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Dots Cafe
Category: Restaurants Burgers Burgers [Edit]
2521 SE Clinton StPortland, OR 97202
Neighborhoods: Southeast Portland, Clinton, Hosford-Abernathy
(503) 235-0203
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 3 pm - 2 am
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) and Hopworks BikeBar are Portland's first Eco-Brewpubs offering world-class beer and fresh food in a relaxed and communal… read more »
174 reviews for Dots Cafe
Review Highlights
"Be sure to order the fries with the spicy tofu sauce."
(in 12 reviews)
"just a little shout out to the velvet paintings."
(in 17 reviews)
"The real thing here is the Gentle Ben, a veggie Reuben with..."
(in 7 reviews)
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174 reviews in English
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Review from Kim K.
1/21/2012
Dot's is my QP.
Let me school you Portland-youngsters about QP (Quality Pie): it was an diner in Northwest Portland that was a local favorite - from punkrockers to rockingchair-rockers. It was an all-night neighborhood joint that served quality pie. My parents used to take me there before it closed down and we moved on to Joe's Cellar.... I wasn't old enough to fully revel in the QP-experience.
But, luckily, I "discovered" Dot's whilst in high school which was down the street. A few days a week I would use my allotted chump-change for lunch to buy cheesy fries and smoke clove cigarettes (yes, I was that kid). And, I wonder why I was so fat in high school!
It's been love ever since.
My favorite time to visit Dot's is mid-afternoon for some curry-vegetable soup with a salad and a shot of Wild Turkey and a beer back. I creepily sit, watch and listen to the locals at the bar. It is heaven.
And, the tides have turned my friend! My parents now go to Dot's on an occasion to stare at a new set of weirdos.
What Dot's gives you: nice staff, good food, great music, and endless knickknacks to stare at.... -
Review from Jack D.
Portland, OR
1/17/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Sealed the deal with my girl here. Starting with an under the table move while playing a game of free pool; which lead to an order of hot & spicy frys for the group and then shots.
We were "cut off" later that same evening for getting to hot and heavy in the corner booth by the door.
The music's relevant (great for making out); the lights are low (great for making out); the booths are comfy cozy (great for making out), and the walls are patterned velvet with pretty cool pop art (you guessed it, great for making small talk about things you have in common with your date; which lead to making out).
I keep coming back here for it's Boont Amber on tap; hot & spicy fries; good music and all around comfortable environs. We dont quite make out like we used to here - but the getting drunk is always fun and we haven't been cut off in a long long while.... -
Review from Lucas C.
12/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I just never really got the appeal of Dots. It has always been an overly popular hipster bar in my eyes but after frequenting some far less stable places, I'm starting to get it. Dots doesn't do much but it does was it does just right. Ok, maybe after I figured out Pool was free I started appreciating the place. Cash only is always annoying but almost expected in this city. Food is fine, a bit for all with some good veggie options (even if its only the standard hummus and wraps).
he whole black light velvet thing is nice and I can never fault themed locales, but otherwise nothing to really appreciate and nothing to really complain. If nothing else, it's consistent. One can always count on Dots being open long after the other bars close early during the week. Drinks are stiff enough and servers got a certain characteristic charm to them.
3/5 for drinks
3/5 for games (POOL)
4/5 for decor
2/5 for food
3/5 all around. Can't fault em for meeting my expectations, just a bit disappointed by the hype. -
Review from Jesse N.
Portland, OR
1/30/2012
Dots is weird. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could. I say it's weird because while I go there at least once a week, I always leave thinking I'll probably never go there again.
Not sure how they do it. The atmosphere is great. It's cozy and dark, and the music is usually pretty good. The staff is pretty bleh. Friendly most of the time, but we sometimes sit around for a while (20 minutes?) before someone ever comes to our table. The food seems kind of pricey, but the portions are huge which makes the money ok. Other than the french fries, I don't think I'd ever eat there unless I was drunk. Not that the food is gross, but it's nothing special. The cash only thing kinda sucks too since I'm usually drunk before I get there and forget about it. Reading through this review, I again think to myself I won't go back...but I probably will. -
Review from Jesse B.
