• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Urban Bliss Life logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • contact
  • shop
  • cookbooks
  • cooking classes
  • resources
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • 30-Minute Meals
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Asian recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Dairy-free Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Entertaining Recipes
    • Filipino Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • 5 Ingredients
    • Kid-Friendly Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Make-Ahead Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Dog Treats
  • Wine
    • Oregon Wine Guide
    • Washington Wine
    • California Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
    • Wine Country
    • Wine Tips & Wine Pairings
  • Travel
    • Europe
      • Greece
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Liechtenstein
      • The Netherlands
      • Switzerland
      • The UK (United Kingdom)
    • Canada
    • USA travel
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Montana
      • Nevada
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • Oregon Travel Ideas
      • Utah
      • Washington
      • New Orleans
    • Travel Gear
    • Japan
    • Travel Tips
    • Hotels
    • Family Travel
  • Restaurants
  • About
    • Work With Urban Bliss Life
    • Press
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fall Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Work With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Urban Bliss Life » Restaurant Reviews » Portland Oregon Restaurants » Aviary PDX Happy Hour [CLOSED]

    Published: August 2, 2013 / Updated: October 14, 2021 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Aviary PDX Happy Hour [CLOSED]

    0 shares

    Note: Aviary PDX restaurant in Portland, Oregon restaurant is now closed.

    Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away (known as Pre-Children), I was once the Happy Hour Queen of my itty bitty urban kingdom. When friends and colleagues wanted to know where to go for the best $5 cocktails, the heartiest menu for less than $3, the most refined happy hours or the trendiest hipster-before-we-called-ourselves-hipsters hipster happy hours -- I was the woman with the answers.

    While children have only slightly subdued my character, they have definitely changed my former 20-something social schedule of two or three (okay fine, four or five) nights a week checking out new happy hour spots. Happy hour, after all, occurs during what I like to call Crazy Hour at my house, being right before kiddo bedtime.

    I can feel some of you out there nodding in a  solemn sisterhood of understanding. I know some of you fellow moms are with me on this.

    So when you're an old urban-turned-suburban happy-hour-loving foodie like me, and you get an invitation from the fabulous folks at Little Green Pickle to happy hour at Aviary restaurant, where you'll learn how to make your most favorite cocktail in the whole world, and hangout with some of your fave food & drink bloggers? You say YES without blinking.

    Aviary PDX

    Aviary, located at 1733 NE Alberta in Portland, Oregon, is one of those places I have been a handful of times for dinner, but never for happy hour. I can already declare that not only does Aviary barman Russ Hunsinger make the most mind-blowing cocktails in all of Portland, but every single dish I have ever eaten here has been a pleasantly surprising explosion of joy in my mouth.

    The collaboration of three chefs -- Sarah Pliner, Katherine Whitehead, and Jasper Shen -- Aviary hosts an interesting menu that reflects the local flavor with what they call a "twist on refined food served in casual style." Trust me when I say: you can order anything off this menu and be pleased. Anything. 

    Food

    Aviary's happy hour menu is a fabulous deal, offering innovative, delicious plates for just $2-6 each. That includes these gorgeous, fresh kusshi oysters for just $2 each.

    Aviary restaurant in Portland, Oregon

    The trotters and eggs ($5 per plate at happy hour) will delight food lovers who enjoy a complex, harmonious trio of textures in one hearty bite.

    Aviary - 03

    We also thoroughly enjoyed the Brussel Sprouts Nachos ($5 per plate during happy hour), which was a beautiful plate of innovative layers of goodness: You can also get one of my favorite standbys -- the tempura green beans ($6 per plate at happy hour) to treat guests who may not be as adventurous, to ease them into trusting the food gods behind the counter and understanding the magic powers they possess. The tempura green beans are a dish that is easy to understand but whose refined flavors relay the creativity that moves the Aviary kitchen. Check out the full Aviary happy hour menu online.

    Cocktails

    Now, let's get down to business: the cocktails. More specifically, how Aviary barman Russ Hunsinger makes my favorite cocktail in the whole world right now: the Brix Layer.

    I'm a huge bourbon fan (anything that starts with the letter B, really: bourbon, bacon, Beastie Boys). Buffalo Trace (another "B"!) is one of my fave budget-friendly bourbons, and seems to be the bourbon of choice in some of the best cocktails in town. At Aviary, Hunsinger smooths out the smokiness of bourbon with the Brix Layer. He mixes cubed sugar, cherries, slices of orange to create bitters, Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The end result is a luscious, sweet, complex, rich layered steps to bourbon bliss.

