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The two glass towers of the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.
The Oregon Convention Center.
Oregon Convention Center

Where to Eat and Drink Near the Moda Center and the Oregon Convention Center

The restaurants to hit between events

by Brooke Jackson-Glidden and Nathan Williams Updated
View as Map
The Oregon Convention Center.
| Oregon Convention Center
by Brooke Jackson-Glidden and Nathan Williams Updated

Whether it’s for retro gaming expositions, psychedelic conventions, or drag pageants, the Oregon Convention Center attracts crowds from around the world to geek out over niche passions and new ideas. Just a few steps away, the Rose Quarter, home to the Moda Center and Veterans Memorial Coliseum, hosts the NBA’s Trail Blazers and WHL’s Winterhawks, as well as hundreds of concerts from top national acts — from Lizzo to Bruce Springsteen to Carrie Underwood. While there are quick bites available from chain restaurants nearby, these two event centers are just as close to some of Portland’s best dining and drinking options.

All of the spots below are within a 15-minute walk of the convention center, though those looking for a longer stroll may make it to restaurants like the celebrated charcuterie of Olympia Provisions, the Latin American steakhouse Ox, or the beloved eastern European institution Kachka. For those without time to walk just a few blocks, the convention center is home to its own catering company and a food court’s worth of quick options, and the Moda Center has a fleet of tasty choices inside.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Yokohama Skyline Eatery

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Portland’s ramen renaissance continues with the 2023 opening of Yokohama Skyline Eatery on the street level of the gleaming Yard Apartment building overlooking the east end of the Burnside Bridge. Rich, complex pork, chicken, and vegan broths are the engines of Yokohama’s ramen offerings, including timeless shoyu (with optional truffle oil), spicy tantan, and a bountiful vegan ramen. Beverage options are limited to canned sodas and house made hot and cold green tea drinks.

33 NE 3rd Ave STE.325, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 206-4513
(503) 206-4513

Wa Kitchen Kuu

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Even though Kuu has conceded somewhat to Portland’s seemingly unquenchable need for sushi, the heart of this Japanese restaurant lies firmly in its udon and soba noodle dishes. These chewy house-made noodles have real flavor, not just serving as a delivery vehicle for other tastes, and are topped with a range of restrained-but-umami-rich vegetables, proteins, and sauces. Pair with a saké flight or hot green tea in the serenely designed dining room filled with natural light.

125 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 477-9383
(503) 477-9383

Also featured in:

Spirit of 77

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Spirit of ‘77 is one of Portland’s most popular sports bars for both its food and games. Visitors play foosball and skee-ball while they wait for platters of nachos or tacos filled with beer-battered cod; on certain nights, it’s the spot to watch games around its projector screen or tvs. The beer list has a tight list of Oregon beers, including options from Heater Allen and Fort George.

500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 232-9977
(503) 232-9977
A large orange Spirit of 77 sign above a wide bar and two TV screens.
Spirit of 77.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Also featured in:

Delicious Donuts

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For no-nonsense coffee and doughnuts, Delicious Donuts is the no-longer-hidden gem with bangin’ fritters and glazed doughnut breakfast sandwiches. Sure, Portland is known for other doughnuts, but Delicious is many of the locals’ favorite. Delicious is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 5 a.m. until the shop runs out of doughnuts.

12 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 233-1833
(503) 233-1833

Also featured in:

Mirakutei

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Old school Portland legend Hiro Ikegaya opened Mirakutei in 2011, a favorite for Sapporo-style ramen and exceptional cuts of sushi; it’s now owned by longtime employees Nicolas and Job Martinez. It’s a dependable mainstay for raw fish, but the restaurant coaxes in locals for its scrambled-egg-laden genki ramen, as well. Grab takeout, dine in Mirakutei’s spacious dining room, or try to snag limited sidewalk seating.

536 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 467-7501
(503) 467-7501
A California sushi roll with a purple flower and a paper receipt sitting on a square stone plate.
California roll at Mirakutei.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Also featured in:

Bao Bao

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This Couch Street Chinese restaurant is a nice spot for those hoping to grab something to eat on the way: Folks can pop by here and pick up a trio of bao, in flavors like curry chicken, spicy tofu, and sweet lotus seed. Those with a little extra time can stick around for a bowl of wonton soup or congee, ideal for chilly days.

545 NE Couch St, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 477-8911
(503) 477-8911

Also featured in:

Bar Botellón

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Pouring two dozen wines, beers, and ciders by the glass alongside a savory array of tapas and conservas, Bar Botellón has a little something for almost everyone. The space is wide and inviting, with décor that combines modern and rural North Africa with little disharmony. Despite the proximity to the convention center and Moda, this is first and foremost a neighborhood hang, so anyone rooting against the Blazers on the projector screen should expect some friendly jousting.