11/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Allright Dot's, you have a pretty cool HH. Lasts awhile, food AND drink specials - you got me there.
Plus it's kinda hipster-ish but not in the way that makes me want to gouge my eyes out. It's dark, there's velvet everywhere and the general atmosphere is just chill. I like that too!
Waitstaff isn't overbearing - they won't check on you every second but if you make eye contact they're right there to help out.
I'd recommend the spicy fries with the spicy tofu sauce. Yeah, I know I was all like tofu sauce? But then I was like TOFU SAUCE! And I'm no vegan/vegetarian/proletarian, and sorta -arian. Aka my run-in count with tofu is small.
Thumbs down for cash only though, c'mon guys! -
Review from Jeff G.
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Delicious, cheap food. Strong drinks. Good beer. Very low lighting. And fuzzy walls.
Food: 5 stars
Price: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Drinks: 5 stars
This place is a home run. At first, you'd think the food would be questionable. The place is so dark you can barely see what you're eating, the drinks are strong, and the wine is filled to the brim of the glass. They could just deep fry a few things to keep the heavy drinking, hipsters full.
Instead, they serve you up with generous portions of dishes done right. Lots of options for meat eaters, chicken only eaters, and vegetarians. And the most you're going to spend is $8.
Also, it feels like the service should suck. "The hipster waiter with all the tattoos is way too cool for school! He's going to talk to me like I'm bothering him! If I don't know exactly what I want then I'm never going to see him again!" Wrong! Service here has always been great. Yes, the servers look very hipster, but they're very attentive and very easy to get along with. They actually treat you like you're paying the bill - shocking!
What we ate: Spicy fries with tofu sauce (delicious). Chicken burrito in a bowl (so good, and very filling). Vegetarian burrito in a bowl (left overs for later!). Gentle Ben (signature). And a couple other things (there were 5 of us) but I wasn't paying attention to everyone's food once mine arrived. And to drink we had Double Mountain beer, red wine, gin&tonic, and red-beer.
At the end of the meal, we all agreed that this place is awesome. -
Review from Sarah C.
10/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Water tastes so good here, or anywhere for that matter, after a long night of drinking. The two times I've stepped into Dots it was to sober up after a pub crawl & an after party event. A round of waters for everybody!
The lighting is dark. This is nice when more than half a dozen sets of dilated pupils enter the cafe.
The artwork with its velvety wallpaper is... well it's artwork to cover some of that velvety wallpaper.
The gyro & the black bean nachos are quite delicious when one hasn't eaten for hours. I'm sure the food is just as good when sober & one day I may try that option.
The servers are patient, friendly & provide service with a smile. The cook looks bored.
Dots is in a good location. Right across the street from The Clinton Street Pub. Not a far walk for food & water & a Dum Dum for the walk home. -
Review from keri C.
Portland, OR
11/5/2011
You remember the place you went in High School? The one the cool kids went to, dark, with bad coffee, but it didn't matter, 'cause you were in the city, and wasn't it all sooo cool?
YOU'RE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL ANY LONGER.
There is no reason to give these angst-filled hipsters money for their burnt-roast oily coffee and overpriced burgers. Give it to a place with waitstaff who will actually wait on you, without self-important sneers on their faces. 0 stars. -
Review from Mark B.
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing grub. Prefect oddball atmosphere.
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Review from Brad S.
Portland, OR
10/18/2011
A kitschy Portland classic, Dots is now thankfully smokeless. The food is good, basic comfort. Nothing fancy, but that's the way it should be. Take three teenagers, order the cheddar fries and you'll have a classic The Good, the Bad and the Ugly standoff for the last fries.
Beer is good and the tap features some of our favs. The prices are great for penny pinchers such as yours truly. It's one of the places that we haunt on Fridays when we don't feel up to cooking.
Oh, and the music mix is always awesome. -
Review from Leah H.
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came in here late one night on a burger mission! The boy was demanding a burger and after several failed attempts to get food we found ourselves at Dots.
Reviewers are not joking when they say this place is dark. I had to hold the paper menu to a candle just to read it. The bar tender was friendly and took our order quickly. The kitchen on the other hand seemed a bit on the slow side.
