Overview
Southeast Portland comprises the neighborhoods east of the Willamette River and south of Burnside Street and Interstate 84. Hawthorne Boulevard and several other trendy neighborhoods are here.
8 sights · 7 things to do · 8 places to eat · 12 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Southeast
Mount Tabor Park
At the eastern end of the Hawthorne District, Mt Tabor is a forested park situated atop an extinct volcanic butte with great views of the city. The park contains a couple of reservoirs and lots of winding trails, and is …
Leach Botanical Garden
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
A display and test garden was initiated in 1950 that includes more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. Beginning in early spring and continuing into summer, the gardens provide a magnificent display …
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
OMSI is great for kids, with hundreds of hands-on activities with a particular emphasis on technology and earth sciences; you can spend a full rainy day here and not get bored. Moored in the river just outside is the USS…
Oregon Rail Heritage Center
Two working steam locomotives are on display here, with a third undergoing restoration. Many parts needed on these locomotives are no longer manufactured, so you may see volunteers working in the machine shop as well as …
Laurelhurst Park
A beautiful park designed by a horticultural expert from the same team that designed New York City's Central Park. This park has a great atmosphere in good weather, with lots of locals and visitors enjoying the duck pond…
Plan your trip
Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $10 per person at listed restaurants.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Oregon Rail Heritage Center, Doug Fir Lounge
- Lunch Robo Taco
- Afternoon Revolution Hall, No Fun Bar Portland
- Dinner Original Hotcake House
- Evening Water Avenue Coffee Roasters
Day 2
- Morning Mount Tabor Park, PDX Soapbox Derby
- Lunch Flying Pie Pizzeria
- Afternoon Springwater Corridor, Leach Botanical Garden
- Dinner The Delta
- Evening Horse Brass Pub
Day 3
- Morning Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, Oaks Park
- Lunch New Seasons Market – Sellwood
- Afternoon Portland Puppet Museum
- Dinner New Seasons Market – Seven Corners
- Evening Hopworks Urban Brewery
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Hawthorne Blvd, which runs east-west across the river from Downtown, has a broad selection of shops including a menagerie of vintage goods at the House of Vintage and the ornate Bagdad Theater Pub, and is a center of the counter-culture/bohemian community which is dissipating to make way for a variety of upscale businesses. Neighborhoods in or near the Hawthorne District include Buckman, Hosford-Abernethy, Sunnyside, Richmond and Mt. Tabor. The nearby Belmont Street is also worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood, with a similar - if smaller - array of shops and attractions.
Other neighborhoods to explore include: quaint Sellwood, Inner Southeast a loosely defined neighborhood where bars and music venues have been cropping up amidst the industrial landscape, Foster-Powell, East Burnside and Stark, Division and Clinton Street, and
See
See Mount Tabor Park
At the eastern end of the Hawthorne District, Mt Tabor is a forested park situated atop an extinct volcanic butte with great views of the city. The park contains a couple of reservoirs and lots of winding trails, and is also the home of the popular PDX Soapbox Derby event (see below under Do).
See Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
A display and test garden was initiated in 1950 that includes more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. Beginning in early spring and continuing into summer, the gardens provide a magnificent display of color, giving visitors the opportunity to view many varieties rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. During the fall, many companion trees add dramatic coloring. Spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting many species of birds and waterfowl.
See Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
OMSI is great for kids, with hundreds of hands-on activities with a particular emphasis on technology and earth sciences; you can spend a full rainy day here and not get bored. Moored in the river just outside is the USS Blueback, an old navy submarine which is open for tours (separate ticket required). There's also a planetarium and an IMAX theater which requires separate admission, but you can view the IMAX projector in operation without paying for the movie ticket.
See Oregon Rail Heritage Center
Two working steam locomotives are on display here, with a third undergoing restoration. Many parts needed on these locomotives are no longer manufactured, so you may see volunteers working in the machine shop as well as locomotive and car maintenance crews. Short excursions on trains are occasionally offered, especially during the holiday season.
See Ladds Addition Historic District
Planned residential development in Southeast Portland that is now a historic district. Built between 1905 and 1930 and contains five small parks and several diagonal streets
Do
Do Oaks Park
Opened in 1905 and one of the oldest historic "trolley parks" in the country. It has a wooden carousel constructed in 1912, along with a couple dozen more contemporary rides including one roller coaster "Adrenaline Peak", and many kid's and family rides. It also has a popular roller skating rink, with a pipe organ played during a couple skating sessions each week. This also serves as the fairgrounds for the Multnomah County Fair since 1997, during the last weekend of May.
Music
Buy
Shopping malls and districts
Shop Sellwood
A neighborhood shopping area on the east side of the Willamette River south of downtown, specializing in antique and vintage furnishings.
Shop Hawthorne District
A popular shopping area, particularly along SE Hawthorne Blvd between 34th Ave and César Chávez Blvd. Includes head shops, vintage clothing, used books and magazines, local clothing designers and craft stores.
Shop SE Division
A popular shopping area with a variety stores, bars and restaurants along SE Division between SE 12th and SE 60th.
