Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro

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0315 SW Montgomery St (at Southwest River Drive)
Portland, OR 97201

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(503) 295-2747
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Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - Portland, OR
Reviews
( 34 )
( 3 )
( 2 )
( 2 )
( 7 )

Best

I would highly recommend stopping into Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro in Portland. Not only do they have a vast selction of great wines....the food is absolutely amazing! This is not ""...

Worst

I live just down the street from Thirst and have really enjoyed their great wine and amazing food (the crab dip is fantastic). Unfortunately the last time I was there it ended ver...

Best Wine Experience Yet! 5/30/2008

I have been to Thirst Wine bar a hand full of times now and every time I go there I am so thrilled with the service I receive. I love the fact that I can describe the wine I want and every single time the PERFECT wine is selected. These folks are no amateurs they truly know wine! I am always satisfied with the meals they serve and love the wine tasting and cheese pairings they offer. My girlfriend and I went to one of their recent wine tasting classes and had a blast! Leslie the owner put the class on and was very articulate and knows her stuff. You can tell that the staff enjoys working at Thirst, as it shows in their service. Sitting on the patio overlooking the beautiful Willamette river, sipping on a glass of wine and people watching is so much fun! They even sell wine if you find something that you just have to have more of! I highly recommend this fantastic wine and bistro!! Pros: Experts with description of desired wine Cons: Nothing! more
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great wine, fun flights, excellent food! 5/30/2008

I have been to Thirst 3 times now and have never been dissapointed! When I want to try something new, they know exactly which wine to select for my taste buds! The cheese plates are to die for, and the dinners are even better. \r My husband and I went to dinner last week - he tried the ribs and said they were the best he's tasted in Portland since moving here. He's more of a beer guy, but tried the ""light flight"" and found a couple of wines that he loved! I got the house salad and cheese plate, and it was just perfect. \r I heard they just opened a private party room next door to their wine bar. I can't wait to rent it out for my birthday this year! \r \r Pros: Beautiful View, Excellent Wine, Excellent Food Cons: nothing! more
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Food, Flights & Fun!! 8/6/2007

I have been hearing great things about Thirst and finally got the change to try it. Thirst does not disappoint! The food is excellent - I wasn't expecting it to be great since most food at wine bars isn't - but it is fantastic. I had tuna and my friend had lamb that were great portions. Those with a shared appetizer of antipasto filled us up nicely. They have the most creative wine flights - really fun - one is dog related with all three wines having cute labels with dogs on them and hte wines were good too. We had a lot of fun watching people walk along the sidewalk, some interesting people watching for sure. Definitely an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon or evening!! One waitress was taking care of multiple tables outside - but she did a great job and seemed to be paying the right amount of attention to all of her customers. I plan to go again on a Thursday evening to check out the complimentary wine tastings which I have heard are great! Pros: Food, Wine, People watching Cons: Nothing!! more
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Sad Ending to an Otherwise Great Evening 7/25/2007

I live just down the street from Thirst and have really enjoyed their great wine and amazing food (the crab dip is fantastic). Unfortunately the last time I was there it ended very badly. After my brother and I finished dinner and paid, we stayed to finish our drinks. The waitress (who had been really, really nice) came out to ask us if everything had been okay. We assured her that it was great. Then she said she couldn't help but notice that we hadn't tipped at all. I was mortified and apologized for the mistake as I had felt sure I had left an appropriate tip (my brother had busted out his tip calculator and I even threw in $.50 to make it even). I asked her to run my card so I could leave a tip and she said not to worry about it. Then I realized that I had in fact tipped since I happened to know exactly how much cash I had and how much I had left. I explained that to her and she said it must have been her mistake. Either way, it was really, really embarrassing since there were still customers there and it wasn't like she was quiet about telling us we didn't tip. It definitely ruined my night since I left feeling guilty because she didn't think I tipped her, annoyed because I knew I had, and just generally embarrassed. Probably won't be back for a while, and from now on I will always pay restaurant bills with a credit card. Pros: Great wine, good happy hour Cons: Bad experience with staff more
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Best Wine Bar in Portland!! 6/10/2007

