Ava Gene's has a great ambiance, upscale but not stuffy or feeling like fine dining. The lighting is perfectly done and they have a nice bar as well. Our server was friendly and helpful. Service was top notch. The food was pretty good as well. The Lacinato Kale did a great job of making kale, which can be a very bland and firm ingredient, very palatable and easy to eat. It had a lot of flavor and while I didn't intend to eat a lot, ended up eating more than planned. The calamari and clams was much different than I expected. It was filled with chickpeas (which I don't believe was mentioned). I am not the biggest fan of beans but was able to eat these and it ended up being good nonetheless. However, I did feel like the chickpeas overwhelmed the dish and that there was a bit of a lacking amount of sautéed calamari and clams in the dish. The Ava Gene's Ham was tasty, but seeing as I am not the biggest fan of ham (my one meat I don't go crazy for) I am not sure I would order it again. It was also a fairly standard dish you could easily have at home, although the bread was excellent. My fiancé does not like Tartare which is why we went with the ham over that, but I would have enjoyed trying that dish, which the server noted makes a point to showcase different types of spring onions. The garganelli (not pictured) was a big hit for us. The pasta was perfectly cooked and there was an ample amount of Dungeness crab. Definitely a recommended dish. These four plates were plenty for myself (a bigger eater), my fiancé and my mother (both a little lighter eaters), despite the recommendation from the server that we maybe get another pasta. read more

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Sat at the Chef's counter and had an absolutely tantalizing meal! When you sit here, it's a fixed menu of several courses that come out with enough time in between for you to savor and enjoy each. All while watching the magic these hard working chefs create. Courses are served "family style" even if it's just two of you. After ordering a lovely bottle of Chianti, which the sommelter decanted for us, the first course arrived. It was a thick slab of delicious, crusty bread with a white bean paste, flavored with guanciole and topped with black olives, hints of lemon. From the first bite, we were smiling. Delish! So many layers of complimenting flavors. When we arrived, I mentioned to our server that I had been looking forward to arancini, but they weren't on the Chef's counter set menu. Magically, 2 deep fried rice balls with a wedge of lemon appeared. When we cut into them, the rice and cheese oozed out, just like my Nana used to make! Two different salads were served next. One an Asian pear with sliced hard ricotta, which was crisp and refreshing. The other was radicchio with toasted hazelnuts. Both were very good and plentiful. First course is always pasta and they gave us two seasonal varieties. There was homemade tortellini stuffed with squash with walnut butter and fig leaf sauce. It was slightly sweet, but not too sweet. Definitely a treat as I can't imagine getting this anywhere but here or Italy. Next came the rye cavatelli, my favorite pasta shape made even more Al dente by the addition of rye flour, which stood up to the smoky sauce of various mushrooms. This was my favorite dish of the night. I could eat a huge bowl of this cavatelli. Already full, the second course arrived. Babette steak made from washugyu beef topped with roasted and marinated red peppers. A bowl of greens sautéed in olive oil and garlic dressed with lemon and olives was the accompaniment. The steak was rare and melted in your mouth. The greens were fresh and delicious, reminded me of how my Nana would cook them. For desert - yes, they expected us to have room for dessert - was a small scoop of fig sorbetto and a scoop of olive oil gelato. The fig sorbetto was a refreshing palette cleanser and bursting with flavor. The olive oil was creamy and tasted similar to vanilla with a slightly different mouthfeel. And as if that wasn't enough, they brought us each a slice of the traditional rainbow cookie, three layers of thin cake with jam in between covered in dark chocolate ganache. A very traditional petit four with the colors of the Italian flag. Along side this, was a large pignoli cookie. Made of almond flour with every bit of space covered in pignoli nuts, this was another star of the meal. I brought both home to enjoy for breakfast the next day with coffee. They did not disappoint. Service was impeccable. polite, informative, there when you needed something but never in your face. Dishes and utensils were cleared in between courses, clean silverware and dishes provided for the next, the counter wiped down. We wanted for nothing! Ava Genes was one of my favorite restaurants when they first opened in Portland and I was sad when they closed. I had forgotten they reopened about a year ago, and while other reviews say they had some opening pains, we experienced none of that. It was a first class experience from the moment we arrived until we left. read more

