My wife and I have been to Chaval a few times in our lives, twice in recent memory. One of our most…read morerecent trips was for a cooking class, the other was for dinner. In the Paella cooking class, we really enjoyed the intimate instruction that Chef Damien and Bartender Asher. The class was informative and very fun - and the food & cocktails were delightful! When we returned a few weeks later for dinner, our impression of Chaval (the staff and the food) didn't skip a beat. We sat at the bar and had a really enjoyable evening. This is a great place for date-night, a celebration or just an excuse to go out and enjoy what Portland's local cuisine has to offer!

We celebrated our 50th anniversary at Chaval, a party of 10. The entire family style menu was…read moreterrific, start to finish. The special cake order did not disappoint. It was delicious. The staff was wonderful and attentive. We had small children in the party and they were very patient with them. My only negative is their private room. There's little about it that says inviting. I felt like we were in a storage room in the basement. Chaval waitstaff were up and down the stairs constantly replenishing wine and whatever it is that's stored down stairs. The room is very narrow and unappealing. If you are booking a special occasional , pray for a nice day and sit on their patio. Aside from lack of ambiance the cocktails/appetizers/dinner and dessert were spot on! Thanks to the staff for a memorable evening. Oh and thanks to our kids for this special treat.

Perfect anniversary dinner spot! We came here on a Friday night with reservations to sit inside. It…read morewas better than I imagined! First, the building is fabulous. Small outdoor area for summer nights. The indoors has a little bar area where you can see the chefs in the kitchen hard at work. Then there is a smaller and intimate room of tables with paintings and photographs on the wall. They had this delightful set of photographs of each employee and what they bring to the table. I thought it was a beautiful display of the team. Next, the food! Between the two of us we shared the tuna and mussels appetizers, the schnitzel and steak and frites for the main, and amazing cocktails. Each dish was unique and delicious! This place makes nearly everything from scratch. And I was informed that in the Winter they have a burger and fries special on Thursday nights. We are already excited to come back here and try more dishes! I highly recommend this place to bring guests and celebrate special occasions.

The staff were so rude that we didn't even stay. We may not…read morelive here and for the mold of regulars but we are still here for an enjoyable meal and to spend money. Sadly recommended by our hotel in old Port and drove out here for terrible service.

I came here around 7:30pm on a Tuesday. This spot was not too busy, but I was one of three groups…read morehere. I really enjoy coming here with small groups of friends because of how cozy the space feels. There's soft lighting and lots of wood, and it feels good to meet up here in the winter to read books or chat with friends. I've been here a small handful of times, and I can't say enough good things. The cider is delightful! I adore the ice ciders-they're made from frozen apples and result in stronger drinks with a crisper taste (feel free to fact check me!). I've never had food here, as we are typically killing time here before heading to izakaya minato. If cider is not your thing, there are other delicious drinks. I had one friend try some cocktails and I liked the taste of the Rhonda's rita. There's cider, beer, vermouth, g&t, wine, and some cocktails. I definitely recommend coming here either alone or with friends, as long as you want to treat yourself to a nice drink. My favorite drink was a dry Spanish cider-I wonder what yours will be!

I have to agree with previous critiques. Poor, rude, snooty service just spoils a brilliant…read morelocation and concept. Love the space. Decent overpriced food. And while we would expect to pay more for this corner of Portland, just please deliver it with respect and warmth.

Everything on the menu is very good. Good service. Good parking. Need to call for reservations.read more

Seafood dish just bland mash potatoes so dry! My Beet salad not worth the price. Bar tender/…read moreserver no where to be found when trying to pay the bill.. we lost track after sitting for over10 minutes And earlier in the evening, the bar tender/server talked with a hostess about who was at the bar and how long they would take to eat. Pointing at folks and talking over the guests seated!?!???! And who wouldn't do dessert.and would move along... really disappointed!! too many good local restaurants to have that type of experience and to pay that much money.

Something about the fries in Maine just tastes very different. This place is no…read moreexception........and they're very tasty!

Generous portions and reasonable prices for a mall foodcourt offering. I had tenders and fries. The…read moreKorean BBQ sauce is got on the side was delicious with a little kick to it, but not too much. Service was friendly.

