12 Unique Restaurants in Portland, Oregon: A Guide to Portland’s Funky Food Finds

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Portland, Oregon, is a foodie playground like no other, where creativity and flavor collide in the most unexpected ways. Known for its funky vibes and anything-goes attitude, the city’s restaurant scene is as unique as its famous “Keep Portland Weird” mantra. From a sushi bar inside a hidden speakeasy to a whimsical donut haven that breaks all the rules, Portland is packed with one-of-a-kind spots that elevate dining to an art form.

Whether you’re craving vegan comfort food, inventive global fusion, or meals served with a side of quirky ambiance, this guide has you covered. These aren’t just places to eat—they’re full-blown experiences that showcase the city’s passion for pushing culinary boundaries. Here are 12 of Portland’s most unique restaurants you absolutely need to try.

Unique Restaurants in Portland OR: 12 Incredible Portland Eateries

Portland’s food scene is full of unexpected finds and cool surprises. Let’s jump into the adventure and see what makes Portland’s eateries stand out!

1. Raven’s Manor

• 📍 Location: Downtown (Southwest Taylor Street)
• 💲 Price range: $20 – $40 per person (Primarily drinks/small bites)
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Themed Cocktail Bar / Spooky / Eclectic
• 🔥 Standout Features: Haunted mansion theme, theatrical/spooky cocktails, macabre decor.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Horror/goth fans, unique themed bars, and spooky fun nights.

Prepare for a delightfully spooky and immersive experience at Raven’s Manor! This Portland cocktail bar is a full-on homage to a haunted mansion, with incredible, detailed decor that will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a classic horror film.

A visit here requires you to try one of their theatrically presented and creatively named spooky cocktails. Popular choices include the “Nevermore” with its dark hues, the smoky “The Raven”, and the fruit-forward “Annabel Lee”. They also offer themed small bites.

2. Eem

• 📍 Location: North Williams Avenue
• 💲 Price range: $20 – $40 per person
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Thai Barbecue / Isaan Thai / Tropical Cocktails
• 🔥 Standout Features: Acclaimed chef collaboration, smoky/spicy Thai BBQ, killer tropical cocktails.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Bold Thai/BBQ flavor fans, cocktail enthusiasts, and trendy lively group.

Get ready for a flavor inferno that’s pure Portland magic at Eem! This hotspot is a brilliant collaboration between acclaimed chefs, bringing together the best of Texas-style BBQ and fiery Isaan Thai flavors, and the results are absolutely mind-blowing.

You absolutely have to try their incredible white curry with brisket burnt ends – it’s a smoky, spicy, creamy dream. Other consistent raves include the BBQ pork steak, their fried chicken, and the chopped brisket fried rice. Pair it all with a potent tropical cocktail.

3. Kinnamons

• 📍 Location: Beaverton (Portland Metro Area)
• 💲 Price range: $5 – $15 per pastry/treat
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Bakery / Cafe / Cinnamon Roll Specialist
• 🔥 Standout Features: Gourmet cinnamon rolls, unique flavor variations, artisan baked goods.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Cinnamon roll fanatics, sweet breakfast seekers, and gourmet pastry lovers.

Prepare to swoon over next-level cinnamon-infused treats at Kinnamons in Beaverton! This spot excels at cinnamon rolls with warm, gooey centers, fluffy dough, and creative frostings. The aroma of fresh baking and sweet spice is heavenly.

Experience their signature cinnamon rolls, the main event in various amazing flavors. The blueberry crumble and zesty strawberry lemon curd pastries are also highlights. It’s a haven for sweet tooths seeking exceptional baked goods.

• Read next: Unique Places to Eat in Oregon

4. Hale Pele

• 📍 Location:  Hollywood District (Northeast Broadway)
• 💲 Price range: $15 – $30 per cocktail (Primarily a bar)
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Tiki Bar / Classic & Modern Tiki Cocktails
• 🔥 Standout Features: Immersive tiki decor, flaming drinks/volcano bowls, extensive rum selection.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Tiki aficionados, exotic cocktail lovers, and fun transportive escape.

