We are going to be in the Portland area for a couple days at the beginning of September. We are actually staying in Vancouver, WA, but will have a car and will able to go into the area. Main attraction we are going to is Mt St. Helens. I've been to POrtland 6 or 7 years ago on business, but don't remember the resturants we went to.

So what do you guys recommend? We aren't that picky of eaters and price range we'd like to keep it under $50 for 2, but if there is an awesome place going over isn't an issue.

Ruth's Chris and Portland City Grill are both good but probly a bit above your price range. Ruth's Chris has about the best steak I've ever had.

Don't go to the Brazil Grill no matter how tempting it might be; the food sucks.

the Thai orchid, and tigers garden in downtown vancouver is a good places for thai food. the tin shed is a great place in portland. they do a bit of everything. if the greek cusina is still open its good greek food, so is alexis. they are both downtown portland. to tell you the truth look on the food networks website dinners drive-ins and dives they have done a dozen or so places in portland. gustav's in vancouver is good too. it's german food, but I highly recommend the halibut fish and chips there.

Most of these recommendations are damn spendy, but we are all millionaires one this site. So no big deal. I have neglected to go to Kells myself, but if you like the Irish theme, it's a big deal. I am regularly tortured by the smell of Ringside when I run, and it's not something you can get everywhere. If you are in Vancouver, try one of the McMenamin's pubs that are all over the place here. They fit your price tag and even though most locals think they aren't cool enough, they have some local character. If you are feeling brave, try the food carts downtown. It will be inexpensive; you will win many hipness points with the Oregonians; and you will return to the Midwest with stories of the shocking people you saw as a sure sign of the impeding apocalypse.

Almost forgot Tommy O's and philly bilmo's in east Vancouver. Philly bimo's does cheese steaks and tommy O's is hawian food.

Montage in SE Portland is really good.. it's not fancy but the food is awesome and you can have a good time people watching. Then head over to Voodoo donut afterwords... that's what I do in PDX

Gonna have to argue with a couple of these. The best Thai food in Portland is Pok Pok. You cannot argue that.. If you like spicy try the boar's collar. And you absoltutely CANNOT go wrong with their wings.

My personal preference for patrami is Ottos Sausage. It's more of a meat shop that happens to make sandwiches, but you can also get some really awesome sausages that they always have cooking on the grill on the sidewalk. Their pepperoni sticks are amazing.

The best barbecue I've had in Portland was at Podnah's, but that was before they moved and I haven't been over to their new location, so I can't guarantee that they still can throw down some smokey meat. My experience with barbecue in Portland is pretty limited, so maybe someone else can give you a better recomendation.

The food carts can be hit and miss, but when it's a hit it will usually blow your fucking socks off. They usually congregate in groups (call them pods so you don't sound like you're from out of town), so you can hit up a bunch of them at once.

I've heard good stuff about Bunk's Sandwiches and The Blue Plate as well.

Yeah, for Greek food go to Alexis. It's in a part of town that looks like shit, especially if it's raining, but the food was really good the last time I was there, though admittedly that was more than two years ago.

I disagree with just about all the listings posted here.

Ringside is VERY good though....but outragously exspensive and I eat at pretty spendy places.

Jake's is meh on seafood.

Oba is awesome, Andina is the best resturant in portland in my opinion, Pizzia Italia is great....and for chains, I love the Melting Pot.

I try to stay away from the East side though

Yup, very high quality food, very healthy, tons of flavor, lots of options, it forces you to eat s...l...o...w...l...y and a kick ass desert. The atmosphere is great and is a good place to unwind with the misses.

I hear the same "you have to cook your own food", whens the last time you made foundu at your house?

I think a few people may disagree with the best Thai place in Portland being Pok-pok. Many will argue that it's Typhoon. I have not been to either so I have no vote.

Heuber's (or is it Huber"s, Hueber's) has really great seafood like gumbo, peilla (I doubt I spelled it right), and another really great seafood dish that I can't remember. They are sort of famous for having thanksgiving style turkey dinners available all the time. They are about 5 blocks up the street from Kell's Irish. Prices at Heubers are pretty reasonable too.

It is easy to recommend dinners that cost $75-150 per couple, but finding a really good meal under $50 for two people is a neat deal. I think both Kell's or Huebers would do the trick.

For high end stuff, Jakes, Ruth's Chris, the London Grill are old Portland standby favorites.

You might also want to check out the deli's on N.W. 23rd. Roses and another New York style Deli have great food, and you can eat there for under $40 a couple easily.

I thought Typhoon closed with some big to-do about their employees getting the shaft or something. Or am I getting it confused with somewhere else?