We waited and waited and waited and hour and a forty minutes later we left without desert. It makes me so sad to write this but the service has recently taken a nose dive here. Tonight was the last strike. Not only was it slow but our server K was rude and gave a million excuses of why they didn't come by to check in and let us know they were having issues. I know bigger things are going on in the world, but this meal was a lot of money for a really bad experience. Sadly I won't return for at least a year. read more

This our second time visiting the bar (at the counter). Our service was poor and despite two bartenders behind the bar and very few guests, we had to asked to have our order placed, ask for bread, ask for our check. It was almost as if we were and inconvenience for being there. The food was ok. After the poor service and a $80 for one drink and a salad, soup, poutine and a subpar cheese plate, we decided to not to return. The waitress in the bar/lounge area was more attentive than the bartenders. Perhaps service would be different in the restaurant. However for as many restaurants in this neighborhood, we will choose to go elsewhere for the above mentioned. read more

My GF's and I were supposed to eat at Ataula but they were closed. They kindly posted a not on their door recommending to alternatively dine at St. Jack or Le Vieux. We chose St. Jack - and how fortuitous! The staff provided warm, friendly, and such prompt service. Manager Kate, was amazing and gracious. Now the food..DELICIOUS!! We ordered appetizers: Cervelle de Canut, Poutine, and Oreilles de Crisses. Cervelle de Canut was the creamiest herbed goat cheese w/garlic and shallots. Oreilles de Crisses was my first taste of crispy pork rind and St. Jack set the bar very high. So crispy with a tangy red pepper espelette seasoning complemented with a warm maple syrup. Our dinner entrees: Braised Escargots and Marinated Baby Octopus. AMAZING FLAVORS in both dishes. Escargots were richly flavored and Baby Octopus was perfectly seasoned and unexpectedly tender. The perfect ending to this meal was an order of the petite Madeleines, served warm in a porcelain bowl. We LOVED this dining experience so much that we made reservations for Oct and Dec! read more

St. Jack - Braised Escargots - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Came here for a celebration and the food and service was great! My favorite thing that we ate was the creme of tomato soup baked in puff pastry. I crave this dish on the regular because it was that good. To top off the experience, we received a complimentary bottle of champagne for our celebration. I would definitely come back! read more

All I can think of to describe the food and service at St Jack is that it's clumsy. The overly casual service would be appropriate in a brewery/pub, but is off putting in a "French" bistro setting. As an added bonus, the servers are as arrogant and pretentious as they are unprofessional. When we asked some questions about wine, the server was clearly not very knowledgeable but made up some false info anyway. We were starving when we arrived and asked for an order of bread and olives while we decided on the rest of our meal. The server basically refused and told us we had to order the entire meal at once. Fine, whatever. We ordered our food in 3 courses, clearly stating that we'd like certain items to come out together. Nope. The food came out in an awkward, staggered pace. Some "courses" would be too much to fit on the table at once, then we waited an uncomfortably long time for one item to be served on its own, seconds before our entrees. The food is on par with the service. The pâté en croûte was ice cold, rock hard and enveloped in a thick, brick like pastry. The chicken liver mousse was grainy. The steak was served at room temp but at least the frites were hot. Mussels were over seasoned. I'd be a bit more understanding if it was a busy night, but it was early on a mid-week evening and the restaurant was only at about 1/3 capacity. I guess having a chef that knows how to expedite is a thing of the past. We skipped dessert to avoid further disappointment. One positive note is the wine list. It is clearly hand picked and well curated by someone that knows what they're doing. At least they have that going for them. read more

The food was delicious and the ambiance was great. But if you have food allergies/intolerances, beware. Unfortunately, my food intolerances were not taken into account. I told our server about what i couldn't have and asked for advice on what to order. It wasn't until i asked "are you sure this doesn't have cream" after eating the recommended dish that the server discovered there was dairy in the foods he suggested. I was charged for all of it (he offered to pay for my wine or dessert which also had dairy). Ruined our evening out. I should have known when he made a comment about going to a french restaurant if you can't have dairy--except butter. (We've been to plenty nice french restaurants with no problems with accommodating my food intolerances.) I won't be going to St. Jacks again. Expected better from a nice (and expensive!) Portland restaurant. read more

This place was wonderful. Not pretentious- yet a elegant and delectable menu. Very afford for the quality. Not speedy but great service.