Our food came out and it was fine. Nothing spectacular, but my hopes weren't set that high anyway. I'm always a bit hesitant to eat food where it is too dark to actually see the food. The germaphobe in just imagines all of the grime that must be hiding in the cover of darkness. The burgers didn't come with any sides so we ordered a plate of bacon jalapeno fries. That plate was HUGE. I imagine it would have been greasily delicious if I were a few drinks deep. Definitely enough to share with friends.
They have a couple pool tables (which probably have the best lighting in the place). I'd probably come by again for some pool and drinks if I'm in the area again looking for somewhere to hang out. -
Review from Jens J.
Updated - 6/8/2011
We walked over to Dots after returning from Mexico and had a great time unwinding from our sun-slathered trip.
Good music and great service. I didn't try the fries, cheese and jalapeño appetizer, but JP thought it was decent.
Well-crafted and extremely cheap drinks!!
Something interesting - on our last round of martinis, after our server set our martini glasses on the table, she also set down a tumbler filled with a clear liquid topped with a lemon wedge. We were curious, what was it? Water? We didn't know, so we asked her. She told us that there was a "little extra" left over from the round of martinis they had made for us. A little extra? How 'bout a whole lotta extra!
Obviously, we love Dots!Listed in: P-Town favorites from Jens
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/17/2009
Another Clinton Street establishment that is a lot bigger on the inside than it looks from the… Read more »
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Review from Carrion R.
Portland, OR
7/2/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Came here with a big group of people. The staff was friendly to us and not just our waiter... we had a couple different people stopping by to fill up our waters, ask if we needed anything, etc.
The vegan menu is pretty big...which I didn't know and only looked at one section (my mistake) I got some spicy vegan pita thing that was not that awesome. The tofu was weeeeeiiirrrd. seriously. But I still liked the place. I'll go back. -
Review from Yelena Y.
Philadelphia, PA
8/12/2011
I had the burrito with tofu and some other stuff and spicy tofu sauce. I really liked it, but I'm used to holding them and the waitress said I cannot have it that way. For whatever reason she insisted that their burritos cannot be picked up, though once I got it, I saw that if it weren't for the sauce all over it, I could have definitely picked it up. Weird. Limited gluten free options on the menu. Super loud music, so prepare to yell across the table.
The drinks are good and pretty strong! -
Review from jacob v.
Portland, OR
11/13/2011
Good Happy hour Happy burger & chees fries always great after a few drinks! chill place
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Review from Daniel H.
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice place. It's very dark inside, so it kind of sets an intimate atmosphere but still with the bar food vibe. A very quiet, chill spot, good for friendly gatherings and such.
Service was very friendly and attentive. I appreciated that. Food was ok...I got the patty melt and it was pretty good. Was definitely overpriced though. I might come back sometime but the cost kind of bothered me. Nice place however. -
Review from Krizia A.
Portland, OR
11/4/2011
i love dark restaurants! i wish more places did this! It makes the dining experience feel private and you can be as silly as you want and not feel like you are in the spotlight. Delicious food, nice servers, fair prices, awesome happy hour, cool decor. I love this place because I have so many memories here. I came here for my friends birthday and they were really accomodating to us and our large party, didnt seem annoyed at all. we sat in the middle of the dining room and had a blast. apparently they had great drinks, but i wouldnt know since im 19. this is the kinda place that would really entertain a guest from out of town (if they are weird enough) and ive been coming here since i was 8 years old. One of my top 5 faves.
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Review from Augusta S.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/14/2011
For the last 12 plus years Dots has been a staple to my visits to Portland visit... and while some things have changed (absent are the sock monkeys that I remember well) others have stood the test of time.
I've always loved the décor... even if it's a little subdued now from Back in the Day... black and white velvet tapestry wallpaper that begs for pets... and terrific mid-century oil paintings of matadors (my favorite theme)... the last time I was in town the BF and I had lunch at Dots with a dear friend of mine and was thrilled that very little else has changed. Still dimly lit. Still affordable. Still satisfying. Of all the menu items to choose from (and oh boy, there are MANY) the jalapeno cheddar fries are muy delicioso and my favorite. Burgers are great. Amazing vegetarian selection. $2.50 PBR drafts? Yes, please!
