My brother was in town and I'd bragged and bragged to him about the fabulous food in Portland. Two hour wait at Pok Pok, so we ended up at Cafe Castagna. It was awful. Uninspired. Out of several dishes. Cold. My brother left Portland unimpressed
(1)
John K.
There are a number of very good, but very different burgers to be had around town. As far as my own personal preferences go, the one at Cafe Castagna is my favorite. There are other places where bacon and cheese are needed to make a burger truly interesting - but at Cafe C, the meat speaks for itself - in fact, I don't think I've ever felt a need to adorn the burger here with anything else. Adding thin, bordering on crispy fries, and fabulous pickles rounds things out wonderfully. The tough thing about a visit here is that the pizza is wonderful as well - right up there with Ken's Artisan and Wy'East. Fortunately, I usually visit Cafe C with my wife, and one of us orders pizza and the other a burger, and we split them, preventing one of the tougher decisions to be made in a given day. The service here has always been great, and the only thing I would suggest changing would be to put up something to absorb a bit of the sound echoing off the walls and the concrete floor.
(5)
allison o.
Wow - went there for an early dinner on a Saturday night, and boy, were we disappointed by every aspect of our experience. To start it off, the service was slow, and remarkably inattentive. I watched a table arrived, ate and left before we even got our salads -- which tells me the problem was with our waitress, not with the entire staff. However, at the end of the day, our meal took TWO HOURS. Which is inexcusable for a place that serves mostly burgers. Food was incredibly salty, almost to the point of being inedible. This was the case for all of our entrees and salads and soups. The salmon & pizza entrees came out cold, which again could be blamed on our really inattentive server. Besides the cold food, the decor was also cold: concrete floors, bare tables, icy grey walls. Also, open kitchen makes for a very LOUD dining experience. Even if I lived in Portland, I would NOT go back again.
(1)
Marvin R.
What happened? I used to love this place. I could count on everything here being on the plus side of wonderful. Now its a gamble if the food will be cold or hot when served, and the fries (oh no not the fries, formerly the best fries this side of anywhere) were served limp and luke warm. The burger (half the size it used to be) was prepared exactly as I requested though. Consistency seems to be a difficult thing to achieve in a restaurant, and now this place has proved it once again.
(3)
Thilo W.
I have had two very good meals here, one alone, and one with the family. I agree that the space, being triangular, has a visual oddness to it, but not enough to bother. It can get a little loud due to the concrete floor. Staff has been friendly and attentive both times I have been, so no complaints there. The food has, overall, been very good. First let me say that their hamburger, as others have noted, is superb. I have had it twice, and it was consistent in its excellence. It was a bit overcooked the last time I went, but was still very good. The bun is a sort of brioche dough and the fries are crispy and outstanding. I have also tried the mac and cheese (very good, although lacking a sharpness that I prefer), a house made pasta with lemon, prawns, and a chive-like green (truly great), the Ceasar salad (very good, whole leaf with a garlicky dressing), and the fried risotto balls stuffed with fontina (how can you go wrong?). Prices are not dirt cheap, but I wouldn't expect that from a place like this. I feel it was a good value for the quality and would definitely return...especially for the burger.
Came to this place for lunch with co-workers, and WOW was i surprised to find out how good the burger was here. The inside of the cafe is small in size but feels much bigger. I think it has to do with the high ceilings and modern furniture that make it feel like they aren't packing you in so as if to feel u sitting on top of one another. Everyone at my table said how great the burger is, but not having ever heard of this place I somewhat felt like choosing something else off the menu. I've had plenty of other burgers in Portland and I was skeptical that it would not rival with Blue Hour's burger, and on top of that I had a burger the day before -- But boy did it ever. The meat was so fresh and cooked perfectly to Medium-rare. It came with plenty of amazing shoestring fries. I will definitely need to come back here for dinner and have a draught beer with the burger. Cheers.
(5)
Suzanne F.
When I return to actually eat, I fully anticipate 5 stars, but since all we did was sit at the bar and have a drink while reading the menu, I have to go on my drink alone... I am a sucker for interesting-sounding new drinks (it's a fault of mine Stuart goes along with, rolls his eyes, and just humors me. He sticks to the basics...) . The bartender was efficient, pleasant but not overly chatty. She was clearly on top of things and the bar was tidy, clean, and very well stocked. I had an Earl Grey kind of martini...while I usually am disgusted with gussied-up variations on this classic, this one intrigues me. I was interested because the bartender made this version of flavored vodka herself (and even suggested that I might try it if I liked it!). The flavor was smoky and full, the color was slightly amber...very pleasing on the eye, especially with a thinly sliced lemon floated on top. We were expected for dinner at our friends' house so we did not avail ourselves of the menu, tho' I will say there were several items that had me salivating...especially the Dungeness crab with pea shoot salad....oh boy, I am returning for this!! All in all, a swell place to pull up to the bar. I will be making this a regular stop!
(4)
Gigi P.
A group of 12 of us went to Cafe Castagna last week to celebrate Hubby's 6-0 birthday. This was my first visit, and I realize that a larger group experience is probably different then what a couple or or quartet might experience.. That said, I was underwhelmed by this place. I'm being generous giving them 3 stars. First off, this place is very loud inside. What? I can't hear you even though you are sitting right next to me. I ordered a drink when I ordered dinner and 20 minutes later it still had not arrived. I had to remind the server - Oh yeah, your drink. About half of us ordered burgers, mostly due to the fact a friend had raved about their burgers, and it was the reason I chose this place. The burgers were very good tasting. I agree that the pickles are unique and quite delicious. I thought maybe they are made from zucchini. They are a sweet pickle, not a dill pickle. The fries were also very good. Since our table was quite long we could not converse with everyone at once. I made a visit to the other end of the table after dinner but before dessert to thank people for coming. One guest had ordered salmon and it was too under-done for her liking. She sent it back to the kitchen requesting it be cooked longer. The chef sent it back, saying that is how salmon should be cooked, refusing to cook it further. Needless to say, the guest did not eat her salmon. To me, that was over the top rude. I can just about guarantee she will not be back, and I'm not sure I will come back based on that arrogance. Finishing the meal was a dark chocolate cake with coconut filling. This was amazing. When I made the reservation I had requested a cake. My only instructions were Dark Chocolate and Coconut, not German Chocolate. They really delivered on the cake. It redeemed them a bit for me. So, mixed feelings here. Serve was slow, chef was arrogant, cake was amazing. I definitely do not recommend this for a group over 4.
