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Fun Activities to Try at Far Southwest, Portland

Fun Activities to Try at Far Southwest, Portland

| Last Updated: August 2023

Far Southwest is a vibrant yet often unexplored neighborhood in Portland. Since you’re already here, let’s change that, shall we? 

Here, you can escape the crowds and immerse yourself in something more similar to the everyday life of the locals. Interested? Let’s check out what you can do here, specifically!

1. Order authentic Chinese Dishes at Kuang’s Kitchen

1. Order authentic Chinese Dishes at Kuang’s Kitchen
Image from Mohan Varghese

Website: http://www.kuangs-kitchen.com

Address: 11137 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 

Contact details: +1 503-246-1683

Operating hours: 

  • Monday – closed
  • Tuesday to Sunday – 11 AM to 9 PM 

Kuang’s Kitchen is a well-known Chinese restaurant in the far southwest Portland neighborhood. If you’re looking for something authentic, this one’s the real deal. 

There aren’t a lot of Mandarin and Szechuan restaurants in Portland, unfortunately, so we consider Kuang’s Kitchen to be heavensent! Come here when you need classic Chinese comfort food.

Pro tip:

We recommend ordering their combination dinners if you want to get the best deal. For example,the first combination dinner comes with soup, BBQ pork, chicken chow mein, sweet & sour pork, and pork fried rice for just $9.95. 

2. Explore Taiwanese food at Taiwan Bistro PDX

2. Explore Taiwanese food at Taiwan Bistro PDX
Image from Hugo Chen 

Website: https://www.taiwanbistro6z.com

Address: 11136 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 

Contact details: +1 971-229-1927

Operating hours: 

  • Monday, Wednesday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 4 PM; 5:30 PM to 9 PM
  • Tuesday – closed

There also aren’t a lot of Taiwanese restaurants in Portland, so having the Taiwan Bistro just within reach shouldn’t be taken for granted. 

This is the place you go to if you want to grab a plate of authentic Taiwanese cuisine. They have a lot of dishes truly worth the try, especially if it’s your first time: start with the pork blood cake, baiyedoufu pig ear, and pork bun. 

However, note that this place is small so it might not be best for gatherings of big groups. 5 or 6 people might just be enough. 

Pro tip:

Aside from the dishes we mentioned, you should also try their house noodle special and braised pork over rice. Thank us later! 

3. Try local brews at Bullseye Pub

3. Try local brews at Bullseye Pub
Image from Bullseye Pub

Website: http://www.bullseyepdx.com

Address: 4835 SW Pomona St, Portland, OR

Contact details: +1 503-477-7194

Operating hours:

  • Monday to Friday – 11 AM to 12 AM
  • Saturday & Sunday – 9 AM to 12 AM

Bullseye Pub offers a great selection of beers, house wine, and spirits. If you want to try Portland’s famous local brews, this is a good place to start. 

They have a lot of food options too like sandwiches, burgers, salads, desserts, and quite a few entrees. We know a lot of people don’t go to pubs to eat, but you have to at least try their food once. 

Anyway, we also recommend this pub if you want to make friends with the locals over a delicious pint, a hot meal, and maybe even a nail biting sports game! 

Pro tip:

You have to try at least one of their burgers. We’ve tried a lot and they’re all so good! Our favorite would have to be the bullseye burger though. It’s made with smoked brisket, BBQ sauce, grilled onions, and pepper jack cheese. You can even choose your own side. You can also make your own burger.

4. Buy a joint at Nectar

4. Buy a joint at Nectar
Image from Nectar

Website: https://nectar.store/store/barbur/

Address: 10931 SW 53rd Ave, Portland, OR

Contact details: +1 503-477-8800

Operating hours: 

  • Monday to Sunday – 7 AM to 10 PM 

If you’re already in Portland, you might as well stop by the dispensaries you can find all over the city. If you find yourself in the far southwest neighborhood though, we recommend checking out Nectar. 

