Wonderful quaint atmosphere. Very busy with people standing at the door waiting for a table. Wait staff were all fabulous- friendly and efficient. Food took awhile to arrive but that's because the kitchen is small. Frankly, it was well worth the wait. Everyone in our party had something different and was pleased with it. Drinks were poured well. Large variety of Belgian beers available. There is a bar & restaurant side. Will go back. I don't say that often read more

Wow for the awesomely perfect Old- Portland vibe! Wow for the fabulous seasonal menu! Extra wow for the servers who memorize all of it AND have to survive the mask while reciting it over and over and over! Food was amazing!! Table presence: chef's kiss!! Shout out to Dr Mila Ioussifova, OD at South Waterfront Eye Care for helping me find a great restaurant for our meeting! read more

Amazing local restaurant. Great service and very high quality food. I had a salmon dish that was out of this world. Great stop.

Disappointing. Service was excellent and I love the atmosphere. Great lighting with elegant homey feel. Mushroom bruschetta was the best thing we ate there. Meal wasn't bad by any means but for price expected better and more creative food. Had steak at market price. Never seen that before with beef. Cipollini onion was crunchy and dish was lacking acid or seasoning. Again nothing terrible just underwhelming. I prob won't go back for dinner but I'd be up for trying lunch or happy hour for the atmosphere alone. Desserts were tiny and overpriced at $12 each. Salads and apps seemed overly pricy as well. read more

Our first dinner in Oregon was by far the best. Really enjoyed Higgins -- the food, the service, the atmosphere and the location were all excellent. We shared salads and had the Greek fish stew and salmon. Excellent all the way around, and the wine list was extensive (enjoyed the Brick House Chardonnay). We'll definitely be back. read more

This is a Portland Institution. We were lucky enough to get a table on a recent and very short visit to Portland. It's old school all the way. Real waiters who know their stuff. With a clubby feel, the space is dark, quiet and comfortable without being overly elegant or fussy. There's plenty of trend dining to be had in Portland and if that's what you are looking for - this ain't it. A thoughtful, French forward wine list is at your beck and call. The seared albacore tuna which is locally sourced was spectacular. We had a lovely meal. read more

Stared at the bar with a local brew - got the proper water service pronto - ok - so classy / intelligent / proper kind of place. Nice. transferred to table service very smoothly - sweet! Bijou Cocktail - AWESOME!!!Tres yumm!! A little worried about burger recommendation cause I have amazing high standards from place back home - no worries! Amazing flavor - A+ superb! Wine by the glass selection very nice! Indulged in Cheese and fruit board for dessert - huge! And soooo good. i try to avoid it - on principle' but I think I need to come back in this same week! Wow - a little surprised! Yes! i highly recommend! - do the fruit and cheese board with a nice red! love! read more

It actually saddens me to write this review. I hadn't been to Higgins in over a decade. Since we were attending a performance at The Newmark Theater we decided to have dinner beforehand. The food was impeccable as always. The service was abysmal. We were seated at the bar. The bartender spilled my entire water glass all over the bar and me. We asked for a bag of ice for my friend who had injured his shoulder from two different bartenders and it never came nor any explanation of why they couldn't get one. This unapologetic and apathetic attitude was the theme of the night there. The bill came and I was actually surprised that they didn't even comp one glass of wine, which is usually par for the course when a waiter spills on you. I only tipped 10%, far beneath my usual generosity. Maybe he will get the message that his service was really reprehensible in a city of renowned restaurants. read more