(3)
Joseph H.
Let's talk about why we're here: The Castagna Burger as it's known to the Yelpdom. A bastion of burger bliss to take you away on a vacation iny our mouth. Or so they say. Actually they didn't, I just quoted myself from the Yelp forum. Anywhoooo - The burger deserves high marks. High, high, high marks. If we were making top 10 lists of burgers in Portland it would be on the list. Happily I'd eat up Castagna's offerings 8 days a week. Curiously, I don't think it's the BEST burger in town. Maybe it's because I'm a frugal gourmet, I want my food to taste good, look amazing in a skirt, but also be inexpensive. After all, this is a b-u-r-g-e-r we're all ranting about. And I love cheese burgers, they're qualified as an all encompassing food group. Think about it, a burger with egg, cheese, tomato, garden greens, relish, ketchup, mustard and more covers the spectrum when stacked between two buns. FRUIT and Vegetables are included in that list. I digress: Castagna has it made, mellow atmosphere, great food and they can build a burger. Weighing in at a table price of $13-16, depending on your fixins is it really worth it? I sprung for Bacon and Bleu Cheese for the high end evening of celebration. I smiled through every single bite, every one solicited a melt in your mouth moan. In Portland we could have the food Olympics and Castagna's burger could probably garner a Bronze medal. It's pretty good, but it misses the gold, except they charge for the gold, you know? Grab some reviews on Pause, Toro Bravo, Stanich's, Higgins and now Foster Burger, and you're up for a real elimination round. I'll even tell you a secret, the Nightlite on Clinton by the New Seaon's on Division sells a Brioche Burger on Happy Hour that completely runs for the money. Not to say Castagna doesn't hold it's own. Bronze medalists are pretty good, professional level gourmet craftsmanship is going on amidst a mellow crowd of mostly 50 plus. We also ordered the Scallops which looked just like the picture, and they were grilled to perfffection. Not too gelatinous like sushi scallops, and not to firm, just right with the bite. The friend across from me ordered the house made, Bangers and Mash which was very reasonably priced and a masterful performance. House made pork sausage on a pillowy bed of mash potatoes, butter, peas and greens. It was the perfect combination. We both agreed that they need to serve it with some mustard or horseradish sauce on the side. In fact, if they want to blow the doors off with this dish--- Horseradish mashed potatoes! Mmmm, but perhaps their elderly crowd has an aversion to spice. My friend's plate was licked clean. As was mine, everything was fantastic and I would go back. The other thing Cafe Castagna has going for it is the side of town it's on. There's not much around that can hang with this kind of cooking and cuisine near Hawthorne. Want that Pause Burger? Well you'd better be ready to drive to the end of NE Interstate. Definitely a great place and when my lady is free for the evening it's going to make a perfect date night. Until then I think I'm going to grill up another grass fed burger at home and pat myself on the back for being cheap. :)
(4)
Veronica J.
I live RIGHT across the street from this place, so if you are sitting outside, be sure to wave (ew, creepy!). I went here last summer with my parents after I moved to the neighborhood, as I prefer not to pay these kinds of prices on my own. if you want to sit outside, be sure to arrive early or prepare for a wait. we chose to sit inside despite the gorgeous weather :[ my mom and i shared the butter lettuce salad with chives and tarragon (definitely enough to split, and very tasty). and i ordered a tart cherry fizz (i would return for this drink alone: vodka, tart cherry juice, soda and lemon), and my dad tried the mango fizz (it was ok, not the biggest tequila fan). For dinner, I had a baked pasta dish with gruyere, which was a little greasy and rich. All in all, a nice meal and a nice little restaurant. My parents live in the suburbs, so it was an interesting portland experience for them. I'd love to go again, if anyone wants to pick up the tab?!?!
(4)
Steve M.
Gotta go with the pro-burger reviewers here. In my experience, it's the best in Portland - perfectly cooked, tender and juicy, accompanied by perfectly executed shoestring fries. If you're not feeling carnivorous, the butter leaf salad with tarragon vinaigrette is always nice, as are the crunchy arancini (risotto croquettes). I agree with others who complain about the noise level - this place needs to spring for some rugs or something to tone down the sound.
(4)
MJ L.
I would give 3.5 here if I could. But it falls to 3 considering I was still hungry after their 1/3 lb burger. Yes local beef, yes a nice fresh bun, bla bla bla... When you cook a third pound burger it turns into a Quarter Pounder or less depending on your temp preference. The service was a bit pretentious and the place was stark (not in a good "less is more" sense). Other than the burger everything tasted very good. They have a good Caesar Salad, and the chocolate pots de creme is a smooth criminal. Not saying that Michael Jackson is chocolate by any stretch, but he used to be folks, he used to be...
(3)
Sherry Y.
I went here for dinner last week. I sat outside, which I highly recommend because (as many people noted( it gets noisy, even on a Tuesday night. The butter lettuce salad is excellent. It never gets old. I usually get the burger, but I decided to try the pizza and linguine. The linguine was good, nice and al dente and it had a little kick. There was plenty of shrimp. However, the squash pizza was ok, and only ok. The crust seemed to have too much butter. I hate to make this comparison but I once tried a Totino's pizza and the crust reminded me a little of the Totino's crust. The combination of the pizza toppings was good, but it's hard to come back from bad crust. For this paticular visit, I'd probably only give them 3.5 stars, but I'll round up because the service was great and because this is the first thing I've ordered from Cafe Castagna that wasn't either great or at least good. Plus I know I'll be back.
(4)
Kelsey C.
