What a sweet quaint little restaurant. My daughter and I went there yesterday for Mother's Day. It…read morewas a beautiful day and while they have outdoor seating we elected to eat inside. Reviewing the menu, there were lots of yummy things to choose from but ultimately we both could not resist the Lamb shank. I'm sad I didn't take a picture of it. It was so tender and delicious. It came with perfect Basmati rice and a side of eggplant stew that was exquisite! I've never had eggplant stew and it was luscious. I dream to about it all night long. It was quiet, comfortable, music was great; songs we all know but with native instruments and flare. We had house red wine - not a big selection of alcohol, which is fine the food is and should be the star. Our sever (Sorry my old lady brain forgot his name) but the good looking bald guy(LOL) was nice and personable. It was such a great low key dining experience that just made the day even better. I highly recommend this cute place and we will be back- there are a lot more wonderful food to try!

I guess I've been sleeping on Iraqi food because this place blew me away! Just a delicious meal…read morefrom start to finish. From the soup to the baklava to the Arabic coffee, this place is just flavor heaven. Bonus points for the great service complete with "boss" and "queen" honorifics, and you have a perfect meal!

Already want to go back!! Food was excellent, service was fast, and a beautiful space within a…read morehistorical industrial building. We sat right at the "chef's area" and ate while watching them prep; that was so fun! There was literally someone whose job was to pluck seeds out of lemon slices with a tweezer; that is the level of attention each dish is receiving! Let the photos do the talking. I don't think you can go wrong with any dish here! There is free street parking nearby.

We went for lunch. When we walked in there was no one at the host stand. That's fine. The drinks…read morewere - pretty average. Fairly okiesh hummus seemed to be on every plate. Service was...very slow. I later discovered our waitress was new, so slack is given there. However: The pita was fresh and warm, the lamb was very good (high recommend). I wouldn't give it a five but for comfort food I would rank it very high. Go with friends. It's that type of place. Like a hug.

I was checking out friends' reviews on Yelp, and came across a review of Chef Agir Restaurant Bar…read more My friend gave a glowing review and I zoomed in on a couple of pictures. On a picture of the menu, I saw that there were quite a few items that were vegan. The description of the food sounded delicious! I instantly wanted to check this Turkish restaurant out! I also immediately thought of friends that lived in the neighborhood! I messaged my friends telling them I wanted to try this place out. Now, most of my friends have busy schedules, so it takes quite a while to coordinate. As luck would have it, 3 of us were available this very day! We arranged to meet at 1:15ish. While waiting for my friends, I got some complimentary Turkish tea, it was quite good. Then I put in an order for the appetizer sampler plate. The order arrived just as my friends did. They actually walked to the restaurant. The appetizer sampler consisted of Ezme, Tarator, Muhammara and Eggplant salad. Three of the four items were vegan the Tarator contained yogurt. My favorite was the Muhammara. My friends enjoyed the shared appetizer. It came with pita bread, and when the basket was emptied, we were asked if we wanted more. For my entree, I ordered the vegan Tantuni wrap with oyster mushrooms. The flavor was outstanding! My friends were both loving what they ordered. A friend also got the turnip juice. Said it was an interesting flavor, was not expecting that. The ambiance was casual but inviting. The service was quick and friendly. Food was delicious! I definitely plan on coming back again!

As a 40-year Portland resident and urban photographer, I am always on the lookout for businesses…read morethat enhance the walkable character of our neighborhoods. I recently stopped into Chef Agir for an early dinner, and it was a fantastic experience from a pedestrian's perspective. This spot first caught my eye because of the vibrant mural by Christa Grimm on the west wall, which was recently highlighted in a City Cast Portland newsletter. It is a wonderful visual landmark for anyone walking along NE 13th. Inside, the atmosphere is welcoming and the service is exceptionally attentive. I had a great conversation with the staff about the restaurant's growth since opening six months ago. While I usually view the city through a lens rather than a menu, the food was excellent and the space feels like a true community gem. Highly recommended for those exploring the neighborhood on foot.

From the moment we walked in, the service was absolutely exceptional. Ali the owner was warm,…read moreattentive, and genuinely cared about making sure we had a great dining experience and every recommendation was spot on. The food was even better than the service. The chicken kabob was incredibly juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned, while the lamb kabob was flavorful, cooked to perfection, and melted in your mouth. Every bite was fresh and delicious. It's not often you find a restaurant that excels in both outstanding hospitality and amazing food, but this place absolutely does. If you're looking for delicious kabobs and top-notch customer service, I can't recommend this restaurant enough. We'll definitely be coming back. I'll miss you Ali but we'll be back!

