My wife and I have a history with the bar area of Higgins, we have always found it a warm and charming space. Revisiting it after Covid will definitely color this review a bit... That said, service was very good. Our cocktails (one was Non Alcoholic, they had a good selection of those) were well balanced and well done. Tried two specials they had and one item off the menu. Felt our meals were wonderfully prepared and delicious. Had that little bit of extra artistry and balance you'd expect from a high end and well known foodie establishment like Higgins. It is very expensive and portions are medium sized for the price. However if you hit it on a good night like we did, the food's quality lives up to the price charged. read more

Amazing steak and atmosphere. I loved the selection of beers. What a great place to share with friends.

Higgins is often left out of the hot spots. They are one of the original gangsters of french-style cooking using local organic ingredients. When I brought my girlfriend's family for vegan, they were adaptable. Their bar is also adaptable and the bar staff is epic, best in Portland. Their space is a fine meetup before nearby performance art space events. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal experience. The entire staff were on point and the appetizer, entrees and dessert were fantastic. The only reason they didn't get the 5-star rating is because our table felt as though we were part of reception and isolated. One could either feel special with the privacy or feel like you got the shaft. Ha ha Either way, we were treated very well! Would love to return, but be seated in a different location! read more

Minuscule portions and high prices. When you buy a $20 pastrami sandwich you don't expect to walk out hungry. Higgins portions are ridiculously stingy. Their $23 risotto was literally about 2/3 cup. Simple bread was $6 extra. Nothing came with the risotto. Add 20% tip, the service was very good, and you have paid an exorbitant amount for a taste. Skip Higgins. There are much better places and values in Portland. The Screen Door, Deschutes Brewery just to name a couple. read more

Had a terrific Portland Dining Month meal here a few weeks ago. Here is my review of the PDM menu: * Starter: Warm rapini with sheep's milk feta and chili bread crumbs This was my least favorite dish of the night, and the one reason I hold back from five stars. There wasn't a great flavor combination with this dish, as the bitterness of the rapini was the overwhelming flavor, suppressing any benefit from the feta or chili bread crumbs hidden. It wasn't BAD, but I also didn't get any enjoyment from this dish. One of my dining companions got the other choice, a "rustic terrine of duck liver and peppercorns with pickles and croutes" and I can say with certainty that he made the far superior choice. His portion was larger and the small sample I had of the terrine was divine. I later came to find out that Higgins' chef is big into charcuterie and even smokes his own meat in house. If I had known this I definitely would have ordered the terrine instead! * Main: Roast Morteau-style sausage with Sarladaise potatoes and a leek gratin In light of the above, it made sense why these sausages were so good. Great flavor with the perfect texture (including that delightful "snap" when taking a bite), this was a solid main course. The portion size was hearty and also included a home-made deli or stone-ground mustard in addition to the listed components. The leek gratin was hidden under the sausage and was the surprise star of the dish for me. * Dessert: Honey panna cotta with lemon shortbread and roasted seasonal fruit I haven't had too many panna cottas in my day but if I know one thing about them it's that they've gotta be able to get jiggy with it... and this one was jiggly as hell. While fun to play with, it was even more fun to eat. The super creamy panna cotta melted in the mouth and paired perfectly with the honey drizzled on top. The shortbread added some welcome texture. I could have taken or left the fruit, however, which was apple on this night and a bit leathery. Overall a great dessert. In addition to the delicious meal I appreciated the extra large beer list, full of rare and hard to find bottles, as well as the polished service. Our server, an older gentleman, was a consummate professional and ensured our evening was enjoyable. The atmosphere was old-school upscale, but without being stuffy. There seemed to be a large and casual (and popular) bar space in the back as well. In sum, this was a very nice introduction to Higgins and I'd be remiss if I didn't make a trip back again this year. read more

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I had lunch downtown for the first time in two years with a friend who is also a colleague. It was so great to see her had a lovely chat. With that said the service at Higgins is so stuffy and rude I will never eat there again. The older gentleman who seats you when you first walk in unfriendly obviously a liberal as well as the waiter I do not remember his name he was rude unfriendly and stuffy. The only reason I gave it to stars was the soup was good and conversation was great with my friend. read more

