This place ROCKS!!! Everything is incredible!!! The ambience is great, lots of seating and mood lighting, food is exceptional - we tried almost everything on the menu (right when they opened). I would recommend everything - super yummy (except for the BBQ shrimp and jambalaya). It is definitely the place to go - make reservations though. It's such a great place to eat at, it will fill up quickly. :)
(5)
J K.
Perfect experience! A 3 year old and 6 year and my wife. Delicious, great service. Best lemonade ever! They made our kids grilled cheese even though it wasn't on the menu-- and it was delicious grilled cheese.
(5)
Celine B.
The space is beautiful. The owner designed the lamps himself, I was told by the waitstaff. I came on my birthday on a Sunday morning, and even though they weren't serving dessert, they made an exception and brought out my FAVORITE dessert of all time- the butterscotch pudding. What great service!!! I have raved about this pudding to everyone I know and converted non-believers who thought they hated butterscotch. Order it. The Johnson Ham appetizer is delicious, as is the fried chicken. Low Country drink is also divine. I come very often. I really like this place.
(4)
Erin S.
Brett W. said it perfectly, "One word describes the experience I had at Irving Street Kitchen: Genuine. From the moment our server approached our table and greeted us, I felt taken care of. Pampered, even" This was our exact experience. Everyone from the hostess to our server to the bartender made sure we were having a wonderful time. Our server explained any questions we had about the menu and told us her favorite dishes as well. We decided to treat ourselves and order everything we wanted. CHARCUTERIE a wonderful array of house smoked meats and sausages served on a piece of drift wood. FOIE GRAS & SWEETBREAD RAVIOLI served with black truffle foam. The texture was great and the foam really made the dish. HEIRLOOM BABY BEET SALAD with truffle balsamic vinaigrette and sheep's milk cheese. This dish alone turned me on to loving beets! They were so fresh, juicy and the dressing was mouthwatering. Highly recommend this salad. SEARED SHRIMP & LOBSTER RAGOUT with bienville bread pudding and pickled okra. This was the most creative dish. I didn't know what I was ordering, but it was wonderful. It solved any seafood craving I have ever had. SLOW BAKED SALOM with ras el hanout crust, lentil salad, and cauliflower-walnut sauce. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the crust on top had a great texture. BOURBON ROASTED PORCHETTA with sweet potatoes, black trumpets and whole grain mustard jus. I just keep thinking about this dish. So so tender and the trumpets were amazing. Everything worked. BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING with brown ale caramel sauce, crème freiche, and caramel corn. After our whole filling meal we only had a few bites that were great. It was just so rich. Irving Street Kitchen was an experience and one of the best meals I have ever had. Its right up there with Anchor & Hope and Town Hall!
(5)
Elisabeth B.
Some of the best food I've ever eaten...and really cute, friendly waiters. Restaurant experience doesn't get much better than that.
(5)
Liz C.
Nice ambiance and noise level, and very creative flavor pairings. Rave of the table went to the beet and cornbread sides, which we had as appetizers. The dirty rice and shrimp-stuffed crab was the best entree of our four, with the quail a close second. Halibut and fried chicken were just so-so, although the mashed potatoes were a hit. Strawberry sorbet and basil syrup were a-ma-zing, but the toasted angel food cake was nothing special. Seemed like we waited a long time for each food course to arrive, but we enjoyed being able to watch the kitchen action from our table.Glad we tried it, but we won't rush back.
(3)
Neill P.
I like the open atmosphere in this place. If I weren't such a wretched introvert, this seems like a good place to go on a First Thursday to mingle with the crowd that is standing in the bar section. The food is fine, but overpriced and therefore not worth it in my book. One standout is the cornbread, which you can get for $5 and is fantastic. It's a sweet cornbread that comes with a bourbon-caramel sauce, and should be eaten as a dessert. It's almost a mix of angel food cake and what you would normally associate with cornbread. Definitely get it if you eat here.
(3)
Sam A.
The Soup of the Day is always a fantastic surprise!
(5)
Bryan W.
Good food and beer selection.
(3)
Zach M.
Great place! We went at 9:30 on a Sunday evening. Every dish of our meal was excellent! The place was pretty empty as expected but we sat in one of the cool enclosed booths and had great conversation. You could close the curtain and have a very intimate evening. The only negative is higher than necessary wine prices - $12/glass for a wine you could buy retail for $25/bottle.
(4)
Trey C.
Excellent food, great service in a relaxing yet fun atmosphere. Definitely recommend!
(5)
Melissa S.
Dropped in tonight to grab a bite to eat since we moved in next door and we couldn't stand smelling the food anymore without at least trying something there! First impressions, the place had a great vibe, nice lighting, slightly western, slightly modern, totally awesome. Service was outstanding, we sat and the low top bar and were greeted promptly, my husband ordered a signature cocktail which was served in a antique cocktail glass and absolutely fabulous for those who love a little sweet dinner drink. We started with the blue cheese salad; fresh crisp and pre-split! Love that! Then we ordered the salmon with walnut cream sauce, lentils and crumb topping... the salmon was cooked perfectly, and the lentils were a nice compliment to the nutty sweet salmon. Simple, but perfect. We also ordered a side of the green beans and mushrooms.... YUM! Not like many places out there that feel the need to cook green beans until they are mush, no these were crisp and warm and mixed with fungi goodies :) We're close to this place, actually we're attached to this place... so we'll def. be back... happy hour looks great.. $2 tall boy and whiskey, SIGN ME UP.
(4)
Thomas L.
Everything here is delicious and the bartenders are super nice and friendly. My partner and I used to come here almost once a week when we lived closer. We typically sat at the bar, because of the friendly bartenders. Atmosphere is great. Nothing bad to say. Brunch? Yums. Dinner? Yums. Drinks? You get the point... I've taken a few out-of-town guests here and they loved it.
(4)
Melissa S.
This is by far the best food I have had in a very long time if not ever! And this is coming from someone that loves good food and eats out a lot. All of the ingredients were super fresh and combined in a way that were not overkill like some finer restaurants like to do. Every thing was cooked to perfection and the selection they had on the menu was great. Also, the service was wonderful. We had a top notch waiter that totally knew the menu as if he was the chef himself and he was very friendly. Also, the atmosphere is awesome because it is classy and modern, yet very comfortable, urban and warm. This is a hard combination to pull off and I think they did it to a 'T'.
(5)
Y L.
I have been to ISK twice and my experience was about the same both times. The restaurant setup is great, nice space and open dining area. The food is good/mediocre and the service is about the same. I will likely continue to go to this restaurant because it is in my neighborhood and the menu is good enough.
(3)
Jeremy B.
A group of us came here on Sunday night to have dinner before going out. We sat down and after about 5 minutes ordered drinks. Then that was it. Literally. After 40 minutes had passed and never seeing the waitress again we decided to leave. We stood up and walked out. Seeing the waitress on the way out we informed her we were leaving and why. She simply responded with a carefree "ok, cool, have a good night" and let us just walk out. No apology, nothing. That will be my lat time returning there.
(1)
Jenna B.
This place is one of the best restaurants I have been to in Portlnad. The ambience and atmosphere is great, not too stuffy, just right. The service is excellent, I couldn't have done it better and the food is awesome, portions are not too big, not too small. Comfort food at its best!!! This place gets an A+ in my book. I will definitely be back again and again!!
(5)
Jack D.
Went for brunch which is only on Sat-Sun. Glad we did. My Smothered Southern w/ country fried chicken came in a skillet and was mouth watering. A "bloody buddy" washed it down nicely (spicy) and the natural wood environment made a unique and pleasant dining experience. The booth we were seated at had curtains that closed. The service was solid and the check came delivered in a moleskin notebook with patron passages scribbled in it. Impressive place to eat and wash your hands (the water closets have large shallow flat sinks). Oh and the waiting area looked comfy....
(4)
jennifer w.
we went for brunch and im simply l.o.v.i.n.g this place! james got the lobster soft scrambled eggs with truffle mascarpone. it comes on top of a toasted brioche. i got the moroccan poached eggs. hells bells, yall. this was sooooo good. it comes with garlic rubbed toast. we both loved our breakfast and will totally be heading back!
(5)
Erin M.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner here on Saturday. We'd made a reservation just to be safe but when we arrived a little early they were happy to seat us immediately. All of the staff was attentive and helpful. They may have been a little obsessive about filling my water glass but I never went thirsty! I really appreciated that our server didn't rush us. I was having dinner with an old friend I hadn't seen in a while and we had trouble concentrating on the menu because we were so busy catching up. Never once did I feel like I needed to rush or make a quick decision, even after we ate our dinner and our table was cleared. When we finally did take a moment to look over the menu my mouth began watering. I tried the ham and biscuits for my starter and it was delicious. The ham just melted in my mouth and biscuits were just like grandma makes, but in mini form. The fried chicken for dinner was also fantastic. The meat was moist and the coating was flavorful, just what you want out of a good piece of fired chicken. Of course the most wonderful bit of food came for desert when I ordered the butterscotch pudding. After reading all the reviews here I ad to try it myself. YUM. YUM. YUM. No really, it was yummy. The apple rhubarb crisp my friend ordered was great too, but that pudding made my night. I'll be back to try happy hour soon!
(4)
Quinn S.
Damn good food and drinks. Amazing staff! Really cool space.
(5)
Ann S.
Horrible service. I've been in here three times now, each repeat hoping for a redemption. All three visits I experienced such horrible service that the last time i didn't even stay for the meal. I've never been treated so poorly. Each time I walked in no one greeted me but rather have nasty looks and one word answers...it was like begging for a table when that is their job to greet you? Also extremely slow and inattentive wait staff. There are much better options out there, don't waste your time.
(1)
Tyler A.
Decided to check it out since it's just around the corner. Man, it's a HUGE venue. We walked in, no res, waited 2 minutes at the fireplace in the front. We sat in the center of the dining room, there were some cozy booths for 4 or more, rooms in the back? What I noticed throughout the night was how BRIGHT it was, yes I like seeing my food but seriously, you can drop it down a few watts. Why bother with the candles if they're not glowing in comparison to its surroundings? Dinner: (I can't remember what my hubs got...) -Charcuterie plate, not the best I've seen but it's really cheap at $15 -Snapper with risotto was quite well balanced. A bit too heavy handed with the salt but overall very enjoyable. I love arugula in ANYTHING -Meyer Lemon Napoleon - OMFG lemony crack! (This is worth the visit alone, pastry chef, you've done good!) Overall, ambiance can get a slight improvement from lowered lights, super space, food is a solid A-/B+ and we also had a nice bottle of super Cote de Rhone for super cheap at $33 (Vacqueyras) that drank like a $75+ bottle. And the service was as if I were at a restaurant in LA or NY not PDX, ATTENTIVE (someone - manager? hostess? who ran over to us t tell us the 86 in the most enthusiastic and disturbing way but other than that, our server was thumbs up) Will definitely revisit, often.
(4)
Matt S.
We had the best meal that I've had in a REALLY long time here, just before Christmas. The service was excellent, granted we arrived right as the kitchen opened - but it was really great regardless. The standout dish was easily the Crispy Quail Salad, it tasted like Christmas and was so delicious. All of the other dishes we tried were fantastic as well, but if the Quail Salad is still on the menu, order it!
(5)
Rosemary R.
The food was good. Not a great value, but good. The staff was lovely. But, I truly do not understand why everything took soooo long. They weren't that busy and they seemed fully staffed. We ordered drinks and 10 minutes later they showed up. We ordered dinner and 30 minutes later it showed up. Desert arrived rather promptly but the coffees we ordered with our desert showed up after we finished eating desert. It was strange. Our dinner was pleasant and I liked the atmosphere.
(3)
Lusha K.
When walking into this huge restaurant - not one person greeted me and for a Saturday I was surprised how slow it was at 11:15 am. I ordered the fried chicken and grits and asked for a side biscuit. It appeared that they forgot to place our order and so they brought out two chocolate muffins to apologize for the wait. The muffins were dry and really I would have much preferred to have my fried chicken. Once the food arrive - it was really average and the eggs which I ordered over medium still had uncooked egg white. The fried chicken crust was unseasoned and the grits and sauce were just plain bad. The bill arrived and I was shocked that the side biscuit I requested was $5 for two dry biscuits that's weren't even warm. And overall I feel this place is over priced for what you're getting. Finally the staff was fine - but the food was not worth the price or the wait. This place is lovely inside and the bartender made some great drinks but I will not be going back any time soon. There are too many other places that make better fried chicken.
(2)
Jordan C.
Outstanding place. Charcuterie plate was a great great great value at 15 bucks. My girlfriend had the fried chicken which was super good and I had the porchetta. It was one of the most flavorful pork dishes I've ever had and the madera sauce on top worked perfectly. Not so sure about the wine out of a tap, but whatever. I went for the food and it was great
(5)
Dave S.
Yep, this is a rating Irving St. Kitchen deserves. Our first visit was bad (see other review), but this visit was amazing. This time we went in for dinner with a couple of friends who own a wine bar in Seattle. First, our waiter was outstanding. Friendly, helpful, funny and right there when you need him, and not when you don't. The manager even visited our table to see how we liked the food and wine. Very good service. The food was excellent. From the very fresh salad, to all of our entrees to the dessert, everything was perfectly done, fresh and with excellent flavors. They have several wines on tap, which from all of the time we spend at Bottlehouse in Seattle, we know gives you excellent wine by the glass at a lower price than bottled. We tried three outstanding wines and were even delivered glasses of awesome dessert wine by the manager...on the house! Overall an outstanding experience. We'll be back many times.
(5)
Ian R.
One star reviews are extreme, but if ever a restaurant merited one, this is it. I was ready to write a two-star review after being severely underwhelmed by underwhelming service, a mediocre pasta dish, an over-hyped fried chicken that couldn't hold a candle to numerous other fried chickens in Portland, but then ... I had a dinner party and by total chance both of my friends had dined at ISK during the same week I did and both had such awful experiences that their meals were fully comped. One of the meals was comped because of poor service, the other because of terrible service and multiple cold plates. The second meal was over $300 with alcohol and was still comped. It was that BAD. On the positive side, at least someone there knows things are bad. But three meals that bad is inexcusable in a town with so many delicious dining options.
(1)
Thomas W.
AmaZING... with an emphasis on the ZING. The decor is interesting, a bit rustic, a bit ironic and throughly enjoyable. We loved dining in a booth with a curtain. The waitstaff was well-trained, friendly without intruding on our evening and very attentive when needed. And the food... how do you spell exquisite? EXQUISITE!!!!! Thank you for a memorable evening!
(5)
Jon O.
Inconsistent. Some well put together dishes, some head scratchers. Happy hour is the best time to come, fun place + good values. Brunch, meh. Dinner, better, but out of six people we've found that at least two dishes here will end up being dissapointments. Good service.
(3)
Anne R.
I'll start out saying I'm not a brunch person. But, after being up all night I wanted a drink and a nice meal so went here with some friends. While it's a big space, I loved the cozy booths, the bench seating and areas by the fire. My friends got the bloody mary's, the heuvos rancheros, and the chicken/waffles. Both were very happy. Neither could finish their portions. We split the spiced donuts which were the best donuts i've ever had and just amazing. And I got the eggs benedict with salmon lox as a lover of lox on all things... they were amazing. The best eggs benedict I've ever had and one of the best things I've eaten in almost a year maybe. They were incredibly rich, with a lemon flavor. The arugula and salmon went perfectly with biscuit. Please go eat them =)
(5)
Anita H.
I came here for brunch with friends and ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict. I am normally not a huge benedict fan, since my firsthand experiences consist of watching others devour two large cholesterol saturated poached eggs completely smothered in over the top creamy hollandaise sauce. So I knew I was taking a risk by ordering the benedict at Irving St. However, I was quite impressed! The Salmon Gravlax Benedict was pretty darn amazing! The chefs at Irving St were on point with this breakfast dish; the buttermilk biscuits were delicious with the eggs perfectly poached and covered with just the right amount of dill hollandaise sauce. The dill hollandaise sauce paired extremely well with the raw salmon. The dish was like a salmon lox benedict. My hubster ordered the exact same dish (great minds think alike, I guess), but he preferred the salmon cooked. I usually agree with him because he tends to be smarter, but this time he was DEAD WRONG. I thought the salmon being uncooked was a perfect complement to the other ingredients in the dish. I'm giving this place four stars since this was my first visit and I want to come back and try other items on the menu.
(4)
Sam S.
Great meal and excellent service. Would recommend to anyone looking for a imaginative bistro.
(5)
Amreen U.
I came here for happy hour with a few friends, lured by my food writer friend's urging and Willamette Weekly's review of the happy hour hot dog. The hot dog was amazing, and we ended up staying for dinner and ordering things to share. We got the cheese plate (w/ fig jam, yum), the oysters on horseback (surprisingly awful, with a weird texture), the BBQ shrimp (pretty good) and several desserts. They were all good, but the butterscotch pudding was ridiculous. Amazing. So good. I want to spend the rest of my life eating it. Also, they have a lovely lambrusco, an Italian sparkling red wine, on the menu right now. Dry and refreshing, not too sweet like lambruscos tend to be. Mmm. SInce we mostly got small plates, happy hour stuff, and drinks, the check wasn't too bad either, and the service was great.
(5)
Rita C.
This was my new favorite restaurant in Portland based on an incredibly good birthday dinner there. Next time we went, I took my sisters visiting from Atlanta and Charleston. It was wonderful. Then, this morning...uh oh. My son, his girlfriend and I were treating my husband for his 62nd birthday. They were all satisfied. My Shrimp and Grits, however, (my favorite dish in the world) was cold, and tasteless. I was expecting the "barbecued" shrimp to be the same as the barbecued shrimp from the dinner menu, which was creamy, spicy, lemony and delectable. This sauce was a brown, clear liquid that had no taste, was so cool that it had a gelled film over the top of it, and the shrimp was small, sparse and tasteless. The scrambled egg topping the whole mess was cold and overcooked. I have to say, the service was excellent. I am not one to let my disatisfaction pass, however, so I chatted with the waitress (very politely) and told her I was disappointed that it was not the spicy, tangy dish I'd had before. She was "sorry I was disappointed". Me, too. A huge fan turns into a tepid one...just like my shrimp and grits.
(3)
Jan A.
Went for brunch, got seated immediately but food took f o r e v e r. and was not worth the wait. Toast was burned. Black burned. Bacon was burned. Almost black burned. Bacon was extra chewy and way overcooked. Bread pudding french toast was good. Doughnut starter was the best. Moroccan eggs, meh. Server was apologetic and comped the doughnuts. Probably will not be back but the space is pretty cool.
The hubs and I call this our Cheers "because everybody knows your name..." We tend to go at least once a week. I've only had one so-so experience in probably 10+ experiences since we first came a few months ago. Favorite things: -Fried chicken! My friends, there is a lot of fried chicken in this town. And they are all surprisingly good (Tilt, Screen Door, Imperial, The Parish on a good day) but my favorite is this one. It's perfectly golden fried so I ask for the greens and mashed potatoes on the side (as to not soggy the bottom of my perfectly crisp chicken). The sides on this dish are delightful so definitely don't swap them out. -Biscuit with ham, butter and jelly (it has a much fancier description on the menu but I can't remember it). Absolutely delicious. -Cheese and crackers. Seems boring for a dinner table but the cheese is so tasty it's worth the order. -Chilled corn soup (seasonal and it recently went out of season but If you ever see it on the menu - get it!) -Butterscotch pudding (usually not my thing, but here, I make an exception). Enjoy!
(5)
Deanna E.
Okay, Haven't been in here, orderd through Postmates. BEST. DELIVERY. EVER. Got the fried chicken with gravy and biscuits, came to us within 25 minutes, hot and amazing. best fried chicken ever, egg cooked perfectly, best gravy, honey from heaven, biscuits like light airy kisses from a professional ballerina. Order it immediately. Also I got the bag of mixed pastries, which was mixed reviewed by all. But I gotta say the Sugar and Spice Doughnut that was included made me CRY. Tears of a GD ANGEL. Thank you Postmates, and THANK YOU IRVING STREET KITCHEN.
(5)
Omar T.
My daughter turned 14 and had her Birthday dinner at Irving yesterday (8/17) (with her 16 year old sister in tow to pay the $340 bill!!). Ten 14 year olds were treated like 5 year olds. My 16 year old asked for the dessert menu early on so she could order a few desserts and ask the server to make it special for her sister. The server proceeded to tell her she could have the dessert menu after she ate her meal! Food was good - service was terrible. Shame as I always brag about what a great place this is each time we have events there.
(2)
Jonathan B.
Went in on a Saturday for a mid morning breakfast and it was awesome. Began with coffee and the fresh warm crispy outside warm doughy inside cinnamon sugar donuts. Then a Salty dog and the salmon and biscuit breakfast. Crazy good, with great service and atmosphere. On the pricy side, but a special place out on the town!
(5)
Chris E.
Such a great place! The staff is probably the best at there job in town. I'm almost positive I haven't met all the staff, but they sure act like we've been friends forever! It's very charming. The food is good, portions could be bigger, but I'm starved in the morning for brunch, so that's probably just me! :)
(5)
Jerry M.
Stopped in for happy hour at Irving St. Kitchen. Their HH menu is relatively small with only seven items, but what matters is that there were things on there that I liked. I had a Bibb Wedge salad, and I thought it was a great idea that they make a wedge salad using tender Bibb lettuce rather than the more typical stiffer iceberg lettuce. Very tasty. I also had Meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. It was delicious, but I wish the portion was a little bit bigger (but, of course, it was just a HH item, so that's OK). Seriously, I could have eaten about maybe eight of those meatballs! Well, I'll be going back there again to also try their happy hour Jambalaya and Parmesan Tater Tots too. They sound good. Service was attentive and friendly. This is maybe just a small detail, but I noticed that the waiter took away my knife that I used for my salad (it had salad dressing on it), and brought me a clean one for the meatballs. I was impressed with that thoughtfulness.
(4)
Todd G.
I had this squid ink risotto thing that was really, really good. Drinks are slow, but very good. Ambiance feels like it's trying to be a little too upscale for what I've come to know and love in Portland, and the bill was more of what I'd expect to see in New York or LA than what I've come to expect/know and love in Portland as well. If you let yourself get lost in the drink menu and appetizers, the bill is going to look more like a car payment than a bill for your dinner. By comparison to other cities it's no problem, but a little spendy for this corner of the planet. But don't get me wrong, it's very good. I'd go again.
(4)
Richard K.
Walked by this place in the Pearl district, loved the menu and decided to take a chance. What a pleasant surprise...everything we had was great. Highly recommend the egg nachos, the Moravian eggs, and the chicken and biscuits. In addition, the fries (as an appetizer) were great. Don't forget to get the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Rich
(5)
Becca J.
Came here for brunch prior to seeing a show at the Armory the other weekend. It was good, but not great. We came out on what seems like it was the last nice day before winter, so we chose to be seated on the porch. (My friend had made us a reservation, but we got to the restaurant a little early, so we were given a few options on where to sit. That being said, the fact that this restaurant offers reservations is +1 star in my book.) I ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict (which was over a biscuit instead of an English muffin). It was just ok - not bad, but nothing special. Unfortunately, service was really slow. We gave ourselves a lot of time before the show, so we weren't stressed out, but it took a surprisingly long time for us to get our food after placing our order. Additionally, I don't think that anyone ever came to check on us while we were eating. Not sure if this sub-par service was a result of us sitting outdoors, but regardless, I was not overly impressed. Ambiance indoors was really nice. There was a lot of wood, and it had an upscale / rustic feel. When we checked in at the hostess stand, she had a giant book, and when she opened it up there was a tablet computer inside, which was a pretty cute dichotomy. Additionally, when we received out check it came out in a tiny book. I'd like to try this place again and order something different.
(4)
Kelsey N.
I rented their private room for a group work function, and had an outstanding experience. Emily, the event coordinator took amazing care of us. The staff was friendly, attentive and professional. Our every wish was their command. The private room is fantastic space- very conducive to giving presentations. The vibe was classy, farm-to-table, and the food was out of this world. I got a vegetarian dish- the baby artichoke backed ricotta, that was so creative and flavorful. I would love to return the next time I'm in Portland.
This review is a struggle for me...I've delayed writing it because I wasn't sure how to frame this up! Let me first say the ambience and the food here is top notch. I cannot wait to come back here again. But our service was....entertainment for the evening. First and foremost, the food: Charcuterie plate is one of the best I've had. The chicken liver mousse is a dream. Octopus salad also perfectly cooked and a well balanced plate. My trout entree was amazing and my husband got a pasta dish that was perfect. The food lived up to the reputation, which is always important. About the service: At a place like this you have certain expectations about service. We waited at least 5 minutes for our server to even come over to say "hi." He didn't introduce himself, and when we asked for recommendations his descriptions were bizarre. He said if we liked our protein from the sea we should get the risotto. The primary ingredient described was the chorizo. There were other seafood ingredients in there but still, it seemed off. Then he described his the trout as "brooks" trout. After our food came he never stopped by to ask how it was. When he came to clear our plates he said nothing to us. We had to ask for dessert menus which he dropped off without any commentary. Later when we ASKED him for recommendations he had some good commentary, but then told us that honey tastes different based on where the bees "forage." If the service matches the food I think this is easily a 5-star. Luckily I liked the food enough I want to come back and am hoping this server was a fluke!
(4)
Al C.
Don't be fooled by the attractive interior. Disappointing amount of happy hour drinks. Hostess was not welcoming, had the worst attitude, was not flexible about seating when more people showed up. Quickly finished our drinks and went to another restaurant down the block.
(1)
Rebecca C.
I've been here a few times now, and I know this place is super popular but for the prices and variety I will probably choose another location. Happy Hour: the menu selection was rather small but what I did eat was good. Nothing I'd rave about and come back for, but food that filled me up without blowing me away. Brunch: the salmon benedict was good, the lox were nice and meaty and the hollandaise was tangy and delicious. The problem is that it's all you get. Every other brunch place I've been to throws in spuds or fruit or something. Not here. You get the benedict and that's it. Oh, and also it has a TON of kale on it that's like crunch in parts and wasn't listed on the menu. I don't like kale so I had to spend time picking it off. Just weird. Also, the bloody mary was $11. For tomato juice. I didn't order it, my friend did, and she was appalled at the price. Usually you can get bottomless mimosas for $9. I'm just saying, spendy. Dessert: Ok, now here's what kicks this up to the 3rd star. Every year I go to a food event where Irving St. Kichen hands out little mason jars of the butterscotch pudding. I live for this pudding. I am not a fan of butterscotch, but man is this stuff good. I've yet to order it at the actual restaurant, but it's probably the one thing I'd come back to eat.
I personally find this place to be overrated and overpriced. I've been here a few times, and while I understand food takes time, it honestly feels like forever, only to get food that's mediocre. The best part was the server who was incredibly polite to my party and the service dog we had. Living in the Pearl, there are far better options, especially for the price.
(3)
Nathan K.
BE CAREFUL: The fried chicken was under cooked and made my wife sick causing her to throw up and a long black hair was cooked into my food. I noticed when it was dangling a piece of oyster off my fork. Talk about gross! I loved this place the first time I went. We had a business meeting and took a vendor out for a nice dinner. All went well so I decided to take my wife out on a spontaneous date. The service was pretty good the second time, our server was pleasant and knowledgeable. The food had good flavor. I ordered the Fried Oysters (with hair cooked into the batter) with a trout entree and a glass of wine. My wife ordered a delicious asparagus appetizer with the(under cooked) fried chicken entree and cocktail. It was an expensive dinner that ended in disappointment and sickness. They comp-ed the oysters, in my opinion the least they could do. As far as my wife's chicken we threw out the leftovers the next morning after she got sick.
(1)
Han Z.
Overall: meh Service was good. Restaurant is cute and has ambiance. Food was fine. Nothing was bad, nothing was memorable. Prices feel a bit steep when the food is only okay. Tried: - Nettle soup: $11 - Charcuterie board: $20 - Fried chicken: $23 - 17 hour truffle short ribs: $26 Of the above, the short ribs were by far the star though you couldn't get that much truffle flavor. Fried chicken was juicy and a huge portion, but not amazing (but I'm from the South so my bar for fried chicken is probably a bit high.) The charcuterie board was the biggest disappointment of all. I love all things charcuterie and this just didn't cut it.
(3)
Jen V.
Sublime. We had our reservation on a Sunday evening, and when we arrived there was no problem getting a table anyway. We sat by the bar & had some custom cocktails that were out of this world! We brought two bottles of wine to be uncorked, but they waived the corking fee because of the cocktails. We had such an amazing meal - The service was impeccable, the food was amazing and tasty, and the atmosphere was beautiful. Towards the end of the night we were the only table there, but we were unrushed as we ordered after dinner drinks and dessert. Irving Street is one of my number one places in Portland. I always bring family and friends here!
(5)
Chelsea M.
Yay! I'm a fan. My husband took me here for date night after I accidently stumbled upon its location trying to find parking and loved the open, industrial, yet classy feel of the place. SERVICE: Impeccable. The waiter let us order one course at a time, and we never felt rushed. Everything came out in a timely manner and was perfectly warm. All of the staff worked together to make it a very memorable experience. WATER: This place is the best restaurant I have EVER been to in terms of their water service. Water carafe on table and it was never empty and if any of the service members saw your water glass getting low, they refilled it immediately. It's amazing how much better a meal is when you have water. FOOD: Great, fresh choices. You will never know what is going to be on the menu because they print it daily. I would skip the cheese plate next time and go for their cornbread. Salads had absolutely amazing flavor and the perfect amount of dressing. I would highly recommend the kale salad. Entrees were a great size and cooked to perfection. Fish was buttery and the pastrami short ribs were melt in your mouth good. Desserts were incredible. In other words, not much bad on the menu. Try something new! Down scores: 1. Sheep's milk cheese almost inedible, crackers too lite, no cheese knife. 2. Just a little too spendy, $5 off entrees and $3 off salads and I'd be sold. 3. Everything was short in the bathrooms... if you are over 5'7", you'll see. Notes: This is one place I would take an out of town guest. Very Portland chill but still upscale. The noise level is appropriate for private conversations and you won't have to yell.
(4)
Maret S.
Bummer. Was really excited to come here for a baby-free brunch. Ordered eggs and bacon expecting a well-executed brunch basic. What I received was a notch below Denny's a scrambler. Everything arrived tasting as if it had been warming under a hot plate for 10 mins. The bacon and toast were soggy and the eggs were under salted. It was just bad. I'm hoping to send it back but the last time the waiter spoke to me was 15 minutes ago when I was trying to figure out how eggs and bacon could go so wrong. My husband's salmon Benedict was slightly better. Elevated possibly only because it wasn't boring but still. Just kinda meh. Edit: they brought me chicken and waffles! Much, much better. They we're nice about it too. I guess I'd give them another shot. Everyone has off days.
(3)
Charlie L.
Super amazing. Mackenzie wanted to try a new place so we followed the word on the street to Irving Street. All I gotta say is "Whoa." I came in with high expectations and I was not disappointed. From the fabulous ambiance to the fantastic food, everything is definitely 5 start worthy. We stated with the octopus salad, followed by salmon and smoked pork chop mains, added brussels sprouts and finished with the apple carrot cake. I say again, whoa. Flavor explosion: check, perfect flavor balance: check, mouthwatering deliciousness: check. And when it was all over, we were happy and full and plotting our imminent return. It was 100% wonderful. Irving Street delivered a near perfect food experience that makes it my new Portland favorite. Highly highly recommended!
(5)
Suzie B.
Only eat here if you have several hours to spare. For our one night in Portland a friend recommended this place. The location was perfect as it was walking to Pearl District from our hotel. As we arrived we were pleasantly surprised at the adorable ambience and decor. We had a table (of four) by the window on a nice evening. Upon arrival it took more than ten minutes to get a glass of wine and place an app order. We received our app after about 30 minutes. Each course took longer than the next with little to no attention from the 10 + waitstaff at the restaurant. The place was only about 15 percent full (especially towards the end of the night). We sat down at 730 and dinner was not over until around 10pm. The food was slightly better than the service and mediocre at best. On a trip to the ladies room two friends (not with our party) chatted about how they are "never coming here again." We asked for a manager on two separate occasions and the hostess let us know she was "in a meeting" and unable to come by. The lack of management was extremely evident. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone or come here again.
(1)
Meana K.
One of my favorite dining spots in the Pearl. It's so great coming here for after-work drinks and food at the bar. What a beautiful space - so open, light, and a very chic casual vibe. The place looks fancy upon first impression but you realize quickly how cozy and familiar it feels. Also, when I've been there for happy hour, I've loved the 90s throwback music that was playing. The food -- ohmygosh -- amazing. Meatballs and mashed potatoes. Bone Marrow. Foie Gras. Smoked beets salad. Fried chicken. Fried oysters. Butterscotch pudding!!!! The menu changes, but everything I've had here has been amazing.
(5)
Beverly C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a very beautiful space, the food is beautiful to look at. The food didn't impress me, it was ok.
(3)
Leighton P.
I went for both dinner and brunch on a Portland weekend. What do I remember months after two dining experiences there? DINNER: The salmon main, a specialty of the chef. The fried oyster app. The pecan pie and the butterscotch dessert. Lots of Willamette pinot noir served in mason jars. What did I have for brunch several days later? Couldn't tell you. What was I not a fan of? The shrimp and grits (note: I'm also from the South). They are popular and can be crowded. Vibe: urban casual chic. When I go back (and I will), I will sit at the bar. I will order the salmon. I will drink pinot noir.
(4)
Sanjay N.
Great location, but mediocre food and service. Was disappointed with the table we got (with a reservation). Asked for a better table, but no luck. Still, hoped the food and service would make up for it, but it didn't. Took a long time for a waitress to show up, even though it wasn't too busy. She took half our drink orders, then inexplicably left, came back with half the drinks 10 minutes later, then took the other drink orders. Food was not great. I tried the fried chicken, the pan-seared fish, and the (only) vegetarian entree. All were pretty bland. Cornbread was good but that's about it. First time eating there. May be last time. There are many better places to spend your money in the Pearl. Hope they improve the food and the service, or something better opens up in that great location.
(2)
Jessica N.
Went in for dinner tonight expecting to eat at a nice place with air conditioning. Boy was I wrong! It was just as hot inside as it was outside, felt bad for the employees. Besides that service was not that great, for the money I expected better service. Food was just ok, nothing spectacular. Took a very long time to get our meal was almost an hour and 15 mins after we ordered before our dinner arrived. Too many other great restaurants in Portland, not sure I'll be back.
(2)
Tara T.
Great location! Beautiful outside seating in a cool neighborhood, inside is well decorated and spacious. Wonderful menu- shared multiple plates with a few people so I got to sample a lot of things! Great grilled salad, cheese plate and fries. Highly recommend!
(5)
Hayden N.
You know how things get so hyped up then you finally try it and it was just alright? That's Irving Street Kitchen for me. I made a reservation for two on a Thursday night. We were surprised to find the restaurant sparse of customers. Considering that it was first Thursday, I figured it would be busy so I made a reservation to be safe. I feel that we got seated at an awkward table, it was next to a support column that blocked the space and a heavy foot traffic path. There was hardly anyone...couldn't have put us in a booth, at a table on the patio, or more toward the middle of the dining area?? I like the decor of the space but the disruption from people walking by our table took away from the ambiance. We started out sharing the Meatballs that came with Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and Green Peppercorn Sauce. It was good, however, not amazing...three pieces for $11 is on the steep side for decent meatballs. You have ask for bread. For entrees, I had Mary's Organic Fried Chicken with Smashed Potatoes, Collard Greens, Country Gravy and my friend had the Slow Cooked Salmon with Bacon Braised Cabbage & Kraut, Beer Glaze, and Pistachio Pistou. The chicken was delicious but, again, not the best in town--you do get three enormous pieces and the smashed potatoes were excellent. Give me a whole bowl of smashed potatoes! My friend liked her salmon, but she wasn't a fan of the cabbage and kraut so she ate around it. With how large the portion is, I am surprised that we had room for dessert. She ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Caramelia Cheesecake and I got the Bay Leaf Creme Brulee. I just had the best Creme Brulee of my life not too long ago, I wasn't sold on the bay leaf flavor in it...I prefer the classic. For all the raves and recommendations to try this restaurant, maybe I had really high expectations of the food blowing me away. And it didn't. I feel bad for giving three stars so I'll give you four, but this was more of a 3.5 stars for me.
(4)
Melissah L.
I visited a friend in Portland and came here at the recommendation of a longtime local. It was really nice out when we came for brunch, so we grabbed a seat on the patio. I LOVE the scene outside Irving St. Kitchen, lots of colorful people stroll by and it's easy to people-watch but also feels kind of secluded and quiet. The service was pretty good here, and the food was also decent. Not "amazing" like the local promised (my food was lukewarm and the portions were not that big), but pretty good. I got the salmon gravlax benedict, and while it tasted good, I do wish that for $13 it was served hot came with a side of something. The rest of my table got the fried chicken and waffles (I digress, I will have to order this for myself one day to have the full chicken and waffles experience), the kale and raddichio salad and that's all I can remember. Definitely worth a try, the coffee here is amazing and comes in adorable cups and the decor is really nice as well!
(3)
Matthew D.
Met a few friends for dinner , they suggested this place.. It definitely did not disappoint, from the service to the food. The service was amazing, water glasses always full, we were asked if we wanted more cocktails just at the right time (when they were 3/4 gone). The servers knowledge of the menu was actually like the chef did a tasting with them before service. We had the biscuits and ham, and fried chicken, I kinda went with the flow since I was told this was amazing. I wish I tried the halibut as it sounded amazing but the chicken did not let me down, now I just have another reason to go back and try something else.. Well done!!
(4)
Chris L.
So many things wrong when I visited that I feel like that rating is very valid. Moroccan Slow Poached Eggs, Grilled Garlic Rubbed Toast (12) This dish seemed watered down. There was no Moroccan punch and it was just a tomato soup. The "slow poached eggs" were a huge let down. One egg was perfect, the second was simply hard boiled. The second egg texture was all wrong. The chef botched this egg.. my meal mate laughed, "both my eggs are perfect." Well maybe this was a one off, but there other dishes that were pretty off. Smoked Brisket & Fried Egg Sandwich, Sour Pickles, Cheesy Cajun Fries (14) The brisket was DOUSED with BBQ sauce. Overpowering that it felt like you were drinking BBQ sauce. Also, the brisket was oddly cut into tiny cubes so the pieces kept falling out. Didn't make much sense. The "cheese" on the fries was powdery. It was pretty terrible. I would have rather they used cheezewiz or singles. This concoction was offensive for it's taste and texture. The fried egg was also over cooked. Mary's Organic Fried Chicken & Pecan Waffles, Fried Egg, Buttermilk Syrup (13) So small and basic. It was yawns-ville for $13. Buttermilk Biscuits, Jalapeño Butter, Red Eye Gravy (7) This was the only winner. But if you're gonna get biscuits in Portland... right?? The place is cute and of course the district is adorable, but there's nothing going on with the food.
(3)
Kaitlyn L.