Excellent food, excellent drinks, excellent staff! We had a wonderful experience here and the food was delicious. Our group of 10 sampled many different items from the menu, the list I sampled: Fried risotto balls - 4/order, done to perfection, breading not overdone Pasta with morels, asparagus, and pancetta - perfect serving-size. My only complaint was having only one (large) morel... Less to share with the husband! I had a bite (or 2!) of the seared wild salmon served med-rare. Perfect preparation to an excellent cut of fish. Chocolate pot de creme paired with a staff-recommended Hungarian dessert wine. The pairing was amazing and the pot de creme was not overly rich. The perfect ending to an excellent meal! Since we had a group of ten it was quite noticeable how loud the restaurant was. I would recommend groups of 6 or less for future meals here.
(5)
Vince H.
Best Burger in PDX. And best I've had in a long time. 'Nuff said. Don't know about the other stuff on the menu, but if you're craving a gourmet restaurant burger, look no further.
(4)
Coral C.
If I could give 3.5, it would be a little more accurate, but I'll err on the side of generous tonight. It has been a while since we went out to dinner, and had wanted to try this place since it was in our neighborhood. Food was okay, nothing that fantastic. My main complaint was that it took SO long for the food to come out. Appetizers and dessert came out in a timely manner, but our main entrees took over half an hour. For a place that wasn't very busy and had empty tables...there's just no reason for that. Another issue was that we were seated right by the front door, like, the door when it was opened almost hit us. It was a chilly night, and that part sucked. There were other tables open, although for 4 tops. But it's a Tuesday night, come on! Service was good though, and even though one of our glasses of wine was definitely corked, she quickly took care of the issue with no questions asked. (the bartender later confirmed that it was bad). Prices were pretty affordable as well.
(4)
Micah C.
Ate at the cafe, which has a fresh menu daily, local ingredients... one of the best burgers in Portland. French fries met with my girlfriends high standards. Separate order of fries is huge! Best to get them with another dish - else you won't finish them before they go cold. Wine selection was thorough. Atmosphere excellent for small groups, and conversation. Not too loud. Prices fair. castagnarestaurant.com/i…
(5)
KAREN P.
I have been coming here for years- lunch and dinner. Food is always good- burgers are excellent and the pizzas have a nice crust and good toppings. Butter lettuce salad has a great tarragon vinaigrette. Good service and very professional and yet friendly. Dinners can be a little loud, but its still easy enough to hear your dining companions.
(4)
Lisa M.
Definitely recommend eating outside, it gets very noisy inside. If I had to eat inside, I'd leave. Excellent food, well prepared. Our server was good, the wait for the food was very long. I was getting ready to complain when it finally arrived. Thank goodness the food was worth the wait!
(4)
Thomas P.
What took me so long to come here? One of the best meals I've had in Portland in a long while. Everything was perfectly cooked: melt in my mouth calamari, juicy and plump roasted chicken, and tender pork cheeks (albeit a little bland.) The flight of digestifs was a great bargain and the Chocolate Pot de Creme was silky smooth and refreshingly cool. I could've eaten a gallon of it. The staff was efficient, friendly and helpful. The space is simple, tables spaced nicely, and the noise level was manageable. I've been to far worse in Portland. Alas, the wine list is a bit of a disappointment. The server's knowledge about the list was minimal, and we were steered in a mediocre direction. We drank it up, although the food deserved better. I will return and hope to hit the Big Daddy Castagna next door for a special occasion.
(4)
Jav V.
I heard good things about the burger, so I had to check it out. It was pretty great. I don't think it was the #1 burger I've ever had, but it's definitely in the top 5, especially in Portland. The fries were really good too. I like the atmosphere. It's really simple. Good service too.
(5)
Peter L.
This would be a great third date spot. The dining room is dark and appealing, the wait staff is friendly and efficient, and the food is consistently delicious. It's just noisy enough and seating is just close enough to create a comforting atmosphere without making you feel claustrophobic. A great drink selection seals the deal.
(4)
Paul P.
We were invited out here and after mistakenly reading reviews for the Castagna Restaurant, I was psyched to try out this new place. the Cafe is evidently much different than the Restaurant. Although service was excellent, cocktails and wine great, the food needed some help. Things started off well enough with oysters on the half shell, cheese stuffed rice balls (arancini), soup and salad. Main courses went downhill. My wife had the baked Penne which was over cooked and over baked. One big blob. I had the Casulette where the beans were quite al dente and the duck sausage was rather hard as if it had just been added. Not soft and slow cooked. My brother had the chicken with harrisa. Although he did not comment on it the texture appeared a bit rubbery and he was working at cutting through it. They rallied with some decent desserts although one more item, the bread pudding was fairly dry. Won't be back. We might try the Restaurant but I'll need a little more reassurance from friends before the venture.
(2)
Benja F.
Extremely serviceable Italo-Euro-Nouvelle Amero cuisine. The wine we had was banging.
(3)
Jodi H.
If you want to eat at Castanga but don't want to spend the money the Cafe is the way to go! The food is always great and the cocktails are wonderful. I've eaten several lunches and dinners here. Everything I've ever had there has been great and if you need a burger and fries they are the best in town!
(5)
Matthew M.
This place is the Castagna on the left of the other Castagna. Great bar with a good selection of whiskies and bourbons. The decor is unpretentious and utilitarian. Nice little bar to wait for a table. I went here the first time a couple of years ago since they had a very highly rated burger and fries. As of 01/06, I've been several times and last night's visit was just as delicious as the first. The pickles are amazing: I asked the server if I could get their recipe and she mentioned it was from Zumi's (San Francisco). The burgers are made medium rare with what tastes like quality beef. The buns stay together, and from the top, down, it's a delicious burger. The french fries are very good. A bit like shoestring fries. Crispy outside, delicious insides. The homemade ginger soda is pretty much perfect. I always use some bitters in the ginger soda and it always helps get the digestion going.
(4)
K T.