Escape to a tropical paradise without leaving Portland at Hale Pele! This acclaimed tiki bar in the Hollywood District is an immersive wonderland, with bamboo, thatch, glowing pufferfish, and even occasional “thunderstorms.” The air is sweet with rum.

You absolutely have to try one of their expertly crafted classic tiki cocktails, like a potent Zombie or a flaming Volcano Bowl to share. Popular individual drinks include the Jet Pilot, the Mai Tai, and the refreshing Passion Fruit Batida.

5. Creepy’s

• 📍 Location: Buckman (Southeast Morrison Street)
• 💲 Price range: $10 – $20 per person (Primarily a bar)
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Dive Bar / Eclectic Kitsch / American Casual
• 🔥 Standout Features: Weird/kitschy clown/vintage decor, unpretentious dive vibe, cheap drinks/simple.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Quirky dive bar fans, lovers of kitsch/oddities, and unpretentious local hangouts.

Embrace your inner weirdo at Creepy’s, a gloriously kitschy and wonderfully strange dive bar in the Buckman neighborhood! This place is a true Portland original, packed to the rafters with an eclectic collection of vintage clown memorabilia and velvet paintings.

While it’s primarily about the cheap drinks and the unique atmosphere, they usually offer some simple bar snacks. Think Jell-O shots, a cold can of PBR, or basic well drinks. It’s the perfect spot to soak in the wonderfully bizarre ambiance.

• Read next: Best Places to Live in Oregon

6. Hey Love

• 📍 Location: Central Eastside (at Jupiter NEXT Hotel, East Burnside Street)
• 💲 Price range: $15 – $30 per person (Small plates/Drinks)
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Tropical Bar & Restaurant / Global Small Plates / Cocktails
• 🔥 Standout Features: Lush “tropical oasis” decor, creative global small plates, inventive cocktails.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Trendy group hangouts, unique date nights, and flavorful tropical bites/drinks.

Escape to a lush, vibrant tropical oasis at Hey Love, located in the Jupiter NEXT hotel. This stunning spot is a feast for the eyes, with an abundance of plants, colorful decor, and a generally breezy, energetic vibe that makes you feel like you’re on vacation.

You’ll certainly want to try their creative cocktails, often featuring tropical fruits like passionfruit or guava. For food, guests enjoy the pork belly banh mi sliders, crispy fried chicken, and flavorful dan dan noodles. The popcorn shrimp is another popular shareable.

• Read next: Top Things to Do in Portland at Night

7. The Sports Bra

• 📍 Location: Sullivan’s Gulch (Northeast Broadway)
• 💲 Price range: $15 – $30 per person
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Sports Bar / American Pub Grub / Women’s Sports Focused
• 🔥 Standout Features: Only shows women’s sports, inclusive/community, classic pub fare.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Women’s sports fans, inclusive sports bars, and casual pub meals.

Cheer on your favorite female athletes in a place dedicated to them at The Sports Bra! This groundbreaking Portland spot is the first of its kind, a sports bar that exclusively shows women’s sports on its screens. The atmosphere is incredibly welcoming and inclusive.

While you’re catching a game, you can enjoy classic American pub grub. Their burgers are a popular choice. Satisfying vegan wings, crispy tater tots, and the fried chicken sandwich also get high marks. It’s a fantastic place to support women in sports.

8. Freakybuttrue Peculiarium

• 📍 Location: Northwest District (Northwest Thurman Street)
• 💲 Price range: $5 – $10 (Snacks/Oddities, primarily an attraction)
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Oddity Shop / Ice Cream & Weird Snacks / Unique Experience
• 🔥 Standout Features: Bizarre/quirky museum, unusual snacks (bug lollipops!), truly unique/kitschy.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Lovers of weird/macabre, unique photo ops, and adventurous snackers.