What an incredible place. Kind knowledgable staff. Delicious food that you can tell was made with love. I actually licked my glass that had the butterscotch pudding in it. Lastly the ambiance! I recently relocated from pdx to SF and can't tell you how much I missed restaurants decorated like Irving -- rustic and urban. Can't say enough great things about this restaurant. If you are looking for a great place to take a gf or a significant other or the parents -- don't second guess -- just go to Irving St. Kitchen.
(5)
Colin C.
I go hear for brunch once or twice a month. It's really great food, the ingredients are always premium. As other's have noted the service can be kind of iffy. It's always extremely friendly, but there can be long gaps in someone checking in. The whole getting menus/asking for coffee/getting coffee/ordering thing can take a while. They might just need another server or two. In general, it might be a good idea to have a reservation for brunch on weekends. They used to have this really great house hot sauce, I took a break for a few months from this place, and it was gone and replaced with Tabasco. I don't know what it was, but bring it back!
(4)
James S.
Irving St Kitchen furnishes a beautiful atmosphere, but left me hungry and unimpressed. The food just didn't have much going for it. The quality is definitely there, but I found their menu to be somewhat bland and uncreative. At the price point, I was expecting a bit more of an experience.
(3)
Rafael G.
The service here is always so friendly and efficient. Today, we had the fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits and the scrambled egg nachos with red beans and grilled avocado. We did start off with the donuts and scone which was warm and soft followed by the fries. The fries here are among the best in the city. The chicken was crunchy outside and soft and juicy inside, packed with flavor, and topped with an egg. The nachos were amazing. It had enough toppings like white cheese without being overwhelming.
(5)
Frank R.
Bland, boring American food. Just like the owners San Francisco restaurants. -The only particularly good were the fried oysters -- and even then they were under seasoned, served with a tiny wedge of lemon and a it's-pretty-much-just-bland-mayo "aioli". -Hubby said the fried chicken was cooked well, but again, boring and bland. -Kale salad had way too much cheese, but it was pretty yummy. The little bit of parsley in there was a nice touch. -The cavatelli was a tad overcooked, the sauce was bland and heavy. Served with candied walnuts, which was just weird. Seemed like it was an accident, but it was on the menu. Cocktails are too sweet. Wine selection is fair. Decor is incredible. Conclusion: come here for wine and fried oysters. The bar is very cool. Or maybe take your grandparents here. Their old people taste buds will likely enjoy this place.
It might not be fair to judge a restaurant by its brunch food. Some people are not at their best in the early hours. I understand that. I'm not a morning person either -- or an early afternoon person, really. Nonetheless, I came here for brunch, so that's what I'm going to review. The brunch menu is broadly divided into two sections -- breakfastey stuff, and lunchey stuff. I got chicken and waffles from the lunch section. After quite a wait, and several cups of mediocre coffee, they brought me half a waffle, a dry chicken nugget, and a poached egg, artfully arranged in a puddle of syrup. It wasn't very good food, but on the bright side, there wasn't very much of it. I did sneak a few forkfuls from the other dishes ordered at my table. The Moroccan slow-poached eggs were quite good -- two perfectly poached eggs in a delicately spicy sauce, with garlic toast. The scrambled egg nachos were also pretty well-received, and generously portioned. The biscuits and gravy were greasy mushcakes. So, two hits, two misses. Most brunch entrees were in the $12-$14 region. On the whole, pretty skippable. Portland is a city obsessed with brunch, to the point that you can't stand outdoors on a weekend afternoon without unintentionally finding yourself in a brunch queue. I think the high bruncher:brunchee ratio has led some restaurants to become complacent in their brunch offerings.
(2)
John L.
Disappointing service, good food. We stopped at Irving for a light dinner before boarding a redeye flight back to the east coast. The limited menu and atmosphere were appealing, and we sat outside to enjoy being in the Portland air just a bit more. We both ordered the green salad with shrimp, avocado and strawberries, and it was delicious. I also had a side order of the jambalaya, and I was very pleased with that as well. However, the service was poor. Our server seemed completely uninterested in her job, either that or she was on heavy sedatives. She barely told us about the menu, took the order, didn't even serve it, and then didn't bother to check on us to see if we were pleased. I wasn't rude when I asked for the check, but I was frustrated considering the table to our immediate right was worked by a different server, and he seemed very enthusiastic about what he was doing, making me wish we had him instead. I'm sure that with a different server, Irving would provide a better experience, but I won't make it a point to return there should we in Portland again.
(3)
Missy W.
Made a 9p reservation for 4 on a Saturday evening, very last minute. This place came through. Beautiful interior and exterior, very "hipster chic" (Haha). Here's what we ordered: Salad Wedge, Cornbread, Halibut, Lamb Porterhouse, New York, and Fried Chicken; all equally amazing and cooked perfectly. The hit of the evening was def my fried chicken dish. It came with 3 huge pieces and I totally shared! (Only thing I thought it needed was a little pepper or spice/seasoning to the batter). The cornbread was they down of the evening, it was stale and we had to remind our waitress to bring it out. She didn't return with it till we were almost done with dinner. We also ordered some wine and beer. $250 including tip was not bad at all and I can't wait for an excuse to return!
(5)
M G.
Other then the arrogant hostess, the food and service was excellent.. (we almost left because of the rude girl at the door). Why do Portland restaurants have staff that repel customers? I see it everywhere, hipsters with attitude... Not good for business!
(5)
Jan R.
Try a few dishes and share. Not only is the food delicious and masterfully prepared, but the variety and breadth of their menu will make you want to come back and try something completely new
(5)
Steph W.
In Portland for just 2.5 days, but after dinner here on night one, had to return for brunch. absolutely incredibleeeee. For dinner the burrata is a must to start. For brunch the pancakes with berry bacon compote are the fluffiest most delicious cakes I've ever had. Interior decor is gorgeous, urban rustic. Would come back again and again. #1 Portland Rec.
(5)
Stephen C.
Uneven service, only a token vegetarian option, and you have to ask about non-alc beverages--they are nowhere to be found on the detailed drinks menu. Meh.
(2)
Winny S.
Started with a nice sparkling water with lime, along with the cheese & cracker plate with agave and fresh strawberries. Followed by a Bibb wedge salad with blue cheese, radishes and candied pecans. I ordered one of the restaurants favorites, the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and spiced collard greens. Everything was good, but the cheese and cracker plate was very small. Service was good, all in all, a great place to enjoy a meal with friends, in the Pearl District. Btw, I enjoyed my salad the most, along with the wonderful crusty bread you get along with the bottle of cold water they bring to your table.
(3)
Bin C.
Great food. We had quail stuffed with duck sausage and fried chicken. All delicious. Not sure about the service though. We ordered the charcuterie board for the four of us as an appetizer, and the sever forgot to put it in. We also never got one of the sides we ordered, and didn't get a chance to order a second round of drinks since the server didn't come back until the very end of the meal. Service aside, good place, but since service is part of the experience, I gave it three stars.
(3)
Eli R.
Very solid dinner. Had the salmon here, and it was absolutely delicious. It was quite a small portion for $27, but the location is excellent, and the interior design definitely gets an "A." This is the type of classy, but not too classy place you can count on for consistently delicious, albeit expensive food.
(4)
Connor B.
Very on point! Drink and beer lists are great. Happy hour is the best, solid prices for delicious food, although the dinner is very good as well. The plates are quite small, so be prepared to get multiple items. The service is outstanding. Food comes out in courses with good timing. The staff is very friendly and does not make you feel rushed. I would recommend the happy hour!
(4)
Allegra P.
Unusually large for a Portland hot spot with a great location in the Pearl District! Creative, comfortable & inspiring decor. Bartenders know their mixology and beverages! Great menu! A happy spot to sit casually on the couches, eat at the bar or grab a table!
(4)
Laura P.
We live in the Pearl and are spoiled with incredible food and drinks all the time, we tend to almost take it for granted. But, then we wander into the Irving Kitchen and remember the amazingness of Portland food - damn! I had happy hour apps and wine, then ordered the halibut poached in duck fat, and my guy a pork dish. Both dishes were incredible, think the halibut was a little more so. Our waiter was awesome, he was able to recommend wines that were delicious matches to our meals. We've done brunch here in the past, also great. Highly recommend - great food, cool space (inside and out) and helpful, friendly service.
(5)
Shawn T.
This place rocks. Matt was our server and he was great. Introduced himself and was timely and attentive. Food was outstanding. Pork chop was perfect, risotto excellent, and the butterscotch pudding is as awesome as they say. The notebook check delivery is a wonderful touch. We left a note about our occasion, a graduation, with our check. Definitely worth the trip.
(5)
Stefan K.
A modern and trendy take on rustic and gritty Portland aesthetic. Good food, good service, great decor/ambiance.
(4)
Laura W.
This would have been a 4 star review based on the food, but the service was so terrible that it was downgraded. In all honesty I would not return unless I was going with someone who really wanted to. We sat next to the kitchen for a late brunch. The restaurant seemed staffed well, but despite many open tables it took a long time to be seated because no one focused on setting a table at a time for the people waiting- instead they seemed to approach it as a holistic effort with stacks of napkins to fold and a relaxed team approach. We waited over an hour for our easy brunch food and were not offered coffee refills in that time. When served I asked about the dish he did not bring because usually someone says - your XX will be coming in a minute". The waiter sounded miffed and said "I only have two hands". Since we were right by the kitchen I could see nothing was sitting up there and I was very polite the way I asked about it. It just wasn't ready. All that said the food was REALLY GOOD when it did come, but the kitchen seemed disorganized- not talking, each person relying on reading the slips independently so maybe they had an organization that worked, but it was very slow. The worst part was the inattentive and even snippy waiter. If I return, I will be happy to update and change this review since it reflects a single bad experience.
(3)
Don S.
The restaurant is attractive. The food is first rate. Service is attentive. We had a horrible experience. We had two in our party of seven with serious food limitations. Our very simple request to accommodate (such as replace broccoli with some other vegetable) was far more than they could do. I was later sent a carefully crafted letter explaining it would violate "chef's vision" and a response from the general manager that if they change pairings, then they may have an extra entree they may be stuck with. Do they plate entire meals in the afternoon and then microwave them to serve? A sad waste of talent from either prima dona chef or foolish owners. And believe it or not, I am seriously understating what transpired.
(1)
Ellie S.
Went for brunch and it had a nice atmosphere. The yogurt with apricot jam was delicious, the french toast was just fine and the smoked salmon benedict had eggs that were totally undercooked. They let us return it, but offered nothing else. The food was very slow to come out. All in all, it was a pricey, lacklustre experience.
(2)
Guido F.
Love this place! The BEST service I have encountered since I left Frisco. It matches the best service if any European Restaraunt I have been to This is the real deal. They know exactly what get are doing and really try to share the joy of eating a well thought and prepared meal. The menu is a little eclectic but my recommendation is just pick something. It may sound a little strange but trust me it will be excellent from Southern fried chicken (and as a child if the south am particular) to fish, the care in cooking and presentation is obvious. And treat yourself, let the beverage manager pick a wine for you, you won't be disappointed!!
(5)
Michelle H.
Had you talked to me the night of the infamous truffle stuffed guinea hen, I'd have given you 7 stars and then some. But the high of really good company and food coma wore off in a day or two, and I realized just how this wasn't one of my most favorite meals. Irving St. Kitchen does have the things dreams are made of, assuming your dreams are really rich. The entire menu screams of all kinds of gussied up comfort foods, complete with the current local ingredients begging to be used at the farmers markets. It took me forever to pick something to eat because just about everything had my name on it. The menus rotate based on availability, so I won't bore you with what we had that night, but just know that there was plenty for meat eaters and vegetable lovers alike. I bounced back and forth between a ton of things, and the server practiced an amazing amount of patience as our group continued to talk between his visits making for very slow ordering on our end. I loved the layout of the dining room. The kitchen is sort of open, the bar is in the middle, and the rest of the dining room maximizes space without sitting on your neighbors lap. There are plenty of tables and then a few more private booths. I prefer the dining room purely because there is more to look at. Food, like I mentioned before, is really rich. Too rich, really. The portions were more than ample, and that might have been half of the problem. Maybe it's to encourage you to take some home because you definitely get your money's worth. Have you ever known me to take food home, though? Not often. I could have been comfortable just after my first course and cocktail. The entree, the truffle-stuffed guinea hen, was a pile of deliciousness that actually felt a little bit of a chore to eat by the last bite. I was prepared to top everything with the butterscotch pudding [at this point, you're so overwhelmed by rich, why stop now?], but we split an order of the beignets. Light. Fluffy. Super hot. While good, I left wishing I'd tried the pudding. Next time. Because there will be a next time. I really enjoyed what Irving Street Kitchen has to offer, but I'll plan my meal accordingly to not have flavor overload and burnout when I leave.
(4)
Tamara K.
The interior of this place really makes me want to dine here but for some odd reason, I have only gone in for drinks. I have barely even glanced at the menu when a bartender has plopped one down in front of me. I need to put it on my radar as a place for dinner or maybe a happy hour outing. It is a large space that is wide open with some very cozy booths on the north end. There are some very cozy seating areas near the bar that make you feel like you are in the living room of a friend. Although some may find it tacky, I like that they pour the wine into canning jars as long as they also serve a wine glass along side, which they do. They also serve their wines out of steel kegs so an A+ for sustainability instead of wasting energy by using glass bottles. It doesn't hurt that they always have very good local beer on tap!
(4)
Adam R.
Incredible!!! Irving St. Kitchen is unlike anything you have seen before. You are greeted as you enter with rough cut lumber walls, light fixtures made from wagon wheels and glass milk bottles. Yet it doesn't feel hillbilly. Definitely has a contemporary feel and youthful exuberance. We had the Fennel Dusted scallops and Draper Valley fried chicken. I would recommend both. For dessert we had the Chocolate Bread pudding with mint chocolate ice cream. And of course, because we read the prior review we ordered butterscotch pudding to go.
(5)
Pete V.
I simply love the decor of Irving St. Kitchen. A clean modern look meshed with a wintery lodge style motif. Very urban kitchen like, which compliments its food style. We enjoyed Sunday brunch here and I can't express how enjoyable our meal was. The smothered southern sunny side grits were simply delicious. Grits like your grandma would make with lovely sunny side up eggs with yolk that melted into your grits like a good hearty breakfast should. This coupled with a crisp, hoppy "hop lava" IPA is the proper way that a true Portland day should be started. The chili creole fried chicken was also delicious. Juicy fried chicken with crispy skin and chili that although it lacked heat, was a perfect compliment to the intense fried chicken. Our service was also top notch and the staff even moved us to an inside table after we had originally requested an outside table, which we found to be too cold. What would have made our meal truly special was a table near the fire place, but we'll save that one for our next visit to Irving St. Kitchen!
(5)
Veruca S.
SERIOUS PROPS to Irving St. Kitchen management and staff!! My bestie and I went to Ptown to celebrate my birthday weekend and do a little holiday shopping. After a full day at Washington Square and the area, we hurried back to our hotel and got ready for dinner. Let me tell you... it was chaaablippers outside! Holy of all Holies! It was up in the air between Irving St. and Andina. We chose Irving St. and are glad we did. We had THE BEST server. She was so efficient, and friendly with just the right amount of attentiveness. My friend ordered the Beet Filled Ravioli and I ordered that "stick to your ribs" Organic Fried Chicken... yuuuuuumm! Of course we needed a bottle of champagne to wash it all down with. ;) When in doubt, our server had great 411 on all the dishes. My chicken was tender and flavorful with the right amount of crunch on the outside. Loved the little lumps of potato in my mashed. Well...as all great things...it had to come to an end. I was sporting a food baby and was ready to wobble to my cab. The bartender called for us but found out the minimum wait was 1 HOUR!... it seems all walkers in Portland decided to call cabs too. So...even though we were the last people to leave..and the restaurant was closing, the manager was gracious enough to allow us to stay inside by the fire and keep warm while waiting for our taxi. She even gifted us with champagne to sip until the taxi came. It was a great birthday dinner, indeed. Will I be back? Oh yeah!
(4)
Marina P.
What an amazing place! I couldn't keep my eyes off all the intricate decorations (milk bottle chandeliers), bookshelves, drapped booths. All of it! Just beautiful! The feel is great. The food also was amazing. The oats with nibbs mmmmm yum! I would get the breakfast nachos again just without beans on the bottom. Still delicious! Their eggs with potatoes, and toast were delicious! :D Definately will be back.
(5)
Vincent G.
Simply one of the best restaurants in Portland. The staff is always kind and knowledgeable, the food is positively delightful, and the menu is ever changing so you'll likely have a new dining experience each and every time you visit. If you haven't tried this place, make a reservation and schedule a night out with friends or family.
(5)
Christine P.
Amazing! My mother-in-law made dinner reservations for all of us during our trip out to Portland this past weekend. I absolutely LOVED it here. Service was impeccable from the hostess to the waiter. I loved the bacon wrapped oysters, cheese plate, fried chicken, risotto! The corn bread is absolutely FANTASTIC! You must try it. LOVED LOVED LOVE this place. Definitely check it out when you're in the 'hood. You won't regret it.
(5)
Katy H.
Irving's deserving of all 5 of these stars, baby! Between cheese plates, porchetta, steak frites, fried chicken and amazing cocktails, where do I begin!? Silly me. I've eaten here a few times but failed to realize that I'd written a review. Which I suppose is good because now I can talk about the sum of my experiences here. Service is always great and when I called to ask about business hours (as I was coming in from out of town) they were kind enough to suggest that I make a reservation. Like an old couple, my friend and I sauntered in at 5:30pm. Who eats dinner that early? Everyone! Within 5 mins of opening this restaurant was almost entirely full. Whodathunk that people were dying to get in so early? Prepare to set aside some time to eat here. The tasty American fare is served up in more of a Euro style. No rush! Drinks came first, then apps, then a second app (we were hungry!) and then the main dishes. The dining experience was fabulous and we hung out for nearly two hours. This was great though because it allowed for a lovely conversation and time for each of us to admire the light fixtures, the nice heavy silverware, the wine being poured from canning jars, the water being poured (from what I think) are old liquor bottles. Every little detail here is just as good as the food. If you're still reading this, book a dinner already!
(5)
Alex T.
Fantastic service and really amazing food. I do wish there was a bit more of a southern feel to the people but maybe being from Alabama I am just too used to the southern charm. I loved this place and encourage everyone to come here to try everything they have
(4)
Kate S.
We were just visiting Portland and made a trip here on a whim, but I am so glad we did. All elements of our meal were amazing. We had the Chicken Fried Oysters for an appetizer, then the Fried Chicken and Trout for entrees and Butterscotch Pudding for dessert. All were delicious and perfectly prepared. The service was great too! We hope to return on a future trip.
(5)
Teresa J.
Went back to ISK last night and on the way in I inquired about my previous martini experience. The server at the welcome station (not the hostess) explained that there is a $2 upcharge for a martini, and maybe I was wrong about it being $3. She said ISK marinates their own olives with citrus and herbs, and it was possible that some of the herbs made their way into the drink I ordered before; she didn't address that the olive was black or that it was one in number when I asked for two. I would like to say that I got the feeling that this woman gave a shite about my unsatisfactory $11-$12 drink, but alas, I did not. It was kind of a like-it-or-lump-it exchange. Whatever. I've learned my lesson on ordering martinis at Irving Street Kitchen. Last night I ordered a Negroni, no citrus, instead, and it was quite good.
(3)
Joyice G.
Great dining experience. Menu was imaginative, ambience perfect and no one rushed us. And the food was excellent. We will be back!
(4)
John R.
Overpriced. The food was very tasty. The ambiance very nice. Service was superb. We had steak, and a variety of appetizers and starters. Everything was very very tasty. But very expensive. Incredibly expensive considering the *tiny* portions. I'm not cheap, I am willing to pay well for excellent meals. All of the food was very good. But they charge $12 for three tiny slices of (very tasty) cheese and three rye crackers. The pork shoulder appetizer had one small slice of pork shoulder. The steak was literally 6 bites (6 very yummy bites). Overall - it was high quality but over priced for the portion size. An enjoyable experience though. If you are hungry, just bring your credit card and order two of everything...
(3)
Karen D.
I went to this restaurant because of a friend's recommendation and advertisements seen in Portland brochures. Although our waitress was very friendly, I can not speak as positively about the food. I ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and collard greens, while my bf ordered the steak shanks. My fried chicken was bland and one piece was even undercooked. I showed the waitress the piece of undercooked chicken and she apologized and brought me a new piece. However, the new piece was severely burnt (see my pic). The steak shanks that my bf ordered was tough and there were only four pieces. This place was over priced, over hyped and did not live up to my expectations. There are so many better places in this area. Don't waste your money and go somewhere else.
(1)
Rosalie H.
To ring in the new year we stared with a mimosa! Atmosphere awesomely trendy, hipsters and posh Pearl District locals blends into the semi
(5)
April Y.
Butterscotch pudding is a must! Save room!
(5)
Alex C.
I had a wonderful meal here. My GF got a super tasty salmon dish and I got their fried chicken (injection brined). We also had a vegetarian caldo verde for a starter that was AMAZING. All the drinks were great and the atmosphere is awesome as well.
(5)
Carlos C.
We have been several times to Irving St. Kitchen and we have always had a wonderful experience. This place is great for a nice intimate dinner, or a delicious Sunday brunch. On sunny days they have outdoor seating. Recommended!
(5)
Marie Y.
Come here for brunch! In the summer you can sit out in the morning sun on the patio overlooking the passerbys below, but the rustic yet modern interior here means that it's excellent for brunch in winter too! I have had almost everything on the brunch menu here, and have been very satisfied and impressed consistently. The hollandaise sauce is divine, and the Bloody Mary's are the spiciest I have found in town! mmmm! Prices are very resonable here too. I recommend the Salmon Benedict or the Artichoke Sardou. My favorite brunch spot in Portland, and I'm pretty into brunch!
(5)
Jesy B.
As I rule, I somewhat cringe when coming to places like these. I'm not a very 'fancy place' kinda person and I quickly get uneasy when entering, usually expecting a death glare from a server who can easily sense that I'm out of my element for sure. I mean really, the Pearl kind of scares me, how silly. That being said, ISK was nothing like that. I was meet some fellow Yelpers for First Thursday so I squared my shoulders and marched in. This place is fantastic! From the moment I walked in, I was OK with it. I love the layout - couches, a fireplace, a lovely laid out bar and plenty of places to sit. I got there around the tail end of the HH and it was already getting pretty busy. I was inclined to get my usual - beer - but dangit, this place has some fancy cocktails so I had to indulge. I have to say my first real foray into artisan cocktails was a total success. Though I didn't totaly understand what some of the elements were (absinthe rinse, que?!), it all added up to yummy. I even had a gin drink (I don't like gin, it smells like Christmas trees!) and was amazed to find I loved it. Well done, ISK! I didn't partake too heavily in the food, but I did get their mac & cheese off the happy hour menu. Flavorful, well cooked and just freaking tasty. That bodes well for the rest of the menu and I surely want to come back for dinner - crab chower, yes PLEASE. Last - service was superb. We had people trickling in and never once did the waitress seem to be irritated at the volatility of our group. She was absolutely pleasant, attentive and always made sure you had a drink in front of you if you needed one. That's my kind of service! Not overbearing, but you always know you can get what you need pretty quickly.
(5)
dean d.
My first experience, which has led to repeated trips, had to do with stopping in after having dinner close by for a little desert. After seeing the menu and loving the ambience, NW cozy, we stopped in, sat at the bar and ordered the butterscotch pudding. Our eyes rolled back in delight with the first bite. It is so insanely good. Since we've been back a number of times. We usually stick with the pudding cause it's that good. Oh and you can also get it to go and it comes in a nice preserve jar. The drinks are outstanding to.
(5)
Audrey S.
This is one of the few restaurants in Portland that I will miss when we move. Wonderful menu. Everything I've ever had here has been delicious. The desserts are beyond decadent. We love bringing friends and family from out of town here because we know they will enjoy the overall dining experience as much as we do. Everything from the drinks, to the food to the service is done right. Other restaurants looking to provide flawless food and service should rip a page from Irving Street Kitchen's play book.
(5)
Abby S.
It's no surprise that Portland is a foodie town. (Thanks Captain Obvious!) From food carts to craft cocktails and fancy restaurants, the city is overflowing with deliciousness; Irving St. Kitchen is no exception. Without a doubt, my dinner here Wednesday night goes on the "Best Meals Evar" list, and here's why: - Fresh and unique choice of ingredients - Warm, friendly staff - Beautiful decor, yet there's no air of pretentiousness anywhere within - Fantastic wine list - Anytime lobster and butter are offered together in a dish on your menu, you've got my vote - Butterscotch pudding - 'nuff said! This place gives me the warm fuzzies and I wouldn't hesitate going back with friends, family or my lovely co-workers again.
(5)
Christopher T.
I was not happy at all about this place. I am from San Francisco and visit Portland twice a month for work. I have grown to love the Portland food scene with my favorites being being Little Bird, Andina, and Pok Pok. I just finished a work out at the gym across the street and was craving some Pok Pok but eating on the company dime I decided to give this place a shot and try something new. Now for the review: Food/Drink: 3 Stars Service: 2 Stars Atmosphere: 4 Stars Value: 2 Stars When I got into the restaurant there was no hostess to greet or seat me. After waiting a couple of minutes I sat myself at the bar. When the bar tender noticed I was there he just gave me a menu without saying welcome to Irving or even telling me about their specials or drinks. I had to ask questions and made selections based on his recommendations. I ended up getting the Penicillin cocktail for $11 and it actually tasted like Penicillin (I am a physician so I know) which is not a good thing. No one bothered to ask how my drink was after it was served. I then had to call bar tender over again to order my entree and selected the black cod with a crawfish curry for $26. I did wait for approximately 25 minutes for my entree with no one checking up on me or offering bread (helps soak up the alcohol on an empty stomach) which i had to request when my entree was served. When my entree was served it was good but nothing special. The fish was cooked perfectly along with the crawfish and vegetables but all the flavors just blended together and nothing was excellent, special, or memorable. After eating I had to again request my check and then I left with no one ever thanking me for my visit. In closing I have a real problem with this restaurant. The service is terrible and I was not treated like a guest or made to feel welcome in fact yesterday I had lunch at Chipotle and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and the service at both places was remarkably better. The portion size also was relatively small and after paying $42 with tax and tip for my meal I was still left pretty hungry and bought a piece of fruit at whole foods which was remarkable fresh and juicy (reminded me of Georgia peaches) and probably the highlight of my dinner. If you are going to lack in value you need to make up in service which was not there. I definitely will not eat here again and felt sorry that my company had to pay for this meal. Now I cant wait to get some Pok Pok tomorrow....so much for trying new things.
(2)
Everett S.
It's definitely good. I had the fried chicken, which had a unique tasting gravy. I was with a big group and nothing we ordered was too remarkable. It's expensive and I just don't know if it's the place I would splurge on. That said. I can't really think of anything bad to say.
(3)
Kevin P.
4.5 stars. Place is one of the best in Portland. Hand crafted cocktails and an ever changing local menu that dominates life. Never had a bad experience there, never will. Could be a bit less expensive but that's just finding an excuse to not give it 5 stars.
(5)
Brittany K.
Good ambience, great food all around. We tried the trout and lamb porterhouse and both were very good.
(4)
Tricia L.
What a great place! Friendly waitstaff, amazing food, great ambiance. Great place to bring out of town guests as it is so Portland.
(5)
Cassandra C.
Nice atmosphere, nice food. Nice staff. Just not that nice. Had the fried chicken meal and to-go butterscotch pudding. It was cute that the pudding came in a practically gift-wrapped package and it was a short mason jar. That was cute. But it was very run-of-the-mill. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. Some people like that.
(2)
Meredith h.
So I am not trying to be negative however I did not have a great experience, nor did I have a horrible one. I sat at the bar bymyself and was weakly greeted, no smile or hello just a glass of water poured for me by one bartender. He then walked away and i waited for a bit then another bartenter came by and gave me some menus. He returned to take my drink order, and none of the speciality cocktails were calling my name so I just went for a glass of Prosecco instead. The bartender was knowledgable and answered my questions but was not warm. I started off with the mussel corn chowder soup which had a nice base with crips sweet corn with potatoe and fennel, the mussels however where not good and they didn't seem to ruin the soup. I next had the Salmon gravlex with cucumber salad and homemade rye crackers. The salmon was decent, salty as expected maybe a little too much, the gribiche sauce was plentyful drizzled over the salmon. It was ok it didn't necissarily compliment the salmon nor insult it. The cucumber salad was non-existant, it was a bunch of frisee lettuce. When I asked about it, saying "isn't a cucumber salad supposed to come with cucumber?" The bartender asked if I wanted to send the dish back, but I really didn't want to send the whole thing back. I just wasn't sure if my interpretation was incorrect. He then offered to bring a side of cucumbers. Again the effort was rather luke warm. The homemade rye crackers had a nice texture but were bland if you did not have a nice peice of salty salmon on top. Overall the food was so so, I gave it two stars for the setting and tone that I felt in there. It is a beautiful restaurant and the food has potential however I guess I just wasn't feeling it there. As I left everyone was pleasant and said goododbye, but I guess my initial reception i felt wasn't as pleasant or welcoming.
(2)
Tiffany N.
Irving Street has an awesome selection of charcuterie and I was lucky enough to sample almost all of their offerings. I say I was lucky because it was all so very delightful. Besides the smorgasbord of meat Don B and I shared Oysters on Horseback (bacon-wrapped oysters), an edamame puree with radishes and cucumbers (this was the consistency of something like hummus and you could dip the veggies into the puree), a mind-blowingly delicious Shrimp Etouffe, and a Jambalaya that was too sweet for me (I prefer it super spicy.) I love all their draft wines and the cocktail list is amazing. Speaking of amazing, that's a great word to describe the space and the service as well. While the space is rather on the largish size it doesn't seem cold or cavernous, but warm and cozy. And never for a moment was I at a want for attention when necessary - empty glasses became full again quickly, courses were ordered leisurely and food was delivered promptly. All in all it was a most pleasant experience.
(5)
Sara G.
I usually wait a while before visiting a new place, but I met one of the cooks and after chatting with him and feeling his enthusiasm we decided to dive in. Awesome fried chicken. It's on the bone like it should be, not some limp patty. They have wines on tap straight out of the barrel--how neat is that? Services was unattentive and professional, although complaining about service in the first month a place is open is just unfair, you have to give them a chance to get a rhythm. How good were you at your job during the first month? My only complaint would be the...clientele. Were I a young man looking for an older lady to buy me nice clothes in exchange for orgasms, I might prefer the atmosphere at the bar. Instead, I'll ask for a table next time.
(4)
El S.
I need to start out by saying that the food is excellent but only four stars...the reason for the 5th star is for the service. My server, Lynn, was exceptional and extraordinarily well prepared. She had a vast knowlege of the wine list as well as a genuine interest in the menu. That counts for a lot....most restaurants don't realize that. On to the food....when I first walked in I noticed a giant, round crusty loaf of bread. This bread is usually found exclusivley in Italian neighborhoods on the east coast. In fact, if you've never bitten into this burned, crusty, bread on a Sunday morning while standing over the kitchen sink (mom would hit you if you with her church shoes if you made crumbs on the floor) then you are not really Italian. For some reason this bread has found its way to Portland via Ken's Artisan...and Irving Street Kitchen has the good sense to offer it. That's major points in my book...it shows good, unpretentious taste. If Ken isn't Italian I'd be shocked. I got the olive sampler to start. Granted its only olives but the selection was terrific. Green Sicilian with some Gaeta and hot peppers as well. Smartly done. I'm a fat pig and that means two entrees - The steak and the fried chicken. I get my steak medium rare...the chimicurri type sauce was decent albeit not spicy enough but the meat was cooked perfectly and very well seasoned. It came with polenta cakes and something else so awesome that I ate so fast I forget what it was. The fried chicken was top top top notch. No joke. It came with nicely done mashed potatoes and collared greens that were pre-vinegared and seasoned to perfection. Most places give you malt vinegar to put on yourself...no need here...the guy out back seasoned it to perfection. Well done. I got the rhubarb pie for desert. A little disappointing....it came de-contructed which I don't like for desert. When you order desert it should be decadent and complicated. I can appreciate de-construction for an entree but not for a desert. I wish I had got something else. This newcomer is a first rate restaurant and a welcome addition to the neighborhood....I'll be coming here a lot. not just because I'm a fat pig with man-hooters but because its really, really good and the service is five-star and unpretentious. Well done, keep up the good work.
(5)
Leah H.
Having had a delightful meal at Town Hall last time I visited San Francisco, I was thrilled to hear about the opening of Irving Street Kitchen. I checked out the menu on their website and was excited to see a number of the same menu offerings as Town Hall. I finally got the chance to make it down there. The food was wonderful but the service was a bit lacking. In fact, if it were not for how satisfactory the meal was, there is no way a restaurant could pull off a 4 star review with the service I received. I'm going to assume it was bad timing/new employees/or something - but at least this gives me an opportunity to update this to a 5 star when the quality of the service matches the quality of the food! We started at the bar thinking that we could take advantage of happy hour. I was uncertain about what to drink and so the bartender suggested that she make me her favorite (and see if I like "big girl drinks"). It was made with gin, my least favorite spirit, but it was wonderful. Now sitting with a nice drink, we wanted to order a couple things off of the happy hour menu and then continue on to entrees. The only problem: we were never asked about food. My dining companion finished his drink, but still, no notice was taken to us. After being ignored for around 30 minutes we decided to see if we could be moved to the dining room. Screw happy hour, I guess. Although I really did want to try their poutine. Once moved, we were asked if we needed drinks, but then sat without being asked about food for some time. At this point, my dining partner was working on convincing me that we should leave and find some pizza. Granted, when people are hungry (and without food) the crankiness level at the table greatly increases. Needless to say, I was relieved when our waitress came around just as my friend was beginning to stand up. We ordered the salumi plate to start and asked for some bread. Mmm, Ken's Artisan Bread. So good! The meats were served with a house-made whole seed mustard. Normally the taste of mustard triggers my gag reflex, but I could eat this! And, you know what, it didn't taste too bad! I ordered the sirloin & smoked rib. The sirloin was cooked perfectly! It was crisp and smokey on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. But the smoked rib stole the show. It was smokey and melty and OH MY GOODNESS just damn delicious. My companion mentioned that it was an insult to the sirloin to be plated with the rib, because it never stood a chance. The rib was just so damn good. My friend ordered the fried chicken on recommendation of our waitress. It had yummy breading that remained amazingly crunchy through the meal - even while sitting in the potatoes and greens. His take on his plate was that it was good, but it wouldn't be the item that brings him back again and again. We ended the meal with the butterscotch pudding to-go. It came in an adorable jar. I honestly wanted to buy a half dozen of them and give them away as holiday gifts. But I restrained myself. Altogether, a couple of drinks a piece, a shared appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert only amounted to $80. Not bad at all. Once fed, my (now considerably less) cranky companion admitted that this had been one of the best meals that he has had in Portland. I will certainly return to try more of their menu and to get me that poutine!! I'm just hoping I will never experience service like that again.
(4)
Troy W.
Irving St Kitchen has all the elements that I look for in a restaurant. The drinks, food, ambiance, creature comforts and service is great. The roasted trout was great and pared with wheatberry for a hearty starch. The limey bastard SAS a delicious gin drink. The decor was simple yet week thought out. Not pearl district hipster but refined new American. It's easy to get a great seat art the bar and the staff will concoct a masterpiece or pour from the tap a glass of wine! A great spot for a date, reunion or just catching up.
(5)
Miss M.
Thank god for this place!!! We ended up here after a disaster at the Pink rose (Check out my hilarious review of that crap shack!) First impression was not so great when the hostess was short and snappy when we didn't have a reservation (I get it there was like 14 people in the place) and when we asked to sit outside. Luckily it was all made better by our server who brought coffee and mimosas. The key to this yelper's heart? Booze and java! And you serve it on a hipster tray with raw brown sugar cubes cuz splenda packets are so 2005? EVEN BETTER! Breakfast was like heaven carny goodness. I had eggs bacon and potatoes with toast. Pretty backs right? Nope! Irving street's ooh can throw it down in the kitchen. i had to refrain from licking my plate it was that good. Over all Irving street is a win. I think the hostesses may be a little full of themselves but overall I will 100% be back next time I'm in Portland.
(4)
Anthony W.
Ate here with some friends and had a great time. We had a huge table of about 12 people and the servers did a great job attending to our needs in a timely fashion. The food was good but nothing to write home about. What I mean about this is that everything we ordered was just on par with a good meal but didn't blow our socks off. They did mix up some great cocktails and the decor is nice. Would still come here again to eat.
It's gone way downhill in the past 6 months and I won't be back. The cocktails are always disappointing and the food quality doesn't match ambiance or price point. The seafood is always mushy from being improperly defrosted. The head on gulf prawns were a joke, they assembled poor quality shrimp with unmatched heads! Come on!
(2)
Kathy B.
I've been here for brunch, dinner, and now happy hour. The service has always been friendly and available. I know that saying a server is available is odd,but in this town, sometimes a server is as hard to find as a place that doesn't have a happy hour. I'm sitting at Irving St kitchen outside on the patio. There is only one other group here. For a happy hour, the place is empty. The happy hour wine served is passable and one of the cheaper ones from Spain. The menu is limited but unique. It's not the regular hamburger and pub food in a lot of places. The tasso jambalaya was amazing (made with their own handmade andouille sausage). I forgot to mention that they have a dismal selection of beers on Happy hour. However, the regular selection is good and they have wine and cocktails.
(5)
Deanna N.
Went for happy hour on a Sunday night. Portions are small, but did enjoy the wings. And of course their signature bell jar butterscotch budino. I do love this place, but think I'll come for a full meal or brunch and always willing to take that butterscotch home! A friend told me one year she bought it to give out as Christmas presents.
(4)
Bill W.
As a tourist I heard about the eclectic Portland food scene. The Irving Street Kitchen epitomizes this. The 'southern comfort food' was creative without losing it southern roots.
(5)
Jonathan N.
Come for the happy hour, its a great price and has a nice selection of wines and spirits, as well as appetizers. The other thing i like about this place is the wine on tap, which means you get to try out a few on request. I like this place because it's designed well, not too crowded, nicely modern - portland style. Go for it, take a friend, take your mom, take a date.
(4)
Janice F.
Love the ambiance - open patio space, cabana booths & lots of other seating options to accommodate larger groups. Eclectic but modern furnishings, bookcases & couches. Service was efficient & attentive - they refolded napkins when we went to the bathroom, kept water glasses filled at all times. Food-wise, the seared foie with peanut butter & apple jelly was really good! Although, I think the peanut butter did overpower the foie a bit. But the foie itself was cooked really nicely. Their fried chicken is a half a chicken, it's a large portion - you get 3 pieces, thigh drumstick & breast. Good, but Screen Door still takes the cake. Loved the butterscotch pudding dessert - comes with caramel sauce & vanilla whipped cream. Would come back for a relaxing brunch.
(4)
Kate D.
A must dining experience in Portland. Rustic chic with a twist. Loved the ambiance and presentation. Great outdoor area. Small plates were amazing. We had salmon gravlax and the crab lyonnaise salad was to die for.
