Hawthorne Portland

Another one of my favorite Portland neighborhoods is the vibrant Hawthorne District.

The Hawthorne District is in SE Portland and has a bohemian, independent vibe, with loads of restaurants, bars and cafes.

The stunning Bagdad Theater built in 1927 during Hollywood's golden age, is Hawthorne's most famous landmark. The mediterranean style theater is absolutely gorgeous, and a great place to watch first run movies. If you sit at the balcony level, you can order pub food, pizza and drinks while watching a movie.

Some of the other top things to do along Hawthorne are visiting the Powell's Bookstore, or catching a live show at the Hawthorne Theater. 

There's also fun activities like Quarterworld Arcade with 40 pinball machines, or the 4,500 square foot Commonwealth Skatepark inside a large warehouse.

Where is Hawthorne Boulevard?

Hawthorne Boulevard extends 43 blocks east to Mt Tabor Park in SE Portland.

This area has a colorful history, and was once referred to as Asylum Road. Dr James Hawthorne ran an asylum here in the 1860s and 1870s. There's now a giant mural of him at the Hawthorne Asylum Food Cart Court.  I absolutely love the cool vibe at this food court, with a full service bar, fire-pits, and food from all over the world.

10 best things to do in Hawthorne Portland

1. McMenamins Bagdad Theater 

The most recognizable landmark along Hawthorne Boulevard is the stunning Bagdad Theater. The theater was constructed during the Golden Age of Hollywood in 1927, and has a stunning interior with decorative arches, frescoes and wrought-iron chandeliers.

This theater is so famous, it was selected for the world premieres for One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), and My Private Idaho (1991).

I could also sit on the upper balcony of the theater and order pizza, pub food and beer while watching a movie (check movie times). 

The Bagdad Theater is owned by the McMenamins Group and has three options, a cigar lounge, bar and pub:

• Enjoy a casual meal at the street level Bagdad Pub (pictured).
• Indulge in a nightcap at the elegant Greater Trumps cigar lounge.
• Order a cocktail at the Back Stage Bar. I love the striking interior here, with a massive mural depicting the theater’s history, seven story high ceilings and an 130-year old salvaged bar.

2. Brunch on Hawthorne Portland

I'm really impressed by the wide choice of brunch options along Hawthorne Boulevard.

• I love Little Griddle's cozy interior. I always order a citrus cocktail, with eggs benedict and buttermilk pancakes.
• Fried Egg I’m in Love is my go-to for yummy breakfast sandwiches and coffee.
• The Space Room Lounge on Hawthorne is so much fun. I can hang out on the 3,000 square foot patio, or gaze at the psychedelic interior with space murals while enjoying all the breakfast favorites.

The breakfast place I've visited the most is Jam on Hawthorne (above).  It's always busy during brunch, with delicious vegetarian and vegan menu items, mimosas and Bloody Mary's.

I also highly recommend the Bread and Ink Café (above and below), and order fried chicken and waffles.

3. Restaurants on Hawthorne

I never run out of restaurant options along Hawthorne Boulevard. Just about every type of food is available here.  The atmosphere is always relaxed, and never trendy or pretentious.

Some of my recommendations are:

• Straight from New York pizza (pictured above)
• Cubo (cuban)
• Que Bacano (Columbian)
• Harlow (vegetarian eats)
• Farmhouse Kitchen (Thai)
• Short Round Crying Tigers (Vietnamese street food)
• Por Que No (Mexican)
• Apizza Scholls (visited by Anthony Bourdain)

4. Hawthorne Asylum 

The Hawthorne Asylum is a quintessentially Portland gathering space.

The first thing I noticed was the super cool steam-punk sign at the Hawthorne Asylum's entrance. I was intrigued, so ventured further into this open air food court. I then discovered a busy bar area, and over twenty food trucks with a dazzling array of cuisine including Korean, Spanish, Burmese, South African, Egyptian, BBQ and more.

As evening fell, I enjoyed the ambiance beside the roaring fire pit in the middle of the complex. There was an eerie feel as I looked up at the ominous black and white mural of Dr Hawthorne, who was cofounder of the Oregon Hospital for the Insane.

5. Coffee shops

Hawthorne Boulevard has a few options for a caffeine fix:

• Coava Expresso Bar is my top choice in winter, with a comfy couch, fireplace, and lots of beautiful art. The sleek interior is magazine worthy!
• In summer, I prefer the patio at Common Grounds Coffee House, with a yummy choice of pastries.

6. Cool cocktail bars

I have two fabulous recommendations for cocktail bars along Hawthorne. Both are infused with an incredible ambiance.

• I first noticed the busy patio out the front of the chalet-style Gold Dust Meridian, then ventured further inside this atmospheric bar. I slipped into a booth at happy hour, enjoying a full menu of pub food like the classic mac or artichoke dip.
• The Sapphire Hotel has a dimly lit bar perfect for a cocktail, with glowing lanterns, candlelight, and asian-style wall murals. It was once a hotel lobby for 19th century prostitutes who worked in the rooms above. This top rated bar has superb food, and a cocktail list with offerings like Witchy Vibes, Fake news, and Collective Unconscious.

7. Powell’s Books on Hawthorne

I was pleased to discover that famous Powell's book-sellers has a huge 10,000 square foot store on Hawthorne Boulevard. It's one of three stores that operate in Portland.

8. Quirky stores

Here is my top pick for cool stores along Hawthorne Boulevard:

• Excalibur Comics is Portland’s oldest comic store. It's been in business for 40 years and has a huge selection of comics!
• Fred’s Sound of Music has been here since 1948, and is the place to go for home theaters.
• Vintage Pink Retro Furniture has a great selection of high quality, mid century furniture.
• The European-style The Perfume House has 1,000 perfumes. Rumor has it, that it's patronized by top celebrities from around the world.

9. Thrift shopping

Hawthorne Boulevard has a reputation as a great street for thrift stores. Browse bulging racks of second hand clothing for some great finds.  My top picks are:

• House of Vintage
• Red Light Clothing Exchange
• In Real Life
• 2^nd Street Hawthorne

10. Brewpubs

Portland has over 80 brewpubs, and Hawthorne Boulevard is no exception. 

• See the industrial-style interior at Gigantic Brewing.
• Low key vibe at the Lucky Labrador Brewpub.
• Quirky decor at McMenamins Barley Mill Pub.

11. Hawthorne Theater

The striking Hawthorne Theater caught my eye as I was wandering down Hawthorne Boulevard. It was once known as the Hawthorne Masonic Building, and was constructed in 1922 as a gathering place for stonemasons until the 1970s. It was then used as a pub, comedy club, ballroom, record shop and art gallery.

It 2005 it became the Hawthorne Theater, and is a great place to go for live shows.

12. Quarterworld

Whenever I'm looking for some fun, I visit Quarterworld arcade on Hawthorne Boulevard.  Here I have a choice of 55+ arcade games and 40+ pinball machines. Best of all, there's two bars stocked with burgers, beer and wine!

13. Commonwealth Skatepark

One of the coolest activities I discovered just off Hawthorne Boulevard, is the 4,500 square foot Commonwealth Skatepark.  It's been around since 2011, and has rails, ledges and two concrete bowls for skaters. I can't skate, so was tempted to book one of their lessons. It's also open for general sessions and party rentals (check hours & rates). 

I loved the small store selling all things skating related here, including caps, boards, hoodies and more!