So not what I expected. I had really high hopes for this place but it let me down. The atmosphere is a little strange to start with, but we were seated on the weird little ledge in a corner overlooking an ally, we could see into the kitchen at sort of knee level which is never good and our whole experience felt like an afterthought. The food was ok as individual plates, but together as a menu it was really disjointed and all over the place. The cocktails felt forced, like they were trying to be as funky as possible, but in all honestly just were not that good. I will give it a second chance, but they should really get rid of the odd seating. read more

Travis, the bartender, was fantastic. Extremely talented mixologist, and a very enjoyable guy to be around... put up with our banter and bullshitting from behind the bar with a genuine smile (or he's just good at his job). Thanks, Travis! Tart and crab dip were also killer. Hope to visit again. read more

I cannot recommend this restaurant for anything other than the bar. The three dishes we tried, after two of our choices were unavailable, after we ordered them, left us underwhelmed and a bit confused. Our first dish was prawns and it was fine, but lacking in visual appeal. A sloppy mess actually. Second dish was a lobster popover. This one was misrepresented on the menu. It was described as follows: "Popover herbed popover, Gulf of Maine lobster, cream of corn, tarragon beurre monté, scallion" When it arrived at our table it was... unappealingly dark. The first bite we were treated with was the taste of burnt toast, which was just the beginning. Apparently Gruyère is an ingredient in cream of corn so there was no need to include it as an ingredient in the description of the dish and overpowered the previously overpowering taste of burnt toast. If there were any lobster in the dish (there was) we could not taste it, and there was only a hint of corn, and that was only due to its texture. The final dish was the hanger steak. The steak was under temp at damn near raw ( we were never asked to what temp we preferred) and a thick vein of gristle made it difficult to cut through. The gristle is unavoidable as it is not always visible but the rest of the dish was an over salty hot mess. The server was robotically apologetic and not the most attentive but did remove the steak from our check. Yet never offered a dessert menu or other drink. We left feeling fleeced and unappreciated as a guest. The bartender and the great selection of house drinks brought this review up to, way up, to two stars, otherwise this was a negative starred review. I am a chef and don't ever leave negative reviews on any social outlet knowing that every restaurant has its off nights but this was such a bad experience; the staff seemed so disinterested; the menu poorly conceived and written; poor quality control, all signal to me that this may be SOP. If you're planning a trip to Portland, stop in to Sur Lie for a drink before heading off to dinner elsewhere. read more

Sur Lie is so good! The food here is a culinary treat and some of the best in the city. They have a menu that changes regularly with seasonal foods and its very clear the chef here is very talented. The drink menu is also very nice. We had cucumber mojitos that were delicious. A top notch restaurant through and through! read more

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We had dinner here recently and agree that while it was good, it was not as good as we'd expected based on the reviews. There wasn't anything that was bad, and most of what we got was very good. Overall it was slightly off key though. The restaurant itself lacks a feeling of warmth or atmosphere, I suppose. Service was fine, nothing to complain about. We started with a cheese board with two very nice cheeses - a bleu and aged gouda. The cheese was excellent, but I wasn't to thrilled with the toasts served. As you can see from the pictures, they are paper thin slices of toast that lack any substance. I like something a little more sturdy to go with the cheese. We also had a potato dish that was good, and the broiled octopus that was somewhat lacking in seasoning. I don't want to leave the impression that this wasn't good - it was, but in my view there are better options. I'll put it this way, it wouldn't be in my top choices to return to next time we're in Portland. read more