First, you can't beat the view - gorgeous! Second - they have the best Pacific NW Wines - Patty Green, Bergstrom, Beaux Freres - to name a few and lots from Washington! Third, I've gone here 3 or 4 times and have never been disappointed. These people make you feel at home. Friendly staff who knows their stuff. They have a flight of wines and I mentioned a few varietals that I don't care for and the bartender said he would put something else on - really accommodating. Food is delicious, they rotate their cheeses often so I can always try something new and different. I'm glad they support both local wines and foods since there are so many great things in Oregon! It's not cheap here - they cater to people who love and appreciate good food and wine - so if you are one of those cheapo / happy hour types probably not your place. They have a good happy hour - but it's not one of those $1 shot, food, beer places. But it is all well worth it for the location, wine and food. You've got to try this place! Pros: Everything!! Cons: Nothing!! more
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Wine Dinners..Wine Dinners..Wine Dinners!! 2/8/2007

I live in NYC, but am always in Portland on business. I happened to stuble across one of Thirst's winemaker dinners. It was out of this world. I have been having trouble finding a place that I like to eat at in Portland, alast I think I have found it. The everyday menu is pretty good but nothing in comparison to the winemakers dinners. I think the chef can really work some magic and the price is beyond nice! A true diamond in the rough. Pros: Wine dinners Cons: location is hard to find more
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Fun and Friendly 12/23/2006

My wife and I just moved to Portland. We went to Thirst to learn about Oregon wines. The wines are wonderful and the staff is so friendly and makes you feel at ease asking questions about wine. Not pretentious at all. The chef made us a special meal, since we'd asked about fresh fish and he had just gotten in some tuna that afternoon. It wasn't even on the menu yet, and he made us a delectable meal. We feel like we've found a new home away from home - so wonderful to come to a new city and find such a great place already. Thanks Thirst! We'll be back Pros: Friendly staff, wine, tuna! Cons: nothing more
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Skip it 12/21/2006

I took a group of friends here for a pre-Christmas happy hour after seeing all of the positive recommendations here on citysearch. We went on a Thursday when they were offering a free fiight. Each person in the party had a glass or two of wine on top of that, and a few of us had food as well. The food was really good, and everyone had a great time. The waitstaff was friendly and it was a good evening. That is, until we were leaving, and the bartender made a comment to our party that next time he should bring back some friends that will spend some money. I was wholly offended by this. We were the only people in the place, and we left at about 8:30. We brought in business on an otherwise dead evening. And while we did not spend a ton of money, we did spend about $200 between our table and the drinks purchased at the bar. Up until that incident, I would have recommended this place to everyone I know. Now I will tell everyone I know to take their business elsewhere. Pros: Good food, good wine list, great location Cons: Rude staff more
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Intrigued by Cuisine 12/20/2006

I had gone to Thirst back in the beginning of the summer and thought the idea was great, but the food suffered. Early last month I had stopped by again and was intrigued by the new menu. It looked interesting and tasted amazing. I have gone back often and tried just about everything offered, all amazing. Both the food and the wine are simple enough, but high quality and interesting. I got a chance to meet with the owner and the new chef and I think once this place evolves into its own, it will be one of portland's top places to wine and dine. Pros: Food, Wine Cons: Parking more
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Great view! 11/17/2006

Thirst is what this area needed! They have a great wine selection and plenty of seating. The staff seems to know what they are talking about, I dont know much about cheese but they were great at pairing my wine and cheese. Pros: Great waterfront view, lots of seating Cons: parking more
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great view, good wine 11/2/2006

Tried Thirst for a nice quiet Thurs evening. The 10 at 10 flight was quite a deal with very nice wines. It was pretty quiet for a Thurs evening, which was fine because there were plenty of seats right by the water. A nice romantic place to have a glass of wine. more
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Great waterfront wine experience! 9/6/2006

We sat outside on Labor Day enjoying the waterfront and great wine. The lobster bake and live music were fantastic as was the staff and conversation with other patrons. Our five flight of wine was the perfect tasting combination. Thirst Wine Bar and Bistro is our new favorite around town for relaxation and fun while sipping superb wine. more
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Thanks! Awesome Lobster 9/3/2006

We felt like we were on the shores of Maine when we had our Lobsters at Thirst Wine Bar's clambake yesterday. Everything was perfect! And we enjoyed the special clambake flight that complimented our meal. I hope they do this next year! Can you throw in parking :) Pros: Lobsters, Service, Wines more
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Poor Service 9/1/2006

Enjoyed the wine however felt rushed and wasnt able to finish my second glass due to the discomfort created by the owner/manager who asked us to essentially hurry up because she had children to get home to, despite it being 30 min before closing. As someone who works in the industry I try to be very conscientious about not keeping staff past close, her manners were inexcusable and are a testament to the painfully slow patronage. I would not return nor would I recommend the bar to friends. Really a pity considering its beautiful location and decent menu. more
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Great new spot! 8/9/2006