Perfect PNW faire restaurant! One of the first places to put Portland on the foodie map! read more

Coasting? I try to stay away from Higgins, having had bad meals in the past. Last night I had no choice as others selected the location. I did not expect much so I only ordered the cabbage salad (tasteless) and two choices from the charcuterie menu (both skimpy). And this coming from a guy that did not want to eat a lot as it was late. We ate in the bar. The two other people said the burger was okay, although the bun seemed stale. Their small salads were barely dressed and when additional tasteless dressing was brought to the table it did not help. One person only drinks sparkling wine and I heard afterward that it was of low quality and she said not good. Higgins must be coasting on their reputation from decades ago. read more

Excellent dinner tonight with Rockfish sauted in a creamy sauce that melted in your mouth. Heirloom tomato salad fresh and tasty. Those were some tomatoes! Basil and a creamy cheese topped it off. My dish was a Greek inspired fisherman stew packed with shellfish. Cooked just to tender stage and the soup was sweet but savory. In credible flavors. Higgins impressed us all tonight. Not too crowded either. Snappy service and great menu. We will be back read more

Higgins Restaurant - Starters and salads - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My wife and I had our Thanksgiving meal at Higgins this year, 2022. I was looking forward to it because the last time we had Thanksgiving dinner at Higgins it was absolutely superb and delicious. This year I was shocked that the food was less than mediocre. The charcuterie plate was only so-so with not very interesting items. The leek soup was thin and tasteless. The salad had brown salad leaves on it and the apples on the salad were really sour. The worst was the main course, dark turkey meat that was stringy, the potatoes tasted like they had been made with water instead of milk or cream, they were really thin and watery. The stuffing was a disgrace, huge pieces of waterlogged bread that were fairly tasteless. The turkey breast was good but it was covered with sour cranberry sauce, which I thought should have been served on the side. The desert I had was a chocolate pot de creme and I thought I would have to use a hacksaw to eat it, it was so hard instead of velvety smooth and creamy. Our server was fantastic., though. Thank you. We're going to try lunch there to give Higgins another chance because we've been faithful customers for decades and the food has always been amazing. Perhaps it's the economy and the price of everything being sky high that made the Thanksgiving dinner such a dud. I had to go home and eat a sandwich! read more

Everything we ordered here was incredible. When I returned home, I couldn't stop talking about it. The secret weapon, I think, was the tomatoes. We ordered them in nearly every dish. If I lived in Portland, this would be my go-to. read more

The food was great certainly and deserves 5 stars, but the picture of the food in the review was much better than what was on my plate unfortunately. My braised shoulder, & longaniza sausage was a bit tough but still great I can certainly appreciate the fresh flare although in my humble middle class opinion a Filet smothered in wine sauce vs leaving it simple and charging $80 seemed high. I will certainly come back next time im in Portand. read more

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4.5/5 Overall: great food and experience. I'd come back! The extended review... Food: Duck - yes yes yes. Probably one of the tastiest duck dishes I've had. Very tender and cooked to perfection. Coffee chocolate something or other - I can't remember the name of this particular dish but it was amazing!!!! Very tasty and texture was awesome. Service: friendly and attentive. Ambiance: a nice setting. Definitely more of a dress up place as opposed to casual. I definitely felt on the younger side there. read more

Higgins Restaurant - Duck - one of the best I've had!!! - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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One of the best experiences for entire trip in Portland. Platter tastes excellent and oysters are very fresh. Especially, duck is extremely good taste. All staffs are very good and nice ambiance! read more

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Higgin's has been on my list for a while and I tried it out tonight. I went to the bar for happy hour and had a very good Sauvignon Blanc. I ordered the pasta on the bartender's recommendation and it was ok, but far from great. The dessert was very good but I expected more. There are so many great restaurants in Portland that I can barely keep up with the ones I want to revisit, this definitely isn't one. read more

