4. Restaurants

Biwa

215 SE 9th Ave, Portland, OR, 97214
  • (503) 239-8830
  • Store is closed

Biwa Menu

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  • Mark O.

    Portland, day 1, stop 1, late night dinner Pork gyoza - 5/5 - It says it's porky and it certainly is. Good taste, good texture. Lamb skewer - 3/5 Ramen - 2/5 Biwa burger (off menu) - 5/5 - Pork belly burger, brioche bun, Kimchee aioli. Already great but then you get to the slice of charsiu that they basically fry into a alternate form of bacon. Unique and amazing, it's a shame that it's both off menu and only served from 10pm-midnight. Overall, skip the ramen and the skewers. The burger is "as good as it gets."

    (5)

  • Jessica R.

    Over hyped/over priced. I've been to Japan on a few trips and always like izakaya, so I was excited to try Biwa. The tofu skewer was $4 and was 1 square of tofu (maybe 3 x 4"). It tasted like straight up miso paste on top, so the flavors were just off. It was too salty on top and bland in the middle. (And I love salt!) The shiitake skewer was bland and undercooked for my liking (also one piece appeared dirty). My husband had the ramen and wasn't impressed. Also, as others have mentioned, be aware of the 5% surcharge for healthcare.

    (3)

  • Kim H.

    The best izakaya I've had compared to other places in Portland, LA, Dallas and Seattle. I love all their yakitori and kushiyaki. Their whiskey flight is excellent. Their happy hour is fantastic, but you have to sit at the bar. Do expect a bit of a wait, but trust me, it's worth the wait! What I usually get is (shared for two): Yukke - similar to beef tartare but spicier Grilled mackeral (saba) Beef Hanger - grilled on skewers Pork belly - comes with mushrooms on skewers Chicken heart or liver - sometimes they have this on the menu Fried kimchi and a whiskey flight or whiskey & ginger (ginger beer made in-house) I only get the ramen when it's on happy hour. Biwa use to have the best ramen, but there's others out there that are more to my taste. (Biwa tends to have miso in the broth, but I prefer pork broth so just a matter of preference.)

    (5)

  • Jodi D.

    Well, I understand why this place gets mixed reviews. We went with friends who were visiting from out of town and because the company was great, we had a great time. The concept is good, and our server was helpful with recommendations. The best part was that we never felt like they were trying to turn over tables, we could really just relax and have a good time with our friends. The service (actual wait time for food/drinks, not attentiveness from server) was probably a bit on the slow side, but we were catching up and didn't really notice. The food was OK--as others have noted, some things were just a little too salty (Tuna skewer) or a little too weird (grilled mochi? probably our fault for ordering...). Overall I was left with the impression that the menu was trying to be a little too complex. The great thing about Japanese food is that clean flavors and quality ingredients go a long way. If the food was a little bit simpler and perhaps a little less expensive (for the portions) we'd probably be in here all the time. No complaints on the cocktails though.

    (3)

  • Gar S.

    Such a mixed bag of reviews for this place. We looked at the reviews and being huge fans of Ramen, decided to give this place a try. First - The Location: I'm pretty sure the building the restaurant is in used to be a school about 50 years ago. It is in the basement of said building and be warned, it gets hot down there with all the boiling noodles and grilling. They have the windows open, but it is nice and toasty down there. Second -The Service: Wonderful! We had our main waiter was great. Plus, at least 2 other wait staff checked on us periodically to see if we needed anything. On top of that, the manager (at least I think he was the manager) was checking on us constantly and made sure we were taken care of. We sat at the bar, so we were in the middle of all the action. Getting someone's attention if we needed anything was not difficult. Third - The Food: I've had some good Ramen and this was some best! We went during Ramen happy hour (at the bar only) and it was only $5 for a bowl, $8 if you added the pork. The broth was spicy and flavorful. They top it off with a type of chili oil that adds a real zest to the broth. The noodles were just perfect! Along with the broth and noodles, it also came with seaweed (delicious), egg and pork. We also had the skewered beef and chicken for appetizers and they were fabulous. Everyone will have a different experience, but our meal at Biwa was wonderful. The food and service were impeccable.

    (5)

  • Stanley X.

    Egads, it's like we jumped into a time machine and went straight back to the original review, this time, it was an unfortunate nail in the coffin. The best part of the evening was actually just getting sat which was prompt. After this, the entire experience went down hill. We sat with open menus for about 15 minutes before a server came over to greet us. She was new by admission. We didn't care. We both are in the industry, me as a chef and my wife as a restaurant GM. Training sucks and we knew she'd be a bit nervous and we went with the flow. There was no flow. We ordered our drinks and apps and our apps started flowing out long before our drinks arrived. We eagerly dove into the green beans, the gyoza and the pickles. All were very flavorful. Then the wait began to order wine and our entrees. And we waited and waited and waited....for 20 minutes we sat in an almost empty restaurant with 6 floor people and two other tables occupied. Our server was chatting up other staff completely clueless that we were sitting there. She came by and took our wine and dinner order. Then almost 5 minutes later she came back saying that what we ordered by the bottle was served by the glass. Ok...well, we wanted a bottle of this particular wine. There had to be someone there that knew how to accomplish this. The fact that we couldn't order by the glass wine in a full bottle just seems counter intuitive. There also seemed to be an absence of any type of floor manager who could have accommodated our request which wasn't unreasonable. We settled for another white by the bottle. Almost 15 minutes later and after another course we ordered at the same time the wine arrived. By then we were both pretty irritated. We tried the trout skewer. For $9.00 we received about an ounce of trout with a thin layer of unagi glaze. It was not a value at all and a disappointment. The the kicker was when the two bowls of ramen arrived. I warned my wife to start skimming the soup. Someone poured at least 4 ounces of chili oil over the top of the broth. I kid you not. Even after I skimmed what I could from the bowl, the first sip of broth almost completely closed my throat. The amount of oil they used was ridiculous especially when only about a 1/2 teaspoon as a simple garnish would suffice. My nose was a hydrant, and I was coughing from just the remnants of oil left over and this is coming from a guy who puts sliced haberneros on sandwiches. The dish was just a greasy unpleasant mess. I have no clue what the person making this was thinking but it was just wrong wrong wrong. Coupled with the fact that our servers trainer was the same stale and disinterested server we've had to endure now for a third and final visit it just seemed like an exercise in futility. No ask about dessert or after dinner drinks. Nothing, just the check. Our bill was $130.00. Flabbergasting considering how much of a disappointment it was. We gave this place a shot. Over and over again we tried to warm up to BIWA but it just isn't worth a return visit. Too cool for school wait staff who aren't really good at their jobs, marginal food and the lack of value of what is supposed to be interesting street grub but turns out to be poorly executed and over priced 'niche' plates isn't going to get us to return. Ever. The competition in this city for cuisine like this sprout places like Boke Bowl who are going to win hands down and they don't even have servers. So long Biwa, it's been real....too real..

    (1)

  • Ainsley D.

    Biwa is one of my favorite places in Portland and I come here often. Their menu is fun and different, their food is delicious and I wholeheartedly back any kind of izakaya or tapas style restaurant. Everything is shareable and makes the experience way more enjoyable. Who doesn't want to try like eight different things?! And if you don't want to share, don't, get 8 or 9 things anyway--you will be glad that you did! Their drinks also never disappoint. Yuzu Highball is my go-to.

    (5)

  • Maki D.

    So Biwa! I've heard so much about Biwa was incredibly excited to try it for the first time. We only had to wait a few minutes which was awesome because it was Friday night and the place was packed! When we did get seated it was at the chef's counter looking into the action of the open air kitchen. It was a bit off an odd seating, in the farthest corner by the wall. Lucky for me my friend Jen and I are close enough friends, being scrunched next to each other wasn't to awkward. We started off with some oysters on the half shell which were absolute sublimity, next we ordered the kara-age (tempura chicken) which were really quite bland, and even paired with the dipping sauce was still bland. Next came an umeboshi onigiri (salted plum rice ball) which is a childhood favorite of mine, and this onigiri ball did not disappoint. The rice was a perfect texture, and seasoned really well with enough of the salty sour ume (salted plum) inside to keep this girl happy. I paired the umeboshi onigiri with a Momokawa sake, which was so perfect. Lastly I ordered the ramen with pork shoulder, which with the miso soft boiled egg couldn't have been any better. The layout was beautiful, there were so many niches and 'rooms' for people to sit with a group or with a friend and have a nice meal. There is also the counter around the open air kitchen which always my favorite place to eat, or drink. I think I will most definitely come back and on a less busy night...

    (3)

  • Heather A.

    Menu almost doubled in price Service sucks now Portion size reduced What happened to the Biwa I once knew? Bye Biwa, hello gentrification

    (1)

  • Lezley L.

    5% added to bill for Health & Wellness?!?!? Is that even legal to do? Seriously do your employees get free insurance or do you still charge them monthly for it? Overall our experience was ok. The usual Portland hospitality where the server is kinda weird or seems like you're bothering them. Karaage - your spicy mustard is too over the top. Luckily most people can't taste how bland it is over the wasabi overkill. The chicken itself was edible but not the best. Asparagus - delish with the black sesame sauce. Great flavor. Yakitori- skewers are fairly small & expensive for portion size. If you do get these, order beef hangar, avoid the rest. The beef was seasoned perfectly but not as tender as I had hoped for. Kimchi/kimchee - could ferment a little longer. I believe it was the daikon that was over vinegary. Gyoza- good pork filling portion so you have some in every bite. Perfectly fried so it's crunchy on outside but soft& chewy as you ear it. Typical gyoza dipping sauce. Ramen - I'm assuming it was a miso base since the server didn't say much. The noodles could have cooked a bit longer as some were more al dente than prefer. Other than that tasted fine. $80 later, the two of us walked away full from dishes we ordered but the 5% charge left a bad taste in our mouth. While our meal was enjoyable, ya'lls menu prices are high for what you give along with making us pay your staff's insurance. I think we could have had something good but alas you're just like the rest of them.

    (3)

  • Angelina P.

    I loved the melow environment and the friendly service. Phillip and I sat at the kitchen bar so we could watch them cook. One of the cooks gave us grilled shitake mushroom which was yummy and very gracious of him. We ordered green beans and gyoza for apps. The green beans were fresh and crispy and the mayo sauce on top was perfect flavor. The gyoza was good but the filler meat was plain. I would've loved flavor in the meat. We ordered Ramen and Udon, both were good but I was expecting more flavor in the broth. I believe it was beef broth instead of it being shoyu flavor which is original ramen flavor. The food overall was good but not anything that took me back. I've been spoiled with the best food in Santa Cruz CA and San Jose so finding a place that satisfies my cravings is becoming very difficult.

    (3)

  • Charles R.

    Rude service with an attitude! Asked for a table for two. Host said he could seat us in 15 or 20 minutes. We asked if we could sit at the bar and have a drink while waiting. He pointed to a single chair in the corner but declined to seat us at the bar unless we would order dinner. He could have handed us a dunce cap to make us feel even less welcome! We left.

    (1)

  • Chase R.

    $15 dollars for ramen? Who are we kidding. This was a less than average size bowl, so you're not paying for the quantity, and the flavor was mediocre (I've visited Japan multiple times and ate my fill of ramen so I feel I am qualified to judge). We also ordered the gyoza. While they where surprisingly well done, again the price versus portion size was off. $8 for 4 gyoza. The ambience was relaxed and the decor had an genuine feel. The only downside to this aspect was the neighborhood. There where more than a few homeless people who had taken up residence on the adjoining sidewalks with pitched tents and garbage stuffed shopping carts. Sort of reminded me of Gotham city. I realize this is not Biwa's fault but for the price point they are charging I would have thought they could afford a less sketchy area. Not the best place to take a date. As a local, all in all I wish them well but I won't be back.

    (1)

  • David S.

    Ya know, the food was actually very good. But: 1) VERY expensive for what you get. Teeny portions. 2) And they nick you with a "5% health and wellness" charge "that pays for health insurance for all of our staff." Well, excuse me, you can jolly well pay for health insurance yourselves and not nickel-and-dime ME for it. You already expect me to pay your employees, too, with tips! Pretty cheeky, folks!

    (1)

  • Corey S.

    I thought I liked everything until I got horrible food poisoning the next morning from the spicy pork udon. It was the only dish that wasn't shared around the table so I'm positive they served bad pork. Never again. The supreme Sapporo was a great drink though.

    (1)

  • Tami L.

    I find myself saying "We always go to Biwa" a lot. Well, there is a reason for that. Their ramen is the best in town, by far. That soft boiled egg is to die for. Friendly staff, amazing kimchi, great atmosphere. Oh ya, and that burger *drool*. Do yourself a favor and check this place out!

    (5)

  • Warren L.

    I came out of Yelp! review retirement to write this. Do you like shelling out $20 a person and not leaving full? Do you like absent waitstaff and super misogynistic gangsta rap playing while you eat? If so, you will love Biwa. All snark aside, this was our first visit to Portland. We had high expectations for the food, and up until our visit to Biwa, we were not disappointed. Nearly everywhere else we visited had met or surpassed our expectations. We had Biwa on our list because we saw their late night special burger rated highly on Eater PDX which had proved somewhat trustworthy else wise. But it was a mistake from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. No one greeted us when we came in. The water refills were almost nonexistent, the burger was two bites, the pork belly wrapped enoki were $1 each and TINY, the locally-sourced tofu on a stick with miso was incredibly salty... Every aspect of this meal was memorable but in the worst way. No one said a word to us when we left, either. It is a Japanese-themed restaurant. But it certainly doesn't reflect any of what is good in Japanese culture! At least the mini-burger was juicy.

    (2)

  • Monali P.

    Stopped here on my last visit to Portland, in need of good Japanese food. I was not disappointed, although some dishes did underwhelm. The Onigiri and the sashimi platter were by far the best. The onigiri is the rice ball covered in a seaweed cone and filled with tuna mayo. It was so tasty my friend refused to share and pretty much shoved it into her mouth in a span of a few minutes. I ordered it and did share (I'm sweet like that), and it was gone fast. Just the right combo of savory, sweet, and salt. The sashimi melted in my mouth. The grilled rice ball lacked flavor. It needed salt or something else to complement it. Similarly, the grilled avo and fava beans were good, but not so special I'd order them again. The ochuzake (traditional rice soup) was interesting, though I found the black tea flavor to be a little too dominating for my liking. Service was friendly, somewhat slow. The setting was pretty loud too. Although, if you order wisely, I'd say the food is so good you need only to focus on enjoying it and not worry about yelling in order to converse with your dining companion. In other words, I don't recommend this for a date spot. Unless you are fine with not speaking.

    (4)

  • Amigail V.

    Complimentary breakfast at the comfort inn tasted better than their ramen and udon. Never again!

    (1)

  • Gabriel C.

    Happy Hour Ramen w/ Pork Shoulder ($5 + $3) - 3/5. Although rated very highly, I would say I was a bit underwhelmed (if I had paid full price). Thankfully, the server let me know there is a happy hour ramen ($5 from 5-6pm) if I ate at the bar. Broth had a great balance of spice and flavor, noodles were perfectly cooked with the right level of chewiness and had a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg and delicious pork. They also threw in a small appetizer of popcorn while I was waiting for my ramen :)

    (3)

  • Annie L.

    Ok food was great..you'll love it...but it is expensive...and it is small portions...we had party of 3..each with one beer a person and dinner and it was 84 bucks...and we left still hungry...so if you have the money to blow great..otherwise go somewhere for that money that will fill you up.

    (4)

  • Orlando J.

    Food is Amazing!!!! Here for work from CA for a week--- this is the three time I have had a late night dinner!!!!

    (4)

  • Jenn W.

    Fantastic service with a great menu makes this SE Portland joint a marvelous dining out option. My boyfriend and two girls (6&9) had gyoza, pickled platter, fried chicken, ramen, sashimi, mackerel, and two types of skewers (chicken thighs & mushrooms wrapped with pork belly). Everything was prepared well and served fresh/hot. The salmon and yellow tail melted in your mouth. I'm not a mackerel person, but both my boyfriend and 9 year old daughter loved it. As far as drinks go, I had the whiskey flight and my boyfriend had some sort of fruity beer thingy. Both drink options were great choices. For dessert, my kids had the butterscotch miso ice cream and chocolate pudding to share with nothing but awesome things to say. We will definitely be back to Biwa and plan on trying even more of their menu.

    (5)

  • McKenzie M.

    This place was so disappointing. I had heard good things about Biwa and was in the mood for some good Japanese, which I was not delivered. Most of the dishes seemed to lack a kind of boldness. The exceptions were the first amuse bouche of popcorn that was deeply nutty and slightly spicy, and the asparagus in white miso that was part of the chef's choice of three appetizers for that night. Other than that, even the miso soup was bland. The agedashi tofu was served in a water-thin broth, and the grilled mushrooms were so boring I was wondering why they were on the menu at all. Were they even salted? The rice was cooked well, a little sticky and toothsome. The service was attentive and I like the izakaya vibe of the place, but the food left much to be desired.

    (2)

  • Meana K.

    Biwa has so much potential, but it's just not quite there. After my first visit, I was ready to give it a 4. After my second visit, I dropped down to a 3. I'll go again and keep trying new things -- but the sochu flight alone is worth many returns. Firstly, let's talk about service. Staff are knowledgeable about the prep of the foods as well as the notes in the spirits. Service is attentive without being overbearing. Not terribly friendly, but they get the job done. 3.5 for service. Prices - skew a bit on the high side for specific dishes and then completely reasonable for other dishes. You can definitely come here for an affordable meal or really throw down some serious cash. 3 for prices. They have flights of Japanese whiskey, sake, and sochu -- I am thrilled about the sochu offerings available. They also have cocktails, sodas, beer, wine, tea, etc etc. 4.5 for beverages. And then there's the food. 3.5 for the food. Chef's selection starter -- excellent, though changes each time, and pricey for how much you get. Kimchi karaage -- excellent. Lamb skewer -- good. Chicken skewer -- good. Gyoza -- good. Chicken skins -- good. Pear salad -- okay. Pork stew -- okay. Ramen -- okay. It's that last one that really bummed me out. Ramen -- only okay. It simply wasn't rich and flavorful when I had it. With such an innovative menu, I would have liked more from the ramen. At $12, I wasn't keen on the upsell of $3 add-ons -- although in hindsight, maybe that's where the flavor was? That would make a very pricey bowl of ramen.

    (3)

  • Jay C.

    I downloaded this app just so I could write this review: There are other things I could be doing with my time other than writing a review, but I feel a compelling sense of duty to warn the foodies out there who may be looking for quality food: This is not the place for you. Unless, you like: A LOT of salt, fishy fish, generic BBQed meat skewers, salty generic BBQed vegetables, salty dry fried chicken, salty miso soup, etc. Btw, the service was just as bad. If you still decide to check this place out, don't get duped into ordering the $55 chef's choice like I did. After the first couple courses, you'd wish you hadn't spent the money. And don't expect a comp or discount if you did not like your meal. If you're still not deterred, I recommend just starting with a low priced item, and work up from there.

    (1)

  • Cindy M.

    Do not go there for the Portland dining month. Waste of money and super expensive. We each paid 30 bucks and you have to pay a stupid health and wellness fee.. So I went with my friend and we both got the dining month special and we basically received food for just one person. There was so many small side dishes and they barely had any food on them. Plus the ramen was just a little too salty. The gelato wasn't even the one we were hoping for and the kimchee was so sour... Tasted like they threw in a spicy sauce in the cabbage... We didn't get all the meals that was mentioned online. I would probably never go here again.

    (1)

  • Louis M.

    Fun, cozy place. Intimate interior with outdoor seating available. I had a Manhattan-styled cocktail called a Milwaukee, which left something to be desired by its $10 price tag, but the sashimi was fantastic quality and I will certainly be returning to try other things on the menu.

    (4)

  • Jade L.

    The Ramen: The noodles had a good consistency to it. The egg was deliciously runny. the pork was fatty. The pork shoulder was just ok. The broth was boring. The Short Ribs: You get 3 massive ribs. The glazed sauce is pretty delicious, but it's not really infused into the meat. The meat has a completely different taste. This would have been my fav, if I didn't find a strand of hair on my rib a couple bites in. I feel sick just thinking about it. Did not finish. The Gyoza: Love the way the gyoza was cooked, soft in some part, crunchy in others. This was probably my fav, but even I, who cannot cook, can make gyoza. Overall, this place was disappointing.

    (2)

  • T R.

    Meh. The food was okay. Very hipster Portland vibe if you're looking for that kind of thing. The best thing we tried (and we tried a lot) was the fried chicken and let's be honest - it's hard to do fried chicken wrong. On the plus they got us in on Valentines day with no reservations.

    (3)

  • P H.

    Our go to place in Portland for asian. Great korean/japanese fusion dishes. Ramen is seriously good with spicey pork. Enjoy the fried kimchi for appetizer. Everyone I've sent there has enjoyed it. Very busy on weekends, we usually go Sunday night or later on weekday evenings.

    (5)

  • Ryan C.

    Didn't trust the Yelp and instead trusted the Eater 38 Essential list along with the guide book hype. I will echo the guy that posted the review before mine when I say that the quantity/price ratio is completely whacked. $5 skewers of meat are the size of my pinkie (the new bacon-enoki ones are even smaller), while the $18 Sashimi plate was three nigiri slices transformed into 12 through value-added knife skills. As for the quality... Biwa's highs are its Pickled Mackerel and the Broiled Mackerel. The Saba sashimi was among the best I'd ever had--neither too salty nor sour and not dried-out like you sometimes get. Very reminiscent of the herring at Kachka, the saba was this restaurant's saving grace. The Broiled Mackerel itself was done well too and properly seasoned. This cannot be said though for the dish as a whole because the daikon in soy sauce that it comes with was tragically reinterpreted into a dark and flavorless mound sans soy. Maybe it's a condiment thing at Biwa but the mustard that came with the Chicken Karaage and Yakitori was also impossible to eat. The servers warn you each time that it's "very very hot". Listen to your servers, Gabe Rosen! If they all think it's gross that's probably a red flag. Pure mustard might scream "Foodie!" but you could maybe try a 1/2 and 1/2 Mustard and Mayo mixture. Then, the Yukke. I make Yukke all the time and have had many French-style tartares in my day. Biwa's was absolutely the worst I've ever tasted. The meat was an untextured paste, which is Rule #1 for what to avoid when making tartares of any kind because it UPs the gross factor rather than tempers it. The chili oil did not save the dish because it was not otherwise spiced or savory. Rule #2: You need some freshness to liven up what is clearly just raw meat, hence the pear/garlic and onions/lemony capers in the traditional tartare recipes. Rule #3: You gotta get the raw egg to raw meat ratio right, and err on the side of less egg otherwise you end up making the thing super slimy and risk having your diners eat a bite of mainly raw egg. Really, only the egg yolk should be used because it being a fancy quail egg doesn't make raw whites any more tasty. Nothing though was so bad as the Lamb Yaki. Oh boy, where to start. Not really sure why they weren't able to produce a single char or grill mark on the meat, nor did I understand why they wouldn't thin-slice it but rather cube it as though for stew. The chefs who must have labored to get the skewers through the meat should have suspected that the dish would not yield to mere human teeth, and I'm additionally resentful about the raw onions which provided the only flavor for the meat gum. That last dish was in fact so depressing that I questioned my own sanity as well as Portland's claim to being a legit food town. No meal should be *that* bad. For good Japanese food, ignore the Portland Monthly, Eater, and other establishment hype. Go to Kukai in Beaverton and enjoy both excellent izakaya food and the best ramen in town.

    (2)

  • Jennifer G.

    The staff at this restaurant made my day. It was incredibly hot and Biwa does not have air conditioning. The staff accommodated my request to move our reservation to the outside tables. I would not recommend this restaurant on a hot day, but the staff made the best of the situation and kept the water flowing. The food was good, but small portions. I recommend ordering plates to share and be sure to get 1-2 dishes per person if you are moderately hungry.

    (4)

  • Ronald A.

    My last review was for a take out experience; 5 of us enjoyed dinner here recently. I am glad we did. I plan to return. Two of our group did a sake flight. With three choices in front of us, it was very easy to see the differences. I do not consider myself a sake expert; however, I enjoy it and this is a great way to learn. We started with the breaded and fried kimchi. This is a great way to enjoy something that I do not run after. Rebecca loved it, just as she enjoys all kimchi. I preferred the fried and glazed sweet potatoes. I could have had more and probably ate most of them. This place does gyoza with flavor. This is not something I order regularly because they are often so tasteless. I will return to this dish. The pork stew was good; so was my bibimbap. However, I will try other dishes my next time here. The grilled rice ball was great; so was the griddled mochi. Yes; we ate small plate style. We used to call it family style. It is still sharing. This is a fun place with good service. We will return.

    (4)

  • Anthony N.

    After seeing this place on a "best ramen in the country" list, I had to check it out. So I dragged 5 others with me on a Saturday night around 5. There wasn't really a wait, but it wasn't really busy either. It's a pretty small place but was nice. Service was kinda bleh, had to wave down the server a few times (dropped chopsticks, order more drinks, more water, etc...). Food wise, it was good, but not the best I've had. We started out with the pork ribs and those were really good, very flavorful and tender. As for the ramen, I got all the extras (pork shoulder, spicy group pork, seaweed and fried shrip = extra $13). For just ok ramen, this was super expensive ($11+13)! I was expecting something amazing, but was very disappointed :( Most likely will not come back again.

    (2)

  • Teresa R.

    I don't understand all the negative reviews for this place. I thought it was grand! My lover & I went because he'd heard rumors that they have the best burger in town. A burger at a Japanese fusion restaurant? Sign me up! Available late night only, and not even listed on the menu, the burger arrived looking simple: lettuce, meat, some kind of sauce with pickled veggies on the sides to add if your heart so desired. It was like trying to get into a speakeasy and knowing the password. The burger was like an orgasm in my mouth. The meat was seasoned so perfectly it didn't need any toppings the way I usually enjoy my burger. Just fucking fantastic. Do yourself a favor & grab a date or even just take yourself, and sit at a table, order the burger and experience it for yourself. It'll be like sex, except you're having it.

    (5)

  • Andrew N.

    I haven't been here in two years and was looking forward to the Ramen. The recipe seemed like it changed with the delicious pork broth they had prior. The service was terrible. They drop your food off to you without saying a word and they also drop your food on the table literally and did not offer to replace it. The health and wellness add on was a shock too that you can't opt out of which is unfortunate. Unfortunate that one of my fav places to eat went so far downhill.

    (2)

  • Peter G.

    I am on the fence between 1 and 2 stars here. We ordered miso soup and 4 other dishes. The miso soup is the kind that you get for free in most places -- here it costs $4. One out of the 4 dishes was pretty good, one tasted like soap (not a typo), one tasted like nothing, and one (dumplings) was so ridiculously salty that it was borderline inedible. The portions are on the small side and the prices are about 50% above what I would consider reasonable for good average food. I don't remember the last time I went to a restaurant, or indeed paid for any service or product, where prices charged and value delivered are so out of whack. I have eaten in places that I thought were way overpriced but the food was usually above average and there was a nice view or something to justify the price. And of course I've eaten cheap below average food; usually they give you lot of it. Here, you get small portions of crappy food for a lot of money and the place is in a basement. Oh yeah, thanks to David F. for reminding me about the mandatory "wellness contribution" or whatever the heck they call it, basically a 5% "tax" added to your bill automatically. 1 star it is!

    (1)

  • Kalong W.

    Came to check it out for Portland's Dining month. I think there are better places to throw down the $29, and this is hard for me to say only because the servers were really on top of it and made it a great experience. When they say small plates to share, they MEAN small plates. Like, a bite goes on each plate-two tofu cubes, one mushroom skewer, one scoop of seaweed salad, etc. the only normal sized portion was a bowl of their ramen at the end, which was good but nothing to rave about. They were presented well, and the place itself feels warm and foreign, so really I give it four stars for the ambience and service, not so much the food.

    (4)

  • David F.

    I don't know how this place got the reputation that convinced us to visit. Service is good, yeah, well done on the staff. Food is distinctly MEH and when you factor in the cost and portion sizing that ranks it down to 'Nuh uh, wait, this is ALL wrong' Last insult comes in that the management want to bill you personally for their employees healthcare which they should be sucking up and providing in the first place. The hell with this place and their fad-y momentum.

    (2)

  • Chiqui B.

    We came in right before they closed not knowing if they would serve us. They did and we didn't have to wait long for our food either. Gyoza: Perfect! Ramen with smoked pork shoulder: Melt in your mouth amazeballz! Bibimbap was way too vinegary for me so we sent it back and they didn't charge us for it. Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesooooooooome!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Yelena M.

    I don't know why this place is getting 3.5 stars. I love their ramen and service has been consistent and good. Love that it opens late and the atmosphere is really fun for a late date or hang out with friends. Last time we were there we did a flight of sake which was so fun and delicious!

    (4)

  • Tom M.

    This was our first visit to Biwa and I'm still trying to figure out what the huge draw is. Essentially, it's a room, not a very big one, full of concrete and reverberating noise. We were greeted by a friendly staff member who told us our table would be ready in about 5 minutes. It was a Saturday night and it was just beginning to crowd up so we got there just in time. I have no issues whatsoever with the service because our server was friendly and pretty much right on. He read off the specials, took the orders efficiently, and delivered our food in a timely manner. I also very much appreciate the 5% charge to see that the employees at least have health insurance and a living wage. Where the issue begins with me is not only the level of noise created just by the patrons talking at their tables, the clanging of knives and forks, along with the distant kitchen noise, but then adding grinding rock music turned up just a bit too loud and there you have it... yelling at your table mates just to be heard. This is one thing that will not only kill an experience for me but prevent me from going back in the future. If I have to take earplugs to a restaurant, it probably ain't happenin'. Personally, I thought the food was excellent and very innovative. Whoever heard of deep fried KimChi? Well, I have now, and that stuff was rockin'-ass good. Then, when you pair that with my veggie BiBimBap... WOW! They were very accommodating. So why the 3 stars, you ask? For me, solely because of the noise. Once again, I was in a very noisy environment that was compounded by loud obnoxious music being played mostly for the staff. Granted, most of the crowd in here is young and likely not bothered by it. Me? I'm ready to break out the cotton balls.

    (3)

  • Jessica T.

    Biwa Review - Visit Date May 4th (Sunday) 8pm Visit: Dinner Group: 4 guests - out of town friends and me and my honey Mood: Vibrantly low-key Ambiance: subterranean industrial meets ancient Japanese Chic. Feel: Open air format, bar with viewable kitchen area, side tables. Dietary: Gluten Free options = yes! I told the server of my Gluten intolerance and they were very accommodating. Meals: Order to be shared family style. Items on the menu can be ordered for just you (and some of them you will hog for yourself) but most are designed for sharing. Let's not get too wordy. I had been meaning to come to Biwa for a very long while and it was my first experience. Japanese street food served in its finest form in a welcoming atmosphere, outstanding service team and a generally interesting eating space. You feel cozy in the below-ground seating area and barely know that you aren't in a bustling and wild part of the city. Patrons still fill the seats at 9pm on a Sunday night, though there is a distinctly shorter potential for waiting. Anyhow - we had out of town guests and we didn't know how to order (we did not know about the family style eating). The server offered a Chef's choice menu of parings for a reasonable price and we got more than we could have asked for. It was a multi-course adventure in flavors and comforting textures. We had oysters, beef tartare, sashimi, gyoza (not me, they aren't GF), chicken wings (YES!!), grilled rice ball, bimbimbap, ramen with pork belly and boiled egg, seaweed salad, spicy kimchee, Japanese potato Salad and wonderful desserts. The only flavor profile we did not like was the seaweed salad (acquired taste) but the rest was outstanding. The serving staff was very knowledgeable and helpful, the food was perfectly timed and prepared...top notch. My personal favorite was the Rice Ball. Not terribly adventurous, I know, but the char, texture and delicately chewy rice stay with me. Loved every moment of our experience. Thank you.

    (4)

  • Dorothy S.

    While much of the food was very good we had such a snotty waiter that I have to knock the stars down. Our waiter seemed to take one look at us, decide we would not leave him a good tip and was just plain rude. Due to his attitude his guess turned out to be correct. But the food: the lamb skewer was very delicious, and the tuna was delightful. My son (who has lived in Japan) ordered the udon which was so bland and yet poorly seasoned.... And was extremely heavily laced with seaweed. Also having lived in Japan where each course is so beautifully presented he felt the food was just being plunked down without any finesse. But the Natto was surprisingly tasty! I liked the vibe of the place, but they need to tweak and train their staff a little...

    (2)

  • Cliff D.

    Service is too slow because there are a lot of people, and when you get your order, they rush you to eat. The ramen is decent and the onigiri was tasty. The food may seem Japanese, but the vibe is not. The neighborhood is sketchy. If you are going to eat there at night. Try to park as close to the restaraunt or you may risk getting your vehicle vandalized or you getting held up. If it is not in front of the restaraunt, forget it and leave.

    (2)

  • Paige Y.

    We were here in the summer 2013, but I decided to write the review after reading some reviews here. Our visit to this restaurant could be one of the Twilight Zone episodes. We got back from the coast and many things were closed. And we found Biwa on the Yelp app. It was a hot night, and we did not know much about this area. We walked and walked and luckily we could find the restaurant. I was the only Asian, and possibly the oldest and least cool person in the restaurant. The menu looked authentic yet pricy. A wait staff came to get the order. Her pronunciations of menu items in Japanese were perfect - no accents and no intonation issues!!! We ordered several izakaya items, and we were happy with them. It was too hot to eat ramen, and we would try ramen there only if we could find it again! We wanted to go back there to see if it was real but we just did not have time this summer. It was a surreal experience.

    (4)

  • Julie W.

    Ordered asparagus salad, avocado salad, ramen, chicken and beef skewers. All were very salty but the salads withstood it. Overall meh. I'm sure there are some really great dishes, but the ones I chose wouldn't really lure me to return.

    (3)

  • Xiaoqian G.

    Good food. Slow service. I come in for ramen, and the food is American style, as I expected.

    (3)

  • Billy M.

    Their happy hour is fantastic. I recommend getting the beer and sake special along with the ramen and any of the meats. Amazing!

    (5)

  • Sudipto G.

    Last stop for the PDX dining month. However, we didn't get the Omakase as it needed the whole table to participate and one of us was vegetarian. However that was a blessing in disguise because on the whole I think we ate a lot more than $29 would have bought us instead. They have a wide variety of small plates which are fun to share and have! Def. recommend the fried Kimchi, japanese style fried chicken, gyoza, and the last two items (I forget how to spell them) of the food menu (server will be able to point it out) its a big sushi like roll with different fillings (tuna, plum sauce etc)

    (5)

  • CousCous M.

    This is hands down the best Izakaya in Portland and there are a few. Biwa is consistently great with an ever changing menu on top of the classics (Kara-age, hand made gyoza, yakitori). I am baffled by the negative reviews here, though many of them are directed at the ramen and I concede other places in town are better for ramen (though it's still good). The menu is much deeper than that and deserves exploration. Atmosphere, service, drinks are all excellent as well.

    (5)

  • Pamela M.

    I went with a group of 8 and had made a reservation earlier that day. This worked out perfectly. Our waiter explained the family style menu and answered our miriad of questions. The oyster shooters were amazing. The ramen, while good, was not the best I've had in Portland. Loved the popcorn served at the table. They had good, strong drinks and it was really fun buying a bottle of Saki for the table. Loved the atmosphere. I think I would not have liked it quite as much if I had not made the reservation... not sure its totally work a long wait, but definitely worth making a reservation with a group. Very fun experience.

    (4)

  • Duane P.

    This was our first time at Biwa I loved the dungeon feel of the place and seeing the people on the street above walking by. The meal started off with great service and that continued thru out the evening. Our meal consisted of Yakionigiri ( grilled rice ball ), Green Bean Aemono ( green beans and sesame sauce ), Gyoza, Hanger Steak, Bara ( pork belly ) and Chicken skewers. All where good but would probably pass on Aemono and Chicken skewers next time. All in all a excellent experience.

    (4)

  • Bryce O.

    Great food, decent service. I really wanted to leave 5 stars, but the service was a little slow- especially with drink refills for beer and wine. Food was great though, and we will definitely come back!

    (4)

  • cindy m.

    Pretty sure they season their ramen broth solely with salt. And tons of it. I've had better instant ramen.

    (1)

  • Jenny D.

    Oyster appetizer was amazing!! Popcorn thing was really good. Pork belly is average and overpriced. Deep fried pork ribs was average. Tri-tip was super chewy!! Do NOT order! Bibimbap was horrible!! Do NOT order! Udon was hard and the soup tasted weird. DO NOT TRY!!!! Overall, the experience was below average.

    (2)

  • Jane S.

    We arrived before they opened and saw the staff testing the specials. I think that shows that they truly care about the food being served! The service was amazing and very comfortable atmosphere. We loved the gyoza, yakitori and ramen!

    (4)

  • Beth P.

    My boyfriend and I are on a Biwa kick right now. We have our order down, we tried to pretend that we would try different things every time we went, and that lasted less than one trip because we love our favorites: Hamachi, pork belly, oysters, sometimes mackerel, sometimes green beans, seaweed salad of some sort. And then we either split an Udon or get our own bowls of Bibimbap. It is delicious. Our favorite spot. Fantastic. The service has always been attentive and prompt, the one time we were there and it was super, super packed and food/drinks were coming out slow, we were given a complimentary drinking snacks plate to tide us over.

    (5)

  • Jacob L.

    This is a review only of the ramen soup dish. So as Californians visiting Portland, OR we are comparing this place to ramen noodle shops such as Santouka Ramen in Mitsuwa food court in Santa Monica, Shin-Shen-Gumi Hakata Ramen in Fountain Valley, CA, Ramen Dojo of San Bruno, CA, Maru Ichi in Mountain Valley, CA, and Ramen House Ryowa in Mountain Valley, CA, and Sushi 21 of Fresno, CA. First noticeable thing is when we walk into this place - no Japanese are eating here. Perhaps it was the one night we visit, but this is our second time here in Portland, and our second visit to this same joint. Not sure if the demographics of this area is such that there are insufficient Japanese in the area to create a following, but one marker of quality of an ethnic restaurant is that it attracts a strong following among the same ethnic group. The customers were 95% or greater caucasians which reflects "Americanized" food. We ate the ramen noodles. It didn't hold a candle to any of the above places we have visited. My teen daughter who also has eaten at the same places above told me that this ramen noodle dish did not taste authentic. I was like, "That's a good point. I could make this at home with instant ramen packets and add some egg and sliced pork and come up with the same dish." It also wasn't that filling. I came back to the hotel and ate a peanut and butter jelly sandwich to satisfy my appetite. Other aspects of this place: -Service by waitress: Excellent. -Decor: Excellent -Music: Jazz or contemporary, good music. -Atmosphere: Excellent Perhaps the other dishes are very good. I've not tried them. However, for ramen soup if you've never known anything better then you won't know how unimpressive it is at this place.

    (2)

  • Dana M.

    Ramen ftw, YOrkie cocktail was heaven in my mouth. Raw bar was scrumptious, and pickled veggie plate we had was palate titalating and was where I discovered the wonderful world of turnip greens. Would be anxious to return.

    (4)

  • Alyssa C.

    Boyfriend and I finally came here after waiting for a night where we actually wanted to eat after 10pm (their famous burger is only served after 10pm Sunday - Thursday and after 11pm Friday and Saturday!) We literally planned our Sunday around eating this burger. One word: YES! Give me MORE! This is probably in my top 5 burgers I've eaten in Portland. Why? It was cooked perfectly medium rare - the meat was tender and juicy and seasoned perfectly. Every bite was like a magic dance in my mouth. BF got the ramen which is probably the best ramen I've had in Portland too. As much as I loved the burger, I couldn't stop negotiating bite trades to get more ramen in my pie hole. So why 4 stars and not 5? Just a few little nit picky things. First, the burger didn't come with anything...I was hankerin' for some fries or something on the side. Second, the micros on tap selection is lacking...I knoooooooooow it's an Asian place so they just have Asian beers but...come on. We're still in Portland.

    (4)

  • Laura W.

    I WANT to like them because they have great local ingredients and recommendations and allure. But I just don't see what the fuss is about and I've gone in and left wanting every time. I've been there 4 times and here is my final review because I likely won't be back. DRINK -Japanese spirits menu: excellent and super interesting, one of a kind. -Black pepper soda: tasted like the flavor of white pepper and wasn't spicy. -Sapporo: fine because can't go wrong; it's refreshing and average price. APPETIZERS -The miso soup was quite good. It came with fried tofu bits. -Fried kimchi starter tasted like fried flour more than kimchi. -Popcorn (free) starter is tiny and bland and overcooked. -Octopus salad: octopus was overcooked, hard and gummy, meager portion. MEALS -Dumplings were great. Really lovely dough. -Curry was decent but nothing special. It was filled with potatoes and only a few pieces of meat. The description didn't mention potatoes or else I would have gotten something else. Who would expect a potato-based curry when the description says "pork curry with vegetables on a bed of rice"? Rice is nice, potatoes are great. But BOTH? I don't think so. -Burger: most dissatisfactory of all, because it is inconsistent. First, a friend recommended the burger as one of the best in town. Appetite piqued. Then, an unrelated friend later recommended the burger, and said it was "so raw and gummy" he nearly couldn't stomach it. Appetite double piqued! Finally, I went for the burger with a friend. I ordered "medium rare" friend ordered "medium" but server said it all came the same way by default as "medium rare." When it finally came out, mine was overly well done and friend's was medium well done. It was SUPER NICE that the server recognized the well doneness and tried to accommodate but I'm just not about wasting food if it's palpable. Yet even for a well done burger, it was very salty and hard. ATMOSPHERE First, don't expect to be seated quickly on a busy day. Or on an off-day when they're not expecting people and so don't anticipate enough servers. Cozy, woody, comfortable atmosphere, but hot, stuffy, sweaty overall. All 4 times. i.e. Come here only in WINTER. Don't come here on a hot day unless you can sit outside. Music is unnoticeable background until it turns to rap/hip hop which is around 9 or 10pm. SERVICE Bussers and those who bring the plates are not ideal. They seem pretty stressed out and not polite or helpful and make you anxious. Really great for servers. Intuitive and informative overall. Until you get your food, then the service is subpar and they don't check in (on 3 occasions. The 4th we were seated at the bar so no issues). Many props to our server who somehow recognized my dissatisfaction with the uber well done burger and offered to take the price off the bill. That was really, really nice. If I did go back, I'd order the GRILL because their meat seems to be very good quality, but I likely won't bother returning. I think 4 times over a year or two on different types of occasions is enough to have an opinion and move on.

    (1)

  • Amanda C.

    Perfect anniversary spot for my king and I/me! Friday night, knew we would have to wait a while anywhere but I just had a feeling Biwa could help us, and indeed they did. (We had decided our maximum wait time would be 30 minutes...hostess quoted us 25...we were sat in 15!) The service was prompt, kind, and informative. Everything we ordered was tasty and fairly priced. The music and decor was perfect for a casual date. We shall return.....Thanks Biwa! (Oh yah, and 5% added to your bill goes to helping pay fair wages and to the well being of all of the staff....big fan of that!)

    (5)

  • Ethan D.

    Amazing how much your opinion can change about a place with just a few more visits. It's why I set a standard for myself that I will only write a Yelp review if I've been to a place more than once. Biwa. I visited you twice about a year ago. Found the ramen to be a youthful fresh-out-of-culinary-school white kid's take on a classic traditional Japanese comfort food (albeit one they take very seriously) and a bit overpriced and pretentious. But my opinion changed drastically tonight. Stopped in for the first time in about a year after a show at the Keller. Not only was the ramen lightyears more authentic tasting than a year ago, but they charge a 5% "health and wellness" charge on every bill, which they use to fairly pay their staff and provide full benefits to. Way to go, Biwa!!! I fully support this and deeply admire the ethics in their business model. I think this charge should be commonplace in the service industry. Nothing makes me happier than supporting a business who looks after their employees. Yeah, it's still a bit overpriced and a bit pretentious, but their food is the bomb and they take care of their staff. Biwa, I was wrong about you... But please, just one request. Tonight, at the Keller I paid $10 for a glass of Laphroaig 10 on the rocks. You charge $15! It should have been the other way around. I love you, but $15 for Laphroaig is a bit much.

    (5)

  • J. N.

    Here's the deal. If you are not a gung-ho ramen person meaning you have not been to Japan and you do not know how ramen should really taste--as a whole dish, and you are not solely seeking this place out just for this dish....I mean you can, but it's not the best. I agree with other reviews where the ramen just is not memorable. It's really just salty with no personality. The ramen noodles do have a consistency to it, so that's great, but I would not make this my number 1 ramen stop unless I didn't know any better and if I really didn't care. If it's a cold, rainy day and you are looking to be full and need a warm meal--sure, but if you are a ramen aficionado, um...maybe....no.

    (3)

  • Dan N.

    Health wellness 5% is a bunch of crock!!! To be FORCED to pay this, is just NOT right. You need to give the customer an opinion not automatically take it from the bill. This is not good business practice and because of it, I will NEVER come back to your establishment!!

    (1)

  • Gary Y.

    The drinks are fine - strong and well made. I wouldn't recommend the ramen. The noodles look suspiciously like the kind you'd find in instant ramen packets. Surprise! And not the good kind. The pork shoulder that came along the ramen was stringy and bland. It felt like I was chewing on a piece of jerky when it could have been so much more. This is not how it should be. And I think this is the first time I've seen a Japanese place serve bibimbap. Random but okay.

    (2)

  • John D.

    I'd probably give it 2.5. We tried ramen, and 4 dishes. Ordering was pretty slow, but once ordered, the food came out quickly. The saba salad was good, skewers were good, but unevenly seasoned. The real reason for the low rating was the ramen came out warm. It was a hot day, so maybe someone in the back thought we wouldn't want hot ramen? Maybe it was an off day? Left rather disappointed.

    (3)

  • Paige N.

    My favorite Ramen place in Portland. Great service. Wonderful atmosphere. It was pretty magical. Thanks guys.

    (5)

  • Deb F.

    Gaijin-san ramen chick here, checking out another spot known for it's ramen. As usual, we ordred way more food than we needed, but I really wanted to try it all out. This cute izakaya is on the basement level but feels warm and inviting. We ordered a bunch of small plates and two bowls of ramen for 3 people. Standout items were the pork shoulder in the ramen - oh my, this was so flavorful, if a tad on the salty side. Also great was the hanger steak yakitori skewer, and the gyoza. Ramen itself was very very good. I liked the rich clear broth, the noodles weren't too soft, and it came with enough standard toppings to make it a full meal. I added the pork shoulder and was glad I did. The pork belly slice was soooo thin it literally melted in the hot soup. I went to pick some up and it disintegrated. Also included was a soft-boiled egg (2 halves). Less good was the kimchi (too vinegary), the pear salad (too much vinegar in the dressing), and the pork belly skewer (too chewy/fatty, not enough flavor). Prices aren't cheap. But next time, I'll skip the shochu cocktail and some of the small plates and stick to the delicious ramen.

    (4)

  • Mike N.

    Went last night for dinner. It was great! We all love Japanese and Korean food and found Biwa to be a great fusion effort. We had Yukke to start along with Sashimi. Both we spot on. We had lots of small plates that were also right on, but the hit of the night was the Kimchi Pork Stew. The pork was tender and flavorful, and the veggies, broth and just barely cooked egg were tremendous. Also service was timely and very warm and friendly. We will be back

    (5)

  • Jess P.

    Biwa is a real cool spot. I love the cozy, busy atmosphere of this basement-y restaurant. The food is really great, and vegetarians can celebrate a plentitude of veghead options. While there is no veggie ramen, the vegetarian udon satisfies any soup craving. The thick udon noodles are perfectly prepared and make for good slurping. Make sure to try a couple of the small plates- they do not disappoint.