(5)
Bruce W.
Found the entire experience lacking on my third visit after thoroughly enjoying this place the first two times we had dinner there. Our waiter was either having a bad night or he's in the wrong job. He made us feel like we were such a bother at every turn. With the exception of the host/hostess, the front house staff made us feel like they didn't want us there. For example, when my wife got up to go to the bathroom, she nearly got run over by a waiter who brushed past her in the aisle rather than waiting for her to go by. When I ordered "another one of these" from a different person and was making sure they knew my cocktail order, they cut me off, saying "got it" as they turned on their heel and walked away. Nobody checked with us after the entrees were served. Our check was delivered before we were offered desert. I saw another reviewer describe what I experienced as "Portland Waiter Syndrome" where the waiter makes you feel like a nuisance for being in the restaurant. That pretty much sums up our impression on our last visit. There are so many restaurants in Portland where both the food and service are excellent. I'll be grateful when I've forgotten all about Irving Street Kitchen.
(2)
C Z.
Excellent food. However, the waiter forgot our appetizer completely and we thought he forgot about us for a good 25 min, then our entree arrived. Regardless, good food, great decor and ambiance altogether a 5 star and worth the price.
(5)
Chris B.
I am never disappointed when I eat here. No matter what the meal is excellent the service is excellent and I am always so happy when I leave. Even if you don't want southern food still eat here and you'll be surprised and defiantly enjoy yourself.
(4)
aaron r.
I've been here a few times and each time is great...dinners are great as is brunch. Minus 1 star for service that is sometimes aloof, but even with slightly sub-par service, this place still deserves at least 4 stars.
(4)
Jeffrey K.
My wife and were in Portland a few months ago, and looking for someplace new to try. The Yelp reviews were good, so we gave it a try. This is now our favorite restaurant in Portland. We have been there twice for Sunday brunch, and once for dinner. We have not had a bad meal. My favorite has to be the double cheeseburger. Has grilled pastrami and sour kraut on it. Amazing! The atmosphere is relaxed, but full of energy at the same time. The staff has been great. The last time there, we did not have time to stay for desert. Our server brought my wife a jar of butterscotch pudding for us to take with us, on the house! I found the prices were very reasonable, especially for being in the Pearl District. Does get very busy, so if you have the time to make a reservation, I would recommend it. I can't wait to return.
(5)
Michael S.
Cool vibe and neat decor. Food was interesting and well prepared, served by a very attentive staff. Be sure to ask for bread, as they don't just put it on the table, and it's no charge and very good...but leave room for the meal :-)
(4)
Jamie L.
Food was amazing! The wording of the menu may seem off putting with wording. But oh my gosh the food was mind blowing my awesome. Definitely get the halibut, steak, apricot upside down cake and/or the vanilla bean cheesecake.
(5)
Jess A.
Cute, very well decorated. Good for brunch it's not too loud. Go with friends or your significant other you'll have a good time. Food was good and quick. Coffee wasn't impressive. Drinks were pretty good there too. I'll go back.
(4)
Kerri M.
I only came here for dessert. Butterscotch pudding. It was pretty amazing.
(4)
Jone V.
we had a sunday morning (make reservations!) breakfast here, but i have had better poached eggs with hollandaise saus. need i say more? but the cappuccino was delicious and made up for the price. the personnel definitely works hard doing their best, but the cooks could use more training, in my opinion.
(2)
Gillian T.
I can't say enough great things about this place. I've been for dinner, happy hour, and brunch and every single time the food knocks me away. The servers are knowledgeable about their offerings and are friendly and nice without being overbearing or overly attentive, which can detract from service sometimes. I would give them 5 stars except that at brunch this past weekend, the coffee was TERRIBLE. I don't know if it was the prep of it or the coffee itself, but it was baaaaaad. Kind of disappointing since every other detail of this place is so well thought out. Everything else was 5 stars though.
(4)
Sherry C.
Irving St. Kitchen was highly recommended by a fellow frequent traveler foodie friend and we were so glad we had went b/c it was the highlight of our wkd trip to Portland. We had made a reservation for dinner and was seated promptly upon arrival. Although the noise level was moderately high, my companion and I were tucked into one of the alcoves which was really romantic. The menu items were creative and delicious. Who knew peaches and trout would tastes so good together. The fried chicken was juicy and the batter had a nice crunch to it. Being conditioned by Bay Area prices, even though the prices were printed on the menu, we were pleasantly surprised by the check when it had came. We highly recommend Irving St. Kitchen to friends and family visiting Portland!
(5)
Vanessa M.
One of the few places you can make a reservation for brunch! It makes life so much easier when you can do that! The coffee is strong and hot, and the waiter was good about the refills. We had the salmon benedict and the moroccan slow poached eggs. Both were really great with tons of flavor, but the portions were kind of small. Maybe we are just used to huge brunch portions everywhere or maybe the plates they use are just too big. In any case the food was spot on and we will be back for brunch again and to try dinner.
(4)
Livia M.
Big open planned space. Great happy hour options that can take you all the way to dinner. Lots of options on the wine taps and friendly, efficient, staff (and other guests).
(4)
Scott A.
Fantastic service.. Our cheeky waitress was a master at up selling lol Great food, being from Melbourne Australia we are a bit spoilt in culinary aspects but Irving St Kitchen really restored my faith in American cuisine. Great night out Thank you
(4)
Sandra W.
Cornbread -- a combination of simple ingredients; and yet, so very easy to do wrong. I've tried so many versions in so many places throughout the country, and I have been disappointed so frequently that I almost swore off cornbread completely, convinced that a good cornbread does not exist. I'm glad ISK has proved me wrong on this. This was simply the best cornbread I have ever had. For $6, we were served a triangular slice topped by a honey sauce. The cornbread was sweet, moist, and with a little kick of spice, but not so much that it drowned out the essential primary corn flavor. ISK also served an excellent peach trifle for our dessert, layered with vanilla pound cake, caramel and mascarpone. But the entire experience, including the entrees in between the cornbread and the dessert, was just a bit lacking. The fried chicken and fish dishes that we had were just okay, perfectly edible and tasty, but there was no 'wow' factor that would have coaxed out that fifth star. The veggies accompanying the fish did not stand on their own, and needed to be eaten with the paper-thin slices of ham. The peaches in the dish were not ripe and reminded me of Fred Meyer-quality nectarines. The same can also be said of the service. There was nothing overtly wrong with the service, it just seemed disconnected, disjointed, a bit chaotic and disorganized. For example, we asked the waitress to bring the cornbread at the same time as our salads. That didn't happen -- the cornbread showed up well after our salad plates left the table. I had iced tea as my beverage, and it was refilled at the table with warm tea from a glass beaker, so what I ended up with then was lukewarm tea in a glass with almost no ice. It's the tiny little details in the way things are done and presented that make a great place stand apart from a "pretty good" place like ISK. When there's difficulty in execution in the dining room and "good but not fabulous food;" it's symptomatic of leadership issues in the operation in general. Had we dined only on cornbread and peach trifle, we may have thought harder about giving them 5 stars, but the dining room issues would still have held them back.
(4)
Anthony B.
I would go back for the old fashioned alone...but the food and atmosphere was great too!
(5)
Frank W.
Overall, thoroughly disappointed. We've been three times and the food has been awful, the wine bad and the hostess this last trip was quite rude. We're not going back.
(1)
Kirsten R.
Are you kidding me? Where has this place been all my life? First of all every single course is like dessert-from the Dutch baby topped with Gruyere cheese and bacon to the beautifully arranged wedge salad with bacon, bleu cheese and radish. The bloody Mary was delicious and the Mimosa was sparkling and grand! And don't even get me started on the actual dessert! Bittersweet chocolate pudding topped with butterscotch pudding topped with a salted caramel. I'm in heaven! The space is beautiful with high ceilings and lots of wood throughout giving it a rustic feel-and they give ample room between tables so you can actually hear your dining partner. Novel concept in this city, where I often feel crammed into whatever small space I'm given... and our waitress was amazing. So go-just go-and love it!
(5)
Nam N.
stumbled upon this place while strolling the pearl district with my aunt. i was very pleased by the decor and setting. a rustic feel - with a dash of urban modernty (yes i made that word up) we were warmly welcomed by the hostess and quickly seated in a booth. we ordered: fried okra - cooked to perfection. no slime. all flavor and the jalapeno aioli was a nice balance bacon wrapped oysters - yum. i like bacon and love oysters. a perfect balance of flavors. beef tartare - this was okay to me. nothing of great tastes compared others i have tried before. the raw quail egg was a nice touch of flavor. pork belly - not as savory as i thought it would be as pork belly is amongst my favorite things to eat. but not overly fatty and still good. and my final and favorite of the night... corn bread - simply amazing. it had bits of red chili in it not making it spicy but had a slight hint of spice. topped with a maple suger syrup that made the corn bread taste like the worlds best cake. i want one for my birthday. i will definitely come back!
(4)
Adam G.
This is the only place that has ever made me food-drunk. This is the point beyond food-coma where you stagger around looking terrible because you have just gorged yourself on such a staggering quantity of food that even the manager (I think he was a manager) wonders how you did it. Dial back an hour and let's see how this happened ... 0 - asked the bartender to make something up for me. You can do that here and discover something about yourself (Bourbon can be delicious?) or you can get wine from the tap, but I definitely recommend letting the bartenders do their thing. 1 - crab and clam chowder, with bacon. I don't know where this came from, or how it got here but it was phenomenal. 2 - braised veal rib. meat falling off the bone, succulent fat, even the greens were great. 2.5 - cornbread with bourbon butter glaze. Be aware, although in my magnificence I was able to consume the entire slice of pie (that's how delicious this was - think wonderful pie) you should probably share with 1 or 2 or 3 other people. 3 - Mississippi mud pie - I shouldn't have ordered this. I was already full and bubbling over, but hey, it was my birthday and I wanted dessert. I finished it. I was full, and I finished it. Yep, it was that tasty. 100% consumed by yours truly. I've never had bad food here. While I went for the veal rib this time, the fried chicken is an old standby - some of the best I've ever had. NOTE: As a general rule, I will almost always choose to sit at the bar over at a table in the restaurant area. I do this everywhere, and it's worth noting in this case, because I expect a significant difference in atmosphere. One a weekend night, ISK is bustling. It's busy, it's definitely not quiet, and it can get crowded at the bar. Every member of the staff I have encountered has been very friendly. That said, this is not the place to go for a "quick bite" before a show or movie. Your food will not arrive 5 minutes after you order it. Go when you've got time to enjoy the reasonably well list establishment with good friends and food & drink that will enthrall your taste buds. About Brunch - I kind of want to write a separate review, but I'll just mention it here. The place has a very different vibe during weekend brunch. It's much quieter and "brighter" (crappy word, but the vibe is light and airy .. not that those words help much.) The brunch is a regular thing for me. The food and drink quality is every bit as good as dinner, but the price is much less. For brunch, it's $$ instead of $$$ for dinner. 5-stars. I'm constantly drawn back here both for food, drinks, and to visit some of my regular bartenders.
(5)
Alison P.
I have been here numerous times, and they have never let me down. The service is absolutely fantastic, and the food is superb. If you have the chance to go for brunch, PLEASE try the moroccan eggs. Their bloody mary's aren't too shabby either. For dinner, you have to get the cornbread. What's that? You don't like cornbread? Shut up. Get it. You won't be sorry. How do I know? Because I don't like cornbread. Dessert: Chevre Cheesecake. I don't have anything to add here...just Chevre Cheesecake. All in all, the atmosphere is wonderful, the food is wonderful, the service is wonderful...yeah. Can't go wrong.
(5)
H T.
i love town hall in sf, and salt house and anchor and hope are ok as well, so i thought irving street kitchen would be a good place for dinner in the pearl. on monday night, we went around 7, and it wasn't crowded at all. drinks here are good and STRONG. i could barely finish one drink before getting tipsy already. they start you w/ ken's artisan bakery bread, so if you can't get to the bakery itself, then you must eat bread here. if you are a fan of tartine bakery in sf, then you would love this bread. we ate it w/ edamame puree, which was an app and really tasty. for dinner, i got the chinook (which i learned was wild salmon, and i figure i should eat salmon in the pacific NW), and i shared the succotash and beet sides w/ my husband. the chinook had a mustardy sauce and was super fresh. we were super full by the end of dinner, so we couldn't eat dessert, but you can buy the butterscotch pudding w/ salted caramel sauce to-go. you get the pudding in a cute mason jar too, so you can re-use it after! i didn't even eat the pudding until 3 days later, and it was still awesome.
(4)
Paula L.
We were in town visiting and happened upon this place. We started with drinks and appetizers and ended with desserts and every course was amazing. The staff was great and food choices were top notch. Very eclectic menu. We had the deviled eggs and waffles to start- waffles were my favorite. The trout was outstanding, the steak was perfect, and the salmon gravlox was also very good. We finished with the salted caramel pudding and kettle corn. Our table left very full and happy! If we come back to town we will definitely return!
(5)
Jason L.
I've been to the Irving St. Kitchen on three separate occasions, and every time has been outstanding. Our last visit, my girlfriend, Ali, and I decided we wanted to go on a "fancy date," so we put on nice outfits and had ourselves a three course meal with wine pairings. We started with the ISK-style BLT (smoked ahi tuna "bacon," arugula, and fried green tomatoes) and a corn soup of which I forget the particulars. The soup was outstanding-- a bit sweet, but in that good way. The BLT was very good, but I'd say it was probably the weakest part of the meal. We paired the appetizers with prosecco. (Because if you don't have bubbles in your wine, you can't possibly be fancy.) Next up, Ali had the halibut, and I ordered duck-stuffed duck, wrapped in duck. Both dishes were unreasonably good. We got a side of cornbread on the recommendation of several people, and that was an excellent decision. We let Patrick, our waiter, pair wines with the meal, and he did a KILLER job. Honestly, I don't remember what he gave us, but the pairings were solid. Finally, we ordered the cheesecake, which wasn't quite cheesecake. It didn't have a crust, but it had a... chocolate grenache? I don't know. Whatever it was, I put it in my mouth and felt very good about the decision. This was paired with a pinot noir dessert wine, which was surprisingly delicious and paired perfectly with the cheesecake. Patrick talked me out of a port, which I thought was especially cool considering the port was $5/glass more expensive. We left full, happy, and most importantly, feeling very fancy. The best part of this experience was the service-- I mean, I can get amazing food all over Portland, right? -- the way Patrick talked about the food and helped us make solid pairings really showed a passion for solid dining experiences. Our previous experiences were met with excellent service as well, so I don't think it's just Patrick -- ISK has managed to create a really good working culture, and it shows through in their dining experience. I'll definitely be returning. Probably frequently. Maybe with a monocle next time.
(5)
B. A.
Super nice wait staff, pleasant room (albeit many, many hard surfaces), nice wines -- and the appetizers and entrees were good enough. I wanted to love this friendly place! But the wee portions for the charcuterie and the cheeses plates are either a cost-saving measure or just pretentious (maybe some of each) and our group wasn't happy about that. Pieces of cheese and meat no bigger than tasting samples - that's just plain silly and a good way to lose repeat business.
(2)
Ari R.
A perfect restaurant. If you like an urban, rustic modern vibe, you will love this place. The decor is incredible. They use a lot of reclaimed wood and Edison lightbulbs. The bar is gorgeous. They have the neatest contemporary wine taps ever. All the lighting is enchanting and dim. Food is decadent and flavorful. Cocktails are pre-prohibition on.... and beer is great.. lots of Belgians. You will love it here.
(5)
David C.
I had a gift certificate for Irving Street, so I decided to check it out. I really didn't have an expectation level. I was completely blown away. This place was amazing! There were 3 in our party and we all traded each of our dishes at eah course. Service was great...food was great. Definately coming back!
(5)
Maya S.
5 star. How could it be less? I am raving. Fantastic, unbelievable, as good as it gets in Portland. Why do I say this? Because I am completely fed up with paying high prices and receiving just "okay" service or ambience or food or drinks. Irving Street Kitchen does EVERYTHING right, and I mean everything. The total package. The server was absolutely spot on. They should clone her and send her to all the high end restaurants in Portland so she can be an exemplar. THIS is how it's done. Not a hipster, holier than though, 'tude in sight. Thank you for that! She was absolutely perfect, truly. Warm, informed, extremely attentive. The lighting, perfect. The ambience, perfect. And here is a major pet peeve of mine: dining room music. They have it perfect. You can hear it but it's in the background and above your head as opposed to blaring so loud you cannot hear the people you are with because it's blasting right at ear level. Thank you for even getting the music right! I notice all these things that make up the entire package and that's why I say Irving Street IS the entire package. Best cocktail I've ever had, fantastic and beautiful shaved vegetable salad, great meal, and the dessert??? Insane. To die for. I told the server there must be crazy people in the kitchen making something like that! Black bottomed butterscotch pudding but not the horrible sticky sweet corn syrup kind... light as a feather with a nearly bitter layer and a salted caramel layer and a sweet pillow layer... made me crazy! Feeding it into my mouth when long ago I had passed "I can't eat another bite" status, because I HAD to have it! To be treated so well and so warmly and have great ambience and great food, especially when out for a special occasion like I was... well, it just doesn't get better than that in Portland. Many try to achieve this but fail somewhere along the chain of events. There is no failure at Irving Street. Best fried chicken ever, done right. Take heed, restaurants of Portland. Do what they do, all down the line, and I'll give you 5 stars too! Spot on. Impeccable. Warm. Delicious. I'd say it's the place to be in Portland. Why mess with the rest when you can have the best? I won't bother with the rest anymore, that's for sure.
(5)
kristin e.
I have to give this place 5 stars if only for their delicious butterscotch pudding. This is not your typical butterscotch pudding snack cup from the grocery store. It was rich, velvety, thick, creamy yet very light at the same time. I've been craving it since last night and I'm now suffering from withdrawal. I came in here only with the intention to have a drink but ended up having a 2nd dinner (I had eaten dinner a few hours previously at the Heathman) because I couldn't resist the offerings. It started off with the cheese sampler which was fantastic along with some speciality cocktails: The Seelbach and the Old Curmudgeon. I wasn't too thrilled with the Seelbach (I love prosecco and I love bourbon but I guess I don't love them together) but the Old Curmudgeon was a winner. It was bourbon with a peppery kick. For the main course I had the fried chicken with collard greens, mashed potatoes and gravy. You get a juicy drumstuck, thigh and breast which is nice because many places give you just 2 pieces of chicken. Our server was friendly and funny and the space itself was gorgeous. It's very warm and inviting. I can't wait for the day I get to go back.
(5)
kevin c.
First, if the entree has a salad already but the menu does not mention that, it's just good form for the waitperson to so inform the customer when he orders a salad with the entree. I don't think many people out there are looking for 2 lettuce salads with 1 meal. Second, who thought it'd be a good idea to serve scrambled eggs on top of toast -- the toast just gets soggy and nasty. And who thought it'd be a good idea to put a sweet tomato-apple relish on an egg-lobster-mascapone scramble? A really rank combination of tastes and textures. Finally, who thought it'd be a good idea to pile the side salad on top of said toast-egg-lobster-sweet salsa mess? Who in their right mind wants vinegar on their eggs? Or the already soggy toast to be further saturated with vinegar? The extra salad I ordered? Soggy and over-saturated with a strangely tasteless dressing. And the whole schtick is a bit much. Bringing the wine to the table in a mason jar on to then pour it into the wine glass? Mismatched cutlery? Really? What's next? Gonna dress the staff in overalls and straw hats? This place tries way too hard, but doesn't have the talent in the kitchen to back up the ambition. And, btw, I just moved here from SF. I like Town Hall and Anchor and Hope (and Salt House is alright), so I guess I expected their Portland outpost to at least be edible.
(1)
Joel D.
Great bar, great atmosphere, great food. What else could you ask for. I thought the scallop dish was a little too salty but the great drink selection and heavenly butterscotch pudding - yeah, it's that good - make for a fantastic night out. I highly recommend.
(5)
Hemesh P.
went here because everyone talks about the butterscotch pudding...man was it good...yum its a fun place even if you just come for dessert like i did!
(5)
Daniel M.
The burger was one of the most delicious thing I have ever had. Amazing menu, wonderful service, and a totally kick ass atmosphere. While the food is expensive, two people can split the burger and be well fed. We will for sure be back... after I graduate.
(5)
scott c.
5 stars for the quality of the food, delicious drinks, and attentive service.
(5)
Sara C.
To start with I don't write many reviews, but the brunch was so crap I thought I would start. First off my husband was charged $6 (that's right!) for a side of subpar bacon sitting in a pool of it's own grease that came at the end of our meal. Secondly, when you offer a breakfast plate don't skip on portions. I have small hands and the portion of unsalted potatoes on my plate could have very easily fit in my palm. The poached eggs I got with them were poached properly, but I ordered a side of their hollandaise sauce and it was cold and bland and again charged for it. I don't believe any style of egg ordered would have been better let alone salted, because nothing had any sort of seasoning at this place, either time we went. I really don't understand how this place is still in business, but I wish they would either get better chefs and a better menu or close and be replaced by a better restaurant. Angry I can't give it 0 stars!
(1)
Michael T.
Great food, but bring you wallet because quality doesn't come cheap. The squid ink Risotto was excellent.
(4)
Brad F.
Reservation for our v-day dinner one night early. Service, food, ambiance...excellent. Great big space, right downtown in the Pearl district. But I just felt everything (beer, starters, salads, entrees) were all overpriced. Draft beer $6. Wedge salad $10! Starters $8-12. Entrees $20-28. Portions were average at best. We split the ribs, ordered wedge, meatballs, bread, and cornbread, two beers, and our total before tip was $73. I know it appears like we ordered a lot, but sharing an entree and only having two drinks should not be $70+. And the men's bathroom urinal had urine all over the floor. Should have been 4/5 stars, just didn't make the cut. Still glad we tried.
(3)
Roger M.
CONSISTENT! Call to reserve a private booth with curtain for the quais-private-intimate dining. Has bar with fireplace. Food fantastic, not all dishes are 5 star but most everything is 4 star. Like the aged hanger steak over polenta and seared egg; rice and sausage jumbalaya; salami (4 kinds) delicious and lots of it for an appetizer. Fried chicken southern style, with collards and mashed potatoes was good. I recommend the 3 meatballs (pork, beef & lamb) over mashed potatoes for happy hour along with fries and a IPA, of course. Been there 7x's so give it a try for sure.
(4)
Kelsea A.
Two words: Fried Chicken. Oh man, it was so good and hearty, perfect for the snowy weather that was happening the weekend I was there. I also order the lox and rye crackers which was delightful! The wine on tap list was pretty mind blowing. I will be back next time I visit portland!!!
(5)
Jane C.
Try the smoked trout entree - it is fabulous. Perfectly prepared the fish is moist and has a wonderful wood smoked flavor. Our service was excellent - attentive but not pushy. Dined here twice in a week and both experiences were excellent
(4)
Laura P.
We love this restaurant! We've been here nearly a dozen times and have yet to be disappointed! We've dined by ourselves, taken guests and recommended. No disappointments. We love the Johnson Country Ham, buttermilk biscuits and pepper jelly, the Salmon Gravlax, the Dirty Sexy Pig Head (WOW) Seared Fois Gras. You could be done just with the small plates. We've had the Salmon, other fish dishes, like the Snapper, beef dishes, pork, we haven't had anything that was not fantastic. Desserts are equally good, it's hard to choose just one, which is why we don't, we usually choose two so we can taste each others. The Bar is also very good. The bartenders are knowledgable and fun to chat with. They have great drinks and good service. Service at the tables is always good, the servers are knowledgeable, helpful and attentive. They know the menu and can make suggestions. All in all, it's a winner!
(5)
Kimmy V.
Make reservations if plan on coming for brunch. One of the best salmon benedicts i've had in a long while. We sat the bar top and service was still amazing. The place has a nice classy clean ambiance. The breakfast nachos are also super good here -- don't confuse or compare it to chilaquiles tho!
(5)
Mikhail H.
The service is incredible here...our waitress was amazing and put us at such ease. She deserves five stars bigtime. I even caught the view of the bartender at one point and she gave me a huge grin...all of their staff is pretty incredible. The food was very good but honestly, the portions seemed very small for the price and also for what you were getting compared to most restaurants in Portland of this caliber. I did really enjoy our meal here though and their wine selection and drinks are also excellent. Perhaps I will be back for nibbles and drinks but if I am buying a $200 dinner I would most likely go somewhere else since I am not huge on Southern food and many of the menu items sounded interesting but a bit too cheap for me. My steak was heaven but on top of grits? Hmmm...
(4)
Jana C.
HH review only. Old Bay 13, just across st from 24 Hr. Not impressed by food menu. Cajun fries not golden enough, and I could go on....jambalaya was something not pleasant on the tongue. Neither of us thought it resembled anything to a genuine jambalaya. Meatballs saved the day. Unctuous and yummy, over the smoothest mash. Drink with gin and pale ale, lime also saved day. Interior beautiful...like being inside a large mountain lodge.
(2)
Eric B.
Food was awesome. Staff is super helpful and nice. Although everything looked great, we shared small plates...meatballs were great! Good spot for a girls night! :)
(4)
Jacob K.
I loved my first experience here, I really don't know where to begin so I'll make this as short and simple as possible. Interior: great! We got a nice dim booth that was private and exactly how I like it. Appetizer: Chef's cheese & crackers.. this was so good.. it reawakened my love for cheese. The soft cow's milk cheese was my favorite, with a bit of fruit compote on some bread, it was heaven. Entree: halibut bouillabaisse. I sampled a bit off everyone's plate (everything was delicious, it's impossible to go wrong) but I still think the halibut was the best. Perfect texture, perfect spiciness, the clams were lovely, everything about this dish came together.. nice and filling without being too heavy handed. I was completely impressed. My friend had the roasted corn cavatelli which had an intoxicating smokiness to it.. this would be perfect on a cold day. My other friend had the lamb porterhouse (extra rare) and my LAWDY that thing was juicy like a peach. Probably the nicest cut of lamb I've ever had.. this is definitely the dish I'm getting next time. Our server was very attentive and helpful, very professional and he made our night here at ISK the best it could be. I really cannot say enough positive things about our experience here.
(5)
Tamara S.
We had a great dinner here. I highly recommend the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. SO good. However, we came back a few weeks later for brunch and were really disappointed. I got the chicken and waffles and the portion was a joke. One small piece of chicken and two tiny (tiny!) waffles. The flavor was bland and it was expensive. The friends I was with were all disappointed in their mediocre (and tiny) dishes as well. So all to say...I recommend for dinner but definitely not for brunch.
(3)
Pdxgirl W.
Amazing place! Great service, drinks and food. They should really promote their gluten free options more because they have a great selection. I have celiac disease so I was prepared to just have a simple salad but our waitress gladly listed a ton of options for me which included the squid ink risotto. SOOO delish! My boyfriend had the trout dish, he loved that as well.
(5)
Joy D.
Great atmosphere with the rustic look and open charcuterie bar! Place looks inviting. Food was delicious and staff was friendly!
(5)
D G.
Passed by here a couple nights ago while walking around the Pearl District. Looked like an neat place from the outside - bright lights, great decor - the kind of place that has a great vibe. Looked it up on Yelp, and saw it got 4 stars - definitely worth a try. I'm giving it 5 stars. I had the Herb Stuffed Trout with Grilled asparagus. Wow. Simply the best trout I have ever had - just the right amount of saltiness and herbs. My wife had the Seared Halibut Bouillabaisse - different than what you would expect out of a Bouillabaisse - much lighter. She loved it. Our daughter ordered the Green Garlic & Parmesan Soup and the Bibb Wedge with Rogue Blue Cheese Dressing. She loved her meal as well. The best dinner we've had in a while. Great service. Great vibe. We'll be eating here again.
(5)
Annabelle J.
We sat at the bar for a quick Happy hour and it was wonderful. The bartender was so fun and the food was amazing. We will be coming back here.
(5)
Kai F.
Finally got the opportunity to get back here for dinner! Starting with the best stuff: Pickled Foie Torchon, Brioche French Toast, Shallot Rhubarb Jam, Savory Caramel. on a scale from 1 to 5, this is a 6. Off the chart yumminess. I would even go sit at the bar and just have this with a glass of wine or cocktail! I know - duck liver is so politically incorrect, but i suspect this is a humane type. The service was also excellent (5 star). although they didn't ask us if we wanted bread, and we could have used it. (their bread is so good). I was also happy they have one of my favorite wines: Priorat from Spain. we also had the tater tots, which is actually breaded and deep-fried fluffy mashed potatoes - really light. I tried the fried chicken based on so many people saying it's the best...it as good, but not off-the-hook. collard greens and smashed potatoes were tasty. I'm sure the chicken is organic and local. but I expected it to be better. my sister got the short ribs, and it was "different"....expected fall-off-the-bone tenderness, but it was really more like top sirloin steak. not at all "pot roasty". it was a pretty small plate as well. I am still a fan and will go back. The charcuterie and the ham/biscuit platters we saw being served also look enticing.
(4)
Amy T.
What an amazing spot in Pearl for brunch! We partied a little too hard in Portland the first night so by Saturday, we all slept pretty early. Works out because the next day, we woke up early for Sunday Brunch. There are tons of restaurants, but as we walked by Irving St. Kitchen, the exposed brick, ink blot art, exposed ceilings and wood panels drew us in. I had the most mouth watering scrambled egg dish. It was an English Pea and Morel Scramble with creme fraiche. It was served with lightly dressed butter lettuce and toast. If we weren't in a rush to get to our next destination, we would have stayed longer.
(5)
Joyce V.
Cool spot I found in the Pearl District amongst the lofts and warehouses. Beautifully decorated and comfortable. We came here for brunch and I had the poached egg, Belgian waffle, and pork belly with a smoked maple syrup that was amazing! My husband had over-easy eggs and Andouille sausage with the house-made Habanero salsa. His complaint was that it was not as hot as he'd like it. I tasted it and thought it was savory but definitely not spicy hot. The service was great and everyone was very friendly. We would definitely be back to try Happy Hour and dinner the next time we're back in town.
(5)
Eric M.
Started with a great Orange Juice it was very tasty. Then had the basic breakfast and the sausage was really good. Nothing to write home about but good food and great ambiance.
(4)
M G.
Food was good but the service was slow and I mean slow. Neat location and menu was interesting. I had the Chicken entree and it was good but did not really stick out. We had a couple of appetizers both were very good.
(3)
Dano B.
This is one of my favorite spots in Portland. The food is rich in flavor, the environment is cozy, and the staff is friendly. I highly recommend the brussel sprouts, the squid ink risotto, and the butterscotch pudding.
(5)
Marty J.
I enjoyed some mama and grandma quality fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and greens this Easter Sunday. Boy was it delicious and downright good food. I was like Sunday dinner at my grandma's farm...maybe a bit better. The drinks were good, and so was the service by our waitress, Fiona. The bartender was fast and friendly. We arrived about ten minutes before dinner service, and there was a slight cold front with our greeting from the hostess when we asked if we could be seated. She said we could sit a the bar, and they would seat us when the dining room opened. The hitch...it was Easter Sunday, and the place was empty and seemed prepped and ready for guests. It's all about timing, so I won't hold this against them, and we were seated right at 5pm! I recently attended TEDx Portland, and I saw that they were sponsors, and I liked that...so I put them on the top of my list to go visit. My pal visiting from Los Angeles, liked it a lot too, and he was impressed with their massive Bourbon selection. This is a high quality establishment, with wonderful and open ambiance to match the delicious food. Happy Hour seems like a delicious bargain too...and that meatball dish served on mashed potatoes is on my radar. I'm a big dessert fan, but I was underwhelmed by their offerings this past weekend.
(4)
Michael W.
This place was a major disappointment. I took my parents here who were visiting from out of town and I was sorry I did. The service was extremely slow. We didn't get our entree until 2 hours after arriving. This place also has the classic pompous attitude that many establish Portland restaurants have. My GF and mother asked for a different sides with her dish and she was told that the chef would not allow it. Why a restaurant would argue with a customer over a side of potatoes vs a veggie is beyond my comprehension. F this place, I would never go back.
(1)
Joshua N.
Good service, great, great atmosphere and very tasty menu. We arrived for happy hour and were happily delighted. We had the fries, jambalaya and chicken wings. All delicious. The Pabst and shot of whiskey for $4... awesome! Date rating 5 out of 5.
(4)
Inga W.
I was visiting Portland for a conference and in need of some great food at night. We headed to the Pearl district and our cabby recommended this place. Score for cabby, never would I ask this question in SF. The menu looked good and sitting outside on a summer night was an added bonus, we're from SF so it's cold and foggy now. I started with the Foie Gras which I can't have in SF, yet another stupid thing and then had the duck. My coworker had the salad and salmon which is in season. The food was amazing, great flavor balance and textures. The Foie came with a bacon, toast and sweet jelly that just was amazing. The duck was great too, lean, cooked just right and rich in flavor. The drinks were great, they improvised with vodka martinis with some mint and lemon juice to make them refreshing. And not that I needed it but we had the bread pudding dessert which is not what you expect, it's rich and creamy and not hot or bread. I had a manhattan to finish up my meal. The atmosphere was casual, hip and fun both inside and out, would absolutely come back to this place, the menu was rich and had tons of options.
(4)
Lauren W.
Wow this place was amazing. We were taken here by my manager on our first night in Portland. Such a treat! The ambiance is really cool and I love the design of the restaurant. We sat in the table with drapes for more privacy, so we could talk. Our server was very knowledgeable on each item and just listening to her talk about the preparation of each had our mouths watering and saying "I changed my mind, I'll have that instead!" She also recommended a Pinot Noir which I thoroughly enjoyed, and to my husband some of her favorite local brews. We tried the vegetable salad with pears and strawberries. This was soooo good. I then had the galic halibut for dinner. It was very fresh. I wanted the squid ink risotto but couldn't make up my mind. Next time! Will definitely come back on my next trip to Portland and try their brunch.
(5)
Nancy H.
This is a disappointing restaurant. Food was mediocre at best. Service person lacked knowledge and enthusiasm for menu. Oysters were bland, salmon was not memorable, fried chicken a bore, cold mashed potatoes. Bar had sagging thrift store couches, same as sipping your wine on the floor. It is an over rated restaurant that does not meet the level of service and food excellence of others in Portland, i.e., A Cena or The Screen Door and many more. Cost was $70/person. Skip this one -- many others better and enjoyable to experience.
(1)
Jennifer D.
An unfortunate disappointment because we live so close to this place. Overall thought, was that the place lacked a strong manager to keep things moving. Food was ok, Bloody Mary was decent. Unusually un-friendly staff (not typical in Portland). We were seated in a booth right by the kitchen where we were able to see everything going on back there.After 40 minutes without receiving our food, it was upsetting to see kitchen staff munching on rolls and french fries through the open window. Would make a good episode for that TV show where the boss goes in undercover.
(2)
Momo B.
ONLY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST The wonderfully adaptive Pacific Northwest cuisine has included ethnic Asian and Native American ingredients and cooking methodologies. Within this distinctive cuisine are those who fulfill the appetites of the "locavores or localvores", Those seeking foods from plants and animals and wines indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. Irving Street Kitchen lives up to that reputation of satisfying this locavore. For this evening, we ordered the following: -Chicken Fried Oyster using buttermilk that includes a Herbsaint Aioli dip -Dirty Sexy Pig's Head over Crispy Garlicky Bread, topped generously with a spicy enriched reduction plus Coriander Slaw -Pan Roasted Brook Trout on a bed of cipollini & brussels' sprout hash and finished with a topping of almonds and sage butter. (head, tail removed and de-boned) -Twin wedges of lemon pie encircled with honey dripping, topped with whipped cream and scattered "crumplets" of mixed pecans and brown sugar. While the dinner was amazing rich, delightful and exceedingly satisfying, I can't say enough about our server Patrick "Franken(stein)-Burro" affectionately nicknamed by his Latino co-workers. I characterize Patrick as the creme de la creme of his profession. BTW... Patrick is similarly mentioned in three other reviews. So I'm not the first nor the last to make special mention of Patrick.
(5)
Kalong W.
Extremely disappointed this time around. I brought my friend from out of town for brunch and was embarrassed that this was the experience she got for a famous Portland brunch. We waited 50 mins for our food to arrive with no apologies or acknowledgment from our server, Patrick. When the food arrived it was cold, bland and sparse. I had ordered the eggs platter w sausage and potatoes-the poached eggs were cold and too done, the sausages were cold and salty, and there were maybe 10 small chunks of potatoes on the plate. My friend was equally dismayed with her egg nachos which I confirmed were cold and tasteless, and the nacho chips definitely tasted stale. Refried beans and stale chips are NOT worth $14, what happened guys?! It was a complete 180 from the last time I was there, last the server came out multiple times to make sure we had fresh coffee and the food was being enjoyed. The least Patrick could have done would be to take our coffees off the bill, at least I would have. Sorry, I can't recommend this place anymore.
(1)
Jessica C.
This is a great brunch spot if you are looking for a nice place to take someone that also wont break the bank. Its in a really fun spot downtown and the food is delicious!
(5)
Scott H.
I had to sum this place up to a friend. So I told him, "You get what you pay for" The food is not cheap, but when you try it you will see where that money went. It's pretty obvious that they only use the highest quality ingredients to make dishes prepared by an obviously well trained staff. Everything we ordered what beautifully plated and had fresh, authentic flavors. My wife had the mushroom ravioli. It was packed with wild mushroom and topped with a wonderful cream sauce and more meaty mushrooms. The portion wasn't large, but the flavors were. I had the duck. I love me some duck. Beautifully rare in a flavorful sauce that I just wanted to pick up the plate and lick it. I'm told the brunch in the best part of the restaurant, and I'm not afraid to find out for myself. The service was a little chilly. Professional, but chilly. Maybe it's their angle. Whatever, I know what Darden type restaurants to go to if all I want is sugary sweet service. You can't get food like this at a Chilis. Don't you dare skip dessert either. The butterscotch pudding and peanut brittle sounds goofy, but is worth it. Even if you have to take it home in the cool jar. I love the ambiance of the place. It's very casual and unassuming. I came here fresh from a hike because we chose against one of the local brewpubs., and I didn't feel underdressed. Yay Portland I guess.
(5)
Kevin O.
Great food, amazing atmosphere! I love the mix of modern industrial and earthy easy feeling. The servers were excellent. Five stars by me all the way around.
(5)
Joanna F.
Eeeeeeehhhhh. It took forever for the hostess to acknowledge our existence, but finally we got seated. Atmosphere is beautiful and our server was warm and helpful. However, the food just left me wanting more. We got the cheese plate to start and it just wasn't memorable. I recall all of the cheese was a little funky also, which I like, but I could see how that would be offputting if you weren't obsessed with cheese. I got the halibut for my entree. It was fine. The halibut was good, but everything on the side was kind of lackluster. My husband ordered the ravioli. It took forever because the chef "didn't like the way the the sauce came out", so they gave us some free apps. I enjoyed that they were so transparent about the delay. That being said, when the ravioli did come out, the sauce tasted like lemon and not much else. I was expecting to be blown away after the chef appeared to put special effort into making the sauce. Needless to say, I probably wouldn't be back. This wasn't a bad experience, but it seems like there are so many great restaurants in Portland.
