Saucebox Cafe & Bar

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214 SW Broadway (at Southwest Oak Street)
Portland, OR 97205

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(503) 241-3393
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Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Saucebox Cafe & Bar - Portland, OR
Reviews
( 41 )
( 15 )
( 3 )
( 2 )
( 7 )

Best

The sauce box is a big glass room with all the liquor in it. Cute. They have a great happy hour, though I'm more impressed by the food than the staff. I'll keep coming back though...

Worst

I went to this place 3-4yrs ago and it was so disappointing that I wrote them off. Recently, my friends wanted to try this place and since I was the only one who's been there bef...

It's a fun place 10/21/2008

I would recommend this place to those who want more than just good food. The food was great, but the people watching and vibe of the place, the DJ, the drinks and staff made it an experience. We made reservations later so we could catch the DJ and have drinks after dinner. It was a good time. Can't wait to tell my hard to please brother about this place! Pros: Food, Drinks, Vibe Cons: Was hard to find a table for DJ after dinner, had to stand for a while more
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Dined and Danced! 10/21/2008

Saturday night was a blast! My girlfriend and I had dinner and stayed for the music. I didn't know there was dancing there! Food and drinks were great. Loved the feel of the place. Would definitely recommend. Pros: Dining and Dancing more
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I had a bad experience and I will not return 10/17/2008

I went there and I won't go back. I was informed that the dining room I was being sat in would be closing soon almost like they were warning me not to take long (it was 9:30) The server and food runner smelled of alcohol and appeared drunk, the bartenders made my drink with flavored vodka three times: I asked for a stoli soda. My food took forever almost 45 minutes! We decided to head into the bar area for dessert so they could close the dining room. The bartender was snide to us and after all of this the atrociously unattractive 40-year old dj started playing music way to loud and way to heavy for anything I'd ever want to listen to at a restaurant, or anywhere ever before 11pm at night! I had a bad experience and I will not return. Pros: i enjoyed leaving Cons: everything more
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Happy Hour Feast 9/29/2008

I love the happy hour at Saucebox. It is cheap and the menu is big and interesting. I am rarely disappointed and bring out of town friends there constantly. They are always impressed. We get so much for so little money. They have $1 menu items! Occassionally, service can be on the slower side, but it has usually been packed when that happened. Servers are friendly and accommodating. I only wish they served espresso drinks. That is the only thing I want before I leave. Pete's coffee is up the street though. Pros: Best Happy Hour Out There! Cons: No Espresso Drinks more
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Great Menu 9/29/2008

I have been going to The Saucebox for years, but on my last visit I tried a new dish that was out of this world. It was Kung Pao chicken!? I know, weird. But, seriously, it was a high brow rendition of the old fave and it was really done to perfection. I always get the salmon dish, but this is definitely competition. Drinks good as usual. Love the sushi. Will be back soon. more
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Beautiful place, beautiful food 9/3/2008

I ate here a few weeks ago with my family. The ambience is gorgeous, very sleek and urban. The service was impeccable, we had the nicest server, and the food is delicious, unique and artfully presented. I recommend the tuna ceviche, it is amazing! I could eat it every day. The cocktails were flavorful and tasty. All the flavor combos in the food came together beautifully, they know what they are doing. The waiter made a great wine recommendation for our meals since our first choice was unavailable. Overall, a great dinner, reasonably priced, perfectly served in a lovely setting. Pros: food, service, drinks, ambience, bathroom Cons: parking downtown is always miserable more
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too mutch salt!!! 8/30/2008

I just got back from meeting friends for catch-up at this restaurant. Now, I must say I had formally had happy hour and enjoyed it. This time, however, I was disappointed :( Items on the menu claimed to be Korean food, but it was more salted then anything. My mouth is still recovering from the assault. At the end of the meal of salt, the bill arrived and it was outrageous. I paid around $30 (the cost was even split between my friend and I, totaling a whopping $60) for a salt. I wanted to walk over to the cooks and ask if they had any formal training or had tasted their food. I did not feel the meal was worth the money (if I wanted to eat salt I could have bought some from Fredy?s for $1)!!! I did enjoy the drinks and the service was moderately good. All in all I wouldn?t eat there again due to the salt content of each item I ordered and the price accompanying it. Pros: drinks good Cons: food crapy more
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Totally Worth it! 8/2/2008

Try this place out! Had a wonderful experience. It is a new hangout for me now. Great bartenders and delicious and interesting food. A great DJ came on after dinner and we danced! more
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Great Food and Cocktails! 8/2/2008

We really enjoyed ourselves. The food and cocktails were great. The ribs are a new favorite! Waiters were friendly and attentive. The place has a downtown vibe, interesting and makes you feel like you could be in another city, a bigger city. Would definitely recommend. more
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Avoid at all costs. Terrible service, average food 7/28/2008

Here is how our night went. 15 minutes for drinks to be ordered. Appetizers were pretty good. After waiting for our food for an hour, the manager comes and says the chef dropped the last 2 rib entrees on the ground and the 2 meals would be comp-ed. We wait another 30 minutes for our new order to arrive. The replacement meal (seafood curry) was awful... completely lacking the seafood that was supposed to come with the dish, and the sauce tasted like pure coconut milk. After our terrible meal, the server brought the check and said he had assumed that we didn't want dessert (terrible assumption when the reservation had been made for a 30th birthday). AND the original ribs were still on the bill! more
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A pinapple drink! 5/23/2008