    (4)

  • Casey K.

    I am being generous, but I think 3.5 stars is also a more accurate rating for this place. It definitely gets A for effort and for being one of the first to do such interesting food; but having been to Japan before and just simply understanding what an izakaya is supposed to be, I found Biwa to be a bit pricey, especially by PDX standards. But, the food is yummy! Will definitely come back (can come with a group, but come early!)

    (4)

  • Edward M.

    Stopped by for a beer and some ramen at happy hour. Good portion of ramen for the price. We'll have to come by and try the regular menu sometime.

    (4)

  • Jack H.

    Great service (that's two stars alone) Potato salad different and good Gyoza decent Food totally weird and didn't taste right Fried chicken tasted freezer burned and unseasoned. Ramen okay, ahi sashimi no seasoning, bim bam we didn't like Okay and then the 5% healthcare surcharge is totally bs. Raise your prices and provide benefits. We don't need to feel a part of it. This place is already expensive. Very disappointed

    (2)

  • Sherry S.

    I guess it's oxymoronic to think you can find a vegetarian ramen. I guess it's the same as asking for vegetarian in a steakhouse. Heck, we eat fish, so I'd be good with a fish/seafood broth too! I read in a review that you can ask for the vegetarian broth from the udon dish and sub udon for ramen. That's what I did. I added their wonderful wakame as well. We also ordered their special ceviche which was scallops/wakame. Lukewarm is what we ended up with on the ramen.. I'm talking the temperature. We were pretty amazed by this. I am not the type of person that complains about that sort of thing in a review and than gives it bad stars. I would rather be a grownup and let my waiter know. We did and he was very gracious about exchanging it. They did the order completely over again and it still did not take that long. Much better. The seaweed in the soup was quite fresh/full of flavor. The ramen noodles were definitely cooked perfectly, not too soft, or soggy, and they did not touch each other's noodly appendage. Not mushy. The broth was smoky, yet subtle. Vegetarian broth must be one of the hardest soups to pull off. There's no meat to support any flavor so you have to be ever so creative. I really liked the location, kind of clandestine, as well as the ambience. It does echo a lot though once you get a crowd in there. We started out in our own little world by ourselves, and then a few tables of 4 showed up, and we could hardly hear each other. I do like the decor of the warm wood and the candlelight. Mixed on the whole review. Oh almost forgot! The ceviche was, for better words, melt in your mouth. I would not have minded just a whole bowl of that!

    (3)

  • Rachel P.

    Good food, good drinks, friendly service, can get crowded on the weekends, great for late night bites. My boyfriend and I come here when it's late at night and we are craving Asian comfort food. Take it slow, order things in waves as you eat, try a little bit of everything and you will most likely find something worth coming back for. The tuna onigiri (like a tuna hand roll) and the ochazuke (rice soup with sashimi) are what keep us coming back.

    (4)

  • Mike S.

    Pay your own health care to your employees for God's sake! I ate at Biwa last night and when my bill came it had a 4% add on called "Health and Wellness" charge to my bill! My waiter told me it was so the staff could be paid a living wage and have health care. The Obamacare is kicking in and they are passing along the cost to their customers. This is total BS on a few levels: 1. why aren't you paying your employees a living wage prior to Obamacare? 2. why are you unwilling to cover the cost of health insurance yourself? 3. what happens if you collect more money than the cost of the health care? Do you stop the charge or pass to your employees in full? 4. Obamacare only affects businesses with 50 or more employees and Biwa is not one of them. 5. why do you put your operating expenses as itemized add-ons on the bill? Why not just put the rest of your expenses on the bill also? Bottom Line: Pay your employees a living wage and health care without passing it along to the consumer and don't try to sugar coat your unwillingness to take of your employees by nickel and dime-ing your customers! Shame on you Biwa! I expected more from you! You are just as greedy and corporate as Papa John's pizza!

    (1)

  • Natalia H.

    Oh my goodness. Please please please, don't leave this place without getting the Omakase. Chef's choice dinner with plate after plate of deliciousness floating from the kitchens into your waiting mouth. Wowee! I'll admit, I had to be somewhat open-minded and broaden my normal vegetarian palate in order to share this amazing meal with my husband, but it was worth it. The only thing I didn't really care for was the udon soup; the egg and broth just had a strange flavor. It was unfortunate to end the meal that way since (as I discovered) traditionally Japanese meals end in the soup rather than begin with it. But I can't complain too much because everything else was downright delicious. My favorites were the kimchi and the grilled mushrooms. The hubby loved the pork belly and ribs. My only issue with the food was when we got a vegetable dish that had some sort of dried flakes of fish on top. I'd never seen this before, but apparently the heat from the vegetables make the flakes move like the dish is alive, and when I glanced at it I literally thought it was some sort of tentacled creature alive on my plate. I almost fell off my chair before the waiter explained what it was. So ok, aside from the minor heart attack I was fine! The drinks were also delicious here. They have an amazing selection of Japanese alcoholic beverages including sake, shochu, even Japanese whiskey. I really enjoyed the shochu along with the meal. Wonderful place, fantastic service and delicious Japanese food.

    (4)

  • Tony T.

    Tapas were really good but I think this place is a bit over rated. Don't get me wrong it was good however for the price and the wait, I felt it was somewhat anticlimactic. It's a problem when your most memorable dish is the spicy (asian flavored) popcorn appetizer they gave to us for the table. Lamb skewers were good. Ramen definitely did not meet my expectations. Everyone says the Ramen is SOOO good here but it was mediocre at best.

    (3)

  • Mo M.

    Biwa has become my go-to place for late night delicious food on a cold, rainy, Portland night. The subterranean room is warm and inviting - sit at the counter to enjoy the company of others (as well as counter-only happy hour specials) or take the booths for more intimacy. Great ramen (take the smoked pork shoulder option), and nice pickled mackerel. Skewers are great, and the salads are both original and delicious. Sashimi is very high quality, although not cheap. Also a good cocktail list that includes low-proof options.

    (5)

  • Wes C.

    My friends and I ordered a number of shared dishes as a sort of appetizer... The chicken hearts were tender and delicious with great spicy mustard, pork belly was tasty and chewy, the complimentary popcorn had a flavor where you and your friends can't help but fight over it, and the tsukemono were slightly strange but interesting since each individual pickle had a totally different taste. And then the pork shoulder ramen arrived. And the massacre was swift, exacting a horrifyingly efficient end result of empty broth lacking any delicious perfectly cooked ramen noodles, smoky pork shoulder, seaweed garnish, or squishy but nonsolid half eggs. Rest in Peace. You were good to me.

    (4)

  • Tuan N.

    Very salty.... and paying for the employees' benefits too? Cone on! !! Oh i gave this a 1 star but yelp won't let me. One star for yelp too.

    (3)

  • Ms. O.

    Loved everything! Service was great, great food, and great price point!

    (5)

  • Esther C.

    Ah... No... ...I am so sorry to say that I did not enjoy my meal here. Starting with the popcorn. Popcorn? A bit of popcorn (...) is brought out before the meal in a tiny dish to share. I wish I knew the terminology for this little introductory plate. The last time I was offered such a thing was at Natural Selection, and it was done so well (!) that it made me look forward to what was yet to come. At Biwa, unfortunately, this was not the case, and I believe strongly that they would benefit from doing without it. The only thing that the stale and spicy popcorn (popcorn?) did for me was make me want to get up and politely dismiss myself from the rest of the meal before it even began. So harsh, I know... But moving on... What was ordered: Daigaku Imo, Udon and Ramen noodles. Daigaku Imo is described as "fried & honey glazed sweet potatoes", which, despite turning out to be a relatively enjoyable dish, I found to be confusing in that the description fails to prepare you for the truth that they are simply sweet potato fries. I don't know if it is because I subconsciously subjected it to my prior experiences with honey glazed potatoes in Korean establishments, but I was sure that based on the description I was going to get something else. I suppose I had anticipated bigger pieces of sweet potato--presented in a very different manner. These really were just sweet potato fries. Udon was flavorless and the ramen... well I would have much prefered the kind you make at home for $0.50 right from the package. Neither were disgustingly terrible, but they weren't very good either. I much prefer Yuzu or Mirakutei for ramen. Will Biwa get a second chance with me? I think so. I would like to try something else from the menu, perhaps the Biwa Burger? Looks like there are scores and scores of libations available for your drinking pleasure, some cocktails that sounded nice, though I didn't try any. Probably a good place for a late drink after a long night, or something like that. :)

    (3)

  • Marshall W.

    Went back here recently with some friends, whom I assured that this was one of the best places to eat in Portland. Wow, I was really disappointed and a little ashamed I did. Service was very slow, from the seating to the food, to refilling drinks and then getting the wrong check long after we asked for our bill. I don't know what the problem was since there was a server for almost every customer in the place. I ordered the bibimbap, which was pretty good. Served with rice instead of noodles I am used to seeing in Vietnamese restaurants and a soft boiled egg on top. My friend's ordered the tri tip and the chicken breast. The tri tip was said to be one of the best pieces of meat he's had but the portion was laughable. Same with the chicken breast, which is just a skewer. Our server probably doesn't belong in food service either, she was way too soft spoken and like I said above, inattentive and super slow and it's not like this place is a Denny's, but as I picked up my friend's checks in embarrassment (because I suggested the place, and I wasn't going to make them pay for such a dismal meal) I kind of wish we had gone there instead. Considering the price of the food here, I will likely never return, even if I did have one fantastic experience. Not worth the gamble.

    (2)

  • Grace B.

    Overall, the food was mediocre at best. Overpriced food with small portions. We ordered the ramen, pork stew, karrage, pickles and miso. Pork stew portion was incredibly small and peculiar tasting- being a "Korean" dish it tasted far from it (I have eaten authentic homemade & restaurant Korean food all my life). The ramen was a decent portion but very salty and oily. The miso soup was pretty good (piping hot and pretty miso-y), the karrage was freshly fried n juicy & the pickled veggies were normal pickled veggies. BUT that was the extent of this restaurant- maybe they have good skewers? Don't know, given that there were no suggestions given by staff... The service was not impressive and friendliness wasn't contagious. Last rant, they charge an extra 5% to cover their employee health care? I wouldn't mind this charge if I was told prior to being charged (but I wasn't told soooo not cool guys). Thanks for being open late but I will probably never come back.

    (2)

  • Meghan C.

    Man, you Portlandians are VICIOUS about your ramen! But I know I sound just as pretentious when I talk about pizza. As someone who just moved here from Pittsburgh, Biwa made the best ramen I've ever tasted! But maybe I will change my opinion upon living here longer... Everything about the ramen was great. The noodles tasted fresh and weren't overcooked, the pork was tender and perfectly fatty, there was tons of wakame, and weirdly enough, my favorite part was the perfectly soft boiled egg cooked in sake! The broth was like every other soy-based ramen broth--I guess I'm not a soup broth snob. Honestly, though, the ramen may have been upstaged by the robata skewers and sashimi. Oh man...my mouth is watering at the thought of the pork belly. And count me a fan of the shochu-based drink list. I want to give it five stars, but even with my limited ramen experience, it's overpriced. $11 is kinda pushing it for ramen, but the tiny sashimi portions (delicious as they may be) are even worse, capping off at $13 for a few slices of fish. If it were in Pennsylvania, I'd go regardless of price, but I'm not sure it's worth it considering the number of Japanese restaurants in this city.

    (4)

  • Rachael S.

    We ended up here after a movie one night, late-ish (11pm). There were 6 of us, so we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. Not bad, the waitress was nice. Not really any room to wait in this very small space. The decor is non-existence, everything is from Ikea. We LOVED the little dish of popcorn they brought out for us to snack on. We all ordered something different, including one gluten-free friend and me who eats no pork. She was very worried about finding something to eat and had resigned herself to a salad, but the waiter listed off 4 or 6 things she could order gluten free from the late-night menu, Bonus! She ordered the duck and mushroom fried rice. SO good, we all had food envy. A couple guys ordered the ramen, I got the udon (super tasty). Service was good, waiter was friendly and kept us in water. He didn't hover, but we got good service. The hostess, also very friendly. We didn't get hot towels, but it may have been because we were there late night. The menu is smaller then. They are open pretty late, which is great! We will be back for sure!

    (4)

  • Sara H.

    First time I went was for happy hour, portions were pretty tiny so we ate a good variety of items. Was not impressed. A few friends raved about it, so we thought maybe trying it for dinner vs happy hour. I got ramen, really salty (I went to college, I know what ramen in a bag taste like, this had that beat). I may be a gluten for punishment, but met up again with friends that just so happen to be eating here. Thought what the heck, people love this place, I must be delusional I'll try it again...chicken salty...noodles salty...fish salty...veggies salty...then I realized something! Whenever I meet friends here it's after a glutinous day/night of drinking. Of course they want something crazy sodium laced and fattening to boot! If I have a choice I won't be back, but I won't bunk out if invited...hey there's always sake.

    (2)

  • Farrah B.

    Umami smells while you wait.. Tiny bites of Japanese tapas heaven. Amazing dinner. Worth the wait!

    (4)

  • Tonya M.

    Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...shame on you again. This is the second time my husband and I have tried Biwa. The first time was soon after it had opened, when it was already getting great reviews. We were not particularly impressed, but gave them a pass since they were fairly new and clearly had some kinks to work out. So we decided to give them a second chance, this time for their Portland Dining Month menu. Reading the menu online, I thought it sounded great, and it would give us the opportunity to try a wide array of their dishes, including their much-lauded ramen. We got there at about 9:00 on a Friday night and were pleased to get a table, though it was right next to the beverage station. The service was friendly and knowledgeable enough, though clearly the servers we dealt with didn't quite know how to deal with non-hipster "old-folks" (we're in our mid-forties, yet we were spoken to very slowly and carefully, as if we were closer to 80. Everything had to be explained very carefully, though my husband made a point of telling the waiter I had lived in Japan and speak Japanese, so really don't need to be told what tako means). But still, friendly, if rushed and uneven, service. And if you're used to looking at 20-somethings all day, anyone older does tend to look ancient; I understand, I teach at a university. Next, the food. As I mentioned, we went there for the Portland Dining Month menu, and that is what we ordered. I ordered an IPA, and my husband ordered the beverage pairings, which turned out to be three shots of sake which all came at once. The first course included three small but tasty slices of sashimi, a seaweed salad and a spinach salad. The kinpira gobo (burdock root salad) listed on the PDM website, alas, never materialized. Unfortunate, since this is one of my very favorite Japanese dishes, and it is very hard to find in the US. For the second course, the PDM website listed tako, kimchee, gyoza, agedashi tofu and yakitori. Again, the tako never arrived, which was again unfortunate, since my husband and I both LOVE grilled octopus and it was honestly one of the things that drew us in. The agedashi tofu was good, though the shaved dried bonito on top is meant to be a garnish, not served in a fistful that quickly ends up as a sodden mess. Otherwise, great tofu, great broth. The gyoza were okay, though the wrappers were very thick. I believe they make them in-house, which is admirable, but they might be better off buying the commercial ones, which are thinner and closer to all the great gyoza I ate in Japan. The yakitori was okay, though a bit bland. And the kimchee, as I have seen others write, was just...odd and not particularly appealing. I enjoy good kimchee and my husband loves the stuff, but we didn't even finish our (very small) portion. The third course listed on the PDM website was yakionigiri, pork stew with rice balls and tsukune dango. In reality we got--ONE bowl of ramen. That was it. What happens if there is only one diner? Does he or she receive half a bowl of ramen? I should note here that each course really didn't seem to be for two people, though when the bill arrived, we had been charged for two. Anyway, no tsukune (chicken meatballs) or yakionigiri. I actually saw other tables get these, so perhaps the server forgot. The ramen was fine, and the miso egg on top was lovely. The server told us there was some pork belly in the bowl, but not matter how much we sifted through the noodles, we never found any. By this point, we were feeling a bit annoyed with the whole experience, and just...done. We passed on the dessert, paid our bill and left to get something to eat. Some notes for Biwa. First, just because customers are not 20-something hipsters does not mean they are rubes who know nothing about ethnic food, so please, try not to be quite so condescending. Second, if you put a menu online, either note that it is a sample menu, and that the daily selections may change (though you should really try to have a similar number of dishes at least) or actually serve that menu. And if you are going to treat the people who order your special menus or happy hour deals with disdain (again, this seems to be common from reading other reviews), either don't offer these special deals or serve them just as professionally as you would any other customers. Otherwise you are engaging in bait and switch, which is a petty way to do business. Finally, a note for people who want to try authentic and AMAZING izakaya food--try Yuzu in Beaverton. Sure it is a bit of a slog, and is almost impossible to find or to get a table once you do find it, but the mere fact that it is packed with Japanese expats is a sure sign of how truly authentic and un-hipster pretentious it is.

    (2)

  • Winnie F.

    I have yet to find a Japanese ramen place in Portland. Glad I found Biwa! The noodle is really good, NOT instant noddle for sure. I have a feeling that they hand made it in house, but who knows. The broth tasted just right and toppings are really good. Especially their pork shoulder, Can you say YUM? Only weird thing is the "hard boiled" egg. We asked the waiter why it tasted funny. Apparently they boiled the egg with sake. Hm, that's why. Not a big fan of that- would prefer a regular boiled egg instead. Not a big deal though. I love how they will bring a warm towel to refresh you before the meal, then bring you 5 spiced popcorn. So far everything I tasted on the menu is delicious. Will come again, for sure.

    (4)

  • Lelay P.

    Ask for Nick as your server. He is THE best. He recommended some spare ribs, and I wasn't even in the mood for spareribs but I ordered it because, hey, I'm sure it'll be fine, it's like 3-4 pieces. I ended up ordering another plate! Boom! So of course, at this point he can do no wrong, so I asked what he recommends for dessert, and he said spicy plum wine. Was expecting chocolate something, but nope, wine. Not even in the menu, but OMG. My mind is blown. This little sweet, spicy wine, was ah-mazing! Highly recommend this place, I highly recommend his service and will definitely come back again and again and again.

    (5)

  • Davey H.

    Not the best ramen but the potato salad was surprisingly good. Drinks were expensive but novel. Nice atmosphere, friendly service.

    (3)

  • Gina C.

    I love coming to Biwa every time I visit Portland--it has it all. Excellent small plates like very fresh sashimi, beef tartare, and Korean tapas. I enjoyed the Japanese goat curry we got this time. Didn't enjoy the bibimbap so much. Ramen is decent but don't get any add-ons--the menu doesn't specify it but it has everything you want. Broth is a soy sauce based broth and I see a lot of reviews complaining that it's not rich enough. I too like tonkatsu, but this is simply a different style. Noodles are good and broth is decent, but I wouldn't go to Biwa just for ramen. I've had the udon before and been happy. If you're a small-plate fan and looking for great cocktails, try Biwa!

    (5)

  • Vicky C.

    This restaurant was hidden away on the dark corner of a street with outside sidewalk seating illuminated by the single candle flickering on the table top. Inside was no better, as we were seated in a dark corner and could barely make out the writing on the menu and see our food. Fusion is an interesting term for overpriced Ramen with tasteless broth accompanied by a cold soft boiled egg that tasted strangely bitter. The two slices of "chaysu" were sliced paper thin and were mostly fat. The other dish we had was also strangely bizarre in which the Pork Stew was a poor attempt at a kimchi jigae. It consisted of rough, boiled pork chunks floating with rice cakes in a broth that tasted like a combination of sake and soy sauce. Where was the kimchi? Pork Belly ordered from the grill was almost perfect with the exception of being overly salted. The popcorn served as a complimentary starter was greasy and burnt.

    (1)

  • Alicia C.

    I went with a friend and we had the Omakasi (chef's choice) with the beverage pairings. It took a second to get rolling but once it did....my-oh-my so delicious. 7 courses of different delights to try. Including oysters, fresh fish pieces, fried kimchi, Japanese potato salad, and steak tartar! Everything was delicious. The drink pairings were worth splurging on. Different kinda of sake, champagne, Japanese whiskey, and beer. All blending perfectly with the meal! Was pretty expensive, but worth it for sure.

    (5)

  • Keith A.

    This I can dig on. This I can dig on a whole lot. Biwa had been rec'd to me two years ago and it's been my intention for a good while to get here. See, I don't like taking recs from people and then ignoring them. Various things got in the way and only now on this trip was I finally able to get to Biwa. Well, it was worth the wait. Now, I originally came here for some ramen. And while that was what I was leaning towards, I spotted some mushroom fried rice with duck in it. How was I not going to have that? Well, I did order that and ended up enjoying the crap out of it. I also ordered some fried tofu and took advantage of the bar special and got a small thing off sake. So, lets put it all together, sake, fried tofu, and duck+mushroom fried rice=me a happy boy. Now that I've been to Biwa I have to come back on my next trip. It really is that simple. Way too much on the menu looked good and I need to keep working my way through it.

    (4)

  • K T.

    We were shocked (because we didn't see it on the menu or I probably would have walked out!!!) when we received our check to see an additional charge on the bill for an additional 5% for "health and wellness"....in other words, we were underwriting the expense of the employee's health insurance. I am not sure it is legal to do this! Yes, I know we contribute by eating out and paying the bills, but this is gutsy to ask patrons to pay for insurance. Thanks but no thanks. By the way, the food was o.k., but not great enough to return! Mediocre broth for both the Ramen and Udon. Tastes like it was from a mix...nothing exceptional...

    (3)

  • Jackie T.

    Underwhelming. They served some rather chewy karaage with spicy mustard. I will say that it is a beautiful space and they have an interesting menu.

    (2)

  • Eva Y.

    good menu but cut back the salt! The environment is nice and the staff is attentive. The food need to come down from their current level of salt. The overall balance on their grill items is completely off.

    (2)

  • Jens J.

    Biwa shares the Pine Street Theatre building with Simpatica Dining Hall. Biwa is a Japanese restaurant, but not per se, a sushi restaurant. Still, the menu is loaded with options and pulling in the reins when ordering is a challenge. Service was outstanding. We were frequently checked up on, and dishes were brought out with perfect timing. We appreciated how they brought us steaming hot towels on a board to tidy up with before we ate. For libations, I stuck to water, but JP had a beer lemonade combination, which was more tart than sweet. JP really liked it. For "amuse bouche" we were served a little bowl filled with seasoned popcorn. This has gotta be the first time I've eaten popcorn with chopsticks! Our first dish was the cucumber sunomono with shrimp and wakame (a type of seaweed). The sunomono also contained roe (fish eggs). It was very good. Our next dish was the kara-age, which is little breaded deep-fried pieces of chicken served with a hot horseradish dipping sauce. I especially liked the kara-age because ginger was lightly and delicately applied to the chicken. Following the kara-age was the lamb "genghis khan". This was our favorite dish of the evening. The lamb on this shish kebob was oh so delicious and tender. Between each chunk of meat was tender carmelized onion. After that we had the spicy pork stew. It was a delicate dish with finely sliced vegetables, including scallion. I especially liked the slices of what we think was pasta of some sort or another that were in the stew. Our last dish before dessert was the korokke, which was a shrimp and pea (mashed potato) croquette. I've been in love with croquettes since discovering them at Uwajamiya's deli a couple years back. The Biwa croquette was very good. Several dessert options exist. JP went for the strawberry gelato sorbet. Texture-wise, it was much more a sorbet than a gelato. It had a fresh tart strawberry flavor. Knowing nothing about milk jelly, and intrigued by the possibilities, I went for the Milk Jelly with Seasonal Fruit. I was disappointed. In a little glass was a thick, tough and dry vanilla-ish custard with blueberries near the top. I kept on stealing JP's strawberry sorbet to mix in with my dessert to liven and moisten it up, which it did nicely! The icing on the cake is that Biwa does not use MSG!

    (4)

  • Gordon H.

    I found it a little bit of a mixed bag. Nice space, good service, some really tasty Japanese pickles, good Gyoza, and then some pretty boring grilled skewers--and I do routinely like yakitori and other types of skewers at other restaurants. Maybe if I had had the ramen or udon instead of the skewers.

    (4)

  • Lily T.

    I love BIWA! And I respect that they are giving their employees healthcare. I hope this is a contagious idea among Portland eating establishments. We don't get to eat out often because my little family is on a tight budget, but when we came in for happy hour the staff made us feel welcome and gave us incredible service. Sometimes in Portland if you come in with a toddler people give you that "please just disappear" look. But not at BIWA. Even though the place is not exactly set up to accommodate throngs of children, they did their best and found us a great spot. And we did our best to make life easy for them as servers. ALWAYS delightful to spend some time at BIWA.

    (5)

  • Leah K.

    2.5 stars. I feel like Goldilocks when it comes to finding the perfect ramen spot in Portland. Biwa is a beautiful restaurant, hidden and not flashy. The interior decor is the same - modernized japanese flair with a touch of Portland. Plating and presentation is just as beautiful. White plates against the wood grains of the table and walls. Perfect contrast, simple and not overbearing. I also loved the experience of dining at Biwa. They take the care to maintain japanese etiquette and traditional practices. Such as bringing you a hot towel to clean your hands. The ramen... was disappointing. The noodles were good. Chewy and not over-cooked. But the broth was where I felt it was lacking. Super oily on top, the texture was thin and very watery tasting without much flavor. The color was on the orange/red rust side. Never saw that before. But still, I ate it all. Because I love noodles. Pricey. Not worth the money for the low quality of the ramen but worth it for the atmosphere and experience. And sit at the bar! You can watch the cooks do their thing.

    (3)

  • Ron T.

    Biwa has yet to fail me on the quality of the food they serve and the way they treat you once you enter the door. You may have to wait at times but for a place that does not take reservations, it is relatively not that bad. Ofcourse, granted that you will not demand a set by 630 on a weeknight or 7 on a weekend. Tough luck there. And if you're smart, you'll know why. If not, call Oprah. The Yakitori selection is good. Chicken butt? Chicken liver? Hanger Steaks? Shiitake mushrooms? Garlic? What else is there? It's fun trying all of them. Oh, last night's special was CHICKEN SKINS! I know, it is terribly not good for you. If taken in moderation, it's delectable. Crunchy and hot. Just like pork rinds only less puffy and fatty. The ramen is plain but delicious. I still can't stop comparing it to Yuzu or Toshi. Their's has lesser flavor. Much simpler approach to their ramen.

    (4)

  • Lissie L.

    I dunno why some people don't like the ramen. I really enjoyed it! My boyfriend and I are very different diners; he enjoys simple, straight forward cuisine and I like to experiment. We both ordered the shoyu ramen, and several small plates. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The service was aloof, but that was fine because we just wanted to chow down. The yakitori was just as I remembered from Japan, and while I didn't find the ramen particularly authentic, I was so happy to have some real ramen in my belly. Boyfriend thoroughly enjoyed the gyoza and Japanese fried chicken. Overall, we will be back!

    (4)

  • Pete B.

    Amazing almost across the board - butterfish, sweet potatoes, all the other small plates to nibble on. The big negative here was their ramen and udon - they're not even close to good at all! If you've ever had good ramen at any ramen house anywhere, you'll be very put off by what they serve here. Though it seems to be a big seller, it's really no good at all.

    (4)

  • Valery C.

    Nearing the end of my first full day in Portland, I was getting the picture that industrial spaces and sleek woods are de rigeur for decor, along with incognito exteriors, and our after-dinner destination, Biwa, maintains both aesthetic and locale, situated on a dark and quiet block some steps below street level. Within the cozy space, there is seating at the vibrant bar at the foot of the stairs, or in paneled wood booths on either side. Our visit was timed to partake in their late night menu, specifically for a hamburger not available during dinner. Dinner offerings are a seeming free-for-all but typical of an izakaya, with grilled foods (yakimono), sashimi, salads, fried foods (agemono), udon, ramen, chahan, onigiri, and gyoza. Omakase and set meals are offered, quite reasonably priced. The late night menu is largely a slimmed down version of the dinner menu, but notably has two items not on the latter: saba nanbanzuke and the Biwa hamburger. We shared the burger and ramen. The hamburger was fully worth the visit. I'll admit I had low expectations of a hamburger in a Japanese restaurant, but expectation or not, it was succulent and incredibly flavorful, with seasonings I am not used to in a burger but work wonderfully well. All-in-all very simple, but it succeeds precisely by not trying too hard. Just right accompanied by a less mayo-laden classic Japanese potato salad and pickled vegetables. The pork and chicken broth ramen was fine but impressed less. It was mostly above average in every way (soup, noodles, chashu, shoyu egg), but not exceptional in any way. I would not get this again. The drinks menu (similarly pared down from the dinner version) features sake and shochu flights, wines by the glass, a short but interesting beer list (its Portland, nothing less to be expected), and sodas and teas. The housemade sodas stood out: black pepper? genmai cream? Sign me up. I tried the peach shrub, which had an acidic fruit flavor that I couldn't place (not peaches), but pleasing to drink. Biwa is a cool izakaya cut in the Portland mold. This initial sampling is enough to get me back. That burger is more than good enough to warrant a special trip for it should I make it out to Portland again.

    (4)

  • Jennifer F.

    The udon pork shoulder soup is sooo good. We also had appetizers including ribs, beef tartar, and seaweed salad, all if which were very tasty! The service was quick and the staff was friendly, I can't say anything bad about this place and for the amount of food we got I thought it was very reasonably priced.

    (5)

  • Joyce J.

    The service was a little lapse when I went. Our server forgot our drinks but he comped them when we reminded him. The ramen was mediocre but the smoked pork shoulder was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. I liked the chicken heart skewer. The pork bora was decent also. The yakionigri has nothing inside. Overall it was a decent experience but nothing struck me as exceptional.

    (3)

  • Gallie G.

    Biwa has some of the best menu items in town when you are looking for good Japanese. The ramen with the pork shoulder is amazing. That egg that they put in their ramen is the best thing in the world! The food is great. The political statements that accompany their check are inappropriate: "Hi, You have noticed on our menu that we are including a 5% health and wellness charge on your check, "to provide health insurance and living wages for all of our staff." All of the funds from this small service charge are used to provide full healthcare benefits to all of our staff and to support living wage incomes for our cooks and dishwashers (the non-tipped members of the Biwa family). Both of these issues are very important to all of us at Biwa, and we would like to thank you so much for being a part of this effort and supporting our staff. Kina and Gabe and everyone at Biwa" This is an internal problem. We don't need to know that you didn't plan on paying your dishwashers and cooks properly. 5 star for the staff. 1 star for the theatrics.

    (5)

  • Mark C.

    Nihonshu + kimchi rice + gyoza + ramen = good times.

    (5)

  • Andrew M.

    Good noodle soups; nice apps; decent drinks. Price was moderate... but the wait was loooong. They were quite accommodating to our party of four adults and a baby on a Friday night, which was nice (he was the only baby in there). The smoked pork shoulder (add-on for the soup) was awesome! I loved my udon noodles; everyone else got ramon, and liked those as well... but I still liked the udon better.

    (4)

  • Gloria S.

    We opted for the chef's choice where they decide what you'll be served. Great fun! Every course was a delicious surprise. Impeccable service. Highly recommend it!

    (5)

  • Daniel H.

    I came here on a personal recommendation from a chef downtown who seemed to share my love of noodles! However, I quickly learned that Biwa was not the place to satisfy my ramen cravings. Similar to boke bowl, I experienced a sadness that follows eating at a restaurant that did not live up to your expectations. Sitting at the bar during happy hour, I ordered a ramen with chashu. After it didn't taste as well as I hoped, I ordered a 2nd one in the hopes that maybe my first was just off. After 2 decent ramens in a row, I decided that I have had enough of Biwa. While I still wish to try it's Beef Tar tar, it will unfortunately not be my new ramen place for me. On continues the search!

    (3)

  • k w.

    Five stars, because Biwa is consistently great, but mostly to cancel out the bad reviews from people who use the word "delicious" twice in their summation and then still only give this place two stars. Or for anyone using the word "underwhelmed." And especially for the guy who said his kimchi was 'too spicy.' All of you, please, don't ever come here again.

    (5)

  • B. C.

    There are free 1 hour and 2 hour street parking areas in the surrounding blocks on 8th and 9th on Ash St. The customer service was excellent. The servers were very informative and courteous. They have happy hour between 5:00-6:00pm if you sit at the bar, which means that ramen and udon are HALF the price! Before your entree comes out, they give you a warm washcloth. This is called "o-shibori" which is traditional in Japan. You are to clean your hands with it. They also gave me a small dish of flavored popcorn (it's savory) as an appetizer, and a smaller dish of black pepper for the ramen. I had the pork shoulder ramen, which was a wonderful experience! The meat had a thin crisp outer coating and tender, juicy meat on the inside that came apart like roast. They also have some interesting dessert options on their menu that I'll have to get around to trying (i.e. matcha pudding, miso butterscotch gelato, and pear sorbet).

    (4)

  • Jenn C.

    Biwa gets 5 stars for their happy hour and for their food. Biwa gets 3 stars for their service. Biwa gets 2 stars for their uppity hipster patrons. Get there for happy hour and get their early--for both offerings. You have to sit at the counter to take advantage of the happy hour specials. The food offerings at happy hour are perfect to split between two people. We ordered the ramen with pork shoulder and the pork belly, which is not on the hh menu. We both got drinks and all for $20. The ramen was a full serving. The pork has a crispy outside and wonderful smokey flavor that is fork-tender. Their ramen: Better than Boke. Better than Wafu.

    (3)

  • Lia M.

    Skip the ramen! This review is just to express my sadness over the ramen. It was as if they took Top Ramen and added some extra fancy ingredients. As a lover of real ramen restaraunts, this was a very upsetting dish.

    (2)

  • Tarrah H.

    Went here for a first date yesterday night due to my inept skills navigating Trimet I was terribly late so I missed the full menu but was pleasantly surprised at the late nite options Pros:great service they were very attentive,the Saba was delicious had a pickled salad on top that was amazing,cocktails were on point both the ginger gimlet and gin and tonic were refreshing Cons:we had to sit at the counter but I honestly don't hold that against them bc it gave my date and a chance to speak closely I will definitely be returning!

    (3)

  • Kat M.

    Biwa is in a good little izakaya, and ambiance is nice enough. The food is so-so though. The expensive ramen was a not very good, hamachi left much to desire, the yakimono grill offerings were quite good, kara-age and gyoza were good. Better to think of this place for drinks first, and food second. Service is good. I gotta say, I found the 5% wellness charge presumptuous, why should I hold the responsibility of insuring your employees by way of an unavoidable itemized charge on my bill? Isn't tipping enough?

    (2)

  • Feuy S.

    The ramen isn't as good as I remembered. The broth isn't as flavorful and it tastes like there is an important ingredient or two missing. BUT their pork belly is still as delicious as ever.

    (3)

  • Seema F.

    Biwa is a strange attempt of an izakaya. I was surprised to see an all-white staff, and a bar with high walls, but it looked promising. We showed up at happy hour and expected happy hour prices, but for some reason, you only get those if you sit at their small bar. So, we left our table and moved to the strangely configured bar. Normally, an izakaya would have the kitchen area and a low bar counter around it so that they can pass food over. This bar however had mostly high walls and a waiter. Luckily there was space on the one low side where we could see the cooks, so we sat there. We ordered fried kimchi, beef hangar steak, pork belly, and chicken breast. It was a good start with a small, complimentary bowl of spicy popcorn with bits of seaweed. I could watch the chef cook our food the whole time, so it was a bit annoying to watch her hand off to the server on the complete opposite side of the bar only to watch him walk all the way back around to our side. The kimchi arrived quickly, and it would have been really good, except for the salt overload. I didn't think too much of it since kimchi can be salty. Then, our other food arrived---everything was an inedible salt lick. I knew when I watched the cook make food it would be a problem. I could see her grab a handful of kosher salt and liberally sprinkle it from high above. By the 3rd meat chunk I could not stomach any more salt despite having 2 whole skewers left. My husband let the server know that the cook needs to be corrected. We didn't want a re-fire, but the waiter was insistent that we were happy. We reluctantly agreed and tried for round 2. The manager and cooks seemed completely confused at this complaint, but re-fired our skewers. Round 2 wasn't much better. She still grabbed a handful of salt, albeit a little smaller. We finished what we could, but there's a lot of room for improvement. I would have much preferred a more traditional izakaya experience, with loud waitstaff and a Japanese chef with a light touch.

    (2)

  • Vi B.

    An intimate, sensual Japanese experience. No, I'm not talking about some illicit Asian bathhouse, I'm talking about Biwa! This Izakaya hosts a variety of tiny dishes, from classic Ramen to pork fried rice. The food's a bit spendy, but well worth it if you're looking for a romantic place to take your lady. I should also note that the service is always fast and friendly here, and only adds to the high-end restaurant feel that the food and ambiance already provide. An easy 4.5 stars. Think Andina with a Japanese flair. Oh, yeah. Now I definitely know you're going there!

    (4)

  • RJ H.

    Let me start by saying that I intended to leave a simple review of Biwa on this board. But reading rants about "Obamacare" and the barely significant 5% charge has inspired me to discourage such future idiocy from continuing. First off, anybody bent out of shape over 5% needs to take a nap and calm down. Biwa is a small business looking for a way to support their employees. Crucify them. It used to be called "taking care of the people who take care of you," not "Obamacare." Get off it, you nasty cheapskates. People in this chorus of complainers run in the same over-privileged, yet classless pack as those who think they shouldn't be made to wait for a table at a busy restaurant, or who argue about gratuity being included for large parties, or who fail to tip adequately (namely when splitting checks), or who think altering a dish on a menu is their birth right, or who believe they don't have to tip on wine or liquor, or any other example of generally classless patronage. (If you're reading this and thinking, "Hey, I do that," then I suggest you get with it and do some research about how dining out has evolved since the existence of MTV. You can thank me later for pulling you out of the wreckage of bad etiquette and tacky cluelessness.) You know what I call these kind of people? Folks who deserve to stay home and cook for themselves a little more often until they can appreciate what a gift it is to live in a culture where we can go out to eat and be so exceedingly critical about something SO SMALL aimed at helping workers! Get off it, people! NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR POLITICAL PROSELYTIZING ON YELP! Moreover, why don't you spend a day running someone else's restaurant and see if you can make it work so much better if you're so bright? Or, better yet, why don't you try turning tables, taking orders, and going home to read bitchy reviews by thankless, over-entitled individuals, like the ones you're posting? Or why don't you try living off this miraculous "wage" you think restauranteurs should just magically provide to their employees? Because I'm SURE if they just raised their prices instead of being transparent about where the costs are coming from/going to, you wouldn't go home and complain about how "overpriced" Biwa is... No, not you. You wouldn't do that. I'm sure you don't already have health care provided for you at your kushy jobs... I'm sure all of you are in the working class, aren't you? I'm sure every last one of you are cleaning dishes at your job like the kid in the back of the restaurant, who we never see, or the cook who has to clean his station after grilling your skewers for 5 hours straight just to get in early the next day and do all his prep. I'm sure all of you are overworked and underpaid, aren't you? Get. Off. It. Also: punishing your Server by confessing publicly on Yelp that you opted "not to tip" is t-r-a-s-h-y. It doesn't make you sound smart, politically literate, righteous, justified in your convictions, or cool. It just makes you sound like a cheap asshole. Everyone who works in restaurants hates people like you. Trust me. They do. And I personally believe there is a special place in hell for people like you. Look, I don't know anything about how this small surcharge is or isn't influenced by the Affordable Care Act. I don't care. I do, however, know this is a city with a burgeoning gastro class, filled with people trying desperately to scrape a living off cooking and serving food, most of whom work very hard over long hours. Portland's restaurant industry has a lot of workers with no health insurance, and I frankly appreciate the fact that Biwa is making an effort at doing something proactive for their employees. I'm glad to see examples of people searching for solutions to problems, as opposed to criticizing those efforts on Yelp. And these same people find it sooo awful that Biwa is practicing transparency by putting this information on their menu? Is that really so awful? Also, here's some breaking news for all you geniuses out there: information about surcharges, allergies, large parties, substitutions, and health codes are always in small print at the bottom of the menu. Always. That's why it's called "fine print." This is not innovation, and it's not villainous trickery on the part of Biwa. If you're so concerned about 5%, I advise you check future menus and wine list for fine print. It's always there and always inconspicuous. Know why? Because it's boring to read. And it's only 5%! Get. Off. It! Maybe what Biwa is doing isn't a foolproof solution, but at least it's SOMETHING. Countless restaurants simply opt not to provide their employees benefits. I've worked at those kinds of restaurants. And it's hard living. No joke. So kudos, Biwa. Kudos for your good eats, your friendly staff, your attempts at taking care of them, and your speedy service. 3.5 stars

    (3)

  • Albert W.

    Very sexy... dark wood and metal. Something you'd see in Tokyo. Its an izakaya that has ramen, zokue, rice, a small selection of sashimi and Yakitori. I thought they good.... not as great as SoCal (Torihei or Musha or Shin-Sen-Gumi) but I was pleasantly surprised. If I wanted to go on a date nice, this would be the place I'd take someone to impress. As other have said.... it's small and pricy but you're paying for the quality. No pink slime here.

    (4)

  • Patrick R.

    Their udon and ramen were both mediocre. I'm probably spoiled with many better choices for these in LA/OC. Maybe this is the best ramen Portland has to offer? I hope not. The sides were great though, as were the drinks. Don't come here for dinner food, just for drinks and appetizers. The atmosphere was very cool!

    (3)

  • Don B.

    How many times will I update this review? Well, I guess as many as it takes to get me to 5 stars. ...oh wait. Here we are. Every time I go back to biwa, I fall in love with it a little more. I try new things from the menu, I bask in the cool, downstairs, wooden, chill vibe, I nod my head to the great downbeats lilting through the speakers, I sip on one of an incredible selection of shochu, I dine on creative and delicious izakaya food, and I fall deeper. All of the small plates on the menu, hot and cold, are very, very good. The many forms of pork belly are like a siren song to my ever-clogging arteries and my longing taste-buds. The fat, hand-rolled udon noodles in a subtle yet tasty broth almost reach out to me from the clay pot in which they're cooked. And, of course, there's nothing like a $2 umeboshi onigiri to soak up that 3rd round of shochu I just had. Gabe does a great job down here in this little hidden spot. Tasty food, on-point service, and a unique, cool, and inviting atmosphere. How I couldn't recognize the 5-star nature of this place before, I don't know. Maybe my tenure in Portland has made me myopic. There's so much amazing food here, I get jaded. I'll just say that each time I bring folks here from other, more major metropolitan areas... people who are steeped in the food scene, they marvel at biwa. It's that open-minded and fresh-faced attitude that has lifted me from my pork-belly-induced malaise and made me realize that I would cry if I didn't have places like biwa to turn to when in need of a hot bowl of ramen with a giant charred round of pork belly floating on top. You should too.

    (5)

  • Lauren L.

    It was not good at all. There, I said it. I came here a few nights ago, and left the establishment fully disappointed. In fact, I didn't even think this establishment was average. It was terrible. My friends and I ordered the ramen, pork belly, gyoza, grilled onigiri, and udon. First of all, what in the world are people raving about the ramen? It was, in all honesty, one of the worst bowls of ramen i've ever tasted...besides Instant Ramen and Cup of Noodles. The soup base was watered down and had no flavor whatsoever. The noodles didn't seem fresh. In fact, it tasted as if it were from a packaged bag. Ewes. The pork belly was nothing special. I was expecting something amazing and mouth-watering based on reviews, but there was really no taste to the pork belly, unfortunately. Gyozas? Eh, I could make something similar and comparable. Or something better. The grilled onigiri was....well, grilled onigiri. It's a grilled rice ball. Duh. So right now i'm trying to think of something positive about Biwa. The service was good. Yes, the service was good!

    (1)

  • Mindy D.

    Great happy hour. Also, I think we lucked out and got an awesome server. He was so patient and helpful in explaining the specials and out of the ordinary menu items. He was prompt with taking orders, serving drinks and food, and checked on us regularly. I'm glad we made it to happy hour. I've been searching for a good izakaya restaurant ever since I came to Portland but had no luck until I tried Biwa. I was in Hawaii prior to PDX and was so spoiled with the plentiful delicious Japanese restaurants. So, when I arrived in PDX, i was on a mission to satiate my cravings. The menu here isn't too vast but of the items we tried during happy hour, none were disappointing. Good deals on the grilled goodies. I got to try the ochazuke, which was quite yummy too. I don't know if I'd come for regular dinner because the prices are quite high. BUT happy hour deals are great and allows you to at least sample the menu if you're skeptical.

    (4)

  • Joe I.

    I can't figure out why this place isn't getting at least a 4 star+ average. Maybe its because we were visiting and the Portland food scene really is THAT good that this place, relative to others, is only 3.5 stars... The Food: I loved this meal, top to bottom. We had a fresh caught sashimi to start which was a special and not on the menu. Their dumplings are amazing and have a great crispy pan sear. Potato salad was somehow creamy but NOT mayo gross and we already have plans to reproduce it at home. It would take me forever to go through all the food details, but we love to eat this way in 6-8 courses and with multiple alcohol pairings. I would say ramen is a 4/5 and it may be mostly because I made a poor decision to get the ground spicy pork added which made it greasy. The Service: Our service was perfect and we went on a busy Saturday. Waiter was very helpful and attentive which helps on a menu where you have so many choices. One negative is that they could use a bit more ventilation as it was kind of smoky/heavy air in the basement, if they could open a couple of windows it would be nice, especially for that beautiful pacific NW summer!

    (5)

  • Laura B.

    Great ramen and cool atmosphere. A bit crowded but that is part of the experience. Really good cocktails. I've been twice and had the ramen both times. Decent prices for what you get!

    (4)

  • Noah P.

    Save your money. The service was awful, we were here for mostly small plates, for over an hour and a half, our server didn't once ask how the food was, our plates sat on the table so long, they were stacking them to make room for other food and still didn't remove them. I mentioned there was an excess of shells in the oysters and we were immediately considered a nuisance, she was whispering with the other staff about it, who also decided to gawk at us. It was completely unprofessional. The 'drinking snacks' were snacks for a gnome. It was 1/3 of an oz of beef, 2 tiny slices of raw pear, and 2 small cubes of tofu. The mackerel was overly pickled. The only really good dish was the agadashi tofu. I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Hanna L.

    Went back again for happy hr ramen. Worth the HH deal, their egg is especially delicious, but still far from the best ramen in town. Service was much better this time around. We learned our lesson and sat at the counter right away.

    (3)

  • Ian T.

    Inconsistent, expensive for what you get, and not a comfortable space.

    (3)

  • Jeff C.

    This places is horrible. The food is pretentious and the price is way too high for what they are worth. We order a bunch of side dishes and a bowl of ramen, and they were subpar. The ramen broth were so watery which make it almost tasteless. The waiter was very rude and he took forever to take our order and bring us our check. I can't believe anyone would return to this place. I will not return here and recommend anyone to stay away from this dump.

    (1)

  • sean r.

    This place used to be great! They had a really good $7 burger and a nice staff. Now that they have grown in popularity, their prices have gone up and the charm has disappeared. Came in here the other night and was served by a pretentious waitress who basically called me a liar and told my friend he was an idiot for wanting his sake hotter. Biwa, what happened? You got sucked into Portland's shitty service black hole! Another one bites the dust...

    (1)

  • Kimberly V.