(3)
Brian H.
I had a birthday party for my husband here ,great food ,great Waite staff Nice bar
(4)
Shirley L.
OK, the rating is for their dinner. I've heard great reviews of their brunch/lunch, but yet to try those. The reason why I'm giving 3 stars is because of how salty all of our dishes were. I think if they cut down the salt, I can easily give a 4+ stars.
(3)
John J.
I really wanted to rate this place higher as I heard such good reviews. Unfortunately, I had to ask the server where they got their salmon as something didn't taste right. i was extremely disappointed to hear their fish is farmed. I cannot respect an upscale restaurant that serves FARMED salmon, especially in the NW, but more specifically Portland.
(1)
Ellen E.
This is our favorite place in Portland. Recommend the biscuits & ham as a starter. The red pepper jelly is so good. Meals are big enough to split, especially if you want to save room for one of the delicious dessert options. The brunch on Sunday is great, too. Entire experience is a little pricey, but if you're sharing with a friend, it's definitely worth it.
(5)
John E.
Totally surprising fact: this place has the best habanero salsa in the city. It's not on the menu, but it's available on request (waitress said they use it for some egg dishes at brunch). How is this possible? We went for happy hour appetizers and drinks. Tequila based drink was my favorite. I think pork belly and waffles with eggs was the favorite appetizer. Poutine, jambalaya, meatballs were all pretty good as well. There were several other dishes that looked interesting. We'll be back.
(5)
Aung B.
This is my first review in Yelp and I'm sad that it's not going to be a positive one. We've been to Irving St. Kitchen twice before. The food here is decent, not the best thing I've ever tasted. But the location was convenient. We were just there on Mother's day for brunch. We called ahead to ask about seating for four and were told that there're plenty of walk-in seating. No wait. We showed up 10 minutes later, the hostess said we will have to wait for at least an hour or we could sit by the bar or the couch and eat there instead. She (short blonde hair and small) did not even ask us if we want to put our name down and wait. She just stared blankly at us. We had to ask her if we can put our names down. It only took 20 minutes for us to wait. Our waiter was nice, but we waited 45 minutes for our food. We didn't have any special orders and the place wasn't even full or busy. My husband and a friend, who's pregnant, both ordered the lobster dishes, had stomachache and felt sick for the rest of the day. This probably won't do much to change anything there, but we're sure not going to be back agian.
(1)
Amanda O.
This place is incredible! The food is always good and there's something about the atmosphere that definitely makes you feel comfortable. It's busy and your server might forget something but nonetheless it is always good. Creative menu but never intimidating.
(5)
Some G.
Went on a tasting spree in portland. Dined at dozen+ places in portland over 2 days. We tried everything from artisan cheese and duck from Veritable Quandry, fresh truffles at Bluehour, beer and burger at Rogue, fresh toro at Bamboo, and what feels like everything in between. But after all said and done the Irving Street Kitchen really stood out. Their decor, wine on tap, and great food made us wish we lived upstairs to this restaurant. I loved ordering half a dozen appetizers as opposed to a few entrees and sharing it. Each and everyone of them were wonderful. Can't wait to visit portland again.
(5)
Mitch S.
Great hip atmosphere and the server was super friendly. We visited on a busy Sunday morning and the hostess was less than friendly. Menu had flair with unique pairings, food was excellent. I had the fried chicken and waffle and my GF had the apple caramel oatmeal. Both were very good. French toast with blueberry compote looked awesome, I will try on next visit. Recommend a trip!
(4)
m b.
Went there this morning for breakfast. Food was good, drinks were good,,, service? Not so good. A guy was shadowing a girl OR the girl was shadowing the guy server, but it was awkward because we couldn't tell. They ought to have explained the situation to us (hey, we're training!) because it was terribly strange to be flanked by two employees who couldn't tell me what the drink ingredients were like on the menu..
(2)
Gene B.
Another gem of a restaurant in the trendy Pearl District! I liked this place a lot. It has a Southern pastiche, as do so many other Portland restaurants lately. At first blush it kinda seemed like a fancier version of Screen Door, but I think that's an over-generalization and that they are doing their own thing. The shrimp and duck tongue gumbo was out of this world good, made with a properly dark roux - a detail that is rarely done right. The foie gras torchon was creamy, smooth and rich, It was accompanied by a nice, slightly tart, slightly sweet rhubarb coulis which went well with the foie and Ken's artisanal bread. I had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and greens. I saw so many going out of the kitchen window all night that I felt compelled to try it and it is really good. Almost as good as the chicken at Screen Door and just like at the Screen Door, it's a huge amount of food. Portions here are ample. My dining partner had the lamb chops with herbed coucous and they were just perfection. After seeing so many desserts coming out of the kitchen, we also felt compelled to order some for ourselves even though we were pretty stuffed at that point. I had the butterscotch pudding which came in a Mason jar and had a decadent caramel sauce both on top and the bottom of the pudding layer. It was light and airy, but rich and decadent all at the same time. My friend had the chocolate bread pudding with a scoop of mint ice cream. The bread pudding was warm and very chocolatey and the cool mint ice cream made the perfect foil to it. The service was top notch from the hostess to the bartenders and to, especially, our waiter. who was helpful and quick to offer suggestions and/or tips.
(4)
Scott J.
Excellent food - we had a large group (5 adults / 4 kids) - and all loved their dishes - foie gras, duck, fried chicken, halibut, salmon - all good. Great ambiance and service!
(5)
Amy B.
Edited for brunch: we took our out-of-town visitor for brunch and were less-than-pleased. While still a go-to for dinner, we've crossed this off the list for brunch. Overcooked chicken & waffles, really slow service...sad little diners. Otherwise: Probably one of my favorite places to eat in Portland. Every time we've been, we have been so over-the-top satisfied it's incredible. The menu is ever-changing so if you have a favorite dish, be prepared for it to disappear at any given time. Last year, my favorite was a halibut with tomatoes dish. They have a new halibut dish currently (which is still delish!), but I went with the hangar steak. Perfectly cooked, and 100% recommended. My crew ended up splitting the butterscotch pudding which was so good, once of the girls decided to take an order home to her hubby. Service is always top notch with great recommendations for both food and drink. Our out-of-towners had a hard time initially deciding with the very-Portland menu, but once they did they were happy customers. Always a go-to.
(4)
Kate B.
I love this restaurant. We've been here for brunch, lunch, dinner and just drinks and it never disappoints. Recently discovered their bloody mary - a must have for brunch. The only quibble I have is that service can be a little slow for brunch or if you're just having cocktails. But lunch and dinner service has always been superb.
(4)
Small J.
OVERALL : Consistently well executed dishes with exemplary service. I've dined here over 15 times and never once been disappointed. A favorite "go to" in Portland. SPACE : _ The space is open warehouse style. Tall ceilings + cement floors + exposed brick. Comfortable and warm feel. Wood bar and nice fire place on the far wall. _ Bar is welcoming with high stools and a thick, smooth wood slab counter. _ Dining room has open floor plan with intimate nooks formed by bookshelves and cozy booths draped with cotton curtains. _ Patio is less romantic and cozy and more social and good for the people watching that NW 13th provides. Strong heat lamps combined with an overhang keep this as an outdoor dining option nearly year round. FOOD + DRINK : _ Wonderful specialty drinks, mixed by talented bar staff. _ Small (single page), yet very well appointed wine list (let your server guide you for the ones you aren't familiar with; they have some real gems). _ Locally sourced (of course!) and seasonally focused specials, as well as outstanding mainstays. _ Highly recommend the scallops (on the smaller side) or fried chicken (requires a hearty appetite). And do NOT pass on the "For There" option of Butterscotch Pudding - absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. SERVICE : _ Absolutely impeccable. From the hostess to the bar staff to the wait staff. All are well trained, knowledgeable on menu and drink offerings. Friendly without being overboard.
(5)
Natalie B.
I met a girlfriend here for a celebratory glass of wine and a light dinner. The ambiance was lovely and the service was great. Maybe I am a little cheap, but i found it pretty expensive for Portland (think $14 for an ok glass of wine is kinda steep?). They have a menu that a literary genius must have worked on, and i learned a lot of new vocabulary from the waiter. When translating the description of one of the salad he used the phrase "tons of vegetables." Magical words, so i ordered that. turns out a ton can also be about a handful.. but the taste was good, and then i went home and made myself some dinner.
(3)
Benjamin P.
Really good food, try the fried chicken with waffle or the fried chicken on dinner! very fullfilling! :D Good service, good atmosphere.
(5)
Barbara M.
Delicious brunch, try the breakfast nachos you will not be disappointed. Nice service, only downside was having to sit at the bar by the door so I got a burst of cold air every time someone opened the door.
(4)
gerard f.
Great place to meet people for an untraditional brunch! Went there for Sunday brunch and loved the menu and ambience
(5)
BenandWen ..
We've been here twice now, and it's been great both times. My husband got the fried chicken both times, and he absolutely loved it. This time, he finsihed it so quickly, I didn't even get a chance to have a bite. I had the pork crepinette, which was kind of like a salmon cake, but filled with tender slow cooked shredded pork. Very good, and quite unusual. The service has been friendly and attentive on both of our visits as well. I can't think of a negative at this point. I would love to eat there again!
(5)
Ariel S.
After hearing so many great things about this restaurant's brunch, I couldn't wait to try it myself. I went on a Sunday morning and was sorely disappointed. First, I'll state the good, because those comments are few and far between: There was ample street parking, and no wait for a seat. Second, and in excess, are the negatives.... First, the menu is very limited for vegetarians. Even Belgium waffles aren't vegararian- it's served with pork belly. On the bottom of the menu is a phrase that sums up their customer service: "Requests for substitutions will be polietly declined." I ended up having to order a few things a la carte, which made the breakfast even more expensive than their already inflated prices. The food, in a word was aweful. My over easy eggs were still clear and unedible, the grits were the consistency of tapioca pudding mixed with glue, and the waffle soggy and tasteless. Worse yet, the service was completely lack luster. We waited for nearly 20 minutes to get our bill while the waitress flirted with the bartender. Needless to say, I'm never returning. I'd rather wait in line for better food and service than ever return here.
(1)
G.L. T.
Took a group of 12 here for breakfast last Sunday May 12th (Mother's Day) at 10am. The decor was warm & inviting. Acoustics were good, as in you didn't have to yell to carry on a conversation. Service at our table was great. As was the food & drink. For many it was their first time at Irving St. Kitchen, everybody enjoyed themselves and their meal. We would all go back for breakfast or to try lunch or dinner.
(4)
Sara O.
Going out on a limb here...this was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. We were visiting from Denver, CO and decided to yelp a restaurant for a fancy restaurant downtown Portland. The Yelp reviews on this place were wonderful making us want to check it out! We made our reservations and seriously LOVED everything...including the friends that we made at the table next to us. We wanted to try a bit of everything and Patrick, our server suggested offering the Foie Gras to start with the red wine we ordered, then the peanut butter biscuit/ham and I had the kale and radicchio salad and we shared the pork chop. It was ALL phenomenal! I usually have a hard time giving a 5 star review - but really, there was not one complaint. We would suggest this to locals, or visitors to town to experience a fantastic meal. The ambiance, the service, the wine list, and the food...OOOH the foooood! Thanks Irving St.! Can't wait to come back!
(5)
Sarah C.
We went for late brunch today, about 45 minutes before close. It was excellent. We were seated away from the rest of the patrons, which was nice, because it was quiet and intimate. Our server was friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. The coffee was better than I was expecting. My husband ordered the fried chicken, and he loved it (I had a bite, and can confirm that it was delicious, but really it was the gravy that made the meal). I got the salmon eggs benedict, which was surprisingly even better than I had imagined from the description (buttermilk biscuit, shaved garlic, arugula, salmon, perfectly poached eggs, and a dill hollandaise). It was a little pricey and fancy for what we typically do, so we'll probably be back, but not too often.
(5)
Jay K.
the menu here is always changing, non-mainstream and seasonal. I really like coming here on miserable pdx nights and getting the charcuterie plate and a nice red. the food here has a rustic slant to it, rabbit, marrow, octopus, all of the good stuff! I even pick a cocktail now and again. the waitstaff has a good grasp of the menus and wines
(4)
T D.
Good food, interesting ambience and the staff is friendly and attentive. A friend I was dining with has dietary restrictions due to a health problem and the waitress was very accomodating and helpful. She even checked with the kitchen to see what they could come up with that wasn't on the menu.
Went with a party of 14 on a Sunday night to celebrate a birthday. Considering how quiet it was in there the service was pretty poor. Drink service alone was pretty poor. Once we were able to track down our server to order drinks, it would take 15 minutes or longer for them to arrive on the table... and we were mostly drinking wine. Appetizers were awesome, especially the ham plate. Dinner could have been great. Ordered the teres major with garlic grits and bone marrow reduction. So did the dude across from me. It would have been amazing if it wasn't cold. Both of ours were. Although I did eat some of the fried chicken which was not only hot but AWESOME. Been before, love the joint, just was a bit of a strike this time.
(2)
Aaron H.
Probably my favorite dinner in Portland (Toro Bravo is giving it a run for its money). Easily my favorite wings anywhere (happy hour, woo!). Their desserts are great (the key lime pie will change your life if they're doing it). I still love their cornbread, and the ham and pepper jelly starter is phenomenal. The only thing I didn't fall in love with that I've had here is the house limoncellos (and that's probably because I had never tried limoncellos before and I guess I just don't like 'em). The fried chicken! THE FRIED CHICKEN!
(5)
Jane W.
Best chinook salmon meal ever plus a delightful watermelon tomato salad special and great wine. Who could ask for more? I'd go back in a minute!
(5)
Julie P.
Had a great experience here on a recent Friday night. Despite being totally packed, we had wonderful, quick service. And the food was delicious- get the fried chicken like everyone says you should because it is worth the hype! Also, the soft shell crab was to die for. The only disappointment was that they were out of the local vodka! Will have to go back (and we would, anyway).
(4)
Linnea M.
I have been here twice for brunch, and it was top notch. Both times we started with the donuts...freshly fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they come to the table hot and doughy. Perfect way to start the day! First time I had the moroccan eggs. Perfectly poached eggs, in a spiced tomato sauce served with chunky toast for dipping. The eggs were perfectly poached, the sauce spicy but well balanced. Second time I had the salmon gravlax eggs benedict. I didn't love this as much as the moroccan eggs, but it was well done. Perhaps just a little rich for me that morning? It was served on a biscuit. I love the atmosphere...high ceilings, big windows, casual yet polished. The service is engaging and friendly. I want to go back with my husband for dinner sometime! side note: I was also excited to learn that they are owned by the same owners as Town Hall in SF, one of our favorite restaurants when we lived there.
(5)
Sugardumplin Z.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place, the vibe is sooooooo cool, the people really make this place. This was the resto that made me fall in love with the Portland restaurant scene. They have kind of an odd menu though.... it's eclectic so be prepared to try something different. Definitely go for the experience or just to have a drink and people watch.
(4)
Debbie B.
Well-crafted food with great flavor balance. The butterscotch pudding is heavenly.
(5)
Rob W.
Good food, nice atmosphere, reasonable prices. Covers all the bases your trendy upscale restaurant without the pretention. We chose to get a variety of small plates, which was a great as they have so many different flavors to try. Cheese plate was exceptionally good, biscuits were almost as good as my moms (anyone who knows my mom's biscuits can vouch that is a serious compliment) and butterscotch pudding was a great finish. Like nearly every similar restaurant these days, they have a dish with pork belly and a desert with salted caramel, but Irving St. Kitchen follows the trends with integrity. All of our food was well prepared and delicious. As a side note, although the restaurant is clearly southern inspired, don't go expecting a chic version of down-home cooking. Although a one or two items on the menu look to be modern presentations of southern classics, the majority are in an entirely different direction.
(5)
Elizabeth E.
Irving Street serves up a chic southern comfort-food meal with style. The dinner menu is both inventive and unusual while remaining delicious and not fussy. What I love most however, is the decor. It feels both rustic - with wooden beams and vintage decor - and modern - with concrete floors, and simple clean lines. Mostly, it feels open without being cavernous. This is a great place to go with a group of friends for a classy southern meal. Definitely try one of their southern inspired cocktails or a glass of wine in a jelly jar. Also on the pro list is the service. Servers are consistently top quality (often not needing anything but their memories to take orders), and pacing the meal so it luxiously drawn out. The cons: brunch, from 10 am to 2 pm on the weekends, is unimpressive. There is a reason there is never a wait: the food is average but pricey. I also found the brunch menu lacking healthy options.
(4)
Jim K.
Love the decor of this place and the service is top notch. They know how to leave you alone when you are engrossed in conversation with your table mates. The food is good, but it feels to me like the chefs are really trying to be "different" and not just trying to make really tasty food. In many of the dishes I found that there was one ingredient listed that just kinda killed it for me. For example, I would have probably ordered the scallops, if it weren't for the addition of raisins to the dish (raisins! really!). The tombo that I had was quite good - cooked to medium, and a tender excellent cut of fish. Could probably have done without the "dusting" of spices though. Make it a glaze or something like that. The dust just doesn't immediately blend well with the food. Loved the biscuits and the lobster benedict first courses, but they were pretty darned spendy. Be prepared to drop some serious cash if you want a full meal here.
(3)
Molly H.
4.5 stars for happy hour, 2.5 stars for dinner. Happy hour is great: - prices are good ($6-9 for snacks, $6-8 for wine and cocktails) - snacks are tasty and filling (get the meatballs!!) - the deck is wonderful on sunny days and you can watch people walking around the Pearl District Dinner is eh. The food is really expensive for what you actually get. It really didn't blow me away - everything was fine, but generally just underwhelming and safe. Also, the bill for two of us (with drinks and dessert) was around $120 once tip was added in.
(3)
Gary H.
I came here with my girlfriend right around closing time on a Sunday. We were 3/4 of our way to being drunk by this point, needed some food and this place had some good reviews on Yelp. We sat at the bar and were assured by the bartender that he'll stick around to make sure we got some food. The bartender was very knowledgeable about their wine barrel selection (all locals). It seems the restaurant goes out of their way to ensure their employees are knowledgeable about the food/beverages they serve. We got the fried chicken as it was one of the recommended dishes. While waiting, the bartender was very nice and kept us pretty well entertained. The fried chicken itself was pretty damn good. Very crispy and had just the right amount of batter on it. My only negative critique about it was that there didn't seem to be enough seasoning to really make it "pop". The food (that we had) gives this place a 3 star review, but the service bumps them up to a solid 4 star in my opinion.
(4)
Zuzana K.
PLUS: Came here for the New Year's Pajama Brunch. That was fun. Just for that idea, this restaurant deserves 5 stars. For being troopers and coming in with our pajamas on, we earned complimentary donuts and bloody mary. :) MINUS: The service was too slow and there was no acknowledgment about that...so they lose a star. NEUTRAL: Selection, taste and presentation of the food was great but that is expected in this type of establishment. Did not shock me in good or in bad way.
We just went here for a special occasion. Really like the booths to have a romantic dinner where you can hear each other. It does seem to get noisy in the normal table area. Wonderful cocktail that was prosecco and peach puree - I'm sure seasonal. I thought the halibut dish was great. I think some said it was boring but if you like halibut which is not a strong fish you will really enjoy this dish. My husband had the fried chicken and I tasted it. We had a hard time deciding what we thought. It was crisp not greasy but it was lacking something. We think it was missing some spice like at least some pepper. It was strong buttermilk flavor but not really anything else. I will say we really like Pine State, Bernie's and Screen Door and how they spice their fried chicken. The butterscotch pudding was great like others have mentioned. It is enough to share too since it is a little rich. There are peanuts in the caramel corn but they are on the side. We would definitely go back again and really liked the server (made us feel special for our occasion) and the atmosphere - points for cool chandeliers too with interesting light bulbs.
(4)
Sunshine M.
I am not quite a regular at Irving Street but really should be. If you go in you are usually greeted by the manager Ryan. Very charming gentleman and strives for amazing service. We had family in from England and they were overwhelmed with the quality of food and outstanding service. This is a great place to take clients or for special family events....or just a great happy hour at the bar.
(5)
Lisa N.
Loved this place. Went with a group of 5 and for starters had the octopus, the meatballs were AMAZING, kale and gravlax. then the steak, salmon, duck cassoulet and everything was really delicious. The server was attentive and made great wine suggestions. I would love to go back next time I'm in Portland.
(5)
Asher Y.
elegant food, great cocktails.
(5)
Trista S.
Went to ISK for my Bday dinner with a party of 10. We had a reservation and were promptly seated! Yay! Service was great, although a little slow. Food was amazing, had the beet salad, truffle stuffed hen and chocolate cake with pistachio. All delicious. We also had a bottle of the Gramercy Tempranillo. Pricey but oh so worth it. The dessert and starters were the stars of the show, next time I would likely skip the entree.
(4)
Byron S.
Great food and impeccable service. I was very impressed. Me and my wife started with Angels on Horseback. (Bacon wrapped Oysters w/ remoulade sauce). F_ckin' Delicious! We also got the Salumi plate. Yum! Also, the Bibb Lettuce salad. MMMM! Main course, we shared the Aged hanger steak. Ono. Broke da mouth good! The portions were good enough to share. As far as wine goes, not a big fan, but I hear it's a great place for it. If you ever go here, you will not be disappointed.
(4)
Robert H.
Really friendly reception. Bartender, Peter , was helpful and a pleasure to talk to. Happy hour outstanding. Recommend the smoked Tasso jambalaya and also the meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon mashed potatoes. House wine excellent and prices reasonable. Definitely a go to place.
(5)
Kevin S.
Great food and top-notch service. Charcuterie plate was a standout for me. Also had Porchetta and side order of black eyed peas. High marks for both. Appreciated a Luxardo cherry in my Manhattan as well. Server tolerated a lot of questions about the dishes and had a strong opinion on favorites, which I always appreciate. Nothing worse than "everything here is great!" when you ask for a recommendation. Slight marks off for our entrees being done a very short while after the charcuterie arrived but in the house's defense the server did offer to push them back if we wanted. We had taken a long time deciding on what entrees we wanted, which may have had an effect.
(4)
HOWIE B.
Delicious, nicely prepared food. Great happy hour. Pleasant, mildly quirky NW decor. Service was spotty, at best. Waited for bread, waited for dessert menus, waited for our bill. Lots of waiting and it was half full. Still, my fried chicken was tip top and the staff was pleasant. Dinner for 2 with drinks and desserts runs around $100.
(4)
Andrew S.
This place is pretty nice. Has an old school cabin feel to it. Lots of wines to chose from. And drink specials. Happy Hour menu is decent. Price is very good for the quality of food you get. Everyone at our table was pleased. I would say very good classic American menu. Service was fairly sharp for how crowded it was. I don't recall what I had. It was either a rib dish or a fried chicken. But we all shared at the table. And I enjoyed it all.
(4)
Kristen M.
I don't know where to start about how I feel, but I'm just going to brain-dump my feelings that I've been holding back inside: I love your wine (especially on tap). I love your relaxed-rustic modern atmosphere. I love the way you spoil me rotten with great service! I love your mini-happy hour menu - my tummy thanks you shamelessly! I love that I can hang out with you for hours and hours with my friends. I don't know what it is about you, but I love everything about you. I have been to Irving St. Kitchen (ISK) several times for happy hour and have never been disappointed. They deliver on service, food and drink. What's not to love about this place? For they've got me mesmerized. I highly recommend this place if you want to just hang out with a bunch of friends or just for a date. It's where swanky meets rustic. Alas, I should come back to you for brunch and/or dinner.
One of my favorite restaurants I've been to. Creative menu. The homemade biscuits were a 10. The chicken dish was crazy good. Excellent service.
(5)
Steve L.
Remarkable! Visited with a good friend last week; booked in advance. Delightful highpoints: "Angels", "Signature Chicken" entree. Superb waiter - Patrick. Great wines-by-the-glass and "barrel to bar" wine offerings. Truly unique! Parking on the street, as available, or public lots for a fee. Outdoor seating, as well. Bravo.
(5)
Pascal B.
Very good food, nice atmosphere, good location. The kitchen is southern, including Cajun. You can order the jambalaya as a side dish, bit heavy for a side dish.. They have put their own twist on it, which will most likely not be appreciated by Louisiana people, but it is not bad at all.
(4)
Kevin W.
My wife and I have eaten at Irving Street twice now and both times our food and overall experience has been exceptional. I have had a hard time explaining the culinary point of view at Irving Street but have settled on "Southern Rustic Upscale"...which means nothing until you go here and experience the atmosphere and food. You must be willing to shell out a bit of cash for a full meal and drinks but in our experience it has been worth it. I've had their porchetta both times I have eaten here, though each was a different version. Both were beyond great and I highly recommend any fan of pork fat to indulge! I would like to try the brunch as I've heard it is really good. We'll venture down some weekend I'm sure.
(5)
Jean P.
The ambiance, deck, and service are great! Now, the food... My halibut was good but not memorable. The shrimp and dirty rice stuffed crab was the better entree. Sides were great - beet salad and watermelon/heirloom tomato salad. Cocktails were so-so. Quickly consumed their made-to-order beignets for dessert. Looks like happy hour or sides and cocktails might be the way to go. Overall, not bad but also nothing to write home about. Perhaps Portland has made me too picky.
(3)
Craig R.
I went to ISK last weekend for breakfast. The food was pretty good. I had an asparagus frittata. The look and feel of the space is very cool. My main complaint is how long it took for our food to come out. People who were seated after us were already done eating before my table had our food. And the waitress never said a thing. In fact I don't think she even came over to us in the 50 minutes between when we ordered and when we received our food. What's your deal brah? Not sure the wait was worth it.
(2)
Kayla C.
Good food, atmosphere, and Sunday Bloody Mary! Definite must stop for Portland.
(5)
Jim S.
I have sampled the HH offerings here, and on a follow-up visit for Brunch, their Breakfast menu. HH is a All Systems Go! Great selections, portions, taste and price. The place wasn't crowded at all like so many downtown venues are, and service was stellar. The decor and layout of the restaurant is really something special. Big props to the decorator, it's a lovely environ. The breakfast menu is truly unique. There are items on it that you won't find elsewhere and will challenge your definition of what "Breakfast" should taste like. We sampled 3 of their offerings and the winner was...the BACON. Wow, like amazing bacon. Loved it. ISK is pricey. Party of 3 for breakfast with no alcohol..74.00. But it ain't Denny's. It's elegant, crafty and it's worth the tab at least once!
(3)
Richard P.
Visited Portland for a week and ate here twice. Fabulous each time. First time bar food/tapas and drinks. Second time brunch (in our PJs). Service was exceptional. Friendly, fast, funny, real. Drinks were splendid. Every dish was a treat and I loved loved loved the atmosphere grounded by a cute little fire place. I'll be back next time I'm in town. Great vibe.
I can't believe my return has gone from a 5 star to 2.... it was only 7months ago we were here for HH.... We came in for dinner this time, and sad to say this would be our last :-( We were seated right away, but then waited at least 10mins before our server came over to us? What was going on...it was after 11pm, they were not super busy, empty tables and spots at the bar, so not sure why the service was not on top of their game... We ordered our drinks, and studied the menu....hmm, we both had a hard time deciphering what the food is?! We remembered how awesome the HH was, and expected the same for dinner. I asked if they offered a burger for the dinner menu like the HH menu, she said no but said we should try the meatballs....meatballs? where was that?... we choose a charcuterie board to start and trout for later. The charcuterie was a big let down, a few shavings of meat was it? Where the hell did the meat go? Our fish was OK, service was a let down as was the menu.... IST, what happened? From my 5 star HH experience to a 2 start dinner let down...our hearts are saddened as we won't be back... at all!
(2)
Alefia M.
Would have liked to give it more stars because the food and atmosphere were great. I had the bibb salad and hubby had the sweet potato burger. However, the service was poor, and when I asked for a side of apple slices because my kids liked the ones on my salad, i was disappointed to find a charge for $5 on my bill. Really?! $5 for a side of apple slices? Unbelievable.
(3)
Ryan H.
Went with a group of 4. Had reservations but got there a little early. We were seated right away. Great wine selection, ended up getting a bottle then a few glasses on top! Had the steak and it was amazing, would definitely reccomend.
(5)
Jeff D.
Never got the chance to eat or even drink water. Waiter walked past 3 times without even acknowledging us. 4th time was the charm. I am afraid we will never know if the food is good. Too many restaurants in PDX to put up with bad service.
Went to happy hour with a friend of mine, and I must say, the meatballs are HEAVENLY. I'm taking away one star just for the fact that there was only three and there was some fighting going on between the two of us for that last one. The poutine, as suggested by our waiter was incredible as well. The drinks however, were super limited during happy hour and whatever I have, it was just way tooooo strong I don't even remember the name of it. But I'll be back for the meatballs, that's for sure.
(4)
Constance P.
Irving Street was spectacular from start to finish. Why not start with an assortment of olives and cheese? I should do that at home. The meal was delicious. I had the salmon and my husband had cod. Apparently the premier dish is the Southern fried chicken. I didn't feel like eating something that heavy. I know we'll return, so I felt comfortable with my choice. The salmon was served on a bed of rice and cauliflower florets. The meal went from "real good" to "unbelievable" with dessert. I asked for the signature dessert and out came butterscotch pudding served with s side of carmel popcorn. Who does that? In one spoonful my childhood flashed before my eyes and I tasted every birthday cake, every cupcake, every Brach's Butterscotch candy, everything that was delicious about childhood. Amazing combination of flavors; salty and sweet and something else, something that you bring to the dessert. Honest to Julia Child, it was phenomenal. I want to try the brunch next time and then I'll have to try the chicken. I don't eat too much in the way of fried food so I might need to go into training, but I love this restaurant and plan to go again and again. Service was exceptional. We had the best time.
(5)
Carla L.
One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Portland. Everything in this restaurant is of the best quality, and it's obvious to the customers. The cheese plate is one of my favorite small plates to order. The staff is always extremely knowledgable about where all of the food comes from, how the food is prepared, what pairs well with the food, etc. The ham and biscuits small plate is one of my other favorites. The biscuits are fluffy and warm, the ham is of the very best quality, (the servers will tell you exactly where the ham came from and the pains the restaurant has gone through to bring such good quality ingredients to your table). This, to me is very impressive because it shows how involved the staff is. I have only had a couple things from the menu which I did not thoroughly enoy. And once my server learned that I did not absolutely enjoy my meal, he was quick to offer me something else and apologized profusely. This just reinforced the excellent service that this restaurant offers. The desserts....omg the desserts...ANYONE who has tried the butterscotch pudding will tell you how good it is, but you must experience this for yourself. It's got this strong, sweet, buttery taste and this home-cooked texture. It stays on your mind for long after you've left the restaurant. Every time I have been in ISK, management always stops by my table to make sure my dining experience is pleasant. I don't need to tell anyone that this is not common. This restaurant offers the best food, the best service, an immaculate presentation, and the best dining experience in Portland. Period.
(5)
Steve R.
A late night dinner and drink session turned out to be very satisfying. The service was excellent. The booth was private, quiet. I like the lighting, the artwork and the abundance of rough wood. There is a good wine selection. Try the Trifecta Cabernet. The Salmon Gravlax with tartar and rye crackers appetizer was very tasty. The Charred Sturgeon dinner was perfectly prepared. I especially liked what seemed like a bottomless plate of Ken's Artisan bread. There was also a dish with squash prepared in a delicious sauce. (Sorry for the lack of details) Two desserts were devoured - the lemon chess pie and an ice cream over Bananas upside down cake smothered with carmel sauce, Excellent! If my experience turns out to be equally good the second time around I'd consider bumping this kitchen up to a 5.
(4)
Mandy M.
Everything was just okay. The water was great and plentiful. Coffee hot and refilled. The brisket fried egg sandwich was good, but the fries came with this truly unappetizing grainy cheese sauce. And even though cheese is my favorite food, I couldn't enjoy that sauce at all. We also ordered the salmon Benedict, which was oddly cold. Literally the worst Bloody Mary I ever had, I felt bad for the waitress because she clearly didn't make it. It tasted like cocktail sauce jacked on horseradish. I didn't finish it. Which I've never done in my life. Overall service good, nice waitress and attentive staff. Just not worth it.
(3)
Laurie G.
My partner and I had our wedding reception dinner for 40 people in the private dining room. I cannot say enough how fantastic the ISK team was. Jessie, the private dining coordinator, was always prompt with communication and answering questions. The whole service team was excellent with prompt service, friendly, and the plated food for 40 came out hot and delicious. The room looked spectacular. I would not hesitate to recommend ISK for a meal or for a special event. 5 stars across the board.
(5)
Renee T.
Being foodies from California we were so excited when our local friends invited us here!! Food was perfect! Amazing cocktails and you must try the rootbeer float desert with a shit if bourbon!!! Awesome way to close out a reunion dinner!
(5)
Ken A.
Our first time and we look forward to trying everything on the menu after this fantastic dining experience. Service from all the staff was good and our server was exceptional. Signature dish - fried chicken over mash and collared greeens (not something I would ever normally order) is now on our list of must have again dishes. Go here and enjoy the experience provided by the exceptional service, ambiance, and fantastic food.
(5)
Justin K.
#fail Avoid this place. It may fly for some folks here, but it's very poorly managed and and the food is just a notch over mediocre bar fare.
(2)
Ophelia Y.
We went to Irving St. Kitchen with a big group, anticipating a great dining experience. We had a reservation schedule for 2 weeks, and didn't get seated until an hour after our scheduled reservation time. 1 star dinged for that. The environment is nice, calming, and classy. The decor is spectacular. The food was good--the fried chicken made to perfection. The ham and biscuits were good--the red pepper jelly was a bit odd for my taste. The cornbread was recommended to us, and was red peppery as well. Tasted like red pepper cornbread with maple syrup on it. I was most impressed with the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The collared greens were okay. The dishes are a bit overpriced for what they are. You can find similar tasting biscuits at Popeye's. Also, when they wrapped up my leftovers for me, the guy threw out my half-eaten piece of chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes, and he left me with one drumstick! Come on, if you're going to wrap up my food, give me EVERYTHING left on my plate. 1 more star dinged for that. I'd be willing to give this place another chance to impress me, but I feel like you can do better.
(3)
Mark C.
Had an excellent dinner here. The food was fresh and well presented, would have given them 5 Stars but the service could have been better.
(4)
Allie R.
Irving Street Kitchen has enchanted me in every way. I've been here for both breakfast and dinner, and while dinner (and dessert!) is the meal that truly romanced me, the ambiance can be appreciated at any time of day or night. A little bit rustic, a little bit modern, a lot bit well-executed. East-siders will feel right at home, but suburbanites won't feel out of place. The guinea hen was a particular favorite among the diners at my table, but we tried four entrees and I would order any of them again. Be sure to save room for dessert. The butterscotch pudding is arguably my favorite restaurant dessert anywhere in Portland, and the presentation will delight.
(5)
Kevin S.
I have been to this restaurant twice now. The first time, the service was so-so. Last night, however, I received the epitome of what I like to call "Portland-Waiter-Syndrome." You know.. when your waiter makes you feel like you are a nuisance for even being in the restaurant. God forbid that they actually have to serve you... and do their job! Only in Portland have I experienced waiters that are too good to do the job that they were hired for... but are ever so quick to complain about an 18% tip. "What?! They didn't leave 20%??" It took us an hour to get a table, which was understandable, because the place was pretty lively. After getting our table, however, it took another 15 minutes just for our waiter to approach the table. He mumbled a few words while staring down at the floor, and then took our order. Another 15 minutes went by and we received our appetizers prior to our cocktails. When the cocktails finally arrived, one of the martinis was made with olive instead of a twist. No big deal. Without any type of apology, the waiter took the drink back, and returned very shortly with what was supposed to be a brand new drink. After taking a few sips, however, the one drinking it noticed that the drink had a funny taste to it, and then upon looking more closely, noticed remnants of olives floating at the bottom of the drink. It was the same drink! All they had done was remove the olive and put a twist in its place. To me, this is unacceptable, and completely classless. After finally receiving all of the correct drinks, along with a grumpy "too good to serve you" attitude from the waiter, we enjoyed our drinks and conversation while waiting for our meal. We kept waiting. After an hour went by without our waiter even returning to the table, we finally asked someone to run him down for us. When he approached the table, we asked him if our dinner had been ordered. He mumbled a few indecipherable words, and walked to the kitchen window where our food was waiting. (Who knows for how long?) The food was ok. I ordered steak frites, prepared medium. It came out medium rare. The frites were cold. The service was terrible. One of the worst experiences I have had with a waiter. When a group of 4 goes out to eat, and spends over $300, they should be able to expect to be taken care of properly. I came in the restaurant happy and enjoying great company. We all left feeling off-put by our waiter's attitude and carelessness. I liked this place enough the first time to come back and bring friends, but doubt I will return.
(2)
T K.
This is a great place to treat yourself or an out of town guest. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is fashionable yet cozy. I love the lighting fixtures. Staff/service has always been exceptional. Tip: do the wedge salad instead of the green goddess, unless you want your mouth covered in garlic.
(5)
Bob U.
Every time we have been here, the consistency of the food and service is quality.
(4)
David L.
Based on the nice sensual ambiance and it being crowded on a Monday night, we were looking forward to a sublime dining experience. The restaurant sits above street level somewhat like a long open loading dock, reminiscent of establishments in New York's Meatpacking district. Our waiter was great -- attentive and knowledgeable, as well as having strong opinions about recommendations for drinks and food. I always like wait staff that is invested in their menu and has strong recommendations. The guy was experienced enough to read what level of help we were looking for and comply. Whereas the atmosphere and staff deserve a higher rating, I'm sorry to report that the food was just hit and miss. The artisan cheeses and bread were very good, and the Halibut with Smoked Brandade my brother-in-law ordered was also quite nice. My wife's Squid Ink Risotto was just okay, while the signature Mary's Organic Fried Chicken that I ordered was just not good at all. The chicken had a lot of different flavors but somehow the combination sort of cancelled everything out and I can't really even remember what it tasted like. On top of that the thigh piece had a gummy consistency that did not feel good in the mouth. I will agree with other reviewers that the desserts were very good, and the Butterscotch Pudding is a must have.
(2)
William L.
I had dinner here last night. When ordering the cheese plate, I wanted to confirm it did not include any meats. The waitress confirmed. She overheard me talking about not being able to eat pork. Later the waitress took our order. 10 minutes after placing the order, she returned and made me aware she overheard me mention that I am not able to eat pork. She made me aware there was pork in the entree I selected (even though pork was not a listed ingredient). I then selected another option. She then informed me that entree also had pork. REALLY? Two entrees on the menu that have pork and it's not listed in the description/ingredients included? I asked the waitress about this very concerning flaw. She agreed- however said there is not room to list all ingredients on the menu... ALERT... Pork is not an ingredient you leave out of your description. There are many VERY IMPORTANT reasons people don't eat pork. In addition to this huge flaw, the rest of the food was not good.
(1)
Diane W.