Two words. CHICKEN SANDWICH. I don't know what they put on this sandwich but it's the best ever and I'm obsessed. It's so juicy and crispy and a hint of spice and fresh herbed lettuce. I could eat it twice a week but I won't because that's not healthy. ;) read more

First time dining here and was drawn to the French food. And the food was fantastic. What I wasn't so happy with was the rushed drop and go food kind of service. It was a very busy Saturday night in the restaurant, but I still expect a little more attention. Especially when paying the price of a boutique finer dining restaurant. The mushroom vol-au-vent ($38!) was amazing. My pea salad was amazing. My cheese plate ($18!) was one single wedge of Brie and toasted slice of brioche. Not amazing. At the end of the day, I was just simply disappointed with the place and maybe because I was so excited to have discovered it and wanted to go so badly and had such an average experience. Even simple things like having to buy bread and butter (I mean it's a French restaurant - it's all about French bread with a meal) stepped it down another notch in my book. Perhaps you'll have a better service experience than I, but I personally know of a couple of other fantastic boutique fine dining places I'll choose over St. Jacks. read more

Heard a lot about this restaurant but honestly it's way over priced and I strongly do not recommend it. Waste of money.

Steak frites was underwhelming, but the gourgeres, service and ambiance were great. I would definitely recommend having a drink and trying a different entree. read more

My husband and I were visiting Portland for my birthday weekend, and we decided to eat at St Jack to celebrate. It was still pretty busy at 8:45 on a Saturday night. I would say the desert was the best thing in the whole meal. One of our main dish, the duck breast, was very undercooked in my opinion, you can see the photo I took with this review, it was dark red, instead of a little pink. Our waiter did it come check on us quick enough before my husband decided it was fine and ate it. In hindsight, we really should not have eaten uncooked poultry!! The dish should never leave the kitchen looking like that. I watched master chef, GR would not be happy with that. The Dungeness crab salad appetizer did not have any crab flavors, nor could I find any crab meats in it. The Halibut dish was cooked fine, but the flavor was not for me. I would say for a pricey fine dining restaurant, this was not a very satisfying experience. I think there should be a better choice in Portland for special occasions. read more

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Always a perfect meal. If you are a fan of foie gras, this is the spot. Have a foie gras burger, wash it down with a nice bottle of Bordeaux, and than me later. Cheers! read more

St. Jack - So lamb french dip it is! - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

this was the best fucking burger of my life so salty and good, I don't even know what french means but if you want a fire ass burger come here! here is a photo so you can see how I ate that shit UPPPP! also i think her names chelsea but she's great and chuckles with her shoulders very adorable very good! read more

Finally had dinner on the other side ...our service was fantastic and all meals were excellent well done and well prepared. Good selections as well. Love the music but based on the space add in the music and the patrons speaking it just elevates the noise and takes away from great food and great service and detracts from having appropriate volume level discussions. There must be a reason or a fascination with the music I guess. Definitely worth dining @ St. Jack ~! read more

I was not expecting this place to be what it was. From the outside just looks like a typical restaurant in the pearl. From the inside, you are transported to somewhere back in time, the decor is classic and elegant, but welcoming. It has a very laid back vice, but at the same time you feel like you are somewhere fancy. The bartenders and staff are awesome. The drinks are STRONG. No joke, I couldn't even finish mine- I don't remember the name but it had absinthe in it. Food- order the cheeseburger, I promise, it is amazing! I am not even a burger kind of gal but my friend. Convinced me it is amazing. The meat is so well cooked to perfection, it melts in your mouth. The sauce, the lettuce, the cheese, the buns, mouth watering. And the fries it comes with are delicious! It is no ordinary burger, I kid you not. My mouth is watering just writing this. Oh also they bring some yummy bread and butter as an appetizer/ beginning course. So good and simple. I will be back again and again! read more