    It pains me to do this update. Biwa was one of the first hip new-ish restaurants I found on my own in this city, and I defended it against detractors for years after. The biggest issue I heard about Biwa's ramen was usually that it was too salty. And while I conceded to some extent, I figured I had to have some rodent gene embedded somewhere in my DNA because I kind of liked the high sodium content. Blame it on all those Top Ramen snacks - they permanently altered my taste buds. But when I sat down to a bow of ramen at Biwa last night, the salt wasn't the problem. The salt didn't register at all. In fact, the broth could have used more salt, or more sweet, or more something. When did the ramen broth here become so bland? The only abundant flavor was that of the pork fat, and while I didn't have a problem with it as I was eating, the fat sucker punched me in my stomach later that evening. Maybe because it was my first ramen of the fall? And what a blah experience it was. On top of that, due to how crowded Biwa was, we missed the happy hour and had to pay the full $11 per bowl. That would be all right, but where's the taste? That's not to say Biwa doesn't have other things going for it, still. The food selections for happy hour are still a very good deal, and it's probable that some of the other hot foods haven't changed. But they tampered with the ramen formula, and it's not coming up with the hot soup solution I want.

    (2)

  • Don S.

    Excellent umakaze. Sp? Little bites of many dishes, but small. Eventually filling, but not too much. Soba is killer. Pork belly is sublime. The umakaze is pretty spendy, but you are in for surprises. You should not be a vegetarian, and you should be an adventurous eater.

    (4)

  • Bernadette M.

    I didn't really care for the Pork Ramen here. It tasted very plain and lacked flavor. We did get the Yellowtail Sashimi Special that was very good! Had a Yuzu Dressing that was very different to anything I have ever tasted.

    (3)

  • Rich B.

    Another great meal on 8-29-14 but I need to comment on the 5% up charge included on all bills to cover the owner's cost to provide health care insurance to their employees. Bullshit on this one. you are in business to make a profit but don't insult your customers by hiding a charge on the bottom of your bill. Raise prices if you need to. Next there will be an added charge to cover some other bullshit cost that you want your customers to pay. Not good business practice. Maybe it was a social comment on taking care of your employees

    (2)

  • Julian H.

    Having never eaten Japanese bar food, we were blown away. Fantastic! No way of knowing if its authentic Japanese bar food, but when it's this good, who cares?

    (5)

  • Chris W.

    Prices exceeded only by a lack of flavor. Order pork skewer, it was very chewy and bland. The udon noodles were also flavorless. Eggplant was undercooked. Pot stickers were adequate but unexceptional. The one bright spot was the excellent wait staff. Liked the health and wellness charge.

    (2)

  • Morris T.

    If you want to get high blood pressure, GO! Otherwise, DON'T! Well, two days ago, I visited my son in Portland again. This time, he brought me to this Biwa, a so-called trendy Japanese eatery. My son ordered the so-called appetizers after the robotic waiter recited and blurred out a non-stop heartless sales pitch: Asparagus, Chicken wings, and grilled Pork Belly. All of them came out 100% LOSERS, certified!!! The asparagus was like buried in SALT for at least one month, then digging out and sending directly to our table without even rinsed off the salt. The saltiness is the only 'flavor' and nothing else! The Chicken wings? Well, obviously the cook in the kitchen only knew two ways to prepare the wings: SALT & VINEGAR, and nothing else. What I got was a full mouth of SALT & VINEGAR, very salty and very sour!. How about the grilled Pork Belly? Well, it's not only quite tough and dry, it's also alarmingly SALTY!! When you tried to bite a piece off the pork belly with your teeth, the only noticeable particles with such an unique flavor is nothing but the sandy SALT! Flavor? NONE whatsoever, because the several pieces of supposedly tender pork belly was grilled into hard tiles wrapped in SALT! Oh, by the way, the waiter sent us a tiny popcorn teaser, it's also very salty yet at the same time, not crispy enough, like the Portland high humidity already fully absorbed by the salty popcorn. Then, the bowl of Ra-Men was served. And what you got? A bowl with about 2/3 less full, you couldn't even see the mysterious Ra-Men, because it's so little and so meagerly drowning under the soup! and the Ra-Men that BIWA claimed hand-made? GiveMeABreak, will you? When you put the noodles between your upper and lower teeth, the feeling was no different from and exactly like what we got in the supermarket! Hand made? You might have to wait your Jesus to show up in the next millennium. The so-called SO DELICIOUS noodle soup base? Yeah, right, tell the Spartans, we are coming with nothing but plenty of SALT again! So, this ridiculous nightmarish eating incident has damaged my son's wallet for over $30 plus plus a generous tips of $7.00 dollars (I have strongly suggested only gave $2.00 or several coins, but he always got a kinder and gentler heart). I seemed to only remember that I haven't eaten anything but A BOTTLE OF SALT. I was so upset by the vicious SALT attacks one after another, so I complained to the robotic waiter about the murdering salty junk!. He ran away. Then came another female server, I guessed she would be the manager or senior waitress. Guess what she reacted and responded? She said with a sneer: "Salty, yeah?...salty, right?" She just so shameless brushed me off, gave no darn and walked away. As a man with strong conscience and high morality and always caring for other fellow travelers who might incidentally or accidentally travel to Portland, Oregon, and then accidentally being led to this pathetic BIWA, I strongly recommend that you check your Blood Pressure first, then decide whether you have to take the risk of getting a stroke overnight. If you have to go there, be fairly warned: Rinse the food in water first, wash off the SALT thoroughly! Put everything in water first before sending into your mouth. This is one of the WORST restaurants I've ever visited in recent years. The only thing I've finished there was a full cup of Portland tap water.

    (1)

  • Gene B.

    Biwa is basically a cool, hip Japanese diner in the Industrial District. It specializes in Japanese and Korean comfort foods. There is so much more to Japanese food than just sushi and miso soup and I'm glad to find a place that serves some really solid favorites. The menu is broken down by cooking methods, sashimi, grill, noodles etc.. and some of the items are smaller so that you can mix and match. I love the pork stew, which I tried off of my server's recommendation. It was spicy, sweet and full of tender pieces of pork. It also had thick slices of mochi, which served as a cross between a noodle and a dumpling. I also tried the miso-buttercotch gelato from the recommendation of the couple sitting next to me at the bar. I'm not nuch of a dessert person, but it was pretty awesome!

    (4)

  • Pete L.

    Putting my gustatory fate in the hands of the chef, I opted for the Omakase option ($35). What unfolded was far more than I bargained for: over six courses that were a mix of small and medium size plates (roughly 13 total), the skill of the chefs and the quality of the ingredients combined to create a poetic dining experience. Complementary items in each course paired perfectly and the mugi-cha (roasted barley tea) provided a lightly astringent break between bites. Service was excellent, with each course receiving a straightforward narrative that was mercifully devoid of cloying descriptions, and portion sizes should be enough to sate even those with generous appetites. Especially notable: Course #2: Pork belly, lightly salted and grilled to perfection. In a world awash in bad food that tastes robotic, this item was a potent defense of the power of natural flavors. Course #3: Fresh silken tofu from Ota, topped with shredded bonito flake, green onion and freshly grated ginger, resting in a pool of soy sauce. Simple a confident, a clean break from the previous course. Course #4: Hamachi, topped with shredded radish, wakame underneath, hints of wasabi and soy. Course #5: Chicken kara-age and saba nanbanzuke. Dessert course: peach and shiso leaf sorbet. I'm generally skeptical of Asian Fusion and thought this item might have jumped the shark, but was pleasantly surprised. The shiso provided a slightly medicinal--almost anisette--counterpoint to the peachy sweetness.

    (5)

  • Ophelia Y.

    Bam! Been dying to scope out this place, and damn, SO good. Went around 7pm on a Thursday, not too busy. Plenty of seating. I will admit, I like sitting next to the S.O. instead of across from him (I had a REALLY long day at work), so it was kind of awkward to dine next to each other in a seat intended for one, but let's be real, we made it work. Now onto the food--we ordered a ton of stuff to share: ramen with pork shoulder: the ramen was good - broth was all right. I loved the egg and seaweed. I wish there was more seaweed! the char-siu was good too. daikon radish: mediocre...came with the meal, so can't complain chicken thigh: just like my mother makes it (she's asian) pork belly: tasty, but not a huge fan of thick layers of fat. beef hanger steak: probably one of the best parts of the meal...eat a bit of steak with a bite of green onion, and it's like you have a steak fried rice flavor exploding in your mouth (green onions remind me of fried rice...there isn't actually fried rice with the meal) We sampled one of the dry sakes, but I can't remember which. It was good and tasted like a combo of roses and wine. What more could you ask for? Will definitely come again. Came hungry, left happy.

    (4)

  • Nicos Paolo S.

    One of the few Japanese restaurants that I really liked. A library of sake with extremely knowledgeable staff.

    (4)

  • Tamara C.

    Sake. Something that had I tried once in high school. I will admit that up until now I was haunted by memories of gagging down a bottle of some abrasive tasting grog that passed itself off as Sake with the hopes of getting drunk. Fast forward some 20 years later to a cool Japanese restaurant and Liz, our lovely flight attendant who recommended the following Sake flight: Mantensei, Fukucho, Yuho. I am becoming reacquainted with Sake and have a whole new appreciation for this fine beverage. My favorite was the Fukucho. Not only is Fukucho fun to say, it was dreamy to drink. It smelled heavenly like flowers or something and had a vague fruity flavor. Everything about it was subtle and easy to drink. Nothing like the hideous beverage of my high school years. And then there is the Food. I was bowled over, literally, with the bowl of the delicious udon noodles. As I do not eat pork I could not have the ramen, the ramen noodles come with pork stock. The udon noodles were firm in a super flavorful vegetarian broth with tofu, egg and greens. I had to take it home with me and it was my breakfast the next day. But we did not stop there; we ordered the lamb, beef, and scallop skewers, which were all perfectly tender and flavorful. My favorite was the scallops. They practically melted in my mouth. That is how perfectly cooked they were. Oh yes, we were gluttons. We also ordered the curry rice which was also absolutely fantastic. The last thing to arrive was the beef ssam grilled beef lettuce wrap with miso and some kind of herb. Frankly, this was just ok and something that I probably would not order again. But everything else was outstanding. With all the awesome restaurants that we have to choose from in Portland, I can definitely see myself making a repeat trip to Biwa.

    (5)

  • Dan H.

    I've been to Biwa a few times and I've liked it. What makes me like it slightly less is that my friend and I went specifically for happy hour only to find out after sitting down at a table that happy hour is only for those sitting at the bar. Really? Am I missing something? Don't get me wrong. You can still find some small plates here for not a lot of money. If you are a meat eater go for the pork "bara" (pork belly, $3) and the beef hanger steak ($4) of the Yakimono menu. We ended up getting two of each and they were both phenomenal. I will go elsewhere for my happy hour happiness.

    (3)

  • Shirley L.

    Pork-licious! Lucky for us, the first ramen place we tried in Portland was and will be the one we go to. We love the ramen (shoyu style, not bone soup style). We added smoked pork shoulder to the ramen and it was beyond tasty! The noodles were cooked perfectly, and the egg packed a punch... not joking... the egg was marinaded in sake, so the sake flavor (no alcohol left according to our server) was super strong. I had to take the yoke out because it's just too heavy for me. Otherwise the ramen was 5 star for me. Besides the ramen, we were impressed by the pork belly skew and the green tea pudding. The pork belly was grilled perfectly. Salty and crispy on the outside, and nice the tender on the inside! The green tea pudding is more like green tea creme bulee. SOOOOOOOOOO yummy to end the delicious meal.

    (4)

  • Stephano G.

    You have to love a place that serves up ramen and does well in the south east. In a town where dinner out is getting more and more a formal event, it's great to see a restaurant cater to cheap good food. Now, I should note that our carts are really doing a wonderful job, and the 12th & Hawthorne area is giving me a new dinner spot. Still, Biwa is doing it well and doing it cheap. On top of this, they used to have Yukhoe. Any place that challenges us to try new dishes like ground raw beef gets 5 stars from me (assuming the rest of their food is worthy).

    (5)

  • Valentine F.

    Well, that was just a ridiculously good experience. Every person who helped us was exceedingly graceful and nice, the ramen with smoked pork shoulder was like porn, and they had us out the door in time for a movie in 40 minutes. Sadly for us, and fortunately for the owner of Biwa, every restaurant isn't this good at what they do. I hope their superior cast of employees are consistently treated to many forms of praise.

    (5)

  • Aaron L.

    I love Biwa! So I usually get the shoyu ramen with all the fixins. Tonight I decided to order everything but the ramen. Good choice! (Not knockin' the ramen at all - just more fun on a date picking on lots of stuff) The must gets: The Hawaiian Bluefin Poke is to die for.... Fresh tuna chunks with green onions and what I later learned the magic ingredient is real Hawaiian rock salt.... Bomb! The fried chicken - super tender real chicken mcnuggets (oops sorry for the mcdonalds reference) it's good trust me... The dofu - tofu cubes in ground pork - the sauce is so tasty. order with a bowl of rice and promptly shovel into face... The Sake Flights - i think we shared the one on the bottom (just my personal opinion but ask for the creamy ones - kinda fruity but still has bite to it.) Big shot glasses with enough to share for 2 people. Fun sippin' and a comes with bonus ground sashimi tuna ball. Honorable mention: The green beans with miso - yummy! Any tuna sashimi with the miso cream cheese We were stuffed but wished we were still hungry. Lots of OMG moments and food ecstasy - this is really tasty! Little things - like the first free appetizer and hot towels were a plus. Our waitress was super duper nice and knowledgeable. Gotta come back and bring the whole family for a tasting. Didn't try any of the grilled goodies either.

    (4)

  • John E.

    Had some small plates and ramen. Didn't really care for anything.

    (2)

  • Jeff B.

    First time we went, was for the late night menu, aka the burger. The fellow waiter was super-friendly and the burger was great. Soooo....we went back to try it again during "regular" hours, however, the ramen noodles were very salty and not much flavor compared to your 2-minute noodle variety. lamb genghis khan was very chewy and personally i almost gagged. the female server (owner, co-owner?) was snitty/snooty and very impersonal. sorry, would only go for the late night burger and sapporo deluxe

    (2)

  • Amanda L.

    My dinner at Biwa was quite positively one of the most inspired dining experiences I've had in my life. From the candlelit basement atmosphere, to the simple elegance of each dish, every element of the restaurant was practically perfect. To start, ordered two steamed rice triangles wrapped in nori and stuffed with pickled plum. At first I said, "Hey, where's the soy sauce?!" Looking around, I realized this wasn't a soy sauce kind of joint--that would only kill the intention of what the food is supposed to taste like. Rather, the pickled plum provided for more than enough salty, savoriness to compliment the sweet, plain rice. Next was an order of kim chee with rice cakes. The rice cakes were tiny little discs of pressed white sticky rice floating on a bed of the spicy kim chee. This was probably my favorite dish of the evening and I sopped-up every last drop of the sauce. Lastly, had a bowl of vegetarian udon with tofu--chewy housemade noodles in a soy broth with green onion--nothing better than a bowl of hot udon on a rainy Portland June evening. Washed down dinner with some light and refreshing cocktails; a ginger gimlet and a vodka-grapefruit drink. Compliments to Biwa's chefs and servers for making this such a fantastic place to enjoy a meal.

    (5)

  • Tiffany Cheri C.

    Biwa is sexy and satisfying! They have my favorite steak tartar in town! Their menu lends itself well to sharing many small plates amongst friends. I also enjoy dining here solo at the chef's counter. Oh and late night with friends after work. And I'll admit to grabbing ramen take out for home on occasion too. So um yes it is in my top picks for Portland food that I will take anyway I can get them. Two words not to be missed: Kimchi Kara-age.

    (4)

  • Vince B.

    Always good, always reliable. Great ramen I love the grilled rice! Just a great meal each and every time!

    (5)

  • Mac M.

    After the elite event, some fellow Yelpers and I decided to eat at biwa, instead of flirting with alcohol poisoning at the after-event. It turned out to be a great idea! I got the chicken ramen with an egg, and the beef skewers. Just total bliss for me. I'm a huge ramen fan, and the noodles at biwa are some of the best in the city. I can't wait to find an excuse to go there again, keep up the good work!

    (4)

  • Bill E.

    I can't seem to find a crappy meal in Portland. Not that I'm looking really, but it'd be refreshing every so often to just find some shitty food, but I don't remember it happening. Once again, this place served AMAZING food, across the board. Four of us attempted to try almost everything? on the menu, and I would be thrilled to order all of it again! Mustard greens, oyster mushrooms, pork something, ahi, the mackerel, etc. WOW! Oh, and great, well informed staff!

    (5)

  • E Z.

    Yummy Japanese food without the predictable sushi menu. Everything we've had here we've enjoyed - the udon soup, the late night burger, the lamp skewers, the asparagus salad (incredible), kimchi, etc. The deep friend kimchi is ok, but I think the raw is much tastier. The ambiance is classy and hip. A little spendy, but wonderful.

    (4)

  • Akemi I.

    So, I finally made it out to late night happy hour here. The ramen for $5 (without the fatty char siu) was yummy, but still on the salty side. Also, thanks to my Yelp companion, I tried the pork belly skewer ($2)... fatty, but yummy. I like the lemon that accompanied the skewers - grilled pork belly with salt and a touch of lemon = yum! Also, the yakionigiri was only $1 at HH and it held together better than last time. Sitting at the bar was nice, but makes it hard to communicate with more than a couple of people... but better for an intimate group. Also, it cuts down on the annoying "neighbors." I was intrigued by the decor along the bar. There was a kendo figurine that was trying to attack the Sam and a fun plate of charcoal... but the bowl of half cut-up fruit was weird. The giant orchid plant was pretty.... no, I did not take it home. (^_^) So, I was also corrected about the style of biwa... I have been told that it is indeed a Japanese Izakaya-style place. I hadn't experienced this type of Japanese food before... I was too young to go to an Izakaya while growing up there. Being prepared for it and knowing what it was made the experience much better. There is still room for biwa to grow on me... hopefully it can be elevated to five-stars in my book... but, I've also discovered (thanks to Yelp) an Izakaya-style place in Beaverton. Both places are different, but I'm hoping to sample both lots in an effort to see which Izakaya will become... America's Next Top Model!... oh wait, I mean... which one will win... oh, never mind.

    (4)

  • Chris L.

    3.5 Stars. -I really like the sake selection here, i tried some of the unfiltered variety, but they really should have something for everyone. The dont have a blank label generic house sake, which i thought was refreshing. no franzia sake pls. -ordered the grilled pork belly, which was the main focus of our journey across town, its got just the perfect crunch/snap without the fat being over cooked or still too slimy. -the ramen i really thought was just about average, it seemed to just hover around the baseline in terms of flavor, if Yuzu is a Porsche of ramen, Biwas is mostly a Toyota Camry. -the restaurant itself is set a bit below street level, and the first thing that greets you will be a sushi/izakaya bar area (this place feels like a cross between a sushi/ramen/izakaya joint, which I was just meh about) I came here on a midweek night around 7pm and there was still about a 15min wait for the two of us. **I would definitely come back to try out more, im pretty sure this place will get a 4 from me easily, once i have a chance to try more out. and also once my schedule will permit me getting tanked on said sake selection.

    (3)

  • Robin K.

    It was pretty good, but not great like I was expecting. We only had a few show stoppers. The grilled escolar was so buttery and juicy we had to get another order. The chicken thighs were good dipped in the hot mustard and the chicken hearts were cooked to heart's perfection. I wasn't impressed with the Pork belly, it was too fatty, salty ,and tough. I wanted it more tender. The wa-fu beef was also tough and kinda flavorless. I wanted so badly to try the ramen and fried kim-chi but we were already filled up on the skewers. I wish we would have been in a large group so we could have had the option of trying more. Oh well, maybe in another 20 years we'll revisit portland and try biwa again.

    (3)

  • Lauren S.

    This was probably the worst dining experience I've had in Portland. Perhaps it was an off night, but biwa seemed great at first - cozy and trendy, relatively busy, etc; however, the service was abhorrent. We were a group of 14 who called ahead to make reservations. Granted, they were busy when we arrived, but biwa is so small that it only holds about 10-12 tables total. We were not approached by a server for at least 15 minutes and after ordering drinks, we waited for those drinks for another 20 minutes. Appetizers were preorderd at $5 per person when the reservations were made (be warned, this is a total rip off). They served us several bowls of appetizers, which if ordered separately would have saved us nearly $30 as a group. Basically, we paid for 14 appetizers, but only received 9. The server, whose face we only saw twice the entire visit finally took our entree orders long after we had finished our appetizers. I ordered the Fried Rice w/ BBQ Pork and it was a bowl of greasy rice with about 4-5 microscopic pieces of charred pork. In essence, I paid $11 for a bowl of greasy rice and a few pieces of carrots. The other items around the table looked like small appetizer portions as well. I don't expect a plate full of food when I go out, but I also don't expect to leave feeling hungry. When the server finally decided to bring our check she did not offer (or even ask) to split it up, and thus reluctantly did the work on our own. Moreover, they have a policy of using no more than three credit/debit cards per table so 90% of our party had to rush to an ATM in order to pay for their meals. Another server quickly told us we should bring cash next time we come, though we were never told of this rule prior to ordering (it was in small print on the menu). However, if they can run three cards, I'm guessing they have the capability to run more than three cards. I spent $30 on slightly mediocre food, had to argue just to pay, and our server did not even think it necessary to say thanks or good bye, though she had no problem charging us an automatic 18% gratuity (I would have left 20% had she actually shown up to work that night). I will never go back.

    (1)

  • Zachary K.

    Best food I've found after 9pm. I went searching around for a decent meal on a particularly rainy night. And found this little underground spot. The staff was friendly and let us order on the full menu at 9:58. I had a big bowl of Ramen and chicken with egg which was wonderful. Great atmosphere, lots of fun, Will be going here again. My only complaint was we had to sit at the bar, which was full and cramped with my giant bowl of Ramen, and the stools were slightly uncomfortable.

    (4)

  • T. N.

    This place had a nice atmosphere. But the food was ok. Deep fried kimchee was probrably one of the only things out of the 6 or 7 dishes that we ordered that we actually really liked. The ramen noodles were not bad. Everything else could've been much much better. The pork belly was so tough. Other than the food we had a good time there as it was our anniversary that day...the icecream at the end was good too...the rest of the food not the greatest. Definitely asian fusion food not at it's best.

    (3)

  • Alec C.

    Man, I love Biwa. If you get the ramen, which you should, get the egg in it. The softly cooked yolk marinated in the pork broth is wonderful. The salt grilled mackerel is also a favorite. And salty. Overall Biwa is a cool place with nice atmosphere and some unique dishes to adventure around in.

    (5)

  • JEN S.

    Not that I consider myself an Izakaya connoisseur or anything, but since Biwa labels itself as a "Japanese Izakaya" I am going to rate as I would rate any other Japanese Izakaya in any other city, cosmopolitan or not. The location is below street-level and a bit hard to find, which is how I stumbled up on it on winter night, and decided to visit on another outing. The location is small and has a decent sized bar around the kitchen, which is where I usually like to sit in Izakaya's because I love to watch the the chef's and sous chef's frantically working away. I am terrible at making any sort of Japanese, or even Chinese food, so I am very fascinated by this. The menu is decently sized with quite a long list of Sakes to choose from. We decided on a few small items, one of which was the Maguro, the flavor was pretty good but I thought the portion size made it a bit over-priced at $11, and it seemed like it was missing something. The seaweed salad, yakimono selections, and deep-fried Kimchi were all very tasty and a good value for the money. I don't think that I would come here on an empty stomach, but maybe if I was on my way to dinner somewhere else and had some time to kill. I think if I was starving I might end up having to spend a lot of money to get full. This is the only official "Japanese Izakaya" I have been to in Portland. It's ok but I'd like to think there's more Izakaya's to discover.

    (3)

  • Tara M.

    We went to Biwa on a whim... sat at a table after I had briefly learned online of their happy hour, only to find out happy hour is only if you sit at the bar. So, sit at the bar! It's a cozy seating arrangement either way and we both like to peek into the open kitchen at a restaurant, so sitting at the bar was pleasant for us both. Shrimp pancakes were excellent, the rice ball with pickled plum was as well. My fiance had the meat skewers of various types (no meat for moi) and really enjoyed them. Everything was good, but I would have liked to have tried the ramen, but apparently that isn't part of happy hour unless you dine between 9-10 pm... and who is going to pay 7-9$ for ramen?? We did have some nice drinks of Korean rice liquor (forget the actual name) and enjoyed the experience overall.

    (4)

  • Mike C.

    Came here with high expectations, but left shaking my head. The nebayaki is overpriced, and underdelivers. Service was slow, or non-existent. Other dishes were oddly spiced. With the plethora of Japanese joints in this town, you can do a lot better here.

    (2)

  • Paul S.

    I went in for happy hour, all their skewers were delicious, their service was great and the green tea icecream wasn't overly sweet and hit the spot too, I would definitely go again. It was also nice to see a large coat rack by the entrance. My only con would be the tiny amount of space at the bar, it may work with a single bowl of ramen, but even with a couple skewer plates and a drink, I was having trouble getting to my food without bumping the people + plates next to me.

    (4)

  • Stacy G.

    Like a critically acclaimed, serious movie you put off seeing because while it "will be good for you" culturally, you suspect it just won't be that enjoyable, Biwa elicited a similar response from me whenever it was suggested for dinner. Much to my surprise, the food was a mouth-watering revelation, and our waiter one of the best I've ever encountered. He led us through the tapas-like menu, suggesting how to get a balanced sampling by ordering from each of the sections (hot, cold, basics, grilled, soup). We not only tried things that sounded less than amazing, we're hankering for more. While not everything blew me away, the dishes that did make me crave more of the same and tantalize me with the possibility of delights not yet explored, which accounts for the 5 stars. In all honesty, the soups were pedestrian, and the isobeyaki (grilled mochi) kind of weird, but everything else the four of us shared was distinctive and delicious, starting with the superb cocktails (plum-flavored Yoyogi, cucumber Tom Collins, and the lip-smacking "Welcome Stranger") accompanied by a small portion of popcorn flavored with sesame oil and a Japanese 5-spice mix. I hate kimchi -- that is unless it's breaded and deep fried as Biwa does it. These crunchy little balls of deliciousness were the hit of the night. We also swooned over the hanger steak skewers, the savory meat melting like butter in our ecstatic mouths. Who knew that by some alchemy shredded carrot and burdock can synergize in an addictive salad that actually tastes somewhat meaty? The duck spring rolls and hamachi sashimi were first rate. I'm already thinking of an "occasion" to return and try the wild mushroom fried rice with bacon and ginger and the manila clams steamed in sake, garlic and ginger. And more of that steak and kimchi, please!

    (5)

  • Juniper M.

    i am a crazy fan of japanese food of all shapes and flavors and degrees of cooked-ness. This is *not* a sushi place, which is A-OK. Instead you can find fabulous ramen or udon, and appetizers which up to now i'd only seen in seattle or san fran...like authentically fermented soybeans, which, with the consistency of snot, might *seem* nasty, are actually the bomb. the service was great, attentive and not pushy, well-timed. will be going back again and again.

    (5)

  • JIMI P.

    Let me start by saying, i break my review into two areas, service and food. Service, was no bad but I felt like I was over looked. When we arrived we sat at the bar, which is cool. The people seated next to us at the same time however got VIP service. The server talked them up for what seemed like forever and got them drinks and water before a word was said to us. It was Friday night so I was ready to let off a little stress with a drink so it took a lot to hold back from saying something. I did. In the end the service was fine, but if your not a VIP expect to get second teir service. The food, well it was good. I've been to Japan and I'm not expert but there is no way PDX will serve up food anywhere close to what you get in Japan. That having been said the food is good. We did happy hour so the cost wasn't too bad. We had sake and a few beers, food with an extra dose of pig belly (for me), and the total was less than $40 with tip. Which is good in the ever more popular and expensive foodie scene here in PDX. All in all I will return and maybe smile a bit more and bring a realy hot date, so I can get the VIP service.

    (3)

  • Nicholas D.

    I am ONLY writing a review of the ramen. I didn't have anything else. First off, the restaurant itself seems well-appointed and nice, a little dark for my taste, but some people enjoy that ambiance. Probably a nice spot for a date, if you don't have the ramen. To the ramen: Overall, I would not have it again - definitely NOT for $11, but maybe for the happy hour price at $5 if I've already had a few cups of sake (and even then I'd probably not). I can not recommend this for an authentic and tasty ramen meal, and most certainly not for someone who is just introducing themselves to ramen (other than as demonstration of what it shouldn't be). Biwa ramen may be called a pork broth ramen, but it is most certainly NOT tonkotsu (which is what is usually described as pork broth ramen), and instead tasted to me more like a poor mix between shoyu and shio. Other reviewers seem to describe it in a variety of ways, but to me it had the faintly fishy, and definitely salty flavor of a shio broth, mixed with who knows what else (i'm guessing at shoyu because of the color and flavor, but it could be anything). It had a reddish hue and was clear, without any cloudiness at all that one would find in a tonkotsu broth. There were also pools of reddish oil on the top. I ordered the regular, so it came with a couple of pieces of chashu, some pickled sprouts, a flake of nori, and an egg. Suffice to say that I was looking for a broth that was more savory and had more substance and body than what I received. With regards to the noodles, I was also unfortunately unimpressed. I could have bought these myself at a Japanese grocery and made them better... They are obviously prepackaged, and weren't done very well. There was absolutely nothing remarkable about them other than the fact that they eventually filled my belly. The chashu was sliced a little more thinly than I am used to, and there were only two slices, but beyond that I unfortunately have nothing more to comment on - nothing special there either. And finally, the egg - it was done fairly well, with a pleasant consistency and cooked to a pleasant semi-hard-boiled state. Pretty good flavor as well. But why am I more impressed with the egg than with anything else in that bowl of ramen?! I only just moved to Portland and was looking for my go-to ramen place, and this will most certainly not be it. That said, other reviewers highly recommend the goat curry, so I will come back at some point to try it.

    (2)

  • Mindy S.

    My husband and I just ate here for the first time. Hearing that they do not take reservations, and that they are very busy, we arrived when they opened. We both had the $35 chef's tasting menu, which was worth every penny. Our waitress was wonderful, and checked with us near the end of our 8 courses, to make sure that we had enough food. We were both stuffed by the time we left. Highlights of the meal included the oysters, gyoza, hamachi, green apple sorbet and the daikon kimchi. The only course I was not crazy about was the ramen (which my husband loved, I just found it bland). We will definitely be back soon.

    (4)

  • Melisa V.

    this was my third time eating here. this experience was far different than the first two, there were four of us so we could try more. first up was the ramen. yes I've had ramen before but not with hard boiled egg. I'm not really a hard boiled fan but it totally made the ramen even better. next we had onigri, tsukemono and a pork belly skewer. the rice and plum ball was light and tasty, the japanese pickle platter was vinegary but tasty and the pork belly was just plain yummy. for the final round we had kimchi and a lamb skewer. the kimchi was my favorite item of the night. it had a great kick and made my mouth dance with delight. the lamb was pretty good too. but no, it didn't end there. we also split two desserts: green tea gelato and a jelly dessert that had a flan feel to it (don't remember what it's called). and who doesn't like flan? really?! looking forward for coming back for more ramen, kimchi, pork belly and japanese jelly flan.

    (4)

  • Rob W.

    Fantastic meal tonight. Longish wait, but wait staff was terrific...we sipped on homemade ginger ales and spicy pear beverages. Tried the fried kimchi (huge thumbs up), pickle plate (remember not to bite down on the plum...it's not pitted), poke with avocado (a-maxing), fried rice duck dish (delish), and Asian pear salad. Delightfully prepared. These folks aren't resting in their laurels. Well within budget...well be back.

    (5)

  • Todd V.

    Food is generally good, with only a couple big misses. Atmosphere is awesome--dark, high ceilings, open kitchen. Service is fast and helpful. Awesome food: Salted mackerel dinner. DAMN this was good. Better than almost every mackerel dinner I had in Japan, and since it's one of my favorite fish, I've had a few. But for $18? DAMN it was expensive. Mackerel is not an expensive fish, and $18 isn't even in the ballpark for where this entree should be. I'd consider it a good deal at $11 and a bit pricey at $14. But anyway. Chashu--pork in the ramen. This was a huge, fatty spiral of soft pork that had been grilled a bit before it was put in the soup. Really really yummy. Meh food: Some of the skewers were a little light on taste. A richer sauce would have been nice. It's cool that the tofu is from down the street, but it was very bland as served. Cool idea making house-infused shochu, but the yuzu, which is a kind of citrus, tasted very reedy and rooty. For $9 for a very small glass, we will definitely pass next time! Food fail: Ramen. I'm pretty sure those were packaged, frozen noodles. OK, fair enough. But the soup just tasted like a modified french onion broth, and the many many onion slices in there didn't help. There are many styles of ramen, but that's not one that I'm familiar with. Bleh! Next time: beer and happy hour menu. Keep it cheap, and focus on what Biwa does well. Hope they fix that soup, though--it would be great to be able to get another chunk of chashu pork!

    (4)

  • Willow W.

    I still love Biwa. Still go there when I feel nostalgic in a way I can't express. Last time, though, I felt that the ramen was a little underflavored, and there were hardly any vegetable items on the menu. Deep fried kimchi was really interesting, but I wanted the eggplant back (it's currently in season, so wouldn't be hard) as well as more options with veggies. There are so many amazing veggies around here to source, it shouldn't be too hard. So, I will go again, and continue to express my delight and my requests. Do you think they'll listen?

    (4)

  • Kat C.

    I have mixed feelings about Biwa. The service, the surroundings, and the cocktails: 4.5+ stars The appetizers (we ordered kara-age and yakionigiri): 3.5 stars The ramen: sigh. Only 2.5 stars. We were welcomed by a friendly host and seated right away. We ordered drinks and happily used the warm hand towels they provided (it was really cold and wet outside). When my cocktail came (a karen koltrane), it was delish! We ordered quickly and the food came quickly, too. The kara-age was crispy and nice, though I didn't dig the mustard dipping sauce that was provided. The yakionigiri was a little dry, but had a nice flavor. But then came the ramen ... I got the standard ramen, which comes with chicken broth, egg and pork. It was a little lukewarm. The pork topping was meager and too fatty (some fat is om nom good -- this was beyond that "good" spot). And there wasn't too much flavor. It was not what I had hoped for. I drank more of my karen koltrane to console myself. The ambience and nice service at Biwa made it a comfortable place to have some food and enjoy drinks. But it was not a ramen star. We will go back for sure to try the late-night menu, and I'll update this review.

    (3)

  • Daniel B.

    I often judge a restaurant as much by its service as I do its food. Not to say a place can overcome horrific food with decent service, but excellent service can most definitely augment an experience and, arguably, make the food a little bit better. Biwa's servers are as knowledgeable as I've encountered--and they're prepared to make suggestions. Biwa is as fantastic a value as you'll find in the city--and while they skimp on price, the food is as flavorful as I've had. Trust me, this lady knows her flavors. I want them. I remain endlessly desirous of them. I strongly recommend heading to Biwa with a group---4 to 6 people will do. That way, you can sample as much of their fantastic cuisine as possible. Last night we dined with five and it was basically perfect. With a group, you nibble all night, try everything, chat with your friends, and leave completely satisfied. The more frequently I dine out, the more often I enjoy the "family style" sharing experience. It's far more intimate and enjoyable, arguably, than the traditional dining experience. That isn't to say I want to waddle my fat ass up to the buffet--on the contrary, Biwa's perfect portions and proportions totally hit the spot. (If you're not sure how much or what to order, ask your server.) And the ambiance? Perfect. Highlights: pork belly. Perfectly seasoned and cooked--we all agreed, we'd never had pork this tasty. I hesitated when my sister ordered the bacon fried rice (I forget the proper name), but it was absolutely stellar. Get the steak tartare--some of the best I've had. All the grilled meats were delicious; we regret not trying any fish. Regarde le menu: they have many vegetarian and fish options, too, but this table of ladies wanted to go face down in succulent meats, so we skipped most of them. The only drawback? I am convinced their house white was Charles Shaw. Next time I'll just bring my own bottle. But I love this place so much, I'm willing to forgive this minor oversight.

    (5)

  • Leo W.

    Great food, great atmosphere and decently priced. Usually busy but you get seated pretty quick. Service was awesome and knowledgeable. Definitely going back here.

    (4)

  • Dice K.

    Their omakase was great! Great food and even better sake. The waiters were very nice, too. Very popular, so it was crowded when I went, but worth the wait. I'm definitely coming back here.

    (5)

  • Tricia M.

    My friend and I showed up here late night after a restaurant down the street was closing and advised us to walk a few blocks to Biwa. Surprisingly, the night atmosphere is very busy at 10:30pm. We were seated in the corner in-between big groups that seemed to be upsetting the other waiter. Luckily, our waiter was really nice and in good spirits. I ordered the shrimp pancakes becasue they sounded interesting, and a big bowl of miso soup. The soup was amazing and full of tofu. YUM! The pancakes were pretty salty but I was hungry so I ate them with my glass of water close by. My friend ordered the a meal which included a bowl of rice and meat and soup and a ton of other stuff... I think he ordered the entire menu, lol. I tried a few bites of his Asian pear and daikon radish salad... omg it was so good. I want one right now! The bill was rather expensive but he ordered enough food for 3 people so, overall, I thought it was a fair price. Sadly, I'd go elsewhere if you're looking for a nice place for a date on a Saturday night. It was loud and a little too dark, but fine for two friends who don't mind yelling at each other into the darkness... lol. (After looking at the pictures here, it looks like Biwa is much better in the day anyway.)

    (4)

  • Bronson J.

    Currently my favorite place in PDX. Good cocktails, great food. The Kimchi Chijimi is a must try. Also, the pork belly, friend chicken are not to be missed. If you order the ramen, go with the darker broth, and for the love of god, add an egg. You won't regret it. I'm sure another Portland spot will soon knock Biwa off its 1st place perch for me soon, that's the way the culinary world turns. But in the meantime, I'm loving this place, and it is well, well, worth a try.

    (5)

  • Dyey L.

    There's only one reason why I would go to Biwa: The Biwa Burger. Big, juicy patty, grilled pork belly (chashu pork) and kimchee mayo on a sesame seed bun,.. burger perfection. The burger also comes with potato salad and pickled vegetable which compliments the entire meal. This burger also gives me comfort while I long to see my in-n-out double-doubles again. There's only one catch though, it's only served from 10pm to midnight, Sun-Th, and 11pm to midnight Friday and Saturday. I know, i know, eating a burger this late is not healthy, but since when did just eating a burger (a really, really good, juicy, fatty burger) became healthy? But since it's the only reason I go to Biwa means that it is worth the wait. TIP: If you arrive a little early, tell the waiter that you want the burger then get some appetizers, that way when it's time for the late menu, your burger will be there just in time. I know it's weird that someone would review a Japanese restaurant for their burger so I'm gonna tell you about some stuff that I had. The chicken heart skewers are really good. The ramen is excellent but gets a little pricey with all the add-ons (pork loin, seaweed). They also have a good selection of shochu (traditional japanese distilled spirit) and sake. But the best way to flush down your burger is with the Sapporo Special, the famed Sapporo beer with fresh lemonade, very refreshing. So if you got some late-night munchies, head to Biwa and you won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • kimy a.

    noodle withdrawal late night craving for ramen a salt overdose

    (3)

  • Ryohei A.

    I'm baaaaack and the promised review! I had an urge to try that burger so I went on the late night with 2 of my Japanese friends to give this place a second, and last chance. We all wanted to try the burger but i insisted one of my friend(poor guy) to try the ramen. All right here we go... The burger was good! I would give this 3.5 stars! BUT Kimchee mayo? I did not see or taste the kimchee. It wasn't even red nor did not taste any heat whatsoever. Potatoes were a-ok, and the side pickled onion(I think) was confusing. It is NOT Japanese and it dos not even come close to the Japanese taste. If you are naming your restaurant Japanese you better serve Japanese style food... But hey, I never said it tasted bad. It was unique and it somewhat complimented the burger. I agree with service being....how can I say..."cocky"? I felt the dishonesty in service. It was not a bad sevice but it certainly did not make me feel good. Hey I know we went in pretty late and we were the last customers, but I work 13 hour shift. I never treat my customers differently when I am on my shift people! (I understand this through the eye of a server...it's tough topic. We all been there if you've been a server) BUT I hate it when we as a customers say "thank you very much!" to every refill, every time you check on us, and little things and not get "You're welcome," or "no problem," or any reply! These type of customers would bring a smile on my face regardless of what time it is on my shift, but I did not see this on my server. It made us little uncomfortable. I think this is service 101, and it lacked this night. I don't know, it just felt like it was not a genuine service... Next time think of this. Are you guys here to prove your own point first before making customers happy? Is your ego blinding you to the simplest goal in this industry? Remember, great service can add to your food to make it great overall package. Bad service CAN make your food taste worse then it is! Even on my day off when I do stop by the restaurant I would say hi to my customers and make sure that things are taken care of! Now to the ramen... Ramen....um, what ramen, Again! I admit it looked MUCH better then last time. Presentation was very good. Had two pieces of egg, char-shu, seaweed, and green onion on top. We all thought "hey this doesn't look bad," until he took the first bite. This ain't ramen! I will say it again. THIS AIN'T RAMEN. This broth is Ok, but more like chinese broth. If you serve this in Chinese restaurant I would take it, but you cannot name this Japanese ramen. It tasted like the broth of the "Razor/manila clams in butter sauce." This dish is very common in Japan. They simmer the clams in sake, butter, garlic, and salt. All my friends were pretty entertained when I told them this, and that I was dead on with my flavor explanation. Noodles are NOT made in the house. It is a type of the "raw" noodles you can order off a vendor...JFC maybe? Biwa, you need to set your direction if you serve ramen. This bowl is anything like "tonkotsu," "shoyu," "shio," or "miso" flavor. (The closest to it was shio ramen) You have to have a base on a ramen and this is half a$$ bowl of soup noodles. it is an disgrace to name this ramen. We all agreed that instant noodles taste better. Oh we sound harsh? I know, I apologize but then again charging us 11$ for this bowl is harsh too. I really feel like Biwa is gathering of food enthusiasts, not professionals. They are operating this store out of their hobby/ego thinking that they serve a "Japanese" food but the reality is that they have not yet broken the amatuer level on the food quality. I know I am hating to the max. I am just upset to allow people to think this is Japanese food...this is more like Fusion Japanese. But hey I'll be back for the burger and the sapporo, if you want me back lol.

    (2)

  • James A.

    Partially bald host with glasses thumbs down on seating guests. 2ppl at 4 spot tables ect. Besides all of that the foods great. Lots of little plates to sample till your hearts content. When I could eat wheat, the Curry is on point, the deep fried kim chee, and Japanese style Fried chicken is bomb. The beef skewers is awesome, I ask them to cook it a little more because it is served on the rare side and the Onigiri is a hometown favorite.

    (4)

  • Suzanne F.

    Biwa is a delightful place to discover here in SE PDX! We were originally attempting to eat at the Simpatica Dining Hall, but no go- they were fully booked. So we stumbled upon Biwa & this was a fortuitous find. It's very contemporary, yet not at all stark...think low lighting, small tables & warm wood tones throughout. We were seated right away at a comfy table, which I did not find too close for comfort to the other diners. Our waiter came over quickly with warm towels for our hands, and to take our drink order. The local vodka is smooooth and goes down easy! The little bite of seaweed & daikon salad is such a tease. Stuart had the Be Bim Bap which he said was very good. He's spoiled going to Tofu House in Oakland, CA which is so overwhelming (and highly recommended). This was a leaner presentation, tho' very tasty. We ordered the set meal which comes with a salad of perfectly cooked green beans served chilled with a miso dressing, as well as some thick miso soup. Delicious! I ordered the set meal Salt Baked Mackerel which was done to perfection! I am not a mackerel fan in general, but this could turn the tide, so to speak! It came with some house made gyoza, and rice, some daikon relish, too. The meal was so restorative & lovely. Candlelight gave just the right glow, and I cannot remember a more satisfying dinner out in quite some time. This will become a place we return to again & again. I'm curious about the Happy Hour after reading more Yelp reviews and there's more I want to try. All this tastiness & amazing quality set us back $62.00 which included drinks, dinner, and dessert. Well worth it!

    (5)

  • Tim A.

    Biwa is a fantastic place for small plates of asian fare. Small, but very chill space. Always a good vibe. If you're looking for one of the best hamburgers in Portland, they are a solid top 5. However, it's only served after 10pm....but worth it...

    (5)

  • Kristin S.

    Great food, great atmosphere. I was delighted with my udon. Udon can often be dull and flavorless but this udon was a surprise of flavor with every bite. I loved the egg. We also tried a few sides which were also really wonderful. We had a mushroom dish that was really delightful. Drinks were also great. I was a bit sad that the ramen was not vegetarian since I had really hoped to try the ramen. Unfortunately the broth has some meat so I do understand. I did like that they added stars to a number of their options to denote the fact that they could be made vegetarian. The atmosphere is great. If you get the sides, it might end up being a bit pricey.

    (4)

  • Billy H.

    Second visit to Biwa and really enjoy this hidden gem in the SE. They've done a nice job with the tight quarters and I enjoy the atmosphere (just think twice if you have any claustrophobic concerns). It's fun to sit on the far right of the bar and watch the kitchen in action! I've tried both Ramen options, and they are simple and delicious. I love the flavor of the grilled pork belly sticks on the side. They have many more options I have yet to try and a whole page of sake choices. tip: Great late night spot after a Doug Fir show!

    (4)

  • Clarke W.

    It seems Japanese food has become somewhat synonymous with sushi and ramen only. Biwa steps out of that realm and offers so much more with a unique spin on a traditional izakaya. So many options for items directly from the grill, including rice balls and pork belly. Deep fried kimchi paired with an inventive cocktail using sake or soju, along with my personal favorite, Hamachi Collar, awesome.

    (5)

  • Stacey J.

    Excellent food and service. Happened to come across this restaurant when walking past it. Read the reviews and decided to go. There were tons of small plates for great prices; therefore we got to taste a bunch of stuff rather than just one item. It was also great to see more traditional items (i.e. rice ball with ume). Almost went with the Chef's choice dinner, but chose not to b/c there are certain meats I don't eat. But the chef's choice is a 7 course meal that does sound like it would be fantastic. We chose a bunch of items off the menu and were not disappointed by any. The deep fried kimchi was fantastic and different. The udon and curry were great too. For drinks I had a great mixed one, but if you are into sake or shochu they have flight tasters. They also had a good selection of beer. Oh they don't take reservations, so there may be a wait. Would totally return on our next visit to Portland.

    (5)

  • Donnie M.

    Incredibly good food, and a great, unique dining experience. I think where people occasionally need a little guidance ordering so that they get an appropriate amount of food for the right price, especially if you're dining by yourself...try this combo out-you should be nice and full for a little more than $20 for 2 people draft Sopporo-$2 each Hiya Yako-$4 super good fresh Ota tofu w/ginger and bonito flakes, really amazing Kara Age-$8 mind blowing fried chicken, moist and tender and salty. Kimchi-$4 generous serving of excellent kim chi Seriously, just order that, then order more as necessary, that's how it works! Get some soup-get a couple of things off the grill, etc, etc... As was said in earlier reviews-if you sit at the bar, you can get a discount on a lot of the menu items...and look into the specials! Biwa rotates through interesting grilled items depending on the season. Biwa also is one of the few restaurants that violates my "Asian Restaurant Music Corollary" that states that the quality of any food in an Asian restaurant is in an inverse proportion to the quality of the music being played in the establishment. So if you go in a Thai place and they are playing Air Supply over the muzak system, you're probably in for a treat. Biwa, however, manages to pump out some very hip jamz and still do incredible food. Now that the restaurant is open late (midnight), they can keep that rock feeling left over from the old La Luna space going, which is a nice perk and a good dining option for that neighborhood.

    (5)

  • James C.

    I went here for happy hour one time completely forgot the name of the place, but wanted to go again cause the pork belly skewers are amazing and the architecture is great to, thanks yelp for reminding me of this place ill go again soon and re-review

    (5)

  • Neill P.