I finally tried the taco window that is open I believe 11-3 Tuesday - Saturday. These rolled…read moretacos/taquitos were delicious and they load the top with crema and avocado sauce with queso Fresca. Super crunchy and flavor full I could eat 100 of these. Excited to try the other flavors. Perfect quick lunch taco window!

addicted to the fish tacos love coming here for happy hour…read moreon the patio in the summer and pozole on a snowy winter night Dominique and the staff are so sweet and attentive

It's always unfortunate and sad to write a re-review for a spot that is a favorite that will be…read moreclosing. Gross Confection recently announced on social media they would be shutting down the bar/desserts service while remaining open as a bakery. My wife and I came here many a times for an end cap to the night for one last drink and delicious and beautifully made desserts. From times in their dimly lit space that gave off romantic vibes or even enjoying our desserts in the summer sun outside people watching, every time will be remembered. Timing worked out well and we were doing a staycation in Portland and knew we needed to add a stop here one last time. Thankfully we got our names in on the waiting list early enough Friday and got sat as one of the last tables. We each had one last phenomenal drink; my wife and Apricot 75 that had a great tart kick of apricot and lemon. While I enjoyed their Chai Fashioned which spelt like a chai but had that boozy bourbon warming you'd expect. Dessert wise everything sounded good as always but we settled on two. The Goat Cheesecake and Pineapple Cake. The cheesecake was the perfect sweetness without being cloying and the blueberry sorbet on top paired so well. The pineapple cake was moist and tasted so good we needed to scrap the plate clean. I'm sad that Portland is losing this amazing dessert space but glad it's not a complete goodbye since they'll operate the bakery still! If you somehow read this today and have the chance make it in for one last visit tonight before they close their doors!

It is a bar, but with the highest quality dessert. They do not serve non- dessert food…read more This was my 2nd time there. Loved it again. Great service, cozy atmosphere, open later (we went after 9pm), great selection of desserts.

Another outstanding experience at what is fast becoming one of my favorite places to grab some…read moreexcellent food and libations!!! This time we had more time so we got to play some pinball, have some apps and some cocktails-and once again food and service was excellent (thank you Kate!!!)!! Over the course of approx 2 hours we tried the chicken fingers and the fried pickles, both were excellent-had a few beers and I even enjoyed their Aperol Spritz!! Of course we got our favorite entrees (The Jr Beef for her and the Steak and Cheese with Peppers and Onion for me) and I am happy to say they killed it again!!!!

Yet another fantastic visit to George & Leon's! It had been a little while since we have visited…read morebut with it being so close decided to have dinner here. Showed up before any sort of rush and snagged two seats at the bar. The overall vibes are great here with lots of interesting decor (lots of movie & horror themed things). The bartender greeted us and was willing to answer any questions we had and immediately got us glasses of water. We then decided on cocktails and she made great tasty drinks to our liking. My wife went with a Daiquiri and had just enough fruity/sweetness with a kick still. I got one of their bourbon drinks and it had a great kick to it. Food wise I ended up getting their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and it was a delicious sandwich with juicy chicken. My wife got the Jr. Beef and enjoyed it but thought the sauce was a touch spicy (would likely pick another item next time) but very much enjoyed it and finished it still. We split an order of onion rings and they were outstanding, lightly battered but perfectly crispy. Due to sitting at the bar we had fantastic conversations with the bartender who made us feel welcome and provided great service. We talked about our love for animals, Maine and more. Really the perfect example of how the experience of sitting at a bar should be and why you'd return! Give George & Leon's a try if you haven't and if it's been awhile revisit!