I had heard this was a Portland institution (over 20 years), so it seemed the ideal dinner to make last minute reservations for easter sunday. There's metered street parking alongside the restaurant and we were able to grab a spot. Upon arrival we were seated quickly. We ordered a bottle of sancerre. Read that Chef Greg Higgins is committed to using local farmers, so I opted for lighter dishes that would use local veggies and I am so glad I did. Started with a salad of spring greens, toasted hazelnuts, herb vinaigrette and added some blue cheese. Wow. FRESH and an excellent quality blue cheese. It was light, fresh and delightful. For my entree, I had the special of the evening Halibut. Just lightly grilled and served over fresh broccolini, carrots and a pesto. Again, very fresh and delicious. I should have stopped there, but decided to indulge in a little dessert; ordered the nut torte and it was wonderful. Server was friendly and attentive and we will definitely return. read more

Higgins Restaurant - Fresh Halibut - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We ordered a $23 bacon cheeseburger and received this burger without any bacon and not even enough cheese to cover the patty. Since the burger comes without lettuce, tomatoes, & pickles; you would think they would go heavy on the bacon and cheese. Thankfully it was a takeout, so we added our own ingredients. The soup we ordered was a 1/8 of the to go cup it came in containing bean and greens. Very bland ended up not finishing it. read more

Higgins Restaurant - Burger - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We went to The Higgins before a show and it was a gem! The food was delicious, fresh and quick to be served. It was very busy and we sat at the bar. Dan and Leanne the bartenders were attentive despite having to make drinks for the whole restaurant. We couldn't have had better service! The full menu is served at the bar. We will definitely go back if we are in the area. read more

The 8oz steak was amazing! Service very good. They also have some wine options. The charcuterie board was ok, there was only one cheese option but delicious! read more

It's been a minute since we ate here but Boy Howdy, what a great experience. Best salmon I've had which is saying something for this 60+ YO native. Ask for John, he is a paragon. Short walk to the theatres. Do not be afraid to come back to downtown Portland. It's as vibrant as ever. read more

Love it, great food and ambiance. Wanted to go back every time we go to shows at Portland5 but couldn't get reservations in time. People who love it here really well prepared. They just don't have enough seatings inside. Outdoor should open now when weather is good. We will try again. read more

Had a delightful lunch here with a small group of 7. Perfect service and attention to details from the staff. Many of the sandwiches were only $10.95 and I felt were a good value. I had a slice of a fancy taurine and a cup of soup. The salad options gave a very large amount of mixed greens and they looked good. Great beer selection. read more

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Everything was delicious! I had a salad, the vegetarian crepe (creamy and satisfying) and the chocolate budino for dessert (omg). The meat eaters raved about the duck trio. Service was excellent, the ambiance was warm and great for our group of 8. read more

Your third, or fourth, or maybe fifth, best option when in downtown Portland. Great atmosphere, open feel to a spacious restaurant, and excellent service. Unfortunately, the menu is less than exciting, and even the interpretations of traditional dishes are extremely lackluster. At first, I thought that Higgin's offered a diverse, often changing menu...and then I realized that they just modify their standard dishes with a couple of minor ingredients and give the dish an entirely new name. The risotto is dull, cooked a bit too 'al dente,' and in spite of the menu's description, was not chock full of seafood. I am happy to say I can make much better in my own kitchen at home. $35? No thanks. The same goes for the 'Kakavia' stew, which was really just anise and tomato flavored fish stock with tiny bits of salmon, miniscule shrimp, and a handful of clams. $46? No thanks. How about the Cocido pork stew? It turned out to be an average portion of average pulled pork, served in its own juices and pork broth with some underwhelming veggies. $48? No thanks. You're looking at $100 per person with a drink, a side dish, a shared dessert, and tip. Again, no thanks. I can't blame the waitstaff, who are extremely attentive, professional, and prompt. But the Higgin's kitchen has become, shall we say....'extremely frugal,' and what ends up on the table does not reflect the quality and reputation of Higgin's in the past, not the exorbitant price you pay. What used to be a strong 'recommend' has become a 'third...fourth...fifth best option' in the neighborhood, and no longer the destination restaurant it used to be. I could only recommend Higgin's for a dessert and coffee before or after a show, or the museum. read more