    I found the food here to be very bland and flavorless. Probably healthy, but just not very tasty. I've tried two of their udons and several of their appetizers, and this is what I thought of all of them. I would give them a second chance, and thought that the building was nicely done.

    (2)

  • Tonneli G.

    soooo sad. i put off coming here for a long time because i had heard such nice things about it and read endless positive reviews. I tried a bit of everything -the fried kimchi was really good the hype is all real there! -also ordered a few various meat skewers, they were sort of over cooked -i ordered the miso pork belly ramen, it was sooooo bland. i hardly even touched it. do not order this. I had read in the news paper this is supposed to be one of their best dishes... big let down! the service was very good, the prices were good, the restaurant is gorgeous, and the crowd is hip. I just wish my food was better. i hope i was here on an off night... i'm not sure i am adventurous enough to give it another try though. in a city with so many great restaurants why risk being let down twice?

    (2)

  • Jason M.

    I had some time to kill before my catching a show at the Doug Fir Lounge, so I thought I'd wander into this Japanese izakaya. I've lived in Japan for a couple of years, blah blah blah, I know good Japanese bar food, blah blah. Cut to the chase: the yakitori and the ramen brought me back to my youthful drunken days in Osaka. I went on a Wednesday, so it wasn't too crowded, but I could see it filling up really quick. I sat at the bar, and the service was excellent. It's not the cheapest food, but sitting at the bar, the evening happy hour prices were much more in the "reasonable" territory. I highly recommend the pork belly skewers.

    (5)

  • Rachele G.

    Biwa was so exciting! We got there and it was PACKED. There was a group of 3 ahead of us but we were lucky that we got there when we did. We had a 4 or 5 minute wait and the three or four couples that came after us were told they would have a 15-25 minute wait. Even if we had to wait it would have been worth it. Seating was tight, there were people fairly close on both sides of our table but it wasn't uncomfortable at all. They bring you warm wet towels to freshen up your hands which was kind of neat, threw me off at first but I liked it. We grabbed a few appetizers but the one I love the most and recommend highly was the Drinking Snacks. Small bite sized morsels that were just perfect. My favorites were the melon with chili oil, and tuna and avocado. The small pieces of avocado were exactly perfect with the tuna. I can't imagine anything more perfectly sized. The third of the "snacks" was jerkied ell or squid or octopus, I can't remember as I don't eat it but I did have a bite and it wasn't that bad, just not my cup of tea. I've been dying to have real traditional ramen for years now and I'm glad I did. It was a huge amount and fantastic. It was even good the next day! We ordered drinks that they forgot to bring but the service was so good it wasn't a big deal. I want to go back and try it though!

    (4)

  • Nam H.

    Stopped in for the 2nd time recently after going when they first opened. Something is just off with everything I've tried here. Missing the wabi sabi. Tried the tofu kim chi hot pot and it was super bland, like water. I was expecting Soon Dubu Chigae!!! Service was a little slow too.

    (2)

  • Cooper M.

    Very eclectic assortment of dishes that most Americans have not had previously.

    (4)

  • Rona L.

    This place was packed when my friends and I came on a Friday night. Luckily, there was one table open so we got seated right away (thank goodness too, because the line that started to form after that was gross). We ordered the Milwaukee and Nikka sour to wash down the complimentary popcorn, and I must say that they were some damn good cocktails. Refreshing and smooth. To eat, we ordered the gyoza, karaage, and shiitake skewers. My friends ordered the Biwa burger, but when it came out, it looked a little sad; just a thin, dry slice of pork belly on top of the burger. The rest of our food was okay but nothing spectacular though I'd like to come back for their HH ramen.

    (3)

  • Kristen C.

    Service is a little funky...the guy who seated us was cold at first and then warmed up later on. The waiters were hit or miss, not sure if that's just a normal Portland vibe or not, but we got the idea that they were annoyed when we asked what was good on the menu. I think overall in Portland we got the same response whenever we asked for menu suggestions. Instead of telling us what they thought was good on the menu, they just described what each item was...thanks? I guess? Love the popcorn they give out when you're seated. It was flavored with five spice! Love the playlist for the night. Although it was really loud, i definitely heard them play Missy Elliot. Definitely didn't expect it when coming into the restaurant. Drinks are delicious. We probably had more than our fair share of the cocktails. They even have flavor infused soju! The apple flavor was AMAZING! Skewers were pretty tasty, although the pork belly was more fat than i'm use to and I've had my share of pork belly. Overall we definitely enjoyed this place, but I think it had more to do with the cocktails and us being in our own world. TIP: at night this place might be a little hard to find since our cab driver got lost!! TIP 2: Happy hour is only applicable at the bar seating so BEWARE!

    (4)

  • Jessica N.

    Okay, so I guess after high school and leaving for college... The scene that I hung out with in the past and the venues that we occupied have changed. To my surprise Biwa is located in one of those past occupied venues. The place is very intimate and great for a small close group of friends, but any larger than 4 I'd feel too out of place and occupying 1/2 room available. Just kidding, the place isn't that small - but with the intimate vibe - it's best for small groups. Warm towels to cleanse your hands, yummy pickled treat to start your palate, and a vast menu of Japanese foods to choose from. Their curry rice is a.maze.ing and the ramen is half-decent, but a great place to try out if you haven't already.

    (3)

  • Laurel J.

    We headed into Biwa because we were craving ramen. Boy oh boy, did we end up with something different all together! When we were seated and browsed the menu, we were overwhelmed with how incredible everything sounded. We opted for the Omakase which is a 9 course sampling of the chef's choice. There is absolutely no better way to sample a menu than to let a culinary artist decide what he/she wants to flaunt. It is $35 per person and we had drink parings of mostly sake for an additional $25 per person. Phenomenal. There's no other word to describe it. We were there for 2 hours and had an experience we won't soon forget. The hamachi sashimi in ponzu sauce is worthy of my last meal on earth. The maguro sashimi is delicate and spicy. The kara-age (Japanese fried chicken) was light and when paired with the wasabi dipping sauce it's delightful. The beef hanger and pork belly skewers were a treat. The kimchi had a perfect balance of spice and vinegar. And the ramen. It was beautiful - the broth, the egg, the noodles...I could go on. The miso butterscotch gelato was a perfect way to end it all. The servers were kind and friendly and very knowledgable about their dishes as well as the sake. In fact, if you want to know more about sake I suggest starting here. They do not serve sake warm which is fine by me because I'm a fan of cold sake. The ambiance is fantastic. The restaurant sits at basement level and has windows that allow you to see out at street level. It's decorated clean and minimally with polished concrete, fir, and simple lighting. Biwa is remarkable. We will be back soon for sure. In fact, I may just move in and call it good.

    (5)

  • Adam R.

    I had been to Biwa once before several years ago and never dug into the menu and after this recent time, I'm sad I didn't that time. I arrived in a group of 4 and we were seated after a short wait. Many items on the menu sounded good, so we decided as a table to taste what seemed like a large portion of the menu. I won't single out any one item because everyone at my table thoroughly enjoyed each item that came out. As to some of the popular gripes... 1) it's pricey, but we knew that going into it. 2) I can appreciate what they're trying to do with the 5% health and wellness charge - it's quite admirable. While some reviewers may have found it objectionable, I saw the side where they could have just raised all of their prices by 5% to cover the same expenses without explaining why.

    (5)

  • Kat A.

    SURPRISE! I do NOT come here for traditional Japanese fare. Shocker! An all white kitchen staff isn't going to make you ramen like the steamy noodle house you ate at in Japan. What it IS going to serve you is a plethora of brain melting, mouth-gasiming, what-the-heck-is-this-flavor-having super food! Thick and chewy udon noodles swim in a sea of deeply flavored broth with vegetables, fish cake, and the singular most delicious egg you will ever stick in your mouth-hole. This Japamerican basement bistro feels industrial and homey all at once. Perfect for all of my late-night musings and after party boozing, Biwa is my tiny secret love-nugget of a restaurant.

    (4)

  • Gladys H.

    The ramen is very good and quite filling but I think I will skip the pork next time... too fatty!

    (4)

  • Kenny P.

    I have been to too many japanese restaurant, korean restaurant or fusion japanese and korean. Biwa is definitely overrated ! The Service The servers were OK. They tried their best to accommodate our big group. It was nothing to rave about. It was OK. The food We were there for happy hour menu and some small dishes. We ordered different kind of foods here: - Ramen with chasyu and smoke pork shoulder: it was definitely just an OK. I have tasted many ramen that is better. So, nothing to rave about - Pork Belly in Skewer: the pork belly was tender. The saltiness was adequate. This one is not bad and I can eat more than one - Tofu Dengoku: this is way too salty ! the paste on the top of the tofu is more than we can handle. Eat this for many times, guarantee you will have high blood pressure. - Biwa Hamburger: this is actually listed in top 10 best burger in Portland. All of us (around 8) ordered this. When we have our first bite, OMG ! we look at each other with question mark in our eyes. Is this really the top 10 burger in Portland? So, I would say, please put your expectation low. If you hang it too high, you might be disapppointed The atmosphere It was decorated with low light ambiance. It is good for happy hour. But if you come in a big group, it might be difficult to find one table. The location It was not bad as you can find the parking easily by the street. Will I come back ? Probably ! for a second tasting

    (3)

  • Ada T.

    Blergh. I had a feeling I'd be disappointed, particularly now that I've had some great great ramen in LA, the Bay Area, and New York, and I was. Started with the korroke (shrimp & pea croquette with spicy mayonnaise). I thought it would be like the croquettes I've had before, mostly potato, with some shrimp and peas. Nope. I bit into the deep fried panko crusted exterior and it was...wet inside. There was a strange creamy liquid binding together the shrimp and peas (no potato) that reminded me of why some people dislike mayo. Next was the ramen. The broth was quite red, but really lacked flavor and depth. The egg tasted strange and bitter, though it might just be that I didn't like the style. Boring noodles, mediocre chashu. The bowl was just nowhere near what I've had in other places.

    (3)

  • Joey Y.

    I was super excited when a friend told me that Portland had a place that serves Japanese ramen. And since I recently moved from Los Angeles, I was eager to find the ramen spot at my new city. I was disappointed. Don't get the ramen. It wasn't all that good. The broth was very bland; noodles were thin and had no flavor; the pork slices were thin; and overall, it tasted like eating noodle in a bowl of water. But I can't really complain because the price was great. (Go there either on Friday or Saturday night after 9pm and seat at the counter. You will get deep discounts.) But that wasn't the worst part. The service was horrible! I understand that my friend and I may have annoyed the waiter for changing our seats but it was completely unprofessional and rude of him to show it in such obvious ways (i.e. giving dirty looks, throwing back your eyes when we asked for him). Also, when we asked him to give us some hot pepper powder, the waiter gave us a pinch of it. A pinch! An amount that will fit between your index finger and your thumb. We had to call him again to give us more of it so that we could both use it. I think it was first time when I felt such a tension between myself, a customer, and my waiter. I never felt so much anger while eating a bowl of noodle. Probably never going back here again.

    (2)

  • Brie P.

    The menu revolves. If you can catch it get the goat curry (winter) and the Japanese fried chicken. The drinks are creative!

    (5)

  • Toan N.

    Great food and great service. Just a little pricey for ramen but it was delicious. I'll probably skip the sashimi the next time but the Manila clams were amazing.

    (4)

  • Mai N.

    HYPED!!! korea town in los angeles does it way better! no flavor and super bland..save your money and go elsewhere :)

    (1)

  • Brian B.

    Biwa went above and beyond expectations. For dinner my girlfriend and I had the chefs course with cocktail pairing. I can't describe how impressed we are. Each dish was executed perfectly and the drink pairing was spot on. I don't often leave reviews but felt that this amazing experience deserved a special thank you for a great evening. The service was top notch, Dan our guide through the evening is a real professional and takes great pride in his work. Dan's knowledge of all the beverages poured where outstanding. Dan thank you, and Biwa is one amazing place to have a unforgettable dinner.

    (5)

  • Ryo K.

    Okay, I'll be honest. When I tried their food for the first time, which I believe was 5 or 6 years ago, I thought their food was just okay, not really authentic Japanese food. So I didn't go back for a while. Then when I revisited them almost a year later, I noticed that everything tasted much better. Especially their karaage (fried chicken) and yakitori (grilled chicken on skewer) greatly improved. Since then it has been one of my favorite places to go. I need to go there at least once a month to satisfy my craving. It is like a Portland version of "izakaya (a Japanese style drinking establishment)." Some dishes are not really authentic Japanese. I would say more Korean influenced, for example, pork stew, which is very good! It's a great place to enjoy Japanese beer and sake with various delicious small plates. Their salads and yakimono (grilled stuff on skewer) are all tasty. However, their sashimi (raw fish) dishes are hits and misses. Sometimes it's not fresh and sometimes the sauce tastes weird. Since it's not cheap, you'll be disappointed if it's not so good. I don't care for their ramen and udon too much, though I think both got much better over the years. If you haven't had ramen or udon in Japan, maybe you will like it. I love all the staff members. Very friendly. It's one of major reasons why I've become the regulars. If feels like you are eating at your friends house.

    (4)

  • Sue P.

    I've never been so disappointed in a ramen bowl and burger. After hearing good reviews I decided to check this place out and was starving which usually makes food tastes better but it didn't... I had the ramen and added the spicy pork yet the soup was still bland. The late night menu / burger was the saltiest burger/dish I had ever tasted in my life! It was bad. The only good thing was the service since I had to have my water glass refilled 4 times and I don't even like water! My little brother and I can't believe how bad the food was... Don't think I'll be back since all of our dishes tasted horrible and it was quite pricey for what we got. $39 for two ramen (add ons were $3) and a burger. Not worth the price.

    (1)

  • Jeneva C.

    I really hate being one of those stuck up people who talk about how they've been to Japan, they know what good ramen is blah blah I'm better than you, boohoo! However, I *have* been to Japan a few times throughout the years and I know that there *are* so many good ramen shops and good ramen there is so normal. You can get it anywhere, it's so cheap and it's such the perfect food. I love it. Here in the states, it's just so hard to find good ramen. I went here and had their ramen but it was lacking something. I couldn't put my finger on it but I don't know. Perhaps it was a bit bland? And I don't mean I didn't like the taste....but it seemed like there wasn't enough of it or something. The broth wasn't necessarily too thin but....I don't know. It was a little boring. Also, the blazé attitudes of the servers and hostess there were slightly annoying. One of them dropped my seaweed wrap on my purse and didn't even apologize. I mean, come on. Be nice. I think the most offensive part is how pricey it is. (Seriously I hate having to bring up travel experience because I know it sounds douchey) But it's kind of insulting that stuff like that is so inexpensive to make. I mean, dang, legit ramen is supposed to be inexpensive. It's the perfect food for students (at least in Japan). As an ethnic minority, I really don't like overpriced ethnic food that isn't meant to be pricey, especially when it's not even as good as the inexpensive stuff. I dunno. I hope to come back here and try more stuff. Hopefully my opinion will change.

    (2)

  • Katya L.

    Well. Okay. Although I was a little disappointed to find that happy hour ramen was only available during late-night, I was on a mission and damn it, I was going to have ramen even if I had to pay through the nose for it. (Seriously. What's with the Portland trend of wildly-expensive, trendy ramen? It's supposed to be cheap, quick, filling student food. I understand if it's super-special ramen with pork belly, duck liver and gold flakes, but if it's straight-up no-frills ramen, it shouldn't cost $11/bowl. Diatribe over.) We sat at the counter and availed ourselves of the bar specials. Pickled plum daishiki, pork belly skewers and garlic (which was literally just roasted garlic cloves on a skewer and it was delicious) were all fantastic. I also loved the spiced popcorn amuse-bouche - always a nice touch to offer a snack and the popcorn was so good, the boy was asking where we could buy it in bags. He had one of the specials, a smoked pork katsu that was incredible - the flavor difference in smoking the meat before frying it is spot-on delicious. I opted for the ramen and received a steaming bowl heaped full of noodles cooked to perfection (none of that al dente nonsense) with one of the best soft-boiled eggs I've ever tasted. The bowl was big enough to share, which was lucky since the katsu portion was on the small side and the boy has a big appetite. Luckily, the ramen tasted like $11 ramen. Perfectly cooked noodles, tender pork, salty flavorful cloudy broth, it all came together seamlessly into a near-perfect bowl of soup. Also lucky was the fact that we got there shortly after opening, and snagged the last two seats at the bar. When we left, the line was up the stairs and nearly out the door, so I recommend getting there as early as possible since the space is small and the service is unhurried.

    (4)

  • Heather H.

    Great happy hour but get there early because it gets really busy fast. Very few vegan options and not exactly gluten-free, but if you can withstand a bit of soy sauce, there are plenty of options. The fried rice is *way* too salty for my taste, but the yakionigiri and all the items from the grill are yummy! The yoyogi is one of my favorite cocktails in PDX, slightly sweet and just a little sour. Overall, a great place for a shared plates dinner.

    (3)

  • Sarah R.

    When we're in a hunger-induced brain fog and can't make a decision about where to go, this is always the go-to place. The interior is beautiful, with clean lines, an open kitchen, warm wood benches and furniture, and always a happy owner. The cooks take their work seriously, yet they manage to also chat with customers sitting at the bar. By the way, sitting at the bar after 9 pm is the best deal in town for dinner. Two people can fill up on rich, made-with-love ramen and sake/beer and get out for about $25. The servers are professional, offering a warm hand/face towel when you sit down, patiently explaining Japanese items on the menu, checking in as you go. I spent two months living in Japan, and this place takes me back.

    (4)

  • A P.

    I was warned by about 8 different friends to avoid this place (their complains; price for what you get, non authentic, not that great) but I love Japanese food more than anything and was stoked for an izakaya that wasn't out in the burbs. But after a few times eating here i'm just not impressed. I think the atmosphere is amazing but the food is just okay. The first time I went for happy hour and i thought it was ridiculous that you had to sit at the bar in order to order off the happy hour menu. So what.. after 12 people fill up the bar you can't order off the happy hour menu? The skewers were pretty pathetic for the price. At traditional izakaya's the skewers come in two's. The noodle and broths are just okay. The salads and onigiri's are just okay. The service is just okay. This place is just okay. Major con is how much your clothes smell like this place afterwards. The first time i went i thought the place was on fire it was so smokey my eyes were burning! The second time not as bad with the smoke. Anyway its a cute place and great location but i can taste the white in my food.

    (3)

  • Kathleen B.

    I had high expectations after reading a fantastic review of this place, and was a little disappointed. I got a bowl of ramen and the wakame salad, and Mr. T got the rice bowl dinner. A big, soupy bowl of ramen is a total comfort food for me; I am used to plentiful, cheap, amazing Asian food in San Francisco, where very little is plentiful and cheap, A ramen bowl should be filled with delicious vegetables, meat or tofu, egg, unknown pickled items, all sitting in a very simple broth, and that's what I was expecting. What I got was a very spare bowl of noodles in broth. The broth was unbelievably salty, which says a lot because I am a copious salter, and there just wasn't much to the dish. The wakame salad, also very different from what I'm used to, was also a bit fishy. Mr. T's version of Be Bim Bap was also not what we expected. On the redeeming side, the restaurant itself is very pleasant and the service was good. It's a little too pricey for what it is; noodles are cheap and they are charging too much for very basic dishes. Makes me miss Hotei in San Francisco...

    (3)

  • Adam C.

    just tried this one out for the first time recently and i'm a fan. the atmosphere is great, the food is good, and the servers are really kind and helpful (very needed at a place like this where you walk in and have no idea what to get). but it's downgrade is that it isn't cheap. i wanted a cheapeats where i could get good authentic ramen instead of "top ramen". what i got was good authentic ramen at too heafty a price for ramen eaters.

    (3)

  • Daniel P.

    OH MY F'N (kids beware dirty, nasty, tasty language to follow) GAWD! I love this place! An incredible twist of fate saw me there three times last week. Ok I completed twisted fate, arms, minds and wallets to go back each time. I tricked some out of towners into going and then some long time friends and then my best friend from out of town after we had a bottle of sake some place else ...and half way through that dinner I convinced another friend to drive down to drop off a package there and stay for a sake tasting. I am wicked bad. I can not get enough of this great food. I am in love with Biwa noodles. The broth for each of the soups is something beyond broth. It takes what I thought was a nice soupy flavor and completely chucks it out the window as thin, tasteless dish water. How the hell do they get so much flavor into water. Need I say more than "bara"! If you believe in the old adage of "pork the one you love" - than this skewer of meaty, fatty goodness is a mana on a steeeek. Just order two when you sit down so there is no fighting later. Not loving the pig? Try any of the other skewers as they are all great. My BFF said that the grilled rice triangle was the best he has had since some little village in Japan 3 years ago where they would give you these treats to place next to your bed in case you awake up hungry - rice dreams. The Chinese fried chicken is perfectly cooked, nuggets of love with fire breathing dipping mustardy. Their kimchi takes fiery stinky cabbage to a new level with the diakon version. And the sake! They have an incredibly interesting selection served by a very knowledgable staff. Start with a flight to sample the nuances or just let the staff bring you a few to pair with your food. Who does not like a sake buzz?

    (5)

  • Kamui K.

    Overly priced and salted. Do not and I mean do not, try the ramen. Super salty and having to pay for additions when it should be standard, is just ridonkulous.

    (2)

  • Katie W.

    This wasn't a bad place. It was pretty cute on the inside. The service was quite... slow. They were friendly, but slow. The ramen was REALLY YUMMY... and really expensive. My chicken breast skewer was REALLY YUMMY... and really tiny. I would really enjoy this place if it hadn't cost me about $25 for dinner.

    (3)

  • Schuyler S.

    This place is great. Sit at the bar, specials all day. Ramen is only $5 after 9, so I find myself there late at night a lot. I wait for dinner because it is great. The people are kind, courteous, and know whatsup. Awesome food, and Union Jacks is only a few blocks away! Makes for a great, well rounded, night.

    (5)

  • Erika B.

    I hesitate to write this, as I think I am in the minority here. I was so eager to try this place due to all the rave reviews. So eager, in fact, that I made sure to get there shortly after opening time on a Friday so that we could avoid a wait. We arrived about 5:30, were greeted and seated immediately. I secretly laughed at mysef for rushing to get there so early, as we were about 1 of 4 other tables that were occupied. The service at Biwa is very attentive and helpful. We ordered the pork belly skewers, Udon with Egg added, Japanese pickles, Onigiri, Grilled Rice Ball, Gyoza aand Beef Hangar Steak. The food was fresh and well presented. Our major complaint was that it was beyond salty. Each item was saltier than the next. Perhaps we may give it another go around at some point and try some other menu items. I am also wondering if we would have enjoyed it more had we had two or 3 glasses of Sake.

    (2)

  • Kelly M.

    My favorite restaurant in Portland. Hands down. The mistake I think a lot of people make, is that its not an order a meal for yourself kind of place, and I just don't order that way. Though I have had the udon and pork fried rice and thought both were very good (though the rice was, I admit, a bit intense) I haven't ordered those things since because there are so many other delightful things on the menu that I simply like better. Such as, the best onigiri I've ever had. First of all, I haven't found another restaurant that serves it, and at home we can't even come close. I don't know how they do it, but I get at least one every time I go. I wish they did lunch bentos so I could have them several times a week. Our other staples are the yaki soba noodles with shrimp, the seaweed salad, the salted and pickled mackerel, and the kimchi griddle cake (the real name of which I can't remember off the top of my head). And though these are our staples, I can't say we've had anything we didn't like. The gyozas are fabulous but my boyfriend is a vegetarian so we rarely order them. On top of excellent food, the service is perfectly wonderful, though they do get extremely busy so cut them some slack. Its obvious that the staff are a really close knit family group and they put a great deal of effort into providing you with a wonderful meal. You get warm towels before your meal (cold if its too hot outside) and I can't seem to keep my water glass empty no matter how hard I try. The drinks are delicious, even if pricey and never ever pass up their dessert special. And then, the kicker: the atmosphere. Harsh and beautiful modern lines, but still so wonderfully cozy and even romantic. Its takes a few visits to get to know what you like to order best and what new concoction sounds worth while to your palette, but they make it just so easy to come back. I'd give them 100 stars if I could.

    (5)

  • L. K.

    This place has an industrial sleek design tucked underground in the heart of the inner SE. Metal mixed with wood, mixed with black & white photographs that are hanging on one wall. You feel like you are going somewhere exciting when you walk down the stairs to the dining area. Good thing there were a lot of windows with high ceilings so it doesn't feel cave-like or claustrophobic. The food was good, not great. I didn't have any noodles, maybe I should have. The seaweed salad had a nice combination of seaweeds but was missing any tangy-ness from its dressing. My dining campaign had the maguro poke (raw tuna with shoyu & ginger appetizer) and said that it was bland, but fresh. We had a few yakimonos (grilled skewers) the shitake ones were the best, we ordered 3 (since there were only 3 per order.) The chicken breast and tofu were both over salted, I had to cut it with some rice. That's all for food, we each had a glass of red wine, a local one and a French one. Not bad, but for $50 plus tip, I didn't think I should have needed a bowl of cereal when I got home. And one more thing.. don't wear your 'dry clean only' clothes there, the kitchen smell sticks with you.

    (3)

  • N. W.

    I love Biwa. It is one of my favorite happy hour spots. The ramen soup is especially delicious.

    (5)

  • shanklin g.

    I really wish they stayed open later. Great place to meet up with a small group of folks before a night out or a date with your partner. The staff have always been friendly and helpful and the food is good. Had the Biwa Burger recently and it really is that good. Very calming and relaxing vibe to this place.

    (4)

  • Kody H.

    I attended Biwa in larger group than normal (8+ people) and had a decent time there. Biwa was more than happy to accommodate for our group, however refused to split the check for individuals, there was also no explanation for why they wouldn't split the check which I thought was odd as that makes payment easier for guests and themselves. They had a very large alcoholic drink section, mostly sake and wine, however the prices were too high for my liking, upwards of $10 for what I think was a 4oz glass. Service was good, but food portions were small, as my gf and myself ordered 3 dishes that barely filled us. The food tasted good, but I was disappointed with my curry as it was so hot I couldn't taste much. Most of all, I was extremely disappointed with my gf's ramen, that seemed sub-par for something that costs $11 (anyone would agree that $11 for ramen had better be amazing). Also, the chefs were not Japanese or even Asian from what I could tell and the place really doesn't seem as decorated as they advertise, you can tell that your eating in a basement. Lastly the bathroom was located outside of the establishment and in the hall. Had a nice time, but could have been nicer.

    (2)

  • Morgan B.

    Wasn't super impressed with the vegetarian dish I got here. :(

    (2)

  • WJ S.

    Wonderful discovery while looking for someplace to take the chill out. Warm and entertaining seating at the open grill - big, hot bowls of Ramen & Udon; expertly prepared Hawaii chahan, and great Saki samplers, complete with descriptions and information on the sources. Happy hour prices at the 'bar' make it a great affordable experience.

    (4)

  • Kathleen P.

    Eat the poke. Eat the yakitori. Eat more yakitori. If you have room left, get yourself some soup. Sit back, pat your stomach. Smile. Tell your friends.

    (4)

  • Edward J.

    This is not your ordinary Japanese or Korean joint. Its a ramen house to the core! I'm a big fan of authentic asian cooking and this is definitely authentic. I know a lot of people who didn't grow up with asian home cooking they might find this place overrated. Then don't even visit Japan or Taiwan, you'll hate authentic asian food. Just stick with your cheap americanized asian food. Go in open minded and try everything. I highly recommend the ramen with egg, you have to get the egg! Its really bad that they charge for the egg. My friend got the chicken udon, she said it was amazing, especially with the large uncut shitake mushroom (like how it should be). We shared a bottle of sake, and got few appetizers. Get the grilled cuttlefish and some of the tofu dishes. I myself can make half of what's on the menu, but I guess if you want to try authentic peasant japanese food, get the pickled plum stuffed in rice nori. And no, they don't have sushi! Like I said, it is AUTHENTIC! Japanese don't live on sushi. Just like the Chinese don't make orange chicken.

    (5)

  • Paul K.

    Udon noodles were fresh, plump, and filling! We got the udon noodles that came in a soup. It was really good. The hanger steak yakitori was excellent, also. Unfortunately, we were in a hurry so we really didn't get to sit and linger over our food. The room is nice and sunken below street level, which was cool. I'd recommend this place. The service was lackluster, though. I ran out of beer right after I got my noodles and we never saw our server the rest of the night. I had to get her from behind the curtain to pay our bill.

    (3)

  • B E.

    After reading all the wonderful reviews on Yelp while I waited for my table, I ordered the Pork Belly. Wow, I couldn't choke down more than a couple bites, absolutely disgusting. Not sure about all those other reviewers out there who recommended it, it is basically really thick chunks of bacon but unfortunately it was pretty much only fat and no meat. Maybe just a bad piece I guess. The Ramen and the Bi Bim Bap were tasty. Overall, not as good as I would have expected for the price but I may give it another spin just to make sure before I check it off my list.

    (3)

  • Brent F.

    Eating lunch at this place made me wish it was a cold day in winter. I love Japanesey-noodle places and this place feels like a good find (and it's near my work). The food feels authenticly Japanese, although a bit bland and maybe a little too much on the no-frills side. I had a udon bowl with tofu. The noodles were fantastic and the broth was great. I was longing for a few more veggies or onions or SOMETHING in there, more like the noodle soups I had in Japan. I like the space, and the staff was very attentive. I ate one of the dried sardines that came as an appetizer, but my gag reflex almost kicked in, and we left the rest on the table. I know the Japanese love their dried fishes, but it was a bit much for my American-raised taste. I would have much preferred a pickled vegetable or something.... I will absolutely go back and I can't wait to see what they offer up for dinner. If you're a fan of Japanese noodles in a clean and modern space, you'll love it. From the looks of the other reviews here, they have a lot more things I need to try. Its kind of tucked away - I almost didn't see it. But that just makes it feel more like my secret little place. I can't wait for Biwa's noodle soups to warm my soul on the cold and rainy winter days.

    (4)

  • Kathy L.

    Kick ass noodle shop with local ingredients, need I say more?

    (5)

  • MeatMaster X.

    delicious food at reasonable prices. we tried several appetizers, including the skewered peppers (fantastic), garlic (garlicy), hangar steak (perfectly cooked), gyoza (perfect and not doughy or cold like one often finds it) -- but the things that really, truly killed were A) the fried rice with bacon, a creamy and succulent fried rice, almost risotto-esque and B) the pork ramen, with a fatty piece of pork that must have simmered all day, melt-in-your-mouth tastiness. all served by an attentive waitstaff. laidback street dining and a modern but welcoming design and ambience inside. we left full with a slight buzz, and would do so again.

    (5)

  • Aubrey P.

    I've been here only once, and probably won't go back. The food is quite tasty, but very overpriced due to the tiny portions of the skewers. The udon soup was quite good and made me long to be back in Tokyo.

    (3)

  • Deknaew D.

    It's a cool place for drinking and eating. It's different from other japanese which is good for pp like us. I'm asian and I love grilled chicken heart and grilled chicken liver. Me and my friend had that lastnight and I've heard someone said yuck I look at the white fat lady and a gay man who were sitting next to me. And she make :( face. I'm sorry that u cant eat that but I thank u biwa for having datt on da menu. And u cooked it how u suppose to cook it. Hi5!

    (4)

  • Chris O.

    Awesome staff..very on the ball. Very cool place to chill at. Our favorite was the Kimchi griddle cake.

    (4)

  • Cam T.

    halfway through my trough of ramen (hey, it's bigger than my head!) i realized why they named this place biwa. slurping up those fresh chewy noodles in porky broth made me want to pull out my traditional lute & pen an ode to ramen in between huffs to keep my tongue from immolating. those bowls are steaming! after you've added all the accoutrements to turn it into more than just a bowl of broth & noodles it gets pricey (traditional ramen in izakaya is cheap, cheap, cheap). add on delectable mixed drinks (yoyogi: vodka + salty plum + tangy lime juice=yum!), some appetizers, sake & dessert makes you understand why people cruise happy hours. the staff are very friendly & just the right amount of attentive, never felt rushed even tho the space is small & busy. next time, happy hour & a wheelbarrow to carry my sated carcass home. biwaaaaaaa. [plink, plinkety, plink-plink]

    (4)

  • Mgizzle A.

    So we're still on a quest to find a good ramen place like the ones in the SF Bay Area. Went here on a Friday night. It was really packed but we were lucky and didn't have to wait that long to get a table. I got the charsiu pork ramen and my husband got the stewed pork ramen. The quantity and flavor of the meat was really good but the broth and noodles were ok, nothing like Santa Ramen. We got the kids karaage and rice, which was pretty good. Service was slow maybe cause it was busy. We'll probably go back there during lunch. Felt kinda out of place with the kids during dinner.

    (3)

  • Jin C.

    we had nabeyaki udon and biwa ramen. udon: the noodle was hearty, and it was slightly undercooked and bland for my personal taste. the broth was good, however, and balanced. ramen: bit salty but the noodle texture was good. not a traditional japanese ramen. broth lacked depth. maybe i will go there for drinks again, but i can't see myself going there again for noodles.

    (3)

  • S K.

    It's not your typical Japanese place. If you can get passed the few American entrees in the menu, and you are in the central southeast area of Portland, this is a good spot for a good dinner. It is a yakitori style Japanese food. The selection is not as big as some other yakitori places I've been. But it is still excellent. I highly recommend chicken liver, chicken heart, and the unusual but the best pork belly. I've never had pork belly grilled on a skewer so tender, juicy and chewy. The service was stellar, waitresses constantly coming by to make sure you are OK. And to top it off, we got the toasted green tea ice cream. And yummm!!!!! If you are not in the mood for anything else, the toasted green tea ice cream is a must-try. I've never had any ice cream so full of flavors. Especially this is the first toasted green tea flavor I've ever tried. It tasted just like toasted green tea. Wish I can buy a whole carton to take home.

    (4)

  • Heather G.

    WOW, this place is great. The noodles are amazing!!! Very authentic and so delicious. The space is cozy and the service was great. Wish there was a place like this in China town.

    (5)

  • Noah S.

    oh Biwa, how i am disappointed! i've been a loyal fan since the time of your humble beginnings. where have those sweet days gone - when i could sit at the bar and indulge in your scrumptious bar menu specials to my heart's delight - no matter the hour. now, you have slighted me with thy narrowing restrictions...only between 5 - 6:30 can these delights be had. and ramen specials only between 9 - 10? your menu now serves only to confuse and befuddle - i'm left wondering when i can eat what at what price? hmmm, not the relaxing, wonderful experience of past. i'd rather venture to my other fantastic and consistent pdx restaurants that i call home. thou has lost me forever!

    (2)

  • Burt S.

    Okay, so after hearing all the good reviews here, I decided to go try this place out for the ramen. It was really good! I had the Biwa style ramen with eggs and chashyu pork and it was delicious! The soup had really savory flavors to it, but I wish they added more noodles. The only other downside is that the chashyu pork, though it had a lotta flavor, it felt like I was mostly eating the fat of the pork and not the meat itself. I've had Chashyu (Chinese BBQ pork) before, so I expected more meatyness to it. But overall, it was still a success in my opinion and for the price, it was definitely worth it! I can't wait till I go back here next time and try out the other ramens on their menu.

    (4)

  • David B.

    First visit Fri 9pm. The 2 of us were greeted & seated by Mike and served by Barry. The gyoza was superb pork. Barry recommended we try the asparagus - delicious sautéed with black sesame! We followed with the ramen. We really liked Biwa's thin noodles in their pork soup! The grilled rice ball, yakionigih, was average ok. Ended the meal perfectly with a chocolate pudding - omg rich treat! Thanks to Barry for delivering great service to our table and to Mike for making us feel welcomed!

    (5)

  • Melissa A.

    This place is an excellent example of why I can't always trust a Yelp rating. We went for the chefs choice dinner at 40/pp... That was on advice of a local Oregonian who raved about it. IT WAS AMAZING. First... There were about 7 courses of food, each delicious beyond measure. Our food includes a nice mixture of menu items and specials. From the incredibly fresh sashimi to the sweet potato fries and fresh local berries for desert... There wasn't anything we didn't love. I am also a gluten free eater and they made every item work within that restriction. I also want to note that I do not like steak tartare or oysters. They brought both... I tried them and for the first time in my life... Liked them (especially true of he tartare). By the end we were stuffed. The waitress Liz was like my dominatrix... I was both scared and excited each time I saw her approach the table. The service was also impeccable... Each dish beautifully described and details like fresh napkins and water glasses were always seen too.

    (5)

  • Deanna N.

    The spicey popcorn is addicting, a perfect compliment to my whiskey sour. $5 ramen happy hour. Darkly lit below street level, I did feel like I was returning to a little space in Tokyo. Definitely want to come back for burger as its served only late night. Perfectly close to Doug Fir for before after show.

    (4)

  • Tony G.

    Not ever hearing about this place prior to tonight nor knowing what to expect I would have to say this was a very underwhelming experience. Ramen was just ok and all of the other small plates were extremely salty from what we were all accustomed to with traditional Japanese fare. Regarding the service, it was sub par for what I would expect for a restaurant with this many great ratings. Additionally, we all found the 'Health & Wellness Fee' a bit absurd and perhaps illegal? I am no attorney but I do not understand how that is enforceable. Overall, we were not impressed and will not be visiting again. Good luck and all the best.

    (1)

  • Katherine C.

    Honestly, I was underwhelmed by this place. For the price of everyone paying about $30 for shared plates, no one was full. The sashimi while decent was cut in the smallest pieces I've ever seen, half what you'd get at any sushi restaurant. The ramen was oily and nothing special. The lamb skewer was a bit tough unseasoned. The pickled plate very small but pretty good. The bok choy was good as was the chocolate pudding dessert. I loved the Sapporo beer with lime and honey. Every plate was just small and overpriced. Not really shareable. Will not be returning.

    (2)

  • Mao T.

    Boy oh boy. I had high hopes for this place. This place has potential but everything was lacking. Ramen...was luke warm....ramen is never supposed to be luke warm. The karaage...was like a lame version of popcorn chicken. We had to flag down our server a few times. The sake selection isn't the largest but it has a couple of stand outs. Won't be back, there is better Japanese food else where.

    (2)

  • Andrew A.

    Bad service can really ruin your experience-- Luckily they have the worst service in the city! Oh and thanks for tacking on an extra "wellness and health" charge. I would love to pay for your healthcare when you can't seem to bring anything I order. Get it together BIWA. Go to la or ny for ramen.

    (1)

  • D S.

    Not going back. I really want to like this place, but each time I go we leave feeling super disappointed. The food is "ok", but yes, very over priced for the tiny portion sizes. And what other restaurants (anywhere?!) are passing their health care costs on to the customer directly by taxing 5% additional on the bill to cover the employees' "wellness costs"? Come on, this place is always BUSY (regardless of the food/service quality)... so if they can't afford it, then something is majorly wrong. It just seems cheap and irresponsible to handle your benefits this way, like "hey we don't care about our staff, so its up to you to pay for their wellbeing". NOT.

    (1)

  • Nicole G.

    Biwa. I have been coming to you for YEARS!!! I have seen the menu and staff flip considerably. I still keep coming back. I pretty much always will. Ramen is standard, as well as the gyoza. Your specials are the best (I will always pine for the chicken skins - so good. So good.). Oldie but goodie peeps.

    (4)

  • Jessica K.

    If you've experienced actual ramen from Japan, don't expect anything authentic here. it was quite disappointing and over priced. When I asked what kind of broth they use, the waitress appeared confused and asked what I meant. Usually you'll hear "miso" or "shoyu" but she just responded with "chicken." That should have alerted me something was up! My husband and friend ordered the udon - both had some stomach pains shortly after consuming it. The rice ball (onigiri) was pretty tasty - the only thing I can honestly say I enjoyed there. I also ordered yakitori...$5 for 1 skewer of chicken? SO overpriced...it was quite bland as well. It was a poor excuse for Japanese food. If you are looking for a ramen place with authenticity, I recommend Yuzu in Beaverton. I will drive 40 minutes for the good stuff. I almost don't want to mention it since it's already busy as is :)

    (2)

  • Ahran J.

    Rating on the ramen happy hour! I love how the egg somehow had alcohol in it- i need an explanation how they did this- and how it was only 70% cooked in the yolk. The noodles were al dante , how ramen should be. Broth would excellent if it was more brothy, heavy - i will come after 9 to see if the water evaporated from the broth then i will rate 5. I wish they have the japanese radish pickle

    (4)

  • Gordon M.

    Eat the Popcorn and then ask for more Popcorn. We have been twice and order something different each time. It has all been great. My last trip, I ordered the Pork Stew. I have never had a craving for stew before that meal. When do you ever crave stew except when you're sick or super cold? You will after Biwa.

    (4)

  • Jennifer K.

    3.5 Star Late Night Japanese Snack really hit the spot! Biwa serves up awesome drunk food: How can I say NO to a hot bowl of Ramen ($11) and Japanese Style Burger ($8)?! Nice and dark interior of Biwa is perfect for late night after a few drinks. Or if you want a few more drinks, a pint of Sapporo deluxe for $3?! That's even cheaper than the Home Made Soda ($4) we ordered.... More beers please to go with the complimentary popcorn!

    (3)

  • Jenny W.

    Open late, friendly service, and a 5% charge for employee healthcare! Honestly, it's not that much money so I don't mind, but I can understand why some people do. Anyways, the ramen and burger with crispy chashu are delicious! Granted, it was probably a bad idea to order a whiskey flight with such a heavy meal...but you live and learn. My burger was perfectly cooked medium rare and the bun held together the meat and juices without falling apart at the end. The crispy chashu was like a less-greasy bacon and went sooo well with the burger. I normally never order burgers at restaurants that don't specialize in burgers, but I'm sure glad I did!

    (4)

  • Christine W.

    I arrived to this place on a rainy wednesday night and had to wait an hr and a half for a table for 6. I was not happy about the wait because I was starving. The place looked pretty neat with a staircase going down to the eating area. There wasn't any music - or so I think, because it was a little on the loud side. Once seated, our server brought us seasoned popcorn - very mildly spicy, but really good. It was interesting to get popcorn, instead of edamame, at a ramen shop. I ordered the ramen noodles that came with thin noodles, chasiu, and sake-infused egg in a pork soup. The egg was not completely boiled - it was a little wet in the middle. I decided to add the smoked pork shoulder, which I would recommend to do because that meat was crispy, tender, and juicy all at the same time. This place give you SO much noodles and soup that adding more meat would be a good thing. I didn't finish my bowl of ramen, but I definitely wanted to! It was very filling and perfect for a cold, rainy night. I haven't had the chance to come back and try something else, but i would come back for sure! SO UPDATE: I came back to this place on a cold sunday night around dinner time and was surprised that there was no wait. I made it in time for the happy hour (5-6PM, 9-10PM [9-11PM Fri & Sat]) and sat at the "bar." The ramen with an egg was $5 and I added the pork shoulder (which wasn't as great this time around because it was not as crunchy as the first time I had had it - I think because it was submerged in broth) which was $3. Pretty sweet price for an incredibly large bowl of ramen that I did not, again, finish. COME DURING HAPPY HOUR IF YOU CAN! GOOD DEAL!!

    (4)

  • Ethan C.

    Ramen was ok. Plain average. I'll come back the day when I'm desperate for ramen and there are no alternatives. There was a small surprise when we got the check however. The restaurant is charging an additional 5% on top of the bill to cover his employee's health insurance costs. Was expecting that was already built into the menu; I mean, at $12 per bowl, their ramen isn't exactly cheap.

    (3)

  • Agnes D.

    Three stars for the Great environment. Very hip. Plays hip hop in the background. As of food, noodle broths are bland but great skewers. Two stars for food.

    (3)

  • Moose W.

    Excellent. Order more than you think you'll eat... Because you will. The Lamb was my fave, followed by the "fried chicken." Grilled avocado and the Mackerel were outstanding. Nice alcohol mixes, well attendant staff, excellent tapas-style servings. Not cheap... If you want cheap Asian, stop by Panda Express at the mall. Biwa was an awesome foodie experience!

    (5)

  • Chiemi N.

    I came here for the first time to meet girlfriends for dinner. This place has some awesome vegan options that are clearly marked on the menu. The onigiri with sour plum reminds me of what I used to eat as a child living in Japan. I highly recommend the grilled shiitake mushroom and glazed sweet potatoes! This place gets packed and doesn't take reservations, so get there early!

    (4)

  • Tyler A.

    I just had the ramen and not their other goods. Ramen was a solid C. Bland noodles, one note broth. I paid $4 for a sliver of pork loin to top it off which makes it a lame ass $15 ramen. Which they grilled on the hibachi by the way, not the slow braised loin you come to expect. Meh.

    (2)

  • Evan D.

    Biwa has outstanding, varied late night food. What else matters? My trip here started with an order of seared scallops, an order of seared steak and pork gyoza. The scallops and beef were both served on skewers, seasoned and cook perfectly. The dumplings were tasty, but nowhere near as good as the less expensive scallops and steak. Next up was a bacon and mushroom fried rice, which was, not surprisingly, very rich and undoubtedly the best dish of the night. As soon as happy hour started I ordered the Biwa Burger, which has been placed on many lists as the best burger in town. It's distinguishing characteristics include kimchi mayo and barbecued pork on top. While I enjoyed the burger thoroughly, it would certainly not make my best burger list. It should be known that the burger is only offered at happy hour and served with a cold potato salad. When I return to Biwa I will try the noodles, either udon or ramen. Until then my thoughts will be full of fried rice.

    (5)

  • Ashley C.

    The space is very small, but the high ceiling gives you some air from the openness of the kitchen. I love the cedar backing rising up against the wall and it made it feel very Oregon with it's grey wall and cedar chairs. I don't particularly like sushi, but the food was edible and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The smell from the kitchen did over power the place, and the stickness of the steam really made you dream of a nice cold shower.

    (4)

  • Chrissie B.

    I have to admit that the only ramen I have ever had before this place was Top , as in Top Ramen. My BF wanted me to try the real thing, he thinks I'm a little hickish I guess! I had something with pork and it was alright I guess. Maybe I am a hick, cuz I think I like the TOP better. We had some chicken and beef sticks that were really good though.

    (3)

  • Anna S.

    Best Ramen and Kimchi I've had in portland. Kimchi has a great fizzy mouth feel. Biwa is great place for dinner but also just a nice place to have sake and small appetizers. Five stars for good food great drink selection and being open super late

    (5)

  • AaRoN G.

    The Biwa burger is one of the finest burgers you'll ever taste in your life. It will transforms your mouth into an amphitheater, with the rock band ...err burger, taking center stage! The juicy pork burger acts as the frontman that brings out that electrifying energy with every bite, the thick slice of smoked (not crispy) chasyu serves as the lead guitar that heightens the experience as you continue chomping down, the kimchi mayo is a super-sick drummer (..sick in a good way) and will keep your heart thumping even after it's already gone, the crisp greens balances the whole monster anthem (from an otherwise major protein treble) by providing some smooth bass licks, and the rest of the band compliments this memorable act with their flavorful tunes! Then wash it all down with lemon-lime Sapporo for the perfect closing act. I mean I'm not a rockstar myself, but I know one when I see one, and Biwa definitely rocks it (much better than the over-hyped band called Umami from Los Angeles).

    (5)

  • David M.

    ramen just OK. udon with pork shoulder is my favorite thing here, and the reason why i go back occasionally. good but not great selection of sake. no specials or changes in the menu for as long as i can remember, which makes me a little bored. service is bleh.

    (3)

  • Francis C.