We didn't run into the same ish as other reviewers regarding slow service or overcrowding... I never have, so guess I've been ....lucky? Seems whenever I find myself here it's a late afternoon and not crowded at all, which is how I like it. Note: cash only. -
Review from Philip J.
Portland, OR
3/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dark, Funky, Local. If you stripped away the great food and drink this is what you would have, and that's not a bad thing either. Dots is a consistent hit on my favorite places to just hang out have a bite and maybe a couple of drinks.
There are plenty of great things on the menu and for Vegan Anarchists there are several items that should cool there worried souls.
I just dive right into a bacon cheeseburger with a side of the all so totally awesome french fries with a side of the chunkiest blue cheese sauce ever.
Calories? Who's counting. It's the only meal I am going to eat today, so really? Do you care?
Do yourself a favor go, eat, be merry.
Special note - if you have been in there for a few hours cover your eyes upon exit. The coming out into the light can be a wee shocking on the eyeballs and nerves. -
Review from Michelle G.
Portland, OR
5/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe I haven't written a review for Dot's yet. Dot's is sort of an icon of Southeast Portland!
What's great about Dot's: good food, good prices, great for both veggies and carnivores. Whichever you are (I'm the latter) make sure you try the herbed cream cheese with the veggies they serve on the side. That cream cheese is just AMAZING!
Food favorites: The cheeseburgers are decent, the turkey sandwich is deliciously amazing. Good, not great fries that'll do the trick for those late night I'm too drunk to care munchies, and the hummus platter is always a winner.
Cocktails: pretty good, not the greatest, a little on the high-priced side if ya ask me.
Atmosphere: Phillip J. wrote "Dark, Funky, Local." That sums it up perfectly. Great place to go with groups of friends, not overly loud, not awkwardly silent.
Bottom line: great fall-back place if you want to keep it local, intimate and still cool. -
Review from Lisa K.
Portland, OR
1/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Need a hangover cure? Try Dots' burgers, fries and bloody marys, a sure way to get rid of the post-drinking yucks. Bonus: Velvety wall paper, booths and the biggest collection of matador paintings on the east side of the Willamette.
Note: They don't take cards, so bring your dollars. -
Review from Michael H.
Happy Valley, OR
3/22/2011 13 Check-ins Here
This is the kind of place that you take freinds and show them a chill good time. Between the velvet retro pics on the walls and the old 70's style tables and chairs you feel like you are stepping into a space of pure leisure and comfort.
The staff is fun and the drinks will keep you filled and licqoured up. The food will make you happy and filled up. I suggest the Rueben it is a favorite and the Grilled deluxe is so good.
I am also a fan of the Coffee Cooler. Goes down nice and smooth.
I also love that th emusic changes all the time. You never know what you will get but it will be good.
PS they only take checks and cash !!! -
Review from Nik R.
Vegan Options: Yes! Vegan tofu platter is tasty, tasty and there are several other options to choose from on the menu.
Bathrooms: Three non-gendered single stall bathrooms labeled "It Doesn't Matter."
When I want a quirky greasy spoon with good prices, cool help, and walls I just can't stop petting (velvet wallpaper), I walk up to Dot's. The cheesy bacon fries are nothing short of a tasty heart attack. The atmosphere, while hip, isn't hipster-than-thou, and the waiters are always pleasant, prompt, and awesome.
Check out Dot's if you're looking to hang out with a bunch of friends, but don't be surprised if the music is too loud for extended conversation. Don't take your first date here unless you dig dives (I personally would not be adverse to this being a component of a first date -- but others may not be so minded.)Listed in: Vegan PDX
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Review from Noelle W.
Portland, OR
2/12/2011
This has been a welcoming place to go get some food for my friends and I for years. The menu is really charismatic, and I can always find something that fits my hungers mood. I adore the velvet walls, my friends and I often play a game of finding images in the wall patterns.
I highly recommend the garlic chicken burger, which is great with chicken but if you're veggie they can sub a veggie burger and it's still delicious. I've never had such a delightful spread of garlic on a burger anywhere else, it's magical. -
Review from Heather S.
