The server Dave was incredible, the food was incredible! I am blown away! I wish I could tip the…read morebiggest tip ever!

You had me at BBQ…read more Everything was awesome Service attentive Love the booths We will be back

Came here with my husband on our last night visiting Portland. Bacari was our server and he was…read morevery friendly and kind. Made us feel at ease immediately. We came on Thursday night so there was live jazz which was incredible. Let's get into the Food, (everything came out fast! ) Nokoss wings: Whatever sauce is on top is addicting! Very aromatic and very flavorful, enjoyed it a lot, will be thinking about these wings for a while. Goat stew and jollof and plantains: note, I am Nigerian so (I am biased lol) my expectations were very high. The Goat was tender, plantains very perfect, and stew on the sweeter side. Jollof wars out of mind, i appreciated the simplicity of the rice and stew. Poulet Braisse: 1000/10, seasoned, tender, filling. Definitely would order 100x again. We do not have this in Nigeria and I'm very jealous. Overall, as a fellow West African, I was really proud to see an African restaurant not only doing really well but being a pillar of the community. I saw they host a bunch of events from Jazz to poetry nights and etc. Well done to the lead chef and management, keep making Africa proud

Everyone there is so nice and helpful. The atmosphere is pretty chill, not too much noise, and…read more tables aren't squished together. They have a bunch of live plants, which are beautiful, and paired with cute hanging lights, like you're out on a patio. The food was amazing! My first time here, I hadn't eaten West African food before, and the flavors and spices were so nice. I also recommend the fufu. It's like a "bread" that you dip in the sauce. Very filling, and I took some of my meal home. My family also really enjoyed their meals. We all loved trying something new, and a lot of people had positive reviews of it. You can find parking on the street or there's a lot to the left of the restaurant just across the street. Side note, if you're wanting to go on Juneteenth, make a reservation! It fills up quickly.

What a sweet quaint little restaurant. My daughter and I went there yesterday for Mother's Day. It…read morewas a beautiful day and while they have outdoor seating we elected to eat inside. Reviewing the menu, there were lots of yummy things to choose from but ultimately we both could not resist the Lamb shank. I'm sad I didn't take a picture of it. It was so tender and delicious. It came with perfect Basmati rice and a side of eggplant stew that was exquisite! I've never had eggplant stew and it was luscious. I dream to about it all night long. It was quiet, comfortable, music was great; songs we all know but with native instruments and flare. We had house red wine - not a big selection of alcohol, which is fine the food is and should be the star. Our sever (Sorry my old lady brain forgot his name) but the good looking bald guy(LOL) was nice and personable. It was such a great low key dining experience that just made the day even better. I highly recommend this cute place and we will be back- there are a lot more wonderful food to try!

I guess I've been sleeping on Iraqi food because this place blew me away! Just a delicious meal…read morefrom start to finish. From the soup to the baklava to the Arabic coffee, this place is just flavor heaven. Bonus points for the great service complete with "boss" and "queen" honorifics, and you have a perfect meal!

This place is located inside the food truck court. We walked here when we couldn't decide what to…read moreeat for dinner and figured we would have options at this spot. Once there, I wanted a falafel and there are a few spots that offer falafels at this location. Small Pharoah's looked good so I gave it a try. So glad I did! I initially wanted the falafel wrap but the gentleman working persuaded me to get the falafel gyro instead. Honestly it was so loud with the live band that I couldn't quite hear why he suggested that falafel option but again, I am glad I listened to him! I did have to wait over 15 minutes for my order but I didn't really mind and again, totally worth the wait. The falafel itself was tasty and flavorful and not dry at all and it was loaded with lettuce, pickles, and topped w feta cheese. I was very impressed with the taste and devoured my meal quickly. Also - it was only $9 so just another good reason to eat here.

Worst gyro I've ever had. Call their menu board shows the shaved slices but what they give you is…read morechopped and it has pickled vegetables and it was also not stated or pictured on the menu. I asked for a Suzuki sauce and they gave me some sort of garlic sauce that taste like ranch dressing

BEST MEAL IN PORTLAND!!!!!…read more Saw this place randomly while looking for a place to eat after a long flight. It was late and not many places were open. This place was closed but a middle eastern place that serves cheesecake was soo intriguing that i knew i needed to come back. Came back Saturday night and they had no tables and was packed. However, they tried to accommodate us so much. However, the night was in our favor. As we started to order take out, a lady was kind enough to give up her table since she was eating alone. It was a small table for 3 people but the staff was sooo accommodating i have no words. They even gave free dessert to the lady who was kind. Then luck would have it, the table next to us never showed up for their reservation so they gave us that table. Finally, we ordered. Turned out, i also got the last shawarma too. Everything happens for a reason! We also got the Saudi chicken kabsa and cheesecakes. The biggest compliment i can give is when the food came, none of us talked for a good 5-7 mins and just sat there in heaven eating. The flavors were soo unique but yet so familiar. If this is Saudi food, i have been missing out. I need to explore more sub categories of middle eastern cuisine. Best bites in Portland for us and that's all i have to describe our experience. Finally, got the Nutella cheesecake and almond caramel cheesecake. I have to say, Nutella was good but easily a skip compared to almond and caramel. Just get 2 of those and you'll be happy. The cakes itself are light and not heavy. They were great end to a great meal. This is a family owned but family loved business. You can see the love as they serve their guests but you can taste the love too. The people are soo sweet and kind and just want to serve you. Please give your love here, because if i lived in Portland, this would my weekly spot.