Our foodie daughter highly recommended we dine at Irving Street Kitchen in the Pearl District, and we were glad we did. We didn't have reservations and lucked out on a table shortly after arriving. Wonderful cocktails and small plates to share. (Reminded me a bit of MB Post, which is my daughters favorite restaurant, so no wonder she recommeded ISK). This place is a must if you enjoy great food! Next time, we will made a reservation for one of their private booths.
(5)
Leo G.
Vegitarians should stay away from this place. Very few vegitarian items and none that taste good. In addition the place is complete rip off for what you get.
(1)
Steve A.
Very cool menu, being from the south a definite southern vibe. Service was great as well, albeit a Tuesday night so not that busy. Worth the $$
(5)
Gorman E.
Irving St. Kitchen is ready for PDX Prime Time! Our beautiful hostress greeted us and told us of the wait since it was busy. No matter, we just ordered some drinks and chit chat with a few ladies by the comfy couches by the bar and entrance area until a booth was open for us. We felt an instant warm ambiance and the decor was a rustic cabin feel but with Hollywood cabana booths. Each booth had a name of a celebrity. I notice great looking chandeliers and fantastic wooden bar with mason jars full of candles. The flags above combine with the lighting to give the effect of live animals. Large gorgeous wooden columns. Our waitress, Nateya was awesome. She was not only super eye candy but wish she was Nat - E - Ya on us. Both our beautiful hostess who is going pre-med and waitress had the most helpful recommendation for drinks and food. They ordered me this fantastic delicious cocktail drink but I forgot what it is called since it was not on the cocktail menu anymore but it was our hostress favorite drink. I got two...that is how good it was! I was still full from a big lunch but I remember my Elite Yelper friend, Valerie W told me about this place and that I must get the Side of Smoked Tasso Jambalaya and glazed corn bread....I would be blown away. She was absolutely right, I was blown away how good the Jambalaya was...the smoked tasso was like butter with well seasoned and smokeyness rice....just heavenly. The Glazed Corn Bread was SO DELICIOUS! It had a kick and the drizzle honey syrup taste like candy...huge portions...I could stick candles in it for my birthday cake. I almost jizz how good the food is here....foodgasm...glazed corn bread pair well with the Smoke Tasso Jambalaya. Nateya wanted to get me a free dessert for my birthday but I declined since we had an agenda and full night of drunken debauchery. Just a perfect birthday dinner with fantastic friends who join me from Seattle. The atmosphere, the staff, and food rock my socks! Thanks again, Valerie for recommending this spot to me. I can't wait to try their brunch on a Sunday when I am in town again! Highly Recommended.
(5)
David W.
My family took advantage of the restaurants offer for take out Thanksgiving dinner which we had yesterday. I have to say the food was absolutely wonderful, Very flavorful. Even though some of the family was a little skeptical about the collard greens it turned out everybody really enjoyed the flavors. There was enough food to feed easily 3 to 4 people. The turkey was cooked to perfection. I would highly recommend this dinner offer at next year's Thanksgiving if you're somebody who does not feel up to preparing a full Thanksgiving meal. Again great job Irving St. kitchen.
(5)
Valerie W.
Came back to Irving St. for my Birthday and was again blown away by both the service and food here. LOVE their Smoked Tasso Jambalaya, and Glazed Cornbread!!!!! I also was starving so I opted for their Butter Leaf Salad and again it was tasty. For my Birthday the server surprised me with complementary sparkling wine which was fantastic. Seated in one of their 'private booths' I must say I felt quite cozy. Our server was excellent and friendly. The Marinated Olives and Spiced Nuts were a great starter to the meal. All in all I can't say enough great things about this place. I really enjoyed myself and highly recommend to anyone!
(5)
K B.
Not worth the money. Overpriced food with mediocre service at best. Didn't care much for the hostess' attitude. Saw other reviews mentioning her arrogance coz i almost thought she was racist. Don't know what her issue in life is. Maybe she is too pretty but now old so gotta earn a living; btw more than half the seating area was available so it wasn't like the place was busy, she still sat us by the bar. Ambience: great, hip and fun ambience till you notice whatever they have hung around the bar. It's just plain ugly and disgusting, not something I want to look at while eating. Outside seating is pretty romantic though, I think the booths are cute too. Food: We tried to order porchetta but they were out of it. Tried to order some bread, which btw is on request only. After waiting for about 10 minutes and not receiving anything, tried to locate the server who just kept disappearing on us to find out they were out of bread too. First time heard of a restaurant running of of bread !!! And it would have been great if he had bothered to inform us in a timely manner. We could have saved ourselves an order of olives which cost $6 for a bunch of JUST olives. I ordered the asparagus cous cous and my partner got the salmon. The cous cous was outright a mess of bunch of different textures and completely bland. Whoever came up with the dish must have had good intentions but probably forgot to taste the dish. The soft egg with thick pieces of mushrooms, lemony shavings left a bad feeling in the mouth making me feel nauseated. The salmon came with a creamy pea sauce. While either of them tasted great on their own, we felt like they didn't pair well together. Best part was definitely the butterscotch pudding that comes in a mason jar but it is a bit too sweet. And the caramel is overwhelming but I don't have a sweet tooth, the dessert lovers should definitely give it a try. Overall a blah experience with food and service. I have had so much better in this price range. This place leaves you wanting so much more for what you would shell out. Lot of other great options around the neighborhood, won't recommend this one.
(2)
Matt V.
I am in love with this place. Between the atmosphere, location and food...I couldn't ask for anything more. I ordered the breakfast nachos and the smoked salmon benedict (yeah, I split it...so quit judging). Both were delectable!
(5)
Holy-foo' X.
I've been going to the gym across the street from ISK since Gold's moved into that old warehouse in the very early 90s and the "Pearl" was still an old, ugly, dilapidated burnt out section of town. The name and ownership of the gym has changed several times since then but continues to chug on, as the neighborhood around it has so radically blossomed and transformed. Even so, I was surprised to learn that ISK has been there in its current incarnation for only 3 years. It seems like so much longer than that, in a good way...For all that, I never managed to be there doing "normal business hours" until late last year and was delighted to find that it was worth the wait to finally get to come and check it out. The menu is so big and ever-changing and so completely alien to my simple mind (chicory greens? Shaved grana? Grase? Sunchoked Puree? No idea what any of it was), so cutting a wide swath through the selections, making judicious use of the sampler platters where they appear, expanded my culinary sensibilities a little as well as my lexicon. The terminology is a little silly and pretentious IMHO, but I do realize that for a good many folks, dressing up nice and even knowing about these dishes and words, as well as how to order them and eat them correctly, is half the fun. The food was very good and the price tag offered at the end was steep but not surprising and our server was gracious, well-informed and just a real peach. I'd love to check out ISK's brunch, but maybe not until the brunch fad has died down a bit, and the folks who love to play dress-up-like-the-grown-ups and order fancy food will have moved on to the next Big Thing....
(4)
Leslie W.
I lived in New Orleans for a couple of years and I hesitate to eat anything that claims affinity with the cooking of NOLA, but I have to say that the Dungeness Crab stuffed with dirty rice was one of the tastiest dishes I've eaten--here, or there. I am a super fan of Irving St. Kitchen. It is one of my top places to eat on the Westside. We've been several times and each time has been awesome. Our waiter, Don, was a wonderful server who knew about food and wine and more important, the food and wine at Irving St. He was great and helped make the evening very special. The gravlax was amazing. I have never understood gravlax, until tonight. Now, I'm totally there, one with the gravlax. I frequently complain about Sunday meals: how you're likely to get wilted lettuce and old fish, but every item was as fresh as could be, perfectly prepared, beautifully plated, and exquisite. The portions seemed very adequate to me. So much so, that I could not, unfortunately, try the butterscotch pudding. Sounded delicious but there's a limit and my limit was stuffed with dungeness crab and rice. This was a fantastic meal. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Shannon H.
I was absolutely impressed with this spot! I was lucky enough to attend their Fat Tuesday event, and I could not be more pleased with the experience! First, the space is incredibly well presented. Open and spacious, without feeling empty or lacking. Tastefully decorated, interesting decor without being too trendy or "Pearl District," which is a huge turn-off for me. I felt comfortable in there, it was very warm and inviting, and I loved the curtained tables. Now onto the best part, the food! Oh the glorious, delicious food. Because it was a special event we didn't have a menu to order from, but got to try many more items than we normally would have. Have to admit, my favorite was the oyster bar, with beautiful freshly shucked oysters as far as the eye could see. The oysters were so fresh and delicious I could have happily stuck to eating them all night long. But I managed to tear myself away (after another quick plateful) long enough to sample an open face pulled pork something-or-other on a light biscuit of sorts (yummy!), mac & cheese (very well seasoned and quite delicious, even to this non-mac&cheese person), jumbalaya (good, but not my favorite dish offered), some kind of peppers (a little too bitter and "earthy" for my liking), chicken wings (oh yeah! bring me more!), and the focal point of the meal...the roast pig. They had been roasting it all day and were serving up slices of tender, juicy pork. So juicy and delicious, in fact, that I wondered how I was going to convince them to give me a doggie bag to take home. Overall, excellent restaurant. So glad I had the chance to try it out on such a special night! The entertainment was great, the event's emcee, Don, did a fabulous job, and the staff were incredibly wonderful and engaging. I can't wait to come back and try their normal menu!
(5)
Uikwon L.
Trendy interior, pleasant server. Their tap wine system was very impressive! Definitely going back again.
(5)
Tom H.
Had an unbelievable dinner there on Monday night during a business trip. We tried the Fried Chicken as a shared appetizer which was phenomenal as was the salmon main course. The desserts and cocktails were also great.
(5)
Mike H.
I went there several months ago , had the fried chicken ... Not good ... Went again last night with a friend , against all instinct I not only ordered the chicken again but also recommended the same to my friend ... Again I was pretty bad , all done never again .... Wine is also very overpriced
(1)
In B.
We went here with a large group and pretty much ordered everything from their happy hour menu. Everything was very good. The atmosphere is very classy yet cozy. I also tried their Draper Valley fried chicken with smashed potatoes. The chicken was very juicy and tender and their smashed potatoes were full of flavor.
(4)
Rachel J.
I like this place a lot, but as a picky vegetarian, it's not great for me. Their non-meat options seem pretty token. I know that I'm not their target customer, and that they're really gunning for the foodie, flesh-loving crowd, but putting pig parts all over everything (even pancakes!) just seems like a shortcut. I went here for brunch for the first time today, and I was disappointed that they don't have any egg substitutes. Most other places in town will happily sub in tofu for eggs, and as someone who dislikes eggs, I've gotten used to having this option at brunch. I asked, and they don't have any tofu. It may compromise your chef's artistic vision or whatever, but just keep a big tub of tofu in the fridge for people like me, and I'll love you forever. You can even charge an extra $1 for it, if you must.
(3)
Harlan E.
The vibe and the service account for a lot in the experience at ISK. That said the food is consitantly great. I'd reccomend to a friend any day.
(4)
Asher J.
Wonderful ambience, incredible service and one of the most incredible deserts ever. That's why I give this place 4 stars instead of 3. Eaten here 4-5 times now and, unfortunately, I've never been blown away by the meals. (The butterscotch pudding deserves 5 stars on its own though.) Had the halibut last night and I wasn't impressed. It wasn't bad - just didn't wow me.
(4)
Linda T.
nice bar area for happy hour! staff members are trendy and nice. take a seat at the cool looking bar or on the couches. order some beer and apps to sit back and relax. happy hour drinks limits to 2 different wines, one beer, and one cocktail. truffle fries on the happy hour menu was crispy and delicious! definitely a get! salted caramel pudding with peanut brittle was amazing ($8.50). caramel was dark and rich, peanut brittle had the perfect crunch...wish there was a little cookie layer at the bottom for added texture and contrast to the smooth pudding. comes in a cool jar, which i love!!!
(4)
H O.
+: Food is good but not great. -: Looks like any other Portland spot, nothing unique. !: The cornbread was presented to look like a cake and it sort of tasted like one too! ?: Maybe the food is better if you order a whole entree versus three side dishes w
(3)
Jason G.
The venue is nice, the location is great, but Irving St. Kitchen just doesn't deliver in my opinion. I ordered Mary's Organic Fried Chicken and Waffles, and I assumed, as fried chicken and waffles is comfort food, that it would be a suitable serving - that and the waiter told me it was a "good amount" of food. Well it wasn't, unfortunately. The dish was very small, overpriced, taste good, but clearly fell short of what an entree should be. I wouldn't recommend it. Again, Irving St. Kitchen is a nice venue, just not my cup of tea. If you're looking for value and a good amount of food, this place might not be for you.
(2)
John L.
I love the ambiance and the atmosphere. It's quite the contrast from most Portland area restaurants that are very cozy but somewhat cramped. This place feels very roomy and wide open. It can also accommodate larger groups and takes reservations which is a big bonus when you tend to travel in big packs of several families. The food was overall pretty good. They made a mac 'n cheese for my kids that was not on the menu. It was really good 4 stars. A few in our group thought the food was a bit on the salty side but I like my food that way. I haven't had any good cooked salmon in the past several years. I just seem to like it better raw, but the salmon here was actually really good. 4.5 stars. It is a bit overpriced.... but might be back if in the area.
(4)
Derek J.
I love their chicken and waffles. I have been a lot and have ordered 3 meals on then brunch menu. I have to say, they know chicken and waffles. cocktails are always spot on and have great customer service! Always feel welcomed and have a great experience every time im there.
(4)
Heather H.
We had date night here last night and really enjoyed ourselves! The service, ambiance, cocktails, food and crowd this place draws is top notch! We have three children all under the age of 9 and needed a fun evening out without the kiddos and Irving Street Kitchen definitely delivered. We would recommend this place and will be back for sure!
(5)
Shayla S.
I love this place and I will definitely revisit when I return to Portland. My boyfriend took me here for my 30th birthday and I had a great dining experience. A number of factors contributed to my dinner. 1. Customer Service: The waiter was very polite and gave his suggestions and honest opinion when requested. I originally ordered the white corn ravioli and he informed me that they no longer had the dish. I felt bumbed because I didn't think of anything else. He then apologized and suggested the fried chicken, which was amazing. It was well seasoned and the mashed potatoes were good as well. The great thing was that the waiter still brought a sample of a new dish similar to the ravioli that the Chef sent for me. His gesture was totally appreciated!! 2. Ambience: I love the decor with all the books on the shelfs. The restaurant has a romantic feel to it but you could also go with some girl friends to have a drink and a bite to eat. 3. Attentiveness: Although we had a waiter that was very attentive, the other waiter was present and willing to assist us. What I had to eat: Fois gras club was very tasty! The Halibut was amazing! Fried chicken was exploding with flavor!
(4)
Lana S.
My absolute favorite brunch place. There's never a line - well, that could change, but well worth it. I adore the atmosphere and art. The menu is great too. Food is great, beverages are better. Eat, drink, and be merry.
(4)
Tamsen G.
Irving Street Kitchen. It's not like that other...whatever the other restaurant was that preceded it. It's actually memorable. Net: Ambiance? Check. Food? Check so hard you dent the table. Service? See food. Check? A bit spendy but worth every penny. In detail: I needed New Year's Eve dinner reservations for myself and one of my favorite people who was visiting for the weekend. Like, on the 30th. So I hit OpenTable (love) and found a table for two at 5:45. This is one of the few trendy restaurants I haven't checked out in town, so I took it. Don't hate me for reviewing it after my first visit - it was that good. Ambiance: Already at 5:45, the restaurant was bustling but not overwhelmed with activity. We were seated quickly at a lovely table window-side. This space used to be tres-urban. In other words, trying to out-Pearl the Pearl District. It did, definitely. Out-Pearled itself right out of business. But Irving Street Kitchen has really turned it into a warm and welcoming (without being cloying or overdone) urban space. Food: OMG. A meat lover's paradise. We ordered cocktails and the charcuterie plate with a side of olives. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, OMG. The pate was DIVINE. It comes in a tiny ramekin, which is good because if it was any larger I would have used it for a full body rub. It was SOOO GOOOD. The crostini it was delivered with was excellent, as were the olives. oh so good. Oh. I am going back for happy hour today. I am salivating already. That is really sad, and really wonderful all at the same time. After the charcuterie, we each had the porchetta. Oh oh oh. Oh dear god. That has to be the perfect preparation for pork. It is phenomenal. The two of us smallish ladies polished our plates. It was full on indulgence. Service: Walking into a busy restaurant, you don't want to be greeted by a rushed staff or any sense of the restaurant being overwhelmed. This was not a problem at all at Irving St. Kitchen. Everyone was friendly and genuine and efficient. Even the busboys were charming and helpful beyond their scope. We thoroughly enjoyed dinner at the Irving Street Kitchen. I absolutely will come here for dinner again, especially with guests from out of town.
(5)
Alyssa C.
I've been here now for both dinner and brunch and I was VERY pleased with the experience both times! The first dinner was a work function and the corn chowder starter was absolutely PHENOMENAL (unfortunately doesn't look like it's on the menu currently). We also shared some charcuterie which was tasty - I don't know about you but I'm always a little disappointed with charcuterie in general. But the wine was great and the halibut main course I got was absolutely delicious. The menu here always makes my mouth water. The only downside is that you can spend a LOT of money here so not the kind of place to go when you're on a budget! For brunch, I got the lobster scramble and it was delicious. Big chunks of tasty lobster - YUM! Only downside here was it was put on top of two pieces of toast which very quickly got soggy...so, that wasn't perfect and the coffee they served was so strong I couldn't even drink it (which is saying something because I like my coffee really strong normally). But, the dish was still delicious and the service excellent and this is truly a delicious place. Not perfect, but I'll definitely be back! Did I mention there was no wait for brunch at 10AM on a Sunday, and they take brunch reservations? That is definitely a plus for Portland!
(4)
Lewis M.
I took a dear friend visiting from Chicago out to dinner last Monday and tried Irving St Kitchen, a recommendation from a co-worker. I wanted a great restaurant that had atmosphere, quite space (for overdue catching up), good martinis, and great food. I was not disappointed. I had the lamb porterhouse (great!) and my friend had the halibut (INCREDIBLE!!). I totally recommend this place. And I'll be back. I tend to seek the neighborhood places and have been to other "destination" restaurants in downtown. For downtown, this is one of the best.
(4)
Michael P.
Our brunch was good. The portions are a little small but everything was tasty. The drinks are good too - I recommend the Penicillin, especially after a night of drinking.
(4)
Al S.
The overall quality of the food was very good. The rating would be much higher if it were not for the horrible service. The service was awkward and missing in action for most of the evening. Our server brought water and said she would return to take our drink order. What she failed to say is that we would not see her again for quite some time. When she returned we placed our drink and appetizer order. I knew I should have taken the opportunity to place our dinner orders. She did not return to take our dinner order until we were just about done with appetizers. We finished our dinner without her returning to check on us which meant empty drink glasses for most of meal. To add insult to injury our server never brought us our leftovers. It was a good thing my wife waited until we were driving home to remind me that the server forget to bring our leftovers. Overall the service or lack there of made for an awful dining experience despite the excellent quality of the meal.
(2)
Sam K.
Wow what a treat! Great find... First off the design/ambience is nothing short of spectacular... It is so visually stimulating that it makes the food less important, but then you get the food and it gets even better. I had the Hangar steak, highly recommend it, forget exactly what was in the Twinkie looking like side that accompanied it, but it was delicious. Also, had some cheesecake after for dessert and it was fantastic. Only downside is that it is too expensive to eat there on the regs for me, but what a great spot!
(5)
Jeff P.
Above average. Little spendy for what you get.
(3)
Shannon M.
I think that the fact that I lived in New Orleans for four years qualifies me to speak on southern cooking and I tell you now this place is the real deal. The waitress was amazing. Her service was flawless and she knew her wine. You start your wonderful night with bread from Ken's artisan, then I had the fried chicken. Omg, amazing. They served me my collard greens like I was in the south. It had the nice ham hock essence, tasso and vinegar with a little spice. Thank you for not being an amateur. My husband had the steak that had a nice chimchurri inspired sauce and fried polenta sticks - amazing. I had mashed potatoes and gravy that were to die for. We ordered a merlot that was complex, had a long finish and a nice nose of black berry, leather, american oak and tobacco. Complex and amazing. The entire experience was amazing. I completely recommend it. I love this restaurant!!!!
(5)
emily r.
Amazing food. Amazing service. Beautiful decor. The best dessert I have ever had in my life! We were walking by looking for a place to eat for mothers day (our original choice was completely full and we were not able to get a table for another hour) so we went in. The restaurant was busy, but we were seated within just a few minutes of arriving. We were seated in an enclosed booth that was very comfortable and quieted the hubbub of the restaurant. The raw wood and artwork on parchment was gorgeous. I also noticed they had filament lightbulbs lighting up the restaurant in the light fixtures (I am a big nerd! I notice lightbulbs?!?) which I thought were just beautiful. Our waiter (Patrick, maybe?) was incredibly informative about every dish. He had personal recommendations and knew about all the others as well. As the food was handed to us another waitress repeated what we had to the exact detail, which was a really nice touch. 2 of us had the fried chicken with Yukon potatoes, collard greens, and country gravy. My mother-in-law had the bistro steak, and my husband had the 24 hour smoked ribs. None of us said a word for the first minute or so, as we just savored the flavors. Absolutely amazing. Apparently, the fried chicken was injected (injected!) with clarified butter, which made it more tender and juicy and delicious. yum. YUM! Another fun thing about this place is they have wine on tap. They had a selection of 8 or so. I am not a big fancy wine drinker (i like the boxed stuff!) so I can't be much of a judge, but I was content with the Riesling I ordered :) My husband ordered a bourbon drink that he said was the best he had ever had. I had a taste (even though I don't care for bourbon) and it was very, very, very good tasting, so it must be great, right? We finished with sharing a butterscotch pudding and banana brulee with creme fraiche and walnut pralines. It was the best dessert I have ever eaten. Ever. I will dream about this forever. I hope that the next time I go to this restaurant that they will still have this pudding and that it lives up to the first bite I had. Holy crap!!! Don't leave without getting it. Also, its served in a little jar. yay for little jars! Oh, did I mention it was only their 2nd real night open, following a week of a soft opening? They really had it together. It was an incredible experience. I will be back and would be happy to recommend it to anyone looking for the best meal ever.
(5)
Wendy S.
Stopped by here on my way back from a quick coffee at Barista as they have a BBQ Grill sitting grilling up some lunch. Menu was quite enticing. Grabbed a pastrami sausage with mustard and saurkraut. Served on a yummy crispy but soft sourdough roll. Would give that a 5. Definitely want to go back and try some of the real food.
(4)
Jon F.
Great place for dinner with friends. The service was quick and helpful, and the food was quite good. I would have given it 5 stars but some small things could have been better. The watermelon salad was nice, but more dressing could have been used on the watermelon as it lacked flavor. The squid ink risotto was very delicious as it melted in your mouth, but I had expected larger pieces of chorizo and didn't really see any. I can say that the butterscotch pudding with brittle for dessert is heavenly. All in all, it's well worth the price, and I would totally be back next time I'm visiting.
(4)
George D.
good food, and interesting variety. service is fair, and prices are on the high side.
(4)
Steph C.
Have been to Irving St. Kitchen twice for dinner and once for brunch. Had the lobster scramble for brunch, which was good (eggs were firm, good portions of lobster- very tasty). No wait, which may actually be the best part, given the quality of the food. For dinner I had the bacon-wrapped oysters, which were delicious. we also ordered a side of cornbread, which I just found a bit too heavy for my like (although I suppose it is cornbread). For my main, i ended up ordering the pork chop, which was uber-heavy, but cooked quite well (tender, juicy). Loved the fresh artichokes that came with it. The restaurant itself is very cool- lot's of wood around- with some booths. Also a small patio.
(4)
Ran B.
The bacon wrapped oysters ere awful. I returned them after a tiny bite. Replacement took a very long time to arrive. The short ribs were almost burned through - and yet didn't have proper flavor. Last straw was presentation of the check - throwing a bit of paper on the table. Ugh. Even much humbler places do better. Won't come her again.
(2)
Stephanie K.
Everything about this place is five stars. The food, the desserts, the beer & wine choices, the drinks, the service, the decor--everything is fantastic. The pickings are slim for vegetarians and vegans, but my vegan friend was able to get a dish modified to suit her needs (it is Portland, after all). I am an animal lover, too--I loved my delicious fried chicken more than I can tell you! And the sticky toffee pudding? I would eat vats of it if I could! Unfortunately, I was dining with a group, so I had to share. ;)
(5)
P H.
Great place for brunch. Great cocktails and food. Classy. Very nice atmosphere.
(5)
Dee W.
No thanks. Rude, indifferent service, unimpressive food.The salmon omelet was overpriced ($14) and runny at the center. The server did not offer toast/baguette etc. although I was more than willing to pay- but after dumping food on our table, no one ever returned. I finished my cappuccino and would have gladly ordered another - but again, no one checked on our table. Finally, I (female)left out my credit card to pay right next to my place setting and the server happily returned it to -my partner (male), geez, welcome to the age of equality. Overall, nice location and we may be back to try the bar, but such awful service and such mediocre food will not entice us back for a meal. Try somewhere else!
Tried this place out last week with two friends. I had heard some good things. One thing I had heard was "get the fried chicken!". Ironically, I didn't, but my buddy did, and he loved it. It looked very good. I got the bistro steak, which was descibred as a filet. A filet for $21.00 seemed like a steal, so I ordered that instead of the chicken. The filet was tough. Drag. Also tried the charcuterie plate. This was OK. KInda skimpy. Also got the Bibb lettuce salad. Also OK. Very generous portion, but almost tasteless. The highlight of the meal was the butterscotch pudding we shared for dessert. This totally rocked! I would return to get the chicken I should have ordered, and a repeat on the pudding. I was less impressed with the decor than some others on here. It looked like a patch job on the former restaurant. Admittedly better, but the place still feels kind of like an airplane hanger. Service was good with one exception. The brought out my steak while I was still eating my salad. Not cool, but forgivable.
(3)
J S.
Our meal/dining experience was absolutely one of the best that we have ever had! For entrees I'd recommend both the fried chicken and the sole. They were both extremely delicious!
(5)
S B.
In the ten minutes before my impending demise, all I want in the world is a jar of ISK's butterscotch pudding, a spoon, and a moment alone. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you? Amazing halibut entree. Solid poached egg/lemon sauce over asparagus concoction as a starter. But life is uncertain, so maybe eat dessert first...
(5)
L A.
I love water. Like I love it when people serve me in cool (aka sick, bomb, dank, shizz, bombdiggity, etc) water cups. I just get really excited and bouncy. Suddenly everything about the place is dank. As soon as you walk in, wow. The place is dank! A whole new world (ten points if you tell me what song I quoted)! Everyone and everything is so fancy and glamorous-including the wait staff- I always feel out of place. Still that doesn't stop me from wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja T-Shirt and getting really excited about the water jugs. The wait staff is super friendly. I mean they're so smiley and they look so professional it's hard not to be entertained. This one lady we had was bombdiggity. Very polite, very attentive, basically awesome. The shizz thing about the staff though, is that every time I go they're always nice. And that's a quality I really admire. Now since I am under the age of 21, by law I am not supposed to drink alcoholic beverages in public domains. Doesn't mean I won't try and order a slippery nipple to gage the server's reaction. Still I think it's really sick that they offer a non- alcoholic substitute to us intelligible drinkers. No not the typical coke or pepsi products. They've got a nice selection of mixed drinks minus the usual main ingredient and to me that's dank. I've been there about three times. So obviously I like the food. And it's true I do, their brunch is bomb. But my main reason for continuing to back is I am on a quest to find delicious fried chicken and waffles! Since there is no Rasco's in portland I am gonna have to find the next best thing. UNFORTUNATELY every time I go they're out or not serving them! Curse these elusive waffles, I'll someday taste them, and when I do...well we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
(4)
Heather H.
Update: Returned 6.4.12 with a large party of 11. Service was stellar. Our server had just the right amount of moxie to deal with our rambunctious bunch and the chef prepared an off-menu vegan dish for my sweetie that was amazing. Remains one of my favoriate joints in PDX. Update: Returned 1.1.12 and it's still as tasty as ever. Still lacks vegan fare, not a lot of gluten-free options. Irving Street Kitchen is my new favorite restaurant in PDX. The drinks are divine, certainly some of the best cocktails I've had in the city. I had a charcuterie and the halibut my first venture. Each and every bite was perfect. The halibut was tender, not overcooked and the grits and succotash that accompanied the meal were the perfect compliment. My second venture was for happy hour. The meatballs were incredible, although the mashed potatoes were served too cool for my liking, and that detracted from the experience somewhat. The edamame spread was only so-so, I wouldn't order it again. The service here can be a little too attentive, bordering on hovering. I personally don't need my water glass filled every time I take a drink and I don't like it when wait staff remove my plate as soon as I've put my fork down -- I like to linger over my food, even if my plate sits empty -- otherwise I feel rushed by the staff. My ONLY real complaint, is the lack of vegan fare. In a city like PDX, I think every establishment worth it's weight should carry at least 2 viable vegan options. My partner is vegan and it's a total bummer to miss out on going to great restaurants like this when we dine together. I'll have to skip ISK more than I'd like too because they don't offer anything substantial my partner can eat. I get that places like Beast are going to lack vegetarian and vegan items as their concept is much more narrow. However, there is no reason ISK cannot serve up some inspired vegan cuisine. I hope they do because then I can eat there more often, and that's a really exciting proposition.
(5)
Amy Z.
I enjoyed brunch here with my family. The staff was courteous, food was amazing, and the atmosphere was fresh.
(5)
Charlie K.
One of the friends I was with during tonight's visit (10.22) suggested the fried chicken. Very good. What completed the dish were the mashed potatoes. I'm not sure if they are using liquid smoke or not but the velvety texture and rich smokey flavor took me for a sweet sweet ride. Drink a curmudgeon. Can't wait until my next visit .. Service was stellar this time.
(4)
Robert B.
Took out of town guests to Irving St. Kitchen last night and ordered the Crab stuffed with shrimp and dirty rice because it was recommended by the waiter and had been mentioned favorably in a review. Hate,hate hated it. Seasoning was over the top and the dish was inedible for me. Our guest's was much smaller than mine but she didn't finish either. My wife, who eats light ordered soup and salad. The soup came in an extremely large bowl but there was very little of it. (appeared to be 1/2 inch deep in the bottom of the big bowl.) Butterscotch pudding was great but was the only thing that got a comment from our guests. Pricey and disappointing .
(2)
Amanda E.
This restaurant has one of the best bar scenes in the Pearl. There is limited outdoor seating, which can be used even in the winter because it is undercover and enclosed in plastic. The food and drinks are good. The restaurant also has an excellent private event space.
(4)
Jennifer A.
Portland restaurants have a motto, from the farm to the table and this place is no exception. Hot Menu and Even Hotter Drinks! I am a FAN. I love a place where you can get a great meal and fresh drinks (no mixes & unique). Would have given 5 stars except for the dessert menu. Decor - 4 stars, Wait staff - stars, Food - 5 stars, Drinks - 5 stars, Desserts - 3 stars (I would like more variety) But the butterscotch pudding, which I would not be prone to order MELTS in your mouth. Our table had the cheese plate and the charcuterie for starters. 1st course - Dungeness crab bisque (seasoned to perfection) 2nd course - seared scallops (I always order a tad bit past seared, I don't like the gel feel) with pork belly, greens and black eye peas. 3rd - shared a friend's caramel pudding (like I said, melts in your mouth!) Drinks for the evening, (not to sound like a boozer) I started with one of their Irving Street Originals, WALK IN THE WOODS- gin, stone pine liqueur and sage peppercorn syrup (what is that? Heaven in a cup) An Oregon Pinot Noir with din din And for my dessert, a hot totty (I had the sniffles) Cool spot with Excellent food, hip & trendy, salvaged decor with some bling. If ever I am back in Portland, this will be my first stop. Must eat.
(4)
Britt C.
This place gets a solid 4 starts for food, ambiance, and service. I would definitely go back. The garlic soup, either despite or because of the fact that it is 90% heavy cream, is delicious. The Johnston County ham and biscuits are also great. I was skeptical of the accompanying pepper jelly, but somehow it worked. For mains, the scallops on Napa cabbage were great (a bit salty, though), as was the cod. What you really want, however, is the Old Rasputin glazed Porchetta. What could be better than a fatty, boneless pork cut smother in one of the world's finest beers and cooked for hours upon hours? This dish was outstanding. If you have room, you must try the butterscotch pudding. I'm not a big fan of either butterscotch or pudding, but still found this to be one of the most satisfying deserts I've had in a very long time.
(4)
Joe M.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night and we were seated within 5 minutes with no reservation. Food was absolutely outstanding along with a great wine list (Oregon Pinots starting around mid-40s with great bottles in the high 60s). Not the pretentious or stuck up feeling one may get at other Pearl District restaurants - just go eat here.
(5)
Daniel W.
Great atmosphere and good food. Only had drinks and appetizers but will come back again and enjoy their dinner menu in the near future!
(5)
Suzanne M.
Went for happy hour this afternoon and were really happy. Lovely atmosphere. Excellent service and extremely yummy food. My husband and i ordered the meatballs, pontines (french fries smothered in gravy, cheese and meats) and the jambalaya. I had their happy hour red, very good for the price, and husband had a beer. Are already planning to go for brunch and another happy hour soon.
(5)
Edward J.
Beautiful decor and lovely space. This is one of those restaurants I miss when I lived in a bigger city like NYC or Toronto. The service was excellent, the hostess and waiters were all very attentive and friendly. I've been here a couple of times and each experience is just as wonderful as the next. Excellent wine selections: I got a on tap pinot noir, very tasty, from Brooks vineyard in the Willamette Valley. My boyfriend got the rose on tap and it was perfectly chilled and crisp. $10 each glass, quite pricy. The appetizers were very good. Get the edamame puree, a fantastic dipping sauce. The entrees I recommend the fried chicken, hearty and perfect for someone who has to run 16miles in the forest park next morning. If you are looking for a lighter meal I suggest any of the salad or the risotto. Creamy and not too heavy. I have yet to try the dessert. Here's one problem from my last visit. We've been eating and hanging out at our table for about 2 hours. There are 5 of us. At the end of the meal the waiter comes up to check on us. My friend asked for the bill and if we can split it into 3, as in 2 cards and rest of it on cash. The waiter returns with the bill not split, its fine, we can do math. But on the bill we found two pints of beer that we never ordered. My friend asked the waiter to take them off but he was convinced that we did order the beer. He was sure that the bartender indicated that we had ordered the beer before we sat down. My friend started to get upset and demand him to double check. He stared at us blankly for a while then walked away. Came back with the bill without the beer that we did not order. Did not apologize for the mistake to the end. My friend was upset enough that she said she will never return to the restaurant. As for me, I like the wine so I might come back but probably will avoid that waiter from now on.
(4)
Kathryn H.
We finally went to Irving Street Kitchen, and we were not disappointed! We started with a Sunday brunch, and had some divine entrees! We have been there 3 more times in less than a month and every time we were pleasantly surprised at the quality, innovation, service and staff! It's now on our favorite list!
(5)
Tara S.
I've been twice, once for breakfast, which was nothing to write home about, and also for dinner. The restaraunt is beautiful, and the servers that I've encountered have been quite knowledgeable and friendly, but the menu and food is nothing that anyone else in town can't do as well, but cheaper. If you're in love with their butterscotch dessert and that's why you are coming here, try Nostrana's sea salt butterscotch dessert instead - and bonus points for Nostrana, if you go there after 9 pm, you will be getting a bargain basement priced happy hour menu, and it has similar decor and atmosphere. Thanks ISK, I had a nice meal, but not $60 per person nice.
(3)
Sigmund M.
if your going to get free plates sent from the kitchen, make sure the food isnt gross (slimy raw cucumbers) the cod was slightly over, and the garnishes were bland, meyer lemon- where? five stars for the cocktail
(3)
Etta H.
Been here a lot as we live close by. Food is excellent. Had the jambalaya, soft shell clams, meatballs and the most delicious dessert I have had all year, the butterscotch/chocolate in a mason jar. OMG! I would give them a five star except for the cost of the wine! A bit expensive unless it is happy hour!
(4)
Cody J.
After reading the mostly favorable reviews and consulting with some friends I made a reservation for 12 people for Friday night at Irving Street Kitchen. The occasion was an engagement celebration for girlfriend. We are all professionals in our mid 30's. Decor was great, and our waitress was sweet. The vibe was pretty subdued and the service was quite slow I think due more to the kitchen than due to our waitress. Drinks were mediocre and the food was less than mediocre. We ordered almost the entire menu among the 12 of us. Fried oyster appetizer was bland. The veggie risotto was more flavorful but not spectacular. The garnish was under cooked and crunchy. Beet salad was middle of the road. The mustard vinaigrette was a unique touch. Watermelon salad was sub par. Chinook was one of the worst interpretations I've ever had. I asked the entire table what they thought of their meal and the consensus was it was mediocre. Looking at the reviews, I think this may be more of a brunch spot. It was an extremely disappointing representation of Portland's food scene for my out of town guests. Our bill was around $600 for 12 people and I resent the fact that I spent as much as I did on a very sub par dining experience. This might be a good place for brunch or happy hour, but I will not be back to find out.
(2)
J W.
Good food, and friendly service. The scenery is nice, and there is a nice waiting area where they serve you drinks. The menu has some good dishes, but a bit pricy for what you're getting.
(4)
Melanie L.
The ambience, decor and food were definitely above average. My husband and I came on date night and it was a great choice. The reason for 3-stars is we sat down and our waiter said: "Everything offered tonight is listed on our menu". Period. 10 minutes later, we overheard him telling the table next to us "We have everything on our menu, and our appetizer special is a salmon tartare - it's delicious and there are only a few orders left"... Did we not look like tartare people? I just didn't understand the differing treatment. So while we truly enjoyed our black cod and short ribs, we really would have enjoyed a nice little salmon tartare as well!
(3)
Angela C.
Good place to eat in an artsy part of town. Food and drinks were delicious. We could see the chefs from where we were sitting. The place had good energy. Our waiter was top notch, very attentive. There was 80's music playing in the background.
(4)
Sarah L.
Anyone remember when this space was Bay 13? That was good. Irving St. Kitchen, is even better! I loooooove the interior. It's like rustic and fancy came together and got married. The food was fantastic and the bartender makes one hell of a dirty martini. Friends have been raving about the brunch, so I'll have to give it a go one of these days soon.
(4)
Chris S.
I would say 4.5 stars, but that isn't an option. Been here twice and both times I've really enjoyed my meal. The bloody mary from the bar was fantastic; although, the olives had pits. This was not something I was expecting and was quite surprised when I bit into my first olive. The interior is one of my favorites, if not my favorite, in town. Service is great. Prices are reasonable for the quality you get.
(4)
Kendra M.
We went for New Year's Eve dinner. We enjoyed absolutely wonderful service by everyone from host, to bar, to our amazing server and everyone in between. The food was to DIE for... every single thing we ordered. The cocktails were perfect. The ambiance is beautiful (if you had been to Bay 13, the decor was totally sterile). Lots of great details and interesting pieces throughout. And considering everything, the prices are quite reasonable. We couldn't be happier. We went for a special occasion, but now we plan to be regulars.