Portland, OR
9/4/2010
Really great food, attentive service from rockabilly-attired waitstaff who are really nice, and an atmosphere that's gothic (red lit lanterns and velvet paintings!), make Dot's Cafe fun to go to, day, night, or late night.
The menu is a mix of American and Mexican food (the chicken burrito in a bowl for $7 is big enough for two people, especially females), and they have tons of vegetarian and vegan options, despite that the cafe looks like it would make a great burger. I love the grilled cheese. Everything is inexpensive.
Be warned: it's dark inside. And, they only take cash. There is, however, an atm across the street, however.
A great place to go after-hours.Listed in: Portland for Newbies, Portland Restaurants for…
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Review from Madeline G.
Long Beach, CA
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Funky little place. Dark and kind of like eating in a basement, but in a cool way. I loved the Christmas lights! Awesome menu selection. I couldn't decide so I just had a burger and fries. The burger was good and the fries were outstanding. I ordered the hot and spicy fries. They gave me a million and the seasoning was perfect and the dipping sauce added to the yumminess. Don't forget the cocktails. They have a fantastic selection and I wanted to sample them all. I got an alcoholic version of a Shirley Temple, the Dirty Shirley. Friendly service. Dots is cool.
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Review from Beth W.
Portland, OR
6/18/2011
Wish it was in the neighborhood. They play lots of good music and I LOVE how dark it is in there. ALL bars should be this dark. It's down right kinda sexy in there. Cheap bar food and about five or so beers. Dots is cool.
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Review from Chris S.
12/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
I will not return after an incredibly overpriced sandwich ($9 for a 4 oz chicken breast sandwich) and a very flippant and almost downright rude server soured the deal even further, after waiting for 10 minutes to be acknowledged only to be told "You know, you can sit anywhere".
The sandwich was decently yummy, but wrapped in a bar and service I don't want.
DOT (pro): Good food, if overpriced
NOT (con): Everything else -
Review from Del R.
Hillsboro, OR
The things I love the most about Dots:
* Vegan Tofu Platter - OMG
* Petable Walls & crazy art
* Genderless bathrooms
* Walkable from my house
* Prices
What I don't like is that it is often so loud (in the evenings) I often can not hear the people I'm with. That said, I still come back, so, meh. -
Review from Cassandra L.
Portland, OR
2/22/2011
It was late, we were hungry, Dots looked like a good bet after a quick online search. It took us a minute to figure out that the creepy warehouse-looking recessed steel door was the entrance, but everything went smoothly after that.
I'm vegan and my boyfriend isn't, and this Dots had plenty for both of us -- at some smokin' low prices. Oh, and seriously, a large order of fries would feed a whole family, they give you a TON.
Definitely a cute place. It's pretty dim, which makes the decor even more creepy and bizarre, but we really enjoyed it. We'll be back. -
Review from Nichole K.
Portland, OR
11/13/2011
My husband had a craving for a cheeseburger tonight at 12 am so we decided to go to Dots. He had the happy burger and jalapeno cheese fries all of which was delicious. I had the black bean burrito which was as long as the plate and super yummy! I also had a strawberry lemon aid cocktail which the waitress very kindly helped me pick out. The food, the drinks, even the waitress were all awesome. Overall I had a really good experience here! Just remember to bring cash or your check book cause they don't take cards.
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Review from kyle g.
Portland, OR
1/31/2011
Dots is "the old standby". I will forget about it for a while, then I will have a lazy dinner night, or an "I want whiskey with dinner" night and remember that little Dot's is walking distance from my house.
It's been relatively unchanged through the 8 years I've gone to it. Delicious vegan options right along side meaty options. Ninety percent friendly waitstaff. If your friend is visiting from out of town, it is a very "portland" place to take them--though, as mentioned it can be very loud.
I have only two complaints, neither of which has ever influenced my loyalty:
1. cash only
2. fries must be ordered separately--and a "small" is way too big. -
Review from Lena W.