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Holy creative cocktails, this eclectic tapas place was a lovely treat! We couldn't get a table in the dining room and were seated at the bar, which in our opinion was an upgrade with Magical Mike the bartender attending to our every wish and stupid question. We had a few minutes until happy hour was over so we quickly ordered a few cocktails (Those Nightmares and Ex Lion) and some brussel sprouts. Mike grew extra limbs and was stirring, shaking, twisting and garnishing with amazing grace. The drinks did not disappoint, they were clearly well crafted with top notch ingredients. The brussels were gorgeously flavored with maple-dijon sauce and crispy lardon bits. I recognized the proprietor, Krista delivering food and filling waters during the whole stay. The vibe is cozy and the staff is relaxed. $12 seemed like much for one popover but it is giant and perfectly flavored, served with a local mushroom ragout. Unbelievable flavors, we were tempted to lick the plate. We also enjoyed the Bang's Island mussels in a herbed chimichurri sauce, the most plump and fresh tasting mussels we have had in a long time. We finished with the seared duck with had a symphony of flavors accompanying the tender slices. The servings are smallish but honestly, that meant we could get more variety before filling up. Two people enjoyed this 4 course shared dinner for less than $60. not including cocktails. We had two more amazing cocktails- we really enjoyed the Fizzy Lift- transported me to a summery sunny day! Our only wish is that they didn't feature octopus on the menu, for ethical and sustainability reasons. We will definitely be back! read more

Sur Lie - cute mural in bathroom - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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My husband and I came here for our anniversary after it came highly recommended by some Redditors. We've been to Portland many times but have never tried any of the fine dining options and were excited by the creative menu and all the talk about the new chef. We ordered a bunch of dishes that may or may not still be on the menu and which I'll try to sum up below: -Sweet Pea Hummus: Disappointingly grainy and lacking in any pea flavor. It was hard to taste the mint oil at all, and the only part that made it somewhat interesting was the lemon sabayon. The "lavash" that came with it was overly salted and didn't feel quite right as a partner to the hummus. I think soft pita would actually go better alongside. -Crab: From the description, we were not expecting a crab cake, but were pleasantly surprised. Lots of crab flavor and interesting textures. Unfortunately, my husband found a piece of a crab shell in one of his bites, which put him off the rest of this dish. -Toast: We didn't realize this would come unassembled, and if we had known, would not have ordered it. I'm not a fan of the assemble-your-own concept at this price point. If I'm paying you to make the dish, I don't want to put it together myself and guess at what the chef envisioned. This was just okay. One of the bread slices was overly toasted, and it was challenging to make a satisfying bite with all the components. The goat cheese espuma was too light on the goat cheese flavor, and I wanted more of the nori mustard vinaigrette since the whole dish seemed to be overwhelmed by the bread. A confusing dish that didn't quite come together. - Scallops: Easily the best thing we ate all night. We loved that it was a clever riff on a Korean corndog with a lovely scallop flavor and delightful presentation. The textures were lovely, and the shiso kewpie was perfect alongside. I wish we had ordered another round of this. - Duck: The duck breast slices were tiny and could have been more tender, but were at least cooked to a nice medium rare. The farro fried rice was delectable and difficult to stop eating. Great concept and well-executed overall. - Octopus: They were out of octopus by the time we ordered it, which was disappointing as this was the dish I was most looking forward to that night. However, the chef was nice enough to take the leftover octopus scraps and make a mini portion of this for us on the house. From the tiny bite we had, I can tell the real thing would have been outstanding and I'd definitely order it next time. - Pork Belly: This was the special for the night. The pork belly was succulent and perfectly cooked. We didn't care for the turnip green sisig, which was grassy and bitter, nor the turnips, which were bland. It's a shame because the meat was so nicely executed, but we disliked everything else on the plate. So overall, there were hits and misses (about 50/50 each way). The portions are very small for the price, but we weren't exactly surprised by this. We ordered 7 dishes for 2 people, and my husband complained that he was still a little hungry. Expect to spend at least $75 per person for food and drink. Service was great. We made a reservation and were promptly seated as soon as we showed up by our very sweet waitress. Throughout the night, she was attentive but gave us our space. She forgot to take the octopus off our bill, but handled it graciously when we pointed it out. Overall, the food was a bit of a mixed bag, but we had a pleasant time and it didn't ruin our anniversary. I don't think we'll be back anytime soon as I think there are better restaurants in Portland at this price point (and lower), but I admire the chef's willingness to take risks and be playful with food. read more