What can you say about a Portland classic that hasn't been said by dozens of other reviewers? How about this... one of my favorite experiences was when I didn't get in. This actually happens quite a bit because of their proximity to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Whenever I'm in town for a show, I think it will be a brilliant idea to grab a cocktail and quick bite here. Unfortunately, dozens of others have the exact same idea. I dined in the restaurant many years ago, but all of my recent experiences have been in the bar. And as far as I'm concerned, it is all about the bar. The happy hour, the less expensive menu, the vibe. Classic Portland dining at its best. Now about my favorite visit. My mom and I were going to a show and the bar and restaurant were both completely full. Rather than get a brusque brush off from the harried staff, one of the hosts walked outside with us and talked to us for a couple minutes about several other options in the area. A completely classy and kind move on his part. The kind of thing that makes me think as a customer, you know what, I'm definitely going to come back. So I'll let others wax poetic about the menu, the atmosphere and Higgins place as one of the cornerstones of Portland's rise as a 'foodie paradise'. My tip is to go around the corner to the bar, just get there early on show nights, and order a Maker's and ginger and bowl of soup for me. And, most importantly, treat my mom right and you're aces in my book. read more

I recently had the fortune of being taken out for a business meal at Higgins. Since I knew my host was picking up the tab, I decided to splurge on the location. I've read great reviews about Higgins and I knew it had a long tradition for being a stereotypical business lunch location, ie: white tablecloths, old white men, etc. Unfortunately, my experience at Higgins did not meet all my expectations. The service and atmosphere was as expected- our drinks were re-filled instantly and the tablecloths were very white (just as the clientele). Although most of the people there were wearing blazers, I didn't get a second look for wearing a hoodie and beanie. While waiting for everyone to arrive, we were given a plate of fresh bread to nosh on. It wasn't served with butter which I thought was odd, but there was some house branded olive oil on the table. The OO was top notch, but could have used some balsamic vinegar. I ordered the Whole Pig Plate" - Savoie style stew of smoked loin, bacon, Diot sausage, hock & ribs with cabbage, flint corn polenta and root vegetables (17.50). My gluten-free compatriot got the Risotto of crispy parsnips, leeks and aged Emmenthaler cheese (15.5) and the other two got Dungeness crab and Oregon bay shrimp cakes with fennel slaw, basmati pilaf and saffron beurre blanc (18.50) and Open-faced sandwich of house-made pastrami, grilled onions & sharp white cheddar (12.50). Of the bunch, my plate looked the most impressive, but really failed in many areas. When pointing out the different components, the waiter mixed up the pork belly and the rib. The rib and loin were both over cooked and dry. The sausage was good, but I doubt it was made in house.The pork belly was the best pork part of the dish. Beautifully smoked to perfection. However, The winner of the dish was the polenta. Crisp on the outside, moist and savory on the inside. I would have eaten an entire plate of just that. I also loved the mustard that came with it. My guess is that it was blended with horseradish like a Russian mustard, but much to my chagrin, I forgot to ask the waiter about it. The plate of crab cakes was small enough, two silver dollar cakes, that my dining partner ordered a cup of soup right away. The risotto was much the same way, good, but nothing to write home about. The reuben got the best reviews of the bunch. For the price that's being charged for these plates, I expected something much better. The food was a solid three stars (A-OK), but I'm tempted to give it two stars due to the cost. What keeps Higgins as a three to me is the atmosphere and wonderful service. They also had some very good beers on tap from some of my favorite local breweries (HotD, Upright, Cascade) and some very rare European bottles. I might come back for a happy hour, but with all the amazing fine dining places in Portland, Higgins didn't hit the mark for me. read more

Higgins Restaurant - Whole Pig - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I had the burger today for lunch and it was delicious, came with a choice of soup (lentil) or salad and I went for the salad. I arrived as they were opening at 11:30, this was my first time there and I'll certainly be returning. Excellent food and attentive staff. read more

Good mushroom potatoe curry soup Parking is a little tight, restricted hours on street parking, not free Pastrami sandwich is delicious and large open faced, with micro green salad and pickled vegetables sprinkled with hazelnuts, like something from iron chefs. The staff was polite and helpful The bar was full of baby boomers getting loud and interested in themselves. read more