606 NE Davis St, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 235-5996
(503) 235-5996

Kinboshi Ramen

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Directly next to Nong’s Khao Man Gai, Kinboshi has a cult following of ramen devotees, who flock to the restaurant for its brick-red, spicy velvety tonkotsu, chilly hazelnut milk hiyashi, and and hearty miso, depending on the season. The red is not too spicy and decadently silken, even better with the addition of bamboo shoots.

609 SE Ankeny St A, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 894-9021
(503) 894-9021

Also featured in:

Rontoms

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With a spacious interior bar and an even more expansive patio — both covered and unroofed but tree-lined sections are vast — Rontoms is perhaps the most inviting gathering spot in this corner of the inner eastside. Opening at midday and closing late — increasingly rare in post-Covid Portland — Rontoms is an ideal spot to meet friends before or after a Blazers game or a concert. Offering creative and well-balanced cocktails — including booze-free concoctions, Rontoms should have something for most of the party.

600 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 236-4536
(503) 236-4536

Also featured in:

Nong's Khao Man Gai

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Nong’s Khao Man Gai remains a bucket-list Portland restaurant, known as the home of Portland’s nationally celebrated Thai chicken and rice. Though the original cart is gone, the casual Ankeny restaurant still delivers the goods, as well as underrated alternatives like chicken with peanut sauce. Tourists should buy a bottle of the restaurant’s famous ginger sauce to take home. Dine elbow-to-elbow with lunch-breaking locals or stretch out on Nong’s expanded sidewalk patio.

609 SE Ankeny St C, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 740-2907
(503) 740-2907
A hand-colored paper poster for Nong’s Khao Man Gai in front of the busy kitchen.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Also featured in:

Dirty Pretty

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Taking over the space of the departed Dune Bar, Dirty Pretty serves a bold and creative cocktail menu highlighting ingredients like pink peppercorns, falernum, pho-wash, and white truffle within a space replete with ’70s earth tones. A small-but-original bar snack menu includes things like rabbit spring rolls and edamame bolstered with pork sausage. Sip inside the elegant bar space or outside on the kitschy astroturf-lined patio.

638 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 841-5253
(503) 841-5253

Also featured in:

C'est Si Bon! Bistro+Vins

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Not too many years ago, a “nice” restaurant almost always meant French here in the states. That has since been corrected as generations of Americans expanded their palates and adjusted their priors, but the needle has moved so far that today French cuisine may be a bit under-appreciated. A croissant’s throw away from the convention center, the intimate C’est Si Bon offers a wholehearted embrace of Parisian bistro cuisine, with a six-course prix fixe offering for special occasions as well as an a la carte menu packed with Gallic staples like escargots, duck confit, and dessert crepes. The wine list is heavy on Bordeaux and Burgundy but also features exciting pours from other parts of the continent.

22 NE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 935-3761
(503) 935-3761

Also featured in:

Dimo’s Apizza

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This East Burnside pizzeria comes closer than most in achieving New Haven-style ‘apizza’ on the West Coast — despite its lack of a coal oven. East Coast expats will take refuge in white clam pies topped with wood-roasted clams, tomato pies heavy on the oregano and chile flake, and rigatoni alla vodka; however, a few pizzas specific to the restaurant, particularly its cacio e pepe, are worth an order.

701 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 327-8968
(503) 327-8968

Also featured in:

Canard

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Gabriel Rucker’s Canard is the kind of spot where meals begin with yuzu-salted oysters, followed by foie gras dumplings, a pile of duck fat pancakes, and coconut cream Paris-brest. The airy bar space, with plenty of natural light, is even a fun stop for a soft-serve parfait on hot days, with things like pine cone fudge or ginger snap streusel. Big spenders can upgrade and hit Le Pigeon — Rucker’s legendary special occasion spot — next door.

734 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(971) 279-2356
(971) 279-2356

Also featured in:

Baon Kainan

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This Filipino cart knocks out dialed in takes on all the Pinoy classics, with hidden touches that accrue regulars — for instance, the house adobo arrives with grilled-and-braised chicken, and the pancit palabok uses a house-made shrimp stock. Specials here are often fun, ranging from fried chicken adobo to calamansi cream puffs. Eat inside the nearby Concourse Coffee, and pair your meal with an iced coffee or sweet tea.

