The number of excellent Portland restaurants has certainly changed over the last 30 years. I remember Portland when you had a choice of about five or six restaurants to choose from if
you wanted to go out for a special occasion dinner--a really good one.
Marilyn M, Creative Commons
Things began to change in the 1970's. Most of the hotels at that time had European trained chefs. Many of these chefs came to Portland thinking they were taking a temporary job. They discovered as time went on that they didn't want to leave Portland. Portland was and is a very nice place to live.
The first move was made by the Chefs at the Benson Hotel. First the pastry chef, then the sous chef, then the chef, then the food and beverage manager opened their own restaurants. Chefs at other hotels followed. By 1985 there was a nice smattering of excellent Portland restaurants and restaurants in the surrounding communities.
When you are visiting a city for the first time it is difficult to know where to eat. Even if you live there, you may want to try something new. It is impossible for me to review the hundreds of Portland restaurants but I can give you some recommendations.
For the time being I am sticking to Portland's downtown restaurants and then I will branch out to other areas.
Patrick Haney, Creative Commons
Last year I wrote a glowing review of my favorite pub restaurant for my other website, Lincolnshire Guide. It is in a town several miles from where we live so I usually only visited about three or four times a year. Last month my husband and I dropped in for lunch. My first clue was the empty parking lot at 12:30 pm. It didn't really register though until we were inside. Gone was the wonderful menu and in its place was a list of items on a blackboard. I could see that all of them were what I call "prefab" food. You could have shot a cannon through the pub from one end to the other and not hit anyone. It should have been jam packed with happy customers like it used to be.
All of this makes me shy of writing recommendations and reviews of Portland restaurants for this website. So I decided to open it up to you, the visitor, to make your recommendations. Then other people who have eaten in the restaurant can make comments of how they like that particular restaurant or maybe of why they don't like it. AND maybe we will be alerted if something suddenly changes that makes it not such a great place to eat anymore.
Flying Elephant Deli
KungFoodie, Creative Commons
Elephants is a good place to go for something quick for lunch or an early dinner or to get something to take on a picnic. The word is that the Tomato Orange Soup and the Chicken Soup are fantastic. Other fare: sandwiches (of course), salads, and desserts. One of the Portland restaurants that is a good place to take kids.
Hours:
Mon-Fri. 6:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Attire: Casual
Good for Kids: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
115 NW 22nd Ave, Portland, OR
Phone 503/299-6304
Gracie's
Think 1950's, Grace Kelley, and Audrey Hepburn elegant. Located in the Hotel deLuxe, this is a classy dining room. You can go for breakfast, brunch, or lunch but it is dinner where they shine. Gracie's is known for its excellent Caesar Salad. Entrees include Baked Red Flesh Trout, Seared Sea Scallops with ham hocks, lentils and leeks, and Gracie's Pot Roast. A classic among Portland restaurants.
Lebanese food the way it is supposed to be. People rave about the home made pita and hummus.
The menu is large and has lots of choices for both vegetarians and meat lovers. Popular dishes include Vegetarian Mezza, Artichoke Heart Casserole, Chicken Shawwarma Plate with hummus or rice, and for dessert Rice Pudding with coconut and postachios. They also have Lebanese Pizza and sandwiches.
Hours: Open every day from 10:30 am to closing. (Lunch and Dinner)
Attire: Casual
Good for Kids: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Downtown
1012 SW Morrison St
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 274-0628
Jake's Famous Crawfish
Thomas Hawk, Creative Commons
Jake's has been around forever and it is considered to be one of the top ten seafood restaurants in the country - fresh fish simply prepared is the reason. I'm not 100 per cent certain but I think it might be Portland's oldest restaurant at 110 years. The menu is huge. Try the Dungeness Crab, anything with salmon, fish cakes, and the bouillabaisse.
Happy Hour is one of the most popular in Portland.
Attire: Casual
Good for Kids: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: No
Waiter Service: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar
Neighborhood: Downtown
401 SW 12th Ave
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 226-1419
Mother's Bistro
eyeliam, Creative Commons
This is where you can get good old fashioned comfort food. Mother's is a popular breakfast spot with Eggs Benedict being a favorite with Stumptown Coffee. For dinner try the Macaroni and Cheese, Pot Roast, Chicken and Dumplings, or Meatloaf. One of the Portland restaurants that is a favorite with Portlanders.
Hours:
Breakfast Tue. - Fri. 7 am to 2:30 pm
Sat - Sun. 9 am to 2:30 pm
Lunch Tue - Sun 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Dinner Tue - Thu 5:30 pm to 9 pm
Fri - Sat 5:00 pm to 10 pm
Closed Mondays
If you don't have reservations, get there early especially for breakfast or brunch.
Attire: Casual
Good for Kids: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Downtown
212 SW Stark St.
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 464-1122
Ten-01
eyeliam, Creative Commons
Located in the Pearl District, Ten-01 is Portland's 2008 Restaurant of the Year. Of all their menus, I find the lunch menu and the bar menu the most appealing. However, for dinner I would have a difficult time deciding between the Shellfish Bouillabaisse, Sauteed Day Boat Scallops and the Fromage Blanc Gnocchi. But then the Pinot Noir Braised Shortrib also sounds delicious.
Hours: Lunch Monday - Saturday from 5 pm to close
Dinner Monay - Saturday from 11:30 am to 3 pm
Happy Hour Monday - Saturday from 3 pm to 6 pm
Attire: Casual
Good for Kids: No
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar
Neighborhood: Pearl District
1001 NW Couch St
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 226-3463
Some great food is served at Portland's many brewpubs. If you are interested in trying some award winning Portland beer and having a casual bite to eat try these
Portland Breweries.
Are you willing to take a few minutes and tell us about it?
It can be any kind of restaurant. It can be a place that you think serves the best hamburger in town or the best pizza, or the best mexican food, chinese food, whatever. Or maybe you have found a romantic gem of a place tucked in on a side street and you want to share your discovery.
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Peemkaew Thai in the Pearl
PeemKaew Thai is the best Thai restaurant in Portland and maybe even on the West Coast. My wife and I eat there at least once a month and sometimes we ...
Higgins Restaurant
My husband and I always enjoy eating at Higgins when we are in Portland. I particularly enjoyed the pork loin with basmati rice the last time we were ...
Trebol on Mississippi Ave.
Not rated yet
The best Mexican food ever! This is a new place I just discovered. This has to be Portland's best kept secret. I thought I knew every Mexican restaurant ...