    I've been here several times, but it's fallen off my list of places to go. I think you'll find that most of the people ga-ga about this place are that way because they're only talking about the late-night burger. Oh, it's great for late-night because your other options are Burgerville - but I'm talking about dining - and for that - they don't fit the bill. They used to be good early on - but it's being waining to the point of destruction the last year and a half. Be honest people - the noodles are ok - but they're just not that good to give 4-5 stars, or even 3. They taste on the bland side just dropped in a pot of flavored water. Sure they're the cool thick kind; but the whole last year they've been pretty much terrible. I've taken friends from Japan here and they go 'meh - they sorta got it; but not really.' They never want to come back. I now find they noodles to be pretty bland, and very inconsistent. Seems if they're busy they might not always cooked all the way. You'd better like waiting for dining - you're very likely to wait a long time if you come on a weekend night - and then wait a long time for you food after you DO get a seat. If it's winter - be prepared to be smashed into the tiny stairway with other wet people. The restaurant interior will be so full of humidity that half the surfaces inside are literally dripping with water, your glasses will be perpetually fogged up/etc. Besides the wait, the big deal killer is the price. Outrageous prices for noodles and broth. Sure it might be 'Tapas' style - but go ahead and call me a heathen if I think paying $15 for a few tiny strips of meat that aren't that good is just a restaurant seeing exactly how stupid you are. Drinks, food, noodles - it's all easily 4x the price it should be. You won't walk out of there for dinner paying less than $60 and you'll still be hungry. Worst price gouging I've ever seen for flour and broth. In true 'hip Portland' fashion, the tables are uber-tiny which means you'll be dining on a 1x1 itty-bitty table 2 inches from your neighbors who might be having a spat or (god forbid) brought a kid. The furniture is all very hard bare wood. Yeah, it might look cool; but it isn't any fun on a date to have hardback chairs for one person and the other a wooden bench to sit on and try to have a light conversation. Service was spotty. Got a good gal a few times, then got a terrible gal a few times more recently. It's usually slow in coming - that's at least consistent. They don't seem to have enough wait staff for the crowds. So, if you like being price gouged for tiny portions that taste neither authentic nor that good. If you want to be squished into tables in a basement resteraunt that holds humidity in the winter like a indoor swimming pool, then this might be for you. But if you realize most of the good reviews are being given from late-night drunk customers coming to a noodle place for a BURGER - then take my advice and just give these guys a pass. Make some noodles with your girl at home with some candles and you'll be getting more love than Biwa.

    (2)

  • Bruce L.

    The pork belly is a must eat! Personally I thought it was way too dark but it does set the environment. There was no wait time on a weeknight, which is definitely a plus for me. Service was good, the server recommended couple dishes and they were good. We had a barley iced tea and a soju drink, they were just so so.

    (4)

  • Anthony L.

    mmmmmm biwa. I'd been meaning to try this place for a long time, and finally decided to say screw the lack of finances, and go anyway. It was well well worth it. Here's what biwa has going for it. -(As far as I can tell) authentic Japanese drinking food. -Small plates for cheap, so you can try a lot of things w/o spending too much -What looks to be a very interesting and awesome-sounding cocktail menu (with campari in more than one drink yay!) -Gourmet ramen The latter 2 I can't comment on, since I didn't have either. What I will say is that the Yakionigiri (grilled rice ball) was awesome, the pork belly skewer was holyfucktastic, and the hangar steak skewer was likewise pretty amazing. I will totally be going back when I have "the monies".

    (5)

  • Thomas M.

    We went for the early evening counter specials and had some great skewers, garlic, steak, pork belly and chicken for $2 a piece. They were pretty tasty and worth the price of admission. Next up the main event this Ramen I have heard so much about.... Unfortunatley it did not live up to the hype, don't get me wrong it was good, but I was hoping for a little more intensity to the broth, the noodles and meat were great it just wasn't the whole package.

    (4)

  • Lindsey K.

    You know when you eat certain foods (ahem, Popeye's fried chicken and honey biscuits) and you just feel dirty afterwards? And a little guilty? Biwa is not that place. Biwa make you feel clean long time! Go after 9 and sit at the bar for the special prices. I got a huge bottle of Sapporo for 3 bucks. Then I got really sleepy. I can't tell you exactly what I ordered, but I can describe it for you. Cold tofu cubes with shaved tuna and something else. Light, clean. Food of the future I think. Then pickled plum wrapped in sticky rice with edible paper stuff. God, I sound really uncultured. Oh wait, I eat at Popeye's. I am. Finally, a humongous bowl of ramen. The real shiznit. And you can add stuff to it, like eggs. Eggs, my friend! You can totally split that shit, and still take some home. The broth was a work of art. The server was a very nice middle-aged man. I wanted to call him Mr. Sanders for some reason. The cooks were young and cute. Biwa...So fresh and so clean.

    (4)

  • Karen N.

    Think Japanese tapas/small plates to share and you're in for a tasty experience. The pork belly is sooo good and I crave the housemade ume soda. I've enjoyed everything I've tried here and if you don't feel like sharing a bunch of small plates get the curry rice meal. It's all kinds of tasty.

    (4)

  • Will W.

    Definitely overrated. Ramen was okay, and I kinda liked the soft-boiled egg. My friend had the curry rice set, and she said its bad. Too expensive and not worth it at all.

    (2)

  • Steve R.

    This was only my second time eating here, so I'm not claiming to be an expert. I'm giving Biwa a mediocre 3 stars because there wasn't anything really outstanding about the food or service. The portions were small - yes typically side plates in any Japanese restaurant are small, but c'mon, how about a few more morsels. The deep fried kimchi was very greasy and salty. Service was a little slow, but I do give them points for a great space with good atmosphere. I'm planning on returning someday for the infamous 11:00 pm burger.

    (3)

  • Krista T.

    So, I kind of like adventure. Not the Survivorman type where I'd have to say bub-bye to my Marc Jacobs stilettos and hike out to the middle of nowhere only to eat twigs and whatever bugs I could capture (that weren't a "danger" color, of course). I'm talking about trying new things type of adventure. The visiting Tokyo and eating weird things off street markets variety is so much more my scene. Biwa is my new adventure. I went with a friend - a guide, if you will-that knew his udon from his ramen and that def made the menu easier to navigate. I don't usually order anything raw, but I tried poke for the first time and - all gumby jokes aside - it was great. The udon noodles with a big fat fried egg was also very tasty, and I even ate this seaweed wrapped white rice with a pickled surprise inside (I'll leave you a little adventure, go figure out what the surprise is yourself!!). But by far the tastiest menu item was the pork belly skewers. WOW. My "guide" described it as "bacon on steroids" and have to admit to some skepticism....I love bacon, but outside of that I'm not to into pork. But I was not led astray. It really was like bacon, but better! The happy hour menu was expansive and fairly priced and the service was on top of things for sure. So consider Biwa a choose - your - own - adventure.....you can go as "survivorman" and raw as you like without the worry of going to bed hungry.

    (4)

  • Jim S.

    Pros: Decor and service were great. The skewers of meat were passable. That said, we primarily came for the ramen and udon. The udon was totally bland. Tasted like noodles floating in hot water with a hint of salt. The ramen, on the other hand, was the opposite. It was REALLY salty and oily. The salt and oil overpowered any other flavors that may or may not have been present. We had a gift card so weren't too upset. But, given the prices, we'd have been pretty pisssed if we had to use our own money.

    (2)

  • Jey R.

    Ughh I am so sick of these north east Portland people who work crappy service jobs and think they are better than you went here one night and had good food but the waitress treated us like crap . Got annoyed when I asked for a refill and wouldn't let us sit at a table we wanted. But then sat another couple there after telling us the section was closed.

    (2)

  • Billy W.

    If I could give 4.5 stars, I would. This has to be one of my favorite restaurants in Portland, if for none other than the ramen. Nothing warms me up quite like it, and the price can't be beat at happy hour. I've had most everything on the menu, and I can't think of a single thing I didn't like. Only downsides that come to mind is that the service can be a bit sporadic if you're not at the bar, and please give me some cheap sake!!!

    (4)

  • Dave R.

    Great for a group; order and share!

    (4)

  • Kate M.

    Mmm, Biwa. I had heard many things about their food, and had the pleasure of trying it out for myself this weekend. My experience might not match other reviewers, since they closed the restaurant for a private birthday party. That said... Pros: Cool atmosphere. The restaurant is just below street level, which makes it feel like a private little enclave. I love the way the place is split in two by the entering staircase; you can watch people enter and walk by on Ash Street. Food! We were treated to a multiple course meal, with all dishes ranging from ok to OMGDELICIOUS. Favorites were the mizuna/pear salad, the shaved smoked fish (tuna?) on tofu, and the pork belly. Can I just say that the pork belly might have been the most amazing food I've tried in months? There was also a pork/mushroom/kimchi dish which was pretty damn tasty, and this from a girl who's never tried kimchi before. I also had the opportunity to try steak tar tar, served with a raw quails egg and a side of sliced cucumber. I don't know if it's just my personal taste, but I thought the dish was ok. Interesting, but not extraordinary. Cons: We were supposed to have 9:30PM reservations. Everyone finally sat down a little before 10, but we didn't start eating until 10:20-10:30PM. Everything was cooked to order, so some dishes took a while to come out of the kitchen. I think it took us a solid two hours from the first served dish to the last. Again, I'm not sure if that had to do with one big party, but if you're really hungry you should be prepared for a bit of a wait. Most of the staff was super friendly and helpful. That said, I saw a few eyerolls while we were there, which was annoying. Yes, we are a big party celebrating a birthday. Yes, we might move around to say hi. All dishes were served family style, which usually meant 3-4 people sharing from one main plate. That worked for big dishes, but there were a few small dishes where we were trying to split things evenly. I didn't get to try a few things because there wasn't enough to go around, which was disappointing.

    (4)

  • Jason L.

    Looking for Japanese food that isn't just sushi? This is a great place to go. Nice atmosphere. Great service. Good Saki selection. Great food. They have all kinds of small plates with tons of great options and unique food. The noodles were great. We will definitely be returning.

    (4)

  • Kelly F.

    We tried this new restaurant last night and it was delicious! Although we would have liked to be able to enjoy a cocktail while we waited about 25 minutes for a table, the food and drinks were delicious when we were eventually seated. The ramen noodle soup was a bit more flavorful than the udon noodle soup we found. The ginger gimlet is awesome! The kimchi pancakes were delicious.

    (4)

  • Eric S.

    TO be honest, it tasted more like Korean-fusion. Food was fair, but was not blown away. The restaurant looked cool, but was a bit loud for conversation, and cramped.

    (2)

  • Jav V.

    I went here with a group of five and we did a lot of sharing which was nice. We started out with the karokke, gyoza, and kara-age. They were all really good. Next, we got one of each from the Yakimono menu. Pretty much everything was a big hit. The server was great at bringing them out one at a time and promptly having the next one ready. Finally, we had the biwa ramen. That was the only disappointing part. It was way too salty. The drinks were great.

    (4)

  • Mitch M.

    Can't give it A-OK three stars, 'cause it's not. Meh is all I can muster. First time we went here, back when they were new, the ramen was KILLER! It was truly OMG ramen. The fried rice was OMG fried rice. And then, the long slide down hill. Some time back, perhaps two years, I went back looking for the OMG ramen and fried rice experience, but got choke-you-dead salty drek with undercooked seemingly packaged noodles and "we don't do fried rice any longer". Many moons passed before I returned. Went back last night at the behest of the GF and her sister. The ramen was better, but still way too salty, but this time unremarkable in every other way. Noodles still taste like packaged crap just dropped in the broth, needing some heat to finish cooking. The bits of pork they drop in (for an extra $) had a cloying fake smokey taste that was overwhelmingly unpleasant. I had the lamb skewer, and it wasn't very lamby and was otherwise meh. I must give them kudos for the gyoza however - tasty. But my biggest peeve with this place (and many other supposed izakayas that are popping up) is that, for a place that is supposedly based on the "Drink Sake and eat Small Plates" concept, the sake prices are just STUPID! $13 for a 2 ounce shot of sake (that's about $165 for a bottle, kids). And that was the cheap stuff! the cheapest I could find on the menu was $8 for a 5 ounce (the menu said, but I would say barely 4) little thing of Hakusuru Junmai you can buy at the store for $7.99 (that's $40 for a $8 bottle, if I give them the benefit of the doubt on the measure). Anyway, these places are either looking to make the most absurd killing on ridiculous markups on their sake, or they're stocking sake that only Donald Trumph can afford to drink. OR, they really don't want you to drink sake while you dine in their establishment. I just don't get it. Maybe it's just me - I don't see anyone else commenting on the ridiculous prices these little "japanese pubs" are charging for sake. it's like going to mcmenamins and being asked to pay $30 for a glass of freakin beer. Sure, there are artisan sakes that are wonderful to drink and well worth exorbitant prices if you can afford it. But why the hell not have a couple affordable sake's on the list - something the proletariat can afford and enjoy? So, bottom line, I might go back to Biwa if someone else is paying the bill, otherwise, I wouldn't bother again. Enough is enough.

    (2)

  • Alfred K.

    Biwa is probably quite awesome for meat eaters, but it's just A-OK from a vegetarian's perspective. The vegetarian version of karaage is really deep fried kimchi - probably my favorite dish of the night. Definitely izakaya worthy. The rest of it was good, but far from amazing. Veggie yakitori's just never seem to wow us. And the korean pancake thingie was good, but that along with the yakitori's all had the same soy sauce taste and became quite flat after a while. Sigh if only there was a vegetarian version of that amazing looking ramen...

    (3)

  • Jon T.

    When I walked in the first thing I noticed was was the delicious smell of soup base. I flashed back to to the great ramen bars I've been to in Japan. The low lighting and modern decor were great and just right. My family is in the Japanese Restaurant business since the sixty's and I was a sushi chef for the last three years and the food was great! Every dish was cooked to perfection. I can't wait to go back on a cold day sit at the bar with a bowl of ramen, cocktail, and a couple of things from the grill.

    (5)

  • Andreas H.

    Biwa delivers the goods every time. Yaki Tori is the draw card.

    (4)

  • Morgan R.

    I found Biwa while living about three blocks away a couple years ago, and I became an addict. While initially I was nuts for their ramen and other meat dishes (the chicken, pork belly,and scallops are great!), I'm now a veggiesaurus and in love with their udon. Speaking of vegetarian/vegan matters...I recently brought my sister here-she's vegan and I was vegetarian working on becoming vegan. We were both thrilled that not only was there indicators on the menu of what could be made veggie-friendly, the waiter purposefully double checked the recently rotated menu to make sure our dietary preferences would be respected. How super-awesome is that? Neither of us want to feel like an asshole about requesting modified menu items, and the staff at Biwa made sure it wasn't a big deal to do so. Their grilled shiitakes and garlic are tasty and fresh, and I could pig out on the yakionigiri all day. If the fava beans are on the menu-get them! I think they're seasonal though. I also really like the Sapporo deluxe, a refreshing, lime-y iced twist on draft Sapporo. My sister and I also shared a salted plum soda that we both enjoyed. Give it a try. Go early or late for a slightly less overwhelming crowd as well as counter specials.

    (4)

  • Rush G.

    Been here once, don't remember exactly what I got, but I do know the group I was with we ate just about everything. When we ordered, we should have just told the waiter what we don't want, instead of what we do want. With that said, the area it's in is kind of post-industrial/could be a future up-and-coming area, and the building itself is really neat and just a fun time to dine in. The food was really good, some of the entrees we got were great, and a couple were decent. That's why I gave it 4 stars, but would go there in a heart beat anytime...

    (4)

  • J M.

    Late night burger, no complaints. The dinner menu is pretty great as well. Nice drink menu.

    (4)

  • J P.

    Biwa is a great joint! Best udon you'll ever have. Sometimes I'll get the garlic skewer or steak skewer. Try the Sapporo Deluxe for a refreshing beverage. The place is small and does not take reservations, so expect a wait during popular dining times.

    (4)

  • Jeff G.

    Love, love, love this place. The yukke is a fav as is just about everything else. And deep fried kimchi is my new favorite bar snack. Awesome service as well. But don't tell anyone.

    (5)

  • Justin H.

    This is hands down some of the best Asian food I have ever eaten. Every time I'm in town I have to eat here. Although they did change the cut of the pork belly which sucks. Really great nonetheless.

    (4)

  • Helen S.

    I love this place! Great ambiance and food. Bit of a wait sometimes but worth it. Menu is very creative and a huge range of sake to choose from. Have only had one dish I wouldn't order again, and it was not so much that it was bad but that there are so many other excellent dishes that are better. It was a ginger stir fried rice dish, with egg and pork I think. Just a bit boring compared to the rest of the menu and overly salty for my liking. Biwa, I would drop this dish or improve it. Otherwise, fantastic!

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    I love it all, but my heart goes out to: Ramen and a Sapporo, at the bar. Solid, delicious, 'nuff said

    (5)

  • Ray Z.

    "Never judge a book by it's cover." Or, in this case, "Never judge a Japanese joint by the melanin of it's staff." Biwa is an Izakaya that occupies a nondescript daylight basement in a nondescript building in a not-yet-trendy part of town. Even the signage is understated; a small black-on-white sign that simply says "Biwa" hangs over the doorway. Given all this, it is easy to overlook if you're not paying attnetion. Once inside, you're treated to a well-designed, well-executed interior. Open kitchen, glazed concrete floors, warm wood panelling (with matching bench seating along the walls), sophisticated stainless steel accenting, and subdued Akari and Tolomeo-inspired lighting. We were both amused as we noted (independently) that there was not an Asian staff to be seen (they do have a Japanese waitress as it turns out - she just happened to be in the back at the time). We'd been in lots of Asian joints with non-Asian workers before of course. Heck some of the best kitchens in town are staffed by Mexican and Central American chefs (sorry to burst your bubble if you didn't know this!). But never a Japanese joint that wasn't mainly Japanese. Nonetheless, this was our virgin Biwa trip that had been so carefully planned. And my first proximity to a yakitori joint in a while. Scepticism be damned, we (...okay, I...) ordered up a storm. And guess what? EVERY order was very, very good. The chicken, pork bara, shitake, saba, pork buta, miso, octopus chijimi. So it wasn't traditional-traditional yakitori (for instance, the pork was served with a dollop of sweet, hot mustard) but so what? It was well-prepared and well-executed and well...tasty. A great deal of food was brought out; we finished every morsel. The service was also impeccable. Knowledgeable about the food, they were always there when you needed them. They also stopped by frequently to look in on us. Our glasses were never empty, our empty dishes never sat around (this last thing was particularly important to us given our order, as you can imagine). In retrospect, it was the best service I've experienced since eating at restaurants an echelon or two up, so that says a lot. Our trip to Portland was short. But I'll be back the next time. Because Biwa Beckons.

    (4)

  • Chana P.

    3pm: Receive Facebook message from San Franciscan Burning Man campmate who happens to be in Portland on business. Leaving tomorrow. Time for dinner and drinks this evening? 6pm: Leave work and desperately try to think of a nice, atmospheric place that this person will likely enjoy. Based on previously observed culinary preferences (made under harsh desert conditions), extrapolate and land on Biwa. Stab in the dark...but worth a shot. 7pm: Announce intended destination to friend upon his arrival. Gauge response closely. He appears genuinely pleased with the idea. 8pm: Friend is impressed with ambiance and menu. He orders a sake flight, kimichi and yakionigiri while I start with a beer and seaweed salad (heavenly). In due order we then share the following yakitori/yakimono: chicken breast, chicken liver, tsukune, pork belly, lamb, beef hangar steak, garlic, and shitake mushroom. All are grilled to perfection. 10pm: Leave Biwa in sated daze. Friend is visibly satisfied. Success. The grill here is excellent, and I will definitely be back to try more of the menu items. I'm especially looking forward to having the hotpots on a cold, rainy winter day. I hear the octopus griddle cakes are amazing, too! Nice servers, a grill viewable from the bar and the dark, laid-back atmosphere make Biwa rank very high on my list of places to go just about anytime. Hive five, Biwa!

    (5)

  • Veggie L.

    chicken karaage was good ramen with pork shoulder was yummy! tender and just enough salty :) the charsiu was really good. the quality of their meats are excellent. the only downside is the broth. it is just salty. no depth of flavor. chicken liver was too rare when they first brought it out. it was too salty as well. definitely would be going back :) all of their meats are antibiotic and hormone free.

    (4)

  • Jayne T.

    This was my second time to Biwa, and I am happy to give a glowing review! This place is a delight across all aspects. It is situated in a basement space, so walking down the steps gives an instant cozy vibe. To me, this is about as Manhattan as you can get in Portland, from a design perspective. The space is small and intimate, giving it an authentically Japanese feel, as you would imagine such places in Asia could be similarly situated. There is a certain sophistication and elegance in the clean lines and uniform wooden slat-style furniture/seating; very minimalist. In the main area, tables are lined along both walls, creating as much of an aisle for the wait staff as possible. There is a smaller secluded section to the right of the bar, and it appeared this may be the area for larger parties/reservations. Biwa is consistently crowded, so everyone has successfully learned to deal with the lack of space. The regular bar seats as you walk into the restaurant are a great place to eat (especially when you don't want to wait for a table, or want Happy Hour!), but the prime option are the four seats to the right of the bar, which are tucked away and sit lower to the ground, as well as offer a larger counter area for all of the food you will undoubtedly order. Total score if you can snag these. Either way, the bar area is fun to sit and watch the chefs and wait staff (you should see them make some of the cocktails - that is serious business!). Everything on the menu is meant to be shared and enjoyed while drinking, as it clearly states at the top: "Izakaya - Meant to be shared and enjoyed with Sake. Izakaya are Japanese taverns." The menu is separated into multiple sections: Cold (salads and cold appetizers), Hot (hot appetizers), Basic (standard Japanese fare), Yakimono (from the grill, traditional casual food), Soup & Noodles and Set Meals. We went with the following (in order of appearance): Sapporo Draft (2) - For some reason Sapporo just tastes fresher from the taps here...strange? House Red Wine (2) - Nicely chosen by Biwa, hearty and smooth at the same time. Seaweed salad - Mixed seaweeds & lotus lightly dressed Tsukemono - Assortment of Japanese pickles Lamb "Genghis Khan" skewers (2) Beef hanger steak (3) Note: All skewers simply include meat separated by onion slices. The meat is cooked to precise tenderness, and served piping hot and juicy. Gyoza - Handmade (wrapper, too!) pork dumplings Spicy kimchee greens - this was the special for the night, and included kale, tofu, and hard-boiled egg served in a spicy red ginger/garlic broth...amazing. Rice - Kokuho, Kina's pop grows it And as if we hadn't gotten enough just yet... Chicken breast skewer Oyster mushrooms - Fantastically seasoned, these were wonderfully meaty mushrooms. There is literally not a critical thing could say about Biwa. Everything we ordered was of exceptional quality (unnecessary to add too much in my individual dish comments). This is a place you go and just order with no reservations, and just trust that every dish will exceed your expectations. The space is incredible, the food is perfection, and the prices are more than reasonable ($69 for all the deliciousness mentioned above...yes, you read that right!). Until we meet again Biwa...I can't wait!

    (4)

  • Emily B.

    After weeks of looking forward to a tantalizing bowl of noodle soup, I was bummed and disappointed with Biwa. I don't get what all the raves in the local press are about. The skewers we ordered, while somewhat tasty, were incredibly small for their price. It was one of those experiences of feeling crestfallen when the waiter sets the dish down in front of you... so...tiny! I ordered a bowl of udon soup and it just wasn't what I had hoped for. The chicken, instead of being naturally chunky, looked like little balls of pork. Since I don't like pork, I asked the server about it to make sure we received the right soup. She had no idea what was in the soup and had to look at the menu and then go back to the kitchen to ask what was up with the chicken. Apparently, they were chicken "meatballs" - all pink and mushy. Ick. We left slightly hungry and $35 poorer. Won't be returning.

    (1)

  • Halle W.

    I used to always expect to get a huge bill at the end of the meal, but it was always less than I thought it would be. Even though it's a somewhat upscale place it turns out to be a good value for the amount of food if you share a few small plates and get (or split) the ramen. I love the ramen, but wish they would bring back the seafood broth. It was salty and fresh and not very fishy at all. Nice ambiance.

    (4)

  • Chris S.

    I wish I could give 3.5 stars. Nice space....and good service. Food is above average but nothing special. Miho blows this place out of the water. The food at Miho has soooooo much more flavor. I did like the seaweed salad at Biwa more than at Miho but that was about it. The octopus salad was pretty tasty. Scallops were ok....hanger steak was a little fatty. Gyoza was pretty good. I will go again but will go to Miho 10 times to every time I go to Biwa.

    (4)

  • chris m.

    a first date took me here and i was really wowed by the food quality. nothing we had was boring or less than great, and most things were pretty excellent! i highly recommend the "bar" menu, which i guess you get access to by sitting up at the sushi-bar-esque construction that dominates the space. lots of cheapies on there--you could totally eat for under 10 bucks. in fact, this place gets a 4.5 due to having those cheap options, since the non-cheap options were fairly non-cheap. the food? i guess it's traditional japanese, but as someone who's only really had sushi as far as the japanese stuff goes...well, this was an excellent diversion! and the execution was great both in beauty and flavor. definitely a good date location. i enjoyed the skewers and the grilled rice but ESPECIALLY the short ribs...which are gone for a few months as of the night i went. but hey, look for them...in the future? where's my damn time machine!? oh, and the date? well, she wins on food quality and we had a fun time. we didn't eat any oysters or get trashed, so there's no hilariously sexy stories at the end of this one. but i'll see her again =)

    (4)

  • Tyler C.

    Has promise. this is an izekaya style noodle place with an american flair. It also tries to be a lot more upscale and trendy than an izekaya is supposed to be...which sort of defeats the original purpose. Still, its tastiness cannot be denied.... that being said, it sticks to the tried and true staples foodwise, and the menu offers competent versions of ramen and udon (no soba...), the japanese deep fried stuff on a stick, kaki (oysters), hiyyayakko, etc. meaning...its pretty much the real deal. Ingredients have a unique American homegrown twist and have a unique american way of chargrilling but is done well. my only real issue is that having eaten there during peak hours, the kitchen staff (of 2) can get overwhelmed a bit.

    (3)

  • Gen G.

    Loved this place. Great atmosphere, welcoming, friendly staff, great food. Had the Udon Noodle soup and after being "sick" all week, it was a great very comforting recovery meal! Their Sapporo Deluxe is very good as well. I had never heard of mixing beer with lemonade but that was a winning combo. I'll definitely be back to try some of their other grilled items.

    (4)

  • Aaron W.

    The service was great. The atmosphere is excellent. It's open late! I really enjoyed the food, they did a great job of balancing flavors with a creative menu and recommending complementary dishes to round out the meal. I will definitely be back many times.

    (4)

  • Giggly C.

    ok, dumplings and ramen. wouldn't crave it to go back though.

    (3)

  • akzidenz g.

    the ramen here is pretty good and the chasyu pork was the best thing about it! never had such a great piece of chasyu in my ramen! i wish the broth had a more authentic pork flavor so u could taste more pork fat and oil in the broth, but its ok. cant have it all. place is a lil pricey for ramen ($4 more than ramen places elsewhere) but its worth it being one of the only ramen places in portland. cant wait to return.

    (4)

  • Jen T.

    Biwa is "good for Portland" in terms of Japanese cuisine. Nothing really outstanding if you've eaten awesome Japanese food your entire life (read: lived in Hawaii), but it'll do, I guess. :-( :-( :-( However, I did have one real "OH SHIT!" moment here though: DEEP FRIED KIM CHEE. OH. MY. GOD. YES. DO IT. YES YOU. NO REGRETS.

    (3)

  • Erin M.

    We had dinner here about a month ago and I'm still thinking about it. The Japanese pickles were amazing! As a newbie to Japanese cuisine I was really appreciative that our server patiently answered all of our questions and even made some suggestions. Everything was delicious! The homemade sodas were AWESOME!

    (4)

  • Karen H.

    This place delivers every time. Great food, good service, no waiting around for a table, and easy parking. Love the fried rice with bacon, dumplings were delicious, croquettes tasty, and the lamb yakitori is to die for. Will keep coming back without hesitation.

    (4)

  • Adam B.

    This is my favorite restaurant in Portland. I have been here about a dozen times and I will say that the vibe, food, lighting and music are all usually perfect. I always feel like the food is fresh and clean. Meat is prepared the way it should be, and the sake collection is great. I'm always happy to be there and feel great after leaving. The staff can be a bit rude and awkward, but that can be attributed to business. It's not the quality of something you might find in Tokyo, but I think it's the best thing we have in Portland. Really satisfying. I will however advise against the Yakimono set. Usually the Yakimono, (skewers) are cooked perfectly when ordered separately, but as a set I found the chicken was burned, the pork chewy, and the lamb, (my favorite) ruined. I advise sitting at the counter and ordering these individually. P.S. I like hip-hop, but not at dinner, jerks.

    (4)

  • Beerboy M.

    Pretty much my favorite restaurant in Portland now. You can't go wrong at this place, but be prepared to spend some money when the check comes. We recently ordered: Bacon fried rice. Awesome. A must try. Korokke. Fried potato dumplings. Very good. Gyoza. Fresh made, much better than you've probably had other places. Yakimono-chicken breast, thigh, garlic, hanger steak, lamb genghis khan. Grilled meat on skewers is a can't miss, and these are great. The meat is cooked perfectly with great flavor and a dipping sauce that varies with the skewer. The lamb was the best, probably the best lamb I've ever had. Kara-age. Fried chicken, not greasy, well done, with a hot mustard dip that adds to it well. Interesting take on fried chicken. Curry meal set. Japanese curry is different if you're used to Indian style. Very good, sweeter. Ramen. Not the greatest. Too salty compared to more typical/traditional versions (American tastes?). Good noodles, and options like pork belly. Expensive for a bowl of noodles with broth. Soft tofu. A good counterpoint to the more savory/salty choices. Very good, with a soy/vinegar/sweet sauce. Good palate cleanser. Shochu flight. Worth trying if you're not familiar with it. The Imo flight, made from sweet potato is very good. Prepare for drinks- shochu and sake- to be expensive. Other than that they have the usuals to drink like Sapporo draft and beer/wine/soft drinks. Generally good service, in a nice environment downstairs at the old Pine Street Theater building. A great place to share drinks and food with friends and/or family that like or are interested in Japanese food. As for price, 5 people in our party ate a good sized meal and drank for about $130.

    (5)

  • Caroline Q.

    Quaint and chic. Biwa is that restaurant around the corner perfect for a chilly, rainy, wintery evening in Portland. The lighting is dark with modern lighting and white tea lights on every table. My girlfriends and I all ordered the the Gyoza and Chicken Breast (pieces of chicken served on a stick) for our appetizers and the Udon noodles for our main dish. All items exceeded our expectations and we all hope to return soon.

    (4)

  • Bob M.

    Shochu flight was good Hawaiian yellotail cold appetizer was good. Bacon fried rice was a lil greasy but the bacon was delicious (But the sausage in it was not) the skewers are delicious (pork belly, green onion, scallop, shitake) as was the crab mushroom soup

    (4)

  • Christy H.

    I went here for a Friday night date with a craving for some tasty Ramen. I had heard through the grape vine that this place was legit. The entrance takes you down a stair case to a cozy seating area and small bar where you can view some of the preparations. This is the type of restaurant that you can spend some serious cash and just ask the chef to give you some of his favorite specials and "have at it" in a sense. I recommend starting off with some oysters. This place has some fresh, local, mind blowing Shikoku and Kumamotos. Other appetizers to enjoy include chicken livers in a Japanese sauce as well as pork belly skewers. The "dumplings" are basically straight up pot stickers. Not sure why they say they are dumplings but they did taste great. The ramen is super savory and is full of flavor. I will say that if you are into a heavy fish flavor that is typical of most traditional ramens, this is a little more light in flavor. The udon noodle soup at this place is phenomenal as well. The Japanese whiskey is pretty much as strong as gasoline but fun to try. It will run you at about $12 though. They also bust out some specialty cocktail blends that are strong but sweet. This is a great special date night joint or a good option for going out with a few friends and grabbing a small table. I wouldn't suggest too many large groups trying to have events here. It has more of the small cozy vibe. If you are ever looking for some good comfort food on a rainy Portland day this would be a great choice.

    (4)

  • Gary P.

    Ok food. Too loud for kids.

    (3)

  • Julie M.

    I think Biwa is a warm and inviting place ... if you're a vegetarian or are gluten-free. The paleo options are limited. I have always been impressed by Biwa, but on a recent visit: - my Nikka Sour, a sour whiskey drink that I normally love, tasted far too acidic and it actually caused my stomach to burn from too much "sour"; - I was anxious to try the kabocha squash, a paleo mainstay, and it arrived nearly uncooked with a ton of soy reduction on it, I could only taste soy and that was good because I didn't have to taste uncooked squash; - the meat skewers were microscopic; they were delicious ... just small The other guests who do eat rice were more full and happy than I was. I will still be impressed by Biwa, but from afar.

    (3)

  • Leigh W.

    What a lovely gem of a place - excellent and inventive cocktails, fresh and flavorful sashimi, paper thin and light gyoza (we ordered another round while still eating the first) salty and tender kebabs and then oh, that ramen! Get it will the spicy pork and try not to slurp yourself into unconsciousness. Can't wait to go back!!

    (4)

  • Stacy S.

    We had a great time at a sidewalk table with attentive service and delicious food. There were tons of delicious options for us without eating meat. The ramen was great (not the best I've had but we enjoyed it). Everything had unique and delicious flavor. The cocktails were nice. A wonderful evening!

    (4)

  • Shy A.

    Meh. Underwhelming. Why can't I find a decent ramen in this town? Someone help me!

    (2)

  • Christopher Y.

    I came here years ago when they focused mainly on ramen. When I saw they were part of Portland dining month I had to come back and eat here again. Wife and I ordered Omakase, we started ordering more items and the waiter stopped us at two saying you have alot of food coming out, just see how it goes and order some more if you're still hungry. We sure as hell had lots of food, we had two different salads, one was a seaweed salad the other was sous vide octopus with grapefruit. We had sushi, we had fried oysters, we had fried chicken, we had grilled mackerel, we had all these little skewers with various meats and vegetables, we had popcorn, we had a giant bowl of ramen the we shared, then at the end we had had two different types of ice cream. This place has really added to their dining experience compared to the last time I ate here.

    (5)

  • Lexi H.

    Why are so yummy? Why are you so rude? Why are you so expensive? Why are you so yummy?

    (4)

  • J M.

    Everything was so tasty! Portland is lucky to have you! Menus very straight forward, portions are small.

    (4)

  • Michael T.

    The ramen here is terrible and I don't recommend this place for your ramen fix. The broth is salty and the interpretation is an insult to Japanese cuisine. This place and Boke Bowl are off my list for ramen joints in Portland as they are far from authentic. My favorite is Yuzu (if you can actually get a seat) as being most authentic. I wasn't impressed with the ramen and it was pretty pricey for what you get despite happy hour pricing. I ended up not finishing my bowl since the salt gets to you and it completely washes out the flavor (if it had any). My friends and I came during happy hour and managed to get a seat at the bar as it was the only spots available. It's a pretty busy restaurant and crowded, though its all filled with white people. If you like the food here, then so be it. My internal index for a good Asian food is if there's lots of Asians inside and this place was far from that. I only tried the ramen so I can't speak about the other dishes. The atmosphere is nice and the staff friendly. At the bar, you can watch the cooks do their thing. The noise level can get pretty loud since the seating layout is densely packed. Clean. Lots of natural lighting from the windows. There is an option for outdoor seating.

    (1)

  • Sarah K.

    Delicious. Came here at 10pm on a Sunday night in need of ramen. So much better than Boke Bowl!!!! Definitely add the spicy ground pork. Noodles were good, too. Would love if there were more possible adds (additional eggs, etc.) regardless, this is a solid bowl of ramen. We also enjoyed the sashimi and gyoza. Their homemade sodas were great, got the genmai cream, and it was a much improved "cream soda". Lighted, tastier. Small menu, but looking forward to trying more.

    (4)

  • Ethen M.

    So you watched Portlandia and you know we take our food, our coffee, our craft beer, and our liberalism seriously. Good for you! Now you decided to come visit this slice of paradise and try some great Asian fusion food. This place is Not for Portland. The food is so-so. I've had worse Udon, but not in Portland. The atmosphere was appropriate, and the service was decent. However, this place is apparently run by Teabaggers. The small print on the bottom of the menu states that all orders are subjected to a 5% "health and wellness fee." A blatant attempt for the owner to pay their employees poverty level wages, avoid posting the true cost of the product, and take aim at "obamacare" (even though they are not even required to provide health insurance to their employees as they have less than 50 employees.) I would have no problem visiting this place again (if I was looking for cheap, mediocre quasi-asian food) if they jacked the price by 5% and actually paid the servers a living wage and provided health insurance. Either it was the owner or the manager that decided to try and juice another 5% without "raising prices." Regardless, it reeks of dishonesty and typical teabagery. Which is not what Portland, nor Portlandia is all about.

    (1)

  • Anonymous O.

    Attentions white people! Stop making asian food. By far one of the worst attempts I've had at ramen from white hipsters. This place was trendy and cool, the wait staff approachable and charming, but the food, oh the food... simply put, it was disrespectful. A wonderful bowl of pork ramen is one of the simplest and best pleasures a man can know. So simple yet treacherous to make correctly. As simple foods go, every component must shine through with perfection. Where they failed: 1. Lets start with the broth, what a watery mess! Where is the unctuous pork fat? where is the complexity built in from layers of flavor? 2. Overcooked noodles are an unforgivable sin. enough said. 3. The egg, mmm what couldn't have been a better bite left me saddened and disgusted. Sake much? Overly saturated with sake the egg was not just difficult to eat but inedible. 4. "extras". This deserves more than a sentence but lets leave it at this: bowl of amazing ramen in LA $7.75 with all the trimmings. This tragic, and I must repeat utterly disrespectful attempt at ramen left me unsatisfied. I left hungry.

    (1)

  • Jae K.

    I am still a fan of this place. Overall, good service and food. However, I ran into something different this time. 5% Health and Wellness charge on the bill. There was a note regarding the charge. Cool that the owners care about the employees' full healthcare benefits. It's fine by me and I understand it. But, I have a problem with the charge not being explained upfront. Everyone finds out when they get the bill. Why don't they just raise the menu price by 5%? Customers are already paying it anyway. If there will be a 5% automatic charge, they should let the customers know first. The healthcare cost has been skyrocketing for everyone in this country. That's why the President is trying to do something. So, is this going to end up being 10% next year? If it's going to be 10%, post it at the door in big bold letters. Dealing with increases in raw material cost, healthcare cost, and other things is part of running a business. As a former business owner, I understand it very well. But, it should not be forced to customers like this without notice. If you need to raise the price by 5%, do it. If you can't stay competitive and all customers go elsewhere just because of the 5% increase, you are doing something wrong.

    (4)

  • Melissa L.

    I've been going to Biwa every few months for about 5 years now, and I regret not having written a review before now, when I really loved it. I've never found the ramen especially compelling, but I've found their salads imaginative and beautifully plated, their grilled food interesting, their pickles excellent, and their specials generally interesting and done well. But they're pretty inconsistent with the quality of their skewers and no longer even offer my favorites, liver and heart. The last time I went the pork belly was better than it's been the last couple of years, but the rice was significantly overdone. For a restaurant whose virtue lies mostly in either its creativity or its art in the simpler dishes, I think this is a meaningful oversight (especially on a slow night). Their service is hit-or-miss too; some of the best and worst service I've had in Portland has been here. I don't know how to draw attention to this without inviting a confrontation. Most recently I was served by a new person who didn't know how to answer a couple of my questions about the menu, which I definitely understand, but think the restaurant ought to be more diligent about for these prices. The worst service has come across as aloof, or even haughty. I don't need a server to be my friend, but I do want them to seem like they care about answering questions and the like. Finally, I'm disappointed the happy hour menu has been reduced to ramen and udon, but don't know if they just needed to do this for logistical reasons.

    (3)

  • Wendy Y.

    I really like the people who work here. Not only were they friendly and genuine, I feel they really care about the patrons and that they enjoy what they do. They now have a 5% health and wellness charge on your check "to provide health insurance and living wages for all staff" which I think is fantastic. Restaurants jobs are tedious to say the least. For Biwa to take the initiative to ensure their employees are well looked after by full health-care benefits makes me feel great spending my money here. Philosophy side, the food is a 3.5 stars for me. I've been here a couple of times. The first time I had udon and it was alright. The second time I had their pork shoulder ramen with chicken broth that was a little disappointing. The ramen noodles were beautifully cooked. They were chewy and had a great bite but the broth was VERY salty. I've had some very salty ramen broth and this was definitely up there with the ones. I couldn't taste much of the chicken in the chicken broth. We had a grilled shitake mushroom skewer, a yakionigiri (grilled rice ball), a tofu dengaku, and two isobeyyaki (grilled mochi wrapped in seaweed) with shoyu. I enjoyed the grilled food. Each one of them had its distinct flavor and texture. I've been to some places where the grilled food taste the same because they use the same seasoning sauce but Biwa was not the case. Their Omakase looks interesting. Will most likely come back.

    (3)

  • Ash V.

    Food is always so good! The wait staff are very professional as well. Best vegan udon!

    (5)

  • Animal T.

    Pork ramen is among my FAVORITE foods and sends me to my happy place. This pork ramen took me to my sad place. This just seems disrespectful to Japanese chefs who have been making this deceptively complex and perfected dish for years only to see it "re-imagined" into an OK noodle dish lacking any depth of flavor. The soft-boiled egg, which I always save for the end, tasted as though it had been soaked in saki and was actually hard to eat. It breaks my heart to leave a soft-boiled egg un-gobbled. I will say the service was great. I felt bad for our waiter who innocently asked how we liked the ramen and was surprised to receive such a blatant response- sorry dude, not your fault. I'd rather sit in a rundown, poorly ventilated, dive with broken chairs where the food has been made the same way every day for 50 years than an expensively decorated, air-conditioned, well-staffed establishment where the food lacks thoughtfulness and heart.

    (1)

  • Claudia G.

    I love this little izakaya; I would go much more often if I just lived closer. The space is unique and cozy; simple and understated. Their seasonal offerings (like Japanese eggplant with miso paste) are a must. The ramen here is very good; a tasty, generous portion. It might not be the best in the Portland area (opinions vary but I'm partial to Yuzu and Yataimura Maru by Shigezo) but it is definitely good. The variety of sakes Biwa offers is wonderful; it's a great opportunity to try different things. Service is prompt and attentive. Street parking is not hard to find.

    (4)

  • Foodie V.

    If you're thinking about coming here, save your wallet and your belly by going somewhere else. We came here twice now that we read good reviews...The lamb and chicken skewers were bland and flavorless. Each stick costs $5 a piece. Ramen broth has no flavor. The last meal nearly knocked me unconscious with $168 bill and there were 2 adults and 3 young children (oldest one is 7). We left and I was still hungry. This place is a big rip off. All gimmick and ZERO quality. The only plus here was the wait staff was friendly.

    (1)

  • Paul P.

    The Chef's Menu was terrific. We arranged to meet friends who had not been to Biwa before. Although our past visits we ordered small plates, we all agreed this time to the Chef's Menu and the beverage pairing. Dishes are small but certainly enough to share. Starting with 4 types of fish, sushi on shredded daikon. I can't remember all the dishes that kept coming. Highlights were: fried oysters, marinated chicken on skewers, razor clams, kimchi, pot stickers, shiitake mushrooms, fried chicken breast chunks, and pork stew with an egg. Desert was the miso sherbert and chocolate with cream. I am not an expert on Japanese saki and beverages but all were good and matched the food. We were all pleasantly stuffed at the end. Although spendy, the flavors you experience are worth it. We will certainly be back.

    (5)

  • Jacy C.

    I don't want to be funny or witty or rude so here is my honest, constructive feedback: everything I tried hit one overwhelming note of either vinegar or salt. Portions are small and spendy. Our server didn't engage with my friend and I at all and we were so excited for the experience of eating there. With all the buzz surrounding this place I think the chef should make certain that recipes haven't lost their integrity and ownership would expect their waitstaff (who are receiving health care coverage from a 5% addition to each bill) to be more personable.

    (2)

  • Ken W.

    Biwa is a great americanized Korean/Japanese fusion restaurant and I've eaten here several times, but only for their late night menu. I first found out about this place from a list of Portland's top ten bistro burgers, in which the Biwa burger is one that was on the list. The Biwa Burger is made with seasoned ground beef, kimchi mayo and chasyu pork, resting on a bed of lettuce. It is accompanied with a side of potato salad and pickled vegetables. Upon ordering, they recommend the burger medium rare. I've had this burger on several occasions and it is juicy and delightful. The last time I went though, it wasn't medium rare and the burger was overcooked. That was only one of several occasions though, so I'll cut them some slack there. The meat patty mixed with the pork chasyu gives a unique taste to a burger that makes it a must-try item. The pork is slightly dry, as chasyu usually is, therefore the juiceyness of the burger puts it over the top. The Biwa burger is only available on their late night menu, and for $8.00, it is definitely worth going for. As for some other items, I would personally not order the ramen. I've been to many Japanese restaurants in the US and Japan, and with the price they charge for the ramen, it just isn't worth it to me. I have tried the yakimono tofu dengaku and the beef hanger steak. These are very small items, but still flavorful. I would stay away from the hamachi sashimi. My friend ordered it, and I felt really bad for him. The item is $13 and he received about 3 or 4 thinly sliced pieces of raw hamachi. I love hamachi myself, it is one of ym favorite types of sushi/sashimi, but hamachi is by no means a rare type of fish and it was not worth the price for what they offer. I am interested in trying their goat curry. If anyone who reads this have had it, please let me know how it is!

    (4)

  • Jack R.

    I had the udon with spicy pork ($15). I liked it and thought it good. Japanese Whiskey, name? ($14). Interesting and I wanted to try. But wouldn't order again for the price. Ambiance was nice. Cozy. Service was adequate. I didn't like the sneaky add-on of an "employee wellness & health" charge of 5%. I believe employees should be taken care of... by their employer! If I'm paying for this I want to have a say in the employees' benefits package. See how absurd this is?

    (3)

  • Lis M.

    I went for the $5 happy hour Udon and it was well worth it. Great meal for the pice! Not sure I would pay full price for it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it for happy hour.

    (4)

  • Lisa B.

    This is the nicest remodeled basement that I have ever eaten in. Sure your bourbon fashions are divine, but is that really what I want from a funky fresh Asian fusion upstart? No, no it isn't. Sadly upset by the lack of ramen/udon options and forced Asian tapas choices. With some work on the menu, some more entrees, and a nicer space this place could go far. Sadly it is now stuck in my mind as the lonely basement filled with echoes of D&D dice rolls , hushed whispers, and "mom" yelling down the stairs to keep quiet.

    (3)

  • Archie A.