St. Jack - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Wow wow wow! Food was amazing. It's a culinary experience that should not be missed. Order as much as you can because everything is unique and different. Such a wonderful meal. Service was great. read more

For the price you'd expect better service. Actually scratch that. For any price you'd want service, this isn't where you should go. There are dozens of other restaurants in Portland that provide better value for even decent service. We sat at the bar and were completely ignored. Even when the tables were not full. read more

We had dinner tonight with our niece, Taylor, and her fiancé, Edgar, at St. Jack in Northwest. I can recommend it unequivocally! From the hors d'oeuvres (crispy pork rind with maple syrup - and trust me, this was not what you're thinking, Coquille St. Jack, and wonderfully prepared prawns with vadouvan curry aioli - so good) to my Lyonnaise onion tarte with poached egg, to baked-to-order madeleines for dessert, the food was delicious and beautiful. I have to admit I'm a bit of a service snob, and the service here was attentive and impeccable without being stuffy. My French martini was maybe the best I've ever had and served with such flair, and the wine recommendations were spot on. Go before the end of the month for their Portland Dining Month menu, which includes the onion tarte as one of the choices. read more

I love St. Jack's. My friends, my kids, my husband and I all go there. My kids and I have been going regularly for a while and we invariably order the $75.00 steak dinner with frites and a wonderful jus. Our usual server, Daniel is a marvel, unobtrusive, knowledgeable and makes our dining out experience delightful. My only complaint is that for a French restaurant the music is obnoxiously loud and drowns out all attempts at conversation. Imagine our distress when we arrived for our usual steak dinner and found that the steak dinner's price had been increased to $125!!!!!!!!!!! I guess until the steak goes back down to $75 (and who knows when or IF that will happen), we won't be going to St. Jack's again for a while. read more

I am horribly disappointed with this restaurant. I have always walked by and the place looked super cute and nicely decorated. My boyfriend and I decided to go on a date here and were super excited. We ordered some wine and beer which were both bad on the taste palate but were priced heavily. My boyfriend ordered the tri-tip sand which which was awesome. However I decided to order their special the lamb salad. When the dish came out I could not tell which was the lamb or the salad. The salad consisted of one fried cabbage leaf and slices of lamb which was probably not even 3oz of meat. I would possibly give this place another try, but probably down the road. read more

St. Jack - Bar Room - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My wife and I sat at the chef's table for dinner. Service was attentive and punctual. Steak tartare was perfectly seasoned, good quality meat in a good size serving. The salt cod brandade was prepared in little, deep fried fish balls which I found unusual but flavorful. The 48 dollar Wagyu filet steak frites arrived perfectly cooked but barely tepid. The meat had a very good flavor but was quite tough for a filet. The fries were outstanding. The steelhead en casserole was tender and perfectly cooked. The vegetables were abundant and good with a variety of mushrooms. The potatoes were disappointing since they were undercooked and mealy. Overall this dish would be better without the liquid broth. Good restaurant that would benefit from more attention to detail. read more

Neighborhood gem! Wasn't sure what to expect when walking here. Place had an awesome feel to it. Ask to sit at the chefs table! Get to see the staff interact. Had the best salad! We had the mussels and the wagyu steak. Highly recommend trying the madeleines! Never had them fresh- so fluffy! read more

Great PDX bar/restaurant. Warm setting, helpful friendly service & delicious food. Mussels amazing & Manhattan done perfect. Glad to have had opportunity to enjoy. Will be back. read more

Food was pretty good but for 2 people and a $200 meal the service and experience were pretty lacking. Table wasn't ready when we arrived and waiter was unattentive and short when we did get his attention. After some time waiting for a nice dinner out I'm left disappointed in the end. The food was indeed good but much better experiences elsewhere. read more

We had the tomato cream soup and the steak frites. Both were very classically well done French dishes. The tomato soup came with a puff pastry on top which was nice a flaky. The soup itself was nice and rich. The steak frites was cooked well with a side of Béarnaise sauce and the fries were nice and crispy. Everything was generally pretty rich - exactly what you expect and hope for in great French food. Finally, the cocktails were awesome. read more