Very expensive for the quality. Granted, they were out of about 1/4 of the menu so we didn't get to try the things we would've probably liked more. That's a kitchen management issue, though given the pandemic it's probably pretty difficult to gauge demand from week to week. It would have been nice if they'd told us how much they were out of while we were looking at the menu and waiting for our table, we'd have probably gone elsewhere. Had a reservation in the dining room, after a short wait we were brought to a table in the bar. Service was slow but otherwise just fine. The food was either unremarkable or just bad. Fried oyster mushrooms tasted pretty much the same as the fried mushrooms you can get at a dive bar. Root vegetables came absolutely bathed in a sour cheese my husband wouldn't touch. Delicata squash was served with a toasty red quinoa that highlighted the worst notes of delicata squash. Duck was well cooked, but the dish was drab, in desperate need of some acid or something, anything to make all the rich umami flavors pop a little, parsnip purée wasn't the answer. Crab dip tasted fine, but we couldn't find any crab, and anyone can make a bunch of melted cheese taste good. The mussels were pretty good--the broth was lovely. Almost $200 after tips and my husband had to get a burrito delivered later. Things were well-prepared, but the flavor profiles and plating were not so great. It feels like a sous chef who is just on the cusp of being able to get creative is in charge of making a creative, rotating menu. Technique is on point, but the composition needs work. They make a killer cocktail. Go for drinks and a snack. Get dinner elsewhere. read more

Three of us went to Sur Lie for dinner a few weeks ago, and I must say I was disappointed. All of us had been to Sur Lie before, but it was about three or four years ago. At that time, we really enjoyed the restaurant, but this time, we left disappointed. And hungry. To be clear, the food is tasty, but the biggest issue is the portion size. Now I know this is a tapas restaurant, and I know it's meant to be small plates, but even with that foreknowledge, the amount of food you get for the cost is outrageous. There were three of us, and the server recommended getting three dishes each because as he said, everything is meant to share. But here's where it gets silly. The mackerel, for example, is smaller than a piece of sashimi you would get in a Japanese restaurant. Try splitting that into three ways? Each of us ended up with half teaspoon of meat - and this was $13 or 14 dollars! The grilled octopus has one small tentacle - for $16 dollars. Again, after sharing, you got less than a folk full. When you first see the menu you think the prices are reasonable, but when it takes at least four dishes to feel satisfied, you're up to $56 dollars per person for a decent meal. Tapas originated as bar snacks - something to snack on while you drink. And that's exactly what you get here - snacks. Never have I left a restaurant and walked across the street to another restaurant (El Rayo), to pick up some tacos because we were still hungry. And for three us, each with one drink, we paid $165 dollars before the tip. read more

Was visiting Portland and decided to give this place a try. My husband has celiac disease and they were promoting a gluten free menu on this night. The Food was excellent but service was incredibly slow. read more

Great service by knowledgeable staff! Beautifully presented food Delicious Lovely and lively atmosphere read more

Tapas and small plates are the in-thing right now in the restaurant industry, especially the Portland restaurant industry. After a few lackluster experiences with small plate-focused restaurants, I was quick to dismiss the idea of tapas, however, Sur Lie rejuvenated my views on small plate dining. Since then, I have been to Sur Lie a few times. I love the aesthetic of Sur Lie, which has a modern, rustic perspective with wooden walls, sliding farm doors, dim lighting, and an open-concept kitchen design. Both times I have come for dinner, it has been quiet with not a ton of people, which also adds to Sur Lie's laid back vibe. The drinks and food are really well-done, too. They consistently change their craft cocktail menu, and they often try to highlight local distilleries with their alcohol choices. On a recent visit, I ended up ordering the Oh Jeez Rick with Back River gin. It was refreshing and had a nice jalapeño kick to it. As for food, it's suggested that you order 4-5 dishes per two people. My date and I ended up ordering 4 main dishes which included the sweet pea hummus (always a go-to whenever I come!), seared scallops (which were definitely a highlight and perfectly seared), Tonkatsu (the spicy mayo was amazeballs), and the Broiled Spanish Octopus (which was INCREDIBLY tender and good!). Honestly, I have never had anything I didn't like here. The food comes out as it is ready, which is something I also like, and it adds to the unique dining experience. I will certainly continue to come back and try more dishes! read more