We have been here maybe 8 times, but this time may be the last...we may not return! Yea Yea...the place is bit noisy, it's kind of retro, it has a nice ambiance But we come for the food, and that's where we were disappointed for the second time. The burger just wasn't as good as it used to be, maybe even an ounce or two smaller. The highlight of the evening was the liver mousse. It was done to perfection! However, the new thing on the menu was the bouillabaisse, and that's where we decided they aren't paying as much attention as they used to. I have had bouillabaisse many times in America and in France and have never had a broth so unstructured...it was just a thin broth with 3 medium shrimp, 4 mussels and a piece of fried fish and 4 halved fingerling potatoes! I guess that's Castagna's version, but I think they need to revisit their recipe! So all in all, would we go back? I just don't think so! I would like to give it a 2 star because only one thing was remarkable! We love to eat at all different type of restaurants and this will no longer be at the top of the "must return" list. Sorry!
(3)
Cam T.
dear diary, i met this new boy the other night. his name is Castagna which is strange because it sounds Italian but he seems like more of a nouvelle cuisine mediterranean melting pot to me. not like i'd complain because i'm all about the chantarelle arancini, golden beet salad, & raspberry chocolate souffle. rowr. no dear Castagna, i'm not objectifying you, i'm whole-heartedly embracing your joie de vivre because it really does take a love of life to take disparate things like french fries & chocolate souffle & make it seem like a divine dictum. speaking of which, let me just say hamburger. aaahhh. hamburger. i shall be waxing poetic on your charms for many days & nights to come. juicy, toothy consistency, just the right combination of meaty & dare i say "airy"? because a truly inspired burger should not be a dense lump of meat, no? you know diary, i can easily envision myself relaxing over great food, innovative & well made drinks, and soaking in atmosphere on the patio on a regular basis. what's not to love about witty, attentive staff & looking over & thinking, "I think that car moved 2 whole feet since the last light. Maybe I should offer them a french fry?" sweet dreams Castagna, i have a feeling you're going to have a starring role in mine tonight...again. 'night 'night diary.
(5)
Monique D.
Had a great meal at Cafe Castagna last night. An impromptu date night with my husband, sitting at the one of the outside tables next to their garden of mint was perfect. As one other reader said, if it is summer go for the outside tables. We sat at the bar before dinner for a drink and I can tell it gets very noisy inside. The cocktails were good, but actually the barbera wine by the glass I had with dinner hit the spot much more. The caesar salad was great, the arancini was OK. My husband and I shared two of their pizzas (still leftovers tonight!), the summer squash and goat cheese And the mozzarella, basil and pepperoni pizzas - both were very tasty! Loved the thin crust. For dessert, the gelato affogato (with espesso) was great, the white and dark chocolate trifle with blackberries was OK....the blueberry cobbler looked amazing. We will definitely return....oh, and the service was fantastic - from hostess, to bartender, to server! Thank you for a great night Cafe Castagna! A 3 1/2 stars if I could give half stars....
(3)
Maggie R.
Come here when you're hankering a burger and fries. If you're with a friend (or really, really hungry), split the Caesar salad and then the burger. The burger comes on a brioche bun with homemade pickles, plus the usual lettuce, tomato and onion. Shoe-string fries are perfectly crisp and not-greasy; the portion is quite generous. Mayo and ketchup taste homemade. Cooked medium-rare, the juices seep into the bun with each bite. Something seemingly pedestrian as this classic combo has never tasted so delicious. If there's not a seat open immediately, the host(ess) will bring you drinks while you wait. The draught beer selection is limited. Service has always been friendly in my experience.
(5)
Anna A.
Tried Castagna out after getting a git certificate. Went on a Tuesday night early so we had no problems getting a table straight away. We shared a Caesar salad, which is one of the best I've had (almost as good as Gino's in Sellwood) and the Arancini, which was a bit bland. I'd heard about Castagna's burgers so my husband decided to try it, and he seemed to agree with all the great reviews (me being vegetarian, can only attest to it looking fine, I guess, though it seemed a bit too juicy, with liquid literally seeping from the meat into the plate with every bite). I had the penne dish, which is basically a mac n cheese, a really good one at that, creamy and tasty. The wine selection is fine too, but we were too full to try any dessert. Meal total came to $70 which is not bad considering we had 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 3 glasses of wine, and the portions are pretty big (unlike other "semi fine dining" italian places, I'm looking at you Accanto). I'd recommend Castagna for a nice casual dinner if I want to be in the SE area for sure.
(3)
Jason K.
My second favorite place to dine in Portland. Comfort food place for wine geeks. Cool wine list. Kid friendly tooo.
(4)
Kate S.
We were greeted by one of the most helpful and friendly hostesses imaginable. She went out of her way to welcome us and help us decide between dining at the cafe or restaurant. Ended up eating at the cafe which was awesome. Amazing salads, halibut and dessert. Everyone who waited on us was cheerful, pleasant and seemed glad to be there. A great neighborhood vibe and it doesn't seem like it's trying to be anything more than a cozy place with good food and drink.
(4)
Greg S.
Come dine in Portland's finest echo-chamber/restaurant. I've eaten at many loud establishments, but the roar of this place on an average weeknight is tough to top. Filled with middle-aged plus couples and groups with children, Cafe Castagna has clearly found its niche with diners who conclude that if something's expensive, its gotta be good. First of all, let me say that a cheeseburger and fries at Cafe Castagna will run you 12 bucks. However, my beef with this burger has less to do with cost than with quality. I'll happily pay 12 bucks for a cheeseburger at many places in PDX serving up quality. And, granted, I have seen/read a fair amount of hype about the burger here. And, expecting it to not live up to said hype, I calibrated my burgerometer a few notches downward prior to ordering. The trouble is, this here cheezburger is extremely AVERAGE at BEST. If somebody can give me a single mediocre reason why this is the best in PDX, I'm all ears. Furthermore, the bratwurst platter came with a pile coleslaw so boring, it might as well not have existed. I really wanted to like this place, but in the end it was pretty disappointing on all fronts. For all I know, the rest of the menu could be outstanding. Just consider yourself warned.
(2)
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Address :1758 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR, 97214
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street 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
D G.
My brother was in town and I'd bragged and bragged to him about the fabulous food in Portland. Two hour wait at Pok Pok, so we ended up at Cafe Castagna. It was awful. Uninspired. Out of several dishes. Cold. My brother left Portland unimpressed
(1)John K.