St. Jack - Tomato soup - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

St Jack's menu makes me want to go back to France. Not for the bread, nor the wine, nor even the mussels. For the vinaigrette. The unique beauty of French cuisine isn't in its spice, its ability to sexily fuse with another culinary world's offerings, or its novelty. It arises from a particular attitude, one of respect and patience, one that says a food is best made this way and so perfecting this one way is how you cook it. Everything else is only a coaxing complement to whatever essence is at hand. So, the vinaigrette: a humble dressing, basic in composition, and surprisingly difficult to perfect. Yet if somehow you've created the perfect temporary emulsification, elegant restraint is still required - leaves of butter lettuce, subdued accents of creamy avocado, and bright red-edged rounds of radish. St Jack's bar is a small temple to this art of elevation without adulteration. No matter whether you're eating the pommes frites with their perfect dusting of salt and parsley and little sidecup of fresh housemade aioli, sipping on one of the only $13 Manhattans that deserves the title of "a $13 Manhattan," or reveling in an exuberantly bright salmon tartare (roe bursting in each briny bite) served to you on a chilled scallop half-shell atop an ice-filled platter, edification ensues. I'm discussing the bar specifically for two reasons: I haven't eaten in the dining room, and I'm not sure why I'd want to. The bar itself is a big beautiful thing, with the famous wax-covered candelabras imported from the old SE location standing guard. It's a little quieter than the dining room yet every bit as energetic; you can sit anywhere there's space (the bar itself, or one of several tables), and you can order from much of the dinner menu (from the burger to the coquille St. Jack to the steak frites). On my last visit the windows were wide open to the street, allowing a delicious breeze to roll through - bringing late evening life and freshness inside. Cocktails are, without exception, exquisite. Service is attentive without being overly formal. The kitchen's precision is tempered with just the right swirl of insouciance. The cheese list, some dozen or more deep, is true desire-inducing reading. Find me soon at the bar during the fantastic happy hour (an $8 Death in the Afternoon?!), spring breezes streaming about, a glass of house white, some Coulommiers, and delight all around.... read more

We understand the pandemic has taken a toll on restaurants and we were pleased to support st jack, one of our favorite pre pandemic dining spots. Unfortunately they have thrown out all standards and turned themselves into an undesirable experience with sour and rude front of house staff. The hostess looked like she just rolled out of bed. Literally no effort made in her appearance. We had made a 5pm reservation and were there 7-10 minutes before 5 as that is also their opening time. There were a few other guests waiting. We all got seated in their temporary outdoor seating. All good. Other tables all got their cocktails ahead of us even though we were first to order. We ordered the famous and delicious pate and two burgers. We were eager for the pate. 47 minutes after placing our order we received our two burgers from the same hostess but no pate. She told us it would be out shortly. We had her cancel as we were anticipating our starter before entree. The attitude from this person who just repeated she would pass on the feedback was not on par with the restaurant this once was. Shame. We've seen many restaurants adapt their services and experience and we get it. But we did expect a dining experience with great service when paying their $40+ for entrees and $14+ for cocktails you can't serve me looking like you fell asleep on the couch before your shift and treating me like you really cannot be bothered. So many restaurants need the type of outdoor seating at jack has and value every customer. Really disappointed to the degree we won't go back. read more

I can't comment on the food since we just came in for drinks and an appetizers. I'll start off with the positive. The bar tender was very nice and very skilled at his job. He made a quality Last Word. The prices are high but on on par with some of the more high end bars so nothing here unexpected. The bar tender is the only thing keeping this place from getting a 1 star. Where it failed. The manager was not dressed appropriately and was a complete jerk with a bad attitude. He should be wearing a button up shirt tucked in. Not a red polo un-tucked and baggy black pants. When asked for ketchup for the fries the response was. This is a French restaurant, you get Aioli for dipping. One guest couldn't take it and went next door to Lompoc to borrow some ketchup. This was very quickly confiscated by the manager, citing "no outside food or drink". I understand this type of policy but it doesn't mean you get to be an a hole about it. Last, they didn't want to offer limes with drinks. Saying the drought in California means you get lemons instead of limes. Ok, i get the "trying to be Portland" conserve attitude. But if your gonna pull that card then why isn't your toilet duel flush in the restrooms. When limes cost 70 cents each, it appears more likely they are just trying to be cheap. Also, the waitress was nice, but not as attentive as generally needed for this type of place. Sad to say this place will not get a second chance from me. read more

