Fodor's Expert Review Departure Restaurant + Lounge

This swanky rooftop restaurant and lounge on the top floor of The Nines hotel looks fresh out of L.A.—a look and feel that is, indeed, a departure from Portland's usual no-fuss vibe. The retro-chic interior has an extravagant, space-age, airport-lounge feel, and the outdoor patio—furnished with low, white couches and bright-orange tables and chairs—offers panoramic views of the Downtown skyline. It's not just about the view here at this see-and-be-seen late-night lounge. The seafood-focused Pan-Asian dishes, which include big-eye tuna poke, crispy squid with spicy miso, scallop skewers with asparagus, and wok-fried chili prawns with candied walnuts, are served in small portions and are consistently excellent thanks to the man heading the kitchen, Bravo Top Chef finalist Gregory Gourdet.