    This place is Great! I love the no non-sense vibe of everything and everyone. The food is reasonably priced and still so top notch seeming. Tonight I had an oyster and Pork Stew. I recently have adopted a diet sans gluten and dairy as a doctor recommended three week experiment and I knew I wouldn't be disappointed here as it is I make it in several times a month and the only real gluten I eat is ramen and beer. Like I said, it's my go to spot later in the night when I need some good, and good feeling, food. Tonight was like any other. I finished two really epic hours of yoga, totally blissed out and ready to support one of my favorite restaurants in town. Ready to settle in to the warm, partially subterranean venue that is Biwa. I enter, descend the stairs to a dreamy, warm and inviting environ to be jarred by some new seeming d-bag with a brash one-liner of HOW MANY IN YOUR PARTY. There was no hello, hi, or even a head nod in advance. The vibe of the place, as is usual for post 10pm is chill. Staff is tapering off and patrons are lingering causally. There's usually always a spot somewhere and I'm not too particular about where I sit. Tonight however I'm so blissed out from yoga I'm not entirely sure what time it is and thusly what menu my seating and timing correlates with. The host utters another blunt one liner of YOU WANT TO SIT AT THE COUNTER OR A TABLE. I ask, well is there a happy hour going on at the bar right now? He replies with THAT'S ONLY UNTIL TEN. I was like okay, cool, what time is it now? He looks at the clock (apparently he is unaware as I) and bellows IT'S TEN TWENTY and there's some serious fucking attitude coming off of this dude now. I turn up the volume at this point and inform this fucko that I would like a table and not the counter because I now am aware of the the correlating menus and seating arrangement at the given time. Seriously, this sounds like a personal attack because it was, and now it is. I, like the majority of your patrons do not work at Biwa and have yet to commit to memory the correlation between your hours and menu. I keep coming back because despite my lack of clarity, Biwa always hits it out of the park for me in the evenings. This d-bag was atrocious and your first line of interaction and has clearly set a pretty harsh tone for my visit. Everyone from our server to the other miscellaneous staff that stepped in to drop off food or drink was delightful as usual. This bad tattoo wearing (especially behind your right ear- what are you thinking, seriously?) bro that hulks around sloshing bowls of ramen like a neanderthal should be in the dish pit and not up front. Again, as all yelp reviews, this is totally subjective and basically I'm pissed about something that ruined my experience. You're a swell place Biwa, but if I ever see this dude again I'll think of this experience, and chances are... I'm not the only one. Love you and I'll see you and hopefully not him next time. xoxo Archie

    (5)

  • Karl K.

    Good food, a few portions felt a little small, but overall just not really any desire or excitement to return.

    (3)

  • Alex S.

    oh boy biwa you the best! {r}amen to that. this Wisconsin ginseng manhattan got me feeling like satin. favorited * pork gyoza, tuna tataki and the grilled trout*

    (5)

  • Jeannie H.

    Plum rice balls are really the best. Grilled mackerel is quite nice too--not as fishy as the sashimi. Better with friends so you can taste more of the menu.

    (4)

  • Faye F.

    ordered the ramen with spicy pork and really enjoyed it. i think i enjoyed the sake infused egg that's in the ramen, as well as two thin slices of chashu. flavor-wise it's pretty good and the broth isn't too salty. their serving of spicy pork is plentiful so if you get it, then expect to get a huge serving! service is pretty great- they're attentive and they really know their food (ask them about their specials, their recommendations, etc). they offer some popcorn snack with chili, which you can ask for seconds, and even provide some hot towels to clean your hands. there's plenty of street parking nearby so you shouldn't find trouble finding a spot. if it's during rush times, sitting at the bar is fun because you can see how well the guys prepare and cook the food.

    (4)

  • Minerva T.

    Gah. I really, really DISLIKE writing one-star reviews and try my utmost never to. It does take its toll on restaurants sometimes so I try not to leave these. I even debated giving this place two stars based on their swift service but alas, based on our actual meal there with orders of their udon and ramen, it really deserves the Yelp's categorization of a one-star meaning "Eek! Methinks not." I also have to preface that as with any Yelp review, this is merely a subjective representation of my own isolated experience and taste preferences... Anyhow, we saw the poor reviews on Yelp but also saw that Biwa was praised on external websites as a place that one "MUST" visit whilst in Portland. I read up that it was a "ramen den" and though I saw some scathing reviews on Yelp itself, I wanted to form my own opinion. We wanted to experience this basement-level, hip place that supposedly was constantly busy and see what the buzz was about. A late Friday night seemed an appropriate time to visit and while it definitely was busy, we didn't have to wait an absurdly long time. In retrospect, I wish we had decided to forego the wait and not spent our money here. I don't know when the last time was that we left our meals so quickly and with only a few bites/spoonfuls had. I typically try to finish as much as I can since I hate wasting food unless it really is that bad... So we were seated at the counter which made us privy to Counter Specials (a Happy Hour menu of sorts for those at the bar). We were happy to see that udon and ramen were $5 per bowl instead of the normal $10+ with some add-ons starting at $2. I got the udon with wakame (+$2) and Duke D. got the ramen with chasyu ($2). While we waited and watched the cooks behind the counter moving around each other in the typical busy-restaurant-night dance, making food, we cleaned our hands on the complimentary hot towels and snacked on the complimentary popcorn...for maybe a few kernels. It was stale and unevenly seasoned so some were plain and stuck to your teeth while others were overly salty and still stuck to your teeth. Yay stale popcorn? The service was quick but perhaps the food's simplicity (and ingredient shortcuts?) lent to that time factor. My udon came out with noodles undercooked. Yum, hard udon noodles right? The shiitake mushroom was very curiously sour to the point where my jaw hurt. My wakame hadn't spent enough time soaking to expand (I cook with it sometimes so am familiar with the prepwork) so instead, it decided to eat up my soup as I ate. In other words, I soon was faced with too much seaweed crowding my bowl. The tofu was bland and cold in the middle. The tempura bits were soggy by the time my bowl got to us. The egg white was rubbery while the egg yolk was so vinegary and bitter at the same time that I wondered if something went wrong with it. I only took a small sample of everything before I just pushed my bowl away. As for the broth, it was nearly tasteless - hardly a hint of dashi at all. For the ramen, I suppose we should have asked what type they served (tonkotsu? miso? etc?) but we gave them the benefit of the doubt. Yelp reviews had said that it looked like packaged dry ramen to them that had been reconstituted. We didn't want to believe that but once the bowl came out, we had to revisit that idea. I wish I had taken a picture to share of the ramen because it looked nothing like other ramen that we've had in restaurants. The noodles did look like dry noodles from a package. The broth was thin, spicy, and an unsettling bright red. The $2 add-on of chasyu produced two paper-thin slices (just about see-through) that weren't flavorful and were mostly fat. The ajitsuke tamago (if you could really call it that) also possessed the strange rubbery, vinegary traits of the udon's egg. Duke D. is similar to me where he will finish an unsatisfactory dish just to avoid wasting food but with this bowl, he was the first to say we should leave. So yes, the atmosphere seemed great for a late night get-together and the service staff was on top of things but all in all, the food was not something we'd want to come back for. Of course we didn't try the whole menu so there could be redeeming dishes but I'm of the mindset that if you wouldn't want to eat it yourself, don't put it on your dang menu. Also, I really would have told the staff our thoughts for constructive criticism but all around us were other customers who had ordered the udon and ramen as well. It looked like ours so...I guess it must be the norm around Biwa!

    (1)

  • Sebastien N.

    Late Night. Best. Burger. Of. My. Life. Period. Open a food cart on my front lawn.

    (5)

  • Natalie T.

    I'm just going to talk about their happy hour because that's what I had with the addition of some specials they had going on. VIBE I was immediately struck that it was in a basement and kind of in the middle of nowhere even though it's around the corner from the Jupiter Hotel. But happy hour close to my hotel so I can nap after itis? Bring it! Staff were really nice the first night in letting me have their happy hour after it was over (I had come before 5 p.m. and then missed happy hour completely). I sat at the bar and talked to the chefs. These guys are really focused and know their craft. They're really nice but professional as well. I ATE/DRANK Chicken skewer: $2 Pork Belly (oh that fat!): $2 Garlic on a skewer: $2 Steak skewer: $2 Am I on Oprah? Seriously! You get a skewer! And you get a skewer! You allll get SKEWEERRS! It's all delicious and for under $10 you can get a really decent meal. I saw the guys cooking up some corn and I had that as well. OMG. It's covered with miso and some herbs. The next day, I came back for a chicken skewer. And they had a special of watermelon salad at $7. It was amazing and refreshing. I don't know what else to say about it but I wanted seconds. Sapporo is $3 but they have an extensive sake and soju menu as well. Oh, and PS: they have a late night happy hour menu of ramen after 9 p.m. Seriously! Damn. PPS They are known for their ramen. OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK Best happy hour ever.

    (5)

  • Melissa T.

    I'm not sure how I feel about Biwa from my first visit to my most recent visit. I love the location and the ambiance of the restaurant. It seems like every time I visited, the complimentary popcorn they would serve us always came out stale. I liked the seasoning but who likes stale popcorn? Of course, I ordered the ramen at each visit. From the first time I tried their ramen, hands down, it was amazing. From then on, I just lost my taste for it. One thing I didn't like at all was their shoyu egg. I like my shoyu egg SALTY, not sweet. Last time I ate here, my friend and I ordered the gyoza as an app. It was delicious. At least there wasn't a disappointment there. One star for location and ambiance, second star for gyoza and third star for good service.

    (3)

  • Sharon C.

    Food is overpriced and very salty. Small portions, kind of like tapas. Best thing is the kombucha beverage.

    (2)

  • Shannon B.

    YUM! I never tire of this place. I often take advantage of the counter specials, a discounted menu with some of my faves such as chicken liver, hanger steak, sake, pickled whatevers, etc. The handmade gyoza is outstanding as is the beef tartare. Generally udon is my favorite noodle, but here it's just too big and doughy for my taste.

    (4)

  • Angel T.

    Arrived Sunday evening and the place is not too crowded, which is nice. After reading the menu, our party of 4 decided to order potato salad, ramen, grilled pork shoulder, and bibimbap. The potato salad came out first with soy sauce on top, which is odd..i mean, who does that on a potato salad?! then came the bibimbap. At first we thought it was the ramen since it was very soggy, almost as if the rice was soaked in the bowl of sauce. In addition, it tasted super salty that we didn't even finish it. The ramen was just so-so, nothing exceptional about it. again it was very salty towards the bottom of the bowl. The grilled pork shoulder came out last since probably they need more time to prepare it. But again it fell short, too chewy like a rubber. I think only 1 or 2 pieces that are tender enough for us to enjoy the meat. At the end of the meal, the waiter asked us how our meal was. I told her that most of the dishes are super salty and she just respond "oh yeah" like she doesn't care at all. For all of these reason, I have to give this restaurant a one star.

    (1)

  • Kendra M.

    Went here on Vday this year! Strolled right in with no wait! The ambiance is great here. Kinda feels like you've happened upon some super cool underground urban Yakuza hangout. Great lighting to set the mood, exposed pipes, and chic art on the walls. The sake selection is awesome! A whole page of choices. We had the server select two sakes for us- they were great! The food! Mmmmm. That pretty much sums it up. So good. And very affordable. I will definitely be coming back to this place!

    (5)

  • Kate C.

    Hands down, best food and booze experience thus far- a great way to start my trip. Attentive service and fantastic food paired with distinctive cocktails. Great late night food. Fried kimchi, hamachi sashimi, noodles, gyoza... All amazing.

    (5)

  • Nick A.

    Fantastic and hip great menu and good cocktails too. The service was friendly and even though there is an extra 5% add to your bill it is because they pay for their employees health care, that I don't mind paying for.

    (5)

  • Dian K.

    Sat right down at the counter for the late happy hour. It's kinda neat to watch the chef cook/grill in front of you. Since it's the late happy hour, it's very hard to not order the $5 ramen bowl. We had one with chasyu and another with pork shoulder. The pork shoulder was somewhat disappointing because i was expecting a tender piece of meat which it wasn't. Overall, not even close to Yuzu's ramen, which is my new high standard. We also ordered the grilled stuff which we like better. You can get the pork belly for $2/order for the early HH and I can't think of a better $10 spent for 5 of those :D The couple next to us got grilled hamachi collar and it looked GREAT (especially after listening to the commentaries they were giving on it). Next time, I will definitely order this. Love the space, btw.

    (3)

  • Stacey D.

    Albacore tuna, fried tofu, udon noodles, and cocktail were all spectacular! Love this place! Can't wait to return!

    (5)

  • Nicole B.

    Biwa continues to deliver as my favorite Portland noodle house. Get here between 5 and 6 and delight in receiving their expertly crafted ramen bowl and a healthy serving of Momokawa for a mere $10. Make it a solo mission and there will undoubtedly be a seat at the bar for you -even on a Saturday.

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    I have wanted to try Biwa ever since Tamara C. told us she did not eat pork. I took this as a sign I would find many pork treasures there and I really don't think I have to translate how an abundance of pork on a menu motivates me. So off I went! Inside it has a sunken dining room and bar, soft lighting and wood planks covering the walls in a horizontal fashion. The menu was pretty extensive with an array of hot, cold plates, udon and ramen options. When the waiter came to take our order I asked if he were me what would he order as an appetizer? He exclaimed the beef tartar, stating it was the best in Portland. I responded, "now that's a bold statement!" I'll admit, I don't consider myself an authority on beef tartar in this city but to me it was pretty god damn good. This seductive dish lent a hearty flavor which was further extenuated by a raw quail egg cracked in its center. Once mixed it lent a creaminess to the overall texture. It also comes with a side of lettuce leaves that help change its textural dimension. So if raw scares you I'd skip this one, otherwise order it and discover how flavors of sesame, ginger and chile oil bring this dish to the next level. For dinner I chose the obvious option, ramen with pork belly. It came out in a big bowl taunting my affection with the best kind of breakfast foods, pork and eggs. A fresh smell of salt wafted in my face before I dived into its red sea like broth, waded around its spinach and harpooned its noodles with my chopsticks. Its spice wasn't overpowering and the eggs were seasoned well by the broth. The noodles were light and bigger than usual but unfortunately the flavor lost its stamina, leaving more to be desired. Hey I like my salt but I want something a bit more balanced. Yet my biggest problem, the claimed pork belly. I understand bacon is cut from the belly but if you're calling it "belly" it better not come cured and sliced thin! Call me a bacon snob but true belly comes in chunks with a noticeable translucent layer of fat protecting it's juicy, meaty, center. So don't tease me with your illusions of bacon grandeur. Still it's my coveted meat, one which always brings pleasure. So can I really be so judgmental when it comes to pork? Yes, yes I can! Our service was swift and punctual, the atmosphere relaxed and fun. With so many pork options to taste and judge I know I'll be back for plenty of savory adventures.

    (4)

  • Denni S.

    I love this place! I can't always visit when I am Portland as they are only open during dinner hours - but if I'm there at the right time, you can bet I am grabbing a meal at Biwa. The staff is super friendly and you feel like you are getting taken care of the minute you step inside. I love all of the options on the menu. I swear every time I am going to order what I had the last time, but I always try something new and it just expands my list of favorites. I love anything on the grill menu. The steak, shitaki mushrooms, pork belly.......YUMMMMMMMMMMMM. Already planning my next trip back.

    (5)

  • Lih-Wern W.

    I'm a big fan of happy hour $2 pork belly. It's a little salty but for $2 I'm loving it!

    (4)

  • Michelle L.

    Biwa is a gem in the Portland food scene. And this is a hard thing to achieve considering the delicious, delicious restaurants that exist in this wonderful city. You have to give Biwa points for being one of the few legit restaurants (tie, NOT A BAR) open past 8pm. Extra points for never having too long of a wait either. Not to mention the wonderful drinks and delicious food... beware if you're a lover of salt and deep fried goodness! It'll be hard to choose just one thing from the menu. I especially recommend their skewers with the grilled rice ball. Sigh. Biwa, I miss you.

    (5)

  • Josh Y.

    I LOVE this place! Walking down the stairs into the basement-like space, plus the lighting, gave this place a totally chill vibe I really like. This place is the DEFINITION of tasty! My friends and I came right at 5 for happy hour before a Blazers game, and I am happy we came early because it started to fill up pretty quickly. One word of warning, the happy hour menu is only available at the bar seating so try and get there before it fills up. The menu is a great selection of hot and cold Japanese style dishes. My favorite by far were the beef and pork belly SKEWERS! For $2 a piece these are a steal. The beef was so tender and flavorful, while the pork belly was just fatty enough with a the right amount of chew. We had some raw oysters which were tasty. My friends grabbed some of the cocktails which they said were good, but I didn't actually try and of them. I was underwhelmed by the ramen which I think was just mediocre. Pretty large portion, but no worth the price... could've gotten more skewers! Also, we had a grilled rice ball that was definitely overcooked, too much char on the outside. Overall, I would come back to this place for happy hour the next time I find myself in Portland. We had great service from our waiter who was able to answer ALL our questions about the menu. I give this place 1 star for the vibe, 1 star for the service, and 2 stars for the meat on a stick! I wish I could give this place a 5, but the ramen could definitely be improved. Maybe my next Portland trip will bump this place up.

    (4)

  • Andrew K.

    A great fun little izakaya - modern but cozy feel. The tuna crudo was the best. All was yummy. Nice not to have to wait on a Saturday night.

    (4)

  • Patrick L.

    I love ramen, and came here on a recommendation. Unfortunately the ramen sucked. I'd like to be more eloquent about it, but it was just not good. Some of the other items we ordered were pretty good, like the kimchee and chicken kara-age, but definitely nothing to write home about. We came for HH originally, but since they only offer it at the tiny "bar" in front of the cooking area, we ended up with a table and the regular menu instead. The presentation was great, and the prices reflected that, but unfortunately there are far better Japanese restaurants elsewhere. Skip the hype, and skip Biwa.

    (2)

  • Amy L.

    Everything was presented very nicely but the noodles and broth fail. I find the noodles a bit too firm for my liking and the broth a bit over salted. Not my bowl of ramen.

    (2)

  • Brittany S.

    My fiancé and I rarely get to to go out and try new things because of our work schedule but are we glad we did this time!! We had the oysters, gyoza, fried kimchi, some type of fried chicken that I HAVE to figure out how to make, and also the grilled lamb, pork belly, and tri tip steaks. The plates are so shareable that we also got a bowl of their speciality ramen we've heard so much about. Hands down the lamb was the most memorable. Everything was amazing...but the lamb....... Wow. The server was very attentive, answered all my silly questions and even recommended an amaaaaazing unfiltered sake! Overall one of the best places I've been to in Portland!

    (5)

  • Matthew K.

    The menu here represents a mix of Japanese and Korean dishes. I'm not sure if it's because I've been to many ramen shops in California or if it was a bad batch but I did not enjoy my ramen here at all. When I go to ramen places in California I usually can't really tell them apart outside of how well their egg and meat is cooked or how much veggies are in it. Coming here made the quality of those ramen places glaringly apparent. To be fair, I think the best part of the ramen is the soup and the soup here was just plain salty yet watery. I can understand if a ramen broth has MSG saltiness where lots umami flavor is imparted but the broth here was simply glaringly salty without the deep pork flavor and thickness found in better ramen places. At $11, this ramen is not cheap neither (although with the tax in California, the ramen prices probably come around the same). I also added a smoked pork shoulder which would've been really good had it not been for the ramen soup it was in. It was crispy on the outside but a bit dry on the inside (which is fine since it was in soup anyway). The only real positive from the ramen was that the egg was cooked medium boiled perfectly. I also ordered a hamachi sashimi that came with soy sauce with a raw quail egg. This was pretty solid and I don't really have much complaints about that. The only thing saving the meal was that our waiter was very good about keeping up with us and just being extremely pleasant without being pushy. The restaurant is located on the corner of some apartment buildings which I think is cool.

    (2)

  • Michael G.

    Tried both specials- salmon sashimi and wings. Both were delicious, but the salmon is a bit overpriced given the portion size. Would give four stars, but service was pretty slow.

    (3)

  • E.B. G.

    We love Biwa. The first time we had the omakase it was phenomenal. There were four of us at the table, and the dishes just kept coming. They were fabulous. The second time that we had the omakase it was a little underwhelming. Which was a total bummer because we'd raved about it so much to our out of town guest. Needless to say though, the food was still great. And over all we had a good time. We'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Chris Z.

    Food was good. Service was ehhh.

    (3)

  • Sumi S.

    Wow. You will notice that NO Japanese person is ranking this place high. Had literally the worst meal of my life here. Got the saltiest beef tartare I've ever had. Literally could not swallow it without choking. Am not one to complain but mentioned it to the waiter, he said he'd take care of it. Went into the kitchen came back 1 minute later with the same bowl, set it back on our table, and told us, "The chef said that's how it's supposed to taste. It's not too salty." Unbelievable. I love salty food, don't get me wrong. But from the one bite I had of it, I was literally dried out until the next afternoon. Couldn't believe the gall of the waiter to bring the plate right back to us and basically tell us to shut up and eatit. Adding to it the overpriced and pretentious atmosphere, definitely will not be back again.

    (1)

  • Emily M.

    Overrated. I have been hearing about Biwa for a long time and finally decided to give it a try. Meh. I ordered the duck/mushroom fried rice combo and it was bad. The fried rice was just SALT. I don't know if it was an accident or not, but it was horrible. The Goyza wasn't any better then the frozen ones from Costco. The Sunomono didn't have the signature sweetness, it was just vinegar. The ramen was pretty mediocre at best. And all for a higher price tag then it should be. I agree with the Japanese reviewer Tatsuzo I. This is a Japanese restaurant for Western people. That became obvious when they automatically served my fried rice with a spoon.

    (1)

  • Jason H.

    If you're here for the ramen, may I suggest Mirakutei or Wafu instead? The broth was very plain and watered down. Noodles were just meh... Pricey, and not worth the money. I feel like the Kerouac reading crowd doesn't know any better and are too passive aggressive to say anything against it. The gold standard will always be Daikokuya in LA. It is a cool spot and their yakimono and other small dishes are much better. If it wasn't for that I'd give it a zero.

    (2)

  • Tatsuzo I.

    I came from Japan and dined at here. We were disappointed by the poor selection of menu. They have some how special menu but those are not well organized. This is really busy restaurant but almost all customers are western peoples. Ramen is a popular food here but the noodle tastes as instant ramen and soup was not rich. In comparison with the quantity of apertizers the price is high. At least, we think here is not so comfortable to Japanese guests.

    (2)

  • John K.

    Biwa has a nice menu - lots of small, inexpensive things to try. Items off the grill were the highlight of our visit, in particular the shiitake mushrooms and the lamb. The octopus in the salad of the same name was a bit on the tough side, but I may be judging it a bit harshly in comparison to the octopus at Tabla, which I believe is the gold standard in Portland. The service at Biwa was wonderful - and the atmosphere seemed to me to be a perfect match for the menu and the entire experience. Lovely space, and one I'm looking forward to returning to.

    (4)

  • Sandra V.

    Izakaya in Portland? At 9:30 at night? Yes, please! My first trip after stepping foot off the plane was Biwa, with my mom, brother and cousin in tow, none of whom had even had the pleasure of a night full of tiny, little Japanese-style small plates. Armed with a Sapporo Deluxe and a flight of cold sake, we dug in to round after round of mostly meatastic food. I'm not even sure I can remember everything we ate, but I will try (this list definitely not in order): pork belly skewers lamb skewers bacon fried rice croquettes raw yellowfin gyoza isobeyaki The hands down taste winners were the lamb skewers, bacon fried rice and the yellowfin. The pork belly, shockingly, was a disappointment, honestly. It was too chewy and a little too fatty (I know, I know, it's pork belly), and probably would have been better had it been slow cooked instead of on the skewer. However, everything we ate was flavorful, comforting and adventurous. The lamb was AMAZEBALLS. I have never eaten lamb that was not at least somewhat, even a little teeny-tiny bit gamy -- until last night, that is. So tender, spiced just right, omg we collectively thought we were going to die. The yellowfin was melt-in-your-mouth sumptuous. The bacon fried rice -- complete with literal CHUNKS of bacon, finished off with a hint of fire: perfect. Anyway, I really, really, really liked Biwa! I am always happy to be able to introduce friends and family to adventurous eating, and I'm glad they don't always have to come to L.A. to do it, too.

    (4)

  • Donna K.

    We use to go here all the time for the biwa burger... Even though it was only available from 10 to 12 and on some occasions 11 to 2 it WAS worth it... Recently it has been nothing more than a disappointment because they are consistently overcooking the burger. Although we specify medium rare the cook overcooks it to the point where there's no pink.. The burger is a grounded good ribeye with kimchi mayo and a chashu (pork belly) with a perfectly toasted bioche bun. They now have also replaced the bioche bun for a McDonald's sesame bun.. That was the last straw for us and we will not be coming back! Until they learn the definition of medium rare and bring back the brioche bun we will explore other options for burgers...if you want to risk it.. Go for it.. Hopefully they will cook it right for you..also the rest of the menu is overpriced and the Japanese food is subpar..

    (2)

  • Donald C.

    One word describes the dining and drinking experience for me at Biwa and that is FANTASTIC! Great Ramen, the best chicken livers I have EVER had and the cocktails were both original and very tasty. I'll go back again and again! I also loved the selection of Suntory whiskeys that they offer.

    (5)

  • Grace H.

    I came here hoping it would be good as what the reviews said. We waited 45 min to be seated. First it was very hard to find the place itself. It's very small and seems invisible. We ordered the porkbelly and 2 tonkutso ramen. It was awful. The broth was tasteless. The meat (pork shoulder) was very hard. The only good thing was the porkbelly and water. I dont understand why people like this place. I honestly recommended Mirakutei than this. I tried both ramen and Mirakutei was far more satisfying in terms of the price and the taste. Overall the food is just overrated and too pricy. I dont recommend this place.

    (1)

  • Melissa S.

    I'm giving this a 4 star review in hopes that if you go you'll experience what we experienced during the best times we've been. If I were to rate it on the worst, I would give it 3 stars. The service is always consistently good, but the quality of food can be hit and miss. Sometimes the flavor is spot on, sometimes too salty. Sometimes the food is cooked perfectly, other times overdone. My favorite dishes are the udon noodle soup, the burger(only available late night) and the steak skewer(when it's done right, it's heaven).

    (4)

  • Allyson C.

    I always thought Ramen meant a little plastic wrapped package of dried noodles and powder like we used to make in the dorm microwaves back when we were teenagers and didn't know any better. Enter: Biwa. Not only are their ramen noodles nothing like the haggared, plastic-wrapped, styrofoam cupped, mistakes of my yester-years, they contain within them the tastiest of gems--a soft-boiled egg!!! Now, I'm an egg-lover, and this is no ordinary soft-boiled egg, mind you. I'm not sure what process this egg goes through, but its transformation is music to my tongue's metaphorical ears. Some have suggested that it's a fermented, soft-boiled egg!!? The japanese definitely got this dish right. Other food items are equally as delicious; especially if you come for their late-night menu-- which debuts a yummy burger that gives all other burgers in portland-burger-loving-town a run for their money. This place is testimony to the tiniest things that keeps me coming back. Some days I just crave that tiny little boiled egg in a bowl of salty soupy ramen, and, on those days, Biwa has my heart.

    (5)

  • Adam B.

    Had the omakase. Great value. An endless assault of courses for only $35 that seemed to be worth closer to $70. We couldn't finish it. Get here early or wait. Worked well with our 2 year olds, food came out fast. Nice ramen. Great bibimbap.

    (4)

  • Fernet B.

    I love this place and eat here all the time. Ramen noodles are amazing and definitely some great smaller plates as well. Staff are all awesome and I've never had to wait longer than five minutes or so for a table. Would definitely receive a five star rating from me if it wasn't for the poor ventilation in this basement location. If you plan on eating here, also plan on smelling like cooked food for the rest of your day. I've made the mistake of doing so on a Friday or Saturday night and end up smelling like I've been working on a saute line for eight hours. Not even sure if much can be done about it, but it does keep me away on nights that I have something else to do other than go home and wash the Biwa off of me.

    (4)

  • Ken S.

    I am probably the biggest fanboy of their late night burger, but the rest, ok. Consistently inconsistency, some times over seasoned, sometimes under seasoned, I have enjoyed the sashimi, udon and ramen, but... good late night place, too bad they are only open 'til 12.

    (4)

  • Cheston W.

    Run by what appears to be hipster non-Asians, this place was a great pit-stop for dinner while making a road trip up to Seattle for a few days. While the restaurant itself seems to be in a quieter neighborhood, the interior and the super chill atmosphere of this place makes you feel like you're in the trendiest part of town amongst a range of locals enjoying a night out. We made it in time for happy hour, which was definitely a great deal. We got bar seating and it was pretty cool to watch the cooks make the dishes, especially the different types of skewers and off-the-grill type of items available on the menu. The pork belly skewers were by far the highlight of my dinner - flavorful, delicious, and crispy yet tender. To be honest, I wasn't overwhelmingly impressed with their ramen noodles, but they were definitely delicious. However, if you happen to find yourself in Portland with a need to satisfy your ramen fixe, this may be the place for you. Go at happy hour to take advantage of a good deal!

    (4)

  • Olive R.

    I'm not sure how I overlooked Biwa for so many years! It's now one of my favorite places in Portland. The udon is superb (& beautiful. "This one time in Osaka..."). I also love the tofu dengaku, from the grill. Aaand I also keep ordering the Sapporo Deluxe which is like a Sapporo shandy -- light and refreshing.

    (4)

  • Jay Y.

    Bi-wa: interestingly, means "raining" in Korean. Coincidence? No clue. But now on to the food: Scallop sashimi Very pleasantly surprised. At $13, I had high and low expectations... High in that the food better taste as good as its price tag. Low in that there's no way that this could be worth it, in quantity. However, the dish that came out was an appetizer like portion, slices of scallop in a broth with pea sprouts. All I have to say is, delicious. They were super fresh tasting, with subtle ocean flavor and slight meatiness. Recommended if you're on a date night like myself and my wife. Yakitori Beef - nice meaty fresh and juicy. Perfectly cooked. Pork - deliciously fatty and flavorful. Large pieces = substatiantial bites Garlic - salty, soft, and flavorful as it should be. Great pairing with the fattyness of the pork belly. Ramen Just as I told the man in charge behind the counter, to me it was surprisingly interesting. Complex was the broth.. Oily and flavorful upfront, but clean on the finish. Each component was very well made. The noodles nice and "al dente." Supple if you will. Chashu was thin, but meaty and nicely flavored. Egg was cooked to perfection with the middle all gooey. Tasted very substantial, as a good egg usually does. Biwa Old Fashioned Four Roses Bourbon (apparently made by the son of the man that makes makers mark). Cherry and ginseng taste great. Decor Pleasantly surprised upon entering. Expected something dingy in SE, turns out to be a gem with beautiful industrial metal and wood interior. Good vibe.

    (4)

  • Lady H.

    I used to love this place when I lived in Portland and couldn't wait to go back on my last visit. Sadly, I was disappointed by the bland but still extremely salty/bitter broth of my ramen, the and boring slicing heirloom tomato appetizer that was just, well, sliced tomatoes on a plate. However, to end on a more positive note, the server was friendly and attentive. So that's a plus.

    (2)

  • L F.

    Really yummy. I found this because of a friendly barista in the pearl and a recommendation from a best restaurants article. I was seated promptly and the waiter gave me excellent recommendations. I had the butterfish sashimi (so delicate), lamb skewer (wow, best part of the meal), Asian pear salad (fresh but a little underwhelming), and their super yummy house made giozo. Everything was delicious, but the portions were super small. I got out for $35 with tip for one person. I was satiated but certainly not full. Great service and flavors, but overpriced and skimpy portions

    (3)

  • Heidi P.

    Big disappointment. Especially since I had heard such great things. The one time we went was about three years ago and haven't been back since. I'd like to think it's improved although I'm not willing to give it another try. My Japanese husband said, "I would hate for people to think that this is what Japanese food is really like. What's all the hype?". This is what we experienced: *The "saba shio-yaki" was burned on the outside and slightly rare on the inside. *A second helping of rice came served in a miso soup bowl. *The miso soup was just broth. No tofu. No wakame. No green onions. Just the scrapings from end of the pot. *The "yaki-onigiri" was cold on the inside and charred on the outside. *The ramen tasted burned. I remember the noodles being tasty with a good bite to them. But what good are ramen noodles when the soup is awful? Perhaps if you are looking for a place to enjoy Japanese spirits accompanied by a few bites you will have a pleasant time. This is not the place to experience great Japanese food!

    (1)

  • Betty Hoi F.

    Omg the pork belly.. Their ramen is also really good, i always get it with the spicy pork. the udon I like it ok. The clams, the cold tofu, the popcorn.. Everything pretty much is wonderful. Only thing I hate about the place is the line and happy hour that's restricted to the bar. Go on a week night!

    (4)

  • Connie O.

    I had really been looking forward to Biwa. My friend has been raving about it for well over a year now. I love my dear friend and I love Japanese food so what was not to like? Okay so I must be the only citizen of Portlandia that does not fully appreciate pork belly. The flavor was delish I agree...but it had sooo much fat! My friend told me it would be like bacon in its additiveness. Sad to say, it left me underwhelmed. The flavor was great but after the first couple chews, I was left with a big ole yucky piece of PORK FAT globs in my mouth. Not good. Everything else was nice and tasty but it was not as fantastico as I was expecting. I have had better Japanese food. I might try it again, but since there are still so many more places to try in Portland, I doubt it...

    (4)

  • Windy S.

    Decided to give Biwa another go. We went here two years ago for a friend's birthday and we weren't very impressed. I was really needing to get my ramen fix and this time Biwa delivered. I'll be back to give the izakaya a go.

    (4)

  • Jam B.

    UM anyone that gives this place less than 5 stars is a total dumbdumb. blahblahblahTHERAMEN. SHUT UP! EAT EVERYTHING ELSE! the deep fried kimchi is amazing. the isobeyaki is a totally amazing texture experience. i miss the chicken curry, but you win some, you lose some. everything served on a skewer tastes amazing. what else? rice balls (grilled or otherwise), all the fish, THE UDON! the shoyu egg alone ohmahgah. everyone that works there is the best and the drinks are awesome and biwa is just my favorite. i love you guys forever.

    (5)

  • Lorraine S.

    Went here tonight after Stanley T,'s recommendation (he and Ronda rated it the top Ramen location on their Ramen tour). Sadly, once I arrived I realized that Ramen is by no means vegetarian nor could it be made as such. My solution was to order the Udon soup with Ramen noodles, which the waitress was happy to substitute. This dish was fantastic - great flavor, great noodle texture, and the ingredients-- mmm, the vinegar-soaked mushrooms, the egg half with a really creamy yellow, the shredded burdock root ball (not sure what that's called)- it was all great. I had the Shochu top shelf flight because I'm unfamiliar with the stuff and have heard about how great it is from Ronda (again, see Stanley's review), but I have to say I'd much prefer a good sake. Interesting flavors none the less! For appetizers we had raw oysters - omiiigawwd so good! And the presentation was absolutely beautiful- fresh oysters on a bed of seaweed and rock salt. We also had the carrot and burdock root salad, which was wonderful in a way I can't quite describe- it was savory and not as crisp as the straight raw versions of the veggies- it had like a satisfying feeling- something that just makes your whole body say YES! The only thing that didn't excite me was the rice ball we got- an umeboshi plum wrapped in white rice and nori. I wanted to just eat the seaweed and leave the rest. However everything else was so fantastic it hardly mattered. My date had the Ramen with pork and he said it was great, and very pork-y. We were both thoroughly satisfied. The atmosphere is great too. Very comfortable, not too loud, good service. A great date spot.

    (5)

  • Kelly H.

    The only reason I am giving this place 3/5 stars and not 4/5 is the service. This is not NYC. Don't quite know why the servers believe it to be so. I ordered desert, my wife left two sips of wine in her glass to have while I enjoyed milk jelly and her glass was whisked away before finishing. I tried catching the waitresses attention but caught another servers' attention who said that he would let her know. She returned with the wine glass containing, maybe a sip of wine, "I thought you were finished but here's more than what was left in your glass" and walked away. Both of our mouths dropped open and stated that way for a good minute. Seriously? Get over yourself Biwa! The food was very tasty, although the ramen had very little broth, it did contain a wonderful flavor. We also enjoyed the yummy fried chicken, the dipping sauce divine! Would have gone back for the food but the service just turned us off. Too many other great options in Portland!

    (3)

  • Danny F.

    Every time I go to Biwa, which is like twice a month, I eat way too much food and give myself a tummy ache like some kind of unrestrained puppy. My new favorite thing is having business meetings here so I can write off the unbelievably stupid amount of food that I can eat. Last week when my little business got a megabad yelp review, I read the bad reviews for biwa to remind myself that some people are just craycray, and there is no accounting for taste. Biwa, I love you so much it's kind of a problem.

    (5)

  • Katrina W.

    Biwa is that girl in high school that you've always seen around, but haven't met yet, and you really want to hate her, just by default, because she's so beautiful and popular, but you can't hate her because she's so nice every time you talk to her and she's really, truly friends with everyone. I mean, yeah, maybe her name is hard to pronounce, and her happy hour is kind of confusing, and maybe she lives a little close to the tracks, but she's warm and inviting and always has the most surprising, and unusual, yet universally appealing taste. I'm thinking of naming my daughter Biwa. What do you think?

    (4)

  • Simon T.

    Biwa's a fantastic little place with a great variety of small plates options (perfect for sharing). When you arrive, be prepared to wait in line, especially on weekends. It's a small place and gets filled up quickly. The pork belly skewers were absolutely amazing and are a highlight everytime I come here. They're so good that it often overshadows the other dishes! They always say that bacon (aka pork belly) can turn any vegetarian into a meat-eater... The ramen is a great value, especially since ordering several plates can add up quickly. You get a huge bowl of steaming, savory broth in soft but chewy noodles. They also have nice daily specials from the kicthen too that are always hearty.

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    Love the atmosphere of Biwa, it's intimate but not at the same time. I love the ramen but their small plates are absolutely amazing. There are some interesting add ons to the ramen that add a nice touch. Even when there is a line to be seated the staff are extremely polite from the time you walk in the door until you're ready to leave. My only regret is not trying this place sooner!

    (5)

  • Shanil K.

    enjoyed the small plates. I love izakayas - been to many in LA. Pork Belly, Chicken - very good Mushrooms were awesome. Awesome cocktails. Love the fact that it's open late. interesting crowd. Still new to Portland scene. Bit hipsterish in way but all good.

    (4)

  • Dee B.

    Why do you have to serve such good food?! I want to hate you, but I just can't. Everytime I visit the noise is overwhelming and the waitataff is hit or miss (btw 5/4/2012 was a huge miss, shame on you crappy hipster waiter). Desipe that the food is consistently good, strike that, great. By far they have the best Udon and ramen that I have ever tasted and the salads are unique and delicious. Plus the sake selection is quite good. Overall, the food make it worthwhile and I'd still go dispite the noise and service issues.

    (4)

  • Kelly F.

    Eeeeeehhhhhh, not a fan. First of all, the location is a riot; a dump building in a dump part of town....there should be a sign outside that says "do not feed the hobos and meth heads; they have a good memory and will crap on our sidewalk." There wasn't a wait when we got there, so my partner and I took a table to wait for the other couple we were meeting. Perusing the drink menu, I took a plunge and ordered an $8 whisky and coke that I surmised was half priced since we were in the advertised "happy hour" timeframe (never assume; you make an ass out of you and you). When our friends arrived and inquired after Biwa's happy hour menu, our waiter kindly told us that it wasn't available at the table we were sitting at, but if we wanted to sit at the bar and shout down and across one another, they would be more than happy to oblige, an option that was not mentioned to us when we were being seated. Since we are all cheapskates, we shuffled our belongings and my gipped whiskey and coke (they didn't mark it down to happy hour price) to sit in front of the white, just out of puberty cooks wanting to make a mark in the culinary world, watching them slam shots of sake while running fryers. My partner ordered the pork belly skewers and never got them; luckily, the other couple we were dining with did receive theirs and we were able to taste them. It was a major disappointment they did not come with any sort of dipping sauce, leaving them full of charcoal and fat flavor and little else. My partner did receive his second skewer (chicken breast), boiled to bland perfection, and our friend's steak skewers were at least a decent cut of meat, soaked in salt and butter. I went out on limb and ordered the mushroom and ground duck "fried rice." It was nothing like fried rice, but tasted like freakin' risotto, complete with the cheese-and-cream flavor. The only thing Asian about it were the Enokitake mushrooms littered throughout. I do have to say the aged tofu was a hit, as the cooks managed to leave the inside soft and soaked with flavor while creating a rather lovely fried texture on the outside. With Asian restaurants in town like Pok Pok, Ping, Departure, and even the plethora of amazing hole in the wall places up and down Portland's own prostitute-and-car dealership Miracle Mile (82nd Ave), one would think that Biwa would attempt to step it up a notch if they really want to give customers an authentic small plate Japenese/Korean experience.

    (2)

  • Violet B.

    Ive only been here once but I loved it. If I ever have a craving for ramen or udon noodle soup I will make my way over to Biwa. Great drink selection as well. One thing is that they have a 5% service fee that they add to the bill. Not exactly sure why because I've never heard of that. But regardless the food was great and so was the service. Will go back.

    (4)

  • C I.

    I went here on a Sunday night for a late dinner while visiting Portland. It was getting pretty late (~8:30PM) , but I really wanted to get some Japanese food. They were close to where we were staying, open late, and had good reviews on Yelp! I was very excited. It was a little hard to find. The restaurant is located in the basement, but it was very cute inside. I liked the atmosphere. But the food was very disappointing. The biwa ramen was not that great. The bacon chahan set ("delicious fried rice with special bacon" according to their menu) was really not that delicious... it had no flavor. I am a little surprised that this restaurant has such good reviews. If this were actually one of the best Japanese restaurants in Portland, I would feel bad for people in Portland! They get 2 stars for the food plus one for the atmosphere and the service.

    (3)

  • Minda B.

    I adore this place. The food is delicious, and the portions are small enough to sample a lot of different flavors. The sake list was extensive and the recommended variety we tried was perfect. I would recommend the sashimi, ramen and kimchi. The staff was friendly and attentive, they were happy to make recommendations and seemed very knowledgeable.

    (5)

  • Teszra P.

    This is my favorite restaurant right now, chefs choice is always amazing. But my car window was broken tonight across the street and three other cars as well. My Jim bag stolen (jokes on that guy). Point is, crappy neighborhood great food! 200 dollar tab-300 dollar window. Not worth it.

    (3)

  • Matthew N.

    Great ramen in a cool atmosphere. We had the pork belly and meat skewers, all were served promptly and satisfied our cravings for asian food.

    (4)

  • Sarah K.

    Small plates, big flavor! We loved the variety and space. The staff was friendly, helpful, and very knowledgable about the food. We enjoyed sharing and will definitely go back when we're not in such a hurry!

    (5)

  • nancy c.

    i was here a whole year ago. february 2012. but i came across the receipt today and needed to bookmark the experience here. it was a magical evening. i can't remember everything iate but i remember the kara-age, fried chicken skin was wonderful. and the rice cake was super good. the service was wonderful, beers were really good. we had noodles i remember. just go there.

    (4)

  • Brandi H.

    Biwa is wonderful on a cold night, such as tonight. Just got done having a delicious meal! Discovered Biwa this summer after Willamette Week said they had the #5 best Burger ( wweek.com/editorial/3636… ) in Portland. We went and my bf had the burger while I opted for the Curry Rice (yum!). They have two different menus here, a regular dinner menu and then their late night menu. You can only get the burger at late night, but it is pretty worth it! The char siu and kim chee mayo are what make this burger pop. You can't get ramen at late night though. :( Since that first time though, I haven't been back for a burger because I go for the ramen. I grew up in Hawaii and Japan, so ramen is something that makes me feel whole. While I am not a connoisseur of ramen, this can't be beat because it is about 17 blocks from my house and is delicious. My bf and I go here at least once a week and I can only guess that we will go more often since the weather is getting colder. The udon is also great and sometimes it is hard to decide between udon or ramen. I've tried maybe half the menu. Really enjoy a few things and get them frequently - green bean aemono, korokke, gyoza, kimchi karaage, and isobeyaki. We always end up getting a few appetizers/nibbles and giant bowls of ramen. Itadakimasu!

    (5)

  • Shelb E.

    We went for happy hour around 5 p.m. We loved the outdoor seating, the gritty but sleek interior and the view of our chefs doing their magic behind the bar. Despite being happy hour, the menu lacked a cheap ramen - it seemed wrong. Alas, we ordered the cheapest ramen on the menu. $11 and without much flair, we found it utterly satisfying! We only wish that they put more into it than a few sprouts and a sheet of seaweed! Note: in Portland, we've found ramen to be about $11 everywhere we went, so it seems acceptable.

    (4)

  • Michael H.

    Great service and atmosphere. The helpful staff guided us to our best vegan options and the food was delicious.

    (4)

  • Muiread P.

    My husband and I are very impressed with this place. They have vegan options that are clearly labeled and the food is amazing. The best udon soup I've ever had to boot!

    (5)

  • Tabitha T.

    A group of friends and I went, though we called ahead to see how long of a wait it was and to see if we could make a reservation. While they don't take reservations, they told us it would be about 1 hour and 15 minutes, which we were ok with. We went a half hour after calling though we ended up leaving and going somewhere else because we continued to wait for another hour. One in our group was hypoglycemic and was beginning to feel unwell, so we left to go to another restaurant that could accommodate us. What was equally frustrating was seeing groups that would arrive AFTER us be seated BEFORE us. I'm willing to try Biwa one more time but my most recent experience there has me feeling weary of the place.

    (1)

  • Jason T.

    Small portions of pretentious food, a little over priced for what you get. Service was decent, asked for additional complimentary popcorn and was given a look.

    (2)

  • Erin O.

    This is a 3.5 star review. What kind of Japanese person am I that a white guy is introducing me to a Japanese kitchen restaurant? Well, it's not my town, so I digress. Biwa had very solid food for the most part. It's a very cute space, a little industrial, a little like like a hidden gem. Definitely felt like Portland. The service was friendly, and no one made horrendous pronunciation errors, which (the snob that I am) usually drops a place by half a star. The little grilled and braised bites makes this place fun. Sapporo on tap? Don't mind if I do! The braised pork belly melts in your mouth, and is the definition of unctuous. The grilled pork belly is lovely with a slightly more "pork chop-y" feel to it. To round out pork belly three ways, our little group also had the bacon chahan, which reminded me of a great Hawaiian style fried rice. I was okay with the mackerel, and I'm a huge saba shio fan, but the pickled version, seemed a touch over flavored. What didn't work for me was the ramen. I was genuinely saddened by it. The broth was just eh. After having so many lovely things, I thought I was going to give this place an easy 4 stars, but the ramen slid it to a 3.5.

    (3)

  • Simone C.

    Biwa is a nice little restaurant- small inside, and barely visible out. I had their ramen, and some oysters. To begin, the ramen was excellent. Flavors blended together nicely, good portion, and not exceedingly expensive. The oysters were pretty good- nothing super exceptional. There wasn't little bits of shell in it or anything- it was just your average high-quality oysters.

    (4)

  • Tom D.

    Ok, so sometimes, I can rate a place based upon my enjoyment of my time there, which is not always the same as my rating of the establishment itself. I'm not sure but I've been to Biwa twice, and I enjoyed myself tremendously both times, but I'm not sure exactly why. Perhaps it was the company I was with? The food. It's good, but not great. The employees think it's great, and they talk a great game, but the food isn't great. However, I do think the tasting menu (Omikase) for $35 is a very good value, and, as I've said in other posts, I like to be surprised. Some of the dishes are quite good, and some don't quite get there, but if you get the tasting menu I think you'll leave satiated (unless you're Jaba the Hut) and having had some great dishes, along with some mediocre ones. They have a pretty extensive sake and shochu menu, which I like, and the wait staff seems quite friendly and enthusiastic. The space is nice and intimate, and I enjoyed sitting outside the first visit (there's some interesting denizens wandering the neighborhood). I have to say I was right in the line of fire of some sort of cold air vent the time we were inside (last Thursday), and being bald as a cue ball, nothing makes me cold faster than a cold breeze on my head. Should I have worn a beanie? Maybe next time I'll bring one.

    (4)

  • Adrian K.

    + Great atmosphere + Amazeballs Ginger Gimlets + Good Nikka Sours + Huge yakionigiri - Kinda lame udon - Wasn't into that egg.

    (4)

  • Beau R.