Portland, OR
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food here is really nice and super cheap! My girlfriend and I spent less than $15 on two entrees and a big thing of fries (although in all fairness, it was the "small" fries). The staff is friendly but it's a bit hard to pin anyone down when it's busy even though they're all rushing by you. Once you do pin someone down you're good to go, and you're sure to be treated quite nicely.
I can't decide whether I like the atmosphere of the place or not. I for sure dig the wallpaper and the artwork, the kitschy touches to the decor are amusing and make the place homey. What isn't working in their favor is the lighting. It is dim and you can't even see the faces of the people on the other side of the restaurant when you squint. Mind you, this was when it was bright outside and the door to Dots was open...
All in all I'd recommend the place for cheap eats and awesome fries (I'm told the cheese fries are amazing).
P.S. A complete bonus: politically correct bathrooms. There are three doors and each one has a word on it and when you read them all together they read "It Doesn't Matter". Kinda confused me since I went into a door labeled "It", but when I put two and two together I was very pleased. -
Review from Andrew C.
2/16/2009 2 Check-ins Here
I think my honeymoon with Dots has come to a crashing close. I used to associate this place with an old friend crying his eyes out over a girl who wasn't worth it to begin with, then with a date with a girl who turned out not to be so worth it, either. Since then there have been a spattering of visits that have mostly ended in mediocrity but something about the strange dark and velvety interior of this place kept drawing me back only to be disappointed yet again.
On the most recent visit to the neighborhood (and I'll be frank, now that Green Noise as moved out of the area I doubt I'll be on Clinton street much at all in the coming years) we cruised in around late lunch time to a completely empty restaurant. Servers, bartenders nowhere to be found. I mean that. A friend of the staff who just happened to be sitting at the bar making conversation with us reached over the bar and poured our waters for us.
A menu was handed over when they finally came back. Funny, they handed us the regular menu and a happy hour menu which clearly states Monday through Friday on the front of it. It's Saturday. Are we kidding here? Also, two people, no one in the restaurant and you hand over one menu? Thanks.
Food was ordered. Reuben and a burger. At first it was a garden burger but then it was explained to us that there is actually cheese mashed into the burger part of the garden burger. I wonder if the countless vegans who show up to Dots have any clue that they're eating cheese when they order that dish... If you're reading and you're vegan, you do now!
Burger came out, Reuben came out. I think we were checked on once and then everyone disappeared again. By the bare bones end of the meal, we're talking napkins on plates pushed away, we were asked if we wanted another round. That would have been helpful about 10 minutes ago but now not so much.
When the check came it was what should be expected for two people, two sandwich-ish items and two beers but as an overall, after tip and after pulling cash out of the ATM because Dots refuses to get with the times and accept plastic, we're looking at a lunch bill that hit $28 for what is frankly mom and pop Denny's fare.
Like a moron I tipped too high when the lack of service we received should have warranted 10% at best. I left knowing very confidently that I had not only just paid too much for a mediocre meal, but also that this would be the last time I spent a dime in Dots.Listed in: Uno, Late Night Portland
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Review from Pamela D.
10/23/2008
There's something about smoking inside of a restaurant....I'm not sure what that something is, but there's definitely something. Does it make me feel guilty? Yes. Does it make me a little excited? Yes. Does it ultimately end up kind of grossing me out? For sure.
Dots reminds me of a sex dungeon or something. Not that I've been in one! But I can only IMAGINE that they might be a bit like Dots. You don't really know it's there when you drive by, but once you're in...crazy shit might happen. It's so dark in here that you can barely see. It's smoky and there is fuzzy wallpaper. If there had been a giant trough urinal in the middle of the restaurant or some shackles at our table, I totally wouldn't have been surprised.
Weird shit aside, no wait....This was weird too: Their menu! Holy fuck, what the hell kind of menu is that? It's got vegan, Mexican, Asian, and good' ol American food. Never in all of my drunken escapades have I come across a diner with such an extensive selection of food.
The sandwiches don't come with fries, which made me frown a little bit- especially because they're not that cheap. But that didn't matter, ultimately. I just lit up a cigarette and all the hunger pains disappeared. -
Review from Eva V.
