Sapphire Hotel

"Housed in the former lobby of an early 20th-century hotel and brothel, Sapphire Hotel sits near the base of Mt. Tabor, slightly removed from the bustle of Hawthorne’s main drag. A great place for an intimate date, visitors can enjoy creative cocktails like the Witchy Vibes — with vodka, Pisco, crème de violette, balsamic, egg white, and lavender black salt — alongside dishes like salmon cakes with onion aioli or salsa verde-topped roasted bone marrow with grilled bread. This spot doesn’t take reservations and offers happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. nightly." - Katherine Chew Hamilton

"For Someday owner Graham Files, who’s been in the Portland bar scene since his days at Lutz Tavern right out of college, a good off-the-clock bar is the kind you can lose time in. “I could have coffee and lunch and a cocktail and maybe a glass of wine and then dinner,” Files says. “Just, like, the opportunity to get lost and accidentally spend a day in a spot.” For him Sapphire Hotel exemplifies this sort of candlelit timelessness, and the casual ambiance and inventive cocktail menu have made it a coveted date spot among Upper Hawthorne’s cluster of divider drinking destinations." - Ben Coleman

"This quirky converted hotel lobby turned lounge is dark and cozy with a wood stove near one of the intimate seating areas, where couples snack on bacon-wrapped dates and charcuterie. To double down on the hygge, visitors can opt for the bar’s Italian coffee, a Negroni with brown sugar, coffee, and Campari whip." - Eater Staff

"Another Portland institution, the Sapphire Hotel has long been a destination for late night dates and cozy happy hours. Though most of the action is now happening out on the streetside patio rather than tucked near fireplaces, the coffee drinks remain. The Not An Espresso Martini is a grown-up version of the espresso martini of the ‘90s, a silky-sweet concoction that’s balanced with the botanical presence of Fernet. There are also two hot cocktails: one is a standard, well-made Irish coffee, the other an Italian coffee, where the normal whiskey is replaced by a negroni. That’s right, it’s a Negroni topped with hot coffee and Campari whip cream for a beautifully bracing drink." - Alex Frane

"I rediscovered Sapphire Hotel this year and it’s now back on my list for accessibly priced whisky and absinthe, warm brunch beignets, and a satisfying steak." - Eater Staff