Step into a wonderfully weird world of curiosities at The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium! This isn’t your typical eatery; it’s a quirky museum and shop dedicated to all things bizarre, spooky, and hilariously strange. You can browse bizarre exhibits and sample unusual snacks.

While it’s not a full restaurant, you might find yourself trying insect-laced lollipops or other novelty treats. They also offer ice cream and some pre-packaged strange candies. It’s an absolute must for anyone who loves kitsch and embracing the wonderfully weird.

9. Never Coffee Lab

• 📍 Location: Downtown (Southwest 10th Avenue) & other locations
• 💲 Price range: $5 – $10 per coffee/pastry
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Specialty Coffee Shop / Pastries
• 🔥 Standout Features: Creative signature lattes, minimalist/aesthetic decor, quality coffee.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Coffee connoisseurs, adventurous latte drinkers, and stylish caffeine fix.

Prepare to have your perception of coffee delightfully altered at Never Coffee Lab! This isn’t just a coffee shop; it’s a laboratory for inventive and incredibly delicious coffee creations. The decor is minimalist and aesthetic, putting the focus on the art of the brew.

You absolutely have to try one of their unique signature lattes, like the “Holy Moly” with Mexican mocha and spices. The “Midnight Oil” with fennel and licorice, or the vibrant “Oregon” with Douglas fir and maple, are also top-notch.

10. Voodoo Doughnut

• 📍 Location: Old Town (Southwest 3rd Avenue) & other locations
• 💲 Price range: $3 – $10 per doughnut
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Doughnuts / Bakery / Quirky
• 🔥 Standout Features: World-famous doughnut shop, creative/unconventional flavors, iconic pink boxes.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Doughnut fanatics, adventurous sweet tooths, and quintessential Portland treat.

Get ready for some seriously weird and wonderful doughnut magic at Voodoo Doughnut, a true Portland legend! This iconic spot is famous worldwide for its outrageously creative and often hilariously named doughnuts, all served up in their signature pink boxes.

A visit here requires you to try some of their signature creations, like the Voodoo Doll doughnut (complete with a pretzel stake!). The bacon-topped Maple Blazer Blunt and the cereal-covered Captain my Captain (or the Old Dirty Bastard with Oreos) are also essential.

11. SteepleJack Brewing

• 📍 Location: Sullivan’s Gulch (historic church on Northeast Broadway)
• 💲 Price range: $15 – $30 per person
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Brewpub / American Gastropub
• 🔥 Standout Features: Brewery in historic church, diverse craft beer, elevated pub fare.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Craft beer lovers, unique architectural settings, and quality gastropub.

Raise a glass in a truly heavenly setting at Steeplejack Brewing Company! One of their standout locations is housed in a magnificently renovated historic church, complete with soaring ceilings and beautiful stained glass, creating an absolutely unique atmosphere.

You’ll certainly want to sample a flight of their diverse house-brewed beers, like their IPA or Pilsner. Pair it with their elevated gastropub fare; diners enjoy the fish and chips, creative pizzas, and hearty sandwiches such as the Reuben.

12. HunnyMilk

• 📍 Location: Richmond (Southeast 19th Avenue)
• 💲 Price range: $25 – $40 per person (Brunch focused, often set menu/prix fixe)
• 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Elevated Brunch / American / Sweet & Savory Pairings
• 🔥 Standout Features: “Choose your own adventure” brunch, whimsical/artistic presentations, popular/long waits.
• 🎯 Perfect For: Brunch adventurers, creative sweet/savory combos, and unique Portland brunch.

Get ready for a brunch experience that’s a delightful choose-your-own-adventure at HunnyMilk! This beloved Portland spot is famous for its unique brunch concept where you select one sweet dish and one savory dish from their creative and ever-changing menu.

A meal here means creating your perfect pairing – perhaps fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes alongside a savory biscuit with fried chicken. Their seasonal fruit dishes, unique egg preparations like the coddled egg, and the chocolate chip cookie consistently get high praise.

Frequently Asked Questions About these Unique Places to Eat in Portland

Here’s everything you need to know from our Portland, Oregon restaurant guide, packed with answers to all your burning questions.