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Let me begin with the back story, I travel from Baltimore MD to Portland at least once a year. As a retired Chef with over 50 years of experience, I can confidently say that I know a few things about food. So obviously do the folks who work at Ava Gene's . Our dinner was a well organized opus of some of the best Italian food I've experienced in the past 35 years. Our service was impeccable folks were constantly coming with dishes and seemed to have an amazing recital of each new plate that arrived. We began with Arrancini filled with creamy risotto followed by an Eggplant Toast that was an example of the subtle but delicious taste of roasted Eggplant almost like an Italian Baba Ganouch . Next came the most delicious roasted carrots with Mint and Kalamata Olives. Two different pasta dishes were brought one with freshly made pappardelle with a Duck Ragu. And then a Black Squid Buccatini with Halibut Cheeks and Razor Clams. Amazing food Served in an intimate setting. This is definitely a Foodie Haven an oasis of Italian Soul Food. Our Butterscotch Boudin finished us off like a warm kiss on a first date. read more

Dolly Olive is much better. The kale salad was great. The bread was ok. The squash pasta we had was topped with an amaretto cookie and was way too sweet. The cauliflower was meh. The tiramisu and torte were not great. The torte tasted like dirt no sweetness at all. The espresso martini was good but overpriced. We spent $200 and I wished I had gone to Dolly Olive. read more

Call the New Yorks Times cause we have a contender here! When I say I had a religious experience here, I an't kidding. That ragú sauce bought my Nonna back from dead just to see the look on my face! And let me tell you, that bucatini OMG! *chef's kiss* I couldn't tell if I was crying joy or if it was the saltiness of the pork in my pasta, THAT is how good it was. Ya'll they made beets, BEETS taste like an ocean sunset on the Amalfi coast! I didn't know that was possible but apparently it is. And it wasn't just the taste, which clearly it is everything but ya'll the decor!!! If you want to feel what it's like to live inside of a Frank Loyd right loft, this is the vibe. I wasn't aware they made soap dispensers like that, but apparently you learn something everyday. Classy, timeless, and delicious. 5 stars! read more

Great service, delicious food every time I've been here. Highly recommend this restaurant.

While I'm not a local, but rather a lucky partaker due to a wedding in town I have plenty to say. Any venue that can make me (of all people) like eating vegetables deserves a sonorous symphony of praise. From start to finish, while the dishes lended themselves heavily to be vegetable based, I found myself working very hard not to lick the plate clean on account of all the very fresh and pristine flavors that abounded. I am not of the state Oregon, but I very ever so briefly wish I was. read more

Thanksgiving package, 2023, was far and away the best catered Thanksgiving dinner EVER. I love this restaurant, in a town swimming with casual fine Italian, this place is one of my faves but the Turkey day offerings brings it to a whole other level. I check every year to see if they'll do it again. Fingers crossed over here! read more

Ava Gene's is a special place. The vibe, the service and food are top notch. The attention to detail at this gem is impeccable. We had an extraordinary experience last night from the warm greeting, the perfect cozy table, the table service, and the scrumptious dishes--one could help be filled with pleasure. We enjoyed sharing two salads to begin our dining experience. Fresh local melon salad with savory fried prosciutto and a summer scrum of heirloom tomatoes with local basil started our savory journey. The portions are perfect. We appreciated not being over indulged with large portions especially since we were about to thoroughly enjoy our main pasta course. The pasta! Both choices were packed full of pungent flavors that rocked our pleasure palates. Fresh tomato, basil fresh pasta and a fuscelli sausage pesto were very enjoyable. I cannot say enough! So glad Ava's made it through the pandemic. Busy restaurant--make sure you have reservations! read more