We have been coming here for 30 years on special occasions for all the good reasons stated in other reviews. Lately we have been going to the bar for its menu, and it has been wonderful. Last night we took on traffic in 30 degree weather and dragged reluctant friends from Beaverton who had never been to or heard of Higgins. We told them it had a comfortable atmosphere and had started the local food scene in Portland. There was a mixup in the reservation-we understood we made it for the bar, but were told after we arrived that could only happen on a Saturday. There was a least a half hour wait. (This was a Tuesday. Our original reservation was for a Saturday and then changed.) Waiter brought us to manager, who repeated the bar-reservation policy to us in a firm tone and left it at that. Bar menu is not available in restaurant. I understand why. I suggested a table in restaurant to order drinks while waiting for table in bar. Manager agreed; showed us to table next to door. Began clearing plates from table. I said we might want to order appetizer while waiting, could we do that? Manager said, "So are you going to order food or aren't you?" I said we are flummoxed as well as you, and need time to decide. Manager said nothing but put plates back. Waitress came, very nice. After a time and some orders, we asked specifically what each of us could and could further order in restaurant that partially shared bar menu. Waitress checked with manager, came back nervous, outlined list of conditions that were more precise than our intentions. We expressed willingness to move, then reached accommodation. She remained nervous for rest of evening. Left sizeable tip for waitress. Thanked manager on way out for accommodating us, received no response. Will try Higgins one more time. read more

Great spicy crabs good prices visit this summer for a good summer meal see you there yum

Great experience, I particularly enjoyed: (1) the fantastic service--extremely knowledgeable and patient wait staff; our waiter answered every question we had re wine and menu, and (2) some of the freshest mussels I have ever had. The decors are a bit dated, but this is merely a matter of opinion. The menu, however, was limited in selections. None of the entrees really looked appealing, until the waiter informed me of their seasonal selections. From the seasonal menu, I went with the hanger steak. I would recommend Higgins. read more

Fresh enough but whatever I had didn't agree with my palate. Decor was a bit old fashioned but not quite enough to be classy.. Tuna salad would've been better with raw or seared tuna, fully cooked wasn't quite my style. Mussels were done in a more citrus-y sauce than I'm used to. Quite good but hid a little bit more of the flavor than I was hoping for, and while I normally enjoy soaking up the broth after, this was a bit too strong to do that. I had heard rave reviews about the duck but it wasn't on the lunch menu I was offered, might have to come back again? read more

It's only taken me over a year to get to this spot and I'm only two blocks away! From what locals have told me this place IS the place. From what I can come away with is a very interesting menu with hopefully something for everybody which sometimes is not the case. I settled for a burger medium with white cheddar cheese. What arrived was on a brioche bun, properly cooked AND was 100% BEEF!!!! YEAH! For some god awful reason some restaurants do a pork/beef or veal/beef mix for burgers! Wrong, wrong,wrong!!! Let me bring you to Texas so they can shoot you! NEVER mix!!! Higgins supplies you with a spicy and smooth french mustard and some type of ketchup which passes the mustard lol! A bottle of Heinz would not kill any restaurant ok?? Ketchup is varied much like olive oil, mustard, hairspray etc, you get the picture... Great burger at the bar for lunch in a quitter setting, For the beer drinkers they have around 7 different tap pulls. $25 two ice teas and a burger, worth it, this IS the place read more

We just love this place. Staff are excellent and kind. They always have good things to offer. Last week we went for happy hour. The HH two wines both white and red were excellent. The terrine of beef and pistachio was outstanding. We also enjoyed a salad of beets with herbs and some figs and chèvre cheeses.. read more

Honestly, not very impressed. The prices are outrageous for the food that you receive. I ordered the sandwich and soup special for lunch. The ham in the sandwich was so salty I thought I was eating pastrami, the foccacia bread was soggy and limp. The soup was okay, a Hungarian mushroom soup, however it should have been described as a vegetable soup as I saw no mushrooms. Two bread plates on our table were covered in a grey dirt/soot. The menu itself does not offer a wide variety of options. I almost ordered the burger, until I saw the price tag, $16! Save your money and go to another restaurant. read more

I love fish. I love Portland. So Higgins should have been a no-brainer. Yet the salmon was forgettable as was the appetizer. I had to ask for an acid to accompany the oysters on the half shell. I will say that the desserts were very good - and the Pinot Noir, which I ordered for my friends as a part of a big group but that the waiter shared with everyone, was excellent. read more