Have you ever been to a restaurant where you are lucky enough to taste half the menu and everything…read moreis amazing? This is it. From the appetizers to the lamb shank to the multiple cheesecakes- beyond amazing. This is not "Mediterranean" or "Greek" food. This is not a "gyro place". This is authentic Saudi and words do not describe how amazing the food is prepared and served by the kindest family you could ever hope to meet. Spoke to a couple 20-something Saudi guys who had traveled from Seattle to eat food like their moms and grandmas made in their childhoods. They ordered a lot of food and cleaned their plates happily. I am going back next week to try the other half of the menu and cannot wait! This is a must- go restaurant as there is something for everyone, vegan, vegetarian or carnivore The cheesecakes? Home made and mind-bending. Oh, the saffron tea? OMG. Never tasted anything like it. GO!!!! You can thank me later.

Great chicken and rice. Not sure how they do it, but the chicken is soft, tender, moist and very…read moreflavorful and the rice is very aromatic and delicious. The sauce they use with the chicken and rice is great and is worth buying to take home to make your own dishes better. There is a good amount of seating both inside and out. I also tried the pork which was good but I prefer the chicken so will stick to that on a future visit. I have tried a lot of places that do the same thai style chicken and rice and it's almost always a miss for me, something is always off, usually the chicken is touch, or too dry, or lacking flavor but here it just hits right.

Simple yet incredibly delicious. It was the perfect meal after 10 days exploring Oregon. Service…read morewas quick. I was a little shocked that it came packaged the way it did but all good. I'll be back again for sure

The tasting menu at Mediterranean Exploration company was one of my favorite dining experiences in…read morePortland I've ever had. The atmosphere was lively and I loved the industrial, modern decor. I went on a busy Friday night and was sat right at my reservation time. Our server was personable and friendly. They had a small mocktail selection with creative options. I went with the "worth a chai", which was spicy, sweet, and tangy. The tasting menu was $75 each for two people and we got a total of 9 dishes and left full and with leftovers. Not one dish wasn't delicious and I enjoyed how each dish had an unexpected flavor or textural element to keep things interesting. All the ingredients felt fresh and the dishes were bright in color and taste. Despite the larger quantity of food, the meal overall felt well- balanced, healthy, and not too heavy or decadent. I keep thinking about the hamachi crudo that came with this amazing smoky eggplant that complemented the vinaigrette on the fish perfectly. The radicchio salad was addictingly good with the fruity burst of sweetness from the cherries. The hummus is insanely rich and pairs well with the thick, fluffy pita. I could keep going on about each dish, but these were my absolute standouts. I especially appreciated the timing of the dishes. New dishes came out right as we were finishing the last. I will be coming back here to try more of the menu.

This place is only a few blocks from my home…read more I randomly came here on a date and didn't have a reservation, so we were told we could sit at the bar, so we grabbed the back corner. It ended up being a great spot. The ambiance is great and the bartender was pleasant. They have a seasonal menu, which assures me that we're going to get the freshest produce possible. We started with the Labneh & Confit Butternut Squash. It was fine, but not my favorite dish of the night. The labneh was more like Greek yogurt than cheese, which isn't a bad thing, but I would have liked a little more saltiness. The Harissa Spice Shrimp, on the other hand, was fantastic. Definitely the standout item we actually ordered. The Baked Eggplant was good too, although it didn't quite wow me. I think there was some mix up, as we were first served the Roasted Eggplant Dip. We flagged the server down to say it wasn't what we ordered, but they let us keep it. Boy were we happy about this! It was the best dish of the night (and a must reorder). The pita to go with the Labneh and the Dip was excellent too. Piping hot and just right.

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.

While visiting family in Portland, we came here for dinner and I can immediately see why my family…read morelove it! Nicholas Restaurant has a really cute, welcoming vibe, with outdoor tables and plenty of seating inside. They have a great selection of drinks, and I decided to try the house Arnold Palmer--made with fresh lemonade and cinnamon mint iced tea. It was unique and really refreshing. We started with a few appetizers for the table: hummus, tzatziki, and falafel balls. Everything came out quickly and was a hit. The hummus tasted incredibly fresh, the tzatziki had a nice tangy kick, and the falafel balls were perfectly crispy and flavorful. For my main, I ordered the chicken breast kabob plate, which came with two skewers, rice, tzatziki, and garlic sauce. The chicken was incredibly tender and cooked just right. Overall, a great meal with fresh, flavorful food and a relaxed atmosphere. I can definitely see why my family keeps coming back--this spot is well worth a visit.