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We have enjoyed the chef's choice many times, but last night, we were underwhelmed to say the least. When two people order a prefix menu, one would think the food would arrive in pairs. However, this time, the food arrived sporadically, often one plate placed in the middle of the table. And the portions were super small. For example, the only real green offered was a so, so arugula salad followed by super salty pork belly, only to be followed by very salty Korean short ribs . The iconic popover was mushy inside with almost no lobster. The redeeming dish was a seared cod on delicious bed of fava beans. One deconstructed cheesecake arrived suddenly, plopped down without any offer for coffee. Sadly this signaled an abrupt end to a very fragmented and expensive series of random plates. I'm sure we will go back because Sur Lie was once a favorite, and we love Gather, the sister restaurant in Yarmouth, but I hope for a more consistent and balanced experience next time. read more

I'm really conflicted about Sur Lie. The food is so good but so overpriced, most of the small plate dishes between $24 and $31 each. Interesting variety of specialty cocktails but in very small glasses, seem like half cocktails. We had the corn fritters, snap peas, shrimp, scallops, short ribs, and two orders of lobster pastry. All of it was excellent especially the lobster dish and the short ribs. The scallops might've even been the best but they are a perfect example of my conundrum about this review. Two very small scallops perfectly cooked in a wonderful sauce for $24! Maybe reasonable if there were four small scallops but having to settle for a half scallop each was not nearly enough for our party of four. I had to wonder why the restaurant was 3/4 full on a Friday night when everyone else is packed, and I can only conclude that it is the pricing, because the food is top-notch. They recommend two small plates per person and we had seven total for the four of us so just under, plus one cocktail each and with tip ran almost $300. The food is so good that I could be a regular but the value is just not there unfortunately. read more

3.5 stars, because the price was great for the quantity: $100 for a 4-person dinner. Our experience here wasn't bad but was ... underwhelming. The only memorable dish was the sweet pea hummus, but it was served with plain, greasy chips not pita bread. The Swordfish Ceviche Tostada and Roasted Beets were alright - I'd definitely had fresher, more flavorful versions. The Taters relied too much on salt for seasoning. The 'Shrooms and Brussels Sprouts left more to be desired, given such great veggie canvases of textures & flavors. The Lamb Bolognese was a solid comfort dish, and we finished with the Coffee Cheesecake which was on point. After a weekend in Portland, I concluded the Yelp ratings here are hyped up 0.5-1 stars compared to big cities. Maybe because lower expectations are set for small towns, or because most reviewers are on vacation hence in a good mood. :) read more

Sur Lie - Roasted Beets, Swordfish Ceviche Tostada, Sweet Pea Hummus - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I have been to Sur Lie twice - once for dinner and once for brunch - both times I delighted in the presentation and unique flavors of all the plates. I love tapas, more specifically, I love being able to taste bits of a variety of foods and share flavors with others. I think I would always eat tapas style if my friends didn't mind sharing! The highlights of dinner, which I would order again every time, are the Fried Milk Braised Cauliflower, the Pinto Bean Dip, and the Sur Taters! The cauliflower literally melted in my mouth, it was divine! And the bean dip and taters, both seemingly normal dishes, were bursting with flavor. Every dish from the cheese to the drinks was beautifully presented. They serve the plates staggered, so you can enjoy each one on its own, but never have an empty table (until you're stuffed). For brunch the menu had a variety of savory and sweet options, everything I tried was full of flavor. They were generous with the coffee refills, and the mimosa was perfectly boozy. Though I was sad to see that they were unwilling to modify their Fat Boy Breakfast (fluffy buttermilk pancake with bacon, sausage, maple syrup, cheddar sauce, fried egg) without meat for us vegetarians. I love that they use lots of local vendors, and certainly made a point to go during Happy Hour (4p-6p daily). Meals can get pricey, but I would recommend to friends for a date night or celebratory brunch! Sur Lie, I will be back to try more of your small plates - and next time I'll probably order two braised cauliflower! read more