They’re open at 7 AM so you can wake and bake to your heart’s content. They have a lot of products to choose from, all of which you can access online too.

Pro tip:

They offer a lot of great deals from time to time (like 20 – 25% off), so make sure to check out their website for cool deals like that. 

5. Have a pamper day at Brow Boutique Threading & Spa

5. Have a pamper day at Brow Boutique Threading & Spa
Image from Willis Anderson

Website: https://browboutique.co 

Address: 5446 SW Coronado St, Portland, OR 

Contact details: +1 503-699-9999

Operating hours: 

  • Sunday & Monday – Closed
  • Tuesday to Friday – 10 AM to 6 PM
  • Saturday – 10 AM to 3 PM 

Whether you’re a tourist in Portland or you’re just a local looking for cool spots, pampering yourself at Brow Boutique Threading & Spa is a must!

They offer a lot of different services like eyelash/eyebrow tint, facials, microneedling, microdermabrasion, and body wraps. They also have several products you can purchase – mostly skincare and makeup!

Pro tip:

Of course, different needs require different services. However, if you’re just looking to ease your stress, we highly recommend their body wraps service. Not only does it make you look more glowing, it can also help remove the toxins in your body and increase your metabolism.

6. Have a makeover at Superb Hair and More

6. Have a makeover at Superb Hair and More

Website: https://superbhairandmore.com

Address: 12911 SW 63rd Ave, Portland, OR 

Contact details: +1 503-639-2856

Operating hours: 

  • Sunday & Monday – closed
  • Tuesday – 11:30 AM to 7 PM
  • Wednesday – 10 AM to 5 PM
  • Thursday – 11 AM to 7 PM
  • Friday – 9 AM to 5 PM
  • Saturday – 8 AM to 5 PM

If a subtle or grand transformation is what you seek, check out Superb Hair and More. 

The experts at this salon can cut and color your hair or give it highlights or lowlights. Additionally, they also can do your makeup, lash & brows, and even provide you a waxing session. 

Surprisingly, they don’t charge that much compared to other salons even though they do quality work. For example, their hair coloring services start at only $105! 

Pro tip:

Note that all their services are by appointment only. You can set up an appointment by filling up the form on their website or you can also give them a call. 

Website: https://www.pcc.edu/galleries/sylvania/

Address: 12000 SW 49th Ave, Portland, OR

Contact details:

Operating hours: 

  • Sunday – closed
  • Monday to Friday – 8 AM to 4 PM 
  • Saturday – 11 AM to 4 PM 

There are a lot of places to appreciate art in Portland. After all, this city is also known for its thriving art scene. 

If you’re in the far southwest neighborhood though, you can check out the North View Gallery for a taste of what local artists have to offer. 

Since the gallery is located inside the Portland Community College Sylvania, a lot of students also hold their exhibits there. Expect to see a lot of interesting artworks from Portland’s budding artists. 

Pro tip:

It’s best to note that they are open on Saturdays but by appointment only, so plan accordingly if going on a weekend.

8. Learn an instrument at School of Rock

Website: https://www.schoolofrock.com/locations/portland

Address: 1440 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 

Contact details: +1 503-231-2945

Operating hours: 

  • Monday to Thursday – 2 PM to 9 PM
  • Friday – 2 to 7 PM 
  • Saturday – 12 PM to 5 PM
  • Sunday – 12 PM to 8 PM

Sorry School of Rock fans, this one’s not connected to the movie. However, it’s an actual music school in the Far Southwest neighborhood in Portland. 

Those looking for a fun, totally non-traditional music school should come here. School of Rock offers different kinds of classes for guitars, keyboards, and drums. 

If you’re a fan of Elliot Smith, Portugal the Man, and The Shins, by the way, you’ll be surprised to know that they were once students of School of Rock, along with some other indie artists. 

Pro tips

If you’re interested in being part of a band, they have a program just for that! You’ll be grouped with other students and all of you will get to play in actual gigs!

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