Three stars is generous. We've only been once and I normally don't review based on once, but it might be a while before I return - so, here goes. We have so looked forward to this addition to our neighborhood. We sat at a table in the bar area. Initially we were given what I guess was a bar food menu. When we saw others with a larger menu, we asked and received a dinner menu as well. I ordered a Manhattan. Ronda tried a sip and ordered one as well. Mine was very good - not sure $12 good but... Ronda's came 3 minutes after mine and was not so good - way over sweet. We mentioned this to the server and got a "Well maybe it was a different bartender". I only saw one. No offer to make it right. We each ordered a Butter Lettuce Salad. These were nothing special. I ordered the Roasted Bone Marrow - once again "OK". Ronda had the Oxtail Bourguignon - very tasty but far from outstanding. It was so dark that we literally had to hold a tea light candle over our respective plates to see to stab something with a fork. We spent WAY more money than this experience was worth. I suspect I'll give them another try eventually and I promise to update my review if warranted. read more

Was really looking forward to this place.. was starving and knew it was part of this huge property management/restaurant consulting company. Super dissapointed :( was there for happy hour.. boyfriend got clams, I got a burger w fries. My burger had no cheese, hardly any lettuce, and was covered in this extremely bad tasting sauce.. the meat would have been fine, but the sauce ruined it. I asked for ketchup, something to at least cover it - they don't carry ketchup. Little later asked for some ranch for my fries (since they'd had no ketchup! Lol) & sure enough.. they dont carry ranch either. I asked my bf how his clams were (he LOVES all meat/seafood!!) ...he made a face and said fine. Won't be going back here again :( Good thing it was at least happy hour so our bill was under $30.. read more

St. Jack - Happy Hour muscles! - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Walking in to St. Jack brought me back to the streets of Villeurbanne, France. Lyon, the city next door which is located in the Alpes region reflects 2,000 years of history. I love how chef is taking classic staple foods and molding it into something that is personal. To start, we had the Oysters and Butter Lettuce followed by Plats Principaux Steak Frites and the whole roasted trout topped off with fresh hot madeleines. The Steak was extremely tender and flavorful and was gone very very fast. The Whole Roasted Trout was unbelievable. Cooked to perfection, the meat fell off the bone, and the flavors were superb. The whole experience from the time we walked in to the time we walked out, every step of the way we were extremely surprised of the finesse with this restaurant. Job well done. read more

Obsessed with the atmosphere -- not anything unique, but comfortable and chic. The food though...pre-shucked oysters (and measly ones, at that) and heavy-handed/ overly-indulgent bone marrow were not what I'd expect. The beet salad was tasty and quite filling, and steak frites cooked well (if not a little too salty), though. Overall just too pricey for a meal that wasn't refined or balanced enough to dazzle me. read more

After reading about St. Jack's on "The Essential 38 Portland Restaurants" for last year and again for 2015, we had to try it. I was very disappointed, especially at that price point. I was excited about the bar reviews and the extensive spirits list. Imagine my shock when I ordered Baileys Irish coffee and the server asked me what was in it. He then brought me a cup of black coffee with a side of Baileys in a creamer container. Mixing my own drink? When I added the cold Baileys to my coffee, it curdled. I then asked for a regular Irish coffee. He brought me a cup of black coffee and a side of Kentucky Bourbon. What???! Dinner was underwhelming. I ordered the ONGLET STEAK FRITES, which was nothing special and the fries tasted like fast food. My husband had the BLOOD SAUSAGE special which was tasty but not a "wow". The CERVELLE de CANUT goat cheese, fromage blanc, shallot & garlic was decent, but the knives were not sharp enough to cut the bread, which was cut halfway so we had to end up ripping it with our hands, which I find less than pleasant. We probably will try another restaurant in the future instead of going back to St. Jack's. Also, I learned my lesson about ordering an Irish drink at a French restaurant. read more

