Went to Pause for the first time recently with my daughter. She had been raving about the place and she wasn't exagerating. On her recomendation I had the Blu Cheese burger with bacon with fries. It was one of the best burgers I've ever had. I've eaten burgers all around Portland and this rates right up there at the top. My wife had the mushroom soup and loved it. Friendly staff, priced right and good service.

I disagree with the prior poster. We went out on a recent Friday night looking for a ralaxed, later meal. First went to McMenamin's Chapel Pub and after getting NO service for 20 minutes, we gave up and went to Pause, a place i'd driven by but not been to before. Anything had to be better than McMenamins.

And Oh! the contrasts! Sitting at Chapel, absolutely NO ONE said 'hi' or 'we'll be with you in a minute'. The second we walked in the door at Pause, we were greeted, and followed to the table with menus. Our beer order was taken and we were on our way to a great experience. Beer was good, though I was in the mood for a porter (none available on tap). Hubby had a chicken sandwich that he declared the BEST in Portland (and he's pretty picky about those). I had the meatloaf, and it was quite good, with enough for leftovers, which Pause packed up for me (better than handing me a box and letting me spill it all over).

Thank you Pause for being not only better than McMenamins (not a difficult task!), but really standing out among the North Portland bars.

I have been to Pause several times. This past week I went with my family and a couple friends. The service was so bad that I will never return to Pause. I understand that individuals might have bad days but the person escorting us in and the waitress were rude. I hope this is not acceptable to the owner and some serious recognition goes into teaching good customer service. There are many places in Portland to get good burgers and beer.

Okay I'm a little slow on the uptake, but PAUSE is so kick a**. What a great menu and delicious food and are you serious with the prices??? They are so cheap. I am so glad to have a walking-distance place in NoPo besides just Fire on the Mountain (which I love but you can't always do wings).

I love this place. The food is GREAT, the atmosphere is nice, the service can be a little delayed at times but I think that is due to being a fairly new place, the servers are certaintly friendly enough though. There's a good beer selection, and the sliders & cuban sandwich are downright delicious, some of the best late night eating in town and some of the best food on this side of town at any time of day. They also have what are probably the best fries in Portland, brown and slightly crispy with the skins left on... yum! North Portland needs more places like this... in fact, every Portland neighborhood needs a Pause...

Good food - was disappointed to find out this winter that their cassoulet is only on the dinner menu - I've been waiting for it all winter - as Pause is close to my office, but darned, only serve the great dish at dinner now.

Pause is a cool neighborhood bar. The hummus plate with grilled veggies is delicious. I enjoyed sitting in the backyard patio for dinner and drinks (good wine for a v. decent price). The whole experience was even better than expected because of the friendly and attentive waitstaff. I'm definately going back.

The first two times I went the service and the food were good. This time the waitress didn't pay attention to us. There was a fly in our pickle plate and the veggie burgers were smushy. I would say it was an off night all the way around. I will give it another chance I hope it gets better.

The food is reasonably priced, predictably good. I've been there enough to say that I have never gotten a bad meal, but sometimes I want some healthier options. I've gotten great service and poor service as well, however, one can't beat stopping in alone for a casual lunch---it's my favorite time to stop in, and the patio is great!

You're all talking about the burgers. I should mention that their veggie burger is also amazing. They make their own patties (not Boca out of the box). Really, really good. Nice neighborhood bar. Non-smoking is awesome. They need more regulars. I'd go to this bar all the time if I wasn't sick of always sitting at the bar by myself.

Very relaxed place, great food (unbelievable $7 special is a must-try!) and really nice and friendly staff. A great place for lunch-and-a-beer. And a rarity in NoPo - a real nighttime pub/bar vibe without the secondhand smoke.

Ever tried to find a place with a full bar on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon that wasn't smoky? Pause is about the only non-smoking place in Portland that is open before 5pm on a Sunday. By 12 noon you can get a good drink and some great food. The "Sliders" (mini-burgers) are dangeroulsy delicious, good luck holding yourself to one order. Good salads, yummy comfort food, great drink selection. The service was outstanding, nice, helpful, not pushy. There were 7 of us and we ordered tons of food, 3 bottles of wine, and various drinks. When the ticket came we were shocked at how affordable it was. Great place if you don't mind an occasional screaming child as it is kid friendly. Do yourself a favor and go now, support them so they stay put.

I went to Pause for the first time today for lunch. I live fairly close to it and watched the build out. Everyone is correct. The burgers are amazing. Hand cut fries. Yummo!

I look forward to going back and trying more things on the menu.

Best damn steak sandwich i've ever had! Beer was also really good. I recommend Pause to anyone I know. Great for young and old.

4 words: baked-macoroni-and-cheese (with sausage)

I am so glad this place came into the neighborhood! It is nice having a non-smoking alternative to George's Corner Tavern (sorry George's), and they have killer food. I would suggest this place to anybody looking for good food for very reasonable prices. The Everyday Special cannot be beat for $7. Go there now!

The atmosphere is a mix between a hip restaurant and a pub. Very nice, relaxing haunt with comfort food. The service was great. Positive attitude. The fries were thick and good and the cuban sandwich was really tasty (we asked for extra sause and the employees were more than happy to make sure we got what we wanted). The prices are also really good. Can't believe this is in my NoPo Hood. Support them!

Pause is co-owned by Mike from the Low Brow. Earlier in the evening it's family-friendly but not overrun with bratty vectors (if you want that, go to the Laurelwood. Please.) Evenings there's a friendly mellow bar scene. Smoking is all outdoors, in the fenced-in patio/yard. The food I've eaten here was quite good--especially the cassoulet. Drinks are honest and prices are good. Nice lighting and friendly employees are added bonuses.

I agree, the burger was excellent and you couldn't beat the service either. Everyone was friendly and their beer selection was awesome. Highly recommended!

best burgers..I agree. Freshly ground meat with that charbroiled taste. Blows everyone in Portland out of the water. The simple touches makes it totally worth every bit. Its well priced, too.

best burger for the money in town. it makes such a difference when somone puts some EFFORT into anything these days.......and they even toasted the bun. that was a deal-sealer. simple atmosphere, but the drinks are good and stiff, and candlelit after sundown.