Nothing says summer better than a drink in a pineapple full of crushed ice and smooth rum that has been infused with pineapple or a drink in a coconut. We enjoyed drinks in their shells last weekend to beat the heat. I will be back even on rainy days to bring a little of the tropics to portland. Other tasty treats included a plate of Korean ribs with Kim Chee, seared ahi and to finish the ice cream sundae. more
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Best of everything... 5/19/2008

I have found that saucebox is the perfect place for many occasions. I like to go there for a quick happy hour snack before a movie out, but also eating dinner in the dining room is a total treat. And, their extensive cocktail list is fantastic! more
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RUDE SERVICE & AWFUL FOOD 5/14/2008

On a Saturday night my boyfriend and I went to get a drink and some food. While my boyfriend did receive his food, I never received mine. When I went to ask the bar tender about it after my server never came back I was scolded for asking. I think most restaurants attempt to at least please their guests if they're having an off night, not scold their customers for asking where the food is after waiting a 1/2 hour. The bartender was incredibly rude and defensive. This was third time I have been to this place and all three times the food and service was mediocre at best. After being treated so rudely this time around I will NEVER go back. Funny thing is I've told about five people about my terrible experience thus far, and they all said they've had terrible service as well. They clearly don't care about the service they provide or how to treat customers. Don't waste your time or money, they're too many better restaurants in this town. more
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A true Five-Star Dining Experience 5/13/2008

I was looking for something a little chic but not pretentious in Portland, and found this gem. Traveling past the smokey, wood-grain, over-decorated pubs and eateries to find this ultra-modern, super clean minimalist-menu amazing restaurant. From the way the place represents itself I had high expectations, and they were absolutely met. I had the grilled salmon, and sampled the green curry and ribs-everything was flawless. The cocktails weren't weak, either. My appetizer, the Hamachi and Avocado, was simply the freshest Hamachi I've had in the northwest. Second to none. I can officially say that the Saucebox is my favorite restaurant in the northwest. Pros: A true five-star resturant, presentation, taste, ambience, and service were absolutely top-notch. Cons: Those expecting large, american portions may be disapointed. more
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great sushi , average entrees, very cool decor 4/13/2008

Made reservations on Friday night for 4. They were friendly and seated us right away. I'd have to say the service was pretty good. She gave us a LOT of time to decide on food, which some people might deem slow and ""crappy"" service however I just take that as a classy place that let's you drink and hang out without trying to give the impression they want you to eat and leave. We did a combo of sushi, appetizers and entrees. The sushi was fresh and flavorful. The apps and entrees were just alright. One curry was too spicy, the pork satay was tender but could hardly classify itself as an entree and the appetizers were just plain tiny. A little pricey for my taste. Loved, loved, loved the decor and the overall vibe of this place so will likely be back to try happy hour or for their sushi. If you're on the fence I would say give it a try, but I'd have to say I was a tad disappointed. Pros: great sushi Cons: high price for what you get more
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Love this place 3/11/2008

I came here for a company event, and was pleasantly suprised. Service was above the Portland standard of ""crappy"". The food was unique and flavorful. I will be back! Pros: Food, Service, and Ambience Cons: Parking more
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Large variety of drinks, Great food, ambiance, 3/3/2008

Would have given 4 stars if it was non-smoking. The service depends on where you sit if you sit upstairs then service is great, sitting down stairs then the waiters could care less about you. I went with my friends 3 times and I sat upstairs twice and had a fantastic time. The only time I sat downstairs the glass with the candle exploded at me and the waiter didn't even ask if I was okay he just gave us a new candle and no concern that hot glass pieces just blew up near my face. Usually when we go in we are ignored by waiters/host until we find someone to help us get a table 15 mins after playing ""find the host"" with the waiters. After finding a table upstairs you are pretty much set for a great night. Pros: Upstairs, drinks, food, ambience Cons: Service, downstairs, smoking more
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dont review on your iphone..... 2/8/2008

I don't know if my first one posted. So i am trying to edit my current one... iphone is way to difficult to use with this star system. Citysearch - FIX THIS. MAKE YOUR SITE IPHONE COMPATIBLE!!! Pros: rad Cons: portland going smoke free?? weak. more
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the olympics of bartending!! 12/18/2007

i was in at the bar at saucebox on friday night, and i must say that the best bartenders there are the best in portland. i have never seen two bartenders put not only so much work into a area behind a bar, but make so many drinks in such a short amount of time. not only that, but the drinks were amazing! years ago i used to frequent saucebox when it felt like a dark cavernous space and over time it developed into something else. saucebox has its edge again! from the red candles to their very unique house djs. Even when the place is slammed and it is 1am, saucebox still has some of the best service in town. easily on par with bigger cities, saucebox has grown up and it shows.... Pros: crazy bar...crazy drinks...crazy fun! more
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Menu for Saucebox Cafe & Bar


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Editorial

  • Out-of-towners, well-heeled professionals and bar hoppers in skinny jeans and heels convene at this established cocktail destination in the heart of downtown. With a colorful drink in hand, they...

  • 8/13/2009 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Tue-Fri 4:30pm-close; Sat 5pm-close
  • Payments: Visa, Diner's Club, American Express, Master Card
  • Neighborhoods: Neighbors West - Northwest, Downtown
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