(5)
Susanna L.
Though Irving St Kitchen is beautifully designed and the staff friendly and attentive, we really didn't feel that we got our money's worth for dinner here. It's not that anything was really *bad* - the drinks were good, the food attractively presented - but nothing had the kind of flavor that makes your eyes roll up in your head and at the end of the meal we were left feeling rather flat about the whole thing. $101 for three drinks, an appetizer and 2 entrees? My partner had a fish dish (teeny fish and he said everything was the same sweet flavor with no contrasts at all). I had the pork, which was a nice sized dish but the meat was very rare. I realize that most chefs prefer to present meat that way - but I'm sure I read somewhere that it's dangerous to undercook pork? In any case, I found my dish very nearly inedible. All in all, I might go back for a drink next to the tiny fireplace but given the range of choices in Portland for really great meals, I think this one is a miss overall.
(2)
Travis S.
The food is amazing, I've especially enjoyed the burger here. For dessert their butterscotch pudding will put you in a coma - fantastic!
(5)
Dr X.
Beautiful "Portlandian" atmosphere, friendly staff, and the food just impeccable. Not one item ordered could be considered just average or just satisfactory. Truly an extraordinary experience. The beef tartare was was to die for.
(5)
Tom D.
Great space, though large. I was here on a weekend and it wasn't very full, maybe it's more of a weekday place. It's always a challenge to fill a huge space for a restaurant. Our waiter was excellent, and as it was our first visit we basically went with his reccos. All were good, although the fried chicken is not Southern fried Chicken style, so if you're expecting that (and the person ordering it was) you may be disappointed. The "angels on horseback" and the T&T Pigs foot were very good. The entrees were all solid, but nothing spectacular. We had the Cod, the Fried Chicken, the Short rib, and the Salmon between us, and the Short Ribs were my favorite of the four. This place is a good, not great, restaurant in a great space, with great service. I'll be back
(4)
Christi P.
well well, look who makes an amazing salmon benedict. I actually went and joined a gym after eating it, just so that I can come back and order it again without worrying about adding a pants size. We had brunch by the huge windows in the bar area. The space is really beautiful, I love the ink drawings hanging over the bar (I wanted to take the pig home with me). Ya'll can brew some stumptown coffee too, I felt like a superhero after 3 cups of that stuff! Can't wait to come back for drinks and dinner if the scene is right at night. Like.
(5)
Martin B.
Great space. We sat in an alcove between bookcases. Server must have been new. He made a couple of poor recommendations and had to read descriptions of many things. The chicken was AMAZING.
(3)
Karen D.
good food, but very small portions for the price
(3)
Trish S.
Great ambiance! We sat in one of their private cozy booths and the service was spectacular. The drink selection is vast, my favorite cocktail was the Ann Margaret. We tried several of the first plates which were all very good and main dishes included the Pork and Halibut which were both phenomenal. Of course when you are in this deep you got to go for dessert! The chocolate cake with pistachio was by far the favorite with the beignets and bourbon ice cream coming in at a close second.
(5)
Jeffrey B.
Only my second time at Irving Street Kitchen, though for most of the evening I was wondering why I haven't gone back sooner. Very warm and energetic ambience. Excellent and knowledgeable service. Creative first and second course options, all prepared and presented perfectly, with a lovely and comfortable flow the meal and evening. Great desserts and a comprehensive selection of beverages. I'll definitely be returning here more in the future.
(5)
Kelly S.
Good brunch. Fries were way too salted and service was very slow (despite there being only a few other people in the place.) Their take on eggs benedict was very tasty. Cute place and if not outstanding, very pleasant.
(4)
Dave R.
Good stuff. This was my 3rd visit, and now I know what to order.... I am a fan of the Frouis Grouis....lol... I never thought in a million years I would have tried this, but I sure as hell glad I did...
(5)
Mac M.
I've not eaten here before, so this review will be incomplete and in need of an update when I do. That being said, I found the drinks to be moderately acceptable, a tad pricey - but good. I like the ambiance of the place especially if you're going on a date in the winter or fall seasons because of the fireplace. I know this is a lazy review and doesn't tell the whole story of the place - I promise to do it justice at a later date.
(3)
Brad D.
Consistent!
(4)
Jay C.
Irving Street grill WINS for being the first restaurant to disappoint at this price level. That's hard to do! Sub par service to the point where I thought we were being Punkd! 15 minutes after we ordered the glass of wine, we hadn't had a sip since entering the restaurant. Waiter returns, asks again what wine we ordered, still didn't bring for another 10 minutes. Almost a half hour before our first sip of wine. The waiter forgot to bring the bread, then apologized and said was coming. Bread never came. Ever. I can assure you this bad experience WASN'T due to them being busy, because the loud, drunk people at the table next to us - obviously friends of the manager - were getting the stellar service that i paid for. They had frequent check backs from their (our) server, multiple wine pours over a 15 min period (check for their review below, I'm sure it's 5 stars) As for the food, the chicken liver appetizer was absolutely DELICIOUS, though miniature in size (even in high end restaurants, I've had my appetite satisfied, I'm going out to eat, aren't I ?) The liver was the first and last good thing about the meal. The appetizers were more of a Tapas, with an appetizer price. As for the Entree, I had the Cod. Salt was more prominent than flavor. Sorry. Expected more. Like I said, disappointed on a new level. The one star is for the liver appetizer and the ambience. Good, hip feel. Food, ehhh. Service very bad for us.
(1)
G S.
Simply the best eggs benedict I've had up until now, all on wonderful biscuits with a little smoked salmon. Other things seemed to very good as well. Nice service, atmosphere, etc., etc. Maybe not a revelation, but sometimes the simple things are hard to do.
(4)
Jana H.
Yum. I can't believe it took me so long to get here. Great experience, service was A++. The food - maybe a little over priced, but well worth it when you consider the whole package. I had the beet salad to start, the hangar steak, and the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Don't eat too much for dinner, because dessert is where it's AT!! My pudding was served to me a jar with a lid, a generous amount of salted caramel sauce, and butterscotch candy on the side. Everything was well prepared, presented, and delicious. I can't wait to go back for happy hour!
(5)
John D.
Ya gotta love a place with that much meet on the menu... Brunch is fantastic and the hanger steak is excellent. Very fun and cool environment. I'll be back soon!
(5)
Frank M.
We were there recently on a Sunday night for a special occassion. They did a great job recognizing that special occassion (comped champagne, desert). The service was excellent. Our waitress had a great knowledge of the wines and food; she was attentive w/out being intrusive and made several recommendations that turned out to be spot on. On the other hand, I join some of the others who say the food was good but not knock your socks off fantastic. Here's the run down: Olive starter - A bit underwhelming. Two types of olives. Nothing wrong with it, nothing special. Meatballs - served on a rectangular tapas type plate, you get 3 of them on a bed of grits and sauce. The grits were very good. Sauce was fine. In the end the meatballs were, well, meatballs. Angel Oysters - I'm not a seafood person so this one wasn't my cup of tea. I suspect these were actually very high quality. They seemed well prepared and the oysters seem to be very fresh - they had a very distinctive briney flavor (which kind of overwhelmed the wrapped bacon and sauce...but that could just be me). My wife loved them. Biscuits - comes with thinly sliced ham, butter and a spicey jelly. The biscuits were these very tiny creations (1/2 dollar diameter). The jelly and salty ham went well together. Would have been nice if the biscuits were just a bit bigger. Chicken dinner entree - I agree with others who say the chicken was very bland. But the thing is the chicken was cooked to near perfection. And I think the deal is you're expected to eat the chicken with either the mashed potatoes / gravy (gravy is just a bit salty) or the greens (cooked perfectly with a distinct vinegar flavor), either of which complement the chicken. Eat any of them by themselves and they are a bit salty, a bit vinegary or a bit bland. Put two of them together and it is great. Lemon pie dessert - the star of the show. Dense, intense, great. Pudding - it was good, but didn't hold up to the lemon pie. In summary, it is a nice place with good food and great service. I would go back. If we could do 1/2 stars I'd rate it 3.5.
(3)
Kyle M.
Oh ISK, I really love you. I love that you have wine on-tap, I love that your fried chicken is divine, I love that you have Domaine Ott rose, and I love that you're a pitching wedge from my new place in Portland. I'm even willing to gain a few pounds to visit you more often. If that's not a culinary crush, then I don't know what is.
(4)
Maxine C.
This is a consistant place to go for great food. My last meal was the steelhead with leeks. Absolutely one of the best steelhead preparations I've had the pleasure to eat. The atmosphere is warm, the booths and bookcase areas are cozy and the service has always been great.
(5)
Devon D.
Irving Street surpassed expectations. Everything was epic. Beautifully crafted cocktails (recommend New Money as a unique and complicated drink, and the Chrysanthemum is a must.) Best steak in Portland (a controversial statement, I know.) Awesome salmon. Crave-worthy artichoke/oyster soup. Love that they house cure charcuterie, house bake some bomb bread loaves, and pour wine direct from barrel. The space is pretty and comfortable, almost transporting one to a hip San Francisco hang-out. This is at the top of my Portland musts.
(5)
Don C.
I would not recommend the Irving Street Kitchen. The food was a Denny's quality, the service poor, and the kitchen staff slow. I had brunch here on Easter. My expectations were high....the place looked great......the staff seemed friendly......the menu looked great.....I should have left at this point because the high expectations were slooooowly dashed. It took an hour to get our simple egg dishes. They forgot of doughnuts and messed up my order. I asked the the "southern smother" and the delivered "morocan eggs," which were a couple of eggs, on a biscuit with a spoon of salsa. When I mentioned this to our waiter he said he'd see what he could do and we never heard from him again. They will never here from me again so I guess we are even.
(1)
Brian C.
Went to Irving St Kitchen 4 months ago when I first visited Portland. Moved to Portland from Ohio 2 weeks ago and have been to Irving St Kitchen 4 times. Food is great.... brussel sprouts that will make you cry..... Amazing soups and good wine selection. Alison and Aisha are the best bartenders in town.... Everyone there is great!!
(5)
Ptown G.
Love, love, love this place. From the beautiful decor and romantic booths, to the fantastic wait staff, this place rocks. Oh, the food is simply delectable too. ISK is a take on Southern Food with a NW twist. This is not your southern greasy spoon, this is everything wonderfully comforting about southern cooking. But, if you leave this Portland foodie staple without trying the Butterscotch pudding, you might as well ask your date to give you a slap upside the head :/. It is hands down, THE BEST DESSERT IN THE NW in my opinion.
(5)
Jack G.
Service was horribly slow and inattentive. The glass I drank out of had a chip and cut my lip. When I told the waiter, he barely apologized and proceeded to return with the full bill intact. A top notch establishment would have had the manager approach the table and apologize on behalf of the restaurant and adjust the bill accordingly. Restaurant rule #1 is to make the customer happy so they don't complain to others about such basic things.
(2)
Matt K.
Finally got to try Irving St. Kitchen last night. I was immediately impressed by the fact that they had my favorite gin, Miller's Westbourne Strength at the bar, BIG PLUS! From there we ordered: - Meatballs: 3 delicious meatballs coddled by creamy mashed potatoes - BBQ Ribs: Fall off the bone tender meat sitting on top of a bed of freshly made coleslaw...my favorite of the night - Smoked Thuringer, Chorizo, Pastrami, Fennel Salumi - Each meat was better than the one before. Served with whole seed mustard, delicious! - Trio of Artisan Cheeses: Great cheeses, my only complaint was that it wasn't enough! Overall, had a pretty good experience at Irving St. Friendly service, my favorite gin, and some good food. Next time I will have to try some of the entrees.
(4)
Andy R.
We had a fabulous dinner for two. Food was original and very well prepared. I thought the menu had just about the right amount of variety. The waiter gave us the perfect amount if attention and the atmosphere was vibrant. We look forward to going again soon.
(5)
Kate G.
We did the boozy brunch at Irving St Kitchen and it was excellent. Great bartenders and phenomenal drinks. Recently went back for another meal with friends to avoid all the lines at other spots and really enjoyed it. Sometimes the portions seem a wee bit small for the price but the food is always delicious. We always end up spending way more money then we intend to but I love the attention to detail and this is the first place I've ever seen wine on tap. wow! I like the way this place is decorated but I hate the art they have hanging above the bar-it looks like someone puked up ink blots of deer and pigs and other random creatures but people actually buy them so maybe I should start doing art...
(4)
Lori J.
My husband and I were on a rare night out and wanted to try something different...which means out of our area by 20 minutes. A friend recommended Irving Street. We both loved the ambiance when we first walked inside we were seated at the bar, so we of course had to try the barrel to glass wines. What a fabulous idea! The bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, once we were seated way in the back by the kitchen...we were forgotten. With our prompting 20 minutes later we had a server. He was knowledgeable and efficient from that point on. He recommended his favorite dishes and we were not disappointed. We had the fried chicken and the steelhead both were fabulous. The rest of the dinner was delicious and the evening was a success. We would definitely go back again:)
(4)
Scott B.
Great!! Excellent service - really a standard apart. We eat at good restaurants and would definitely recommend ISK. We're from Denver and this made our trip to Portland really stand out, Well done, Irving St. Kitchen!!
(5)
C. P.
Amazing! We've eaten dinner and brunch here and both were amazing. The location, atmosphere, staff and of course the food are all outstanding. The chef knows what he/she is doing back there. They manage to pull off 5 star quality food without the pretentious atmosphere that usually goes with it. The menu changes regularly, to keep the dishes seasonal. I loved the parmasean bread soup, pumpkin bread with chocolate & coconut and the steak with smashed potatoes. This is definitely my new favorite place!
(5)
Eric P.
Recently had brunch here. The lobster scramble was totally awesome. Wife had Moroccan poached eggs. Also very nice. Would have given it 5 stars but the server was a bit of a loser. Waited way to long for the Mimosa. Points off...
(4)
H O.
This place has a great atmosphere but the food is mixed and the wine is pricey. Some dishes were excellent (trout, fried oysters) and some were not so great (grass-fed beef and fries). Waiter has no clue about wine. Great fried chicken. Kudos for the two buck PBR on the menu! Oh and the service is rubbish.
(2)
Lana T.
Sunday Brunch, 10am, we clearly did not need our open table reservation. Great atmosphere! Friendly staff. We both ordered the 2 eggs any way. They were both cooked appropriately, the toast was delicious, potatoes seasoned nicely, with a perfect texture. We ended our meal with the cinnamon sugar donuts...delicious! I definitely recommend this place for brunch!
(4)
Jessica S.
Good location in the Pearl. Great outdoor seating. Ambience is really nice. Food was overall great. Fried chicken was fried without being greasy, Collard Greens were cooked to perfection, and the Cornbread is a must! We didn't get dessert because the "Sucker Punch" was awesome enough!
Love this place! I usually sit at the bar with friends and am never disappointed. The drinks are fantastic and the service is outstanding.
(5)
vince o.
I had heard great things about the fried chicken and while it was certainly ok I didn't find it to be as "remarkable" as it's been proclaimed to be. The staff was attentive and well trained and the atmosphere is very well put together. The food unfortunately is just barely above average, not up to par with the sevice or ambiance. I doubt that I would return.
(3)
Karen J.
Love Irving Street. I've only been living in Portland for eight months. There are so many great restaraunts here that I've been trying to go to a new place each time we go out. Irving is one of the few places that I feel compelled to go back to over and over again. The atmosphere is great. The staff is friendly and the food is consistent and tasty. Most recently, I had the fried chicken and it was great - but I've tried several things here and never been disappointed. Love the wine on tap too.
(5)
Laura W.
Finally tried this restaurant and am thrilled I did! Our group of 4 tried a little bit of everything but the scallops with pork belly and the halibut were the standouts. Desserts were also a big hit. Service was some of the best I've had - incredibly attentive and helpful with questions about how dishes were prepared, ingredients, etc. And their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint was an added bonus. We love taking advantage of Portland's terrific dining scene and definitely plan to go back here!
(5)
Tracy V.
Irving Street Kitchen has a lot of great reviews, but I wanted to comment on the experience when eating (or just drinking) at the bar - a shout out to Allison for always making the experience very fun! My husband and I have dined many times in the restaurant and at the bar and we prefer the bar due to the wealth of knowledge on wine and spirits; we seem to always leave impressed with the dinner and a little more educated on beverages!
(4)
Dazer T.
First of all, it was so nice to eat at a restaurant with a knowledgeable as well as friendly waiter (Don). It is an all too rare experience anymore. However, this was not enough to overcome a rather lackluster meal. The menu did not do much for me to start. We ordered the artisan cheese platter and that hit the first sour note. For $14, there is very little cheese. For the entrees, my wife really loved her salmon, although it was a pretty small portion. I could overlook that, but our other two dishes were nothing special. For the total cost of the bill, you can do a lot better elsewhere. I will say the booths are very nice to sit in, and feel very private while at the same time taking in a view of the whole room. But that room...it just feels like I'm in another city, at some corporate created establishment. It almost works, but it's just not my cup of tea. Neither was the Classic Rock music playing all through dinner. Definitely did not help create a mood or vibe I could connect with.
(2)
carol c.
We'll I don't have paragraphs to write about my experience!! I can sum it up in two words... IT BLEW!! Being from the Bay Area and knowing good food and service, I heard that SF restauranteurs opened this place and thought we would give it a try. Wrong! The service was horrible! The meat was under cooked and the only saving grace was the dessert! We waited 25 minutes for the bread. The waitress was a ditz that couldn't think on her own. She apologized because she hadn't had a break! Is that legal?? Honestly, the service and the product shines through when the employees are trained by sophisticated, respectful, everyday people that value the all around experience of the patrons that walk through the door. Get it together!
(1)
Asa P.
Love this place.
(5)
jim w.
I love this place- the service is impeccable - the price point appropriate for the delicious food and quality - there is real teamwork here in the service - they care - we have found ourselves eating here quite a lot and a few times as a result of trying somewhere else that we were disappointed in and decided to relocate to Irving Street Kitchen instead. Love it Love it the Fried Chicken - awesome - the fish dish is always very interesting - great flavors pulled together in an unexpected way. Do not leave without having the butterscotch / caramel desert - or get it to take away in it's nicely packaged mason jar - I could eat it every day!
(5)
Dave S.
Would have been 5 star if not for the ridiculous wine from the barrel program. If I'm paying top dollar for wine it better come in something other than a mason jar! Now corkage service was spot on, wine steward did an excellent job decanting a couple of tricky bottles. The food again was delicious well thought out and generous in portion size. If they'd just pony up for some carafes for the wine and drop the price point for the whole barrel to table thing they'd be a winner! Nuf' said.
(4)
Suzy W.
Hard to beat the ambiance here. Happy hour every day, impeccable service. Menu is somewhat on the adventurous side, but well worth the effort!
(5)
magdalena w.
This place goes to my all-time favourite restaurants in the world. They just got it all right; the deco is intriguing without being too much, combining a bit of japanese elements with contemporary western effects. No cliche artifacts, all very original pieces. Huge open space, great lighting. Good service although had to wait for 45 min for my fish which got me a free edamame puree and a glass of wine. Commandable. The food, oh the food! I had a fish which came in such an amazing combination of flavours.. I had to slow myself down to enjoy each bite. Highly recommended. I now cannot wait to go back to Portland!
(5)
Mary M.
I've been to ISK twice now, and loved both times. The first time I went with my Supper Club friends and almost cancelled because I was not impressed with the online menu, nothing seemed to catch my eye. I'm happy I went. great food, good service. Highly recommend the charcuterie and cheese plates, Cowboys on horseback (Bacon wrapped oysters)-even if you are not a fan of oysters you may really like this dish! and I agree, the butterscotch pudding is great! Also a fun place to go for happy hour and hang out on their couches.
(4)
Jessica H.
Went to ISK for brunch with a large party (10+). Our server was wonderful and attentive but not TOO attentive. Food was out quickly, but (again) not TOO quickly as if it was sitting under heat lamps waiting for a taker like some lesser dining establishment. That part of the experience was 5 stars, but the food has very mixed reviews. Out of the group about 1/2 would order their dish again and the other half were not overly impressed. The later half included me. I was told the moroccan eggs were spicy - as in flavorful. I'm wimpy and can't do spicy hot but love strong flavored food so was looking forward to this dish with cumin, coriander and other spices mentioned. The dish was served in a nice shallow bowl, 2 poached eggs hidden under a lot with a red sauce. One person I was with asked if I had ordered tomato soup. That's what it looked and tasted like. The Moroccan flavors I was looking forward to were no where to be found. The sauce just tasted like tomato without any spices. The garlic rubbed toast tasted nothing of garlic. I ate it all because I like tomato and I like bread, but it was very underwhelming for such a hyped up restaurant. I'll try ISK again, but not for breakfast. So many other restaurants in Portland that do breakfast extremely well - every dish - that I'll put my money toward a sure bet but I might be back for dinner. Dishes that rocked: carnitas and egg dish Dishes that fizzled: crab sandwich - more breading than crab, Moroccan eggs EVERYONE loved their mixed drinks - mimosa special was a favorite
(3)
Jeff T.
So I've had a couple of days to think about our recent dinner at Irving St. Kitchen. I'd seen some good buzz and review here on Yelp and other sites. There were some real high points to the meal, but then there were some real disconnect. We had two of the starters, the sweet potato/fennel soup was exceptional and they kindly split it into two smaller bowls for us to share. The beet salad was pretty good and not made with prickled beets that you come to expect. After this great start, we waited for over 20 minutes for our entrees after our starter service was cleared. We'd ordered the rabbit chorizo, the trout and a side order of the pickled okra that the waitress said was great. I enjoyed the rabbit, but didn't really find it very spicy as you'd expect with chorizo. My wife liked the trout, it didn't wow her, but she liked it. However, we never did get the okra. I'm pretty sure I saw it sitting on the kitchen window for about 10 minutes under a heat lamp until it was taken away. I would have said something to our server, but she didn't make it by our table until it was gone and we'd finished our entrees. I asked her about it and she was sorry and I could tell she meant it. After our exchange I'd expected her to return with the dessert menu but we had to wait another 10-15 minutes for that. We did go for the butterscotch pudding which was really good, but very very rich. I won't recommend trying to eat this alone, it's just that rich, but very good. I did find our server to be very nice and friendly, but it looked like she was either covering too many tables, or a little overwhelmed on a Friday night. And I think the waits between courses were more of a kitchen timing issues than on the wait staff. We liked the ambience of the restaurant, and I particularly enjoyed the Freya Prowe art installation over the bar. I would say that it was extremely warm in the restaurant and there needs to be some ceiling fans or something to keep the air moving. So the final question, would I go back? Yes, but with so many great restaurants here in Portland, it's not going to make it to the top of the list right now. I think it will curse of that space on 13th and I'll give it a shot again in the future, just not the near future.
(3)
Chris C.
The space is large and really neatly decorated. The wait staff was really nice and the food was good. Its not the most amazing meal, but it was tasty and Id go back.
(4)
Tiffany P.
Ok, I admit that I was hooked after reading the article about them in Thursday's Oregonian. A new restaurant in the Pearl,,,Southern type cooking...my mind was reeling, plus we haven't been downtown in about a year, ready for a restaurant trip. I made reservations online for 545 this evening. We arrived and anxiously awaited outside with the other patrons, eager for our first glimpse inside this new restaurant. Inside, the decor is awesome! A cross between a butcher shop and a very stylish barn, they have milk bottles for lights! We were the second couple seated and ended up waiting for 15-20 minutes with no one noticing us. All of the tables seated after us had drinks and were giving food orders while we sat and questioned how long we would wait before we walked out. On the flip side, it was their second night in business, I was willing to forgive, (the reason I took away a star). We finally flagged down a waiter who took our drink order and it was perfect from there. He apologized and explained the menu to us, which is made up of "firsts" and "seconds". We made a meal out of the firsts. Our drinks arrived via a different waitress who advised us that there was a mix up and there was not a waiter scheduled for our area till later, why we were seated there, I cannot tell you. We started with the BBQ shrimp, which comes with 4 large shrimps, a chive drop biscuit and the best sauce I have ever tasted, a cross between a tomato and bbq sauce=DIVINE!!Next, we had the bib salad with blue cheese dressing, the piquillo peppers stuffed with a chicken ragout and the meatballs with smashed potatoes and gravy....one of the best dishes ever! They specialize in wines but since we had been to a few wineries earlier in the afternoon, we partook in a few draft beers, they have some amazing local, different beers (ie Hopworks, Laurelhurst, etc). We were there to celebrate, so we had to have dessert. Our waitress recommended the "sugar and spice donuts" which was SPOT ON!! There was 3 donut holes with a Stumptown coffee ice cream type thing that was "One of the best desserts we ever had", says my husband who is a connoisseur of all things sweet! We will definately be back soon!!!
(4)
Tamara M.
Loved everything here. Inventive drinks, a rich veggie entree and amazing butterscotch pudding/custard.
(5)
R R.
I have loved the cocktails at Irving Street Kitchen, and think they are the best around. Based on the cocktails and happy hour, I would have rated this place four stars. But man oh man was New Year's Brunch HORRIBLE. My boyfriend and I ordered the waffles and an order of lox benedict. The waffles were cold and hard and the "pork belly" was a chunk of greasy fat, upon which sat a brownish egg. ($15) The eggs benedict was cold. The eggs were underdone, the whites running everywhere. The escarole weirdly paired with the watery, congealing hollandaise sauce. ($15) The orange juice was the size of a shot. And then, we were both ill all day, after a $42 tab. So, two stars for you, Irving Street Kitchen. I'm sad to say that we won't be back.
(1)
Richard H.
My wife and I bailed-out on another function and stopped in here on a whim. We were SO happy we did. The staff what friendly and the food was great. When they heard us in a serious debate on what desert to get, they made it easy and sent us home with a complimentary jar of the Butterscotch pudding (a MUST have). Though they forgot to put in my order my second visit, I forgave them when they brought me some grilled banana bread and jam.
(4)
David N.
Ate there this evening for the 1st time. I had the steak/rib entree and my wife had the snapper. Food, service, drinks and ambiance were good. The entree portions were not exactly generous. The server did a great job with our large party, including breaking out separate checks.
(4)
Dave D.
Awesome! Came here for a Nike dinner and they did it right. Delicious food and wine list. The atmosphere reminded me of a fancy estate style house, complete with bookshelves. Cheers~
(4)
Becky F.
I took some clients here in Feb 2011 and it was a great place. It was easy to find, not super busy, where we could still have conversations and the ambience was perfect. We started with the meat/cheese samplers that were perfect.. very fresh, very unique tasting and paired well with the Sav I was drinking. The menu is a bit on the ecclectic side and after careful reading, decided to opt for the blackened salmon and it was delicious.. very fresh. The bisquits are a treat.. and a must try as well.
(4)
Melissa R.
We went here for brunch. OMG I had the shrimp and grits and they were so delicious. My husband was soo jealous, he got the burger which was pretty darn tasty as well, but they forgot to put bacon on it, so he was disappointed and the server was nowhere to be found after we got our food that he couldn't tell him that they forgot it. But I loved my breakfast. We also got the fries with the truffle mayo, which was sooo tasty as well. Next time we are Portland we will try this place for dinner.
(4)
Kyle K.
Great ambience, Meatball and mash app. was decent. Drinks were average as was the cheese plate. I'll give this place a second try as I did not have a true dinner plate on my first visit.
(3)
Kerry W.
They are inflexible to substitutions for brunch--which has me unable to go there with my daughter. I am vegan--how difficult can it be to put more vegetables in the scramble vs eggs? Every restaurant I've ever been to has been willing to accommodate.
(1)
Chynele F.
Ive stopped in Irving st kitchen now twice for a quick bite or a cocktail and I was very pleasantly surprised both times! This last time especially. Our server/bartender was very nice and friendly. I will definitely be back
(5)
Dina N.
Love the fried chicken...injected with clarified butter steeped in garlic? Love the service and space!
(4)
Erin C.
My husband and I tried out this place for our anniversary dinner. Knowing that the Chef was from SF and we lived there for a bit, I thought we would see some of that flavor here. No such luck. Our server was nice but had to narrate everything he did, came in too many times, and made a point of telling us how great our choices were. "Oh yes, that will go perfect with that! You have done this before" I don't know I just prefer a server that is uber cool, minimal chatting. I had the beet salad, it was good. Beets cooked perfectly, but I have had better. My husband had the charcuterie, i believe he had the same opinion. For dinner I had the Hanger Steak with grits. I asked for medium and it was slightly under temp. The char was good, but overpowered all the other flavors on the plate. The grits were quite tasty, but I wasn't able to taste any of the flavor until I ate them on their own. Again, OK but I have had better. My husband had the snapper and was not impressed getting 2 pieces instead of one along with 4 clams and 1 spoonful of risotto. The fish was overcooked as well. For dessert I had the butterscotch pudding, that was the best thing I had there all night. My husband asked for just a hunk of cheese. Apparently no one asked for cheese for dessert and he was basically brought the cheese plate but with only 1 cheese. It was $12 which was a bit excessive for 1 cheese, 3 pieces of toast and 2 rye crackers. We won't be back, there is better food in town.
(2)
Melissa C.
As people in the biz, it is often hard to find a place that truly impresses. We were completely impressed. The atmosphere was relaxed & comfortable while at the same time, a place you can go out on a date night. The service was ridiculously attentive--and our server was clearly well-informed, and we followed every one of her recommendations. And the food was absolutely delicious. The gravlax were beautiful and clean. I was squealing ,the rabbit cassoulet was so good, and my husband, a chef, was pretty damn excited about the Sirloin with tamarind. The server picked perfectly paired wines for my husband and a tasty non-alcoholic cocktail for me. The dessert was outstanding. It's rare that we want to go back to a place, and I promise we will be there as often as we can.
(4)
jeff f.
I read all the reviews in Yelp and was anxious to check out this place. The restaurant is large and modern with the typical industrial chic look. We ordered the Olive Oil Baked Halibut, Duck Sausage with duck leg confit and some Collard Greens. I had had olive oil halibut at another restaurant a few weeks ago and I will say that version was much better than that of Irving Street. The halibut was a bit on the mushy side. The duck has a very nice taste but both the duck and halibut were very bland. The vegetables served with the entrees were both very good and definitively better than the meats. Our server strongly suggested to try the deserts and she was right. The lemon chess pie with homemade graham cracker crust was wonderful.
(3)
Julie R.
I was introduced to Irving St. while slightly inebriated so my recollection of their food is obscured by booze. That being said, the fried chicken was DELICIOUS. On top of that, the very talented bartenders made a special cocktail named White Preakness that uses white whiskey and it is GREAT! Have been back for cocktails and was not disappointed. The decor is lovely and the little lounge area with couches is great for a small group.
(5)
Evan B.
We'd actually give it 3.5 stars overall. Here is the plate by plate: Asparagus Soup / preserved lemon - not a winner. Needed salt, and didn't have the taste of Spring - 3 stars. Spiced beets, horseradish creme, pickled mustard seed: nice dressing and flavor - 4 stars. Salmon Gravlox, tartar sauce, rye crackers: excellent- nice sauce and good character - 4 stars. Jambalaya: good, tangy, spicy, but a little sweet - 4.5 stars. Collard Greens: both diners thought the were DE-Licious, but could have done with a little heat - 4.5 stars. Coleslaw: good but small for $6 - 3 stars. Bibb lettuce salad, bleu cheese, apple: good, but croutons are a little mushy (especially considering they served Ken's Artisan Bread on the table); dressing is fabulous - 3.5. Meatballs: plate licking good; sends meatloaf to a new high - 5 stars. Chicken, smashed potatoes: - 5 stars. Rhubarb cobbler recommends over the Lemon Chess, and it was delightful. Tart, right sweetness. - 5 stars. Slow kitchen between salad and entree, especially considering this was a Sunday night (not that busy) and there were 3-4 in the kitchen. Server knowledgeable about selections and made good recommendations - We'd give her a 4.5 stars!
(3)
Clayton T.
I was frankly a little disappointed in this restaurant. It came well recommended but the food was less than exceptional. I had the prawn appitizer and then the fried chicken. The prawns were somewhat bland and the chicken was greasey. Surprising for such a well attended and carefully put together place.
(2)
Jim A.
This place has excellent service and exceptional food. We will definitely be back the next time we're in Portland.
(5)
sanjar a.
Food - 4.5 stars. Presentation 5 stars, taste 4-4.5 stars. Design and ambiance - 5 stars!!!! Great place for a romantic date or just enjoy a solitary dinner or lunch
(5)
M G.
I have always enjoyed the food here and I would love to give them 5 stars but I have to share my experience from last night. My dinner was delicious and the wait staff were incredibly attentive. A server approached us and asked if we were done eating and whether they could clear our dishes. We said yes, but I had only eaten 1/3rd of my fried chicken and because I was full I asked to have the leftovers boxed. No problem. The server picked up our empty plates and dirty silverware. Then he picked up my plate and realized that he was unable to carry my plate separately in the same trip back to the kitchen. So... He put all the plates in a pile with mine on top and placed the used silverware from our table on my plate with my leftovers. Totally gross. The leftovers sit in boxes back in the kitchen until you are done dining and receive your check. I typically have no issues with this but god only knows what utensils were used to handle my leftovers and possibly dirty hands handled my food.
(3)
Aaron M.
Environment/Ambiance 5 out of 5 (cool decor) Food Quality/value 4 out of 5 (had the fried chicken) Service 3 out of 5 (waitress couldn't give suggestions or more detailed explanations of the entrees. Training??)
(4)
Lisa W.
We have a handful of favorite happy hour spots when we spend a weekend in Portland, but I wanted to try a couple of new places this time so I found Irving Street Kitchen on Yelp. The space is very wide open with high ceilings and interesting big light fixtures hanging overhead. We sat at the bar and had excellent service from beginning to end. The bartender was very attentive and brought my glass of Sangiovese and my BF's HUB lager right away. It was interesting that along with my glass of wine, he placed a small Mason jar containing about half a glass of wine. So for the price of a glass of wine, you actually receive a little more than a glass. I wasn't super hungry so I ordered the almond and peanut mixture for $5. My BF ordered the beef tartare with quail egg, tonnato and sourdough crostini ($13). The bartender also brought us a complimentary plate of big, hearty rustic bread and a side of butter. The beef tartare plate looked beautiful and received rave reviews regarding taste. Very cool atmosphere with weathered wood walls and rustic feel...it kind of reminded us of being in the French countryside.
(4)
ryan l.
Great ambiance, very good drinks, wonderful service and of course, delicious food. The bar nuts as an appetizer are phenomenal, so simple and so good. I also tried the angels on horseback, which sounds incredible on paper, but unfortunately did not do much for me. This was quite a surprise because anything wrapped in bacon has to be good right? No biggy though... Both the halibut and the steak were home runs and loved the cocktails! Tried the Lowcountry and the Carolina Julep... both were made very well. Nice restaurant experience, would highly recommend, just don't bother with the angels on horseback sadly.
(4)
Well Fed Traveler A.
It's always about the food, is it memorable or not. Bottom line would I eat here again..hmm..NO..there are to many other exceptional restaurants in Portland. I would rate it this way: Food 3 stars, decor 2 stars, service 4 stars. I'm afraid this place will sputter along or go extinct, and that's to bad. We had the bacon wrapped oysters appetizer (a "signature dish"), it was surprisingly tasteless and the oysters were mushy. Entree, I had blackened bavette steak with fried grits and cheese, the steak was seared black with little or no seasoning (boring), it came with spinach puree under the steak?? which was very bitter. My wife had the fried chicken, (another signature dish), wow you get a whole half of chicken, to much food. It was moist, flavorful, but not good enough to a repeat, she "doesn't want to eat there again". One big mistake is to serve drip coffee, what no espresso machine?! The NorthWest is the land of espresso! Skip the hype and eat elsewhere.
(3)
Alex S.
My scallops were so salty that I could not eat them. I sent them back and they took the dish off the bill.
(2)
theresa c.
Ive been three times it started with bang and now has settled on being just OK not A-OK .
(3)
J G.
Had brunch here and it was good. The skillet was nice but the side of cheesy grits was what made the meal for me!
(4)
Rick S.
Bottom Line - No wait (as of March 2012), tasty food and menu items not greater than $15. Not bad for a backup if you don't have reservations elsewhere or are unwilling to wait. Give it a shot! Came for brunch on 24 March 2012 with 5 other friends, and we ordered the following: Gravlox Benedict ($12.00 x2) - One friend and I ordered this and it was pretty tasty. I liked the lox, and the hollandaise sauce was pretty good. The only thing I didn't really care for was the biscuit... I would have preferred house-made english muffins. Burger ($12.00 x2) - Two of my friends ordered this, and they both thought that the burger patty was too filled with flavour and the avocado couldn't be tasted at all. The garlic fries that came with it were pretty tasty. Eggs Any Style ($11.00 x2) - Two friends got this... one scrambled one poached. The scrambled version was lightly scrambled and it looked so good! My friends seemed to like it. Side Grits ($6.00) - These grits were described as garlic grits, and they were SO GOOD. I think this was my favourite part of the meal. It went really well with the benedict. I'd order it again. Along witg drinks: green tea mimosa ($11.00), EB Law of Nature ($6.00 x2), black coffee ($4.00 x2), our bill came to $107.00 + 20.00 tip = $127.00 total for our table of 6.
I thought brunch was quite good when we met 6 friends there a few weeks ago. 8 adults, 1 child - not an issue with a meal or service. Everyone was happy with their meal. I got the breakfast version of Jambalaya which was good. Was a little more of a afternoon/evening meal for me, not quite what I was expecting but was tasty nevertheless. My toddler son was a complete a-hole running around in the empty back room and to the couches twice...service didn't blink an eye. Good thing he's cute and albeit rambunctious but fairly quiet. Would like to try it kid free - but we really enjoyed ourselves.
(4)
Brooke G.
Quarterly my girlfriends and I go out to a nice restaurant that's been on our [never-shortening] list of Portland hot-spots to try to celebrate our birthdays. Last night, the birthday girl picked Irving St. Kitchen. It was my first time...and honestly, I'd missed the hype on the place. The ambiance was rustic/romantic. Because I'm an east-sider, I tend to like the smaller, more intimate restaurants characteristic of East Portland, but Irving St. Kitchen had the perfect cozy feel. Dinner was absolutely fantastic! We shared four entrees: the trout, the pork cutlets, the steak and the truffle-stuffed guinea hen. Each dish was perfectly complemented with winter vegetables and cooked to perfection. But, it was the guinea hen that stole my heart. So tender it melted in your mouth, the guinea hen was lightly covered with a guinea hen liver au jus... Truffles and liver au jus. Decadent, but light. Unique and amazing. I thought I could walk away happily...then I had the butterscotch pudding. Heart stolen...again. Do not miss it, folks. This will have you licking the plate and wishing you had space for more.
(5)
Adam P.