There are a number of very good, but very different burgers to be had around town. As far as my own personal preferences go, the one at Cafe Castagna is my favorite. There are other places where bacon and cheese are needed to make a burger truly interesting - but at Cafe C, the meat speaks for itself - in fact, I don't think I've ever felt a need to adorn the burger here with anything else. Adding thin, bordering on crispy fries, and fabulous pickles rounds things out wonderfully. The tough thing about a visit here is that the pizza is wonderful as well - right up there with Ken's Artisan and Wy'East. Fortunately, I usually visit Cafe C with my wife, and one of us orders pizza and the other a burger, and we split them, preventing one of the tougher decisions to be made in a given day. The service here has always been great, and the only thing I would suggest changing would be to put up something to absorb a bit of the sound echoing off the walls and the concrete floor.
(5)allison o.
Wow - went there for an early dinner on a Saturday night, and boy, were we disappointed by every aspect of our experience. To start it off, the service was slow, and remarkably inattentive. I watched a table arrived, ate and left before we even got our salads -- which tells me the problem was with our waitress, not with the entire staff. However, at the end of the day, our meal took TWO HOURS. Which is inexcusable for a place that serves mostly burgers. Food was incredibly salty, almost to the point of being inedible. This was the case for all of our entrees and salads and soups. The salmon & pizza entrees came out cold, which again could be blamed on our really inattentive server. Besides the cold food, the decor was also cold: concrete floors, bare tables, icy grey walls. Also, open kitchen makes for a very LOUD dining experience. Even if I lived in Portland, I would NOT go back again.
(1)Marvin R.
What happened? I used to love this place. I could count on everything here being on the plus side of wonderful. Now its a gamble if the food will be cold or hot when served, and the fries (oh no not the fries, formerly the best fries this side of anywhere) were served limp and luke warm. The burger (half the size it used to be) was prepared exactly as I requested though. Consistency seems to be a difficult thing to achieve in a restaurant, and now this place has proved it once again.
(3)Thilo W.
I have had two very good meals here, one alone, and one with the family. I agree that the space, being triangular, has a visual oddness to it, but not enough to bother. It can get a little loud due to the concrete floor. Staff has been friendly and attentive both times I have been, so no complaints there. The food has, overall, been very good. First let me say that their hamburger, as others have noted, is superb. I have had it twice, and it was consistent in its excellence. It was a bit overcooked the last time I went, but was still very good. The bun is a sort of brioche dough and the fries are crispy and outstanding. I have also tried the mac and cheese (very good, although lacking a sharpness that I prefer), a house made pasta with lemon, prawns, and a chive-like green (truly great), the Ceasar salad (very good, whole leaf with a garlicky dressing), and the fried risotto balls stuffed with fontina (how can you go wrong?). Prices are not dirt cheap, but I wouldn't expect that from a place like this. I feel it was a good value for the quality and would definitely return...especially for the burger.
(4)Rylen F.
We went for a late lunch at Café Castagna today. Very delicious! We shared the risotto cakes for an appetizer - light, crisp and creamy in the center. The burger was perfectly prepared with fries that I am guessing are fried in duck fat - given the flavor. Not sure but that's my guess. I had the Tarte Aux Pomme with Gruyère, asparagus and prosciutto. I thought that it was too small - but oh my I was wrong. It was rich and just right. My hubby had soup, which was a creamy asparagus. It was a bit off - good but too much spearmint which made you feel like you were chewing mint gum while eating creamy asparagus soup... He also had a side of perfectly prepared spinach and an Arugula Salad with apples and machengo. Which he raved about. I am looking forward to coming back and having another satisfying meal!
(4)Damon P.
Came to this place for lunch with co-workers, and WOW was i surprised to find out how good the burger was here. The inside of the cafe is small in size but feels much bigger. I think it has to do with the high ceilings and modern furniture that make it feel like they aren't packing you in so as if to feel u sitting on top of one another. Everyone at my table said how great the burger is, but not having ever heard of this place I somewhat felt like choosing something else off the menu. I've had plenty of other burgers in Portland and I was skeptical that it would not rival with Blue Hour's burger, and on top of that I had a burger the day before -- But boy did it ever. The meat was so fresh and cooked perfectly to Medium-rare. It came with plenty of amazing shoestring fries. I will definitely need to come back here for dinner and have a draught beer with the burger. Cheers.
(5)Suzanne F.
When I return to actually eat, I fully anticipate 5 stars, but since all we did was sit at the bar and have a drink while reading the menu, I have to go on my drink alone... I am a sucker for interesting-sounding new drinks (it's a fault of mine Stuart goes along with, rolls his eyes, and just humors me. He sticks to the basics...) . The bartender was efficient, pleasant but not overly chatty. She was clearly on top of things and the bar was tidy, clean, and very well stocked. I had an Earl Grey kind of martini...while I usually am disgusted with gussied-up variations on this classic, this one intrigues me. I was interested because the bartender made this version of flavored vodka herself (and even suggested that I might try it if I liked it!). The flavor was smoky and full, the color was slightly amber...very pleasing on the eye, especially with a thinly sliced lemon floated on top. We were expected for dinner at our friends' house so we did not avail ourselves of the menu, tho' I will say there were several items that had me salivating...especially the Dungeness crab with pea shoot salad....oh boy, I am returning for this!! All in all, a swell place to pull up to the bar. I will be making this a regular stop!
(4)Gigi P.