Oak & Ember is such a gem. We visited for brunch and loved our experience…read more We had heard good things about Oak & Ember, so we finally made our way there for brunch, not knowing what to expect. Our experience was nothing short of amazing. The restaurant itself is beautiful -- it's quintessentially Maine. The thoughtful decor, cozy ambiance, and meticulously designed interior blew us away. The brunch menu was extensive, with a handful of boozy options offered as well. I had the brisket hash, and it was delicious, plus visually stunning. I haven't seen such a beautiful brunch plate in a while. It was hard to pick a cocktail -- they had many mimosas (including a guava one that looked divine) and Bloody Marys, but I opted for a spicy version of the latter. It was so good and came with plenty of toppings. We finished our meal with a cinnamon bun from Sullivan Bakery. It was yummy! The service was great. Our waitress was friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable. I also want to call out the wine shop located inside the restaurant. It was a lovely and a great addition! Most wines were affordable, under $20, and they had a vast selection of unique wines you just don't find anywhere. We left with a few bottles. We loved our experience and can't wait to go back. Some constructive feedback for the owners: For brunch, the coffee was tiny and also lukewarm. It was the size of two long espressos. Please consider offering a larger size -- I'd gladly pay extra. For a black coffee, I was expecting a much bigger cup. Also, it would be lovely if you offered iced coffee in the future. The bloody Mary's were so good. My partner said it's the best he ever had. However, some of our guests were vegetarian, and the Bloody Mary came with salami (as a topping), but this was not noted on the menu. Lastly, I do wish our hash came with a side of bread or something else. It was a bit on the lighter side, even though we picked it because it felt like one of the heartier options. All in all, we had an awesome experience.

A wonderful addition to Buxton. Staff is friendly and so accommodating. We made reservations and…read moredidn't realize that they were for there outside patio which of course due to it being cold was closed. They made it work and found us a table fairly quickly by making a few minor changes. Food was delicious! Their cocktails delicious. We just went again the night before Thanksgiving and again another wonderful meal. We sat at the bar and the bar tender was wonderful. Where we sat at the bar we had a good view of the kitchen I was fascinated watching them work! Very attention to detail oriented I can't wait to go back

NOBODY TOLD ME. Nobody told me that Nom Cafe is one of the best spots for brunch in Portland's Arts…read moreDistrict, with some of the yummiest and most unique breakfast food? A Balkan-inspired menu? Come on. I finally tried it and I'm already counting down until I go back. I was expecting casual counter service and your typical breakfast food. I was so wrong. We were greeted by the warmest staff, who let us pick our own table. We sat by the windows, which was perfect for the morning sunlight; exactly what we wanted. The menu is eastern European with some Spanish touches (think huevos rotos and patatas bravas). Books featuring Bulgarian photography and other eastern European countries were scattered around the space, it was a lovely touch. The service was just as great as the food. My hot coffee came in the cutest mug and our waitress kept refilling it without being asked. The mekitsi and parzhen were phenomenal, with the parzhen being my favorite. The spreads they came with... I wanted to bottle those and take them home. My husband had the patatas bravas and I had the shakshuka, and we added kyufteh to both, this incredible in-house sausage that was 10/10 (it was a little spicy!). Everything was phenomenal and the portions were generous. If you're not feeling adventurous, they also have traditional eggs and omelettes, all with a little twist and somewhat elevated. Their drinks menu was impressive too if you're into a fancy coffee. Can't recommend this place enough. I shall be back!

HIGHLY recommend for a breakfast/brunch option. Wife wanted to try Bayside cafe for our last…read morebreakfast before heading to the airport on a Monday, but at 10:25 they had an hour wait, we said nah & walked 7mins up to Nom where there was no wait & I think it was the far superior choice. The inside is super cute & cozy. They have books about Bulgaria scattered around & on the back of the menus there are a few common questions about some of the menu item names. I love when a restaurant educates diners in addition to feeding us food from their home country so kudos there. I had the shakshuka which TBH is the best one I've ever had anywhere. I even make it at home sometimes using locally grown tomatoes and I can't touch this recipe here. Literally a blessing that they give you some toasted bread to use to clean out the skillet so you don't leave any behind. We ordered the mekitsi to share as a starter and boy was that good. I'm not the biggest sweets eater, and I usually don't eat breakfast except for when I'm traveling, but this was one of my favorite things I've had in recent memory. Perfectly prepared, crumpets stuffed lightly with feta cheese, drizzled in honey with local berries. You HAVE to get these. My wife ordered one of the specials which was local main blueberry waffles. They must have been delicious because she finished the entire thing and I don't think I heard a peep out of her while I was housing my shakshuka. Service was great I feel like Jess checked on us the appropriate number of times & she timed it perfectly to also drop in as I was reacting to how great each dish was. I heard an older couple next to us discussing why they had not came to eat here previously over some of the more heavily traffic places they have been to in town while they were visiting and I share their sentiment.