Trendy high end restaurant. Lots of cool options and good specials. Definitely a good choice read more

St. Jack - French Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Didn't realize my SE St. Jack review didn't carry over to this location but no matter. My feelings about this establishment have not change. In fact, I quite enjoy the new location even more! Cocktails are a standout for me. I seem to always find something interesting but not too funky. The food? Also solid. I guess I'd say few things are memorable but overall I can't remember ever disliking anything. My experience is always a positive one. Good service, food options where I can't go wrong (bone marrow!) and an ambiance that I don't have to whisper or scream in nor do I feel like I'm being gawked at for not dressing up/down enough. This is a go-to place for my husband and I because of its consistency. read more

Was one of our favorites until last night... Ordered steelhead caviar then steak tartare-small plates. They both took a very long time to come - 30 minutes each. Neither needed to be cooked. We had to ask for the tartare. Not sure that the tartare hadn't been sitting on the counter for a while. Tasted warm. read more

My boyfriend and I have now been here twice. The first time we went, it was just the two of us and we sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen. We enjoyed our experience so much that we decided to bring our parents about six weeks later, and the experience was even better. We arrived a few minutes prior to our reservation and sat on the bar side until our table was ready and everyone arrived. We were so well taken care of the entire evening service-wise, and the food impressed everyone. The drink list has enough variety for anyone to find anything they like. I've tried two different cocktails and both were good. I also enjoyed the wine, but the food menu, in particular, has yet to disappoint. To share, we've ordered the octopus (so refreshing with the pepper and cucumber it's paired with), a cheese plate (I'm not a cheese person and really enjoyed the selection), and the butter lettuce salad (there is a reason why this was ranked one of the best salads in Portland). I tried the duck l'orange the first time and didn't think it was anything special, but my boyfriend's lamb was very good. I chose the trout the second time we went and loved everything about it, and my boyfriend ordered the special, which was a huge piece of pork that he loved. Finally, we ordered the apple tarte tatin, which came with this amazing bourbon ice cream. Get this when you go. Like I said, the entire experience was memorable and I know we'll be back. The atmosphere is perfect for a date night for two or for a double or triple date, but reservations might be necessary. read more

I must share the fact that St. Jack's management responded almost immediately to my initial review. They were apologetic and offered either a full refund or gift card in that amount. I decided on the gift card so I might return and reassess my evaluation. I was requested to make a reservation and to at that point indicate that I/we are returning with the gift card. We decided to get a reservation, but make no such declaration. We dined last Friday night. Upon our arrival there was no evidence that the staff knew about our past issues. From start to finish the meal was a real treat with none of problems (salt, fat, lack of flavour, etc.) that we suffered with during our previous visit. My wife had seared foie gras appetizer and the halibut main. Both were fantastic. She was delighted. I had the heirloom tomato appetizer and the duck breast main. Again both were great. The service was top notch, with our "water person" especially attentive...the best I have ever enjoyed! Dessert was their madeleines with and extra, a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A perfect ending. At the conclusion of our meal I spoke with the floor manager and came clean about our "sneaking back in." She said she would have done the same thing! We are glad we returned and we will again. read more

Very nice cocktails, great space, knowledgeable servers, good bar snacks. A few things were off in the way that you might expect within normal variations (bone marrow texture was off / undercooked...I'm sure it's great 95% of the time). What I want to echo from other reviews: SALT. Too much salt. I snack on Maldon out of the salt cellar normally. I LOVE salt. I salt everything. Ice cream, butter, salads, martinis, melons. Everything. But check it out...search these reviews for salt and read those. Too much salt on the Coquilles and the frites to the point they almost can't be eaten. Otherwise very nice! read more