A group of 12 of us went to Cafe Castagna last week to celebrate Hubby's 6-0 birthday. This was my first visit, and I realize that a larger group experience is probably different then what a couple or or quartet might experience.. That said, I was underwhelmed by this place. I'm being generous giving them 3 stars. First off, this place is very loud inside. What? I can't hear you even though you are sitting right next to me. I ordered a drink when I ordered dinner and 20 minutes later it still had not arrived. I had to remind the server - Oh yeah, your drink. About half of us ordered burgers, mostly due to the fact a friend had raved about their burgers, and it was the reason I chose this place. The burgers were very good tasting. I agree that the pickles are unique and quite delicious. I thought maybe they are made from zucchini. They are a sweet pickle, not a dill pickle. The fries were also very good. Since our table was quite long we could not converse with everyone at once. I made a visit to the other end of the table after dinner but before dessert to thank people for coming. One guest had ordered salmon and it was too under-done for her liking. She sent it back to the kitchen requesting it be cooked longer. The chef sent it back, saying that is how salmon should be cooked, refusing to cook it further. Needless to say, the guest did not eat her salmon. To me, that was over the top rude. I can just about guarantee she will not be back, and I'm not sure I will come back based on that arrogance. Finishing the meal was a dark chocolate cake with coconut filling. This was amazing. When I made the reservation I had requested a cake. My only instructions were Dark Chocolate and Coconut, not German Chocolate. They really delivered on the cake. It redeemed them a bit for me. So, mixed feelings here. Serve was slow, chef was arrogant, cake was amazing. I definitely do not recommend this for a group over 4.
(3)Joseph H.
Let's talk about why we're here: The Castagna Burger as it's known to the Yelpdom. A bastion of burger bliss to take you away on a vacation iny our mouth. Or so they say. Actually they didn't, I just quoted myself from the Yelp forum. Anywhoooo - The burger deserves high marks. High, high, high marks. If we were making top 10 lists of burgers in Portland it would be on the list. Happily I'd eat up Castagna's offerings 8 days a week. Curiously, I don't think it's the BEST burger in town. Maybe it's because I'm a frugal gourmet, I want my food to taste good, look amazing in a skirt, but also be inexpensive. After all, this is a b-u-r-g-e-r we're all ranting about. And I love cheese burgers, they're qualified as an all encompassing food group. Think about it, a burger with egg, cheese, tomato, garden greens, relish, ketchup, mustard and more covers the spectrum when stacked between two buns. FRUIT and Vegetables are included in that list. I digress: Castagna has it made, mellow atmosphere, great food and they can build a burger. Weighing in at a table price of $13-16, depending on your fixins is it really worth it? I sprung for Bacon and Bleu Cheese for the high end evening of celebration. I smiled through every single bite, every one solicited a melt in your mouth moan. In Portland we could have the food Olympics and Castagna's burger could probably garner a Bronze medal. It's pretty good, but it misses the gold, except they charge for the gold, you know? Grab some reviews on Pause, Toro Bravo, Stanich's, Higgins and now Foster Burger, and you're up for a real elimination round. I'll even tell you a secret, the Nightlite on Clinton by the New Seaon's on Division sells a Brioche Burger on Happy Hour that completely runs for the money. Not to say Castagna doesn't hold it's own. Bronze medalists are pretty good, professional level gourmet craftsmanship is going on amidst a mellow crowd of mostly 50 plus. We also ordered the Scallops which looked just like the picture, and they were grilled to perfffection. Not too gelatinous like sushi scallops, and not to firm, just right with the bite. The friend across from me ordered the house made, Bangers and Mash which was very reasonably priced and a masterful performance. House made pork sausage on a pillowy bed of mash potatoes, butter, peas and greens. It was the perfect combination. We both agreed that they need to serve it with some mustard or horseradish sauce on the side. In fact, if they want to blow the doors off with this dish--- Horseradish mashed potatoes! Mmmm, but perhaps their elderly crowd has an aversion to spice. My friend's plate was licked clean. As was mine, everything was fantastic and I would go back. The other thing Cafe Castagna has going for it is the side of town it's on. There's not much around that can hang with this kind of cooking and cuisine near Hawthorne. Want that Pause Burger? Well you'd better be ready to drive to the end of NE Interstate. Definitely a great place and when my lady is free for the evening it's going to make a perfect date night. Until then I think I'm going to grill up another grass fed burger at home and pat myself on the back for being cheap. :)
(4)Veronica J.
I live RIGHT across the street from this place, so if you are sitting outside, be sure to wave (ew, creepy!). I went here last summer with my parents after I moved to the neighborhood, as I prefer not to pay these kinds of prices on my own. if you want to sit outside, be sure to arrive early or prepare for a wait. we chose to sit inside despite the gorgeous weather :[ my mom and i shared the butter lettuce salad with chives and tarragon (definitely enough to split, and very tasty). and i ordered a tart cherry fizz (i would return for this drink alone: vodka, tart cherry juice, soda and lemon), and my dad tried the mango fizz (it was ok, not the biggest tequila fan). For dinner, I had a baked pasta dish with gruyere, which was a little greasy and rich. All in all, a nice meal and a nice little restaurant. My parents live in the suburbs, so it was an interesting portland experience for them. I'd love to go again, if anyone wants to pick up the tab?!?!
(4)Steve M.
Gotta go with the pro-burger reviewers here. In my experience, it's the best in Portland - perfectly cooked, tender and juicy, accompanied by perfectly executed shoestring fries. If you're not feeling carnivorous, the butter leaf salad with tarragon vinaigrette is always nice, as are the crunchy arancini (risotto croquettes). I agree with others who complain about the noise level - this place needs to spring for some rugs or something to tone down the sound.
(4)MJ L.
I would give 3.5 here if I could. But it falls to 3 considering I was still hungry after their 1/3 lb burger. Yes local beef, yes a nice fresh bun, bla bla bla... When you cook a third pound burger it turns into a Quarter Pounder or less depending on your temp preference. The service was a bit pretentious and the place was stark (not in a good "less is more" sense). Other than the burger everything tasted very good. They have a good Caesar Salad, and the chocolate pots de creme is a smooth criminal. Not saying that Michael Jackson is chocolate by any stretch, but he used to be folks, he used to be...
(3)Sherry Y.
I went here for dinner last week. I sat outside, which I highly recommend because (as many people noted( it gets noisy, even on a Tuesday night. The butter lettuce salad is excellent. It never gets old. I usually get the burger, but I decided to try the pizza and linguine. The linguine was good, nice and al dente and it had a little kick. There was plenty of shrimp. However, the squash pizza was ok, and only ok. The crust seemed to have too much butter. I hate to make this comparison but I once tried a Totino's pizza and the crust reminded me a little of the Totino's crust. The combination of the pizza toppings was good, but it's hard to come back from bad crust. For this paticular visit, I'd probably only give them 3.5 stars, but I'll round up because the service was great and because this is the first thing I've ordered from Cafe Castagna that wasn't either great or at least good. Plus I know I'll be back.