4/14/2009
If I lived in Portland, this would be my haunt. It's dark like Dracula's lair, the wallpaper is fuzzy (go ahead, touch it, you know you want to), the drinks are reasonably priced, and the waitstaff is attentive and sweet. Joined up with some of my friend's coworkers for some drinks, but if I'd seen the menu prior I would have tried to stop in and have a meal as well. Bars with vegan food options are my gods.
The only less than stellar part of the evening was a stretch of terrible music selections in which each song seemed to go for about 30 minutes. Still, I'd probably rather go to a place where the music is so off-beat that it's painful rather than end up suffering through hours of Top 40.
Also, major props are deserved for the three unisex bathrooms offered. Between the bountiful bathrooms, the good booze, options for every diet (except the low-fat), and helpful staff, Dots knows how to take care of you.Listed in: The Best of Vegan PDX
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Review from Kiera H.
Portland, OR
6/14/2011 5 Check-ins Here
The BEST french fries in town!
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Review from Thomas W.
2/2/2009
I had really high hopes for this place after reading all of the reviews. I may have to give it another try, but it won't be in the near future...not with all of the other great places I have yet to try or have been to that I know deserve my business.
In brief: went to Dot's for lunch; ordered beers, received beers, asked for a minute to read over the menu - the waiter/bartender ended up giving me more like 20; he had forgotten about us. I was just about to throw some money on the table when he finally came over and asked if I wanted another beer, completely forgetting my food order. The sweet digs and awesome music were ruined by a lack of any real service - I guess you need to be a regular before you get any attention.
Pass.Listed in: Tom's PDX-Metro List of…
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Review from Anna B.
4/12/2009 13 Check-ins Here
When I first discovered Dot's, years and years ago, it was like a secret oasis rising from a steamy desert mirage on one of the hottest days of the year. My car had broken down, and I had been walking around SE Portland for what seemed like days (it was probably more like 45 minutes), parched and starving, in need of air conditioning. I turned the corner at Clinton and BAM, there was Dot's, ready with open arms. And I continue to go back on a regular basis, remembering fondly that first visit.
Dot's has a menu to please all- veg, vegan, and meat-eaters alike. Lots of Mexican-style fare, burgers and sandwiches, and you can't go wrong with the daily specials. I am a big fan of the Gentle Ben, a rueben made with a Garden Burger patty, all the fixins, and served on swirled rye. The vegan platter I tried last week was a thumbs-up... lotsa food for about $8: salad, beans, rice, salsa, guac, tortillas, tofu. I have a buddy in St Louis whose first stop every visit to P-Tizzle is to Dot's for the chicken sandwich. His number-one meal.
The service in the past has been on the spotty side, but the last couple of visits there proved to be stellar on the part of the waitstaff. We sat at an outside table last week and all three of us commented on the attentiveness and thorough service we received.
Lastly- they have gin and juice on the menu. And it's grape juice. Awesome. -
Review from Anuj K.
9/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
So I read the recent Willamette Weekly Nacho review, and they had given Dot's the most number of chips (their ranking scale).
Of course, being the nacho lovers that my friends and I are, decided to come here after OMSI after dark to complete our MAN-date with whiskey, nachos, and to our surprise when we arrived - free pool! It was a Wednesday night, so I don't know if the free pool all the time or just that evening.
The whiskey - for $5 bucks a glass, we definitely got a generous share. I couldn't even get close to finishing my serving, and had to pawn it off my friends.
The atmosphere - loud, grunge rock and heavy metal. I could've done without the extremely loud music, but it felt like it was necessary for the character of the cafe. I appreciated all the framed art around the cafe - wonderful conversation starters.
Nachos! - They were good. I think I would have liked it better if it wasn't doused in sour cream. I liked that the guacamole was simply mashed avocados without anything extra to taint its delicious flavor. Cheese was evenly distributed, and chips were heated throughout. Nice work, Willamette Weekly - thanks for the tip, but I need to keep exploring this! I've really liked the nachos at Laurelwood in the NW before, and Matador. I think this is just as good, if not better.
I'm looking forward to coming back here and checking out the rest of their huge menu - looked like there were plenty of unique and delicious vegetarian options here!