If I could end every day with dinner at Ava Gene's, I just might. This place knows how to treat you right--great food, great service, and the kind of meal that makes you sit back and rethink your life choices (specifically: why don't I eat here more often?). I started with a glass of rosé because, well, I believe in making good decisions. It paired beautifully with the kale salad, which was bright, fresh, and packed with so much flavor that I momentarily forgot I was eating something healthy. Then came the focaccia bread topped with cured ham and pear purée, and let me tell you--it brought me right back to my childhood. One bite, and I was transported to the sandwiches my mom used to make with minced ham and guava jam. That perfect balance of savory and sweet? Chef's kiss. Then came the main event: the duck ragù pasta--rich, comforting, and the kind of dish that makes you pause mid-bite just to appreciate what's happening. And to finish? A dessert wine from Sicily, because why not go out on a high note? It was sweet, smooth, and the perfect reminder to slow down and just enjoy. Shoutout to Gabriel, my fantastic waiter, and his equally lovely colleague, Ash -- both of whom made the experience even better with their warm, attentive service. If you're debating whether to come here, consider this your sign: do it. You deserve this meal. read more

3.5 stars for above average Italian, super cute vibes, friendly Portland service. They offer a frequently rotating seasonal menu. Rounding down because I was looking forward to some amazing pastas, and was a bit disappointed. * Crispy rice salad with santa rosa plum ($18) - 4 stars: I liked this asian-inspired flavored dish with crispy rice, mint, and lime. Wish the portion was larger. * Casarecce Verde ($25) - 3.75 stars: The best part about this dish was the unique, fresh, spring flavors. It was light, but the pasta itself was just ok and it did not feel very satisfying. * Garganelli Duck Ragu ($26) - 3 stars: I love duck ragu, but this one was way too concentrated and salty? * Borlotti Beans ($11): My friends loved this, but it's basically big creamy beans? Ha! I am not a big bean person and cannot weigh in. read more

Ava Genes pre-covid used to be my favorite restaurant in Portland. There are new owners since then I believe, and it was noticeable afterwards. The inside is the same, very dark and intimate so bring your reading glasses if needed. But not too loud, so it's a great date spot. I usually get the sage and butter ravioli and a nice glass of wine. Lately I feel like the pasta dishes are a bit oily, and too much sauce. It might have been a one off, so I'll be going again here pretty soon. I'm keeping the 4 stars out of loyalty, they have been in Portland for years. read more

Why did I wait so long to try this wonderful Italian restaurant!! The food, the ambiance, the staff - the complete experience was ... well, an experience. Beginning with the antipasti recommendations by our server. The burrata in a bed of delicate greens and a light chili oil, and the smoked beet with a dollop of lemon chiffon, and finally arancini. Pasta plate was spaghetti with four types of mushrooms chopped and deliciously braised in sherry and light butter. The Valpolicella was a exceptionally good read more

Outstanding menu; order the unusual items for unexpected Loy delicious surprises . Will visit again soon

The food is really nice, however my partner made a reservation for my family and us here for my birthday some months ago and despite the restaurant not being busy, they sat them at a terrible table right by the door. Upon request they moved tables before I arrived and saw that first table placement which was nice enough. The service here is irregular as in sometimes the server is really good at checking in with you but sometimes when I go in the server seems to purposely avoid coming to refill my drinks or ask if ill order anything else. Decent ambiance if you don't factor in the service bc that really affects my mood and therefore the ambiance for me. TLDR; good food, if you're willing to gamble on service/treatment! read more

Ava Genes - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Came here rather spontaneously after wanting to visit for years. We got reservations for the Chef's Counter, which was great so we could watch the food being prepared. The ambiance is very nice and the staff were super friendly. Medium-sized menu and we shared all the dishes. Tried the arancini (fried rice balls - they were ok), pappardelle (good), and cappellacci (good - sweet and buttery). So generally speaking, we thought the dishes were tasty and the experience was nice, and that the prices on the dishes we got were a bit high but not outrageous. That said, my wife also could probably whip up somewhat similar pasta dishes at home. So though we enjoyed it and are glad we went, we probably won't feel inclined to return. read more