It's about time the Riverplace boardwalk started to regain some of its lustre. Thirst is a lovely little spot with a well chosen wine list and some excellent food. The curried chicken sandwich is a really good lunch choice. Lots of outdoor seating right on the water. Between Thirst and the ritzy spa down the boardwalk, this is becomming a destination spot again! Pros: Great wine choices, view, food more
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Very Cool place!! 7/11/2006

Yum - you go to a wine bar for wine but leave lusting the food - that's great! Thirst is a cute spot in a fantastic local with nice waiters/waitresses and good wine. But the hidden gem is the food. Try the crab dip and the baked brie. My friend had the crab cakes which were fluffy, light and flavorful - not dense and greasy like others I've had locally. We had a wine flight that was intersting and reflected some of Oregon's best. These folks don't bait and switch with cheap wineries and genuinely care about promoting Oregon's best. I plan to go back a lot!! Pros: FOOD! Wines, service, cute decor more
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Pure Class 7/11/2006

I had the fortune to stumble into this haven during Sunday afternoon during the scorching Jazz Fest. The staff were well versed. I was proud that they featured local wines on the flights. The atmosphere encouraged relaxation. Being uptight was not allowed. The large plasma television on the wall paired with the couch would have made flying solo less obvious. In my case, a lovely little girl was sitting watching the Disney station with no volume, made the scene all the more quaint. Her parents enjoyed themselves at a table. Even though this is a new wine bar, it had the flow of a more established venue. AND THE VIEW-Riverfront! Need I say more? Pros: great staff, fantastic veiw, nice ambience more
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Fabulous spot right on the waterfront 7/6/2006

Thirst is a fantastic place with an intimate setting, great small plates and appetizers, and a service team who's eager to please and has a good handle on the wine list. You can relax with your favorite glass or bottle of wine on one of the comfy couches or bring a few friends to hang out at the beautiful bar. \r \r Thirst is a welcome addition to the downtown waterfront developments where big-name restaurants are taking over a lot of the territory. Get out and support Thirst because it's a wonderful and unique place that brings local flavor and charm to the waterfront. more
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Thirst is a hidden gem on the waterfront. 6/28/2006

So often ... restaurant bars do TOO MUCH and take on roles that don't fit within the settings or neighborhood that support them. Thirst is a prefect representation of what I expect from RiverPlace. A casual/ no pressure environment, with a friendly and inviting staff, and a beautifully designed space that complements the harbor view perfectly.\r \r I'd highly recommend the French Onion soup ... the crab dip ... and the Chicken pesto pizza.\r \r Can't wait to get back! \r Pros: The staff is very helpful it selecting from what can be an intimidating wine menu. Cons: Parking is a problem in RiverPlace more
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What a surprise!! 6/26/2006

My husband and I were taking a walk along the Esplanade last Saturday and much to our surprise - we found Thirst Wine Bar! An adorable place with an awesome view of the river. We had a wine flight of white wines that were crisp and refreshing on a hot day (95+ degrees!!) and a nice salad with goat cheese. They had a homemade Gazpacho soup that tasted fresh out of the garden. We are looking forward to another visit. Service was very good and they were very busy so we were impressed. Pros: Wine Flights, Food, View more
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Menu for Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro


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Waterfront bistro & wine bar offers a full Pacific NW-inspired menu, wines by the taste, glass, bottle or flight, and specialty cocktails

Owner Message

  • The best patio seating and view of the River in Portland! Specializing in the bounty of the Pacific NW - delicious food - Entrees (Duck Confit, Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Grilled Steaks, Crab Sakes) , Appetizers, cheese flights, charcuterie platters, homemade soups that use fresh, local and imported specialty ingredients. Wines by the taste, glass, flight or bottle - bottles to go at great prices. Tuesdays - wine and cheese tastings. Three wines paired with three cheeses for $15. Check out "Flight Night" on Wednesdays: Design your own flight of 4 wines from anything available by the taste for $13. New private party room is one of the best in Portland - A chic space perfect for your next business or personal event. Thirst also has fun wine classes and tastings. Check website for details.

Editorial

  • Waterfront wine bar offers American varietals, mainly Pacific Northwest, by the glass, bottles and flights; light bites and Internet access available.

  • 4/4/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Sun, Tue-Thu 3pm-10pm Fri-Sat 3pm-11pm
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa, American Express, Discover
  • Neighborhoods: Downtown, Neighbors West - Northwest
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