5 Affordable Oregon Hole-In-The-Wall Joints In Portland Beloved By Foodies

It's no secret that Portland, Oregon, is a delicious destination. Crowned one of 2025's top five foodie cities in America, the small but mighty city boasts an endless buffet of eateries. From humble food cart pods to top-rated restaurants serving elegant French fare, Portland's reputation as an eclectic — and wonderfully weird – city is mirrored in its diverse dining scene, where there's something to complement an array of tastes and dietary preferences. (After all, Portland is America's best city for vegans and vegetarians). Fortunately, dining out in the Rose City doesn't have to break the bank.

As someone who lived in Portland for a decade, I've spent plenty of time eating my way through the city, gravitating toward cheap eats with an abundance of local charm. From decades-old diner-style haunts serving breakfast late into the night to quirky tiki bars with mouthwatering Hawaiian-inspired bites, these foodie-beloved hole-in-the-wall joints are among Portland's tastiest — and most affordable — dining gems.

My Father's Place is a go-to spot at almost any hour. Whether you're meeting friends midmorning for coffee and brunch or stumbling in after a long night of barhopping for a plate of midnight pancakes, its all-day breakfast menu served daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. hits the spot. Located on Grand Avenue in Southeast Portland, the hospitably-named diner-meets-dive bar has been in business since 1978, attracting an eclectic cast of locals and foodies like Gary "the Foodie" Okazaki, who compares My Father's Place to a classic East Coast diner.

With dim lighting filtered through vintage ceiling lamps, cozy brick walls with quirky artwork, and dark vinyl booths, the atmosphere is as homey as the name suggests. Add a '50s-style jukebox spinning old-school tunes, a photo booth in the corner, and a dusty collection of board games, and the dive-bar ambience is complete. 

Serving homestyle classics like gravy-smothered eggs Benedict and French toast hot off the griddle, breakfast may be the star of the menu, but it doesn't end there. From mouthwatering burgers and open-faced turkey sandwiches to heaping platters of spaghetti and sizzling sirloin steaks, the menu is packed with just about every comfort food you could crave. For under $20 a meal, the prices are just as appealing, leaving plenty in your wallet to wash it all down with a strong cocktail or a cold beer.

If you're looking for a quick escape from Portland's perpetual rain, Da'Hui Bar & Grill will do the trick. Tucked into the heart of the Foster-Powell neighborhood in Southeast Portland, the Hawaiian bar and grill offers a one-way ticket to a tropical paradise. Stepping inside, its retro tiki decor greets guests with the warmth of an island breeze, complete with bamboo screening, kitschy knick-knacks, and vintage portraits of Elvis Presley mixed with framed island artwork.

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., the menu boasts a buffet of Hawaiian dishes that are delicious any time of day — from juicy breakfast burritos and ube pancakes drizzled with coconut syrup to teriyaki chicken platters and halibut fish tacos. Writing from personal experience, I recommend the Da'Hui Grilled Cheeze. Featuring melted provolone and cheddar, sliced ham, pineapple, teriyaki sauce, and a side of strawberry guava jam, the tropical spin on a classic grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

Of course, no tiki bar is complete without island-inspired cocktails. Garnished with tiny umbrellas and wedges of fruit, you'll find all the usual suspects at Da'Hui, including Mai Tais, piña coladas, and rum-packed Zombies, along with rotating drink specials and local craft beers. Once you've got enough liquid courage pumping through your veins, you can bust out a tune on karaoke night, which commences on Thursdays and Saturdays. Even if karaoke isn't your jam, the menu prices are sure to make you sing. Ranging from $5 appetizers to $20 entrees, dining at Da'Hui is an affordable way to treat your taste buds to an island getaway. 

It's almost impossible to write about Portland's dining scene without mentioning food carts. Serving quality, affordable street food, the tiny eateries on wheels began popping up all over the city in the early 2000s, steadily evolving into permanent spaces equipped with multiple carts, known as food cart pods.