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Having been here under previous chefs and incarnations of Sur Lie, tonight's meal was spectacular. The menu is curated with local flavors and creative dishes. Everything we ate was elevated to another level. Service was knowledgeable and friendly, and one of the chefs - George - came out and discussed some of the dishes with us at the end of the meal. Great wines and cocktails, with a relaxing, chill vibe. More people should discover Sur Lie! read more

Beets in 1:4 of plate Octopus was spot on! Yummy cocktails Skip the swordfish ceviche Loved the sweat pea hummus Lavash - was hopeful for hot soft Turkish lavash as opposed to crispy chips. Oh well. Brussels sprouts too sweet and missing something- wanted to be seared to caramelize then Took them home and reheated searing them and wow - that transformed them Scallops were on the spot Definitely with going back! read more

To expensive for the quality and menu offering. I think I'm going to stay away from the tapas scene. I like my food to all come out together--Not piece meal. The cheese and charcuterie should just be combined. It seemed redundant to order both. Neither wowed us. Fried asparagus was good but not really a shareable portion. The hanger steak was delicious, but $30 worth? I could've gone to a great steakhouse and gotten a steak dinner, instead of an appetizer portion. The restaurant is casual and loud. Tables are oddly placed. Service is friendly and the meal was expensive. read more

The waiter was rude when I asked a question about the beer and when he found out we weren't ordering much food he stopped paying attention to us and asked if we were ready for the bill in an attempt to get us out. Beer was mediocre. Cheese plate was good. read more

I will say that the Service was very good. So probably deserves a 4 star for that. However. The Wine wasn't great. Tried 2 different glasses and a bottle. Just didn't hit. The food was good. Not great. We did the tasting menu for 75$ a person. Again the good was good. But it is kind of a scam that they didn't bring out anything with meat or fish. Those are likely the costly items to the resty. Almost felt like they just brought out what didn't sell or the likes and didn't cost them money which is smart business, but not what is implied in the term tasting menu. So disappointed. 350$ for the dinner and wine. So at that price I would have liked to be more wowed by the wine and food. But again service was fantastic. read more

The food was microscopic, cold, and tough to chew. I paid 50 bucks to remain hungry! RIP OFF.

Popularly referred to as a Bona-fide Yelp Review Update: Upgrade in rating to 4-stars. The following dishes are really quite excellent: -the swordfish ceviche -sur taters -grilled smoked porkchop Do you have to order multiple tapas in order to get a complete meal?.. Yes, yes you do. Though, but still really good and good dining experience. read more

Excellent all around! This beauty of a restaurant is exactly what we were looking for; it is absolutely phenomenal all around. We walked in and were immediately seated. No reservations, but we were fairly early, so there was ample room. The hostess started us off with an apperatif - a small, non-alcoholic drink to cleanse the palate between dishes - with a different flavor profile daily. The menu offered many options listed in sort-of themes: essentially, how adventurous you feel. Our waitress was very helpful in providing us with details on any dish we asked about, and she was personable and rather excited to talk about the dishes. She seemed to genuinely enjoy working there, and the vibes she gave off as a result were wonderfully inviting. All of the dishes were delicious. My companion was not keen on trying the North Spore 'Shrooms I ordered, but they quickly became her favorite of the half-dozen we tried. Similarly, she ordered a pork chop that sounded interesting but I didn't expect to like it as I don't tend to like pork; however, it was wonderfully cooked, and that aioli was delicious, ranking it as one of my favorites. And I would clearly be remiss if I failed to mention the arugula salad as it enraptured us from the start! So what do you do when a restaurant intrigues your taste buds with every bite? Order dessert, of course! We both found something to our liking, and the waitress even smiled when I ordered the Sur Lie Dango, noting that she appreciated my adventurous spirit. And, oh, did that spirit pay off... It was absolutely wonderful: delightful to both the eye and the tongue. Excellent food, excellent service. I highly recommend a visit! read more