    Hell yeah! biwa is freaking fantastic. I came here on the recommendation of a friend, so I had a feeling it would be good. I sat at the counter and started with a Pork Belly and Hanger Steak Skewer. I also ordered the biwi Ramen and added pork. The Pork Belly Skewer was perfect. Nice thick cuts of pork with a garnished lemon slice cooked over an open flame. Very Good. The Hanger Steak Skewer was excellent as well. Hanger Steak comes from the bottom area of the ribs near the kidney's of a cow. It isn't as tender as most beef, but has more flavor. The skewer had a few chopped up pieces of hanger steak and some green onion. Cooked perfectly and very very flavorful. Excellent! yelp.com/biz_photos/lCOS… The biwi Ramen was insane. The broth was strong and extremely flavorful. The aroma of the broth was so outstanding it cured me of my down syndrome. The ramen was soft and delicious. The added pork only made it the much more amazing. yelp.com/biz_photos/lCOS… So I had all of this plus 2 beers and it came out to under $20. That kicks ass. To have a meal that outstanding for under $20 makes me wish I lived in Portland.

    (5)

  • Katie C.

    Their miso stew, salmon onigiri, and steak skewers were to die for! This is now my favorite place. Too bad I don't live in Portland :( This is a must stop for us for future trips. The ginger-infused soda was awesome too. Only downside for us was it was packed and loud, but we DID go at 7 on a Saturday. The food was totally worth it though.

    (5)

  • Pam A.

    Was misled by the reviews on here, I have to agree this place is overrated!! Ramen had no flavor, had to ask for hot sauce. Guess I ordered the wrong thing, my sis had the udon noodles which were just OK. Granted we went on a Saturday night and they were super busy, but the service was definitely lacking. Wish we sat inside as that is probably the draw to this place, it has a cozy gastropub feel.

    (2)

  • Karen C.

    Came here on a double date--The place was pretty packed, but we were seated shortly after we arrived because our other pair had arrived earlier. I'll start with the positives. Service was really good. Our server was pretty spunky and patient and knowledgeable. Atmosphere is fun, young, and a little weird. I had a pretty great time, but I'm pretty sure it was the company and ambience and not really the food, which is why I'm only giving this place 3 stars ( I usually only rate on the food, even if I do mention the other things). I really wanted to love this place. I bookmarked it for weeks before I was back in Portland intending to try it. Maybe my hopes were just too high, and it set up this place to fail. Ramen with crispy chicken thigh: chicken was crispy enough, but a little too salty for my taste. The egg was well cooked. Ramen was just so-so, I've had better ramen for much less money. Kara-age: the chicken was plenty crispy, but there wasn't much chicken on the inside of the crispy. I didn't care for the mustard-y sauce, but boyfriend seemed to like it. Shitake and Salmon from the grill: Okay. I tasted some, but didn't really want more. Usually I am not shy about eating from boyfriend's plate, but it just wasn't special enough for me to want to. I think this is a fun place to go with friends, but the food is a little too expensive for me and not quite as good as I had hoped.

    (3)

  • Melissa L.

    I've never been at a real izakaya in Japan, but if they're anywhere as good as Biwa, the Japanese people are even smarter than I thought they were. The thing to keep in mind is that izakaya is basically happy-hour/bar snacks. Grilled meats, tempura, big, hot bowls of soup, fried chicken. Not sushi, necessarily. I'd had Biwa on my bookmarks forever, trying to find a chance to visit. Finally I made it there on Tuesday night (around 6:30), and we were shown right to a table, no waiting at all. I was kinda surprised at how quiet the place was, even when we left at about 7:30. I really liked the space (below street level) and the vibe - subdued, clean, intimate, yet totally casual. It would be a great place to catch up with an old friend, or take a first date you want to impress. Biwa excels at all of the above, plus they serve a pretty nice plate of sashimi, too. Oh, and the house-made kimchi was phenomenal. A fresher/younger style of kimchi, not super fermented, but crunchy and with tons of flavor. Plus they give you two kinds, cabbage and daikon. NOM. I could have eaten the whole plate of it. We aren't big sake/soju drinkers, so I can't comment on those. It was nice to get a draft Sapporo, though, and the hot matcha tea I drank was great too. We will definitely be back. Even the hubs, who is tough to impress, was digging it, so I won't even have to wait until nights when I'm flying solo.

    (5)

  • Dane T.

    chicken livers and shitakes yo!

    (5)

  • Too Much S.

    Not all hits, but when they do get it right, it's great. Favorites are the Saba nanbanzuke (pickled mackerel), and most anything from the grill. Some nice shochu's and cocktails, too. The new (last year) ramen is pretty lame. Their older recipe was awesome and full of pork flavor.

    (4)

  • Lazlo H.

    Favorites of the night: Fried kimchi. Yakimono hanger steak. Udon. Will come back for happy hour at the counter.

    (4)

  • Kirsten G.

    Just a note, my rating isn't for the whole place, just for their "BIWA BURGER". The reason I noted that is bcoz their burger is the only thing I've tried here, nothing else (so it'd be unfair for me me to rate the whole place). But honestly, it is the best, the BEST burger I have ever had! It's so good, that I almost have no appetite for any other burger because I always have to compare it to the goodness of The Biwa Burger. To describe it w/out drooling on myself is it tastes kinda like Korean barbecue wrapped up in a bun. Yup a burger, that tastes like Korean barbeque, in a Japanese restaurant! Hehe, I'm still at awe that the best burger I've ever tasted would be in a Japanese restaurant....go figure huh. (By the way this burger is only served at their late-night menu which is around 11:00.... I know it's pretty late, but don't worry, having this burger will surely give you a good night's sleep:)

    (5)

  • Wes M.

    Almost a year later and they've only gotten better. They've got some new items: Asparagus - Delicious asparagus lightly covered in miso. We were really pleased with this addition. Spring Onion - Oh my god, this was delicious. Its a whole onion cut in half then salted and grilled. It was absolutely amazing. It comes with some miso to dip it in or spread over it, and I think it was one of my favorite things there that I had tonight. The service is still great there. Even when they're busy there's always someone who has got time to stop by and make sure you're doing alright. I've continued to go back in the past and they've given me no reason to slow down now.

    (5)

  • Fenny G.

    BIWA! BIWA! BIWA! BIWA! Their grilled stuffs are simple but you would have explosion in your mouth. Recommended: Grilled Rice Ball, Grilled Garlic, Pork Belly Skewer, Chicken breast skewer, beef hangar steak. If you come to this place during their happy hours, I don't think this should have a $$ sign. I almost fell of my chair when I saw our bill. It is only $27 for all of them. I was expecting above $50. We were satisfied and we only paid $27. AWESOMENESS!

    (5)

  • Kurt N.

    We love this place. Food, drink, service is impeccable. But... On year's eve we checked their website to see if there was anything special going on. All it said was come on in on new year's for their meal. When we got there and waited for them to open a guy came outside said it was reservations only for the night. When we said it wasn't mentioned on their website he said "good to know". Kind of ruined the night for us

    (3)

  • Kristine N.

    Pork belly skewers... so fattening but so good! This is a MUST try!

    (5)

  • fred l.

    Ok I have to be honest service was a little slow but very friendly and professional , the food was good but be prepared to order a lot if you are hungry or go and eat at home or grab a burger or something because portions are kind of small.

    (2)

  • Cindy S.

    Subpar experience. My husband and I love going to Ptld for weekend excursions. This was our third time to Biwa and it was not charming. The other two times were good enough that we returned and would recommend the place to friends and relatives in Seattle who were traveling to Ptld. This time when the service turned bad we should have politely pd our bill for our drinks and left because innately I know when it starts going bad it usually gets worse. I asked our server a simple question just for information about the food. Her behavior and answer was so defensive and combative youd thought I asked her to jump off the Burnside bridge. It really ruined our evening and it was soooo uncomfortable. When she brought my wine she put it on the edge of the table and pushed it towards me like I had the plague. The food medicore at best. The dumplings soggy, Hanger steak good but too salty miso soup bland asparagus salad actually crisp and tasty. But my husband was still hungry so we ordered the ahi salad I polietly stacked up the dirty dishes for her but she wouldnt even bring us clean plates for the salad the other ones still had runny red steak juice. I found the service to be abusive and she made my husband and I feel like a penny waiting for change. Almost $100.00 after this with tip we won't be back or recommend

    (1)

  • Holly L.

    The ramen is good here. It comes with a soy egg & my favorite, char sui. Does it beat any of the places down in So Cal? No. But Biwa is still a very good meal. I liked the agedashi tofu, the pork belly, the yukke, & the yaki onigiri. The staff's very friendly & very accommodating.

    (4)

  • Kathryn G.

    This would be five stars if they took reservations. The wait can be pretty long since they don't take reservations, but the food is worth the wait. We asked the waiter for recommendations, and ordered just about everything he mentioned. His recommendations were spot on. Everything we had was delicious.

    (4)

  • Moe B.

    Go during there Ramen happy hour and make SURE you add the egg(6$ total) The Pork Belly Ramen and grilled rice balls are the shit. Seriously outstanding Japanese bar food.

    (5)

  • Fat L.

    A few rules... 1. Get Deep fried kimchi 2. Get Pork ramen WITH soy-marinated soft-boiled egg 3. Get Pork belly 4. Dip pork belly in ramen for perfectly perfect, moist crinkle and pop. Mmmm moist crinkles and pops! Biwa also provides many examples of why charred spring onions are good on/with just about anything.

    (4)

  • Scott R.

    Biwa is my favorite izakaya place in the country. Nuff said.

    (5)

  • Y L.

    This place is a legit Izakaya. The food is tasty and some of the menu options are great interpretations of traditional asian street food. We had the somen salad (seared tuna is awesome), beef ssam, gyoza and udon. The udon was the highlight of my meal. Lots of toppings and the broth was perfect. I will definitely go back.

    (5)

  • B H.

    Had a great time with old friends there last night. Biwa's menu was fun to explore and sample. Great sake menu and good times.

    (3)

  • Joshua C.

    I wonder if newspaper headline creators mean to be cheesy or if they actually think they're being clever (or both). "Chicken Stick and Noodle Soup for the Soul" "(Biwa)re" "Portland Ramen Goes Underground" I immediately liked the subterranean off street nature of biwa. Descending into the cozy, but not cramped, wood and concrete drenched space I felt a heightened sense of anticipation. I was finally eating PDX Japanese food (with my better half's Japanese family no less), would it come even close to meeting my expectations? Let me be fair in stating those expectations are quite high. I'm half Japanese, have a culinarily gifted Japanese mother, can cook Japanese food myself, grew up in Hawaii, and have traveled to Japan. So yeah, with this type of food I'd be a tough critic. (Hopefully this doesn't get me barred from future Japanese dining, I promise to give rave reviews to places that are deserving). "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (In Your Nose and on Your Clothes)" biwa as others have mentioned is an izakaya, think Japanese tapas or afterwork watering hole with grilled and fried foods (which with an open kitchen an inadequate ventilation makes even the dining area a bit hazy). Here they are also known for their Ramen and Udon. Having just had some amazing Ramen earlier that day at Seattle's Samurai Noodle I opted to go the Yakimono grilled skewered food route. "Biwa Leaves Diners Feeling a Little Salty" "Totally Terrific Tasting Tofu Tantalizes Tipsy Townies" I understand that much of what we ordered was meant to be bar food, but even then I found many of the dishes generally too salty to truly enjoy. There were some gems though, so here's a quick breakdown: Hiyayakko (cold tofu) - Silky, refreshing, delicious...a must order Lamb "Genghis Khan" - Overly salty, overcooked, almost tough Beef Hanger Steak - Medium rare, tender, flavorful...will order again Tsukune - See notes for Lamb Pork "bara" - Cooked perfectly, moist, way too salty...still a repeat order Kara-Age (fried chicken pieces) - Expertly fried, could use a better dipping sauce Ramen (tried my mother-in-law's) - Good noodles, not as good broth I have to agree with Akemi I. this place is somewhere in the 2.7832 range for me. Liked the atmosphere and staff, thought the prices a little (but not too) high for what we were served, and did enjoy some of the dishes. Aside from almost ODing on NaCl, it's the quality and dryness of the rice here that's takes this place down a notch. I'd definitely return, and would even consider adding a star, but for now the headline reads: "Four Star Potential Skewered by Sodium Overload and Unsticky Rice" photos yelp.com/biz_photos/lCOS…

    (3)

  • Kiki P.

    I went there for Portland's Dining month and a preset $25 menu. The reason they get 3 stars is because when we added up the cost of the courses it did not amount to the price we paid. We could have ordered the same courses for less and picked the ones we actually wanted instead of the preset menu. The food was good and the fish was amazing I would go back for the fish.

    (3)

  • Bradford L.

    So the pork belly for the ramen hasn't returned, but I can get a nice big chunk of pork shoulder. The broth still doesn't come close to some of the better ramen shops outside Oregon. To my surprise the soft boiled egg was seasoned, but tasted like it was seasoned with an alcohol and not much of anything else. Soy and Mirin being my favorite seasoning so far. The fact that I can get a good quality ramen at 11:00pm makes this place one of my favorites.

    (4)

  • Heidi S.

    we decided to go to biwa for a goodbye dinner with a friend who's returning to her home overseas. my cousin picked it, it had good reviews, a location that was nostalgic to us, plus they were participating in march dining month, and instead of 3 courses, they offered 5, for $29 - what could go wrong? how about everything? no reservations, with one of us was on crutches, and we waited at the bar.- i hadn't read the drink menu, but asked for something non-alcoholic, like maybe apple cider & bubbly water? i got watered down juice with no fizz. then i looked at the drink menu and they have 6 homemade soda specialities with juice and bubbly - who knew? certainly not the waiter. this could be a really long rant about a nightmare meal, so i'll just mention a few of the items we "enjoyed", all split between 4 people. - a bit of sashimi - boring but edible. two skewers with chunks of beef so gamy i had to spit it in my napkin, because try as i might, i couldn't chew it down. 2 more bamboo skewers with big raw naked mushrooms, slimy and opened in the back, a little shoyu. next, "japanese potato salad", overcooked tater with blobs of mayo, and more shoyu. great with chopsticks, not. then some awful, awful kimchee with gigantic cabbage chunks sitting in a bowl of vinegar, followed up by a cold fried mackerel salad - fishy, oily, stinky, and in more vinegar. i don't even know what you would call the 'burned" rice with sauce, apparently intentional, but not crunchy like the bottom of the rice pot, black like charcoal - maybe good because we were beginning to feel like we were getting food poisoning. the savory finale was 2 large bowls of soup with noodles, half-cooked egg halves, and no utensils other than soup spoons, so sharing was a hot mess. dessert was 2 small bowls of ice cream with 4 spoons. top it all off with the bill, which includes a mandatory 5% tax for their employees "health & well-being", and a nasty note on the small folded origami box that sat in the bottom of the wooden sake box it was "served" in, saying "property of biwa, do not steal", or something to that effect - i guess origami paper & labor must be really expensive - believe me, after that experience the last thing i wanted was a memento of the time and money wasted. we were left with two containers of leftover soup, and no bag. when our guest stood at the bar with her hands full and finally caught the waiter's eye, he shoved a folded paper bag at her, without even opening it, like maybe she could hold it under her chin, or catch it in her mouth? i had started feeling ill during the meal & slowed my roll - it was that bad, and our guest was still nauseous the following day, and had to board a plane for a 24 hour flight. if i could give 5 negative stars i would.

    (1)

  • Laura N.

    The restaurant had a lot to compete with after I watched this absolute videographical gem of the magical biwa in action: youtube.com/watch?v=W3L-… But I must say, the food blew even this masterful instrumental performance away. (I hope you are still listening to the music in another tab. It aids greatly to the overall review.) While this certainly was not the food I grubbed on during my time backpacking through Kyushu and hitchhiking across Honshu, Biwa is a much safer version of traditional Japanese favorites. The udon was light on the fishy flavors that are often a bit overwhelming and the yakitori could have made my "only chicken nugget" eating nephew happy. I couldn't even manage to swallow one bit of food while I was in Korea (note my photo section...) but the Korean additions were unobtrusive and in fact, delicious. This will forever be high on my "date spot" list here in Portland.

    (4)

  • Lizzie V.

    When I take friends here I feel so cool. I feel like I know about some suave, underground spot (low lighting and all) without the pretension. I enjoy the communal feel of sharing dishes with others, and Biwa encourages sharing of small plates, and relational eating. I say 'relational' eating because they were warm to us while we were talking after finishing our meal. At a few points they even joined the conversation and I really appreciated their graciousness. Some highlights for me from the small plates: The hanger steak The mushrooms (They have something special on them, it's subtle, you couldn't tell by looking at it, but it is so delightful. VEGETARIANS I highly recommend you order this on your visit, it's very meaty in a veggie way) The green beans with sesame seeds and white sauce

    (4)

  • Shannon M.

    To me, Biwa is a wonderful fusion of both a Japanese noodle house and an Izakaya. Gabe and Kina really pay attention to detail and it shows. The yakimono (grilled menu) offerings will make your head spin - among other items, it includes kasuzuke (scallop), garlic, and my favorite - sanma (pike mackerel)! Noodles are seriously house-made (as it should be)! They offer both udon and ramen. While many dishes are small plate, the noodles here are a meal in their own right. Overall, the menu is diverse - allowing you to taste a wide range of flavors and making Biwa a place of which I never tire. Other menu notables include kimchi kara-age (deep friend kimchi), korokke (squash and potato croquette), and housemade tsukemono (japanese pickle). An ordering note: the food will come out as cooked so if you have items you'd like to pair let the server know (for example - i adore sanma with yakionigiri). Service is excellent and the vibe is low-key and relaxed. They have a great selection of sake and shochu as well as specialty cocktails (nikka sour). if you want it all, be sure to sit at the counter from 5-6:30 or 9-10 for awesome drink and food specials (note: this is on a special "counter" or happy hour menu only), as well as being courtside for the culinary action.

    (5)

  • Sean H.

    Super cool, friendly staff. Amazing food. Don't fear the pork belly or chicken hearts. Lots of other stuff if you are afraid.

    (5)

  • Chris B.

    Very good

    (4)

  • Stanford M.

    I was very pleasantly surprised by Biwa. It's the Portlandia hipster local food culture take on traditional Japanese izakaya food (think Japanese tapas). We tried the omakase with drink pairings. Unlike many omakase, this wasn't a collection of new specials created uniquely, it was mostly just an assortment of 'best of' hits from the regular menu. However, I really enjoyed almost everything we tasted. The drink pairings were well done, with generous pours. The chicken kara-age was stellar, probably the best I've ever had. In general, all the pork we had in different dishes was exceptionally well cooked, very soft and juicy with a strong umame flavor. The pickle assortment was quite delicious. The takuan pickle had a wonderful fresh texture and flavor. The umeboshi was really exceptional both alone and in the onagiri rice ball. I would have loved to buy a package of umeboshi to take home, but unfortunately they don't sell them. A few minor issues, for example the manilla clams were gritty and the ribs had a bit too much salt on the outside for my preference. Highly recommend this spot!

    (5)

  • Amanda W.

    Without Biwa, I would be dead. Oh, alright, maybe "dead" is pushing it. But have you TRIED finding a decent late-night food option in this town? My dining companion, though charming, has a tendency to run late; by the time he arrives it's usually past 9, and by the time we stop talking about how we should go eat and actually make moves to go eat, it's usually nearly 10. In a town that seems to close up shop at 10 on the dot, this is a problem. Before Biwa, the late night dinner routine usually involved a) driving around the entire city, looking for something suitable, followed by b) intense despair, and finally c) resignation, and cheese fries. Though I'm well aware that cheese fries are, for all intents and purposes, the food of the gods, sometimes even I need a break. And then one day, one of us said, "Hey, what about Biwa?" I wish I could remember what day that was, because I'd celebrate it like an anniversary. I'd been avoiding Biwa for so long because I thought there weren't any vegetarian options -- not so! Though there isn't any veggie ramen, the udon can be made vegetarian, and it's amazing. Oh, I love it! The noodles are thick and substantial, the broth is salty and delicious, and you can add some tofu and make it a pretty satisfying meal. Slurp away! If you're like most people, and leave your house to eat before 10, you have a choice of two happy hours: 5-6:30, and 9-10. The earlier happy hour features plenty of delights, but my favorite is the later one, where you can get a big bowl of udon (or ramen!) and a beer for under ten bones. There are also plenty of small, inexpensive plates to choose from, even if it isn't happy hour; I especially like the japanese pickles and the oyster mushrooms. All in all, the value is outstanding. The space is sexy, and I love sitting at the bar and watching the kitchen staff do their thing. And they're open until midnight! Come, be happy, and save those cheese fries for another day.

    (5)

  • Byron S.

    Atmosphere: Great location. Plenty of street parking. Nice, casual inside. Noise carries. You gotta talk pretty loud. Food: We had the ginger deep fried chicken. Reminds me a little of Hanamaulu Cafe's fried chicken on the isle of Kauai. Mmmmm, mmm, good. Great ramen and udon. Delicious broth. I loved the miso pork and the kim chee in the ramen. Perfect combo of flavors. Overall a great experience. Great service. Kinda loud, but manageable.

    (4)

  • Jack F.

    Briefs: Oh, how I wished there were more ramen options in Portland. Ramen isn't just the cheap $1 bag that you buy at grocery stores. It's a wonderful soup that's soothing and comforting on cold winter nights. Sprikle some nori and and an egg and it's a great night cap. Although it' s not the best ramen ever (think NYC's Ippudo) Biwa is a good option as it's open until midnight and it's reasonably priced at $7.00 a bowl. [Original Visit: December 19, 2010]

    (3)

  • lyf g.

    Cool unique place. Great flavors

    (5)

  • Betty F.

    amazing food, amazing happy hour, and great customer service. This place always has people filling the tables, so get the in time to not complain if you have to wait. I highly recommend ordering the Saporro Deluxe. It is a great value for a cocktail and so refreshing. I enjoy sitting at the counter and watching the chefs cook my food. They are like a well oiled machine in a tight area. The ambiance is great if you aren't a snob. It's chill, with great tunes, and relaxing lighting. I especially enjoy their ramen, but always over order so that I need a piggy back ride on the way out!

    (5)

  • Rich P.

    This is a place I definitely want to come back to again soon. My wife and I went there for dinner one evening as soon as they opened at 5pm. We don't normally eat that early but I heard it could get crowded, which turned out to not be the case that evening (at least while we were there). The things we tried: Grilled Rice Ball, Japanese Pickles, Grilled Fava Beans, Tempura Shitaake Mushrooms, Pork Belly Skewer, and the Seafood Ramen. All were fantastic and total flavor bombs in your mouth. I also had the Sapporo beer cocktail (forgot what it was called) which is Sapporo on ice with lemon-lime. I've been making something similar to that once in a while at home ever since. When we go back, I would like to go there for "late night" to try their burger, which is supposedly one of the best in Portland. Unfortunately, it's not available until after 9pm. Since I'm not a partier, I'm not normally out and about around that time and certainly not eating that late. For this, I will make the exception, though!

    (4)

  • Karen P.

    Ok, so let me just put it this way...food quality: excellent---aesthetically pleasing, delectable, etc.), service: excellent--ready upon arrival; portion size--terrible (no...really, really terrible). If I'm going to pay $18 for something it had better fill me up. I realize I'm dealing with Japanese food here, but despite flavor/aesthetics/texture, it simply was overpriced. I truly enjoyed the experience, but unless my in-house dining experience is more generous next time, I will not be imbibing once more. I was really excited about Biwa due to reviews and the vibe upon entry, but the "to go" order is not providing me with just cause to return. I will try it again as an on-premise experience, but I don't have the highest hopes. I am not a person who is satisfied by generous portions alone, but I have to rate the "take out" portion as "measley" (at best). The hamachi sashimi was probably equal to two small cuts of raw fish. Not okay for $12 if you ask me. BUT...it was indeed delectable. :) I'm not giving up hope...but they had better impress the hell out of me with their portions next time.

    (3)

  • D B.

    Great atmosphere, everything is delicious. Perfect date spot, or place to meet with friends. There's usually a wait, but it's not obnoxious & def worth it

    (5)

  • Jon F.

    Bottom line: Really innovative Japanese pub food. Then again, I guess it is the only Japanese pub food that I have ever consumed, so I don't really have much in the way of a reference point. However, it was innovative compared to most other genres. I would highly recommend ordering the prix fix menu, which I believe is called Omazaki (maybe Omakazi???). Don't be fooled by the smaller, tasting portions. You will leave insanely full. Somewhere around the 7th or 8th dish, they brought an intermezzo, and all I could think was "surely they don't know the meaning of the word, we must really be near the end of the meal". Four or five courses later, and BAM: enormous bowl of ramen. I thought I was going to eviscerate myself all over the well-appointed table. $35 per person may seem spendy, but man do you get your money's worth.

    (4)

  • Carley M.

    Total poser Japanese restaurant. My lover and I ordered the Omakase(where the chef chooses the full meal rather than a la carte) and we were soooooo disappointed. We knew when the first course was a little plate of popcorn that something suspicious was going down. Not to mention there wasn't one Japanese chef or worker in the place, which explains why all of the preceding dishes were a far cry from "authentic." The pork belly was okay in flavor, but really chewy. The hamachi wasn't fresh. Ramen was okay, but really nothing we couldn't make at home. Service was horrifying-- they kept bringing out dishes before we had even finished the previous one. To top it all off, the price was atrocious. Especially the price of the sake was just like, wow, you guys are posers and rip people off. Ninety bucks for all that! I would recommend Zilla Sake House on Alberta street if you want something more authentic, reasonably priced, and with servers that are actually nice and not snobby.

    (1)

  • Ryan F.

    This place takes me back to my childhood. It's the best ramen I've had in Portland; their onigiri is flawless, and the servers and cooks are all super nice, friendly and informative. I love Biwa, I am there often. If you want to pinch a dime, they have super cheap prices on their bar menu during happy hour.

    (5)

  • Thomas G.

    Biwa is likely the best Asian style food you will find in Portland. The Happy Hour menu is incredible cheap, my entire meal was cheaper than most 'chain' restaurants would have been. The Hanger Steak is well seasoned and tender, the chicken breast is likely the tenderest I have ever had, the mouth-watering pork belly is awesome, and even the rice balls have loads of flavor. I would highly recommend Biwa to anyone even tangentially interested in Asian Cuisine.

    (5)

  • John T.

    I can see now why they only serve the burger at 10, they would get a line out the door just for the burgers and miss out on the other goodies that is available. I had the burger the other night and though i wasn't hungry i ate it all up. Sweet brioche bun, tangy slightly spicy kimchee mayo, with a piece of meat that's so tasty that just oozes with juices as if you're busy making love to it. the finish leads to the saddest part. I'm exhausted, when am i going to get to do this again? now to sit and daydream when i can get my hands on you again and make sweet love.

    (5)

  • Jennifer W.

    I decided to try this by looking at the yelp reviews. Sadly this is one that I don't really agree with. The ramen (pork belly) was so-so: not enough flavor...Coming from Seattle, I'd choose samurai noodle anytime over this overpriced place. The onigiri was pretty good and the best part of my meal was actually my ice cream / sorbet dessert! Very refreshing. Overall, I don't think I'd try this place anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Jonathan O.

    To everyone else, Their ramen is terrible. I have eaten it all over NYC, I have had Yuzu (by far the best in the Portland area) and I eat at Toshi's in Eugene (ok). The service was terrible. Mr. Hipster waiter, your attitude ensures a crappy tip, the gyoza were overpriced and over done. I just dont understand the love you all are giving this place, me But seriously, why does this overpriced, very so-so restaurant get all the good reviews?

    (2)

  • H O.

    +: Knew I was going to love this spot the moment I walked in. Great interior decor and atmosphere. -: Korean pancakes weren't cooked enough and some dishes were too mild in flavor for me. !: When I came with a big group, the check came with a whole Hi-Che

    (4)

  • Cliff L.

    The upside: everything is fresh. We had the grilled chicken and chicken liver, and it was very succulent and tasty. I also had the Biwa Ramen, which was not bad. The atmosphere was great, and the service was top notch. Downside: kind of expensive for what they are serving. Come on, $9 for basic ramen noodle! It was just noodle and soup. Somewhere else, you can at least get some veggies or just for $7. My beef was with the tofu dish for happy hour. It was $4 for 4 small tofu cubes. Seriously! I am Asian, tofu is cheap! For the happy hour, it is sort of a typical Japanese drinking place: Order some cheap drink and some small dishes. Overall, it is a good and happy experience with a big tab.

    (4)

  • C T.

    So sad. I really wanted to love this place but I didn't. I chose this place as my one "no matter what it takes, we're eating here before we leave town, damn it!" place. Went for happy hour. $2 pork belly skewers were good. I had the curry udon special and it was good but not something I'd insist on ordering again. Ramen was very disappointing and definitely on the bland side for me. On ramen alone, I don't think this place would survive in LA, where I can name 5 places within a few miles of my home that have far better ramen and broth. Perhaps I'm unfairly comparing metro areas, but food is food. Noodle dishes were $11 each, too, which is pricey. I will say that the service of the wait staff was both attentive and friendly. Still, with so many Portland food places to love, I won't be returning here.

    (2)

  • Leah H.

    I honestly have no intention of being Debbie Downer - but Biwa was the first time I ever left a restaurant hungry and went some where else to find food after leaving. We started with kimchi green with rice cakes. The greens were cooked well but the dish as a whole lacked flavor and spice. The rice cakes were cooked inconsistently; some were good and others were little rocks. Sadly, this is the best thing we tasted at Biwa. Next we got udon and the Biwa ramen. This is probably the worst udon that I've eaten in my life. Although I see that other reviews indicate that the noodles are made in house, the texture lacked bite and were oddly hard. The broth was uninspired and plain. The ramen was outrageously salty. I normally like a decent amount of salt in my food but this literally hurt the mouth and I was left feeling dizzy from a sodium overdose. The added egg? Not at all worth it. I feel bad writing a review off of one visit but I can't imagine wanting to waste another night and more money giving Biwa another chance. Even on a bad night, food should never be this bad. Perhaps one day I will find myself at Biwa again and I certainly hope I will be able to update this review...but I doubt it.

    (1)

  • Lucia C.

    My expectations were either too high or this place was experiencing an off day. Either way, I left very disappointed, and got my drink on at a wine bar next door instead to make it all better. This place made the list on my top 5 horrible happy hour experiences either way. Dear Mr. Waiter, As much as I respect rules, it's silly to force a party who will order primarily off the dinner menu to sit at the bar. The happy hour menu only takes a buck or two off the dinner menu anyway, and I couldn't enjoy my food when the garlic being grilled next to me was stinging my eyes. And to make it all worse... the pork belly was super hard and tasteless, and the ramen was subpar even when I added the highly recommended "egg" for a buck. You could do better I'm sure. P.S. It also didn't help that you gave us the stiff attitude. Sincerely, Me.

    (1)

  • Devon D.

    Crazy good udon (5$ on happy hour!), perfect pickled mackerel, and sultry-soft lamb skewers. happy taste buds all around!

    (5)

  • Andi S.

    After a couple visits to Biwa, I felt I was ready to write a review. It's an izakaya, which to me means a variety of small dishes are served. And you should try many of them. The ramen is just okay. After twenty-six trips to Japan, I can say that I have a good idea of what Japanese ramen should taste like (or, at least I know what I like). The slice of pork in the broth was good, tender and melty, and the egg was boiled to perfection (a glistening yolk). However, the dish fell short. The egg noodles were slightly hard (but not undercooked) and the broth was not as flavorful. Perhaps some bean sprouts might have given some lively texture to the overall bowl. Biwa offers a good variety of grilled and fried entrees (more like side dishes), and this is where they shine. There are lots of "on-a-stick" treats to choose from at reasonable prices (3 or 4 bucks each), so pick a few. The best of the bunch is the pork bara, thick squares of pork belly that had the perfect combination of tender meat and crispy fat. The hangar steak was also juicy, although less-flavorful than the bara. There is also a shiitake mushroom on a stick, but why bother when there are meatier options available? I also had the kara-age, which is basically japanese chicken nuggets served with a hot mustard sauce. These were great--small, crispy. Watch out for the mustard sauce, it will drill right through your sinuses and right up to your forehead. Pain is pleasure. The deep-fried kimchi, much talked-about here, actually failed to meet my expectations. Biwa lightly batters kimchi and deep fries it. A great concept, but the flaw to me is that they use blocky radish kimchi (kkak-toogi). The hard crunchiness of radish just doesn't work well. You bite hard into the kimchi, negating the pleasure of eating crispy breading (think of how much fun it is to eat a tater tot--crisp followed by creamy) and instead delivering a sour burst. Biwa: try using leafy cabbage kimchi--I would love to try some of that style! Overall, I think Biwa is a great place to meet up with friends and have a beer and enjoy lots of little grilled treats. If they would put on a late-night happy hour, I'd say "sugoi! ichiban!" But for now, this place is A-OK.

    (3)

  • Smitha R.

    Vegetarian and vegan options! Just that had me sold. The rest was easy. I forget what I had but everything was great and i loved the casual atmosphere. yes, i recommend it!

    (4)

  • Aimee L.

    Quite underwhelmed. Sat up at the bar and tried a bunch of the specials: yakionigiri - basically a ball of burnt rice, disgusting. bi bim bap - so much spice you couldn't taste the food. pork belly - essentially 6 pieces of chewy bacon fat, not much flavor. hiya yakko - this was the only interesting one, homemade tofu with ginger and soy, but still, if that's the highlight of my meal? bummer dude. the only reason this place gets two stars instead of one? the waitress was awesome. couldn't say the same for the guy behind the bar, who couldn't be bothered. they'd do a lot better if they were welcoming behind the bar - otherwise don't have seats there! it was quite a disappointment.

    (2)

  • Matt S.

    We went here for the first time to catch the late-night happy hour. We ended up sitting at the cuisine bar and ordering udon and ramen noodles. Both bowls were really tasty and it was fun sitting at the counter. I am anxious to come back and try the other options on the menu as everything coming out of the kitchen looked really good! The space was super cute and the restaurant was busy. Totally great vibe.

    (4)

  • Al Y.

    If any of you happen to be looking for the best ramen that Oregon has to offer, check out Toshi's in Eugene. Biwa's shoyu ramen with no extras is a whopping $9 and it tastes like something that comes out of the instant ramen aisle at Uwajimaya. You can get truly authentic ramen with no extras for $6 at Toshi's Ramen. Even with extras, $9 is high. You will then know what a real ramen tastes like and you'll even be offended at Biwa's attempt to sell it's lower-grade crap for $9. So, if you guys ever have the chance to visit Eugene or pass it by, stop at Toshi's. The udon was salty and boring. You get three stars because I really liked the grilled tongue and I will be back to enjoy another one with a sake. Your waiter was also a really cool guy. EDIT: This just in. Kappaya has way better ramen. Cheaper, too. Still not as good as Toshi but far more worth the money than Biwa.

    (3)

  • Joel N.

    If someone is serving better ramen, I'd like to know about it. Boke is goooood but it's not quite as good or consistently as good as Biwa. And that place on Division is nice but the portion is a little smaller and well, whatever about that place. I recommend hitting the 9pm happy hour for extreme discounting, getting the pork in there (so mmmmmmmm) and complimenting the whole thing with a crisp cold Sapporo. If you don't drift into a sub realm of heaven, I don't know that we'd have much to talk about. This is to say nothing of the pleasantness of the environs, whether it's at the outside tables which have a view of their quiet corner, bellied up at the oft cramped bar where you can catch some of the chefs action and the good smells of food prep or seated at the tables in their woodeny sunken den. The service does seem occasionally distracted, confused or possibly arrogant but I get the feeling that most of the time they are kinda trying. I could get why they aren't as excited about the whole thing as I usually am, after all, they are working and I am eating delicious freaking ramen.

    (5)

  • Sara G.

    I like Biwa. My last review of this place was pulled because a certain someone with way too much time on her hands got it nixed. Sigh... The sake and shochu list is impressive. I have never seen a better one, not even at a korean shochu restaurant. They have tastings of both for you to try a flight. My bf bemoans the short beer list, but secretly I think it's funny to see him have to order outside his comfort zone. Food wise the ramen is hit or miss, some days it is exquisite--the penultimate soup, and some days it is just okay. The pickled mackerel and burger at happy hour are great, such quality ingredients. You do have to be prepared to pay for quality here, this is a nice place and they are going to charge you for their decor, effort and ingredients. If you care about the ethnicity or race of your hosts, if you have to see what you believe to be Japanese faces in order to feel safe or "authentic" then Biwa is not going to live up. Their staff is more multicultural than Portland at large, but chances are if you are only assuaged by the sight of a "Japanese" girl cooking your fish, more than likely she is an American born of Korean descent (shout out to Jamie, we love you).

    (4)

  • Jennie M.

    I went to Biwa last night dreaming of some good udon. I walked in just after they opened and was impressed with the interior--simple yet inviting and cozy and we were approached immediately and seated at the bar for happy hour. After looking at the happy hour menu (not many items but seems popular as the bar filled quickly), we decided to move to a table since most of us had our hearts set on either Ramen or Udon (soup). Three of us ordered soup (2 Ramen, 1 Udon) and one person ordered some kind of kimchi dish. I can only speak for the Udon and Ramen, but all of us had the same opinion of our dishes. Flavor? meh. The broth was not so good with either the ramen or the udon, and didn't remind me of any broth I'd ever had while in Japan. As a positive, the udon noodles are homemade, and are very unique looking, however, they are so thick it made it difficult to eat and also didn't seem to be fully cooked. The same complaint about the noodles not being done enough also came from one of the Ramen eaters (who happens to be from Korea) but it should be noted that the other Ramen eater (and her husband who sampled them) thought the noodles were done just fine. I guess us non-Asians prefer noodles more 'al dente' like we would get with Italian pasta while in Asia the noodles are cooked til more mushy. Even still, I probably would have given Biwa 3 stars despite not being all that impressed with the soup if it hadn't been for the price. My Udon Nabeyaki was $12. It did come in a steaming crock which was quite appealing, but I didn't think its contents were worth the $12 price. Also, and while it's not a big deal, the menu says it comes with 'chicken vegetables and egg' while mine was served with grilled tasteless tofu, vegetables and egg'. I like tofu so it's not a big deal but not everyone does and probably everyone wouldn't be happy at the tofu replacement. The Ramen soups start at $9 which is basically Ramen and meat slices. If you want extras, your Ramen would end up at about $12 as well. My friends added egg $1 (the menu says, 'it's worth it', they disagreed) other extras such as 2 kinds of pork and seaweed are $2-4 each. I think this is pretty pricey. Since we didn't anything other than udon and Ramen, I can't speak for other parts of the menu. If you just want a fun night out with friends in a good atmosphere, this is a nice place. However, if you've lived in Asia and are hoping to have some good authentic cuisine, this is not the place for you.

    (2)

  • Kevin C.

    I was taken here by my best friend Emily a couple months ago and had a decent enough of a time. It wasn't anything spectacular but I appreciated that it was different from other Japanese restaurants in town and saw myself coming back at a later date. Emily and I went back a couple months later and then I went again a couple weeks after that and I have completed fallen in love with the place. What I like about Biwa is that it is obviously a nice place (and you get to eat in the former La Luna space...) but you don't have to spend a ton of money if you don't want to. If you sit at the bar, they have great specials all night long that end up saving you money., including the huge bottles of Sapporo for $2. As I mentioned earlier, Biwa is a different type of Japanese restaurant. It's an Izakaya, which is sort of like a Japanese bar (not in the Martini/Cosmopolitan sense) with copious amount of delicious snacks. These range from tons of meats (and some vegetables) on skewers, Kara-age (Japanese style fried chicken), tofu dishes, udon, ramen and so forth. As long as you don't come here expecting to find California rolls, you'll be okay. I love this place as place to come after a hard day of work. You feel like you're treating yourself but you're not dropping way too much money and the bar makes it easy to wander in and find a place to sit. Last but not least, I completely forgot to tip them when I was here the second time. I realised my horror the next day and ended up sending them a ten dollar bill through the postal service. Lo and behold, I get an email from them about a week later thanking me for taking the time to send the tip. It almost seemed as if I was doing something extra nice for them when all I was doing was trying to rectify my stupid error.

    (5)

  • Frannie h.

    yum! I've been there for early evening HH and the late night HH. If you can hold out, go later. There are more items available on the late menu. Here's what I tried: Ramen - yum! good broth & fresh noodles. Onigiri - one of my fav snacks. They do it right. chicken skewers - moist and flavorful although a bit salty. kimchi - great texture and spice but some bites were inedibly salty. THE BURGER- this thing was delicious. i only got a couple bites but I'm sold. I will def order this for myself next time. The ambiance and decor are nice. It has that authentic, dark and cozy izakaya feel.

    (4)

  • Ian H.

    Great atmosphere! Amazing menu, the drinks are insane and the prices are very reasonable. Aaaaaand, Free Popcorn!!! It was super busy when we showed up and the host told us it would be a 30 min wait. He then gave us a drink menu to look at while we waited, and before we could even pick out a beverage a table had opened up! I love that! I can be hard to please at times, yet, I am not really sure why this place doesn't have a better overall rating because they blew my mind. The Saba Nanbanzuke was fan-freekin-tastic, the Kimchi was the best I've ever tasted, and the grilled trout filet was to die for. Seriously, that crispy skin and all that beautifully rendered fish juice just drippin all over the place. Just think about it, I am droolin' hard enough to sail a boat in a river of my own saliva all the way back to the wondrous flavor country that is Biwa. I know, that was graphic, but I don't know how else to explain it. One thing that puzzles me is the up and down reviews I hear from friends... It leads me to believe that there is a possibility they are inconsistent. But I still have a hard time believing that. Don't worry, when I come back 10 or 20 more times, I'll let you all know if they were slippin.

    (5)

  • Ari T.

    Very little portion for what you pay for..... I'm no artsy fancy food connoisseur, just wanted to satisfy my hunger with some late night grub and this place failed the objective. I could easily spend the same amount of money at a much more upscale place in downtown and come out full. Not a real Japanese restaurant.

    (2)

  • Kyla H.

    Food is pretty good... if you are willing to wait thirty minutes for someone to even acknowledge you are there. Worst service I have ever experienced.

    (1)

  • kelly s.

    I feel like this place has actually improved a little over time. the burger was fan-freaking-tastic, one of the best I've had in portland, which is definitely saying a lot, since we are blessed with a plethora of burger havens. Only thing I think could use improving is the menu descriptions, it's not entirely clear that you are only getting one teeny skewer when you order. Nonetheless, it is still a good deal once you've ordered enough to satisfy, it's just not that clear how much you should order at the outset of your meal. To give you an idea of the menu, it is very typical preparations of things like yakitori, and other skewered "yaki", along with a few compliments. One might expect it to be adapted in a modern way, but instead the adaptations are mildly cross-cultural, with influences from Korea and china in regards to kimchi and bi bim bap, etc... Although there are only a few innovations on the menu, (one of which is the bomb-ass burger referred to above), what does come is very consistent and made with very nice ingredients. Maybe somewhat gentrified, but that might not be a bad thing here, they sort of "work it" somehow :) I would definitely go back, especially for the burger and the ramen-

    (4)

  • Josh W.

    It's 10pm and you're craving beef. A burger is sounding pretty darn good but it better be something special. Lucky for me, I happened to drive by Biwa. Then again, luck had nothing to do with it - this was destiny. What happened next is NSFYelp. ... Suffice to say this is one great burger. The bun was soft and had a great char that provided flavor and protected against SBS (Soggy Bun Syndrome). The beef was good quality and not overpowered by the delicious, spicy kimchi mayo. And then (THEN!) it's topped with succulent slice of char siu pork! I will say no more.

    (4)

  • lucia j.

    Throwing my 5-star review into the pot. First of all, is it authentic? If it looks like an izakaya (it does), smells like an izakaya (it does), tastes like an izakaya (it does, really)....Okay, maybe they aren't authentic in the way that they seat more than 15 people in the entire house, unlike a *real izakaya*. Or whatever. This place is legit in my book. And the semi-underground space is both cozy but not restricting, like you're deep in a basement. You hardly feel like you're being snuggled up against the earth when you're inside, which by the way is decorated a perfect mix of posh, minimal, and traditional. No really, it looks nice in here. Well done. And their Happy Hour is excellent. Any complaints you have about the general expense here can be negated by the Happy Hour prices. Yes, it is about a dollar off each dish, but if you order 5 or 6 yakitori then that's $5-6 off your entire tab. It adds up. The 9-10 pm ramen is a STEAL. $5 for the big steaming bowl. Now, I don't have to kick myself too hard for paying extra for egg and pork because the extra charges total out to regular price. The "biwa ramen" is good. If you've ever been in some small dank izakaya and found a slab of butter in the center of your ramen bowl which you reluctantly melted into your broth only to find it made everything velvety smooth you know what I'm talking about. If you think it lacks in flavor at first, add the black pepper, it really brings notes in the broth out of hiding. The earlier HH skewer menu speaks for itself really...their skewers are delicious and $1 onigiri is another steal. You can't even buy onigiri in the store for $1. Oh, you know those people you always accidentally bring to Japanese restaurants who ask for soy sauce for their rice? Get the yakionigiri right away, it's drizzled in tare and it keeps the plain rice-phobes happy. If you are truly bargain dining then get the chicken thigh and pork belly skewers, they have the most product per skewer, but at $2 a pop you can try them all and be stuffed to the maximum anyway. The tofu products here are expensive for what you get no matter when you come, which I think has something to do with the Ota tofu they get from down the street. If you are a locavore then you will surely enjoy the gesture. Okay, yes, you have to sit at the counter to get the HH deals. For me, this is not a big deal. You can chat with the kind-of-friendly cooks (they become nicer as you come more often, I promise) and get a good view of how they're operating here. If you're like me then you actually like to watch this kind of stuff anyway. The service for me has been really excellent, I have never seen an empty water glass and our food has come to the table promptly. If you're sitting at the counter then you can be guaranteed of this because you can see when they finish your food and when the server picks it up. It's prompt. I have some complaints. I personally wouldn't call the shochu selection "incredible." There's only three choices and wow, are they pricey. Shochu is the working man's drink, guys. Happy Hour prices can save your wallet here once again, but no shochu there. Now, with that said the house cocktails here are really creative and the sake list is pretty extensive, and, more importantly than that, thoughtful. Another thing is that I'm not quite accepting of the extra charges for things like egg and chashu in the ramen. I don't know how they've gotten away with that for so long but it is not right. But, I will certainly give up my table at HH for the ramen to have all the fixings it should have at a price that is on par with other Japanese restaurants and for a final product that is definitely above the herd in quality. Now, I'm not saying Biwa isn't worth the money they normally charge. It is worth the normal price. But at the Happy Hour prices it's a great deal. Two people can walk out of here ate and drank for under 20 dollars, on food that is worth way more than what you paid for it. And yes, I have been declined a table too when I wanted HH deals, even when I asked nicely, but rules are rules. Just be cool, sit with the cool people (at the counter), and your experience here will be cool in return.

    (5)

  • Shannon M.

    Biwa has some super delicious items on its menu and amazing service. Here is the deal. Do not come here wanted real authentic ramen. the noodles are not made on the premises and when you are used to the real deal - this ramen will disappoint. It does the job in an instant way. They put some kind of carmelized onion in the broth which was not very good, so I would ask for it without that. Their fried rice was very good. Their croquette is awesome. Good salads. Some of the yakitori was good, the chicken looked sort of pink and rubbery at the same time. Their sake flight is very enjoyable. My husband got that and they really went all out with presentation and explanation.

    (4)

  • Amy W.