(4)Kelsey C.
Excellent food, excellent drinks, excellent staff! We had a wonderful experience here and the food was delicious. Our group of 10 sampled many different items from the menu, the list I sampled: Fried risotto balls - 4/order, done to perfection, breading not overdone Pasta with morels, asparagus, and pancetta - perfect serving-size. My only complaint was having only one (large) morel... Less to share with the husband! I had a bite (or 2!) of the seared wild salmon served med-rare. Perfect preparation to an excellent cut of fish. Chocolate pot de creme paired with a staff-recommended Hungarian dessert wine. The pairing was amazing and the pot de creme was not overly rich. The perfect ending to an excellent meal! Since we had a group of ten it was quite noticeable how loud the restaurant was. I would recommend groups of 6 or less for future meals here.
(5)Vince H.
Best Burger in PDX. And best I've had in a long time. 'Nuff said. Don't know about the other stuff on the menu, but if you're craving a gourmet restaurant burger, look no further.
(4)Coral C.
If I could give 3.5, it would be a little more accurate, but I'll err on the side of generous tonight. It has been a while since we went out to dinner, and had wanted to try this place since it was in our neighborhood. Food was okay, nothing that fantastic. My main complaint was that it took SO long for the food to come out. Appetizers and dessert came out in a timely manner, but our main entrees took over half an hour. For a place that wasn't very busy and had empty tables...there's just no reason for that. Another issue was that we were seated right by the front door, like, the door when it was opened almost hit us. It was a chilly night, and that part sucked. There were other tables open, although for 4 tops. But it's a Tuesday night, come on! Service was good though, and even though one of our glasses of wine was definitely corked, she quickly took care of the issue with no questions asked. (the bartender later confirmed that it was bad). Prices were pretty affordable as well.
(4)Micah C.
Ate at the cafe, which has a fresh menu daily, local ingredients... one of the best burgers in Portland. French fries met with my girlfriends high standards. Separate order of fries is huge! Best to get them with another dish - else you won't finish them before they go cold. Wine selection was thorough. Atmosphere excellent for small groups, and conversation. Not too loud. Prices fair. castagnarestaurant.com/i…
(5)KAREN P.
I have been coming here for years- lunch and dinner. Food is always good- burgers are excellent and the pizzas have a nice crust and good toppings. Butter lettuce salad has a great tarragon vinaigrette. Good service and very professional and yet friendly. Dinners can be a little loud, but its still easy enough to hear your dining companions.
(4)Lisa M.
Definitely recommend eating outside, it gets very noisy inside. If I had to eat inside, I'd leave. Excellent food, well prepared. Our server was good, the wait for the food was very long. I was getting ready to complain when it finally arrived. Thank goodness the food was worth the wait!
(4)Thomas P.
What took me so long to come here? One of the best meals I've had in Portland in a long while. Everything was perfectly cooked: melt in my mouth calamari, juicy and plump roasted chicken, and tender pork cheeks (albeit a little bland.) The flight of digestifs was a great bargain and the Chocolate Pot de Creme was silky smooth and refreshingly cool. I could've eaten a gallon of it. The staff was efficient, friendly and helpful. The space is simple, tables spaced nicely, and the noise level was manageable. I've been to far worse in Portland. Alas, the wine list is a bit of a disappointment. The server's knowledge about the list was minimal, and we were steered in a mediocre direction. We drank it up, although the food deserved better. I will return and hope to hit the Big Daddy Castagna next door for a special occasion.
(4)Jav V.
I heard good things about the burger, so I had to check it out. It was pretty great. I don't think it was the #1 burger I've ever had, but it's definitely in the top 5, especially in Portland. The fries were really good too. I like the atmosphere. It's really simple. Good service too.
(5)Peter L.
This would be a great third date spot. The dining room is dark and appealing, the wait staff is friendly and efficient, and the food is consistently delicious. It's just noisy enough and seating is just close enough to create a comforting atmosphere without making you feel claustrophobic. A great drink selection seals the deal.
(4)Paul P.
We were invited out here and after mistakenly reading reviews for the Castagna Restaurant, I was psyched to try out this new place. the Cafe is evidently much different than the Restaurant. Although service was excellent, cocktails and wine great, the food needed some help. Things started off well enough with oysters on the half shell, cheese stuffed rice balls (arancini), soup and salad. Main courses went downhill. My wife had the baked Penne which was over cooked and over baked. One big blob. I had the Casulette where the beans were quite al dente and the duck sausage was rather hard as if it had just been added. Not soft and slow cooked. My brother had the chicken with harrisa. Although he did not comment on it the texture appeared a bit rubbery and he was working at cutting through it. They rallied with some decent desserts although one more item, the bread pudding was fairly dry. Won't be back. We might try the Restaurant but I'll need a little more reassurance from friends before the venture.
(2)Benja F.
Extremely serviceable Italo-Euro-Nouvelle Amero cuisine. The wine we had was banging.
(3)Jodi H.
If you want to eat at Castanga but don't want to spend the money the Cafe is the way to go! The food is always great and the cocktails are wonderful. I've eaten several lunches and dinners here. Everything I've ever had there has been great and if you need a burger and fries they are the best in town!
(5)Matthew M.
This place is the Castagna on the left of the other Castagna. Great bar with a good selection of whiskies and bourbons. The decor is unpretentious and utilitarian. Nice little bar to wait for a table. I went here the first time a couple of years ago since they had a very highly rated burger and fries. As of 01/06, I've been several times and last night's visit was just as delicious as the first. The pickles are amazing: I asked the server if I could get their recipe and she mentioned it was from Zumi's (San Francisco). The burgers are made medium rare with what tastes like quality beef. The buns stay together, and from the top, down, it's a delicious burger. The french fries are very good. A bit like shoestring fries. Crispy outside, delicious insides. The homemade ginger soda is pretty much perfect. I always use some bitters in the ginger soda and it always helps get the digestion going.
(4)K T.
