Happy Bowl

You're in a hurry, you have $5 in cash, and you want something tasty. Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do?

If you're like me, you'll run down to Happy Bowl, at 5th and Salmon.

I love Happy Bowl. Not necessarily because the food's so yummy. It's marginal. But the value is excellent, and it's just so easy.

On any given day, you can go in at lunch hour and walk out 5 minutes later. I always get the beef teriyaki, shown here:



What do I like about it? First, it's enough for two lunches. Between the beef and the rice, it's pretty filling. The beef is sometimes a little suspect, in terms of little bits of fat or what-not, but generally it's a good value.

The service is always super-friendly, and the place has some devoted regulars. A couple of tips:

1. Cash only. There's an ATM there, but I would guess the fees are hideous.
2. Use the condiments. If you take the bowl as-is, you'll find it boring. I usually load up on extra teriyaki sauce and then cover a portion with the Red Rooster/Sriracha sauce to mix in.
3. You can eat it all in one sitting, but you'll feel bloated after. It really does make a nice two-lunch, cheap option if you have a fridge at work.

Happy Bowl is one of the first places on my list for cheap convenience in downtown Portland. Don't go if you're seeking an enlightening food experience, but go if you need a quick, inexpensive, filling lunch.