We celebrated a birthday at Mediterranean Exploration Company with their set menu, and it was one…read moreof the best dining experiences we've had in Portland. We were able to try a wide variety of dishes, and every single one was exceptional. I have dietary restrictions (no onions or garlic), and the kitchen and staff were incredibly accommodating. They prepared separate versions of several dishes for me without hesitation, and I never felt like I was getting a lesser experience. It's rare to find a restaurant that can accommodate food sensitivities so thoughtfully while still delivering incredible flavor. The food was absolutely delicious from start to finish, and the service was impeccable. The staff was warm, attentive, and made our birthday celebration feel special without ever being overbearing. Everyone in our group left talking about how amazing the food was. We couldn't have asked for a better meal or a better overall experience. Mediterranean Exploration Company has definitely earned a spot on our list of favorite Portland restaurants, and we can't wait to come back.

4.4/5. 1st place - baked feta (delicious only complaint is…read morethat the feta stuck to the bottom of the pan) 2nd- lamb chops 3rd place - radicchio salad (crunchy bits were delicious) 4th - hamachi crudo (the sauce with this was amazing to dip the pita in) 5th - cauliflower (the fact that they brought this last should be illegal) Overall, really enjoyed but wish everything was brought out together so it could be eaten together.

We always wanted to try this place and we're glad we did. We went on a Tuesday night after visiting…read moreOMSI and just walked to the restaurant. We didn't have a reservation, but there's was room at the bar alongside the kitchen. That's always the best place to sit because it's like getting a show with dinner. Speaking of dinner, it was excellent. We started with a roasted eggplant dip served with a round, fluffy pita bread. So yummy. Next came falafel with tahina and green S'hug sauce, which gives it a spicy kick. The six falafel balls were light and airy, not dense and dry like lots of falafel we've had in the past. Finally, we ended with chicken shawarma, a wonderful confit chicken dish, nicely seasoned, sitting atop large pita pillow. We just folded it up and went from there. The service was fast, friendly and efficient. They suggest ordering two dishes per person, but you don't need to. Three dishes is plenty (even two) depending on what you get. We washed it down with a pilsner beer and homemade blackberry soda. The portions are generous. We'll definitely go back and sample several other dishes.

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.

My second time here and it did not disappoint. The service was excellently coordinated with 2 other…read moreservers by our waitress. The food was delicious and the warm flatbread with hummus was a favorite. As a party of 8 we were ushered upstairs which was much quieter for making conversation.

Tried Nicholas Restaurant in Portland and went with the gyro and babaganoush…read more The gyro was really solid--tender, well-seasoned meat with that classic savory flavor, wrapped up with fresh toppings and sauce that tied it all together. The babaganoush was smooth, smoky, and super flavorful without being too heavy. Portions were generous and everything came out fresh. It's one of those spots that feels consistently reliable when you're craving good Mediterranean food done right. Definitely a place I'd go back to for a casual but satisfying meal.

Scrumptious food, quick service and cozy bench or bar seating…read more I tried almost everything vegetarian from the menu. The entire ordered was fingerpicking good including those fries. We thought we ordered so much and then we went back for more. One may find portion sizes are little for their price but their flavors are top-notch. I would say it's a great spot to get flavorful Mediterranean food. Though I wish they had more seating area. However, the food is extremely good and is worth it. If you haven't already, head there to try them and you wouldn't be disappointed.

Having been to one of the sister restaurants, I knew what to expect! The food was good, although…read morethe place was TINY. I love their hummus, especially the one with burnt ends! The chicken kebab was delicious, although the rice wasn't my fave... But that was just personal preference because I didn't love the lentils mixed in. I'll definitely be back!

The place is beautiful inside unique and fun but still feels elegant too. They have a great…read moreselection of food and everything we tried we liked. They do a great job explaining their dishes. I had a specialty cocktail which I loved.

The food here is rather exceptional, however, I will not return until they bring back the buffet,…read morewhich may be never and I'm prepared to accept that.

Absolutely incredible ambience from the moment I walked in; the space feels just like home. TALK…read moreabout quality the food is amazing. The design is upscale and the service is impeccable. They really know how to treat you like Family. What an incredible restaurant; would highly recommend for everybody. Tell Louai AyCe sent you. Enjoy the incredible service!

I've been coming to this place since they first opened and realized I've never done a review…read morebefore! This place is an absolute staple and GEM of a middle eastern restaurant out here in Oregon. I am super picky when it comes to this food as my uncle and family in general has spoiled me with the best of the best and I can honestly say Al Hawr is one of less than a handful of places that does it all right. The staff is super friendly and represents the absolute best of middle eastern hospitality. Everytime I go, it always feel like I'm back with family enjoying all the delicious foods they prepared. I would highly recommend the sampler for your first time so you can get a taste of everything for the appetizers. Also cannot recommend enough the battata harra. The absolute best crispy potatoes you'll ever have!!

Such delicious food! Their takes on Greek and Mediterranean foods are nuanced and innovative while…read morestill having that comforting effect that traditional preparations provide. Special props for their amazing pita bread!

