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Hal's Cafe, Portland, OR

Hal's Cafe

4.2
4.2
162 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
303 S.W. 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97205

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM

About this restaurant

  • Innovative
  • Romantic
  • Great for craft beers
Our upscale yet comfortable Hal's Café welcomes you in, where the familiar touches of McMenamins’ signature art combine with natural light, phenomenal stained glass and an open kitchen with a view of chefs, for a sophisticated dining experience.

Breakfast and brunch feature dishes ranging from chilaquiles to brioche french toast, and fresh bakery items and espresso. Meet up for lunch and enjoy the wood-fired pizza fresh from the custom oven, or a specialty salad or Nashville hot chicken sandwich.

Dinner is a feast, with options such as roasted chicken, lamb and halibut. House-made desserts and the extensive spirits, wine, ale and craft cocktail list are pairings to any of these dining experiences. The Bloody Mary with house-pickled vegetables is highly sought-after, as is the Zeus Fizz—with house shrub syrup.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Northwest, Pizzeria
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Daily 8:00 am–2:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 2:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (503) 384-2500
  • Website
    https://www.mcmenamins.com/crystal-hotel/hals-cafe
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    The Ringlers Annex 1917 flatiron structure was billed as the smallest commercial building on the West Coast at the time of its construction. Today, its cozy subterranean setting offers a clandestine view of the hustle and flow on colorful West Burnside. The Annex opens to the larger expanse of Al's Den below the Crystal Hotel, named for Al Winter, Portland's gambling overlord who, in the 1940s, managed his vast empire that spanned the Pacific Northwest and into Las Vegas from this very location. Together, these spaces are an ideal spot for a casual meeting, team-building session, holiday get-together and more, for up to 80 guests. Enjoy a full bar and catering menu, along with complimentary Wi-Fi service. Available only for day use prior to 2 p.m. Contact our sales team to inquire or book your event.
  • Location
    303 S.W. 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97205
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    Stark and Burnside
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Entertainment
    Live Music seven nights a week in our cellar bar (Al's Den)
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

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Menu

Hal's Cafe's menu was last updated on 2/1/2022.

View menu on restaurant's website

What 162 people are saying

Hal's Cafe reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2
4.2 based on all time ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.1Value

Noise • Moderate

162 Reviews

  1. Alejandro

    Barcelona1 review

    5.0

    Dined on January 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing dinner and service. The place is beautiful and enjoyable!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Nydia

    Portland1 review

    3.0

    Dined on October 21, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Service was great, food was alright, a bit on the salty side and heavy on the spices.

    Is this helpful?

  3. JulieB

    Seattle2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Sunday dinner was tasty, our service was quite attentive. I’d go again

    Is this helpful?

  4. SAMANTHAF

    Portland1 review

    3.0

    Dined on February 14, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was blah, the service was the same. Not worth it!

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    Portland1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 9, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was decorated fun and the server was great! She also answered questions about the city and where to find things.

    Is this helpful?

  6. BeerSnub

    Chicago7 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on November 24, 2023

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Limited over-priced menu. $40 for basic turkey dinner, $30 for a quarter of an acorn squash mixed with garbanzo beans & some vegetables. $11.50 for small bowl of apple crisp with vanilla ice cream - all sub-standard.

    Is this helpful?

  7. JuliaG

    Portland2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on November 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was wonderful and beyond expectations.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Ingo VIP

    Seattle20 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on July 10, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Very average fair in not a great part of town And more words to make the minimum

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Portlander

    Portland43 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 11, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The menu has changed since my last visit. I ordered chicken and waffles , a dish I’d had before at a different restaurant. At Zers’s Cafe, the waffles were undercooked and bitter. The chicken was over cooked and had more breading than meat. I was very disappointed. My friend had a mushroom burger and tater tots and loved them both.

    1 person found this helpful

  10. bozo

    Portland1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 26, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    I could not make the reservation as it was the wrong mcmenamins site. I was in WA and going to the one in Kalama. I could not figure out how to cancel on my cellphone. I don't think I will use OpenTable as I cannot figure out how to use it.

    1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Hal's Cafe offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (503) 384-2500.

Hal's Cafe is rated 4.2 stars by 162 OpenTable diners.

Hal's Cafe does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Portland / Oregon
  4. Portland
  5. Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Google Map for Hal's Cafe

303 S.W. 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97205

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Stark and Burnside
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Daily 8:00 am–2:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 2:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Northwest, Pizzeria
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Entertainment
    Live Music seven nights a week in our cellar bar (Al's Den)
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.mcmenamins.com/crystal-hotel/hals-cafe
  • Phone number
    (503) 384-2500
  • Private party facilities
    The Ringlers Annex 1917 flatiron structure was billed as the smallest commercial building on the West Coast at the time of its construction. Today, its cozy subterranean setting offers a clandestine view of the hustle and flow on colorful West Burnside. The Annex opens to the larger expanse of Al's Den below the Crystal Hotel, named for Al Winter, Portland's gambling overlord who, in the 1940s, managed his vast empire that spanned the Pacific Northwest and into Las Vegas from this very location. Together, these spaces are an ideal spot for a casual meeting, team-building session, holiday get-together and more, for up to 80 guests. Enjoy a full bar and catering menu, along with complimentary Wi-Fi service. Available only for day use prior to 2 p.m. Contact our sales team to inquire or book your event.
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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