Higgins is actually two distinctly different restaurants sharing one kitchen all under the same roof. Confused? Let me explain. There are two formal dining rooms in the front of the building - which are quiet, refined, expensive and, as a rule, require reservations. The menu changes daily and the food, cost and service is serious. This is the Higgins most people think of when considering a 'destination' dining experience. They're open for lunch and dinner and you will not be disappointed. The menu is composed of locally sourced ingredients and has a decidedly northwest flavor. The service is professional and friendly and dinner for two is about $150 with wine/tip. In the back, with it's own entrance, is the 'tap room' - which is a large bar with booths and tables. You don't need reservations - and can actually seat yourself. This is the 'bar' for the restaurant too. The menu here is more accessible and the food - while good and reliable - is less ambitious. I'd say the tap room burger is probably the leanest and best I've had in Portland. They have a great selection of local micro-brews along with some esoteric imported beers. I've always thought that the tap room is good for a low key first date, and the front - to celebrate an engagement, anniversary or birthday. Regardless of your choice or budget, you'll leave well fed, happy and set to return. read more

OK, so this review will have a follow up at some point. I came here for a "happy hour" date. I fell in love with the atmosphere of the bar area. Very active, busy but not too loud, excellent service from Kennedy my server, and a great glass of wine for $5.00. The menu looked delicious, and I decided in 2.4 seconds that I would definitely be back to eat, just from the food choices and the price tag. This place definitely has a great date vibe, and I will be back for a full dinner and happy hour again. Oh,,,and that date??? That was also a plus. He wasn't wearing skinny jeans, no tattoos or piercings in sight, had recently showered, and was totally charming. Its about time!! read more

Upon recommendation from a coworker (who's family member is a cook at Higgins), I made reservations for a party of 2 at 8 pm. We arrived at 8 pm...waited 30 minutes and never got seated. At this point we decided to leave. Yes, we were given the option to wait at the bar. But what's the point of making a reservation? If you take the time to make a dinner reservation you obviously value your time and have plans, right? I'd much rather dine somewhere similar like meriweather's or wildwood where making reservations and being seated within an acceptable time frame has never been an issue. #endrant read more

I Love that Higgins supports sustainable farming practices and offers local, organic foods. Good on them! But... after four visits, I've yet to be impressed. I've tried both the bar and dining room, twice each. I guess I'm happy to pay the prices for organic food, but all four times, without going into a lot of detail, the flavor, service, and ambiance didn't match the costly bill. Anyway, that's my two-cents (all I had left after dinner)... read more

I went to Higgins Restaurant with a group for Portland Dining Month. Half chose to partake in the pre fixe menu while the other half (including myself) chose to order off the normal dinner menu. I opted for the lamb ragu and was not disappointed. The serving was pretty large and made for a good lunch the next day. I particularly enjoyed my dessert - a hazelnut semifreddo. The service was attentive and food was good. 4 stars. read more

LOVED this place. We came here for dinner on our first night in Portland, and I really wish we'd saved it for last, since it demolished all of our other dining experiences while there... Our waiter rocked. I'm not too familiar with Oregon wines, but I wanted to get something local, so I asked him to help us pick an Oregon pinot noir for about $50 or under. His recommendation was $38, which I think may have been the least expensive pinot noir on the list, and it was amaaaazing. So he gets major props for that. I started off with an heirloom tomato and burrata salad, which was so good that I hardly stopped to breathe while scarfing it down. We each got one of the daily offerings for our entrees, panko-crusted cod with polenta and some kind of green sauce for me, and I think halibut for my mom, and both were great. Finally, we split the spice cake for dessert, and while I usually object on principle to non-chocolate desserts, I do believe this was my favorite dessert of the entire trip (and believe me, I had some to choose from). I would make a point to come back here anytime I'm in Portland. Highly recommended. read more