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One of my absolute favorite places for date night or a girl's night. The food is incredible. So good and creative. The atmosphere matches the meals and the staff is always pleasant and knowledgable. read more

One word - scrumptious! Awesome from start to finish. Crowed but we were able to snag a reservation at the bar. Michael - our bartender served us well. I'm picky about my classic drinks - and the Negroni and Manhattan were spot on. I recommend sitting at the bar as it was fun to watch Michael mix drinks drinks. We had the oyster mushrooms to start, then the short ribs, then came the duck. All perfectly done and presented. Desert was the cheesecake - a perfect portion. After dinner drinks were the Ex Lion Tamer and she had another Manhattan. Great, food, perfect portions, awesome vibe. read more

We were pysched to try Sur Lie on our last trip to Portland. I don't really understand the 4.5 rating. Here's my rundown: - atmosphere was underwhelming - Service was good - overall a great value based on price - food was average: Cauliflower & Swordfish Ceviche were the highlights; Octopus, Brussels Sprouts, Scallops and Sweet Pea Hummus were all average. read more

Dinner at Sur Lie was fantastic. The staff took great care of us. We got the 4 course tasting menu and wine pairings. The wine paired with the food perfectly. The dishes were thoughtful and well balanced in flavor and texture. There's a good reason it's James Beard nominated. Highly recommended. read more

Travis, the bartender/mixologist is amazing. His cocktails are full of nuanced, multifaceted flavors. Worth the trip for him alone, but the tart and crab dip are also amazing. read more

Mixed feelings about this tapas-style restaurant. We ordered a few different things between the 2 of us but were not wowed by any, especially when considering the price. The pea hummus is unique and refreshing but comes with thinly fried crisps that didn't seem to go well with it (and the ratio was off). The pasta with lamb was fine, but not worth the price. We loved the crispy potatoes with blue cheese. With so much other good options in Portland we don't feel the need to come back. read more

One of the best dining experiences I've ever had! I travel frequently around the country for work, and organized a work dinner with my colleagues at Sur Lie. The bar was set high, and my colleagues and I were thrilled! The atmosphere is great, and Chefs George and Mimi are even better - the food is flavorful, unique, and memorable, and the chefs came out and described each dish with such passion. Our whole group had the tasting menu, which we highly recommend. Some highlights of the night include the mussels (holy wow), the handmade gnocchi, the sugar snap peas, and the Maine blueberry cobbler. Will return to Sur Lie any time I get the chance! read more

Really good scallops, might have been the best I ever had. Brussel sprouts were just as amazing (not vegetarian btw,) my only small issue is that It was a confusing wine menu and many of the wines did not list the price per glass. I ordered a Pinot Noir, but I'm not percent sure I got what I ordered- anyway I switched to an IPA on draft and loved it. Overall- really liked this place and would come back with friends instead of alone on business :-) I'll be craving the Brussels sprouts lol. read more

We had a delicious meal here tonight. The cocktails were wonderful (highly recommended the Baby Yaga and Rex Lion Tamer if you like well-balanced yet bold flavors) and the food delicious (Brussels we're my fav). The portions were very generous, especially for tapas. We sat outdoors and the seating was lovely. Our server was terrific and paid close attention to my allergies. Highly recommended!! read more