Food was great, ambiance and design of the place was great, the service was OK. The interior of the restaurant is well designed and has some unique features. The menu is not large but has some higher end selections and the price reflects that. The prices are reasonable for the upscale restaurant, the portion sizes were a little small though. It is more upscale than casual but not dressy. A good date or night on the town place. My biggest issues was I asked twice for bread, once when we ordered and once when our first dishes came out. We never got any bread. Bread is not automatically brought out here, menu clearly states to ask which I did. For a nice place like this the bread should be standard or the wait staff should ask if the table wants some. Still a good place though that could have got 5* from me but a place like this should be missing the mark at all.
(3)
Emma F.
We arrived here with the belief that this would be a great experience. Busy Friday night- and we were seated immediately so that was a definite plus. Our first dish was the Salmon Gravlax 'platter'; this dish was exceptionally tiny though we did enjoy it (three rye crackers... whaaaat...). We then ordered our next two courses, mine being a celeriac and white truffle oil "soup" (it was really more of a lukewarm and VERY bland puree) along with the Salmon and melted leek dish with sorrel sauce. First off, the leeks were along the lines of quickly sauteed-- but nowhere near the appeal of melted. A very inaccurate description. This dish could have been elevated with a brown butter or perhaps a proper amount of salt, but it was overall a very shallow flavor. But I will say that the salmon was cooked wonderfully. My boyfriend ordered the barbecue shrimp along with the "17 hour" truffle short ribs. The barbecue sauce on the shrimp was delicious but the large amount of filler bread under the shrimp was oily and soppy all the way through. In regards the the short rib dish, it seemed that the description epitomized inaccuracy. They may have cooked it for 17 hours, but anyone could cook short ribs and yield the same product in 20 minutes. Tough. Chewy. Un-glazed. And quite far from the advertised and expected level of tenderness. I might add that this dish was also lacking in the salt department. Just to keep harping on this-- don't put horseradish in the description if you plan on putting the most undetectable amount on as possible. We shall not be returning, it's safe to say. Maybe the brunch is where it's at, but we won't be back to find that out. Service was decent
(2)
Cydney B.
15 stars for this one... 5 for the food. 5 for the service (Eva). 5 for the ambiance/decor. We happened into this place by accident on a visit from San Francisco, and we're happily surprised that it is the brother restaurant to our fave restaurant in San Francisco -- Town Hall. The Huz was sick NY Eve this year, so we missed our annual celebration at Town Hall but more than made up for it at Irving Street. Huz had the fried chicken and I had the brook trout and we shared the butterscotch dessert. Now Irving Street is our fave Portland restaurant.
(5)
Jackie R.
WOW and wow again! As has been said by many previous reviewers, there is a LOT to love about this fabulous restaurant. It seemed to us that no detail had been overlooked, making a recent dinner one we will long remember. A few highlights? Patrick , our waiter, was personable and knowledgeable. He answered our questions thoughtfully, saw to our every need, and had a TERRIFIC sense of humor. We haven't had a better waiter anywhere. The space was wonderful, with some quirky touches but not over-the-top, which might have distracted us from the delicious food. The food: Fried oysters--briny, crunchy, and not at all greasy Gravlax---satiny smooth, served with a lovely cucumber salad, fresh dill, house-made rye crackers, and a marvelous sauce Fried chicken with smashed potatoes and a cream gravy---Among the tastiest, juiciest, crunchiest I have EVER had the pleasure of tasting. [My love of fried chicken goes back 50 years; as a child, while traveling across the country by car, I wrote a fried chicken guide to America.]. This chicken had been brined but was not overly salty. It was moist---even the breast. YUM! FYI, the portion was immense! Side of broccoli- market fresh, served perfectly cooked with interesting components. House-made ricotta (?) cavatelli with crawfish, sweet corn, and summer squash--- A very rich, savory preparation, which I personally would have preferred as an appetizer, in a smaller portion. Excellent amber ale. Fantastic bread from Ken's Artisan Bakery---served on request. We thought this was the best bread we had EVER eaten in a restaurant. Parenthetically, the butter was served at the perfect temperature, which is, sadly, quite unusual. Even though we thought we could not fit one more bite into our mouths/stomachs, we just could not resist the butterscotch pudding. I will just say this: Tonight we wanted to return for a take -out order! A cup of delicious, whole-leaf Bergamot tea. Excellent coffee. We would not have missed this dining experience for anything. If we are ever asked by anyone where to eat in Portland, we will give Irving Street Kitchen our most enthusiastic recommendation. When is the New York sister restaurant opening?
(5)
J F.
We wanted to do brunch before Christmas shopping and couldn't have picked a better place. We love seeking out restaurants where the menu includes 'not your everyday basics', but a selection of foodie items that makes your mouth water just by reading it. My husband had the Salmon Gravlax Benedict with a side of Tasso bacon and I indulged in the Smoked Scrambled Egg Nachos. The eggs for his Benedict were poached perfectly and the chips for my nachos (homemade?) kept their crispness throughout our meal. I must mention their Bloody Marys hit the spot even on this cooler morning. Nice big windows to people watch, good energy, wonderful high ceilings and pleasant staff. We must try dinner soon!
(5)
Stef M.
Brunch was good! Amazing cocktails, try the shambala, with OJ and whiskey. Sounds weird, but it was spot on. They made me a strong cappuccino, as well, and even asked what kind of milk I wanted in it. Gravlax eggs benedict were quite good, but the biscuits were disappointingly chewy. And the dill in the hollandaise didn't really come through as much as I thought it would. Definitely try the assorted pastries: you get a doughnut, chocolate pumpkin bread, and a muffin topped with streusel and filled with rhubarb jam. I still can't decide which is my favorite. I saw someone at the next table had ordered the french toast, and it looked amazing. Whoever chose the brunch soundtrack should get a promotion, because it was brilliant: New Order, Morrissey, Tears for Fears. Cool interior, really nice and friendly waitress. If they had nailed the biscuits, this would have been a 4-star review.
(3)
Michael C.
(Note that so far we've only been here for brunch.) Overall, given the other strong reviews, the cool atmosphere, and the interesting menu, I'm willing to give this place another try. But, our first experience here was mediocre. The french toast was alright, but the breakfast nachos left a lot to be desired. The grilled avocado was quite overdone (black nearly all around), and it definitely felt like there was something missing -- it wasn't terrible, but it just wasn't as tasty or filling as we'd hoped for given the popularity of this restaurant. It sounds like dinner is supposed to be better, so we'll try that next.
(3)
Kat P.
Amazing Food! Amazing Service! Really enjoy grabbing a specialty cocktail and the fried chicken is to die for. Highly recommend for someone looking for a great atmosphere. Not to mention, their desserts are some of the best around.
(5)
Tatiana P.
I would not recommend going here. Made a reservation for valentines day with my boyfriend and I were very excited about. One of the things we started the meal with was a cloud cap cheese that had white truffle honey on it. The cheese was very bland and tasteless and the tiny drizzle of honey that they gave us tasted absolutely nothing like truffles. After that we should a ravioli with crab on it. This part of the meal was not particularly bad but they only gave us three raviolis for $15. For my entree I ordered something I was very excited about, a quail stuffed with duck sausage. This tasted exactly like a big block of salt and it came with some cranberry sauce. The cranberry sauce would have helped to drown out the salt if they had given me enough but instead they literally gave me a quarter of a teaspoon smeared on the side of the plate. My boyfriend did however enjoy his fried chicken and he agrees with me that it was the only good part of the meal. Overall very disappointing, very overpriced, and very skimpy portions of food that was made to sound much better than what it really was.
(2)
Reena M.
Wow! This place is amazing. I wish I had a bigger appetite by the time I got to Irving St. Kitchen, but we ended up having dinner elsewhere when we got into town as we were starvin' like Marvin. Then we proceeded to go on a self-guided pub crawl and found ourselves by Irving St. Kitchen. We stopped in for dessert and regardless of how many pints we had earlier, this was a memory etched in our brains - the desserts and cocktails were that good! We got seated at a cool little table in a small nook in the restaurant. The table itself was made of a large cross section of a tree. It was pretty cool. It felt like we were in this hidden corner away from the rest of the world (except when the servers popped by). The servers, by the way, were really helpful with cocktail suggestions. Unfortunately, the cocktails are not what I remember vividly. We got the butterscotch pudding and a chocolate torte with sour cherries. They were delicious - maybe even orgasmic! I would have loved to come here for actual dinner, but maybe next time.
(5)
Natalie B.
I really used to love this place. We dined here relatively often for both dinner and brunch and always had great meals/service. Yes, it was a little spendy but worth it. We went back last night, bringing out of town guests. I was excited because the menu had a bunch of new items that looked wonderful. Right off the bat I noticed the prices for both food and drink were significantly higher. Fine, I get it, probably worth it based on my past experiences here. Appetizers were good (although took over 30 minutes to arrive), stand out was the octopus salad. Then the entrees arrived. We were all shocked to see the portion sizes. $28 for a piece of salmon that was probably 5 bites? Same price for 3 scallops? The food tasted good, not as great as in the past, but not bad. It seems like the new menu has almost doubled the prices and halved the portions. I'm willing to pay $$$ for a good meal, but this was not the case. The final bill averaged over $70/person (we each had wine/cocktail), too much for what it was. Too bad this place has gone downhill as it used to be a favorite!
(2)
Randy S.
Salmon on spaghetti squash, wedge butter leaf salad, steelhead trout grilled asparagus and buckwheat side with a nice Pinot Gris. We sat at the bar since without a reservation a table was out of the question. With the open bar and dining area, it was a perfectly fine place to sit for a casual diner. The bartender seemed a bit put off by having us order order dinner, and generally gave off a bad vibe, but we did enjoy our entrees and simply ignored the bartender. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. One star off for the poor service, but as an out-of-towner i'd return to this restaurant.
(4)
Steph L.
My fiance and I came here for a nice Valentine's brunch. We didn't make a reservation beforehand (we actually stopped at three other popular hot-spots for brunch but the wait was 1.5 hrs long for each), so luckily Irving St. had an opening for 10:15 am. I had the sourdough french toast with cranberry compote and it was divine. It came with a small scoop of chocolate chip ice cream which I thought was a little strange and over-the-top, but that's just me. I was more in the mood for breakfast, not exactly dessert. The sourdough complemented the sweetness of the compote/syrup, and was not heavy at all, like french toast can be. The perfect amount of sweetness. My fiance had the ham & cheese croissant with a side salad. Salad was really large and he ate a majority of it since he said the vinaigrette was great. (in my opinion, it looked too glossy and was overly dressed). But he never eats something he doesn't like. The sandwich wasn't your standard croissant with ham and cheese in between; it looks like they stuffed it and then popped it in the oven and egg-washed it extra for more shininess. It was pretty toasted (and by that i mean brown), but not burnt. I took a bite and thought it was good, not something I'd get though(too oily for me). Service was good, but probably because the place was not packed yet and we totally lucked out with Open Table. The food came fairly quickly. We had a laugh at the end bc the waiter brought us the check and sandwiched it in one of those little memo pads you get at any bookstore and I guess previous patrons draw random things in the book, along with compliments about the food. Well the page the waiter left our check on had a huge drawing of a hairy penis, balls and all. Nice wrap-up to our v-day brunch.
(4)
Nicole H.
My friend and I went here last night. Walked in, waited....waited....and waited for someone to greet us. Two hostesses were busy venting about something, then one finally asked if we had been helped. "No" Then she asks what do we need. "Well, we would like to be seated." Then just says "sit wherever your comfortable." But there were no seats available, so we left. Very poor customer service! Such a shame because this was my first time going and had heard good things.
(1)
Ana R.
Scrumptious brunch, as good as it gets. I suggest starting with the Sugar and Spice donuts, they are sweet and goey inside. My favorite dishes are the pork belly waffles and the green fried tomatoes BLT. But in between my husband, in-laws and friends we have had everything on the menu and they were all very satisfied. They serve Smith Tea (my favorite) and their lemonade is made to order (delicious!) I've also been there for dessert and they were amazing. I love their decor, specially the repurposed milk bottles lamp and they have bookcases with old library books that you can read while waiting for the food.
(5)
Brian N.
Last night a friend and I went here for happy hour. We sat at the bar top and were greeted by an excellent bar tender. I had two drinks called Adios something and they were mixed perfect. I ordered the meatballs, jambalaya and wedge salad. My friend ordered the chicken something oysters, Jambalaya and meatballs. Everything was A+ except the wedge salad wasn't really my style. Prefer the tomato and bacon over pecans, radish and apple toppings. The meatballs were so good we each ordered another order. In and out for $66 for both...awesome! Service A+, love the buildout and will be back for full dinner and will reserve the private both/tables which they have like 5 of. Really cool! Hope this place makes it!
(5)
Philip S.
A lovely atmosphere. And the food was quite good. But this place suffers from the same problem as so many Portland establishments and that is inexperienced staff. Our server had very poor timing and left the table empty for long periods then cluttered it with too many things all at once. The clearest example of poor timing was during desert course when I asked to see the list of available whiskies. this was promptly delivered as were the deserts but server did not return to ask about whisky until desert plates were empty. Senseless. I did not order the whisky and desert was not as much fun without it.
(3)
Adam M.
Always enjoy the food here.... delicious but comfortable and casual. Can get expensive though.
(4)
Vi B.
A very classy, funky, cool, polished place. I had my birthday party here, and thought the staff did an amazing job taking care of me and my friends - we were a pretty large (and loud) group, and it was nice to be doted on for my special day. The food was great (I had chicken and waffles, and if you've read any of my other reviews you'd know I go loco over this dish), and the drinks are strong. It's not the kind of place you'd go if you were looking to rage (especially since the crowd's a bit older and I imagine 'raging' isn't in their vocabulary), but it is a very cool place to start a night with friends (and cocktails).
(4)
Katherine K.
Service is wonderful, and the space is beautiful; a bright and inviting place to enjoy a meal with friends. The food is consistently good. The Salmon Gravlax Benedict with buttermilk biscuits, wilted greens, dill hollandaise and the Levain French Toast with cranberry, cherry compote and mascarpone are dishes I would come back for. The steel cut oatmeal and sugar and spice donuts were also good, though not anything spectacular enough to get me to order them again. I made reservations here for a brunch for a baby shower, and the manager was very helpful, and our table was set up when we arrived.
(4)
Kirsten H.
While the food was good the portions were ridiculously small for the expensive prices. The service was ok but the restaurant was really loud. Not worth the money.
(2)
Judy L.
the best steamed clams with bacon wrapped quail egg. everything was on point here. we got the squid ink risotto, chanterelle ravioli, tomato soup, and extra bread because the butter was so fresh and amazing. ambiance is great, service is attentive and quick, waitress is very versed in all dishes.
(5)
Christian K.
Located in the Pearl District at 13th and Irving, the Irving St. Kitchen has quickly become a brunch favorite. From the moment you enter the space, the ambiance portrays a very cool vibe with a bit of trendy, yet somewhat familiar, flair. The bar is located just in front of the entrance with high top seating to the left and nice two top seating in front of the fireplace. There is a great lounge type area to the left of the entrance, which is almost a modern version of the old school coffeehouse. Sofas around a living room type table offer a groovy, yet comfortable area to enjoy drinks while you visit with friends or even wait for a table in the main dining room. Preferring to sit in the bar for brunch, the Irving St. Kitchen has never failed to please. Pete, the bartender, has waited on me, or me and my husband, the last three times I've been to the restaurant and has always provided great, consistent service. He's knowledgeable about the menu and always has good wine and drink recommendations. Now, on to the food! The brunch menu offered at Irving St., is fantastic. During our latest visit, I ordered the Soft Scrambled Egg Nachos with Refried Beans, Smoked Tomatillo Salsa, and Grilled Avocado and my husband ordered the Smoked Tasso Jambalaya Skillet Eggs. The textures and flavors of both were well thought out and wonderfully layered, each bite offering an expected, yet new and unexpected, experience. The only thing I'd note here is that they edge on using just a bit too much salt and I truly think if they pulled back on that just a bit, it would really allow a fuller experience of all the spices and flavors they have formulated and put together. Previously, I have also enjoyed the Bibb Wedge Salad with Rogue Blue Cheese, Pink Lady Apple, Radish, Candied Pecan, and Tasso Bacon, as well as the Poached Yellowfin Tuna Nicoise, Kalamata Vinaigrette and Cherry Tomato salad, and would easily order either again. In conclusion, if you are looking for a great place to have brunch which offers a twist on some classics, as well as some more nontraditional options, definitely go to the Irving St. Kitchen. It is a restaurant with a menu and service level that offers a wonderfully refreshing experience. Please note that this review is for the brunch experience only. To date, I have not had the pleasure of dining here for dinner but plan on changing that fact in the very near future.
(4)
Jenni L.
I really want to hate this place just for being so incredibly yuppy but the service is always superb and everything on the menu just makes me so damn happy that I can't help but love it. I came here again recently with the girls for one of their quarter century birthdays. We had scored a table out on the deck which was really nice as it was one of those uncommon blissful 70 degree nights. Because it was a girls-only birthday dinner we felt it appropriate to start the night out with bright pink cosmos, which were fabulous. On a side note, the bartenders are fantastic and will always go out of their way to find out how to make anything you order that isn't on the list. Random prohibition era cocktails? Check. Something with Pims you ordered once at a bar on the east coast? Check. The food is even better. For dinner I ordered the seared snapper with cumin roasted potatoes, Johnston ham, brown butter and the juiciest roasted peaches known to man. The snapper was great, but those peaches really stole the show. I love that Irving St. constantly rotates their menu to reflect the best of what's in season at the time. It makes for some really superb seasonal items and is the main reason I have such confidence in the menu. One of my friends ordered the meatballs, which I've actually had before, but didn't stop me from stealing a bite. Still awesome. I'm a little sad that we didn't order the buttermilk biscuits with the red pepper jelly, because they were such a showstopper last time, but that really only gives me more reason to make a trip back again soon. The inside of Irving St. is really just as spectacular as sitting outside. I'm in love with the milk bottle lighting, as well as the entire bar area with it's cute animal prints, squashy window seating and pretty vintage appeal. In fact, Irving St. might be my favorite place to go esthetically. It walks the line of being an upscale establishment yet contains no ounce of pretention. This is a superb example of a truly fantastic restaurant and bar in the Pearl.
(5)
Lauren S.
Stopped in here Sunday morning for breakfast. We got there as soon as they opened and to be honest they were a little slow. I get it, I'm not a morning person but I wish our coffee would have come sooner than it did. The poached eggs were really good but I'd def suggest ordering a side of bacon or something since the two poached eggs aren't really a lot of food. We shared the doughnuts - also tasty. Guys that sat beside us were having a fit that the space looked like a Restoration Hardware exploded but I thought the space was beautiful. Loved how open it felt. Large chandeliers were pretty and interesting and I liked how the space was split up with bookshelves and such. Love rustic, modern decor even though it is a little overdone.
(4)
Chad V.
Had Sunday brunch here and was disappointed with the food. The chicken and waffles I ordered came out of the kitchen cold so I sent it back. The chef made another one but didn't cook the chicken all the way so it was raw in the middle... I had to order a completely different meal in order to get something cooked thoroughly and hot. The waitress was really nice but overall the food wasn't good at all.
(2)
Tamara C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a destination I intend to frequent more often as I live within walking distance. The place was hopping' recently when I met up with a group of my fellow Yeeps during First Thursday. Our server did not miss a beat. Her upbeat attitude and skill at keeping everyone with a cocktail in hand and getting happy hour orders in under the wire was much appreciated. She rocked. Although I did not order food, my pals that had the Mac n'Cheese tell me it was fantastic. I was particularly enamored with my absinthe cocktails. The Chrysanthemum, which I ordered off the cocktail menu and the "dealer's choice"... a concoction created for me by our skilled bartender was a winner. Next time I will partake of that terrific HH menu. ISK is now back on my radar - I'll be seeing you next weekend.
(5)
Frank C.
We had a wonderful dinner here and enjoyed eating outside. We had the Corn crab soup, baby green salad, hazlenut crusted halibut, and rice-stuffed crab. The halibut was very tender with light crust and delicate flavor with lemon relish butter. Can't go wrong here!
(4)
Emily P.
Great atmosphere that is fun but still sophisticated. The waiter was well informed on the menu and gave great information! I will be heading back for evening drinks for sure!
(4)
Chad A.
My partner and I came here for brunch almost every sunday for about a year and we were never disappointed. The french toast changes seasonally and we made sure to order whatever new flavor variation they had come up with. Dinner is fantastic making this our go to restaurant for entertaining friends and family who were visiting PDX.
(5)
Eve K.
Cool, unique spot in warehousey pearl street row of nice places with great, fresh food and a casual, fun, yet upscale atmosphere. Food 4.2 Atmosphere: 5 Service: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3.5 (aps ~$11, entrees ~$25) Return worthiness: yes - Atmosphere: love the decor which was a type of rustic, northwestern, open, and quirky. The chandelier made of old school glass milk bottles and bar area with animal shadow drawings stood out. - Halibut: fresh with good variety in texture, but the star of the show was the corn. Close second was the stellar subtle curry with crawfish sauce - Drinks: strong bourbon ones were great - Wine: served in mini mason jars Midlights: - Cornbread: dug the sweet Bourbon glaze, but actual corn bread slice didn't have much flavor even with jalapeño - Tomato watermelon salad: turned into standard Caprese but was expecting more excitement from the grilled watermelon. It was more like a green circle that looked like it could be a twin of a green tomato and didn't see any proof of grilling Lowlights: - Peach turnover: 3 mini half moon shaped pastries with no flavor but points for effort on the bourbon ice cream Enjoyed the place's food, drink, and atmosphere and would return.
(4)
Melissa L.
I have now eaten a great brunch at ISK, so it's time for a review update. I went to ISK for brunch solo, after receiving a massage a block or so away. Clearly I was in a relaxed state of mind, but it was also still early (not quite 11AM on a Saturday) and I hadn't had breakfast yet, thus was a bit bleary-eyed and hungry. I had heard that the brunch wait could be long here, so I was stunned to walk in and sit right down at the bar, its only patron. (It happened to be a very cold, blustery morning, which may have had an impact on the number of people coming out for brunch.) I was greeted warmly by the bartender and offered a cocktail menu right away. I wasn't feeling quite up to a cocktail yet, and instead ordered a huge mug of perfectly-pulled Stumptown americano. Perfectamundo. The gravlax benedict jumped off the brunch menu page at me, so I knew I had to order it. It arrived and was beautiful, but I realized that I had forgotten to ask for the eggs to be poached until the yolk is set, because I'm not a fan of runny yolks. Oh well, my fault, can't blame ISK for that one. As it turned out, the slightly-runny yolks really went well with the smoked salmon and the gorgeous, fluffy biscuit that was the base for the whole dish. I ate the whole plate in about 8 bites, it was that good. I also immensely enjoyed the jazz/blues tunes they had on the PA during my meal. I might have stayed longer, but time was running out on my 3-hr-limit parking space. I may have just gotten very lucky with my timing and the weather, but it was a perfect brunch experience ( or at least as perfect as it could be while dining alone.) I will definitely be back, if I find myself in the Pearl/NW around brunch again...hopefully then I'll have the fortitude to try one of their really complicated-looking cocktails.
(5)
Biker S.
Really enjoyed the ambiance and decor of this place and the food was good but not great. That suggests to the three of us that it is a bit overpriced and does not live up to its price expectations. Will likely go back soon and check out its happy hour.
(3)
Miss M.
Thank god for this place!!! We ended up here after a disaster at the Pink rose (Check out my hilarious review of that crap shack!) First impression was not so great when the hostess was short and snappy when we didn't have a reservation (I get it there was like 14 people in the place) and when we asked to sit outside. Luckily it was all made better by our server who brought coffee and mimosas. The key to this yelper's heart? Booze and java! And you serve it on a hipster tray with raw brown sugar cubes cuz splenda packets are so 2005? EVEN BETTER! Breakfast was like heaven carny goodness. I had eggs bacon and potatoes with toast. Pretty backs right? Nope! Irving street's ooh can throw it down in the kitchen. i had to refrain from licking my plate it was that good. Over all Irving street is a win. I think the hostesses may be a little full of themselves but overall I will 100% be back next time I'm in Portland.
(4)
Troy W.
Irving St Kitchen has all the elements that I look for in a restaurant. The drinks, food, ambiance, creature comforts and service is great. The roasted trout was great and pared with wheatberry for a hearty starch. The limey bastard SAS a delicious gin drink. The decor was simple yet week thought out. Not pearl district hipster but refined new American. It's easy to get a great seat art the bar and the staff will concoct a masterpiece or pour from the tap a glass of wine! A great spot for a date, reunion or just catching up.
(5)
Anthony W.
Ate here with some friends and had a great time. We had a huge table of about 12 people and the servers did a great job attending to our needs in a timely fashion. The food was good but nothing to write home about. What I mean about this is that everything we ordered was just on par with a good meal but didn't blow our socks off. They did mix up some great cocktails and the decor is nice. Would still come here again to eat.
It's gone way downhill in the past 6 months and I won't be back. The cocktails are always disappointing and the food quality doesn't match ambiance or price point. The seafood is always mushy from being improperly defrosted. The head on gulf prawns were a joke, they assembled poor quality shrimp with unmatched heads! Come on!
(2)
Kathy B.
I've been here for brunch, dinner, and now happy hour. The service has always been friendly and available. I know that saying a server is available is odd,but in this town, sometimes a server is as hard to find as a place that doesn't have a happy hour. I'm sitting at Irving St kitchen outside on the patio. There is only one other group here. For a happy hour, the place is empty. The happy hour wine served is passable and one of the cheaper ones from Spain. The menu is limited but unique. It's not the regular hamburger and pub food in a lot of places. The tasso jambalaya was amazing (made with their own handmade andouille sausage). I forgot to mention that they have a dismal selection of beers on Happy hour. However, the regular selection is good and they have wine and cocktails.
(5)
Deanna N.
Went for happy hour on a Sunday night. Portions are small, but did enjoy the wings. And of course their signature bell jar butterscotch budino. I do love this place, but think I'll come for a full meal or brunch and always willing to take that butterscotch home! A friend told me one year she bought it to give out as Christmas presents.
(4)
Bill W.
As a tourist I heard about the eclectic Portland food scene. The Irving Street Kitchen epitomizes this. The 'southern comfort food' was creative without losing it southern roots.
(5)
Jonathan N.
Come for the happy hour, its a great price and has a nice selection of wines and spirits, as well as appetizers. The other thing i like about this place is the wine on tap, which means you get to try out a few on request. I like this place because it's designed well, not too crowded, nicely modern - portland style. Go for it, take a friend, take your mom, take a date.
(4)
Janice F.
Love the ambiance - open patio space, cabana booths & lots of other seating options to accommodate larger groups. Eclectic but modern furnishings, bookcases & couches. Service was efficient & attentive - they refolded napkins when we went to the bathroom, kept water glasses filled at all times. Food-wise, the seared foie with peanut butter & apple jelly was really good! Although, I think the peanut butter did overpower the foie a bit. But the foie itself was cooked really nicely. Their fried chicken is a half a chicken, it's a large portion - you get 3 pieces, thigh drumstick & breast. Good, but Screen Door still takes the cake. Loved the butterscotch pudding dessert - comes with caramel sauce & vanilla whipped cream. Would come back for a relaxing brunch.
(4)
Kate D.
A must dining experience in Portland. Rustic chic with a twist. Loved the ambiance and presentation. Great outdoor area. Small plates were amazing. We had salmon gravlax and the crab lyonnaise salad was to die for.
(5)
Bruce W.
Found the entire experience lacking on my third visit after thoroughly enjoying this place the first two times we had dinner there. Our waiter was either having a bad night or he's in the wrong job. He made us feel like we were such a bother at every turn. With the exception of the host/hostess, the front house staff made us feel like they didn't want us there. For example, when my wife got up to go to the bathroom, she nearly got run over by a waiter who brushed past her in the aisle rather than waiting for her to go by. When I ordered "another one of these" from a different person and was making sure they knew my cocktail order, they cut me off, saying "got it" as they turned on their heel and walked away. Nobody checked with us after the entrees were served. Our check was delivered before we were offered desert. I saw another reviewer describe what I experienced as "Portland Waiter Syndrome" where the waiter makes you feel like a nuisance for being in the restaurant. That pretty much sums up our impression on our last visit. There are so many restaurants in Portland where both the food and service are excellent. I'll be grateful when I've forgotten all about Irving Street Kitchen.
(2)
C Z.
Excellent food. However, the waiter forgot our appetizer completely and we thought he forgot about us for a good 25 min, then our entree arrived. Regardless, good food, great decor and ambiance altogether a 5 star and worth the price.
(5)
Chris B.
I am never disappointed when I eat here. No matter what the meal is excellent the service is excellent and I am always so happy when I leave. Even if you don't want southern food still eat here and you'll be surprised and defiantly enjoy yourself.
(4)
aaron r.
I've been here a few times and each time is great...dinners are great as is brunch. Minus 1 star for service that is sometimes aloof, but even with slightly sub-par service, this place still deserves at least 4 stars.
(4)
Jeffrey K.
My wife and were in Portland a few months ago, and looking for someplace new to try. The Yelp reviews were good, so we gave it a try. This is now our favorite restaurant in Portland. We have been there twice for Sunday brunch, and once for dinner. We have not had a bad meal. My favorite has to be the double cheeseburger. Has grilled pastrami and sour kraut on it. Amazing! The atmosphere is relaxed, but full of energy at the same time. The staff has been great. The last time there, we did not have time to stay for desert. Our server brought my wife a jar of butterscotch pudding for us to take with us, on the house! I found the prices were very reasonable, especially for being in the Pearl District. Does get very busy, so if you have the time to make a reservation, I would recommend it. I can't wait to return.
(5)
Michael S.
Cool vibe and neat decor. Food was interesting and well prepared, served by a very attentive staff. Be sure to ask for bread, as they don't just put it on the table, and it's no charge and very good...but leave room for the meal :-)
(4)
Jamie L.
Food was amazing! The wording of the menu may seem off putting with wording. But oh my gosh the food was mind blowing my awesome. Definitely get the halibut, steak, apricot upside down cake and/or the vanilla bean cheesecake.
(5)
Jess A.
Cute, very well decorated. Good for brunch it's not too loud. Go with friends or your significant other you'll have a good time. Food was good and quick. Coffee wasn't impressive. Drinks were pretty good there too. I'll go back.
(4)
Kerri M.
I only came here for dessert. Butterscotch pudding. It was pretty amazing.
(4)
Jone V.
we had a sunday morning (make reservations!) breakfast here, but i have had better poached eggs with hollandaise saus. need i say more? but the cappuccino was delicious and made up for the price. the personnel definitely works hard doing their best, but the cooks could use more training, in my opinion.
(2)
Gillian T.
I can't say enough great things about this place. I've been for dinner, happy hour, and brunch and every single time the food knocks me away. The servers are knowledgeable about their offerings and are friendly and nice without being overbearing or overly attentive, which can detract from service sometimes. I would give them 5 stars except that at brunch this past weekend, the coffee was TERRIBLE. I don't know if it was the prep of it or the coffee itself, but it was baaaaaad. Kind of disappointing since every other detail of this place is so well thought out. Everything else was 5 stars though.
(4)
Sherry C.
Irving St. Kitchen was highly recommended by a fellow frequent traveler foodie friend and we were so glad we had went b/c it was the highlight of our wkd trip to Portland. We had made a reservation for dinner and was seated promptly upon arrival. Although the noise level was moderately high, my companion and I were tucked into one of the alcoves which was really romantic. The menu items were creative and delicious. Who knew peaches and trout would tastes so good together. The fried chicken was juicy and the batter had a nice crunch to it. Being conditioned by Bay Area prices, even though the prices were printed on the menu, we were pleasantly surprised by the check when it had came. We highly recommend Irving St. Kitchen to friends and family visiting Portland!
(5)
Vanessa M.
One of the few places you can make a reservation for brunch! It makes life so much easier when you can do that! The coffee is strong and hot, and the waiter was good about the refills. We had the salmon benedict and the moroccan slow poached eggs. Both were really great with tons of flavor, but the portions were kind of small. Maybe we are just used to huge brunch portions everywhere or maybe the plates they use are just too big. In any case the food was spot on and we will be back for brunch again and to try dinner.
(4)
Livia M.
Big open planned space. Great happy hour options that can take you all the way to dinner. Lots of options on the wine taps and friendly, efficient, staff (and other guests).
(4)
Scott A.
Fantastic service.. Our cheeky waitress was a master at up selling lol Great food, being from Melbourne Australia we are a bit spoilt in culinary aspects but Irving St Kitchen really restored my faith in American cuisine. Great night out Thank you
(4)
Tom D.
Great space, though large. I was here on a weekend and it wasn't very full, maybe it's more of a weekday place. It's always a challenge to fill a huge space for a restaurant. Our waiter was excellent, and as it was our first visit we basically went with his reccos. All were good, although the fried chicken is not Southern fried Chicken style, so if you're expecting that (and the person ordering it was) you may be disappointed. The "angels on horseback" and the T&T Pigs foot were very good. The entrees were all solid, but nothing spectacular. We had the Cod, the Fried Chicken, the Short rib, and the Salmon between us, and the Short Ribs were my favorite of the four. This place is a good, not great, restaurant in a great space, with great service. I'll be back
(4)
Christi P.
well well, look who makes an amazing salmon benedict. I actually went and joined a gym after eating it, just so that I can come back and order it again without worrying about adding a pants size. We had brunch by the huge windows in the bar area. The space is really beautiful, I love the ink drawings hanging over the bar (I wanted to take the pig home with me). Ya'll can brew some stumptown coffee too, I felt like a superhero after 3 cups of that stuff! Can't wait to come back for drinks and dinner if the scene is right at night. Like.
(5)
Martin B.
Great space. We sat in an alcove between bookcases. Server must have been new. He made a couple of poor recommendations and had to read descriptions of many things. The chicken was AMAZING.
(3)
Karen D.
good food, but very small portions for the price
(3)
Trish S.
Great ambiance! We sat in one of their private cozy booths and the service was spectacular. The drink selection is vast, my favorite cocktail was the Ann Margaret. We tried several of the first plates which were all very good and main dishes included the Pork and Halibut which were both phenomenal. Of course when you are in this deep you got to go for dessert! The chocolate cake with pistachio was by far the favorite with the beignets and bourbon ice cream coming in at a close second.
(5)
Jeffrey B.
Only my second time at Irving Street Kitchen, though for most of the evening I was wondering why I haven't gone back sooner. Very warm and energetic ambience. Excellent and knowledgeable service. Creative first and second course options, all prepared and presented perfectly, with a lovely and comfortable flow the meal and evening. Great desserts and a comprehensive selection of beverages. I'll definitely be returning here more in the future.
(5)
Kelly S.
Good brunch. Fries were way too salted and service was very slow (despite there being only a few other people in the place.) Their take on eggs benedict was very tasty. Cute place and if not outstanding, very pleasant.
(4)
Dave R.
Good stuff. This was my 3rd visit, and now I know what to order.... I am a fan of the Frouis Grouis....lol... I never thought in a million years I would have tried this, but I sure as hell glad I did...
(5)
Travis S.
The food is amazing, I've especially enjoyed the burger here. For dessert their butterscotch pudding will put you in a coma - fantastic!
(5)
Dr X.
Beautiful "Portlandian" atmosphere, friendly staff, and the food just impeccable. Not one item ordered could be considered just average or just satisfactory. Truly an extraordinary experience. The beef tartare was was to die for.
(5)
Mac M.
I've not eaten here before, so this review will be incomplete and in need of an update when I do. That being said, I found the drinks to be moderately acceptable, a tad pricey - but good. I like the ambiance of the place especially if you're going on a date in the winter or fall seasons because of the fireplace. I know this is a lazy review and doesn't tell the whole story of the place - I promise to do it justice at a later date.
(3)
Brad D.
Consistent!
(4)
Jay C.
Irving Street grill WINS for being the first restaurant to disappoint at this price level. That's hard to do! Sub par service to the point where I thought we were being Punkd! 15 minutes after we ordered the glass of wine, we hadn't had a sip since entering the restaurant. Waiter returns, asks again what wine we ordered, still didn't bring for another 10 minutes. Almost a half hour before our first sip of wine. The waiter forgot to bring the bread, then apologized and said was coming. Bread never came. Ever. I can assure you this bad experience WASN'T due to them being busy, because the loud, drunk people at the table next to us - obviously friends of the manager - were getting the stellar service that i paid for. They had frequent check backs from their (our) server, multiple wine pours over a 15 min period (check for their review below, I'm sure it's 5 stars) As for the food, the chicken liver appetizer was absolutely DELICIOUS, though miniature in size (even in high end restaurants, I've had my appetite satisfied, I'm going out to eat, aren't I ?) The liver was the first and last good thing about the meal. The appetizers were more of a Tapas, with an appetizer price. As for the Entree, I had the Cod. Salt was more prominent than flavor. Sorry. Expected more. Like I said, disappointed on a new level. The one star is for the liver appetizer and the ambience. Good, hip feel. Food, ehhh. Service very bad for us.
(1)
Frank M.
We were there recently on a Sunday night for a special occassion. They did a great job recognizing that special occassion (comped champagne, desert). The service was excellent. Our waitress had a great knowledge of the wines and food; she was attentive w/out being intrusive and made several recommendations that turned out to be spot on. On the other hand, I join some of the others who say the food was good but not knock your socks off fantastic. Here's the run down: Olive starter - A bit underwhelming. Two types of olives. Nothing wrong with it, nothing special. Meatballs - served on a rectangular tapas type plate, you get 3 of them on a bed of grits and sauce. The grits were very good. Sauce was fine. In the end the meatballs were, well, meatballs. Angel Oysters - I'm not a seafood person so this one wasn't my cup of tea. I suspect these were actually very high quality. They seemed well prepared and the oysters seem to be very fresh - they had a very distinctive briney flavor (which kind of overwhelmed the wrapped bacon and sauce...but that could just be me). My wife loved them. Biscuits - comes with thinly sliced ham, butter and a spicey jelly. The biscuits were these very tiny creations (1/2 dollar diameter). The jelly and salty ham went well together. Would have been nice if the biscuits were just a bit bigger. Chicken dinner entree - I agree with others who say the chicken was very bland. But the thing is the chicken was cooked to near perfection. And I think the deal is you're expected to eat the chicken with either the mashed potatoes / gravy (gravy is just a bit salty) or the greens (cooked perfectly with a distinct vinegar flavor), either of which complement the chicken. Eat any of them by themselves and they are a bit salty, a bit vinegary or a bit bland. Put two of them together and it is great. Lemon pie dessert - the star of the show. Dense, intense, great. Pudding - it was good, but didn't hold up to the lemon pie. In summary, it is a nice place with good food and great service. I would go back. If we could do 1/2 stars I'd rate it 3.5.
(3)
Kyle M.
Oh ISK, I really love you. I love that you have wine on-tap, I love that your fried chicken is divine, I love that you have Domaine Ott rose, and I love that you're a pitching wedge from my new place in Portland. I'm even willing to gain a few pounds to visit you more often. If that's not a culinary crush, then I don't know what is.
(4)
Maxine C.