    Aviary - 05

    Hunsinger (pictured below, left) is a mix master magician. The cocktails here are as diverse as a group of good girlfriends: each distinctly original, each lovely in its own way.

    Aviary-04

    Before, during, and after Hunsinger took us through the steps of recreating the Brix Layer, we had the opportunity to try out other cocktail offerings in addition to happy hour food. This may have been why my iPhone notes from the cocktail demo are a little cryptic...

    One fellow diner ordered the Opera Sidecar. It's an incredible symphony (oh yes, I did just write that) of tart and sweet. Made with Clear Creek pear brandy, tuaca, and house sours (pictured below, left). Another blogger ordered the sinfully sweet One Night in Bangkok. It's made with vodka, kafir leaves, lemongrass, and lime (pictured below, middle cocktail).

    Aviary 01

    While we chatted, drank, and ate the happy hour away, I had the opportunity to admire Aviary's garden adjacent to the back of the restaurant. It's such a beautiful plot of paradise, I had to share a photo.

    Aviary - 06

    Aviary PDX

    http://www.aviarypdx.com
    1733 NE Alberta St.
    Portland, OR 97211
    info@aviarypdx.com
    (503) 287-2400

    Happy Hour:
    Monday-Friday 5 - 7pm

    Hours:
    Monday-Thursday 5-10pm
    Friday-Saturday 5-11pm
    Sunday closed

    « Pairings Portland Wine Shop
    Seattle Family Vacation: Day 1 of our road trip from Portland, Oregon »
    0 shares

    Get recipes, travel tips, deals and more delivered to your inbox!

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Pech says

        August 06, 2013 at 5:13 pm

        Brussel Sprout Nachos??? Whaaat!! And the trotters and eggs looks amazing! Very envious!

        Reply
        • Marlynn Jayme Schotland says

          August 19, 2013 at 9:13 pm

          Right?! Those were all so clever and incredible!

      2. Jenni says

        August 06, 2013 at 8:29 am

        A beautiful review! Loved every word. So glad I got to see you again!

        Reply
        • Marlynn Jayme Schotland says

          August 19, 2013 at 9:12 pm

          Thanks, Jenni! It was great to see you there, too!

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      Primary Sidebar

      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

      Featured In

      Urban Bliss Life Press Featured In graphic

      Dads & Grads Recipes

      • BBQ bacon burger
        BBQ Bacon Burger
      • honey garlic chicken skewers
        Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers
      • closeup photo of air fryer corn ribs stacked on top of one another with drizzled mayo and chopped cilantro.
        Air Fryer Corn Ribs
      • closeup of Filipino BBQ pork skewers with cilantro leaves
        Filipino Pork BBQ

      New Recipes

      • white basmati rice in a blue bowl on green plate.
        Instant Pot Basmati Rice
      • Thai basil beef with red peppers, green onions, and white rice.
        Thai Basil Beef
      • plate of Instant Pot country style ribs and mashed potatoes with herbs.
        Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
      • glass of white wine next to a bowl of cajun shrimp pasta with title text that reads "Best wine and pasta pairings."
        Best Wine with Pasta

      New Travel Tips

      • photos of Depoe Bay, Cannon Beach, Tillamook Oregon with title text that reads "Best Oregon Coast Towns."
        Best Oregon Coast Towns
      • photos of waterfalls, vineyard grapes, haystack rock at cannon beach, and mount hood with title text that reads 35+ day trips from Portland, Oregon.
        35+ Day Trips from Portland
      • glass of red wine next to a bottle of Bells Up Winery pinot noir.
        Bells Up Winery
      • The Prayer Hall of Wat Chalong temple in Phuket, Thailand.
        Wat Chalong Temple
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Pinterest
      • Instagram
      • YouTube

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      logos of media outlets that have featured urban bliss life.

      Recipes

      • 30-Minute Meals
      • 5-Ingredients
      • Air Fryer
      • Asian
      • Dairy-Free
      • Pasta
      • Seafood

      About

      • About
      • FAQs
      • Privacy & Accessibility Policy
      • Terms & Conditions

      Contact

      • Contact
      • Work with me

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
      Copyright © 2022 Urban Bliss Life

      All rights reserved. You may not use any photos or recipes on this site for any personal or commercial use without my express written permission.