Since we got there before 5pm, we were seated in the bar room and offered the bistro menu. At first I feared for the quality of the bistro menu food, but all my worries ended up being pointless, because the food were amazing! Doh, they don't have the most recently menu online :( And I didn't make an effort to remember the exactly names and ingredients, bummer! We shared the butternut squash + ginger soup, perfect for a cold night! A mussel dish, I believe cider played a role in it ;) The mussels were some of the best I've had (the very very best one I've had was from NZ still ) very juicy and simply lovely! The Oregon bay shrimp salad was neat as well, these little shrimps were tender and fresh, and the asian-influenced sauce with hot pepper gave it an interesting twist ... Dessert of the day was amazing as well, pear spice cake with roasted quince(?) plus chantilly cream, a fantastic creation! we were thoroughly surprised and impressed by Higgins and I am reserving the missing star for the restaurant side, hopefully we will have a chance to try it in the near future :) Btw, our waitress was amazing! Her name is Theresa :P Beautiful, friendly, patient and smiley! read more

This review isn't going to be fair...but hey, what reviews are when you usually have a sample size of 1 to base your decision on. I found Higgins because of my fellow Yelpers and the website was definitely speaking my language; French-based, local ingredients, mindful preparation etc. It was also my excuse to check out downtown Portland on a business trip.So...first the good stuff. I was actually worried about parking because of what I saw on Google maps, but this turned out to be a non-issue. Traffic was pretty light and I ended up getting a VIP spot right next to the front door. **Note to non-natives. The street metered parking ends at 7pm. After that you can find a spot and its free. The restaurant is tastefully appointed and the serving staff were polite, warm and engaging. I was about 20min early (see my note about parking concerns above) and they were more than accommodating. Upon sitting the waitress gave a couple of superb local wine recommendations. With the starter I got the Zivo Pinot. It was quite a bit fruitier than most Pinot's I've had but was still excellent. For starters I got the house-made charcuterie platter. It was exceptional. There were at least 12 different cured meats (ranging from saussie d'alsace to mortadella) and house made pickles. Each one was a little bit of amazing; especially the spicy pickles. They were almost a weird combo of bread and butter and spicy dill. Amazing. I got the line-caught Chinook salmon with rice cake and plum sauce special for an entree. Unfortunately, I really didn't like it. The only reason the review is what it is, is that I don't think it was cooked poorly, I just think the style wasn't really mine. The salmon was strong flavored and delicious, but the plum sauce was a bit too acidic and rice cake too dense. All in all though, that starter more than made up for the entree. I'd definitely check this place out again if I'm back in town. read more

Let's play Duck Duck Goose at Higgins! Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck.... You want goose? Tough shit...you're on your own. I'm keeping all the duck to myself. It is duckalicious. Ducktastic, even. Plus, the last time I was there, an $80 bottle of beer may have been ordered. Turns out that rarefied Belgian beer goes very well with duck. Along with their service and atmosphere, Higgins' menu is well known as top notch. You may order from it freely. I'll be having the duck. read more

Now Higgins does something special that other restaurants try to do but only Higgins truly succeeds at because it's their mission. They do locavore like nobody's business! The food is kick-ass, from the coast razor clams to the naturally raised Oregon beef and pork, there's nothing on the menu that won't challenge your little taste buds. The food is truly tops in the city. You really can't beat it. The wine selection is broad but refined with very reasonably priced but well-culled options. Nothing will disappoint no matter what the budget allows. Their tasteful selection of Oregon wines bypasses the usual Pinots and hunts down the truly different Oregon varietals like the Shea Pinot. Great vineyard that has always sold grapes to others and now has their own bottle. Stunning wine with marginal mark-up. Deal. Higgins goes out of their way to create the "Oregon food" experience. Now that means they are not going to have lobster or something else that has to be flown in from BFE. They make due with what is around, in season and truly popping right now. They don't compromise their menu to accommodate what is in vogue. They just dish up the best of the true NW experience. Now I know the NW cuisine is probably overdone but these guys invented it and rock it until 3 in the morning! Figuratively. These guys make there own cured meats, and not one or two, but like a dozen different types! Handmade and cured comes with a price and it's not even that much. And I didn't even mention the waitstaff, which is par excellence! True waiters who are there to serve. They keep your water glass filled and you wine glass at proper mast. Not too much and not too little. While other places are compromising because of "difficult times", Higgins stays the course in offering up imaginative, local, conscious cuisine done for the local palette. Now I wish they were giving it away but I'll keep coming back even though I have to pay for it. Go get some! read more