Came here with a friend visiting from out of town after having a great experience at Shalom Y'all a…read morefew months ago and unfortunately was pretty disappointed. It's a nice location and was quite busy on a Tuesday night. We were sat right on time for our reservation. The server recommended 5-7 plates for our party of 3 and let us know that plates come out as they are made (pretty standard). Despite this, there seemed to be no pacing to how dishes came out. All of our dishes came out rapid fire one after another to the point where we didn't have time to finish the small plates and didn't have room on the table. The food itself was largely okay, but nothing to write home about. The two biggest plates we got were the pastrami and the short rib. The pastrami was somewhat dry, though the mustard it was served with was delicious. The short rib was tough and in the rub had one slice that was way too strong and overpowered all the other flavors. The hummus with burnt ends was good from a hummus perspective but the ends were super salty. The cornbread was delicious and probably the favorite plate of the table and the cauliflower was a close second. All in all, a pretty disappointing experience. Maybe it was just a tough night there and we'll give it another try.

We popped in to grab some dinner, we were greeted by a cheery young lady. Our food was made hot…read morewhile we waited. They hit it outa the ballpark with the food!!!!! So fresh and yummy . We all enjoyed our meals . Service was excellent and friendly!! We will be back. Peace be with you all Sherri

Food was very good; we ordered hummus, rice salad with lamb and a gyro…read more Everything else was unacceptable. The young lady at the counter gave possibly the worst service I have experienced in a long time. She gave no acknowledgment, no recommendation, seemed bothered that we were there, no response when we said thank you multiple times. ZERO ENGAGEMENT! The place is also dirty and appears unkept. The outside seating area has trash and debris from the previous day...we were there right after open... needs to be swept. Doesn't appear like it has been pressure washed in a while either. Planters are smeared with dirt, concrete stained with food buildup and tables need a bath. The inside is just as bad, which starts at the front door. Front glass looks awful...smears, dirt, grime, and streaks galore. There are also signs peeling and tape residue left from signage that used to be present. Soda machine and bathrooms were also beneath expectations. You can't have a "thank you for supporting small business" sign if you aren't doing your part. I would love to support you in the future, BUT service and cleanliness must improve.

Brunch: They are not your average brunch spot so if you walk in with no standard brunch…read moreexpectations, you'll be delighted by their unique menu. No whipped cream but they have vanilla mascarpone whip or ice cream. No Bailey's but they have a nice espresso martini. No hollandaise sauce but just pivot and try something new (get Beans on Toast: it's not what you think; it's fresh, flavorful, and creamy toppings on exceptional bread is so good). I also liked the breakfast sandwich (an herbed biscuit is yum yum) and their fried potatoes. They may not have mayo, but they sure have a mean garlic aioli for those spuds.

We had a change in plans, and so we stopped in hoping to grab seats at the bar, but they had a…read moretable available for us! The restaurant was packed, so that was a happy surprise. The hostess and server who greeted us were very friendly and welcoming. We liked the vibe - upscale but still causal enough for us to pop in, views of the kitchen action, moody and dark decor. Our server was prompt and friendly. I enjoyed my NA Hugo spritz - they had a good selection of zero proof/NA options, so we really appreciated that. The staff kept our water filled, which is always a plus. The biggest issue we had was the pacing of the meal. Typically when we order small plates and order everything at once, we have had our dishes paced where we can enjoy 1-2 things and then move on to the next round as it arrives. In this case, we had one plate to eat from, and every dish came out one after another, so on our 2-top table, we barely had room to function. By the time we had enough of our salad and focaccia so we could stack the serving dishes to make space, our pasta dish was cold. We had ordered the Dolly Focaccia (stuffed with whole confit garlic cloves (they slid out when you picked up a piece so it was a little messy), the Dolly Caesar, the Tricolor Cauliflower, and the Mafaldine with the spicy pork ragu. The Caesar was very heavily dressed, so that made for a soggy salad. The focaccia seemed to be a touch underbaked - the inside was a little gummy. The mafaldine was good - just hard to maneuver for serving with the packed table since it was all one giant noodle, more or less. I would have loved a fresh plate at some point with all of the saucy items. The cauliflower was our favorite dish. We might have stayed for dessert, but the finagling of all of our dishes made us feel kind of rushed and feeling like we should call it. All that said, we were able to get a table without a reservation, the staff were all very friendly, and we were in and out in about an hour, so it met our needs. I am hoping we just had an off-night experience, but this wasn't our favorite meal while visiting Portland. 3.5 stars

Our favorite meal of our weekend! We stopped in for a late afternoon lunch so we didn't wait long…read moreat all. You order at the counter and then they bring out your food as it's ready. We ordered a chicken skewer, a spicy lamb skewer, the grilled bread (must have), Greek fries, and tzatziki. Oh my word. Every bite was delicious I would have loved to try the hummus - and honestly everything else in the menu - including the amazing soft serve - but we were keeping it lighter and had to run. Even the picked veggies on the side were fab! The restaurant had plenty of seating, and you could see the open fire where everything is grilled from the dining area. We grabbed the last outdoor table since it was a really pleasant afternoon. Highly recommend, and we'll definitely go back next time we're in PDX (we almost went back again the next day!).

Bluto's delivers on every level! bold flavors, incredible textures, and top-tier execution across…read morethe entire menu. ​Hummus (10/10): Easily the best hummus I've ever had. Ultra-creamy, perfectly seasoned, and the absolute star of the spread. ​Lamb Kabob (9.5/10): Tender, juicy, and expertly spiced. A standout savory dish that hits all the right notes with fresh herbs and smoke. ​Pistachio Tahini Soft Serve (10/10): The ideal finish to the meal. Rich, nutty, and subtly sweet with that signature sesame depth that makes it completely unique. ​Every single dish felt thoughtful, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. If you're anywhere nearby, do not skip this spot.