Higgins is an absolute Portland classic—it’s really fun, with a warmly lit interior that aptly walks the line between old-school and old-man. Which, when you think about it, is quite a feat. The dining room bustles with energy, but we prefer the bar in the other room (which serves a bar menu in addition to the regular restaurant menu) because it’s so unabashedly time-warpy. A pressed-tin ceiling holds up mahogany-paneled walls (or dusty green, in the other room), and large windows around the kitchen allow for a kind of peep show. The waitstaff is legendary, in an old-world kind of way.

There’s an admirable commitment to sustainable, local foods, and Higgins sources directly from farms wherever it can. Plus, the restaurant grows its own vegetables and herbs. How does this all translate onto the plate? Well, it’s good. But did we mention how much fun this place is? Just wait until we get to the beer.

Menus change weekly and seasonally, but you can always find Higgins’ “famous” open-faced sandwich of house-made pastrami, onions, and sharp white cheddar—yet it’s not the kitchen’s best work, nor is it even in our top ten for pastrami sandwiches. Mussels are good, but some broth renditions are better than others. Once, they came over-sweetened, tilting too far away from nature’s will. A plate of smoked fish was competent, but unremarkable, with only the halibut really standing out.

“Broiled, freshly ground and spiced sirloin on a toasted hearth-baked roll” is an adorable way of saying “cheeseburger.” But after a bite, we understand why all the pomp. It’s juicy and moist and flavored unlike any old cheeseburger. Anywhere else, this would be pretentious, but here, it’s just good ol’ Higgins.

The wine list is composed of Northwest and French wines, but features more monotonous-tasting large productions than you’d expect from a place that asserts its commitment to the small and sincere. Almost nothing is under $40. More exciting is the beer selection, which includes Northwest micros, Belgians, British, German, Canadian, Dutch, and so on. About a dozen are on tap, and all are priced fairly.

All of this makes for one jam-packed, lively happy hour scene that rages on until midnight. Yet we also wouldn’t think twice about having a romantic anniversary here. Such is the magic of Higgins.