People Watching Restaurants

Hoda’s Middle Eastern Cuisine builds on a family tradition of delicious food and warm hospitality. Owner and culinary master, Hoda, is a second-generation Portland restaurateur who grew up in Beirut where she cultivated a palate for the highest quality, authentic Lebanese cooking. After immigrating to the US in 1984 she attended Portland State while her parents opened the popular Nichola’s Restaurant. Hoda’s passion for fresh, delicious flavors led her to open Hoda’s with her husband, Hani, and their three children (including 3-month-old twins). Today they carry on the tradition of Nicolas’s welcoming atmosphere with true Middle Eastern hospitality.

Wildwood Restaurant offers a market driven menu featuring fresh seasonal ingredients from local farms and purveyors - a sumptuous diversity of meats, seafood, pastas, vegetables, and salads. Try a pizza from the clay oven, or indulge your sweet tooth with one of our luscious desserts, made daily. Located in Northwest Portland, Wildwood Restaurant utilizes sustainable and environmentally friendly ingredients and cooking techniques to produce meals that are rich in flavor and heart. Executive Chef Dustin Clark, a member of the Wildwood team since 1998, creates dishes that are inspired by Oregon and it's unique, fresh produce. Wildwood offers a taste …

Xia Long Bao - plump and so incredibly tasty! Like a non crispy potsticker or dumpling. I would absolutely order this again. Sesame beef - perfect balance of textures! Chewy, but not tough, meat sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds on a bed of crispy rice noodles. Champagne orange chicken - delicious plump white meat mixed with bell peppers and onions and a surprise twist of Mandarin oranges make this utter perfection. Complete heaven in my mouth!! I'm so confused of why we were the only ones in the restaurant. This place is a gold mine! I visited there once several …

Much admired in the local Portland crowd, the below street level Doug Fir Lounge is not only a club, but it’s a club with appetizing food—not to mention a fan following of concert goers of all musical genres and ages. Designed to resemble a chic log cabin, this vintage inspired restaurant is also a bar and a club that is both successful and popular, standing as a staple in Portland culture. Located inside the hip Jupiter Hotel, Doug Fir is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a happy hour to boot. Featuring menu options for …

If you’re looking for a little taste of Italy, look no further. Amalfi’s Italian Restaurant is a quaint family owned restaurant on Fremont Street. Started by a couple in 1959, the restaurant has since been taken over by their granddaughter, Kiauna Floyd.Amalfi’s has come a long way in the past couple of years, and now seats up to 250 people. It offers a variety of pastas, salads, and customized Pizzas. But while this big time pizza maker is constantly expanding, they manage to stay true to their promise of “excellence and commitment” by using only the original recipes and the …

On a rare sunny morning in Portland the eager crowd that gathers outside the Screen Door would be hard to miss. Serving up hearty breakfast staples, peppered with Creole influence, the owners focus on serving Southern fare with a twist. Featuring locally sourced meats and produce they emphasize the importance of the relationship between food and table and bring their welcoming charm to the public. With plates ranging from traditional low country dishes such as cheesy grits and jambalaya, to breakfasts mixing fried chicken and waffles, the Screen Door brings a bit of southern warmth into this rainy Oregon town.

Nestled in Northeast Portland, the Alameda Brewhouse provides the authentic brewery experience in the form of a casual neighborhood pub where children are always weclome. Specializing in hand-crafted cuisine and larger-than-life portions, the restaurant features both traditional pub fare and more daring creations like the salmon gyros and gingered tahini-soy tiger prawn and scallop skewers. Characteristic barrels and kegs decorate the casual dining room to emphasize their selection of beers made in-house with seasonal flavors, in addition to their classics like the award-winning Black Bear XX Stout. From grabbing a beer after work to enjoying a fun meal out with …

With its “new American tavern” philosophy and gastro-pub style, 23 Hoyt offers a fresh take on farm-to-table American classics. The restaurant features a modern yet comfortable dining room filled with understated nature-themed décor as well as outdoor café seating amidst the trendiest boutique neighborhood in Portland. The dinner menu presents a variety of dressed-up American classics and several made-to-share entrees with plenty of vegetarian options. Boasting an extensive happy hour menu with everything from light appetizers and small dishes to Chef Amber Webster’s take on the Deluxe Burger, 23 Hoyt is a great place to stop by for a relaxing …

Reasonable in price, but certainly impeccable in taste, Thai Lahnna is Portland's destination for authentic Thai cuisine that won't break your budget. Featuring house specialties such as Pad Thai, House Curries, and other vegetarian-friendly items, this cozy, romantic eatery exposes a simple elegance that is common in Thai cuisine, down from the tableware and decor to the entrees and appetizers. Able to fit a any dietary need, dishes can be altered to your preferences, whether it's chicken, seafood, or tofu. They also offer a line of healthier, low-sodium dishes, meaning an inexpensive, flavorful meal that is priced appropriately. With catering …

El Gaucho steakhouse in Portland is one of four popular locations in the Southwest; well-known for their charcoal grilled steaks, chops, and seafood.

Restaurateur Bruce Carey’s Bluehour, named for that ethereal time between day and night, is a sophisticated take on Northwest-inspired Mediterranean cuisine. The sleek, contemporary dining room is a harmony of dramatic high ceilings and austere décor. With an intimate private dining space with a wall back-lit with 3,000 wine bottles, this is the ideal gathering place for a group of up to 100 people. Executive Chef Kenny Giambalvo’s fresh menu changes with the seasons but fear not, his signature dishes are as constant as the blue hour that the restaurant is name for.

Located inside the elegant Heathman Hotel, the Heathman Restaurant and Bar offers a casually formal dining atmosphere with French inspired cuisine, innovative cocktails, all which can equate to an intimate yet fun experience. Chef Philippe Boulot, a James Beard Best Chef award winner in 2001, is a Pacific Northwest native with a stress on utilizing the best of Oregon's produce and products. With options for private dining, an afternoon tea room, and catering services, the Heathman Restaurant and Bar is a cozy, casual, and elegant spot for any meal, any time of the day.

Le Pigeon’s burgeoning chef Gabriel Rucker has a knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Having flown the coop from Gotham Building Tavern a few years back to open this small and unfussy eatery, he’s met with nothing but success ever since. His nose-to-tail philosophy of cooking has produced specialties such as Duck-Duck-Pigeon, a pan-roasted squab with duck confit, and Poussin (a young, small chicken) with shell beans, corn, and chanterelles. With his desserts, Rucker veers away from traditional sugar-laden concoctions and opts for savory treats; Apricot Cornbread with Bacon and Maple Ice Cream is one option. With a …

Serratto serves up authentic dishes inspired by Italian, French, and Mediterranean cuisine with an emphasis on seasonality and freshness. Located in a quaint yet lively neighborhood, Serratto's menu changes seasonally, always offering a new taste of their ever evolving dishes. They also have an extensive wine list focusing on traditional wine regions such as Piemonte and Tuscany, as well as emerging production zones such as Sicily, Friuli, and Apulia. Serratto can be considered an ideal place for lunch meetings, special events, private dinners, or just meeting up for a glass of wine. This neighborhood eatery has a touch of elegance …