807 NE Couch St, Portland, OR 97232
A takeout container from Baon Kainan in Portland Oregon, filled with two pieces of chicken in a light brown sauce, topped with pickled daikon and carrots and steamed bok choy.
Chicken adobo from Baon Kainan.
Molly J. Smith/Eater Portland

Also featured in:

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Hey Love

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Located within the Jupiter Next hotel, Hey Love quickly became a stunner for its breathtaking, plant-filled bar space, where beautiful people drink fun frozen drinks garnished with pineapple and pickled sweet peppers. The bar is also home to one knockout weekend brunch, with everything from heart of palm ceviche to breakfast tots.

920 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 206-6223
(503) 206-6223

Also featured in:

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Yokohama Skyline Eatery

33 NE 3rd Ave STE.325, Portland, OR 97232

Portland’s ramen renaissance continues with the 2023 opening of Yokohama Skyline Eatery on the street level of the gleaming Yard Apartment building overlooking the east end of the Burnside Bridge. Rich, complex pork, chicken, and vegan broths are the engines of Yokohama’s ramen offerings, including timeless shoyu (with optional truffle oil), spicy tantan, and a bountiful vegan ramen. Beverage options are limited to canned sodas and house made hot and cold green tea drinks.

33 NE 3rd Ave STE.325, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 206-4513
(503) 206-4513

Wa Kitchen Kuu

125 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232

Even though Kuu has conceded somewhat to Portland’s seemingly unquenchable need for sushi, the heart of this Japanese restaurant lies firmly in its udon and soba noodle dishes. These chewy house-made noodles have real flavor, not just serving as a delivery vehicle for other tastes, and are topped with a range of restrained-but-umami-rich vegetables, proteins, and sauces. Pair with a saké flight or hot green tea in the serenely designed dining room filled with natural light.

125 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 477-9383
(503) 477-9383

Spirit of 77

500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232

Spirit of ‘77 is one of Portland’s most popular sports bars for both its food and games. Visitors play foosball and skee-ball while they wait for platters of nachos or tacos filled with beer-battered cod; on certain nights, it’s the spot to watch games around its projector screen or tvs. The beer list has a tight list of Oregon beers, including options from Heater Allen and Fort George.

500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 232-9977
(503) 232-9977
A large orange Spirit of 77 sign above a wide bar and two TV screens.
Spirit of 77.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Delicious Donuts

12 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214

For no-nonsense coffee and doughnuts, Delicious Donuts is the no-longer-hidden gem with bangin’ fritters and glazed doughnut breakfast sandwiches. Sure, Portland is known for other doughnuts, but Delicious is many of the locals’ favorite. Delicious is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 5 a.m. until the shop runs out of doughnuts.

12 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 233-1833
(503) 233-1833

Mirakutei

536 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

Old school Portland legend Hiro Ikegaya opened Mirakutei in 2011, a favorite for Sapporo-style ramen and exceptional cuts of sushi; it’s now owned by longtime employees Nicolas and Job Martinez. It’s a dependable mainstay for raw fish, but the restaurant coaxes in locals for its scrambled-egg-laden genki ramen, as well. Grab takeout, dine in Mirakutei’s spacious dining room, or try to snag limited sidewalk seating.

536 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 467-7501
(503) 467-7501
A California sushi roll with a purple flower and a paper receipt sitting on a square stone plate.
California roll at Mirakutei.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Bao Bao

545 NE Couch St, Portland, OR 97232

This Couch Street Chinese restaurant is a nice spot for those hoping to grab something to eat on the way: Folks can pop by here and pick up a trio of bao, in flavors like curry chicken, spicy tofu, and sweet lotus seed. Those with a little extra time can stick around for a bowl of wonton soup or congee, ideal for chilly days.

545 NE Couch St, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 477-8911
(503) 477-8911

Bar Botellón

606 NE Davis St, Portland, OR 97232

Pouring two dozen wines, beers, and ciders by the glass alongside a savory array of tapas and conservas, Bar Botellón has a little something for almost everyone. The space is wide and inviting, with décor that combines modern and rural North Africa with little disharmony. Despite the proximity to the convention center and Moda, this is first and foremost a neighborhood hang, so anyone rooting against the Blazers on the projector screen should expect some friendly jousting.

606 NE Davis St, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 235-5996
(503) 235-5996

Kinboshi Ramen

609 SE Ankeny St A, Portland, OR 97214

Directly next to Nong’s Khao Man Gai, Kinboshi has a cult following of ramen devotees, who flock to the restaurant for its brick-red, spicy velvety tonkotsu, chilly hazelnut milk hiyashi, and and hearty miso, depending on the season. The red is not too spicy and decadently silken, even better with the addition of bamboo shoots.