We got lucky. Didn't have a reservation yet walked in right at opening, and managed to snag a 4 top immediately. Service was great. Wine was memorable. Everything was savored. Ambiance is top notch. Plans for our wedding were made there. It's that kind of spot. We tried a little bit of everything. Funny enough, one of our favorite dishes was a seasonal, Thai inspired dish. Not Italian at all but the surprise was legit. You never know! read more

Ava Genes is consistently good. Open, trendy atmosphere with tall ceilings and pretty low lighting. Solid service and so yummy food! The ORECCHIETTE- I kinda licked my plate clean over the fennel sausage pasta! Um... I don't know what was going on with the sauce on that dish, likely butter but I couldn't get enough! The burrata is divine, loved the pressed apples and chili crisp and omg meatballs in nana's tomato sauce- do it! For me this is not the restaurant to go if you have food sensitivities/ restrictions. Lots of gluten, lots of dairy! I've been coming here on and off since they opened and it's still a delight every time! read more

Ava Gene's is fantastic! The food was outstanding -- especially the eggplant toast -- and the atmosphere perfect. Huge thanks to Kristen, Jeff, Erin, and Elizabeth for their amazing service; they made the night unforgettable. Highly recommend! read more

Everything that we ate was fantastic! We especially loved the calamari and eggplant toast. This is a great place to come with people who like vegetables (as much of the menu is veggie forward and those dishes are very delicious). The service was beyond excellent. It might have been the day and time that we went (Wednesday at 5:30pm) but we were able to ask as many questions as we wanted and had full on conversations with multiple of the staff. Once it became more crowded, the staff were still very attentive but had less time. I guess it just depends on what type of dining experience you are looking for. I know that the price point can seem a bit steep, but in my opinion it was well worth it for the service and dishes provided. The food quantities were average but quality was excellent and we were able to try a few things that we had never tried before which I always love! They have definitely made repeat customers out of us!!! read more

Very yummy with the best service I've ever gotten at a restaurant in Portland. Portions are a tad small but the taste of them makes up for it! Ambiance is cozy and warm and great for a date night. Get the kale salad it's delicious. read more

Ava Genes - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Best meal I've had in Portland. House made pasta. We enjoyed the orecchiette with fennel sausage and Triangoli in a tarragon/chive sauce. Chicory salad was also amazing. Service was top notch. Our pleasant server Erin gave us advice (sharing dishes encouraged), also fully explained the menu. Timing of the courses to the table was perfect. Never felt rushed or waiting. Several people were involved in making us feel welcomed and special, starting the moment we walked in and taking our coats. The decor completed what was a fantastic birthday meal. Soft lighting and baskets & bottles took me back to Italy. read more

Great service, great food! Went here for a work dinner with a group of 7. Our waitress was fantastic, they sought insight on all allergies upfront and ensured to provide substitutions so every team member had a wonderful experience. At 7+ you are required to order pri-fixe, options are $55/pp or $75/pp if you also order secondi items. The restaurant provided several amuse bouche items before the starters we selected, the waitress advised as we moved through all other pri fixe options. They included family size portions of starters, entrees, secondi (optional) and desert.. A lovely & seamless experience! read more

Great neighborhood bistro with luscious food and friendly staff with knowledge of their food and don't try to oversell

Stopped in for a girls dinner, the ambience is cozy and warm. We shared a few plates and loved the flavorful dishes. The Wagyu tartare was one of our favorites as well as the duck Ragu had such deep flavor. Excellent quality of ingredients. read more

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It's giving that scene in ratatouille if you know you know. Every course was transcendent and I almost cried by the flavors. And the bathroom was so ambient it was hard to leave read more