My wife and I celebrated the day I became the luckiest man in Portland, OR aka our fifth wedding anniversary. We decided to eat at Higgins to mark this important occasion. I'll spare Yelp-Nation the "Higgins is the best place in Portland" narrative and get right to the food. It is perennially recognized as one of the top 10 places to eat here, just read the other reviews. We started with a rather ordinary salad and a better than ordinary pork soup...tasted like pork and beans with more "class." My partner always seems to order better dishes and on this night she ordered a fish stew that had shrimp, scallops, andouille sausage and oysters. This reminded me of Creole gumbo a bit, very tasty and I found my self nibbling lots (she gave me the scallops since she doesn't like those). I ordered a Chinook Salmon over polenta drizzled with a kind of tomato sauce and paired with grilled veggies (asparagus, string peas, green & yellow squash). The veggies were amazing especially the crisp asparagus and the perfectly prepared squash. The polenta was outstanding, but sadly (since this is the "best place in town") my salmon was slightly dry and over salted. Chinook Salmon I've ordered in other high end places was a little more moist and the consistency of a rare steak. For our anniversary we ordered an absolutely outstanding white chocolate mousse cake that you will see in the pictures. So many flavors and such attention to detail! We forgot the mousse and they were able to have a half-sized version of the treat so that my sweetie could enjoy it the next day. Great server with the kind of attention you expect from a place like this, good food (some things excellent) albeit overpriced....but hey it was our fifth wedding anniversary and why not splurge a bit! read more

Higgins Restaurant - Chinook Salmon over polenta with grilled veggies (asparagus, string peas, yellow squash, green squash). - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Higgins has been an institution in Portland. When you enter, you are welcomed with a very friendly staff. One thing, reservations are a must. Great ambiance with candlelight at every table. The restaurant has been around since 1989. The belief of local, sustainable and organic practices are along my same school of thought. Healthy eating and just good food makes for a happy and healthy body. My husband, Mark and I decided to go and participate in Portland dining month. It was a great menu, but ended up with our old favorites. He had the Cascade natural beef steak and I ordered the Magret & Confit of duck. They were both fabulous. I love duck and in my opinion this is still the best in Portland. The flavors are spot on with the right amount of sweet and savory. The steak was also tender and cooked perfectly. The table next to us all ordered hamburgers. These burgers looked amazing. Going to have to come back to try the burger. Great wine and drink selection as well. It is still one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. read more

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The taste of the duck will haunt me. My best friend love of my life and I went during a trip down to Portland. We'd decided to try a few things that we have never had before, duck and risotto. So we narrowed down a few places and chose this. We had the wild mushroom bruchetta to start, the garlic beans were wonderfully creamy and a great contrast to the vinaigrette on the salad. I ordered the mushroom risotto. Beautifully creamy and the olive oil fried root vegetables added a much needed crunch. My BFF got the duck. We shared plates so I had some as well. The duck is what I'm dreaming about. The skin was crispy, the cherry compote provided a great tart note and it all wrapped up with the garlicky german egg noodles. Each complemented another beautifully and the rainbow chard absorbed all the flavor in the sauce below. My only complaint is the butcher paper makes me wish crayons were available at the table. read more

Higgins Restaurant - mushroom risotto - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Everything was good and delicious! The only issue was that our Server didn't mention the price of their specials. After receiving the bill, I noticed that the salmon plate was $50 ( there was not such a price for any other entree in the menu) But in general enjoyed the dinner and our Server, John was very nice! read more

