Lassso directory listing
- Category
- Restaurants
- Location
- Portland, OR
- Hours
- Monday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
About
The Fireside, in Portland, OR, is an *American casual bistro bar* on NW 23rd Ave, built inside a space that once housed Music Millennium, a well-known local music venue where touring bands used to play. The restaurant opened 13 years ago and has since grown into a genuine *neighborhood classic*, with a deep bench of regulars who treat it like a second living room.
The dining room centers on an *18-seat U-shaped bar* and seats roughly 75 guests inside, with another 45 to 50 seats on a heated, covered patio outside. Two indoor fireplaces anchor the space, and the restaurant is run day-to-day by its operating owner, whose stated philosophy is training staff toward *consistent, kind service* rather than chasing trends — the goal, in her words, is a place where people feel at home.
What to expect
The Fireside runs one *all-day menu seven days a week*, covering lunch and dinner from open to close, with a shorter, snack-friendly happy hour menu daily from 3 to 5 PM. Signature savory items include the *smash burger*, *French dip*, and *tuna melt*, alongside meal-sized salads, crab cakes, mussels and frites, and a chicken enchilada that's become one of the kitchen's most-ordered dishes.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the kitchen switches to a dedicated *brunch menu* from 10 AM to 2:30 PM, featuring Eggs Benedict, Steak and Eggs, and a Dutch Baby, before rolling back into the regular lunch and dinner lineup. The bar backs it all up with a well-regarded *craft cocktail program* — think seasonal riffs on an Old Fashioned, a Vieux Carré, and a Lion's Tail — plus scratch margaritas and classics like an espresso martini.
Highlights
The Fireside is best known for its *smash burger*, *tuna melt*, and *chicken enchilada*, plus a heated, *pet-friendly outdoor patio* that regularly welcomes dogs — and occasionally pigs and birds. Guests also single out the *craft cocktail program* and a cozy, two-fireplace interior as reasons the restaurant has built such a loyal local following.
Reviews and regulars repeatedly point to *consistent food and consistent service* as the restaurant's core strength, alongside a warm, unhurried dining room where servers are described as attentive without being intrusive — a balance the ownership actively trains staff toward.
Pricing
The Fireside sits in the *moderate price range* for a full-service Portland bistro — this isn't a budget diner, but it's also not special-occasion fine dining. Entrees, salads, and shareable plates make up the bulk of the menu, with a separate, lower-priced *happy hour menu* running daily from 3 to 5 PM for guests who want a lighter tab.
Exact pricing is best confirmed on the restaurant's own menu page, since it updates seasonally, but guests consistently describe the food-to-price ratio as fair for the neighborhood and portion sizes as generous.
Good to know
*Reservations* are available through OpenTable and are recommended for weekend brunch and dinner, though the restaurant also takes walk-ins at the bar and on the patio. The Fireside is *family friendly* and draws a genuinely wide range of guests, from teenagers hanging out after school to date-night couples to larger multi-generational groups — the indoor bar area is the one spot restricted to guests 21 and over.
The patio is *dog-friendly* year-round thanks to overhead heaters, and the restaurant also hosts *partial buyouts and private parties* for larger celebrations. Happy hour runs daily from 3 to 5 PM, and brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 2:30 PM only — the rest of the week runs on the standard all-day menu.
Hours
- Monday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Thursday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