Today, there are dozens of food cart pods spread across the city, totaling over 500 individual carts –over a dozen of which are parked at Piedmont Station Food Carts. Situated off NE Killingsworth Street in Northeast Portland, the neighborhood gem boasts cheap eats and cute vibes. If you've never experienced the quirky charm of a Portland food cart pod before, Piedmont Station offers a welcoming introduction. Instead of a simple cluster of taco trucks and hot dog stands, you'll find yourself in a wonderland of kitsch, where a repurposed school bus serves sushi rolls and an old motorboat acts as a dining area in front of a fish and chips truck.

Boasting diverse dining options, you'll find everything from Thai food to grown-up grilled cheese sandwiches. If you're looking for coffee on-the-go, pop by Good Cart Coffee. Or snag a seat under the covered patio – which hosts live bands during the warmer months – and enjoy a delicious Pacific Northwest brew from The Beer Shack. Opening times for each cart vary, but they're all open by noon and close by early evening. With heated seating and both indoor and outdoor options, Piedmont Station remains a year-round favorite, offering a quintessential Portland dining experience no matter the weather. The price is always right, too. Personally, I've dined at the carts many times and have never spent more than $20 on a meal at Fan Thai paired with a pint of beer from The Beer Shack.

Located on the side of a charming brick-and-mortar just off of Hawthorne Boulevard, The Waffle Window is quite literally a hole in the wall. The local hidden gem serves waffles through an awning-covered window, offering a unique dining experience that fits the city's unofficial motto: "Keep Portland Weird."

Don't expect your run-of-the-mill waffles here. Serving Liège-style waffles, its innovative menu features an array of sweet and savory options with Portland-inspired names. For example, the Pearl Sugar Waffle is named after the Pearl District – Portland's chic shopping mecca full of parks, galleries, and eateries – while the bacon-topped Alberta waffle borrows its name from the Alberta Arts District in Northeast Portland. Other sweet treats include the indulgent Cheesecake Waffle, with your choice of blueberry compote, strawberries, or pineapple, topped with whipped cream, and the decadent Hot Fudge Sundae Waffle. If you prefer the savory side, I personally recommend the Three B's Waffle (bacon, brie, and basil), which another Portland food blogger, My Northwest Experience, says is "the best" waffle the window has to offer with its "crunchy outside and fluffy inside." You can also make it vegetarian by substituting bacon for fresh-cut tomatoes. All of their items are under $20, so you can stick to affordable window shopping.

Once you've picked up your waffle at the window, you can either grab an outdoor table (weather permitting) or head next door to its sister business, Bread and Ink Cafe, where you can wash down your brunch with a delicious Bloody Mary or mimosa. Open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., The Waffle Window accommodates breakfast cravings all day long and is the perfect pit stop while shopping in the Hawthorne District, one of the places Portland locals hope Oregon tourists never discover.

When it comes to Reddit recommendations for good hole-in-the-wall joints in Portland, local foodies are quick to name Reel M Inn. Located at the corner of SE 25th Avenue and SE Division Street, with a burnt-orange facade, it looks like a typical Portland dive bar. Wood-paneled walls covered in drunken scribblings, a pool table, neon-lit beer signs, old fishing gear hanging on the walls, and hopelessly graffiti-covered bathrooms are among the trappings of a charmingly gritty neighborhood watering hole.

The real appeal of the cleverly-named Reel M Inn, however, is the food. Offering a humble menu of bar bites, including mac and cheese, onion rings, and deep-fried pickles, the tavern is most beloved for its fried chicken. There are several ways to order it. Ideal for sharing, the half-bird meal comes with a breast, thigh, leg, and wing for $16, while the $7 two tendie meal is great for smaller appetites. It's worth noting that the kitchen runs only a single deep-fryer, so waits can stretch long on busy nights, but the payoff is crispy chicken served with jo-jos and an array of dipping sauces.

One Reddit user, who has a scoreboard rating the best fried chicken in Portland, gave Reel M Inn's fried chicken a 7.12 out of 10. With cheap eats, local brews on tap, and plenty of quirky charm, Reel M Inn is a delicious little gem that's so much more than your average dive. If you're hungry for more, head up the street to Pine State Biscuits, Oregon's coolest hole-in-the-wall restaurant featured by Guy Fieri.