Date Night Guide

My husband, Russ, and I have been married almost ten years now. Let’s just say the magic of Valentine’s Day has simplified over the years. Waiting in long restaurant lines and eating heart-shaped foods isn’t really our thing anymore, if you know what I mean. This year we are starting a new Valentine’s Day tradition of taking our kids out on date—dinner at the golf club—and hiding their Valentine’s surprises around the house which they will have to find by following a set of clues devised by Russ and I. It’s not the traditional Valentine’s Day, but like I said, that’s just not really us these days.

Despite our lack of romantic Valentine’s Day plans, we do love a good date night and we try to make it as a regular a thing as we can. As Portlanders, it would be a crying shame if we didn’t hit up the city’s top notch restaurant scene from time to time, so trying new places is our go-to date night activity. There seems to be a new, trendy place to eat popping up every week in Portland, making it pretty much impossible to keep up, especially with two kids and the crazy schedule of a real estate agent, but we try our best to get around to as many of the local hot spots as possible.

Sometimes we like to joke that the hardest job in the world is being the spouse of a real estate agent. With my wacky schedule and near-constant stream of phone calls and emails, I can sometimes be a hot mess when it comes to figuring out dinner or getting the house straightened up for company. Let’s be honest, sometimes we try to plan a nice date night and all hell breaks loose. It happens to everyone—kids, work, life! My all time biggest date night fail with Russ was just a few years ago. We had planned a staycation in downtown Portland to get a kids-free night away. We made dinner reservations at Noble Rot and had been looking forward to sharing a special bottle of wine together and catching up over a long quiet dinner. I made the fatal mistake of submitting an offer for my client right before we walked into the restaurant. Shortly after we sat down, the listing agent sent me a text updating me that there were multiple other offers that had come in on the same property my clients were trying to buy and thus, it was going to be a lot more competitive than I had initially thought. I told Russ to take a seat at the table and I would meet him in a few minutes after I called the listing agent to persuade her sellers that my clients offer was superior to the 4 other offers we were competing with. Long story short, it was 45 minutes before I made it back to the table to join Russ. He had been sitting there by himself stewing on my lack of courtesy (to say it nicely). I will never forget the look in his eyes when I sat down in my seat and realized how long he had been waiting for me. Thankfully my husband is a man of forgiveness and grace when it comes to my real estate obsession. The happy ending to this story is firstly that I’m still married, and second that my clients did end up getting their offer accepted on their dream home.

I’m a realist when it comes to what I can actually accomplish. As much as I would like to be able to head into Portland on a regular basis, sometimes our world is just a little too crazy. Other times we just don’t feel like venturing too far from home., so we’ll hit up one of our favorite local places right here in Lake Oswego. Here are a few that we love and think you will too.

Lake Oswego Restaurants

Bamboo Sushi—a new addition to lake oswego, Bamboo Sushi has quickly become a favorite among locals.
380 First Street
Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Five Spice—featuring local wines and lake views, this seafood restaurant is never a miss.
315 First Street Suite 201
Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Jefe—located in the Lake Grove neighborhood, this modern Mexican spot boasts an excellent selection of wine and liquor.
16360 Boones Ferry Road
Lake Oswego, OR 97035

Tavern on Kruse—relying on local, in season ingredients, Tavern on Kruse has a rotating menu full of flavor, as well as one of the best bars outside of the city.
4835 Meadows Road
Lake Oswego, OR 97035

Tucci—this family-owned, farm to table Italian restaurant is a great date night spot.
220 A Avenue
Lake Oswego, OR 97034

When we are feeling a little more adventurous, we love to drive into the city and check out one of the many new restaurants in the Portland that all our friends are talking about. There may never be enough date nights to dine at them all but we won’t stop trying. Here are a few of the places we’ve loved and some that are on our list for our next date night.

PDX Restaurants

Ava Gene’s—you’ve probably heard of this Roman inspired restaurant as it has earned its fair share of publicity for the use of local ingredients in excellent rustic dishes.
3377 SE Division Street
Portland, OR 97202

Beast—with a rotating menu based on the local, in-season produce and regular multi-course dining events, Beast is the perfect place to take your Valentine, whether it is actually Valentine’s Day or not.
5425 NE 30th Avenue
Portland, OR 97211

Bistro Agnes—a celebration of classic French cuisine, this family owned and operated restaurant offers a warm atmosphere along with excellent food and drink.
527 SW 12th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205

Le Pigeon—seasonal French-inspired dishes served in a small, welcoming environment. Sit at the bar, on your own, or at a long, communal table.
738 E Burnside Street
Portland, OR 97214

Langbaan—this “back of the house” Thai restaurant which used to be one of Portland’s best kept secrets, now boasts a waiting list up to six months long. Visitors all agree that the experience was worth the wait.
6 SE 26th Avenue
Portland, OR 97217

Ox—Argentinian-inspired wood-fired cuisine creatively crafted into a menu designed to reflect the Pacific Northwest.
2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Portland, OR 97212

Tusk—fresh, seasonal produce from the Pacific Northwest incorporated in flavorful Middler Eastern dishes.
2448 E Burnside Street
Portland, OR 97214

Willow—an interactive 6-course meal served a the chef’s counter, Willow offers more than just great food, they offer an experience you won’t easily forget.
2005 SE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214

Every once in a blue moon, the stars align and we have time for more than just a dinner date. If the weather is nice, we will without a doubt end up on the golf course. On those rare occasions when we don’t hit the links, we add a fun local activity to the date night agenda. Portland is a city with so many quirky and unique experiences to offer. Every night of the week you can find live music to enjoy, a trendy pop-up event to go to, or the chance to try something you’ve never done before. We always love to check out what special events are going on the day of our date night, but here are a few year-round ideas to get you started.

Date Night Activities

Grand Central Bowl—make a fun night of bowling, eating, and enjoying happy hour at Grand Central Bowling lanes.
808 SE Morrison Street
Portland, OR 97214

Live Music—visit the Doug Fir Lounge, Mississippi Studios, or one of the city’s other small venues to enjoy live music and drinks.

McMenamins Kennedy School—watch a second run movie, relax in the soaking pool, or hang out at the one of the many bars/restaurants within this old school building and hotel.
5736 NE 33rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97211

Southeast Wine Collective—go wine tasting in the city at this urban winery and don’t forget to check out their special events like Tasting In the Dark.
2425 SE 35th Place
Porltand, OR 97214

Sporting Events—get tickets to a Blazers or Timbers game and experience some good old Portland spirit.

Topgolf—covered, simulated golf games to enjoy with a loved one or a group of friends.
505 NE Huffman Street
Hillsboro, OR 97124

Whether you’re looking for a great, new place for Valentine’s day or just picking up ideas to throw in the date night jar, I am sure that you will have a blast visiting any of these places. If you do try one of my suggestions, leave a comment and let me know what you thought!