What food is unique to Portland Oregon?

Portland is famous for its food cart culture, offering everything from gourmet sandwiches to international delicacies. A must-try unique to Portland is the city’s twist on doughnuts. From classics with a twist to wild creations like those found at Voodoo Doughnut, they’re a staple of Portland’s best restaurants. Also, don’t miss out on the city’s farm-to-table dishes, showcasing the best local produce and meats in inventive ways.

Which Portland restaurant is listed as one of the best new places to eat in the US?

Recently, a Portland eatery that made waves is Eem, blending Thai cuisine with Texas barbecue. It’s a prime example of the best food in Portland OR, showcasing how local chefs are mixing diverse culinary traditions to create something truly unique. This spot, along with others in the city, continues to earn national acclaim for innovation and quality.

What is the hardest restaurant to get into in Portland?

Langbaan is the spot with a rep for being the toughest reservation to land. This place is a hidden gem in Oregon, literally tucked away inside Phuket Cafe. They serve up historic regional Thai dishes, some straight from ancient royalty’s cookbooks. The catch? It’s so sought after, you need to book a month in advance. If you’re into exclusive dining experiences, Langbaan is where it’s at in Portland.

Where can I find scenic places in Portland Oregon to eat?

For breathtaking views, head to restaurants along the Willamette River like the Portland City Grill. Here, you can enjoy some of the scenic places in Portland to eat while looking out over the city skyline and the river. Outdoor dining in Portland’s many parks and gardens also offers a scenic and serene dining experience, perfect for those warm summer evenings, inviting you to stay in Oregon.

What are some hidden gem restaurants in Portland?

Portland is full of hidden gems, from cozy cafés tucked away in the city’s vibrant neighborhoods to exclusive speakeasies that require a password for entry. For a truly unique experience, explore areas like the Alberta Arts District or Division Street. Here, places like hidden gem restaurants in Portland serve up incredible meals away from the bustling downtown crowds, offering intimate settings and innovative menus.

How do I choose a restaurant in Portland?

Consider what you’re craving, then dive into Portland’s diverse culinary scene. Want something uniquely Portland? Look for a food cart. In the mood for fine dining in Portland? The city’s array of upscale restaurants won’t disappoint. For the best experience, check out online reviews, ask locals for their recommendations, and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Can I find international cuisine in Portland?

Absolutely. Portland is a melting pot of international cuisine, offering everything from authentic Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese dishes to Italian, French, and Middle Eastern delicacies. Areas like the International District are great starting points, but you’ll find pockets of international flavors scattered throughout the city. It’s a testament to the best food in Portland, showcasing a world of flavors right here in the city, making it one of the top places to live and visit in the Pacific Northwest.

What makes Portland’s food scene unique?

Portland’s food scene stands out for its commitment to sustainability, farm-to-table dining, and a community of creative chefs who aren’t afraid to experiment. The city’s food carts play a huge role, offering gourmet dining experiences on a budget. The embrace of hidden gem restaurants in Portland along with the support for local, seasonal ingredients, makes dining here a unique adventure set against Oregon’s beauty. Whether it’s fine dining or a quick bite from a food cart.

What’s the best way to experience Portland’s food scene without breaking the bank?

Portland is awesome for food lovers on a budget because so many of its best spots offer amazing food without a hefty price tag. Check out the food carts scattered throughout the city for some seriously tasty and affordable meals. Also, keep an eye out for happy hour deals at restaurants, where you can sample the best food in Portland without spending a lot. Plus, many unique places offer combos or tasting menus that give you a bang for your buck.

Final Thoughts On Unique Portland Restaurants

And that wraps up our journey through the culinary delights of the city! We hope our Portland, Oregon restaurant guide has sparked your appetite for adventure and given you a taste of what this vibrant city has to offer. From quirky doughnut shops to historic brewpubs inside churches, Portland is a place where food dreams come true. So, grab your forks and knives, and dive into the flavors waiting for you!