Described as "French American" cuisine, this restaurant is a great spot for a finer dining experience out in Portland - either as a group or on a date. The restaurant was more group oriented with it being mostly parties of 4 to 8. Thanks to the community for the food recommendations. Our group started with orders of the charcuterie board and the mussels. The charcuterie was very good - a mix of smaller cuts of salamis, sausages, and pattes. The pork shoulder was excellent on the board, my favourite. There were no cheeses and only a small serving of crackers. The mussels were outstanding. Plump but not "shellfishy" in taste as the mussels are cooked in a way that they really picked up on the flavour and aroma of the garlic broth. So good - I ordered a first order just for myself (I only had one out of the share plate). For the main course, I went with the Duck Confit - which was perhaps the best duck I have ever had. The leg was most and almost melt in my mouth as it fell off the bone as I cut into it. The breast was juicy, flavourful, and savory. Really enjoyed it. The polenta was crunchy and crisp on the outside, and well seasoned. The peaches were a nice complementary addition to round out the plate. To drink, if you like Moscow Mules - try the Belgium Mule. It's like a fruiter Moscow Mule, and the lemon zing really comes through. Excellent service - wait staff was friendly and shared in some humorous banter with our group. read more

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So looking at the other reviews which mostly seem pretty good if not great I guess I just must be missing something here. We were in town working and had an early dinner here on a week night. The place is cozy though seems nothing has been updated since the mid 1990's. Wait staff was kind, attentive and certainly had a good working knowledge of menu. We had reservations for dinning room but opted for a table in bar area which was extremely loud but we chose the bar so that was on us. My real disappointment was the food, we split a salad which was fine, my partner had the risotto which she said was ok at best, basically just arborio rice with microscopic shrimp though the online menu said it was full of local crab. I had a $52 salmon dish that by my waiters description sounded amazing, so I decided why not pay $52 if it was going to be that good. Honestly when it came out it seemed devoid of anything he described and was just simple and really had nothing to justify the high price. I'm perfectly fine paying a little more for food that's had extra effort put into it but in this case I truly didn't see it, I may be in the minority here but this place seems like it may have been great at one point but it certainly wasn't on our visit. We did have a nice amuse bouche that showed up at the table which was in retrospect the best part of the dinner. To conclude the other reviews are good so maybe it was a bad night or we ordered the wrong items but I feel I should have gone here in 2003 and not 2023. read more

Limited menu, but the food offerings are beyond delicious! Such amazing flavor combos! Really enjoyed the creative flavors. We can't wait to come back and try something new on the menu! read more

Total pros. I came in with no reservation before a show at the schnitzer. They got us a 2-top and said they needed it back by 6:30. We had a lovely round of appetizers and were halfway through our entree when our time ran out. They had reserved us a table in the bar, servers appeared out of nowhere and took all our plates and wine so we could seemlessly move to the bar. We finished our meal and with a new server had dessert and Spanish coffees. The restaurant and bar were packed and there wasn't a hiccup in service once. I'm a bar manager at a more casual place and I came to work today and told my staff to go to Higgins if they want to see how the professionals do service. Higgins people, if you monitor your reviews, thank you so much for giving my wife and I the best dining experience we've had in years! read more

This was such a disappointing experience. I ordered the duck- was served basically cold as the restaurant was very busy and it took ages for the food to arrive. Please stick with the always amazing restaurants that never disappoint- le pigeon, canard, lechon read more

The wife and I stopped in for Portland dining month, pre-pandemic of course. It was my first time trying this Portland institution And I was not disappointed. The interior is classic old Portland wood paneling high ceiling and funky lighting. Not much to mention here. We thought we might get snooty service because we were Portland dining month people and ordered that meal but our server was perfect. He was jovial, not to familiar or servile. Welcoming. Professional. Just really really good. He helped make us feel great just to be there. The food was very good as well. We had the two different entrees. We look forward to coming back and getting the full dining experience! read more

I paid $79 for 2 people plus tip at LUNCH in Portland,OR. The Pate was cold as ice and hard. Never should be served this way. My salad was so dry and almost no dressing. The dessert was the best thing but $13,wow expensive! No free bread have to pay $5,wow! They nickel and dime you to death. I am not sure how this place stays open. I saw some fancy business guys eating there,they must not have any taste buds on their tongues.I went there because the club I am a member of across the street was closed that day for dining. My pastrami sandwich was scoggy and $19,insane. Please tell that tall waiter to wear a undershirt,he had chest hairs all up his neck.I remember now why I have not been to Higgins in over 10 years. read more