sake and sweet soy sauce, or menchi katsu, deep-fried-and-breaded American Kobe beef and Carlton pork patty.

If you are looking to tuck into some Japanese curry or hot pot to nosh on along with your sake, look no further than Sho Japanese Restaurant, a polished sushi-counter-style spot between Portland and Tigard. Choose from a selection of five sake flights, a sake cocktail, or one of the restaurant’s 20 options. Pair with creative takes on traditional dishes like spicy teriyaki edamame, or a Kobe beef loco moco.

This upscale, second-floor spot (only accessible via stairs) has a simple, open atmosphere and offers some of the highest quality sushi downtown. The fish is accompanied by a strong 40+ sake list, including a selection available by the 180 ml masu, wooden or lacquer boxes often served with a cup. Order by the bottle for more bang for your buck.

Beyond the excellent fresh fish and creative rolls, hip sushi counter Yama hawks more than 50 sakes, all available by the glass or bottle. The menu is well organized, including a Oregon-brewed section and a variety of unusual sakes, from the coconut-infused to the spicy plum. The indecisive can choose from among eight sake flights.

This dozen-seat, cozy sake bar serves 30 options by the glass or in build-your-own flights, with the list divided into broad flavor categories with little description. The owner is the magic here, and he has curated a list with unique sakes in mind; feel free to get chatty with him about his choices and each glass’s characteristics. The daily happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. discounts the four-pour sake flight to $14 — the bar only offers a couple snacks, so make plans to eat well before and after your visit.

With more than 80 sakes available by bottle, flight, or glass, Zilla Sake has the biggest selection in Portland. The dark, wood-accented bar gets its hands on special, hard-to-find seasonal sakes, as well as almost 20 hot sakes alone. The list is generally terse with no descriptions other than rice-polish-percentage; thankfully the staff is well versed in guiding diners through the menu — that includes the austere, sashimi-focused sushi.

No-frills Japanese izakaya Ichidai crafted its menu of broiled fish, sukiyaki, and tempura to keep things traditional — that happens to go beautifully with its sake list, which is organized by the small or large carafe or bottle. Don’t miss the Oregon-brewed sake section, available by the 12-ounce tokkuri or in a flight.