We're always impressed at Ave Gene's! My experience is the simplest menu options are executed flawlessly. Thanks to Sommelier Beatrice, I was introduced to a new way to enjoy a Martini with higher percentage of vermouth. I've been thinking about the Martini ever since. read more

This place really met all the hype. I've heard so much about Ava Gene's over the years and am a regular at their next door pizza place, Cicoria. It's a very nice restaurant, great service staff, and the vibe is very relaxed. The pasta was so so delicious and we really enjoyed our sardine toast. read more

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Service is still top notch but their recent menu isn't. Didn't have the cacio or clam & squid ink on the menu so I chose another clam pasta dish. The pasta was flat and round and reminded me of scallop potato instead of pasta. The burrata stone fruit salad with chili was the best dish of the night but the pastas are just not memorable so you really can't justify the $25+ pasta prices. Also, we love carbs but the bread plate is just too much for two people. Nice wine by the glass selection though. read more

My sister planned her small wedding reception at Fora (Ava Gene's private dining option) for 13 guests with the 5 course family style dinner. It was a really amazing experience! The food was delicious and the only complaint I had was that I wish we had more. My favorites were the Cavatelli Verde and corn agnolotti. And I could have eaten like 10 cannoli. I also loved the cocktails I tried, La Mora and Villa Perlman. They were so smooth and tasted great. The service was impeccable. Our two servers were very attentive and kept things moving so well. My family is not very used to fine dining so I think everyone was impressed. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the private dining option for a group under 15 people unless you know you'll drink a lot. There's a $2,500 minimum and the family style dinner is $95/person so you need to drink the difference. I don't think tip is included in the min. Our group happily drank enough read more

Portland trip saved by Ava Genes! We had an Open Table resy at a different restaurant for a large group on a Sunday and the restaurant was closed (out of business!) Looking around on all the apps (as well as a local's suggestion!) we looked at Ava Gene's availability. We drove over and the team was able to accommodate a large group with some creativity in their dinning room. Food wise, WOW! Amazing wine program, offered at great prices. Family style offerings were perfect for a large group of 6, with apps and salads landing at the tables close together to share and pass around. Great pastas with my personal highlight being the crab pasta. Thank you again to the team for being great sports at accommodating a large group on short notice! read more

One of our sons and his wife took my wife and me there for our birthday celebrations and they told us it was a fun restaurant. I wasn't sure what a "fun restaurant" meant but now I know. The restaurant was fabulous, the food was great and the service was impeccable. We did the traditional four course Italian meal and shared family style and it was a lot of fun. That gave us a chance to sample a lot of their different entrées. We will definitely go back. read more

Food was outstanding, we experienced some very interesting cohesive flavors and drinks. Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. Really nice ambience- All three people in our party came back from the restroom raving about how cool it was. Can't wait to go back! read more

The food was delicious, the atmosphere cozy, but the wine pours were a bit inconsistent. We started with the olives marinated in coriander and citrus and the kohlrabi salad with apples, mint, and grated Gouda. Both were wonderful but it would have been nice to have been given a small spoon or fork to get at the olives. We were trying to get at them with our dinner forks and a few olives ended up on the table. For dinner we had Rye Cavatelli with mushrooms and Tagliolini with chicken ragu and calabrian chili. Both were delicious but the cavatelli with mushrooms was absolutely exquisite. It had such rich flavors and was perfect for a winter dish. For dessert we had the spiced pumpkin tiramisu which was like eating an airy pumpkin pie without the crust. So good! My one quibble is with the portions given for wine. One of us had pinot and the other chardonnay. The first pour seemed a little less than some restaurants but nothing significant. We both ordered a second glass. This time each glass was only about a quarter full, noticeably less than the first time. I guess it depends on who's pouring, there was no consistency. We split a glass of Amaro with dessert. It was about 5 tiny sips total. If we go back we'll order a bottle of wine so that we have more control over what we are paying for. read more