After 3 visits I feel confident that Higgins is a 3 1/2 star eatery. If the standard for a 4 star is Gruner, Little Bird, Clyde Common, etc, then Higgins falls just a tad short. That being said, if you are a 3 times a year diner at a higher end restaurant Higgins will delight you. It may be a tad pricey and pretentious for what it is, but I'd certainly recommend it to most. For the more advanced pallet, you will find the execution of technique lacking. The Risotto was soupy, a little overcooked and the amount of mushrooms, scant. The broth for the mussels however is lovely. Prepare for a little bit of sticker shock at the pricing of the entrees. I've paid similar pricing at some of the very best 5 star restaurants. All in all if you are looking for a total experience to take a boss, a lead or a date, the parts here are greater than the whole and you will score. It's sort of a magic trick really. Oh, try the desert wine..it's wonderful! Very good? Yes indeed. Great? No read more

Our waiter (Kevin I think) was one of the best waiters I've ever had. I was very impressed. They have a good selection of wine and a huge beer selection. They even have Lindeman's Framoboise on tap. The bread was awesome and so was the olive oil. We even bought some of the olive oil to take home because it was so good. Our appetizer was a special.. pear/procuitto. It was great. Our meals were really good, but not amazing. I had the pasta with pesto. It just tasted like it was missing something. Maybe cheese. I usually don't add salt to things, but I did here and it helped a bit. Nothing on the dessert menu excited us, so we skipped it. I'd definitely go back. read more

This attractive restaurant has dining areas on three levels, all with a view of the busy open kitchen. The wood panelling, crisp white linens, and subtle lighting give it a formal air, but it's more casual and relaxed than the decor suggests. The menu, which changes with the seasons, focuses on American favorites enhanced with both local and international flavors. Roast loin of pork with leeks, served with cheddar-green onion spoonbread, and braised greens, was so tender no knife was needed, and a risotto of asparagus and oyster mushrooms was tangy from the addition of a sharp blue cheese. Both had been highly recommended by the friendly and attentive waiter, and we were happy we heeded his advice. Portions were surprisingly healthy and left us no room for dessert, but the coffee was terrific. read more

Higgins Restaurant - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Chez Panisse in Portland? All of the food, none of the fuss. great wine list, superb, understated service, and a Ore-Med menu that just won't stop. We'd go here every week if it weren't for the 700 mile drive details, details read more

Walked in on a rainy night for our anniversary dinner, a few minutes ahead of our reservation. They wished us a happy anniversary as they took our coats and umbrellas, and guided us to our table in a quiet corner of the restaurant. The food was wonderful, especially the unexpectedly delicious appetizer of roasted figs with blue cheese and salami with red wine reduction. Great wine selection. Definitely will be back next time we're in Portland! read more

I'm sure I don't have anything new to say about Higgins. I took some family there and sat in the bar. Asked the waiter to bring me a Belgian Trapist ale that I have not tried before every time my glass seemed empty, he didn't disappoint. Heard they had the best burger in town, and I agree. It was everything I wanted it to be. It was spendy, but good food, service, and selection usually is. read more