We went to Sur Lie for happy hour after reading really good reviews about the fairly new restaurant. I certainly believe that having a happy hour is a sure fire way to get people in the door earlier, plus it's a great value. The more affordable prices let people sample the food and once they do, they won't be disappointed. So, it would be very easy to turn happy hours into many hours of sampling great dishes. The bar was beautiful and we were served promptly by the bartender, who was professional and serious. We started with beet cured lox with house pickles, roasted garlic, and crème fraîche. The dish was accompanied with really think slices of bread that were chip like but had a lot of holes like bread would. You could see right through them! Everything on the plate worked really well together, creating a sophisticated and delicious taste. Next, we ordered black bean dip with corn, house bbq sauce, and scallions. This dish came with corn chip strips. It was evident at this point that everything was homemade. The beans were perfectly cooked and seasoned, which paired perfectly with the local corn. The delicious homemade bbq sauce was the binder that brought it all together. The menu prices were very reasonable for the quality of food. It's meant to be tapas style which we like because we rather eat smaller dishes and get to try more of a variety. This is definitely a place to go if you love food and know how to dine. Sur Lie has a great vibe without pretentious plating and food costs. We really enjoyed our time there and will definitely be back! read more

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Wow!!! LOVED this place on all fronts. I am still dreaming of the food. If I lived in Portland I'd be there all the time! In addition to the amazing dishes the ambience is wonderful and the service excellent! read more

Ever had a restaurant spoil you for many others? Sur lie managed to refine my taste buds with truly fresh ingredients, textures and complex flavors. While many Portland restaurants adopt the farm to table approach, Sur-lie abides and over delivers on quality. While the ambience in the restaurant is more for a nice meal with friends rather than an intimate dinner with Tinder dates turned S/O, the staff makes you feel comfortable, keeps the specialty drinks flowing and understands the menu making your work easier. The Sur taters, the marinated olives and the Maine board. Thank me later. read more

Sur Lie - Marinated olives and Maine Board - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We chose this place based on the Yelp reviews and pictures. The menu when we got there was totally different so just be prepared. The waitstaff was very friendly and service was great . Food was pretty good . Very limited menu and nothing that was very interesting . The chicken thigh dish was served cold and we sent it back . They handled it well and it was much better served hot. Delicious drinks . Too many good choices in Portland so I'm not sure I'd go back read more

This is a great place for trying out something unconventional. You definitely have to come with an open mind and down to try some cool stuff. If you're going on your 2rd date and are worried about running out of stuff to talk about, the dishes they serve would probably help stir some conversation. I ordered the chef's tasting menu for $55/person and got 4 "waves" of food. It's definitely way more than anyone can finish. It's really well worth the price as each dish there is ~$12 and I was able to try like 7 different dishes. My favorite dish in this tasting menu was definitely the sweet pea hummus dip. SOOOO GOOOOOD though it's not the fanciest dish. Though in general it's very good food, I'd say it's not the best tasting food I've had because the chef tries out interesting combinations​ of ingredients so obviously some are gonna agree with the pallet and some aren't. I came here more for a culinary experience rather than trying to satisfy specific craving. The ingredients are definitely very fresh tasting. They boast local farm to table dining! read more

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I continue to count Sur Lie as my favorite spot in Portland - which says a lot given its competition. I really appreciate the ever-changing menu (both food and bar) though I do miss the City of Gold, that tequila drink I adored so much during my first visits. But, the creativity by the chef and lead bartender is well-executed and keeps the menus fresh and exciting. Thankfully they keep some classics, such as the milk-braised cauliflower and the sweet pea hummus, on the menu. The ambience is casual upscale, slightly different feels between the bar (more casual) and restaurant (more formal) sections depending on your mood. They take reservations but are often able to accommodate walk-ins. Through many visits Sur Lie has been steadily excellent, so I recommend you stop in if you're in or around Portland. read more

I visited Sur Lie last Saturday with a friend thanks to a great deal that I got via Localvore. We each got a cocktail (she got the Bad Santa and I got the Full Monty). Both cocktails were very well done and we enjoyed them. We split the sweet pea hummus and brussels sprouts (I love trying different takes on brussels sprouts!). The sweet pea hummus was nice and light, and now I want to try to make it at home. The brussels were fried and then tossed in a tomato sauce with thick cut bacon. The restaurant overall had great lighting and character. You could see the chefs cooking in the kitchen which is always a huge bonus for me. I'll be back! read more

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