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Fantastic food with impeccable, attentive service. Fellow diners: This is a dimly lit, romantic oasis. Pouring over your menus with smart phone flashlights. like an anxious search party in a bad movie, ruins the ambiance for the rest of us. Use the candle on the table, or ask your always helpful waitperson for assistance. Leave your phone in your pocket, purse, or better yet, your car. read more

Ava Genes - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place went down hill. We went here pretty frequently before CoVid. Looks like they have a new chef. The food is very very salty. We spent over $300 on very salty and mediocre food. We picked out the pieces of pasta, but the pasta was drenched in the sauce we couldn't overcome the saltiness. It wasn't just one pasta dish that was overly salty, it was 2 different pasta entrees. We won't be coming back. The staff is nice though but service was too slow. They force a 20% service charge. I'm fine with the charge but they better get their act together to force this charge on customers. read more

Had such an amazing dinner here last night. Came as a group of three. The restaurant is electric. Super lively with the perfect number of seats and loud enough that you feel like you're out on a weeknight in a great city (closest feel to nyc for miles) We started with the crudo, burrata and melon salad - all super fresh. For dinner I had the trout and my friends each had a pasta (lovely hand made with detail) Dessert was panna cotta (the only thing that was not a show stopper) and blueberry tiramisu read more

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Definitely recommend Ava Gene's! I'll start with the service - absolutely incredible. Something notable was that we ordered two bottles of wine - one that the sommelier recommended and one that someone in my party chose. The one we choose, we didn't like. We tried to power through, but ultimately decided we weren't going to force it. They graciously comped our wine for not checking in with us, which was totally unnecessary, but very much appreciated! Onto the food, almost everything was incredible. I highly recommend the three pastas we chose - the bolognese, the squid ink, and the rye mushrooms. They were all so different, I can't pick a favorite! Also notable for starters were the oysters, bluefin tuna, arancini, and brussels salad. I'd recommend skipping the burrata. Lastly, get the gelato . Sounds simple, but just do it. You will not regret it! Literally the best gelato I've ever had. We ordered the gingersnap (very ginger-y) and the espresso chocolate. We had three desserts and the gelato, and after one bite of each, we all only wanted the gelato! Portions are on the smaller side, so I recommend sharing and trying a bit of everything! read more

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I don't give any restaurant or business bad reviews lightly. Unfortunately this place met all the criteria for that. We were a group of 4 which all left hungry and very disappointed. I'm not easy to disappoint, but this must be the worst price to performance I've ever experienced. The pasta was undercooked, luke-warm at best and over-salted. The halibut was not even a square inch of fish for a wooping 34$. All in all, I think Ava Gene's has the worst price to food experience and should be avoided in my opinion. Portland has so many great restaurants with much higher standards than this. Ava Gene's unfortunately doesn't even reach the mediocre mark in my opinion. read more

I live in this area and never really noticed this restaurant from the outside because the exterior is nothing special and the dim lighting inside doesn't give you a hint of the festivities inside. But after reading about it on a website for best Italian restaurants, I went for dinner with a friend. We sat at the counter (and were able to order ala carte, there was no tasting menu only). Overall, the vibe is friendly neighborhood restaurant that's a bit high-end. The dishes are bit pricey (and like some people said already, the portions, especially the antipasti, are on the small end) but the flavors and cooking are really well done. The pasta of course was perfectly fresh (we had the agnolotti) and the pork tomahawk special of the day ($53) was an interesting mix of pork chop and chorizo. Service was super attentive, but like others said, maybe too attentive because they check on you so often that at one point I felt I couldn't really enjoy the meal with all the interruptions. I can see how this is a great place to celebrate a special occasion and the quality is first rate, people just need to be prepared for what it is, which is slightly smaller dishes at premium prices. With an Italian menu, there are several courses (like a primi and secondi) so if you want to do all courses, including desserts, then probably can share. But if you're not planning to do multiple dishes, then the serving size is good for one person. read more

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