Mint/820

Started a great Saturday out by walking from NW to N Portland for a delicious Happy Hour. Mint was stellar once again...see my previous review. I recant everything written about the food - what was I thinking? The lamb burger and sweet potato fry combo for $8 is sheer genious, and will always keep me coming back for more.

Mint for Happy Hour – Review from 10/30/09

I have been looking forward to hitting this Happy Hour for months, based on word of mouth and Yelper reviews. I am so glad I made it in! The place is split into two areas – the left side is Mint the restaurant, and the right side is 820, the bar/lounge (this is where you go for Happy Hour). The vibe is very modern and a tad swanky without being uncomfortable. Exposed brick covers the inside, giving an old, homey feel. Nice blend in the design. Plenty of seating at the bar, plenty of small tables (we pulled together four to accommodate our group of 10). Simple combined bench/chair style seating. There is also a very cool little lounge area down the stairs right past the bar, where they have couches/tables…almost looks like a NY living room. Seats big groups nicely.

This place is all about the drinks! I am not huge into cocktails (I am just so used to drinking Oregon beer and wine!), but I wanted to come here and give them all a whirl. A HUGE list awaits you, and I imagine there is something to please everyone. The Happy Hour menu includes a nice list of food options (Cuban lamb burger/Sweet potato fries/Spicy Caesar salad/Soup/Calamari), as well as a selection of drinks from their overall drink menu. I started with the Avocado Margarita – woo hoo! This thing is so light, fresh and flavorful! Served with a drizzle of pomegranate juice on top – divine. Next up was the “Ruby,” a beet infused vodka concoction that was amazingly vibrant and strong, without being overpowering. I also had the rotating beer on tap, a Winter brew that was strong and not overly hoppy. I also had sips of the “O” house mojito (sweet and fresh) and the "Dragon’s Milk" (great for coconut lovers). For food, we tried the lamb burger (served cooked to perfection, nice and juicy), sweet potato fries (standard), and the chicken orzo soup (also standard). Overall the food did not blow me away, but the drinks absolutely did. I can’t wait to go back and try some more!

Service was attentive and friendly; food was delivered fast and hot. The waitress happily let us all pay for our items in groups, and she actually made out (over 20% gratuity was added to each of our bills, somehow?).

Prices are definitely not technically cheap for Happy Hour…drinks are still at least $6 and the food is no steal ($8 for the burger for example). I think it is well worth the money for these items, but I just want to let people know this is not your bargain Happy Hour destination.

*Jayne