You take your KIDS to the pub?

Was written on my Facebook wall after I posted a picture of us at the Lucky Lab, a few months ago. I felt like a bad mom for a millisecond, and then replied:

Yes. It’s Portland.

And it is. There are plenty of places in this town filled with kids sitting next to parents happy to be able to enjoy a cold pint. It’s one of the things I love about Portland: Family-friendly, Dog-friendly, Gay-friendly and Drink-friendly.  It’s also Happy Hour-friendly.

In these very tight economic times one of the few ways our family can afford to eat out is to enjoy Happy Hour’s discounted drinks and menu. We’ve been scouting out our favorites with the kids, and as soon as we can afford a babysitter we’ll scout out some choices for just us.

Here are three favorites:

MacTarnahan’s Taproom
2730 NW 31st
Portland Oregon, 97210

Telephone: (503) 228-5269

A bit out of the way tucked into the industrial section of NW, but we have yet to get there and find a crowd. From 3-6pm and from 9 – close,  $3.30 will buy you an Imperial Pint of any of their 12 beers on tap. Their Happy Hour food menu ranges in price from around $2 to $5 and choices include: garlic fries, Tap Room burger, fish tacos, pulled pork sliders and a hummus plate.  They also have a similarly-priced children’s menu, but my kids tend to go for the burger or the pulled pork (without the slaw). As an added bonus, on cold rainy days you can ask to sit by the large stone fireplace, and parking is NEVER a problem.

Laurelwood Public House & Brewery
5115 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97213
503-282-0622

The most kid-friendly restaurant in Portland since PB and Ellie’s closed, Laurelwood’s two kid’s play areas, stacks of board games and coloring children’s menu make it a favorite  of my kids. Their Happy Hour menu offers $3 pints and $4 meals. They also have a hummus plate, burger and fish tacos which are good. My favorite on the menu is the chicken fingers (something I rarely eat out because they can be a disaster). These are delicious– crispy, juicy and flavorful. It’s obvious that they are made in-house by someone who likes fried chicken.  My kids like the Chicken Ceasar from the hh menu and the pizza from the children’s menu.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

Bridgeport Village 7463 SW Bridgeport Road Tigard, OR (503) 430-3020 Portland 1139 NW Couch St. I know. I know. It’s so corporate!  I have found it to be some of the best Chinese food in town which is a shame. We need a great  Chinese place here, but that’s a whole other post. In the meantime, from 3 – 6 pm PF Chang’s offers all of their starters for half-off. That means the lettuce wraps are only $4 and the potstickers are $3. Two orders of each with $3 green beans, and I’ve got a table full of happy campers. They do not offer drink specials, which is a bummer because their drinks can be pricey ($8 for a mediocre glass of wine), but they just introduced a children’s menu this summer. It’s somewhat limited, but also a great value and has pages for coloring.

I’ll post more soon– like the cheapest, strongest and tastiest lemon drop I’ve ever had. In the meantime, send me some of your favorites! I’d love to try them and post them.