Help: Visiting Portland

boymonkey · 06-30-2010, 08:26 AM

Hi all,

I'm planning to go to Portland this weekend for three days. For someone who's never been to Portland, can you locals make some recommendations for the following...

1. What are must-see and must-do? (attractions, events, museums, festivals, etc.)
2. Where to stay? (downtown vs. convention center?)
3. Where to eat?
4. Where to shop? (no sales tax, right? I like anything from outlets to Gucci)

TIA

Johnny Lin · 06-30-2010, 03:02 PM

Hey wazzup~ Im not from Portland, but I just want to come and say Hi since we are all Taiwanese.

Have fun in Portland, Im heading there with my sister and some friends as well in this weekend.

OC Guy · 06-30-2010, 03:09 PM

tripadvisor.com forums?

NaTuReB0Y · 06-30-2010, 03:10 PM

you like fishing........that's what I do when I'm in Portland.

thwgw24 · 06-30-2010, 04:26 PM

You have to try the Saburo's Sushi House if you never been there before. It has the biggest nigiri on earth. I can only finish 10 to 11 pieces myself. Also try their house special Big O roll.
(503) 236-4237
1667 SE Bybee Blvd
Portland, OR 97202

boymonkey · 06-30-2010, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Lin

Hey wazzup~ Im not from Portland, but I just want to come and say Hi since we are all Taiwanese.

Have fun in Portland, Im heading there with my sister and some friends as well in this weekend.

Cool man.

Are you staying downtown?

boymonkey · 06-30-2010, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OC 335i

tripadvisor.com forums?

Yeah I browsed a lot already, just wanted some input from locals if possible.

boymonkey · 06-30-2010, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thwgw24

You have to try the Saburo's Sushi House if you never been there before. It has the biggest nigiri on earth. I can only finish 10 to 11 pieces myself. Also try their house special Big O roll.
(503) 236-4237
1667 SE Bybee Blvd
Portland, OR 97202

Nice, I love sushi.

boymonkey · 06-30-2010, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

you like fishing........that's what I do when I'm in Portland.

I get it, you love fishing!

Johnny Lin · 06-30-2010, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boymonkey

Cool man.

Are you staying downtown?

Yup, that is where we are going to shopping for sure. I kw the girls will want to go to the LV store.

98005xi · 06-30-2010, 07:49 PM

Dayam Saburo's yelp page has awesome pics. I gotta try this place next time I drive down. Thanks for the rec. It's well reviewed.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/saburos-portland

Quote:

Originally Posted by thwgw24

You have to try the Saburo's Sushi House if you never been there before. It has the biggest nigiri on earth. I can only finish 10 to 11 pieces myself. Also try their house special Big O roll.
(503) 236-4237
1667 SE Bybee Blvd
Portland, OR 97202

98005xi · 06-30-2010, 07:52 PM

I usually stay out of downtown when I'm down in Portland. For nice uncrowded upscale shopping, you can also try out Bridgeport Village in Tigard, down the I-5 south of Lake Oswego. Reminds me of UVillage as well.

http://www.bridgeport-village.com/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Lin

Yup, that is where we are going to shopping for sure. I kw the girls will want to go to the LV store.

thwgw24 · 06-30-2010, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 98005xi

Dayam Saburo's yelp page has awesome pics. I gotta try this place next time I drive down. Thanks for the rec. It's well reviewed.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/saburos-portland

Try to be there 15 minutes before they open. Otherwise wait time is normally hour to hour and half even during the week.

Dirnegrey · 06-30-2010, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thwgw24

You have to try the Saburo's Sushi House if you never been there before. It has the biggest nigiri on earth. I can only finish 10 to 11 pieces myself. Also try their house special Big O roll.
(503) 236-4237
1667 SE Bybee Blvd
Portland, OR 97202

+1000

98005xi · 06-30-2010, 10:09 PM

really......THAT good? I guess I should try it soon then.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirnegrey

+1000

98005xi · 06-30-2010, 10:18 PM

Hey Johnny...you never did tell me which Taiwanese restaurants you like around our area. Just in case you get a craving for Chinese (I haven't driven/checked out Portland chinatown yet), give Hunan Pearls/Lake Oswego a try. It's owned and cooked by Taiwanese. You can even request stuff off the menu. My review is on yelp - mine should be the first one listed by Alex J./Bellevue.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/hunan-pearl-...ts-lake-oswego

For boba tea, I'm pretty happy with Bubble Bubble Tea in Beaverton.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/bubble-bubble-tea-beaverton

For a late nite snack, you CAN'T miss Whiffies, a food cart that specializes in deep-fried pies. HELLA tasty!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/whiffies-portland

And lastly, cuz I'm a Cali native, I can't miss an opportunity to grab a Western Bacon Cheeseburger and fried zuchinni @ Carl's Jr. That's one thing we're missing up here in the 425.

Those are my rec's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Lin

Hey wazzup~ Im not from Portland, but I just want to come and say Hi since we are all Taiwanese.

Have fun in Portland, Im heading there with my sister and some friends as well in this weekend.

NaTuReB0Y · 06-30-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boymonkey

I get it, you love fishing!

You should try it.....salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon(bigger than you) up the Columbian River....or check out fishery center.

pentaxis · 06-30-2010, 11:19 PM

If you are down this weekend for the 4th, the waterfront has a great fireworks show. I think the blues festival is that weekend as well.

PIR is only 10 minutes from the middle of downtown for races too. Friday nights and saturday nights they do street class drags.

Go see Horsepower Freaks. They are based out of NE Portland near the airport about 15 minutes downtown.

DEFINITELY go see PSI near hillsboro. Most amazing shop i have ever seen. Looks like it should be in the sets of movies.

Lots of live music in portland. check out the schedules on wweek.com for events and when bands are playing.

Go to Mcmenamins Kennedy School. Its a 1903 School that was converted into a restaurant / hotel / 4 different bars. Really cool place.

Hope that gets ya started!

pentaxis · 06-30-2010, 11:31 PM

PS.

For shopping, there is an outlet mall south of Portland about 30 miles in Woodburn. If you want to stay closer to town and go to a nice mall, hit up Washington Square.

Definitely stay downtown. Portland has small blocks, and its easy to walk around and see a ton of amazing stuff. SO SO much food options too. Happy hour is king here. Absolutely great food for cheap. Make use of it. Download Cocktail Compass if you have an I-phone. Will direct you to the happy hours, what time is left, and what deals they have. Hit up "Henry's" on 12th ave. Its the old original henry weinhart brewery. Now a restaurant and taphouse with over 100 beers available. The happy hour food is huge, awesome quality, and only 3-5 bucks per plate!

98005xi · 06-30-2010, 11:42 PM

Didn't know that's where Henry Weinhart started....in Portland. I'll give this place a visit next time too. They still make the best root beer too.

Quote: