darling
On the North end of North Mississippi you’ll find a building marked by a pair of dainty hands on an pretty orange background. These, we’ll assume, are the hula hands of Lovely Hula Hands. The restaurant has a small bar, an indoor dining area, and a seasonal patio. The enclosed courtyard is painted in an orangey-pink with ornate black latticework, tall potted plants, and large pink umbrellas. Eating in will find you in a lacy dollhouse where you can be seated on the main level or up a charming wooden staircase to a cozy elevated space. There are darling little birds painted and stamped in various places, an assortment of lovely light fixtures, and mismatched vintage china.

Lovely Hula Hands’ food menu is as small as the dining area, but marked by the same careful attention to detail. (One of six current entrees: duck leg braised with red wine, cherries, little turnips and spring onions, served with creamy polenta and swiss
chard - $20.) I rarely eat red meat, but was lured by their hamburger, which I ordered without the listed bacon. If I visit again, I’ll skip the burger. Though it included carmelized onion and aioli, there was little flavor beside meat and bread. It was served with a mixed green salad coated in a salty vinagrette, which, in hindsight, I should have added to the burger itself to give it a little bit of kick. I am told that the food is fabulous, and I would love to return with a little more courage and a lot more cash.

I’m a whiskey on the rocks sort of girl, but still found the cocktails enchantingly named. I was charmed by “rosie’s room” (absolute vodka, fresh lime, sugar, rose water, cranberry juice -$7) “bee’s knees” (captain morgan’s spiced rum, honey, fresh lemon, soda water -$6), and a long list of other classic and cute drink options. Their wine list is extensive, though a majority are available only by the bottle ($25-$98). Sadly, I found no beer on the menu.

This N. Mississippi cream puff would be a great place to visit with a masculinity-assured date, your mom, or a group of dolled-up girlfriends. Enjoy the patio on a nice evening or the upper level of the dining room. Order something pink and sweet and celebrate your feminine side.

Great Food
Haven't been to the new location yet, but the food at the pink house was some of the best to be found in Portland. Hope it is easier to get a table at the new location (assuming it is larger)

Unfortunate changes
The new (late 2006) location at 4057 N Mississippi is just as charming as the old pink house on Cook St., and the service and food quality are equally good. Unfortunately, the new menu no longer features any of the Asian, South American and/or Cuban influences that set it apart from so many other restaurants. That's a bummer in my book.

And a note--LHH is most definitely a restaurant rather than a lounge. They've got a great cocktail menu, but if all you want are drinks, this probably isn't the place to go.

I love this place!
I found out about this place through barfly and it's now one of my favorite places to go for a truly lovely evening! I love the food (especially the appetizers), love the drinks (especially the wine), and love the atmosphere (the new location is adorable). Thanks barfly!!!

one of the best
The person named "rebel" below me is in need of psycho-therapy. He/she apparently wasn't coddled enough by their server. Oh well. I'm not sure if Lovely Hula Hands is trendy or not. But I do know that it's one of my favorite restaurants in town. The food is great. The service is very down-to-earth and friendly. I will continue to go back again and again.

Overrated
I don't know why people write such glowing reviews about this place. The food is mediocre. The service is lackadaisical. Just because it's in N. Portland makes it trendy. I'd never go back to this place again.

They're Moving!

I love going in this place later in the evening when its not so busy and grabbing a quick salad and glass of wine. I hear they are soon moving up Mississippi to a larger space. ...should reduce the wait time and make it easier to be going more often !!! I took my friend and her mom from out of town in recently and they just loved both the food and the cozy atmosphere.

some of the best dining atmosphere in town
Wonderful, intimate, romantic atmosphere. Good place for a small group or couples. Some of the best service in town. Unpredictable wait time since the place is so small. Cuisine almost too eclectic - what I call "pan-world." The best dish, hands down -chicken and mashed potatoes! The mixed cocktails used to be superb. Don't know what happened. They are way too sweet now and so are some of the entrees. Too bad. Still recommend the place, however. Just plan on a long wait.

Wonderful food, great atmosphere and nice neighborhood
It's always nice to have fine dining in your neighborhood, and Lovely Hula Hands is just as lovely as it's name. Although the dishes are somewhat spendy, they are well worth the cost. The only problem with the restaurant is that it's small and it's sometimes very difficult to get a table. Show up a little before they open, and it shouldn't be too difficult to grab a spot in their cozy dining room. Anywho... I love it!