    I love that Japanese restaurants (other than just sushi restaurants) are becoming more popular. Unfortunately, that means I have to wait for a table and it's a little more expensive, but I'll do that. I would definitely come during one of the happy hour times--at the counter from 9-10 pm like my boyfriend and I did tonight. Udon and ramen are significantly cheaper, as is beer and some sake. As we were leaving, we noticed the couple sitting next to us eating burgers that they said were on the late night menu (after 10) and got really jealous. They looked good enough to be back after 10 next weekend. Everything is very OK here, but nothing insanely special. It comes somewhat close to my Japanese mother's cooking, but isn't anything to write home about. The ramen is better at Miho Izakaya in N Portland and is significantly cheaper. Also, we don't have to wait over at Miho. The reason I come back to Biwa is that it's in a very modern, hip space that I don't get at other Japanese restaurants, and you can watch them cook your food, which is really exciting, especially if you're sitting at the counter. Oh, and be sure to grab a bathroom key before you head off to relieve yourself--not that I made that mistake and stood outside of the ladies' room for a long time before...

    (3)

  • theresa f.

    My husband and I ate at biwa last night, for the first time. A few minutes into looking at the menu, we had to admit we didn't understand how to structure our meal. It was small plates, and broken out into 5 or 6 categories. We asked the host and the waitress to explain the concept, and they did, and both made great suggestions. They advised us on how much to order from each category. We had a great meal, and a great experience. It cost a fair bit ($74 for 5 plates, rice, and 3 glasses of sake - food $32, sake $29, tip $13), and I would absolutely go back for a special occasion. The amount of food was perfect and we left neither hungry nor painfully full. Several reviews here say something was salty or the menu was overpriced or the reviewer felt somehow tricked. All I can say is, speak to your server. Let them help you have a good experience, rather than leaving silent and unhappy. Take some responsibility in crafting your own happiness. :-)

    (4)

  • Lemonjelly L.

    I am a fan of small plates and izakaya, and while very little of the dining menu actually appears to be izakaya food, it had late open hours, food was served on small plates and it was very good. The skewers are more typical of street food, and are a fabulous deal at this restaurant with hanger steak, pork belly, oyster mushrooms, chicken liver yakitori, all around $3/skewer. Biwa added its own Portland twist by serving robust but tender lamb ribs. Again, not typical izakaya, but still delicious and we gobbled those down to the bone. The sake and shochu cocktail list was impressive and inventive, also tasty. I love asian booze, so my shochu tom collins was more enjoyable than a proper TC. Price per head worked out to $40 before tip. Considering the group was its own definition of kimchi (i.e. well pickled), this was cheap eats and drinks. And thankfully, they have a cocktail using umeboshi, and can also offer a simple campari and soda. Cuz we needed the digestives after all that rich nosh.

    (4)

  • Stanley T.

    Preface: Read Don B's review - it's excellent! Our first return to Biwa since last summer's Yelp event was driven by a search for tasty shochu. My sweetie got her first taste of the stuff at said event. She is a migraine sufferer and has given up many potential headache triggers in a successful effort to reduce the frequency. There is very little in the way of alcoholic beverages that she can get away with consuming (discovered through trial and error). The short list includes Guinness Stout, 100% agave blanco tequila, and (you guessed it) shochu. The brands and varieties available in most of our (screw you Oregon) liquor stores are very limited and we have yet to find one as tasty as some of those available at Biwa. On a trip to California she found a very tasty brand that, alas, is not to be found in OR (even at Biwa). So our stated goal last evening was to pick some brains and sample some flights to locate a tasty, locally available shochu. We arrived at about 6:15 and were greeted promptly and informed that we could sit at a table or at the counter where Happy Hour specials would be available until 6:30. We both really enjoy watching the workings in the kitchen so we chose the low counter seating on the right end - prime viewing location close to the grills. We explained our quest to our friendly server, describing as well as we could qualities we were looking for in a shochu. The server pointed out her own favorites on their extensive shochu list that she thought might fit (interestingly, most of these were toward the lower end of the price spectrum) and offered some free samples. With her guidance we put together a custom flight of three. In all we sampled four varieties, three of which my sweetie judged excellent to very good. We marked these in priority on a menu to take home and got some good tips as to which of our (screw you Oregon) liquor stores we might be more likely to find them in. We ordered some HH specials, then a few small plates off of the regular menu after the magical hour elapsed with me remaining a might peckish. Everything we tried was 4 to 5 star stuff. Miso soup, a cold tofu dish, grilled garlic, grilled hanger steak, grilled chicken livers, grilled pork belly and a seaweed salad. I washed it down with a Sapporo draft (and a few little sips of Ronda's shochus). Service was above and beyond excellent - including our interaction with our server and friendly banter with the fellow manning the grill right in front of us. I certainly don't doubt the stories of my fellow yeeps who have had less satisfying service experiences here, all I can say is ours was great. Add to this the atmosphere (it just felt good in there) and we left very happy, glad that Biwa is so close.

    (5)

  • Heth H.

    pretty good ramen for pdx. wish there was a veggie option. live the atmosphere and the friendly staff. wil return.

    (3)

  • Kylee W.

    Never before have I been so satisfied after a bowl of hot ramen. The super tender pork shoulder not only was beautifully marbled but it possessed a flavor so divine I found myself hugging the bowl and begging for more. My friend ordered the burger and it too seized to disappoint. The kim-chi mayo perfectly complimented the juicy patty and soft bun it was matched with. I will defiantly find myself chowing down here again in the near future. I'd also like to give props to the wait staff for being super punctual and kind. I never had a chance to empty my water glass and that's always a beautiful thing.

    (5)

  • Olivia T.

    Like many relationships in life, there are ups and downs. My relationship with Biwa also has ups and downs. The good thing is that there are more ups rather than downs. After our last not so good experience, my DL and I decided to visit Biwa one more time before we moved to the west side of town. You see, we used to live about ten minutes walk from Biwa. Now, we are about fifty minutes bus ride just to get to Biwa. For our last hurrah at the old place, we decided to rekindle our love and make another good memory. We got there before the dinner rush. Got seated right away. Our server was friendly without over doing it. Got our menus (even though we didn't really need it), we already know what we were there for, RAMEN! Apparently, they had Kimchi Ramen special for that night. I ordered it with Chasyu. Also a side of Pork Belly skewer. My DL ordered the Chicken Ramen with egg and two skewers of the Beef Hanger Steaks. Our food came pretty quick. Skewers were first then followed by our ramens. I still think Biwa has the best Pork Belly skewer in town. It's like taking bites of love...or lust. I'm so happy that my DL doesn't care for the pork belly, so it's all MINE. The Kimchi Ramen was delicious. The broth was refreshing and seasoned just right. Cabbages in it were crunch and fresh. Noodles were fresh and cooked just right. The service was excellent that evening. We didn't feel like we were rushed and actually we enjoyed our time together there. I fell in love with Biwa, all over again. We won't be able to be there in ten minutes and indulge in tasty ramen goodness, but we will still have many Biwa love affairs and dates in the future.

    (5)

  • J P.

    Great place. Small plates of very good food. A bit on the spendy side, especially if you're drinking from their vast list of Sake offerings. The servers can make great pairing suggestions. The service can be hit or miss once it starts to get crowded. My experience has been you get better service inside as opposed to outside. My favorite plates are the Kara-Age, Pork Belly, Crab & Pork fried rice and the Hanger Steak. Vegan/Vegetarian friendly options are available.

    (4)

  • Tani S.

    It was refreshing to arrive when they opened at 5 pm and be the first ones in the door (no line).. I liked the sunken restaurant with the muted atmosphere, the corner table with a bench was perfect for our three and a half child. The ramen was good but not as amazing as we had hoped based on some reviews.. I'm not a ramen expert by any means, I've had it in Tokyo (really yummy) and got really hooked on it when we spent last summer near Mountain View, CA regularly dropping by a local ramen joint there called Maru Ichi and being blown away both for flavor and value... This experience just left me wanting for more... I deducted another star for the fact that we had spent the previous weekends heading to Toro Bravo and being amazed at the value at the restaurant (always shocked at how small the bill is at the end of the night)... we ended up spending the same here for dinner with less expensive ingredients... and less satisfying to be honest. Very kind service though... and it was nice to not have to wait for dinner :). We'll most probably head back to give it one more try...

    (3)

  • Regina C.

    Pork bara $3, isobeyaki (mochi w/shoyu & nori) $4, Biwa ramen with a hard boiled egg and chinese bbq pork $11, price for wonderful experience and food coma... priceless. On a cold evening all you really want is to warm yourself up with a bowl of hot noodle soup.... nomMmm.... Maybe it was cause it was a cold day, or maybe it was cause I was starving but this was an absolute bliss and heavenly experience for my taste-buds! My only flaw and disappointment was that their chinese bbq pork was not the traditional red colored sauced colored meat I'm so use to and so missing from home, but still super delicious!!!

    (4)

  • Igor V.

    I don't know. Some udon. Some cute plates. I didn't think it was anything that special to be honest. I've had better. I've had worse. The carafe of jinro was pretty good. The best dish was a little plate of tuna sashimi, avacado, covered with a petal of radishes.

    (3)

  • Sherry Y.

    Japanese bar food how I miss thee and how I still do. I didn't take the word of one review that the yakionigiri was a waste of money ($2). I failed Yelp with my cynicism and paid the price with under-grilled yakionigiri. I would have paid twice as much for good yakionigiri. The gyoza was under cooked. The ramen noodles tasted fresh, however I felt the broth could have been better. The Izakaya that I had tasted more like it had been par-cooked and then thrown onto the grill for a minute to heat up. I guess I have been spoiled with good Japanese food. If Biwa was a beer, it would be a Heineken. If all you've ever had was Budweiser, Biwa is your beer. Something to tide me over until my next vacation.

    (3)

  • Mark P.

    It ain't cheap, but it may be worth your while anyway. Why? The food! The menu goes beyond the typical Japanese restaurant fare, but not in a trendy way. There are traditional dishes, and also some unusual ones. Everything I tried was superlative. There are a few minuses, but none too serious. Don't go here if you are claustrophobic. The space is, shall we say, very cozy. But if you can afford a few extra dollars, go for the food, and I doubt you will be disappointed. Also, this would be a good choice for a group of four to enjoy conversation. Service is very attentive, but slow, so you'll have plenty of time to relax and socialize.

    (4)

  • Angie Q.

    I had pretty high expectations for this place after being compared to Yuzu (living on the west side and all). Firstly, I did enjoy the atmosphere. It's very intimate yet always bustling with action. We went during happy hour and sat at the bar. Sake and beer were good. Now the ultimate goal of visiting Biwa was to try their ramen and compare it to Yuzu and Daikokoya (LA). I'm a tad torn with the results... Biwa had perfect ramen noodles, firm with a nice bite, very very similar if not the same as Daikokoya's. The ramen noodle texture far exceeds that of Yuzu's. The pork belly and egg were also delicious as well. Pretty much couldn't ask for more on those two toppings. However the biwa broth was way too salty. The flavor was delightful, but the sadly I wasn't able to drink much of the soup.. so Yuzu wins on broth. I do find that Yuzu's broth is also more savory. Nonetheless it was a fun date night.

    (3)

  • Susie Q.

    I was feeling down and my boyfriend suggested Biwa (I love trying new places so he was sure it would cheer me up). Upon driving up I had some reservations however as we actually walked up to the place and were able to see inside I started to get excited... the place was packed and we were told we would have a 30 minute wait for a table... 5 minutes later we were seated! Woo-hoo! The only had one thing in mind with the thought of dinner... wine! They had one red wine on the list... well, that should have been a clue but I thought how could it be with such an extensive sake list. Recommend going with sake even if you are craving red wine. We ordered 2 plates to share the ***Shrimp Pancakes which were very entertaining as the garnish seemed to be alive however the flavor came off fishy so I would suggest passing on it. We also ordered the ***Beef in lettuce cups... this was the highlight of the evening as we both tried to be polite yet secretly wishing the other person would get up to use the bathroom so the one remaining could inhale the entire plate. Absolutely the reason we will be coming back, it was so good that only the lettuce cups actually kept it from melting in your mouth! Mmmmm...!

    (4)

  • C M.

    It's really hard to find a Japanese restaurant in Portland that has real authentic Japanese flavors. Biwa comes somewhat close, but not quite. I think they missed the ever-elusive Japanese flavoring of "just enough" mark by going "too much" with everything. The noodles in the ramen were waaaaaay overdone and the soup was way too flavorless. My favorite pig part, the pork belly, was pretty good- could have been a little crispier. But my little heart broke when they brought out the rice balls and they fell apart from too much soy sauce. But I do have to say they have a nice selection of sakes and the hanger steak was pretty damn good.

    (3)

  • Kristen M.

    Let me tell you a story about a girl who went to eat at a Japanese restaurant with her friends. Although reservations were made at this urban-cozy place, she still had to wait for her party of six to be seated. After 25 minutes, the table was finally ready. The entourage feasted upon ramen noodles and several izakaya style meats. The girl was quite fascinated with her ramen noodles. Her bowl of ramen was good enough for two people. The soup base was a bit salty for her, but nonetheless was satisfying. The noodles perfectly complimented the soup broth in every way. She almost finished the bowl of noodles, pork and soup. When she took a bite of the pork bara and chicken yakitori skewers, they melted in her mouth. Flavors eluded into her taste buds and couldn't leave. By the end of the night, the girl and her friends were too full for dessert. After dining for about an hour and having a wonderful experience, the girl vowed to visit Biwa again. She would definitely order the same thing again.

    (4)

  • Mary M.

    We came here for happy hour - and were right on time at 5pm. Happy hour is only and hour and you have to sit at the bar but it's worth it for half off a good bowl of ramen. Everything was good, especially the sashimi. It did make our tummies feel a little wobbly, which makes me take it down to 3 stars instead of 4, but I guess that's kind of typical of ramen - at least so says a buddy who lives in Japan.

    (3)

  • Graham B.

    Swinging by in a newfound Jetta, the girls picked me up and we headed on over to the Eastern territories. Having no particular establishment in mind, Tatiana M. guided us toward Biwa and the basement it inhabits. If only every basement was this good. I would gladly replace a pool table and beanbag chair with what they serve here. We ordered a couple cocktails: they, the ginger gimlets (gingery and delicious) and i, "a personal matter". Now let me tell you about a personal matter of mine: I don't like whiskey-cokes. I love whiskey and I love Coke. But not a mixture. But this cocktail combined Irish whiskey with some cola and a type of bitters that made the sweetness not so sweet and made me a believer. Drinkem. For food we ordered a number of plates: being of the persuasion that one should share food and thus have more options. We started with some succulent gyoza (best I've ever tasted, I wager) and then moved on to shrimp pancakes (with those weird fish flakes that look like they're alive), bacon chahan (fried rice with "special" bacon; aka: bacon with the texture and slight taste of heavenly marshmallows, good god), steak lettuce wraps and a pork belly skewer that made me never want to eat anything else ever again. Seriously, it was like the goodness of bacon, but in a way that I can't even describe. Rich but light, bacony with no gristle and a smoky flavor that made you want to go to sleep in a pile of it. Yeah. It was pretty good. We worked our way through all of this (pretty decent sized portions) and then our stomachs were the most full they have been for a long time. Our excellent server brought us a dessert menu with changing specials and a number of digestifs, etc. but we decided against it for fear of a Mr. Creosote episode. And since their menu changes to take into account seasonal local ingredients, well, I'd have to say that this won't be the last time, nor the only time that I visit Biwa.

    (4)

  • Cindy H.

    Ramen --- the only reason I go to Biwa. My boyfriend and I (both of Japanese descent, not that that makes us experts necessarily) go out of our way to try any well-reviewed ramen places in Portland (there aren't many, believe me, it's a tragedy.) Biwa's is the best. They have the most complex broth in the whole Portland area. Those of you who have seen Tampopo know that is the true test of ramen. Only once did Biwa's broth come out a bit weak. It was noticeable and really disappointing, but it's ONLY happened once. We've been back at least 3 times since then. I usually order ramen with the wakame (seaweed) and one of the pork choices. All the small plates are excellent except avoid the rice ball, rip-off. Just a triangular piece of rice that's been place on the grill for a few seconds. The chicken is supposed to be great but I don't like fried chicken so I've never ordered it. We LOVE the miso fish and the lamb.

    (5)

  • Nichole S.

    I like you Biwa alot but I cant give you fourth star because of your udon The ramen is good satisfying rich warming I get mine with an egg and the chasyu pork I go for happy hour get a 2 dollar Sapporo and a 7 dollar soup I love it and I love the atmosphere great place to bring a guy. The service is usually good but I have been lost in the crowd no biggie thats why tipping is optional. Give me good service and I will make you smile with my generosity but screw with me and I have no pity Biwa is a great place but the udon needs alot of work. Almost forgot but your chefs rock all of them are super friendly and helpful

    (3)

  • Annette V.

    I'm basing my rating on the burger itself. Forget the staff, service or anything else. That elusive burger that is served for only a few hours (or on weekends, 1 hour) was so good, it alone deserves 5 stars. Juicy, well seasoned, topped with pork belly lettuce and kimchee mayo....I'm drooling at the thought of it. Hands down, one of the best burgers I have had in my life. They serve it medium rare and it is definitely more on the rare side. Not for the faint of heart..if you can't stand seeing any pink in your meat, I wouldn't recommend it. However, you can tell the meat was handled properly and prepared well...these folks know what they are doing...and damn...they do it well. We also tried a tuna dish but that was unimpressive and I can't remember what it was called. All that stands out was the burger. Space was clean, minimal and small but cozy. Only part that bugged me was the tables were set too close, I didn't particularly like having to listen to the odd conversation from the table next to us. Definitely will want to come back to try their ramen, and you bet I'll be back for that burger.

    (5)

  • Peter G.

    I know Biwa doesn't need another review about their burger, but meh...I'm gonna do it anyhow. It's outstanding. I'm sure you could tell I'd say that from the 5 star rating. The doneness is very consistent and the texture/flavor are superb. I order a burger with some kimchi on the side and pile it onto the burger. Give that a try.

    (5)

  • Erin M.

    Biwa is a swanky, laid back, simple yet elegant restaurant. I've visited twice, each time I ordered the udon and each time I left completely satisified. Their udon is made fresh each day, so unlike it's slimy counterpart at other Japanese restaurants, the Biwa version has perfect texture. Love it! Biwa is located in the basement, making it dark and romantic. It's quite cozy, and can get loud at the busiest hours. The wait staff is excellent, explaining the ingredients to each meal they bring out. You can have a $20 meat skewer sampler or share a variety of smaller plates (tapas style), and either way the food will be excellently prepared. You can tell they put effort into perfecting each item on the menu. I love Biwa, I can't wait to return. And I'll have the udon one more time :)

    (5)

  • Scout S.

    I have, sadly, only been here twice. Once with my sister and her friends and another time with my boyfriend... Both times have been fantastic. I love being able to order a selection of different delicious foods and have a range of flavors and textures to experience. I not only love the delicious, lightly seasoned, but oh, so flavorful food, but the dimly lit, personal atmosphere. The second time I came, I was a little bummed because there was only seating at the "bar" surrounding the chefs cooking, but it was a great experience and I loved watching them make my mouth-watering food. I will be back soon to try the ramen, that I have yet to order!

    (5)

  • Emie O.

    I think about the beef tartar DAILY. It's so delicious I want to cry

    (5)

  • NessaBelle H.

    They put the hanger steak skewers back on the late night menu! WHOODY WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

    (5)

  • earth s.

    Pork shoulder is very good. Food is fine, nothing special. The pork shoulder in the Raman was fantastic, like a thick tender piece of bacon. The rest was just ok. Service is professional but somewhat apathetic.

    (2)

  • B V D.

    I lived in Japan for three years. One thing I missed most when I returned back to the States was eating at an izakaya. It's been a while since I've eaten at one. Luckily I came across Biwa in SE Portland. The ambiance is almost like a Japanese izakaya but no tatami mats and most of the people are Portlanders. There's a long line out the door, indicative that food the is worth waiting for. And I'm glad I did wait because my dining experience was worth waiting for. I had several skewers and my favorite is the pork belly. I also ordered the octopus salad and it was prepared with a slightly spicy dressing. My main course was the ramen. The noodles was just right and not over cooked. It was a pleasant experience at Biwa. I would come back again to try the other items on the menu.

    (3)

  • Ryan S.

    I've never had a bad dish here. Every single meal is fresh, delicious, and something unique. Dishes are simple but perfectly flavored. The omakase / chef's choice is incredible, and will leave you absolutely stuffed and content. Favorites include: the pickle plate, the trout, the pork belly, garlic, and chicken heart skewers, and of course the ramen. Go with the daily specials. It's nice to see a staff that knows their stuff, has spot-on recommendations, and absolutely hustles when its packed in there.

    (5)

  • Patrick W.

    Meh is right. I'm comparing it to places like 'Shin-Sen-Gumi' in LA or perhaps Kintaro in Vancouver, BC. Almost not a fair comparison, but the point is, everyone likes different ramen, I like my broth a bit more deep and rich and Biwa's was on the lighter side, too light in fact. We ordered the udon as well and same experience, just bland for my tastes. Service is very good and draft beer was tasty. We did order the japanese style fried chicken and the kids liked it but once again, just not creative enough for me to earn a 4 or a 5. Didn't try other items but any raves about their ramen I'm not convinced. As in Asian American that has tried many ramen places in PDX and abroad, I will not be going back here for ramen, there are better ramen places in PDX.

    (2)

  • Nancy K.

    So the hubby and I had been meaning to check this place out for at least a year and finally did it over the weekend. Man - I think we've been missing out big time. We ordered a slew of things off the menu starting with the deep fried kimchi, bacon fried rice and the croquette. After that we ordered the biwa ramen, soft tofu, and the shrimp cake. The standout dish had to be the fried rice. I had forgotten that my mom used to make something similar when I was a kid. One whiff and it brought back good memories. YUM. Everything was tasty but I think I suffered from umami-overload (or maybe too much salt?). 5 of 6 things we ordered were savory - the soft tofu was my saving grace. Next time I will be ordering a couple neutral dishes so that I don't get overwhelmed. And there will definitely be a next time...

    (4)

  • Britt S.

    This is my "go-to" for late-night eating. I lived in Japan for years, and so Biwa is becoming my required stop for my favorite comfort food, ramen. No need to get fancy with it...just a very straight forward bowl of satisfaction. Great noodles, rich soup, love the soft boiled egg and the thinly-sliced pork. Pork shoulder addition is nice but overkill for snack purposes. For dinner it is great. Yakionigiri (grilled riceball) is also a nice addition. My GF is GF so she swears by the kimchi soup.

    (4)

  • Laura C.

    Dinner club #8. Although this restaurant does not take reservations, they said we wouldn't have a problem getting a table for 12 - if we came early. That being said, we sent a friend early to hold their one large table for our group and got it. With almost everyone else ordering the ramem, I went for the daily salmon special and kara-age (Japanese fried chicken). My brother ordered the chicken as well. It was served with hot mustard and was very tasty, only he wouldn't know - because the waiter set his chicken at the other end of the table and everyone ate it - thinking someone ordered it to share. The only downside to our dining experience was my brother finally having to ask the waiter where his chicken was - since everyone else was pretty much finished eating and he had yet to be served. The waiter replied "I set it down there. Everyone ate it", as though my brothers intent was to not eat that evening, but feed the others instead. My brother's generous, but not that generous. Not that the waiter was rude. Quite the opposite. He just seemed a bit spacy. After explaining that the order was meant for my brother, he put a "Rush" on another order of chicken - that we had to pay for. No matter. We had a really fun time, the service was good and the food was great :-)

    (4)

  • Scott C.

    Wife wanted to try this place. So, off we went. $100 and not worth it. Really disappointing. I'm still trying to figure out how anyone can simply throw fava beans on a grill with zero prep. Mushrooms on a stick, throw on grill.....zero prep/marinade. Rice bowl was average. Our server was great. The food just isn't creative or very good. Won't be back.

    (2)

  • Ann S.

    Oh I had some high hopes for this place as I've really been trying to find some excellent ramen in this town. The restaurant itself is a lovely spot, very cozy, great ambiance and the service was fantastic. The food however was just ok. We tried a variety of items from the menu and nearly all of it was sadly mediocre. The ramen, well, the ramen broth was just a bit uninspired (I had the dark, soy broth) and the noodles were actually a tiny bit on the undercooked side, the texture just wasn't quite right. We also had some skewers, octopus -- which was overcooked and tough to chew, as well as pork belly -- which just seemed to be lacking something... I know pork belly is fatty, but usually there is more flavor to the fat and this was lacking that flavor. I enjoyed the deep fried kimchee, it was something I had never had before. Also, the turnip/pear salad was suprisingly good-- very fresh, simple and light. It nicely balanced the other foods. I soooo wanted to like this place. Maybe I had too high expectations? Maybe my bar is set to high (I just went to Ippudo in NYC)? I'm not so sure I'll be back. I just don't think it was worth it. I'll have to continue my hunt for good ramen...

    (2)

  • Mary O.

    My friend and I needed a ramen fix and the photos on yelp drew us in. To start off, we ordered the bacon and shiitake mushroom fried rice. The flavors were amazing. I am crazy about mushrooms and bacon....so I am very bias. For our main entree, we both got the ramen, one with chicken thigh and the other with smoked pork. The portion was extremely generous and immensely flavorful. It was almost fusion ramen.....not the traditional basic bowl of soup. It was a bit on the pricier side(well..at least for a college student on a budget), but defiantly worth going to when you need that fix.

    (4)

  • Jen M.

    This was listed as one of the top 38 restaurants in Portland within the past couple of weeks. We were up this weekend visiting and took in a play and decided to get a bite after. I was a bit worried as it was just before 10 and a Sunday night. The article ( pdx.eater.com ) said it's Japanese done by a white guy from Michigan - we had to go. We enjoy Japanese style food and moved out from Michigan in 2008. Due to the late hour, we were presented with the late night menu. We ordered up the hamachi sashimi (my personal favorite), gyoza, kasuzuke scallop and udon. I also tried the ginger gimlet (and had to "re-try" a second round) - very refreshing. All in all, a lot of food but not heavy for a late night meal. There were a lot of people enjoying food at the later hour and the price was a bit spendy but what you expect for Japanese style food and the beverages. We look forward to coming back, I look forward to more hamachi sashimi and ginger gimlets..... mmmmm

    (4)

  • Peter K.

    Interesting. Very Interesting. First of all - Love the ambiance. Definitely Izakaya-y. Minimal but cool. The small plates are overpriced. Gyoza was excellent, but 4 pot stickers for $7? They also have a nice late night menu - the $7 burger was juciy and tasty. The side garnish of pickled veggies and potato salad ... WOW it was interesting. Not your mama-sans typical bacon burger, potato salad and pickle. Come here to drink and explore your taset bud. Do not come here if you are huingry and trying to get your grub on.

    (4)

  • Will F.

    The best ramen in Portland bar none. There is a lot of variety on the menu so it's a great place to bring people for first introductions to new flavors.

    (4)

  • Rebecca H.

    Good, not great. Service: pleasant but not fantastic. Took a long time to bring courses (ramen does not take 30 minutes to cook), only filled the water once, and the hostess asked if the waitress had been by to take our order after we had been sitting there for awhile. She had but she was making us grow fonder of her absence after she took the order as we didn't see her for a long time. I think the waitress eventually felt bad for not spending quality time with us and she brought us a "little snack." It was a little pickled veggie thing with a salty fish thing. It was little and tasty. It may be better if you sit inside but it is really loud. There are a few little tables outside so we ate there. Getting the last of the sunshiney days that we can. Decor: Nicely done. Hip, funky mustardy orange walls. Again, very loud, so not good for romantic dinners but fine for other dining. Food: Ramen had a complex base and was quite tasty. It's expensive as you have to add on things like pork and egg. The pork was different; it was like a slice of fried pork loin, not the thin stringy chasu I'm used to, so that was nice, even though it was fatty. You pay for ambiance; ramen usually isn't so spendy. The udon was totally bland and uninspired; it was cold chewy noodles in Swanson's chicken broth. The add on tofu wasn't tasty. How can udon noodles be cold in broth? The broth is warm, the noodles sit in the broth, they should get warm. This tells me the udon noodles were just sitting around for awhile. Feh. The gyoza were good although seeing pink pork always makes me think of worms swirling through my digestive tract. I'm sure it was cooked thoroughly. Pink pork filling. Brain worm. Eeeeehhhh. I would get the ramen there again, and I was ogling the saba the people inside were eating, but Biwa is expensive when compared to the usual ramen joint. It seems to be one of the only ramen places around so I'll just have to suck it up, literally and figuratively.

    (3)

  • Dorian G.

    [Disclaimer: I am spoiled by the tonkotsu ramen from Santa Ramen in San Mateo, CA.] Cute little restaurant with lots of Japanese pub fare and various noodle dishes. They had a bunch of grilled items, including chicken heart and chicken liver, which are only a couple dollars a plate. Goes great washed down with some Sapporo! The kimchi was excellent and the chicken kara-age was quite good as well. But as for the main event, well... The Biwa ramen (described as dark and porky on their menu) was delicious in a dark and porky sort of way. Heh. The texture of the noodles was just right, and the broth was very thick, with definite soy sauce and pork flavors, and very slightly nutty. I ordered mine with the miso glazed pork loin (tender and sweet) and an egg (just slightly undercooked, for the perfect gooey yolky center), and I was very satisfied with my meal. It was no tonkotsu ramen, but I think Biwa would rank as #2 in my ramen experiences. Probably #1 after you factor in the no crazy ass 50 person line and the better ambience and selection of other food and drinks. It's within a couple blocks of the Jupiter Hotel, and open relatively late. A giant dinner for 4 people with drinks came out to $30 per person, with tip. (But we did order a ridiculous amount of food.)

    (4)

  • Julian P.

    1) good atmosphere: nice lighting, chill low key space, a little tight, but cozy 2) food is very good, but portions are small and the prices are a bit high (my opinion) for how much you get. great quality - but you will spend $20 on food and drink (3 plates per person and 2 inexpensive [$11/5 or 6oz] carafes of sake) and still be hungry and (in my case) thirsty. would have happily eat and drank more, but my wallet isn't that fat 3) good selection of Sake (don't know much about sake myself) and Japanese liquor 4) service is good; knowledgeable and helpful staff i liked the kimchi and the pork bellies (fatty - melt in your mouth goodness!); the lamb skewer was tasty as was the fried chicken. seaweed salad is salty and delicious - great texture. overall: i'd go back, but no before i try some other places first; there is too much in pdx to try before going back - Biwa is fun and tasty, but a little pricey. i am not hooked yet

    (3)

  • George P.

    Pork belly skewer is awesome. Udon is the worst I've had *in my life*. No hyperbole here. Stay away from the udon here, people. The memory of the worse-than-tasteless udon still haunts me. Ugh.

    (3)

  • Jason M.

    I'm highly tempted to write a really bad review, only in the hopes that people read it and decide not to go to Biwa so as to make it easier for me to get in more. But I won't do that, I'll keep stubbornly going there and waiting for an hour, staring awkwardly at people gorging themselves on delicious little Korean/Japanese treats while I stand there elbow to elbow with Burnside hipsters in skinney jeans waiting with patience I cannot muster. This is not your strip mall japanese, this is gritty japanese street food at high end prices. This seems to be the source of most of the 1-3 star reviews I read for Biwa. If you like Japanese ghetto food, you will worship at the church of Biwa weekly from now on. Brussel sprout skewers are the best thing on the menu, there I said it. I just lost what little credibility I had. Get the kimchi greens on the ramen for sure. Gyoza are great, beef skewer great, the kimchi fried rice with egg was good but a little bland compared to the other things so it made it into the to-go box. Good miso, good drinks, good... About 15% more expensive than it should be, especially the drinks and Yakitori- my only complaint.

    (4)

  • Marisa J.

    My husband is obsessed with this restaurant and we go a lot. The Japanese pub style is great for a leisurely weekend dinner. Service has always been excellent and friendly I recommend the pork belly, the fried chicken, the kim chee pancake, and you MUST try the ramen with the egg. That egg is one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted. The cocktails are also really good.

    (4)

  • Chris T.

    Love Biwa. Great Japanese food with small portions great for sharing. Good stuff.

    (4)

  • Danny D.

    Pork Belly! Order it, eat it, drink a beer and then order another. This simple dish is cooked to perfection by the grill masters at Biwa. Salty, fatty, juicy, mmmmmmmmmm....sorry. Ok, let me go on about some other good dishes- the Japanese fried chicken is amazing, but be sure to ask for the special plum sauce. The soft boiled/brined eggs are the best thing ever! The hanger steak is cooked to bloody perfection. I love this place.

    (5)

  • Lula T.

    This place rocks. The service is great and the food is incredible. We've been there 10+ times and have never been disappointed. The ramen with pork belly is the best winter comfort food ever, and the draft Sapporo is always a treat. All of these factors make Biwa one of my favorite casual restaurants in Portland.

    (5)

  • mya j.

    pricey. But food is very different from what I have tasted before.

    (3)

  • Brittney M.

    I've loved Biwa for a long time. Long enough that I get grumpy about some menu changes (was sad to lose the fab options at deal they had at the bar, which is how I got to frequent the place so often). But this is about the Biwa burger. After 10 only. It is totally awesome! We recently went to Foster Burger which was a total disappointment. Well the biwa burger blows it out of the water. Its like take a bite and moan good.

    (4)

  • Tyler R.

    Udon- fluffy like Cloud Sake- strong like Bull My belly - full like Pig This place has the good stuff. I think I read somewhere on their menu that they describe the food as "Japanese Soulfood". That really describes it best. Don't think Sushi, even though they have it, think Hibachi grilled goodies, rare Sakes, and heavenly Udon. Sit outside on the nice days or take in the mod chic interior either way you can't go wrong. Domo Arrigato!

    (5)

  • belly o.

    Biwa... the Hawaiian yellowfin tuna in their poke is what has me coming back again and again. It literally melts in your mouth. Their soups are all savory and well balanced with great house made noodles and their rice balls and meat skewers are also delicious. The pork belly here is a little overbearing for me, although I have friends who love it. They have really good specials, although they tend to be expensive and small. My favorite drink here is the Snoop Dog with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and tanqueray. Yum! I like the ambience, dark and understatedly sexy. It's a good date spot. If one of you has some extra cash, that is. You will not be disappointed with the flavors at Biwa, but it will set you back a pretty penny.

    (4)

  • Gveve C.

    alright, this place needs a reality check. the whole ramen bowl was one singular texture, like a watery jello salad. everything was cooked perfectly, but nothing went together well, becuase they were all so separate. more attention was paid to each part of the ramen than the ramen as a whole. the broth was so salty, oily, and dense, it was like drinking pure stock. the udon was similar. i will try not to go here again, but for some reason all my friends are blind to the awful food and worse service.

    (1)

  • Chris B.

    Excellent food all the way around. The bowls of ramen are a monthly requirement. There are multiple types of grilled skewers that are excellent. Sapporo on tap and lots of saki. You have to hit up this place. We really love it here.

    (4)

  • Libby D.

    Consistently and always surprisingly delicious! Servers are always humble, patient, and available at just the right time. Favorite dishes: 1) cold tofu salad with what I like to call "human fish food", or flakes, ginger, scallion, and a sweet, vinegary sauce, 2) BURGER = woah. I ate this burger in seconds. Not kidding. Embarrassingly fast. That is simply not me. I tend to eat things I love at a much calmer pace. 3) Udon Noodle soup. Mmm... Just go and get it, and don't exclude that lovely little egg. And don't forget the cocktails. I think I've tried them all, and there's not one I wouldn't try again.

    (5)

  • C M.

    I love Biwa! But if you have never been it is pretty important to know what to order I have found. The Udon ricks the house and if you peek in the window on a Sunday morning you can see them making it from scratch! The Biwa Ramen is good. The broth changes between time you get it so sometimes it is a knock out, and sometimes it is just good. Lately it has been a salt issue, but you can ask for more salt. Just say NO to the chicken version. I substituted the awesome "shio" and I think is made for the meek. The drinks are always well mixed, but I tend to get sake. Since much of the food is made to pair with Sake, especially at the bar where happy hour is served. The Salt grilled Mackerel is awesome, and is good with a bowl of their superior miso and some of the best rice in PDX. They serve a burger at the late night happy hour, after 10, that is good, for the first half, and then all the spices get to you and you wish you had split it with a neighbor. Their tofu is also from Ota which is right around the corner form the shop. The music is always good there too. And the atmosphere is great for a date, or lively conversation, but the place is pretty small, so I would not go there with more than 4 people.

    (5)

  • Brenda G.

    Open late, cocktails, Sake and good food. Not your average food. Something different. I'm not a Udon or Ramen fan so I skipped that part of the menu. I had the tofu on a stick, a simple salad with beets & wasabi sauce oh and the fried rice with special bacon. I was handed about 4 different menu's and it got a little confusing but after my first Jinro Soju on ice I was good to go. The decor is industrial and dark. Oh and the warm hand towels is a nice touch.

    (5)

  • Liz K.

    Tight quarters - small tables & chairs, right on top of next table. But really good food & service. We had steak wraps which were awesome. Miso soup was very good. Chicken curry rice was ok - would skip next time, could get anywhere. Seaweed salad was very good. Nice staff, reasonable pirces. We'd go again

    (4)

  • Rian M.

    Great place for a casual, fun dinner. Very affordable in my mind. Good portion sizes too. Order and share so you can try many different things. The ramen noodles were simple yet delish. It's a busy place, but we didn't have to wait too long. Try a few of the grill items!

    (4)

  • Arturo A.

    So for "Oregonized" izakaya this place was definitely oishi. The buta and bara were among the most flavorful i've ever had. Good skewers and sapporro on draft usually lead to a good meal.

    (4)

  • Kat N.

    This is my second trip to Biwa and this time around, I got to try the ramen finally. It was good. Not amazing, but good. The noodles were chewy, but I found the broth to be a bit on the salty side. Not very porky, just kinda salty. I added kimchi greens and it was good, but the egg was the star. It really was the perfect cooked egg. Ultra creamy, but not runny. It probably sounds odd to be so impressed by an egg, but with something so simple, it's usually not done right. This ramen egg - was made right. The more I think about it though, the more I want to try Kintaro (in BC) again, because I've yet to find the same richness in the broth down here. I did dock it (Kintaro) a point for being TOO fatty, but I think I kind of miss it. Biwa's ramen just didn't have that "mmmm factor" I was expecting. Regardless, it's a good bowl of noodles. The kimchi small plate was good and of course the burger. Great. The drinks aren't my favorite though, but I think it takes an aquired tongue to enjoy some of their signature cocktails. I'll eat here again, but I'll probably stick with the small plates and burger.

    (3)

  • Carlos D.

    This place is amazing! Definitely one of my favorites and high on the repeat list. I don't think I have had anything that was at least not good here, most of the items are great to outstanding. I do miss the kalbi but I guess they just made too much smoke, cant wait till summer when they might do them again outside. I have been here about 10 times, always a fan of skewers, when it opened I knew this was a must eat. While I was skeptical when I learned that they were cooked on gas and not charcoal, almost expecting them to be cooking on the japanese hardwood now displayed atop the bar. While I will never convert to gas for grilling, I was won over. All of the items are fresh and well put together, excellent kimchi! where to start?! Poke is not my favorite food but well done, tartare is nice, simple with a nice kick from slivers of chili, pear salad is well balanced and a nice acidity, kara-aga was OK but I have never been a big fan of fried chicken (but i will tell you that the chicken at Viande has me thinking otherwise) of the yaki, I would highly recommend the hearts, pork belly, lamb and hanger. The bacon and enoki is outstanding. I don't ever order the Noodles as I'm way more of a fan of the rest of the menu but there is always some at the table and the broth is outstanding, must be the seared loins I always see coming out of stock pots. Really good flavors but not running over each other. mmm i could eat here at least once a week.

    (5)

  • John S.

    It would be one star but the pork belly skewers and the service was really good. The problem lies in the fact that there was trash in my ramen....yes ..TRASH! To be specific it was a piece of plastic the size of half a dollar bill. I can't forgive that. If the ramen had been sans trash it still was horrible. I have done plenty better with Top Ramen and leftovers out of the fridge. They don't make their own noodles and it is expensive as hell when you add on pork and an egg that should come with it. The service was impeccable and they didnt even make me pay for my trashy ramen. By all means please go there but only get the skewers.

    (3)

  • Branden T.

    The atmosphere and restaurant design is excellent; it's a cool place. But the food left much to be desired. It didn't seem authentic asian--especially the ramen/soba. The flavors were bland.

    (2)

  • Steven W.

    Three words: Buta no Kakuni. I know people feel compelled to rave about pork belly dishes in this town, but this is seriously good, and it's just one example of the deliciousness that waits at Biwa. The good service, ambiance, and sake/cocktails don't hurt either. This is one of the best Japanese joints in town. The only weak spot is the ramen: my verdict was that most people will enjoy it, but serious ramen freaks will think it's nothing special.

    (5)

  • Amy T.

    I didn't know that I have a kimchi problem until I went to Biwa and kept sneaking bites of it from the friend I was eating with because it was so good: spicy, pungent, crunchy. The yakitori is also super, good beer selection. Great happy hour deal, too.

    (4)

  • H. K.

    The food here is definitely more Asian Fusion than authentic. Being a lover of all kinds of noodle soup and something of an Asian foodie, I was excited about trying Biwa after hearing rave reviews about its ramen. I was extremely disappointed by the ramen: the broth was too heavy and salty and left a strange aftertaste, and the noodles were gummy. I ordered my ramen with pork and egg and got two measly slivers of dry and uninspiring meat and an overcooked, rubbery, hard boiled egg. I've also tried the bibimbap here and it was, at best, edible. It tasted overwhelmingly of sesame oil and the rice seemed way too gloppy. Overall, I would not recommend Biwa if you are looking for truly authentic Japanese flavors.

    (1)

  • E T.

    Everything from the Kimchi to the udon was great. Highly recommend gyoza and short ribs.

    (5)

  • Kala L.

    I've been to Japan a couple times, so I'm a tiny bit spoiled on what I consider "good" Japanese food. Biwa has some of the best ramen I've had stateside, everything I've tried from the grill is fantastic, everything tastes like it's made fresh, and the menu has some very traditional Japanese items I've never seen served anywhere else. The wait to be seated can get a little long, but I try not to show up during the busy hours. Service is prompt once you're seated.

    (5)

  • Stephanie S.

    We LOVE the udon noodles here - homemade and al dente with a tasty broth. The service is a bit hit or miss and one time we ordered the grilled rice ball and it came out charcoal! My in-laws enjoyed their meal but paying $4 for 5 beans is a bit expensive. The best thing to get here is the noodle dish. I like their sake and happy hour bar menu too.

    (4)

  • Nathan B.

    I once loved Biwa, for the first year or so after they opened. I could go in there on a Friday or Saturday night and be seated right away, much of the food was excellent, and I could always find a fairly reasonable and tasty sake to drink. I remember the first time I had their ramen and fried rice - it literally made me say "Oh My Gawd!" out loud. But then the ramen broth went through a phase where it was just too salty to eat. My GF lost interest, and for another year or more I couldn't get her to go with me. So we didn't go. Until, at last, a week ago I talked her into it. One last shot. But alas and woe. We arrived early Friday night to find a packed house, and a 30 minute wait. We finally got seated and a chance to peruse the menu. No more fried rice, must to my dismay. I will give the wait staff credit for doing a good job amidst near pandemonium. Were on our previous visits there were two people in the kitchen and two waitresses, now there were possible 15 or more staff members scurrying about, including 6 or more in the kitchen. But, to my dismay, the fried rice was gone, and the cheapest sake on the menu was $14 for 6 ounces 9and it wasn't very good, at that)!!! Now, go find yourself a 6 ounce bottle of juice or something next time you're at the grocery store to get the picture. This bottle was TINY. And after it was gone, although I wanted more, I refused to pay such absurd prices. The list went well over $60 (or even $80) for said 6oz serving. So, we tried to make the best of it. Ordered the ramen with pork, but they forgot the pork part. The broth was both intense and bland at the same time. At least not too salty. But "meh". And the noodles were indistinguishable from the crap you get in the package at the store 10 for a dollar. Seriously. When I asked the waiter (coyly) if they made their own noodles, he replied with "No, we tried, but people didn't like them. Our Japanese customers prefer these." And indeed, a group of Japanese customers seated next to us seemed to enjoy them. I just couldn't eat them. We moved on to an assortment of small plates. $4 for one chicken heart sliced thin and skewered, $4 for an ounce of chicken thigh, and $6 for maybe 2 ounces of some sort of beef on a stick. And on and on. The thing that really bothered me is that all these things, including the grilled rice cluster, were just grilled. No special treatment, no special flavor. Just bland. Bland, bland, bland (and I couldn't even get any soy sauce out of them). So we cut our losses and left. For a total of something like $75. Both unsatisfied, we went out for sushi. I'm done with Biwa. Success has ruined it.

    (2)

  • Hillary R.

    the raw tuna appetizer now appears as the protagonist in my dreams. it often wears a cape and drives the motorcycle sidecar with his little pal sesame/peanuty sauce covered green beans loyally by his side.

    (5)

  • Cheyenne M.

    biwa is the shit. I am very full for 10 dollars, including my coca cola. The chicken skewers, tofu skewer and grilled rice ball did the job. my man had "divine" miso soup, kimchi griddle cakes, and the rice ball with salted plum and nori. delish! cute space, cute waitstaff, piping hot towels and really close by.

    (5)

  • Jason A.

    Food (2 star): Chijimi - soggy, doughy and oily, cooked at too-low a temperature. I think this would have been awesome if cooked more skillfully. Chicken thigh yaki - bland, salty. Pork belly yaki - tasty, lemon is a nice touch, but also salty. Natto + gohan - Natto portion is tiny, ridiculously overpriced. Rice (gohan) is dry, bordering on crunchy. Terrible. Hiyayakko - tasty, cool, well-executed dish. Tsukemono - tasty, good for cutting the grease on some of my other dishes. Ramen (* note I only tried samples of the soup broth, not the full deal with noodles and toppings): traditional ramen soup this is not. Both the pork and chicken soups taste thin, and salt is the dominant flavor. Almost no fat in the broth, which may be great for the health-conscious but certainly doesn't help the taste. Note to chefs: please (re)watch Tampopo. I want Portland to have the Tampopo ramen-ya at the end of the film, not the beginning. Drink (4 star): Good selection of shochu. Cheap draft Sapporo at the bar is great too. Atmosphere (3): Cool architectural design, it's a neat space. They need to turn on the A/C though, the place is oppressively warm. I had to drink a terrifying volume of water just to prevent dehydration from sweat. Service (5): Super friendly, helpful, and attentive.

    (3)

  • Adam W.

    Biwa is ok, I wasn't terribly impressed but I wasn't disappointed. Staff and service were great. Sat outside on a cool night and atmosphere was great. Prices on most drinks were decent, but I felt like the sakes and shochus were a couple bucks higher then they should have been. I didn't have noodles of any kind, so I can't vouch for those. The apps and smaller plates were good though. A great place to get a decent mix of Japanese (and some Korean) food, and some good sake or shochu. Not much competition in this space and price range in Portland, so you have to be pleased if this is what you're looking for. I'll go back for happy hour and snacks, but not sure I'd make it a dinner destination ever again.

    (4)

  • Orian I.

    I read about this place, i took a date there, it was very tasty. my family is actually from kobe, so this flavor was very much from the kansai region. which is alittle ligher in general. the yakitori was tasty. the pickles were very much lighter in flavor which is very much a kansai thing. i didn't get a chance to try their ramen or udon, which i know is the main attraction. the atmosphere is cool modern industrial/with a asian-y influence. seating is harder but parking is on street and pretty good.

    (4)

  • Chelsea A.

    I don't know what everything else taste like . . . but I can tell you this. The Ramen is good enough to sing odes to. Odes I tell you. The Bar seating is the best place in the house, mostly because I like peering into the kitchen. (It's open so I'm not technically peering). The service was excellent and totally on top of their system. I will be going back, and I will love it just as much the second time as I did the first.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 12:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Biwa

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