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  • Attractions
    • Avalon Theatre & Wunderland arcadeView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people sitting at tables eating foodView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
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    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Where to Stay
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    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
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i
Perched atop Old Town’s White Stag Building, The Portland, Oregon sign is a great stop on your first trip to Portland.
Credit: Justin Katigbak
Neighborhoods / Northwest Portland

Old Town Chinatown

Discover the secrets of this historic central-city district, from handmade goods to a traditional garden.

i
Perched atop Old Town’s White Stag Building, The Portland, Oregon sign is a great stop on your first trip to Portland.
Credit: Justin Katigbak

The city’s oldest neighborhood is filled with surprises. From authentic Chinese restaurants, tea houses, and a city-block-sized traditional garden, Portland’s original downtown is a bustling entertainment district and streetwear shopping hub. Read on for our favorite things to do and see in Portland’s historic Old Town Chinatown.

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Where to Stay in Old Town Chinatown

This central-city neighborhood puts you in the heart of the action, situated along the westside of the Willamette River with easy access to the Pearl District, downtown and Northwest Portland. Choose from boutique hotels, modern hostels, and more with Northwest Portland hotels.

Northwest Portland Hotels

Find a great sampling of the city's cultural offerings, including fine dining, art and nature, while staying in Northwest Portland's Pearl District and Old Town Chinatown.

Find A Hotel

Short-Term Rentals in Old Town Chinatown

Use the links below to search for short-term vacation rental listings in and near Old Town Chinatown.

Airbnb

Vacasa

Vrbo

Where To Eat and Drink in Old Town Chinatown

One of Chinatown’s relatively few Chinese restaurants is Chen’s Good Taste Restaurant, a small Cantonese eatery near the Chinatown Gateway renowned for noodles and barbecued pork.

Deadstock Coffee & Gallery is helmed by a former Nike shoe designer and decorated with vintage Michael Jordan memorabilia. This one-of-a-kind coffeehouse doubles as a gathering place for “sneakerheads” and local footwear employees from Adidas, Under Armour and Columbia (to name just a few).

In the pedestrian-only Ankeny Alley, you’ll find Dan & Louis’ Oyster Bar, an Old Town landmark opened in 1907 and packed with history.


A walk down Ankeny Alley, where you can get in line for Voodoo Doughnut, will bring you to Dan & Louis Oyster Bar, which opened in 1907, serving classic chowders and oysters. Wander the alley to find other old-salt Portland bars, or over to Pine Street Market, where you’ll find Pine Street Taproom and Pleasure Burger. Just down the street from Voodoo and other eatery joints is the perfect pit stop for a cup of coffee at Stumptown Coffee, a sustainably sourced and locally roasted caffeine fix at the ready.

5 To Try

Old Town Chinatown Tastes

  • Bowery Bagels

    Bowery Bagels has been boiling Portland’s authentic New York-style bagels for over a decade. Get yours with delicious schmears, or a bagel sandwich and a Stumptown coffee.

  • Kasbah Moroccan Cafe

    Family-owned cafe in Old Town this counter-service cafe offers authentic Moroccan cuisine, serving up traditional North African dishes like kefta tagine, Merguez lamb sausage sandwiches and freshly-baked batbot bread and pastries.

  • Sushi Ichiban

    This sushi joint offers the classic sushi-go-round experience on an actual toy train. Their expertly prepared sushi features real, fresh ingredients like tuna and wasabi.

  • Afuri Ramen + Dumpling

    Sushi and ramen joint with original locations in Japan, and now multiple locations in Portland.

  • Zaalook

    Zaalook food cart’s fare is inspired by the tasty and flavorful Mediterranean/Greek cuisine. Menu items include Gyros, Chicken Shawarma, Badaghanouj, and more!

Things To Do in Old Town Chinatown

A place to begin to learn about the Chinese American Community in the Rose City is Portland Chinatown Museum, which showcases the Chinese immigrant experience, and features Chinese American art, history and culture.

In 1999, a team of experts traveled to Portland from our sister city in Suzhou, China, to build an authentic 40,000-square-foot (3716 sq m) Ming Dynasty-style garden. Today, visitors to Lan Su Chinese Garden escape the bustle of the surrounding city to admire tranquil pools and seasonal foliage while wandering the grounds.

This district was also once home to a vibrant Japantown. The Japanese American Museum of Oregon offers poignant and informative exhibits exploring the history of Japanese Americans in Portland and beyond.

History and Communities

In Old Town Chinatown explore the city's rich and diverse history.

Explore More
a woman holds a camera at a traditional Chinese garden with a pond, pavilion and trees

Chinese Attractions in Portland’s Old Town Chinatown

Explore local history at the Portland Chinatown Museum before visiting other neighborhood mainstays.

a tall, ornate Chinese-style gate

Chinese American History

Learn more about the Rose City's Chinese American history and strong legacy.

A woman holds a camera to her eyes in a traditional Chinese garden with a pond, pavilion and trees.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

This year-round wonder houses an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden built by Suzhou artisans, offering a peaceful escape in Portland's historic Chinatown.

small living space including a cot and hung up laundry with image of a barbed wire fence surrounding, depicting Japanese internment living quarters

Japanese American History

Japanese Americans have been a critical part of Portland's past and present.

street view of museum entrance with city reflections on the windows

The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education

In times of social upheaval and political uncertainty, museums like OJMCHE are more relevant than ever. Explore the rich history and ongoing resiliency of Oregon’s diverse Jewish community with interactive exhibits and experiences for all ages.

a man wearing a shroud and yamaka, reading the Torah

Jewish Community

Portland is home to more than 40,000 Jewish people and has kosher dining options throughout the city.