As Elite Yelper john b. reported, the esteemed Higgins Restaurant has a bar that offers food service from the same great chefs on a limited-menu basis. There is a separate entrance to the bar on Main Street. If you are not up for a prestige meal, why not opt for a more casual ambiance and forego the pricey dining room? The trick is to avoid the happy hour crush from the many office buildings nearby. We arrived about 4:00 p.m. on a Thursday ready to sample some of the huge beer list. Their website mentioned that they employ a beer steward and listed his current offerings. It took a while to page through it and we drooled when we came to the Belgian part. There are several varied beers on tap and we tried a raspberry ale that was recommended. Incredible flavor! We also tried one of the Belgian ales that had caught our eye from the list. Those Belgians must have studied under master French winemakers to learn how to incorporate such complex flavors! The food menu has more simple and casual items than the main restaurant, perfectly fine for a casual diner interested in basic fare. The burger is one of the best I've ever eaten. Sometimes ground sirloin, although flavorful, can be a bit dry and firm. The texture was mouth-watering-ly moist. The taste was enhanced with some ingredients that really brought out the best in the meaty flavors. Can anyone guess what they put in it? I've been trying to figure it out. The potato side dish was oven-roasted sliced baby fingerling potatoes that were crunchy on the surface and creamy inside. You can tell the skill of the chef since the flavor of the olive oil and seasonings were perfectly balanced, respecting the natural flavors of the ingredient. The focaccia was a bit disappointing to me since it didn't have the texture of a classic focaccia. My companion liked it but I would have preferred a firmer and chewier texture more typical of an artisan bread. It had herbs and julienned vegetables on top, much like a thick, soft pizza; cheese was optional. The salad with fresh greens, toasted filberts and blue cheese was delicious in a lemony vinaigrette. I definitely want to return to try more of the items those around us were devouring with relish. The service was great and people-watching just as great. It was a happy atmosphere in a dignified environment with top-notch drinks and food. What more could you want for a casual early or late dinner? read more

What is it with Chicagoans? Did anyone else notice that they are the only ones who dissed HIGGINS, for Chrissakes? JESUS MOTHER MARY OF JOSEPH! Or something like that, it's been umpteen years since Catholic school. I mean GREG HIGGINS! Winner of the JAMES BEARD AWARD! Who in CHICAAAAAAGO has won the Beard? Hmmmm? Oh, what, can't think of anyone? I've been to SHYTOWN, and your whole city SUCKS! Harder than a freakin' $450 DYSON! So there! Oh yeah, and Higgins is the slam dunk best birthday/anniversary/impress the crap outta your date restaurant in PDXland, the only place that can compete is right down Broadway at the Heathman, which is where I go if Higgins is too busy for my never-made-a-reservation-in-my-life lazy ass. And the Belgians! OH MY! And GREAT, CHEAP Pinot! OH MY! Sockeye Seviche! Cioppino! Panchetta wrapped jumbo shrimp (Oh God I love that oxymoron)! Seafood! Meat! all AWESOME! So stuff that in your CRAPPY STUFFED PIE HOLE, SHYTOWNERS! P.S. If you ordered risotto at HIGGINS you are a freakin' dork anyway, this place is about LOCAL MEAT & SEAFOOD! read more

You learn a lot about a person by eating an upscale meal with them. We walked from our hotel downtown to the restaurant. We thought it would take 30 minutes to get there. It took 9. So, we were early. We went to the bar and ordered drinks. There was a couple sitting next to us which weren't speaking to each other, which we found to be very odd. We had a lively discussion about whether the restaurant would come to the bar to get us for our table or forget about it. I think they forgot about us. At the time of our reservation, my friend finally went to the host to get us a seat. We finally got a seat and I won the argument that this was a nice enough restaurant so that you don't have to pay for your bar drink separately, but instead they transfer it to your table. We ordered dessert first, which was a quite tasty cheese plate. There was also really good bread and olive oil. They get their olive oil from some special place in Spain and you can buy it from the restaurant. We also got the risotto, which was good, but I wasn't exactly sure what the vegetables in it were. Either way, I couldn't finish - too full. After two beers, one glass of wine, a cheese plate and the risotto, our meal came to $56 not including tip. Definitely a nice evening out. read more