Shop Buckman
An up & coming neighborhood in the southeast to rival the Pearl District in the northwest. The neighborhood is bounded to the west by the Willamette River, south by SE Hawthorne, east by SE 28th and north by E Burnside. It was an industrial warehouse district until the end of the 20th century. It is now gentrifying with all sorts of boutiques, antique stores, furniture stores, gift shops, bars and restaurants housed in old warehouse buildings particularly along SE MLK & Grand Ave (OR-Hwy 99E) and along SE Water Ave. The area is also home to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) and is connected to Lloyd Center by the frequent Streetcar going up down SE Union/MLK and to downtown by the Hawthorne and Morrison Bridges.
Eat
Budget
Eat The Delta
Southern food (chicken-fried steak, jambalaya, grits, etc.) on the cheap. The food is excellent and in large portions.
Eat Original Hotcake House
A local landmark, famous for excellent food, great prices, and a quirky after-hours clientèle.
Eat Robo Taco
The fact that Robo Taco is open late and is located within walking distance of Holocene makes it the perfect place to end a night dancing and live music. It's consistently delicious with a laid back vibe and plenty of vegetarian options.
Mid-range
Eat Flying Pie Pizzeria
Has been regularly voted one of Portland's favorite pizza restaurants for the past decade by hungry locals and media critics alike.
Splurge
Eat Laurelhurst Market
A butcher shop run by trained chefs, serving some of the finest steak dinners in the city.
Eat Ken's Artisan Pizza
Wood fired oven cooking amazing pizza and other superbly executed Italian dishes. Expect a wait.
Drink
Alcohol
Drink Bagdad Theater and Pub
The Bagdad is one of the great things about Portland: a 700-seat second-run movie theater serving a selection of regional craft brews you can drink while you watch.
Drink Belmont Station
Belmont Station is both a store and bar/cafe. The store side hosts over 1000 bottled beers from around the world, and the cafe offers a solid lineup of sandwiches, soups, and light pub fare, as well as interesting beers on draft. The friendly and knowledgeable staff make this the place to go to explore Portland's beer scene.
Drink Clinton Street Theater Pub
Shows a great assortment of esoteric films and the world's longest running Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Drink Dots Cafe
A funky night spot with great bar food.
Drink EastBurn
Cool building and great atmosphere. Hanging swing chairs, heated patio and downstairs bar with skee ball. The food is higher end, but not pricey and full bar with big wine list and great beers on tap make this spot a local favorite.
Drink Hopworks Urban Brewery
One of the newest additions to the Portland brewpub scene. They emphasize sustainable practices business model. Hoppy beer with a distinct flavor.
Drink Horse Brass Pub
Another English-style pub that also serves a range of English-style food. An "old-world" atmosphere, reasonable prices, a huge beer list, free darts, and a friendly and knowledgeable staff make this a great place to relax with a pint and catch up with old friends.
Drink Laurelhurst Theater
Cinema serving beer, wine and food. Children are allowed to shows before 5:30PM; after that it's 21+ only.
Drink Bula Kava House
Kava kava is a mildly sedating drink from the South Pacific. Definitely worth a try if you're in Portland since the South Pacific is quite far away. Great place to relax and socialize in a semi-authentic atmosphere, all the while trying something entirely new and exotic.
Drink Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery
Try a burger and fries, and more beers than you can handle.
Coffee
Drink Pied Cow
A great coffee house in Portland. No other place like it. If you visit for the summer, you must come to this place. It's a great experience.
Drink Water Avenue Coffee Roasters
A loft-style cafe and coffee roastery.
Sleep
Southeast Portland is relatively devoid of hotels; more hotels are across the 84 in Northeast Portland (esp. by the airport and Convention Center), across the Willamette in Downtown Portland, or just south on I-205 in Clackamas.
Get in and around
See Portland (Oregon)#Get around for getting in from elsewhere in the city.
Places across the Willamette River can be accessed on foot (almost all bridges have sidewalks) or streetcar from Downtown or parts of the northwest. The Orange MAX line takes you to the southern parts of the Eastside along the Willamette River, stopping at OMSI, Clinton, Rhine, Holgate, Bybee and Tacoma.
The other MAX lines take you from Downtown and Chinatown across the Steel Bridge. The Green, Red and Blue lines go east along the Banfield Freeway to the Gateway Transit Center, stopping at the Rose Quarter, the Convention Center, 7th, 11th, 42nd, 60th and 82nd Avenues. From there they fan out; the Red Line north to the airport, the Blue Line further east to Gresham, and the Green Line south to Clackamas. The Blue Line stops on Burnside at East 102nd, 122nd, 148th, 172nd, 181st and 188th. The Green Line stops along the 205 at Main, Division, Powell, Holgate, Foster and Flavel.
There's also a fairly dense bus network (network map) taking you to places where rail-based public transit won't.
With long distances between places, driving can almost certainly also a good option.
The City of Portland has created several maps of bike routes and bike lanes.
My experience
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