Crawl into Portland’s catacombs — aka the Shanghai Tunnels — to learn the lore of the early days in this port town.

If you Go-By-Train, you’ll know Portland’s Union Station. Nestled in Chinatown, near the Broadway Bridge, this transportation hub is also a Portland landmark.

Union Station set against the backdrop of Portland's skyline
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The iconic 50-foot clock tower at Union Station welcomes visitors to Portland.
a tall, ornate Chinese-style gate
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Start a day in Old Town Chinatown by crossing through the neighborhood’s iconic gate.
string lights and tables in the alley between restaurants and bars in Old Town Portland
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Ankeny Alley is a great place to grab a drink and visit the iconic Voodoo Donuts.
mural on building next to bright red street lamp and building
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Artists Caratoes and Smithe painted this street art near the intersection of Northwest Everett Street and Fourth Avenue as part of the Forest for the Trees Festival in 2017.
light rail on tracks by stone arches with tents and vendors
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Saturday Market is a great place to shop local art and eat some great food.

Open Saturdays and Sundays, Portland Saturday Market, outdoor arts and crafts fair, runs from March to Christmas every year. The bustle of this river-side bazaar nestled between Old Town’s Archways and the Westside of the Burnside Bridge has been a beloved weekend tradition since 1974. The Portland Saturday Market features over 250 vendors of arts, crafts, wares, and freshly made food to fill the senses

Galleries

The monthly First Thursday art event includes free shows and refreshments at dozens of galleries and stores throughout Old Town Chinatown, downtown and the Pearl District.

Circle the block at the Everett Station Lofts to check out more than a dozen different mini-galleries. Flashback street fashions, Japanese gadgets and prints by local artists line the walls at Compound Gallery.

5 To Try

Shop Old Town Charm

Old Town Chinatown is the place to find locally made souvenirs, eclectic artwork and heritage goods.

  • Orox Leather Co.

    Following in the footsteps of the proprietor’s great-grandfather, all Orox Leather creations are made by hand by a practiced craftsman. Their products are made with domestically sourced leather and sustainable (often even recycled) trappings.

  • Pendleton Home Store

    The flagship location of celebrated heirloom brand Pendleton Woolen Mills features the company’s complete line of American-made blanke is a lifestyle concept space featuring iconic Jacquard blankets, furniture and home décor.

  • MadeHere PDX

    Founded by a team of proud Portlanders, MadeHere PDX is a shop dedicated to showcasing the talents of Portland-based designers, artists and makers.

  • Laundry

    Laundry specializes in vintage jerseys, sportswear and streetwear from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Shop a curated collection of attire by Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger and more.

  • Kiriko

    This local studio and shop features a selection of carefully curated Japanese textiles crafted into a line of handmade clothing, accessories and housewares.

Shopping in Old Town Chinatown

With boutique clothing, shoes, and skateboards, Old Town Chinatown packs storefronts of local makers in some of the oldest buildings in Portland.

Operated by and for skaters since 1976, Cal Skate Skateboards hyperbolically bills itself as “the oldest skateboard shop on the planet.” Exaggeration aside, the store’s selection of nearly 500 unique decks and skateboards truly can’t be beaten.

Pick out a pair of sneakers at Index PDX, Portland’s premier sneaker consignment store, where shrink-wrapped Yeezys and mint-condition Air Jordans sell for thousands of dollars.

LGBTQ+ Performing Arts & Drag

Portland's drag show options include drag queen brunch and a Guinness World Record holder.

Learn More

End your evening with glitz, glamour and a bit of risqué humor brought to you by an all-star cast of female impersonators (including Darcelle, the country’s oldest performing drag queen) at the West Coast’s longest-running drag show, Darcelle XV.

Neighborhoods, Tours & Itineraries

Old Town Chinatown Events

Get to know Old Town Chinatown at these upcoming events.

Young Americans
Feb. 11–Mar. 26, 2023

Young Americans

Portland Center Stage at The Armory Cost Varies

Young Americans takes us on two road trips, 20 years apart. In one, an exhaustingly upbeat father and his stressed-out, college-bound daughter depart on a trip across the country. Their journey mirrors another trip the father took decades earlier with her mother — as near strangers, full of fresh hopes and dreams, on their way…

Performing Arts
Editor's Pick
Haunted Shanghai Tunnel Tour
Ongoing

Haunted Shanghai Tunnel Tour

Old Town Pizza & Brewing – Downtown $30 – $35

Haunted Shanghai Tunnel Tour – with beer tasting Book a tour in the heart of the legendary Shanghai Tunnels. Learn about Portland’s dark history and hear stories about the resident ghost, Nina. Finish up with three tasters and 1 pint of Old Town Brewery’s internationally award-winning beer. Named One of the Most Haunted Places in…

Editor's Pick
Beer
Guided Tour
History

More Portland Events

Visit our events calendar to discover even more things to do in Portland. Search by date, event type and more.

See All Events

Portland's Central City

There's a lot more to Portland's urban core than Downtown, a center for retail, restaurants and cultural attractions. Goose Hollow is home to Providence Park soccer stadium, while the Pearl District is famous for upscale bars, boutiques and galleries. Old Town Chinatown offers streetwear shops, Saturday Market and Lan Su Chinese Garden and Northwest/Nob Hill boasts shopping, dining and access to Forest Park and the historic Pittock Mansion. East of the Willamette River, the Central Eastside offers family-friendly attractions, shopping and nightlife, while Lloyd is home to the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Trail Blazers.

What's Going On In Portland?

Portland — like many cities — is currently confronting issues related to social justice, livability and the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid it all, Portland is a safe place to visit.

Read On

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