Tuck Woodstock

Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More

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Located in a huge, century-old warehouse, Wayfinder Beer offers simple, high-quality comfort food and plenty of lagers and ales — their massive outdoor patio is an ideal spot to enjoy some fresh air, fries and a pint of IPA.

Credit: Aaron Lee

Outdoor Dining in Portland: The Best Bar and Restaurant Patios

Soak up the Oregon sunshine at these outdoor dining and drinking destinations.

Updated Nov. 15, 2024 5 min read

Tuck Woodstock

Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More

Portland’s dining scene is internationally known for being lively, innovative and rich. Add to that an abundance of world-class watering holes — including craft distilleries, urban wineries and more than 80 breweries — and you’ve got one of the world’s great cities for dining and imbibing.

And it gets better: At many local bars and restaurants, the view is almost as good as what’s on the table. Whether it’s atop the city’s tallest buildings or right on the riverside, these picturesque rooftops and patios offer a feast for the eyes as well as the appetite.

Find Great Outdoor Dining in Portland

Downtown and Southwest Portland

Perched atop the 15th floor of The Nines Hotel, the swanky rooftop restaurant and bar Departure boasts panoramic views of downtown, including an aerial view of “Portland’s Living Room” (aka Pioneer Courthouse Square) and the Willamette River beyond. Settle into the stylish dining room or the comfy outdoor dining area and order Asian-inspired small plates, craft cocktails and indulgent desserts. Another downtown rooftop bar can be found at Xport Bar & Lounge. Perch on one of the expansive decks, craft cocktail in hand, and you’ll feel transported to lands unknown (the cozy booths indoors offer sweeping views as well).

Downtown’s tried-and-true Portland City Grill is great any time of day (during happy hour can be an especially good choice for a visit). With choices including sushi and Asian-inspired spring rolls and satays, this spot offers impressive food values, great drinks and eye-popping vistas from comfortable indoor seating on the 30th floor of the U.S. Bancorp Tower — affectionately called “Big Pink” by Portlanders. For a different view, Chart House overlooks the city, the Willamette River and Mount Hood from its perch in the West Hills, a great pairing with the menu’s array of fresh Pacific Northwest fish.

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Southeast Portland

Lardo is a Portland classic, whether you sit inside or out — but if you do sit outside, you’re sure to enjoy the spacious covered patio, ringed by elevated garden beds. Tuck into some of the city’s most popular sandwiches — including favorites like the Korean pork shoulder and the Smokey Cubano — alongside salads, sides, house cocktails, local brews and more.

Summer means live music and frequent dance parties on the back patio at White Owl Social Club. The menu boasts a great selection of gluten-free and vegan grub complemented by well-made, reasonably priced beverages. Elsewhere in the Central Eastside, Wayfinder Beer eschews the current IPA craze in favor of a lager-centric tap list, meaning there’s no shortage of smooth, drinkable brews (fear not, hop-lovers — there are a few IPAs on the tap list too). If that’s not reason enough for a visit, the patio — massive, elegantly designed and equipped with a fire pit — is tough to beat.

For a boot-scootin’ good time, grab your cowboy hat (or trucker cap) and head to the Landmark Saloon to play backyard cornhole and horseshoes accompanied by live honky-tonk tunes. The bacon-and-fontina sando is reason enough to visit The Eastburn, though the cozy fireside tables and quirky swinging chairs only add to the appeal.

North Portland

Hip North Mississippi Avenue offers a handful of top-notch patios. For a quick European getaway, check out Prost!, an authentic German pub with a spacious back porch, where patrons pair imported beer with traditional bratwurst and Bavarian pretzels — or fare from one of the city’s most popular food cart pods.

Order grass-fed cheeseburgers at roomy picnic tables and buy pints from an outdoor order window at Bar Bar, then catch a live show at adjoining Mississippi Studios. Down the street, locals cheer on the Portland Timbers with Cloud Ripper IPAs at StormBreaker Brewing, where outdoor dining options include a large tented area outfitted with a TV projector.

A few blocks east on the popular cycling corridor North Williams Avenue, Vendetta offers a gigantic back patio, plus satisfying pub food and affordable drinks. Hungry? A few blocks south The Waypost serves “Arizona-themed” fare like tacos, nachos, chips and cheese dip — dig in on the cozy garden patio.

You’ll find an expansive patio befitting its name at Backyard Social, a lively spot in St. Johns. They specialize in New American small plates, plus a robust cocktail program, a top-notch happy hour, a busy events calendar and more.

Northeast Portland

The lush, sprawling rooftop garden at Noble Rot provides the Central Eastside restaurant with some of the freshest organic veggies in town — the fourth-floor view’s not bad either. Grab a seat outside and enjoy views of the sun dipping behind downtown Portland and the woodsy West Hills. Still need convincing? The great location (just a five minute drive from downtown), international wine list and friendly vibes put this spot over the top. Not to be outdone, Northeast Alberta Street’s Radio Room offers two outdoor dining options: a family- and dog-friendly street-level garden warmed by a gas fire pit, and an adults-only rooftop outfitted with heaters and a wood-burning fireplace. The latter is a perfect perch from which to sip sugar-rimmed vodka lemonade and watch the colorful characters of the Alberta Arts District.

Credit: via Instagram

For waterfront sunsets and big skies, Salty’s on the Columbia is hard to beat. This award-winning riverfront restaurant in Northeast Portland has an open-air porch and indoor dining with a row of windows, so there’s not a bad view to be had.

Northwest Portland

Cool off with pints of Apocalypse IPA and Cucumber Crush at the Portland outpost of Bend-based 10 Barrel Brewing. The brewery’s Pearl District location features an expansive rooftop deck with festive twinkling lights, chill summer vibes and stellar views of downtown.

In Old Town Chinatown, venture to the top of the stylish Hoxton hotel to find Tope, an upscale taqueria offering Mexican-inspired street food, a top-notch cocktail program (don’t miss the mezcal-based drinks) and awesome rooftop views.

Craving sophisticated pub grub? Peruse a long list of Belgian beers, gourmet small plates like mussels and frites, and more than 150 whiskeys at North 45 Pub, whose tucked away brick- and tree-lined patio feels like it was transported from a town square in Brussels.

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