Best food in Portland, period. Higgins impresses with fresh, sustainable, locally farmed, free range, grain fed and organic deliciousness. If you're a vegetarian, there are always options on the menu that will blow your mind. You will enjoy your dinner for hours - savoring every last bite, the company and ambiance. There is only one warning and it is very dire: whatever you do, ensure you save room for their decadent desserts. Maybe it's their bay leaf ice cream, molten chocolate cake, lemon sorbet, maple cookies or just the amazing caramel sauce... Thank you Higgins for showing me how food should be devoured! read more

It was a pleasure chatting with Mike the bartender about the Big Island of Hawaii. Went for the mussels after seeing some great pics on yelp. I was not disappointed. And their blackberry upside down cake was amazing! Mmmmm. read more

OK, this one was also on the boss. It was a lunchtime meal so no imbibing was involved. Perhaps that was part of the problem? I opted for the fish special o' the day - ahi tuna with roasted beets and some kind of flavored couscous I've since blocked from memory. It was OK. The roasted beets were great and the couscous was better than anything I've ever made, but still... I should've gone for the pesto pasta. Two tablemates got the "whole pig" which was not as offensive to this mostly-vegetarian as it could've been. (But I still wasn't really looking at their plates, or listening to the descriptions of all the "parts" either.) The vegetarian risotto ranked "OK" and the Salad Nicoise ranked "still hungry need more bread that was not enough for a meal and why did I only get half a hard boiled egg with that, exactly?". Not a very vegetarian-friendly place, also not so easy on the wallet... I don't think I'll go back unless it's another free meal. read more

I was told the only available reservation for New Year's Eve would be in the bar. When I expressed concern about the noise level, they said we could be seated in a back corner. Instead we were given a tiny table very close to an entrance door. At one point there was a large group of people waiting in the area, and we had people standing within six inches of our table. Every time the door opened we got a blast of cold air. The worst part was that there was an empty booth just a few feet away the entire time we were there. We were told we couldn't move there, because the booth was for four people. Almost as bad was the food. I'm an adventurous eater, but the only thing on the menu that appealed to me was the Oysters Newport. Unfortunately it was so salty that this I who love salt couldn't eat it. The waitress relayed that the chef had said the oyster shells were sometimes very salty. (Couldn't they have been rinsed off?) She also said no one else had complained. (Did she mean there was something wrong with me? Not good serving etiquette.) My husband ordered the rigatoni with Italian sausage and broccoli. The rigatoni was very chewy (underdone, not al dente), and the broccoli was barely cooked at all. The waitress did try hard to find something on the menu that would please me, and I settled for pan-fried oysters which were acceptable but not very interesting. She did comp my meal. Between the noise, the blasts of cold air, the lack of concern for our comfort, and the awful food, we couldn't wait to get out of there. My husband asked to take half of his meal with him, but we got tired of waiting. It was our 40th wedding anniversary, and we were both very disappointed. read more

When we first arrived, I thought that perhaps we were under dressed. However, sticking with Portland's traditions, patron dress was all over the map and we fit right in. We had reservations, but arrived a bit early, though they had no problem seating us right away. The service at this place was impeccable, and they had an extensive off menu special offering. We were planning to go out afterwards, so we opted for wine by the glass vs. going for a bottle. As an appetizer, we went with the mussels, which were quite good. The portion was light, but they were served in a nice lemon garlic broth, which went well with the bread. For my main entree, I ordered the tenderloin and pork sausage plate, while my buddy ordered the stuffed sole. My plate was tasty, but a bit underwhelming. The tenderloin cut was definitely not a choice cut, and was a bit overcooked. The pork sausage was nice, and the veggie plate was interesting (I still am not sure what the main starchy item was, and forgot to ask..), so overall it was decent. My friend also seemed to like his plate. We cleaned off our plates, and looked at the dessert menu, but I was trying to save some room for the rest of the night, so we passed. Definitely not a bad spot, though for me, I'd try something new rather than go back anytime soon (unless you're buying) :). read more