609 SE Ankeny St A, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 894-9021
(503) 894-9021

Rontoms

600 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

With a spacious interior bar and an even more expansive patio — both covered and unroofed but tree-lined sections are vast — Rontoms is perhaps the most inviting gathering spot in this corner of the inner eastside. Opening at midday and closing late — increasingly rare in post-Covid Portland — Rontoms is an ideal spot to meet friends before or after a Blazers game or a concert. Offering creative and well-balanced cocktails — including booze-free concoctions, Rontoms should have something for most of the party.

600 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 236-4536
(503) 236-4536

Nong's Khao Man Gai

609 SE Ankeny St C, Portland, OR 97214

Nong’s Khao Man Gai remains a bucket-list Portland restaurant, known as the home of Portland’s nationally celebrated Thai chicken and rice. Though the original cart is gone, the casual Ankeny restaurant still delivers the goods, as well as underrated alternatives like chicken with peanut sauce. Tourists should buy a bottle of the restaurant’s famous ginger sauce to take home. Dine elbow-to-elbow with lunch-breaking locals or stretch out on Nong’s expanded sidewalk patio.

609 SE Ankeny St C, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 740-2907
(503) 740-2907
A hand-colored paper poster for Nong’s Khao Man Gai in front of the busy kitchen.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai.
Nathan Williams/Eater Portland

Dirty Pretty

638 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

Taking over the space of the departed Dune Bar, Dirty Pretty serves a bold and creative cocktail menu highlighting ingredients like pink peppercorns, falernum, pho-wash, and white truffle within a space replete with ’70s earth tones. A small-but-original bar snack menu includes things like rabbit spring rolls and edamame bolstered with pork sausage. Sip inside the elegant bar space or outside on the kitschy astroturf-lined patio.

638 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 841-5253
(503) 841-5253

C'est Si Bon! Bistro+Vins

22 NE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97232

Not too many years ago, a “nice” restaurant almost always meant French here in the states. That has since been corrected as generations of Americans expanded their palates and adjusted their priors, but the needle has moved so far that today French cuisine may be a bit under-appreciated. A croissant’s throw away from the convention center, the intimate C’est Si Bon offers a wholehearted embrace of Parisian bistro cuisine, with a six-course prix fixe offering for special occasions as well as an a la carte menu packed with Gallic staples like escargots, duck confit, and dessert crepes. The wine list is heavy on Bordeaux and Burgundy but also features exciting pours from other parts of the continent.

22 NE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 935-3761
(503) 935-3761

Dimo’s Apizza

701 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

This East Burnside pizzeria comes closer than most in achieving New Haven-style ‘apizza’ on the West Coast — despite its lack of a coal oven. East Coast expats will take refuge in white clam pies topped with wood-roasted clams, tomato pies heavy on the oregano and chile flake, and rigatoni alla vodka; however, a few pizzas specific to the restaurant, particularly its cacio e pepe, are worth an order.

701 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 327-8968
(503) 327-8968

Canard

734 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

Gabriel Rucker’s Canard is the kind of spot where meals begin with yuzu-salted oysters, followed by foie gras dumplings, a pile of duck fat pancakes, and coconut cream Paris-brest. The airy bar space, with plenty of natural light, is even a fun stop for a soft-serve parfait on hot days, with things like pine cone fudge or ginger snap streusel. Big spenders can upgrade and hit Le Pigeon — Rucker’s legendary special occasion spot — next door.

734 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(971) 279-2356
(971) 279-2356

Baon Kainan

807 NE Couch St, Portland, OR 97232

This Filipino cart knocks out dialed in takes on all the Pinoy classics, with hidden touches that accrue regulars — for instance, the house adobo arrives with grilled-and-braised chicken, and the pancit palabok uses a house-made shrimp stock. Specials here are often fun, ranging from fried chicken adobo to calamansi cream puffs. Eat inside the nearby Concourse Coffee, and pair your meal with an iced coffee or sweet tea.

807 NE Couch St, Portland, OR 97232
A takeout container from Baon Kainan in Portland Oregon, filled with two pieces of chicken in a light brown sauce, topped with pickled daikon and carrots and steamed bok choy.
Chicken adobo from Baon Kainan.
Molly J. Smith/Eater Portland

Related Maps

Hey Love

920 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

Located within the Jupiter Next hotel, Hey Love quickly became a stunner for its breathtaking, plant-filled bar space, where beautiful people drink fun frozen drinks garnished with pineapple and pickled sweet peppers. The bar is also home to one knockout weekend brunch, with everything from heart of palm ceviche to breakfast tots.

920 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 206-6223
(503) 206-6223

Related Maps