This is a great restaurant. Subtle decorations....very nice service from a small staff. Food is…read moreexcellent....i loved my lamb....the rice was great. My wife loved her kofta dish. They include a service charge which eliminates the need to do math.

I went to ya hala after a two day backpacking trip because I was craving fresh and healthy food and…read moreya hala did not disappoint! We ordered the mezza plate and the kabob plate (lamb and kafta aka beef skewers) and both were very satisfying. My only wish is that the hummus and the baba ghanouj were a little less acidic but that may just be due to the fact that I may have heart burn . I am not all too familiar with Lebanese cuisine so it was a delight to experience it. I was surprised by the thin pita! Tips for next time, both plates come with hummus so unless you love hummus, maybe skip on the mezza and order things à la carte. Would love to come back to try the lemon chicken meals! Also got the pistachio and walnut baklava which were both sweet and delicious. I wish I took a pic before shoving them in my mouth

The food is delicious. I strongly dislike that they changed from table service to counter service…read moreafter the pandemic but never switched back.The restaurant went from being a warm Mediterranean restaurant that I would bring family to, to someplace to grab a quick bite. It lost ambience. The food is still very good, but it feels like a cafeteria now. :(

Phenomenal…read more Fantastic, flavorful, and beautifully prepared food. A stellar space and ambiance. The service was kind, prompt and thorough. I absolutely recommend and cannot wait to come back!

We only ordered the Mezze plate which is shown on the menu for 19 dollars but they charged me 20…read more The veggies were a joke and the hummus was Trader Joe's quality. Nicholas restaurant is the place to go for a true mezza plate that is worth every cent and is truly delicious.

Tusk is just that girl. The space is packed with plants,…read morealways spotless, and has that feeling where you instantly know you're somewhere good. Mediterranean-inspired, fresh, and leaves you feeling full without feeling heavy. I'm still not over the fact that they got rid of brunch. The shakshuka was so so good! Bring it back, please ;) I've had dinner here as well but brunch was so memorable. They have a covered outside patio as well, but we sat inside. Great service, and every time I come in, I feel genuinely welcomed by the staff.

Walking in after dark, Tusk had a warm, welcoming, luxe ambiance. We did the Portland Dining Month…read morespecial. It was $50 per person. First served was a simple plate of vegetables with dip. Fresh but pretty standard. Then came the falafel. Nice and crunchy on the outside, not super flavorful on the inside. It was pretty salty overall. I noticed they sprinkled them with salt, and it was a bit too much. Next up, the hummus and flatbread, probably the only thing I enjoyed this evening. The green dip served with the flatbread was delicious, the yellow one... not my favorite. The flatbread itself was good and tasted freshly made. For the entrée, if you will, it was underwhelming. A chicken skewer on a bed of rice, it was really flavorful but didn't quite hit the mark. I was expecting something more substantial after a simple plate of vegetables and a piece of bread. The sweet pickles really threw off the balance of the dish for me. I don't have a picture, but we were also served a dessert that we were pretty excited for, since dinner did not meet our expectations. It came out stale, old, and partially burnt. I honestly don't know why they served it to us. This was my first time trying Middle Eastern food, which is one of the reasons we chose to do the special. I assumed it would showcase some of their (Tusk's) popular dishes, something that would bring me back. I can't imagine it did. There was also a mandatory 20% service charge added to the bill, which stood out to me given the overall experience. I would love to give Middle Eastern food another go, but it will not be at Tusk.

The falafels were really soft! One of the best falafels I've ever had to be honest. I feel like…read moreI've had falafels that were dry or too salty or too much batter, but I felt like the falafels here were just perfect! I really enjoyed the hummus plate. The lady was very nice! Make sure to also try the hot sauce. It's definitely a hole in the wall.

Ok, I want to be able to recommend this place. I've been several times and enjoyed it in the…read morebeginning, but the last two times have been so awful I can no longer support it. PROS: The woman who runs it is super friendly. Definitely adds diversity to a limited food scene. CONS: Consistency and Quality Assurance Previous order (months ago) the meat was so dry it tasted like jerky, inedible and tossed the whole dish. Finally got the urge back to give it another chance today, ordering the lamb over hummus. The hummus has gone BAD. Tastes overly sour and has a strong fizzy sensation that you get when it has gone bad and fermented. Once again I will be tossing the entire dish. So sad!