We have been here maybe 8 times, but this time may be the last...we may not return! Yea Yea...the place is bit noisy, it's kind of retro, it has a nice ambiance But we come for the food, and that's where we were disappointed for the second time. The burger just wasn't as good as it used to be, maybe even an ounce or two smaller. The highlight of the evening was the liver mousse. It was done to perfection! However, the new thing on the menu was the bouillabaisse, and that's where we decided they aren't paying as much attention as they used to. I have had bouillabaisse many times in America and in France and have never had a broth so unstructured...it was just a thin broth with 3 medium shrimp, 4 mussels and a piece of fried fish and 4 halved fingerling potatoes! I guess that's Castagna's version, but I think they need to revisit their recipe! So all in all, would we go back? I just don't think so! I would like to give it a 2 star because only one thing was remarkable! We love to eat at all different type of restaurants and this will no longer be at the top of the "must return" list. Sorry!
(3)Cam T.
dear diary, i met this new boy the other night. his name is Castagna which is strange because it sounds Italian but he seems like more of a nouvelle cuisine mediterranean melting pot to me. not like i'd complain because i'm all about the chantarelle arancini, golden beet salad, & raspberry chocolate souffle. rowr. no dear Castagna, i'm not objectifying you, i'm whole-heartedly embracing your joie de vivre because it really does take a love of life to take disparate things like french fries & chocolate souffle & make it seem like a divine dictum. speaking of which, let me just say hamburger. aaahhh. hamburger. i shall be waxing poetic on your charms for many days & nights to come. juicy, toothy consistency, just the right combination of meaty & dare i say "airy"? because a truly inspired burger should not be a dense lump of meat, no? you know diary, i can easily envision myself relaxing over great food, innovative & well made drinks, and soaking in atmosphere on the patio on a regular basis. what's not to love about witty, attentive staff & looking over & thinking, "I think that car moved 2 whole feet since the last light. Maybe I should offer them a french fry?" sweet dreams Castagna, i have a feeling you're going to have a starring role in mine tonight...again. 'night 'night diary.
(5)Monique D.
Had a great meal at Cafe Castagna last night. An impromptu date night with my husband, sitting at the one of the outside tables next to their garden of mint was perfect. As one other reader said, if it is summer go for the outside tables. We sat at the bar before dinner for a drink and I can tell it gets very noisy inside. The cocktails were good, but actually the barbera wine by the glass I had with dinner hit the spot much more. The caesar salad was great, the arancini was OK. My husband and I shared two of their pizzas (still leftovers tonight!), the summer squash and goat cheese And the mozzarella, basil and pepperoni pizzas - both were very tasty! Loved the thin crust. For dessert, the gelato affogato (with espesso) was great, the white and dark chocolate trifle with blackberries was OK....the blueberry cobbler looked amazing. We will definitely return....oh, and the service was fantastic - from hostess, to bartender, to server! Thank you for a great night Cafe Castagna! A 3 1/2 stars if I could give half stars....
(3)Maggie R.
Come here when you're hankering a burger and fries. If you're with a friend (or really, really hungry), split the Caesar salad and then the burger. The burger comes on a brioche bun with homemade pickles, plus the usual lettuce, tomato and onion. Shoe-string fries are perfectly crisp and not-greasy; the portion is quite generous. Mayo and ketchup taste homemade. Cooked medium-rare, the juices seep into the bun with each bite. Something seemingly pedestrian as this classic combo has never tasted so delicious. If there's not a seat open immediately, the host(ess) will bring you drinks while you wait. The draught beer selection is limited. Service has always been friendly in my experience.
(5)Anna A.
Tried Castagna out after getting a git certificate. Went on a Tuesday night early so we had no problems getting a table straight away. We shared a Caesar salad, which is one of the best I've had (almost as good as Gino's in Sellwood) and the Arancini, which was a bit bland. I'd heard about Castagna's burgers so my husband decided to try it, and he seemed to agree with all the great reviews (me being vegetarian, can only attest to it looking fine, I guess, though it seemed a bit too juicy, with liquid literally seeping from the meat into the plate with every bite). I had the penne dish, which is basically a mac n cheese, a really good one at that, creamy and tasty. The wine selection is fine too, but we were too full to try any dessert. Meal total came to $70 which is not bad considering we had 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 3 glasses of wine, and the portions are pretty big (unlike other "semi fine dining" italian places, I'm looking at you Accanto). I'd recommend Castagna for a nice casual dinner if I want to be in the SE area for sure.
(3)Jason K.
My second favorite place to dine in Portland. Comfort food place for wine geeks. Cool wine list. Kid friendly tooo.
(4)Kate S.
We were greeted by one of the most helpful and friendly hostesses imaginable. She went out of her way to welcome us and help us decide between dining at the cafe or restaurant. Ended up eating at the cafe which was awesome. Amazing salads, halibut and dessert. Everyone who waited on us was cheerful, pleasant and seemed glad to be there. A great neighborhood vibe and it doesn't seem like it's trying to be anything more than a cozy place with good food and drink.
(4)Greg S.
Come dine in Portland's finest echo-chamber/restaurant. I've eaten at many loud establishments, but the roar of this place on an average weeknight is tough to top. Filled with middle-aged plus couples and groups with children, Cafe Castagna has clearly found its niche with diners who conclude that if something's expensive, its gotta be good. First of all, let me say that a cheeseburger and fries at Cafe Castagna will run you 12 bucks. However, my beef with this burger has less to do with cost than with quality. I'll happily pay 12 bucks for a cheeseburger at many places in PDX serving up quality. And, granted, I have seen/read a fair amount of hype about the burger here. And, expecting it to not live up to said hype, I calibrated my burgerometer a few notches downward prior to ordering. The trouble is, this here cheezburger is extremely AVERAGE at BEST. If somebody can give me a single mediocre reason why this is the best in PDX, I'm all ears. Furthermore, the bratwurst platter came with a pile coleslaw so boring, it might as well not have existed. I really wanted to like this place, but in the end it was pretty disappointing on all fronts. For all I know, the rest of the menu could be outstanding. Just consider yourself warned.
(2)