This is a consistant place to go for great food. My last meal was the steelhead with leeks. Absolutely one of the best steelhead preparations I've had the pleasure to eat. The atmosphere is warm, the booths and bookcase areas are cozy and the service has always been great.
(5)
Devon D.
Irving Street surpassed expectations. Everything was epic. Beautifully crafted cocktails (recommend New Money as a unique and complicated drink, and the Chrysanthemum is a must.) Best steak in Portland (a controversial statement, I know.) Awesome salmon. Crave-worthy artichoke/oyster soup. Love that they house cure charcuterie, house bake some bomb bread loaves, and pour wine direct from barrel. The space is pretty and comfortable, almost transporting one to a hip San Francisco hang-out. This is at the top of my Portland musts.
(5)
Don C.
I would not recommend the Irving Street Kitchen. The food was a Denny's quality, the service poor, and the kitchen staff slow. I had brunch here on Easter. My expectations were high....the place looked great......the staff seemed friendly......the menu looked great.....I should have left at this point because the high expectations were slooooowly dashed. It took an hour to get our simple egg dishes. They forgot of doughnuts and messed up my order. I asked the the "southern smother" and the delivered "morocan eggs," which were a couple of eggs, on a biscuit with a spoon of salsa. When I mentioned this to our waiter he said he'd see what he could do and we never heard from him again. They will never here from me again so I guess we are even.
(1)
Brian C.
Went to Irving St Kitchen 4 months ago when I first visited Portland. Moved to Portland from Ohio 2 weeks ago and have been to Irving St Kitchen 4 times. Food is great.... brussel sprouts that will make you cry..... Amazing soups and good wine selection. Alison and Aisha are the best bartenders in town.... Everyone there is great!!
(5)
Ptown G.
Love, love, love this place. From the beautiful decor and romantic booths, to the fantastic wait staff, this place rocks. Oh, the food is simply delectable too. ISK is a take on Southern Food with a NW twist. This is not your southern greasy spoon, this is everything wonderfully comforting about southern cooking. But, if you leave this Portland foodie staple without trying the Butterscotch pudding, you might as well ask your date to give you a slap upside the head :/. It is hands down, THE BEST DESSERT IN THE NW in my opinion.
(5)
Jack G.
Service was horribly slow and inattentive. The glass I drank out of had a chip and cut my lip. When I told the waiter, he barely apologized and proceeded to return with the full bill intact. A top notch establishment would have had the manager approach the table and apologize on behalf of the restaurant and adjust the bill accordingly. Restaurant rule #1 is to make the customer happy so they don't complain to others about such basic things.
(2)
Matt K.
Finally got to try Irving St. Kitchen last night. I was immediately impressed by the fact that they had my favorite gin, Miller's Westbourne Strength at the bar, BIG PLUS! From there we ordered: - Meatballs: 3 delicious meatballs coddled by creamy mashed potatoes - BBQ Ribs: Fall off the bone tender meat sitting on top of a bed of freshly made coleslaw...my favorite of the night - Smoked Thuringer, Chorizo, Pastrami, Fennel Salumi - Each meat was better than the one before. Served with whole seed mustard, delicious! - Trio of Artisan Cheeses: Great cheeses, my only complaint was that it wasn't enough! Overall, had a pretty good experience at Irving St. Friendly service, my favorite gin, and some good food. Next time I will have to try some of the entrees.
(4)
Andy R.
We had a fabulous dinner for two. Food was original and very well prepared. I thought the menu had just about the right amount of variety. The waiter gave us the perfect amount if attention and the atmosphere was vibrant. We look forward to going again soon.
(5)
G S.
Simply the best eggs benedict I've had up until now, all on wonderful biscuits with a little smoked salmon. Other things seemed to very good as well. Nice service, atmosphere, etc., etc. Maybe not a revelation, but sometimes the simple things are hard to do.
(4)
Jana H.
Yum. I can't believe it took me so long to get here. Great experience, service was A++. The food - maybe a little over priced, but well worth it when you consider the whole package. I had the beet salad to start, the hangar steak, and the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Don't eat too much for dinner, because dessert is where it's AT!! My pudding was served to me a jar with a lid, a generous amount of salted caramel sauce, and butterscotch candy on the side. Everything was well prepared, presented, and delicious. I can't wait to go back for happy hour!
(5)
John D.
Ya gotta love a place with that much meet on the menu... Brunch is fantastic and the hanger steak is excellent. Very fun and cool environment. I'll be back soon!
(5)
Kate G.
We did the boozy brunch at Irving St Kitchen and it was excellent. Great bartenders and phenomenal drinks. Recently went back for another meal with friends to avoid all the lines at other spots and really enjoyed it. Sometimes the portions seem a wee bit small for the price but the food is always delicious. We always end up spending way more money then we intend to but I love the attention to detail and this is the first place I've ever seen wine on tap. wow! I like the way this place is decorated but I hate the art they have hanging above the bar-it looks like someone puked up ink blots of deer and pigs and other random creatures but people actually buy them so maybe I should start doing art...
(4)
Lori J.
My husband and I were on a rare night out and wanted to try something different...which means out of our area by 20 minutes. A friend recommended Irving Street. We both loved the ambiance when we first walked inside we were seated at the bar, so we of course had to try the barrel to glass wines. What a fabulous idea! The bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, once we were seated way in the back by the kitchen...we were forgotten. With our prompting 20 minutes later we had a server. He was knowledgeable and efficient from that point on. He recommended his favorite dishes and we were not disappointed. We had the fried chicken and the steelhead both were fabulous. The rest of the dinner was delicious and the evening was a success. We would definitely go back again:)
(4)
Scott B.
Great!! Excellent service - really a standard apart. We eat at good restaurants and would definitely recommend ISK. We're from Denver and this made our trip to Portland really stand out, Well done, Irving St. Kitchen!!
(5)
C. P.
Amazing! We've eaten dinner and brunch here and both were amazing. The location, atmosphere, staff and of course the food are all outstanding. The chef knows what he/she is doing back there. They manage to pull off 5 star quality food without the pretentious atmosphere that usually goes with it. The menu changes regularly, to keep the dishes seasonal. I loved the parmasean bread soup, pumpkin bread with chocolate & coconut and the steak with smashed potatoes. This is definitely my new favorite place!
(5)
Eric P.
Recently had brunch here. The lobster scramble was totally awesome. Wife had Moroccan poached eggs. Also very nice. Would have given it 5 stars but the server was a bit of a loser. Waited way to long for the Mimosa. Points off...
(4)
H O.
This place has a great atmosphere but the food is mixed and the wine is pricey. Some dishes were excellent (trout, fried oysters) and some were not so great (grass-fed beef and fries). Waiter has no clue about wine. Great fried chicken. Kudos for the two buck PBR on the menu! Oh and the service is rubbish.
(2)
Lana T.
Sunday Brunch, 10am, we clearly did not need our open table reservation. Great atmosphere! Friendly staff. We both ordered the 2 eggs any way. They were both cooked appropriately, the toast was delicious, potatoes seasoned nicely, with a perfect texture. We ended our meal with the cinnamon sugar donuts...delicious! I definitely recommend this place for brunch!
(4)
Jessica S.
Good location in the Pearl. Great outdoor seating. Ambience is really nice. Food was overall great. Fried chicken was fried without being greasy, Collard Greens were cooked to perfection, and the Cornbread is a must! We didn't get dessert because the "Sucker Punch" was awesome enough!
(4)
Erin C.
My husband and I tried out this place for our anniversary dinner. Knowing that the Chef was from SF and we lived there for a bit, I thought we would see some of that flavor here. No such luck. Our server was nice but had to narrate everything he did, came in too many times, and made a point of telling us how great our choices were. "Oh yes, that will go perfect with that! You have done this before" I don't know I just prefer a server that is uber cool, minimal chatting. I had the beet salad, it was good. Beets cooked perfectly, but I have had better. My husband had the charcuterie, i believe he had the same opinion. For dinner I had the Hanger Steak with grits. I asked for medium and it was slightly under temp. The char was good, but overpowered all the other flavors on the plate. The grits were quite tasty, but I wasn't able to taste any of the flavor until I ate them on their own. Again, OK but I have had better. My husband had the snapper and was not impressed getting 2 pieces instead of one along with 4 clams and 1 spoonful of risotto. The fish was overcooked as well. For dessert I had the butterscotch pudding, that was the best thing I had there all night. My husband asked for just a hunk of cheese. Apparently no one asked for cheese for dessert and he was basically brought the cheese plate but with only 1 cheese. It was $12 which was a bit excessive for 1 cheese, 3 pieces of toast and 2 rye crackers. We won't be back, there is better food in town.
(2)
Melissa C.
As people in the biz, it is often hard to find a place that truly impresses. We were completely impressed. The atmosphere was relaxed & comfortable while at the same time, a place you can go out on a date night. The service was ridiculously attentive--and our server was clearly well-informed, and we followed every one of her recommendations. And the food was absolutely delicious. The gravlax were beautiful and clean. I was squealing ,the rabbit cassoulet was so good, and my husband, a chef, was pretty damn excited about the Sirloin with tamarind. The server picked perfectly paired wines for my husband and a tasty non-alcoholic cocktail for me. The dessert was outstanding. It's rare that we want to go back to a place, and I promise we will be there as often as we can.
(4)
jeff f.
I read all the reviews in Yelp and was anxious to check out this place. The restaurant is large and modern with the typical industrial chic look. We ordered the Olive Oil Baked Halibut, Duck Sausage with duck leg confit and some Collard Greens. I had had olive oil halibut at another restaurant a few weeks ago and I will say that version was much better than that of Irving Street. The halibut was a bit on the mushy side. The duck has a very nice taste but both the duck and halibut were very bland. The vegetables served with the entrees were both very good and definitively better than the meats. Our server strongly suggested to try the deserts and she was right. The lemon chess pie with homemade graham cracker crust was wonderful.
(3)
Julie R.
I was introduced to Irving St. while slightly inebriated so my recollection of their food is obscured by booze. That being said, the fried chicken was DELICIOUS. On top of that, the very talented bartenders made a special cocktail named White Preakness that uses white whiskey and it is GREAT! Have been back for cocktails and was not disappointed. The decor is lovely and the little lounge area with couches is great for a small group.
(5)
Matt B.
One of the best meals I've ever had! Winner!!
(5)
Evan B.
We'd actually give it 3.5 stars overall. Here is the plate by plate: Asparagus Soup / preserved lemon - not a winner. Needed salt, and didn't have the taste of Spring - 3 stars. Spiced beets, horseradish creme, pickled mustard seed: nice dressing and flavor - 4 stars. Salmon Gravlox, tartar sauce, rye crackers: excellent- nice sauce and good character - 4 stars. Jambalaya: good, tangy, spicy, but a little sweet - 4.5 stars. Collard Greens: both diners thought the were DE-Licious, but could have done with a little heat - 4.5 stars. Coleslaw: good but small for $6 - 3 stars. Bibb lettuce salad, bleu cheese, apple: good, but croutons are a little mushy (especially considering they served Ken's Artisan Bread on the table); dressing is fabulous - 3.5. Meatballs: plate licking good; sends meatloaf to a new high - 5 stars. Chicken, smashed potatoes: - 5 stars. Rhubarb cobbler recommends over the Lemon Chess, and it was delightful. Tart, right sweetness. - 5 stars. Slow kitchen between salad and entree, especially considering this was a Sunday night (not that busy) and there were 3-4 in the kitchen. Server knowledgeable about selections and made good recommendations - We'd give her a 4.5 stars!
(3)
Clayton T.
I was frankly a little disappointed in this restaurant. It came well recommended but the food was less than exceptional. I had the prawn appitizer and then the fried chicken. The prawns were somewhat bland and the chicken was greasey. Surprising for such a well attended and carefully put together place.
(2)
Jim A.
This place has excellent service and exceptional food. We will definitely be back the next time we're in Portland.
(5)
sanjar a.
Food - 4.5 stars. Presentation 5 stars, taste 4-4.5 stars. Design and ambiance - 5 stars!!!! Great place for a romantic date or just enjoy a solitary dinner or lunch
(5)
M G.
I have always enjoyed the food here and I would love to give them 5 stars but I have to share my experience from last night. My dinner was delicious and the wait staff were incredibly attentive. A server approached us and asked if we were done eating and whether they could clear our dishes. We said yes, but I had only eaten 1/3rd of my fried chicken and because I was full I asked to have the leftovers boxed. No problem. The server picked up our empty plates and dirty silverware. Then he picked up my plate and realized that he was unable to carry my plate separately in the same trip back to the kitchen. So... He put all the plates in a pile with mine on top and placed the used silverware from our table on my plate with my leftovers. Totally gross. The leftovers sit in boxes back in the kitchen until you are done dining and receive your check. I typically have no issues with this but god only knows what utensils were used to handle my leftovers and possibly dirty hands handled my food.
(3)
Aaron M.
Environment/Ambiance 5 out of 5 (cool decor) Food Quality/value 4 out of 5 (had the fried chicken) Service 3 out of 5 (waitress couldn't give suggestions or more detailed explanations of the entrees. Training??)
(4)
Kerry W.
They are inflexible to substitutions for brunch--which has me unable to go there with my daughter. I am vegan--how difficult can it be to put more vegetables in the scramble vs eggs? Every restaurant I've ever been to has been willing to accommodate.
(1)
Chynele F.
Ive stopped in Irving st kitchen now twice for a quick bite or a cocktail and I was very pleasantly surprised both times! This last time especially. Our server/bartender was very nice and friendly. I will definitely be back
(5)
Dina N.
Love the fried chicken...injected with clarified butter steeped in garlic? Love the service and space!
(4)
Lisa W.
We have a handful of favorite happy hour spots when we spend a weekend in Portland, but I wanted to try a couple of new places this time so I found Irving Street Kitchen on Yelp. The space is very wide open with high ceilings and interesting big light fixtures hanging overhead. We sat at the bar and had excellent service from beginning to end. The bartender was very attentive and brought my glass of Sangiovese and my BF's HUB lager right away. It was interesting that along with my glass of wine, he placed a small Mason jar containing about half a glass of wine. So for the price of a glass of wine, you actually receive a little more than a glass. I wasn't super hungry so I ordered the almond and peanut mixture for $5. My BF ordered the beef tartare with quail egg, tonnato and sourdough crostini ($13). The bartender also brought us a complimentary plate of big, hearty rustic bread and a side of butter. The beef tartare plate looked beautiful and received rave reviews regarding taste. Very cool atmosphere with weathered wood walls and rustic feel...it kind of reminded us of being in the French countryside.
(4)
ryan l.
Great ambiance, very good drinks, wonderful service and of course, delicious food. The bar nuts as an appetizer are phenomenal, so simple and so good. I also tried the angels on horseback, which sounds incredible on paper, but unfortunately did not do much for me. This was quite a surprise because anything wrapped in bacon has to be good right? No biggy though... Both the halibut and the steak were home runs and loved the cocktails! Tried the Lowcountry and the Carolina Julep... both were made very well. Nice restaurant experience, would highly recommend, just don't bother with the angels on horseback sadly.
(4)
Well Fed Traveler A.
It's always about the food, is it memorable or not. Bottom line would I eat here again..hmm..NO..there are to many other exceptional restaurants in Portland. I would rate it this way: Food 3 stars, decor 2 stars, service 4 stars. I'm afraid this place will sputter along or go extinct, and that's to bad. We had the bacon wrapped oysters appetizer (a "signature dish"), it was surprisingly tasteless and the oysters were mushy. Entree, I had blackened bavette steak with fried grits and cheese, the steak was seared black with little or no seasoning (boring), it came with spinach puree under the steak?? which was very bitter. My wife had the fried chicken, (another signature dish), wow you get a whole half of chicken, to much food. It was moist, flavorful, but not good enough to a repeat, she "doesn't want to eat there again". One big mistake is to serve drip coffee, what no espresso machine?! The NorthWest is the land of espresso! Skip the hype and eat elsewhere.
(3)
Alex S.
My scallops were so salty that I could not eat them. I sent them back and they took the dish off the bill.
(2)
theresa c.
Ive been three times it started with bang and now has settled on being just OK not A-OK .
(3)
J G.
Had brunch here and it was good. The skillet was nice but the side of cheesy grits was what made the meal for me!
Love this place! I usually sit at the bar with friends and am never disappointed. The drinks are fantastic and the service is outstanding.
(5)
Karen J.
Love Irving Street. I've only been living in Portland for eight months. There are so many great restaraunts here that I've been trying to go to a new place each time we go out. Irving is one of the few places that I feel compelled to go back to over and over again. The atmosphere is great. The staff is friendly and the food is consistent and tasty. Most recently, I had the fried chicken and it was great - but I've tried several things here and never been disappointed. Love the wine on tap too.
(5)
Laura W.
Finally tried this restaurant and am thrilled I did! Our group of 4 tried a little bit of everything but the scallops with pork belly and the halibut were the standouts. Desserts were also a big hit. Service was some of the best I've had - incredibly attentive and helpful with questions about how dishes were prepared, ingredients, etc. And their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint was an added bonus. We love taking advantage of Portland's terrific dining scene and definitely plan to go back here!
(5)
Tracy V.
Irving Street Kitchen has a lot of great reviews, but I wanted to comment on the experience when eating (or just drinking) at the bar - a shout out to Allison for always making the experience very fun! My husband and I have dined many times in the restaurant and at the bar and we prefer the bar due to the wealth of knowledge on wine and spirits; we seem to always leave impressed with the dinner and a little more educated on beverages!
(4)
vince o.
I had heard great things about the fried chicken and while it was certainly ok I didn't find it to be as "remarkable" as it's been proclaimed to be. The staff was attentive and well trained and the atmosphere is very well put together. The food unfortunately is just barely above average, not up to par with the sevice or ambiance. I doubt that I would return.
(3)
Dazer T.
First of all, it was so nice to eat at a restaurant with a knowledgeable as well as friendly waiter (Don). It is an all too rare experience anymore. However, this was not enough to overcome a rather lackluster meal. The menu did not do much for me to start. We ordered the artisan cheese platter and that hit the first sour note. For $14, there is very little cheese. For the entrees, my wife really loved her salmon, although it was a pretty small portion. I could overlook that, but our other two dishes were nothing special. For the total cost of the bill, you can do a lot better elsewhere. I will say the booths are very nice to sit in, and feel very private while at the same time taking in a view of the whole room. But that room...it just feels like I'm in another city, at some corporate created establishment. It almost works, but it's just not my cup of tea. Neither was the Classic Rock music playing all through dinner. Definitely did not help create a mood or vibe I could connect with.
(2)
carol c.
We'll I don't have paragraphs to write about my experience!! I can sum it up in two words... IT BLEW!! Being from the Bay Area and knowing good food and service, I heard that SF restauranteurs opened this place and thought we would give it a try. Wrong! The service was horrible! The meat was under cooked and the only saving grace was the dessert! We waited 25 minutes for the bread. The waitress was a ditz that couldn't think on her own. She apologized because she hadn't had a break! Is that legal?? Honestly, the service and the product shines through when the employees are trained by sophisticated, respectful, everyday people that value the all around experience of the patrons that walk through the door. Get it together!
(1)
Asa P.
Love this place.
(5)
jim w.
I love this place- the service is impeccable - the price point appropriate for the delicious food and quality - there is real teamwork here in the service - they care - we have found ourselves eating here quite a lot and a few times as a result of trying somewhere else that we were disappointed in and decided to relocate to Irving Street Kitchen instead. Love it Love it the Fried Chicken - awesome - the fish dish is always very interesting - great flavors pulled together in an unexpected way. Do not leave without having the butterscotch / caramel desert - or get it to take away in it's nicely packaged mason jar - I could eat it every day!
(5)
Dave S.
Would have been 5 star if not for the ridiculous wine from the barrel program. If I'm paying top dollar for wine it better come in something other than a mason jar! Now corkage service was spot on, wine steward did an excellent job decanting a couple of tricky bottles. The food again was delicious well thought out and generous in portion size. If they'd just pony up for some carafes for the wine and drop the price point for the whole barrel to table thing they'd be a winner! Nuf' said.
(4)
Suzy W.
Hard to beat the ambiance here. Happy hour every day, impeccable service. Menu is somewhat on the adventurous side, but well worth the effort!
(5)
magdalena w.
This place goes to my all-time favourite restaurants in the world. They just got it all right; the deco is intriguing without being too much, combining a bit of japanese elements with contemporary western effects. No cliche artifacts, all very original pieces. Huge open space, great lighting. Good service although had to wait for 45 min for my fish which got me a free edamame puree and a glass of wine. Commandable. The food, oh the food! I had a fish which came in such an amazing combination of flavours.. I had to slow myself down to enjoy each bite. Highly recommended. I now cannot wait to go back to Portland!
(5)
Mary M.
I've been to ISK twice now, and loved both times. The first time I went with my Supper Club friends and almost cancelled because I was not impressed with the online menu, nothing seemed to catch my eye. I'm happy I went. great food, good service. Highly recommend the charcuterie and cheese plates, Cowboys on horseback (Bacon wrapped oysters)-even if you are not a fan of oysters you may really like this dish! and I agree, the butterscotch pudding is great! Also a fun place to go for happy hour and hang out on their couches.
(4)
Jessica H.
Went to ISK for brunch with a large party (10+). Our server was wonderful and attentive but not TOO attentive. Food was out quickly, but (again) not TOO quickly as if it was sitting under heat lamps waiting for a taker like some lesser dining establishment. That part of the experience was 5 stars, but the food has very mixed reviews. Out of the group about 1/2 would order their dish again and the other half were not overly impressed. The later half included me. I was told the moroccan eggs were spicy - as in flavorful. I'm wimpy and can't do spicy hot but love strong flavored food so was looking forward to this dish with cumin, coriander and other spices mentioned. The dish was served in a nice shallow bowl, 2 poached eggs hidden under a lot with a red sauce. One person I was with asked if I had ordered tomato soup. That's what it looked and tasted like. The Moroccan flavors I was looking forward to were no where to be found. The sauce just tasted like tomato without any spices. The garlic rubbed toast tasted nothing of garlic. I ate it all because I like tomato and I like bread, but it was very underwhelming for such a hyped up restaurant. I'll try ISK again, but not for breakfast. So many other restaurants in Portland that do breakfast extremely well - every dish - that I'll put my money toward a sure bet but I might be back for dinner. Dishes that rocked: carnitas and egg dish Dishes that fizzled: crab sandwich - more breading than crab, Moroccan eggs EVERYONE loved their mixed drinks - mimosa special was a favorite
(3)
Daniel M.
The burger was one of the most delicious thing I have ever had. Amazing menu, wonderful service, and a totally kick ass atmosphere. While the food is expensive, two people can split the burger and be well fed. We will for sure be back... after I graduate.
(5)
scott c.
5 stars for the quality of the food, delicious drinks, and attentive service.
(5)
Sara C.
To start with I don't write many reviews, but the brunch was so crap I thought I would start. First off my husband was charged $6 (that's right!) for a side of subpar bacon sitting in a pool of it's own grease that came at the end of our meal. Secondly, when you offer a breakfast plate don't skip on portions. I have small hands and the portion of unsalted potatoes on my plate could have very easily fit in my palm. The poached eggs I got with them were poached properly, but I ordered a side of their hollandaise sauce and it was cold and bland and again charged for it. I don't believe any style of egg ordered would have been better let alone salted, because nothing had any sort of seasoning at this place, either time we went. I really don't understand how this place is still in business, but I wish they would either get better chefs and a better menu or close and be replaced by a better restaurant. Angry I can't give it 0 stars!
(1)
Michael T.
Great food, but bring you wallet because quality doesn't come cheap. The squid ink Risotto was excellent.
(4)
Brad F.
Reservation for our v-day dinner one night early. Service, food, ambiance...excellent. Great big space, right downtown in the Pearl district. But I just felt everything (beer, starters, salads, entrees) were all overpriced. Draft beer $6. Wedge salad $10! Starters $8-12. Entrees $20-28. Portions were average at best. We split the ribs, ordered wedge, meatballs, bread, and cornbread, two beers, and our total before tip was $73. I know it appears like we ordered a lot, but sharing an entree and only having two drinks should not be $70+. And the men's bathroom urinal had urine all over the floor. Should have been 4/5 stars, just didn't make the cut. Still glad we tried.
(3)
Roger M.
CONSISTENT! Call to reserve a private booth with curtain for the quais-private-intimate dining. Has bar with fireplace. Food fantastic, not all dishes are 5 star but most everything is 4 star. Like the aged hanger steak over polenta and seared egg; rice and sausage jumbalaya; salami (4 kinds) delicious and lots of it for an appetizer. Fried chicken southern style, with collards and mashed potatoes was good. I recommend the 3 meatballs (pork, beef & lamb) over mashed potatoes for happy hour along with fries and a IPA, of course. Been there 7x's so give it a try for sure.
(4)
Kelsea A.
Two words: Fried Chicken. Oh man, it was so good and hearty, perfect for the snowy weather that was happening the weekend I was there. I also order the lox and rye crackers which was delightful! The wine on tap list was pretty mind blowing. I will be back next time I visit portland!!!
(5)
Jane C.
Try the smoked trout entree - it is fabulous. Perfectly prepared the fish is moist and has a wonderful wood smoked flavor. Our service was excellent - attentive but not pushy. Dined here twice in a week and both experiences were excellent
(4)
Laura P.
We love this restaurant! We've been here nearly a dozen times and have yet to be disappointed! We've dined by ourselves, taken guests and recommended. No disappointments. We love the Johnson Country Ham, buttermilk biscuits and pepper jelly, the Salmon Gravlax, the Dirty Sexy Pig Head (WOW) Seared Fois Gras. You could be done just with the small plates. We've had the Salmon, other fish dishes, like the Snapper, beef dishes, pork, we haven't had anything that was not fantastic. Desserts are equally good, it's hard to choose just one, which is why we don't, we usually choose two so we can taste each others. The Bar is also very good. The bartenders are knowledgable and fun to chat with. They have great drinks and good service. Service at the tables is always good, the servers are knowledgeable, helpful and attentive. They know the menu and can make suggestions. All in all, it's a winner!
(5)
Kimmy V.
Make reservations if plan on coming for brunch. One of the best salmon benedicts i've had in a long while. We sat the bar top and service was still amazing. The place has a nice classy clean ambiance. The breakfast nachos are also super good here -- don't confuse or compare it to chilaquiles tho!
(5)
Mikhail H.
The service is incredible here...our waitress was amazing and put us at such ease. She deserves five stars bigtime. I even caught the view of the bartender at one point and she gave me a huge grin...all of their staff is pretty incredible. The food was very good but honestly, the portions seemed very small for the price and also for what you were getting compared to most restaurants in Portland of this caliber. I did really enjoy our meal here though and their wine selection and drinks are also excellent. Perhaps I will be back for nibbles and drinks but if I am buying a $200 dinner I would most likely go somewhere else since I am not huge on Southern food and many of the menu items sounded interesting but a bit too cheap for me. My steak was heaven but on top of grits? Hmmm...
(4)
Jana C.
HH review only. Old Bay 13, just across st from 24 Hr. Not impressed by food menu. Cajun fries not golden enough, and I could go on....jambalaya was something not pleasant on the tongue. Neither of us thought it resembled anything to a genuine jambalaya. Meatballs saved the day. Unctuous and yummy, over the smoothest mash. Drink with gin and pale ale, lime also saved day. Interior beautiful...like being inside a large mountain lodge.
(2)
Eric B.
Food was awesome. Staff is super helpful and nice. Although everything looked great, we shared small plates...meatballs were great! Good spot for a girls night! :)
(4)
Jacob K.
I loved my first experience here, I really don't know where to begin so I'll make this as short and simple as possible. Interior: great! We got a nice dim booth that was private and exactly how I like it. Appetizer: Chef's cheese & crackers.. this was so good.. it reawakened my love for cheese. The soft cow's milk cheese was my favorite, with a bit of fruit compote on some bread, it was heaven. Entree: halibut bouillabaisse. I sampled a bit off everyone's plate (everything was delicious, it's impossible to go wrong) but I still think the halibut was the best. Perfect texture, perfect spiciness, the clams were lovely, everything about this dish came together.. nice and filling without being too heavy handed. I was completely impressed. My friend had the roasted corn cavatelli which had an intoxicating smokiness to it.. this would be perfect on a cold day. My other friend had the lamb porterhouse (extra rare) and my LAWDY that thing was juicy like a peach. Probably the nicest cut of lamb I've ever had.. this is definitely the dish I'm getting next time. Our server was very attentive and helpful, very professional and he made our night here at ISK the best it could be. I really cannot say enough positive things about our experience here.
(5)
Tamara S.
We had a great dinner here. I highly recommend the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. SO good. However, we came back a few weeks later for brunch and were really disappointed. I got the chicken and waffles and the portion was a joke. One small piece of chicken and two tiny (tiny!) waffles. The flavor was bland and it was expensive. The friends I was with were all disappointed in their mediocre (and tiny) dishes as well. So all to say...I recommend for dinner but definitely not for brunch.
(3)
Pdxgirl W.
Amazing place! Great service, drinks and food. They should really promote their gluten free options more because they have a great selection. I have celiac disease so I was prepared to just have a simple salad but our waitress gladly listed a ton of options for me which included the squid ink risotto. SOOO delish! My boyfriend had the trout dish, he loved that as well.
(5)
Joy D.
Great atmosphere with the rustic look and open charcuterie bar! Place looks inviting. Food was delicious and staff was friendly!
(5)
D G.
Passed by here a couple nights ago while walking around the Pearl District. Looked like an neat place from the outside - bright lights, great decor - the kind of place that has a great vibe. Looked it up on Yelp, and saw it got 4 stars - definitely worth a try. I'm giving it 5 stars. I had the Herb Stuffed Trout with Grilled asparagus. Wow. Simply the best trout I have ever had - just the right amount of saltiness and herbs. My wife had the Seared Halibut Bouillabaisse - different than what you would expect out of a Bouillabaisse - much lighter. She loved it. Our daughter ordered the Green Garlic & Parmesan Soup and the Bibb Wedge with Rogue Blue Cheese Dressing. She loved her meal as well. The best dinner we've had in a while. Great service. Great vibe. We'll be eating here again.
(5)
Annabelle J.
We sat at the bar for a quick Happy hour and it was wonderful. The bartender was so fun and the food was amazing. We will be coming back here.
(5)
Kai F.
Finally got the opportunity to get back here for dinner! Starting with the best stuff: Pickled Foie Torchon, Brioche French Toast, Shallot Rhubarb Jam, Savory Caramel. on a scale from 1 to 5, this is a 6. Off the chart yumminess. I would even go sit at the bar and just have this with a glass of wine or cocktail! I know - duck liver is so politically incorrect, but i suspect this is a humane type. The service was also excellent (5 star). although they didn't ask us if we wanted bread, and we could have used it. (their bread is so good). I was also happy they have one of my favorite wines: Priorat from Spain. we also had the tater tots, which is actually breaded and deep-fried fluffy mashed potatoes - really light. I tried the fried chicken based on so many people saying it's the best...it as good, but not off-the-hook. collard greens and smashed potatoes were tasty. I'm sure the chicken is organic and local. but I expected it to be better. my sister got the short ribs, and it was "different"....expected fall-off-the-bone tenderness, but it was really more like top sirloin steak. not at all "pot roasty". it was a pretty small plate as well. I am still a fan and will go back. The charcuterie and the ham/biscuit platters we saw being served also look enticing.
(4)
Amy T.
What an amazing spot in Pearl for brunch! We partied a little too hard in Portland the first night so by Saturday, we all slept pretty early. Works out because the next day, we woke up early for Sunday Brunch. There are tons of restaurants, but as we walked by Irving St. Kitchen, the exposed brick, ink blot art, exposed ceilings and wood panels drew us in. I had the most mouth watering scrambled egg dish. It was an English Pea and Morel Scramble with creme fraiche. It was served with lightly dressed butter lettuce and toast. If we weren't in a rush to get to our next destination, we would have stayed longer.
(5)
Joyce V.
Cool spot I found in the Pearl District amongst the lofts and warehouses. Beautifully decorated and comfortable. We came here for brunch and I had the poached egg, Belgian waffle, and pork belly with a smoked maple syrup that was amazing! My husband had over-easy eggs and Andouille sausage with the house-made Habanero salsa. His complaint was that it was not as hot as he'd like it. I tasted it and thought it was savory but definitely not spicy hot. The service was great and everyone was very friendly. We would definitely be back to try Happy Hour and dinner the next time we're back in town.
(5)
Eric M.
Started with a great Orange Juice it was very tasty. Then had the basic breakfast and the sausage was really good. Nothing to write home about but good food and great ambiance.
(4)
M G.
Food was good but the service was slow and I mean slow. Neat location and menu was interesting. I had the Chicken entree and it was good but did not really stick out. We had a couple of appetizers both were very good.
(3)
Dano B.
This is one of my favorite spots in Portland. The food is rich in flavor, the environment is cozy, and the staff is friendly. I highly recommend the brussel sprouts, the squid ink risotto, and the butterscotch pudding.
(5)
Marty J.
I enjoyed some mama and grandma quality fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and greens this Easter Sunday. Boy was it delicious and downright good food. I was like Sunday dinner at my grandma's farm...maybe a bit better. The drinks were good, and so was the service by our waitress, Fiona. The bartender was fast and friendly. We arrived about ten minutes before dinner service, and there was a slight cold front with our greeting from the hostess when we asked if we could be seated. She said we could sit a the bar, and they would seat us when the dining room opened. The hitch...it was Easter Sunday, and the place was empty and seemed prepped and ready for guests. It's all about timing, so I won't hold this against them, and we were seated right at 5pm! I recently attended TEDx Portland, and I saw that they were sponsors, and I liked that...so I put them on the top of my list to go visit. My pal visiting from Los Angeles, liked it a lot too, and he was impressed with their massive Bourbon selection. This is a high quality establishment, with wonderful and open ambiance to match the delicious food. Happy Hour seems like a delicious bargain too...and that meatball dish served on mashed potatoes is on my radar. I'm a big dessert fan, but I was underwhelmed by their offerings this past weekend.
(4)
Michael W.
This place was a major disappointment. I took my parents here who were visiting from out of town and I was sorry I did. The service was extremely slow. We didn't get our entree until 2 hours after arriving. This place also has the classic pompous attitude that many establish Portland restaurants have. My GF and mother asked for a different sides with her dish and she was told that the chef would not allow it. Why a restaurant would argue with a customer over a side of potatoes vs a veggie is beyond my comprehension. F this place, I would never go back.
(1)
Joshua N.
Good service, great, great atmosphere and very tasty menu. We arrived for happy hour and were happily delighted. We had the fries, jambalaya and chicken wings. All delicious. The Pabst and shot of whiskey for $4... awesome! Date rating 5 out of 5.
(4)
Inga W.
I was visiting Portland for a conference and in need of some great food at night. We headed to the Pearl district and our cabby recommended this place. Score for cabby, never would I ask this question in SF. The menu looked good and sitting outside on a summer night was an added bonus, we're from SF so it's cold and foggy now. I started with the Foie Gras which I can't have in SF, yet another stupid thing and then had the duck. My coworker had the salad and salmon which is in season. The food was amazing, great flavor balance and textures. The Foie came with a bacon, toast and sweet jelly that just was amazing. The duck was great too, lean, cooked just right and rich in flavor. The drinks were great, they improvised with vodka martinis with some mint and lemon juice to make them refreshing. And not that I needed it but we had the bread pudding dessert which is not what you expect, it's rich and creamy and not hot or bread. I had a manhattan to finish up my meal. The atmosphere was casual, hip and fun both inside and out, would absolutely come back to this place, the menu was rich and had tons of options.
(4)
Lauren W.
Wow this place was amazing. We were taken here by my manager on our first night in Portland. Such a treat! The ambiance is really cool and I love the design of the restaurant. We sat in the table with drapes for more privacy, so we could talk. Our server was very knowledgeable on each item and just listening to her talk about the preparation of each had our mouths watering and saying "I changed my mind, I'll have that instead!" She also recommended a Pinot Noir which I thoroughly enjoyed, and to my husband some of her favorite local brews. We tried the vegetable salad with pears and strawberries. This was soooo good. I then had the galic halibut for dinner. It was very fresh. I wanted the squid ink risotto but couldn't make up my mind. Next time! Will definitely come back on my next trip to Portland and try their brunch.
(5)
Nancy H.
This is a disappointing restaurant. Food was mediocre at best. Service person lacked knowledge and enthusiasm for menu. Oysters were bland, salmon was not memorable, fried chicken a bore, cold mashed potatoes. Bar had sagging thrift store couches, same as sipping your wine on the floor. It is an over rated restaurant that does not meet the level of service and food excellence of others in Portland, i.e., A Cena or The Screen Door and many more. Cost was $70/person. Skip this one -- many others better and enjoyable to experience.
(1)
Jennifer D.
An unfortunate disappointment because we live so close to this place. Overall thought, was that the place lacked a strong manager to keep things moving. Food was ok, Bloody Mary was decent. Unusually un-friendly staff (not typical in Portland). We were seated in a booth right by the kitchen where we were able to see everything going on back there.After 40 minutes without receiving our food, it was upsetting to see kitchen staff munching on rolls and french fries through the open window. Would make a good episode for that TV show where the boss goes in undercover.
(2)
Momo B.
ONLY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST The wonderfully adaptive Pacific Northwest cuisine has included ethnic Asian and Native American ingredients and cooking methodologies. Within this distinctive cuisine are those who fulfill the appetites of the "locavores or localvores", Those seeking foods from plants and animals and wines indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. Irving Street Kitchen lives up to that reputation of satisfying this locavore. For this evening, we ordered the following: -Chicken Fried Oyster using buttermilk that includes a Herbsaint Aioli dip -Dirty Sexy Pig's Head over Crispy Garlicky Bread, topped generously with a spicy enriched reduction plus Coriander Slaw -Pan Roasted Brook Trout on a bed of cipollini & brussels' sprout hash and finished with a topping of almonds and sage butter. (head, tail removed and de-boned) -Twin wedges of lemon pie encircled with honey dripping, topped with whipped cream and scattered "crumplets" of mixed pecans and brown sugar. While the dinner was amazing rich, delightful and exceedingly satisfying, I can't say enough about our server Patrick "Franken(stein)-Burro" affectionately nicknamed by his Latino co-workers. I characterize Patrick as the creme de la creme of his profession. BTW... Patrick is similarly mentioned in three other reviews. So I'm not the first nor the last to make special mention of Patrick.
(5)
Kalong W.
Extremely disappointed this time around. I brought my friend from out of town for brunch and was embarrassed that this was the experience she got for a famous Portland brunch. We waited 50 mins for our food to arrive with no apologies or acknowledgment from our server, Patrick. When the food arrived it was cold, bland and sparse. I had ordered the eggs platter w sausage and potatoes-the poached eggs were cold and too done, the sausages were cold and salty, and there were maybe 10 small chunks of potatoes on the plate. My friend was equally dismayed with her egg nachos which I confirmed were cold and tasteless, and the nacho chips definitely tasted stale. Refried beans and stale chips are NOT worth $14, what happened guys?! It was a complete 180 from the last time I was there, last the server came out multiple times to make sure we had fresh coffee and the food was being enjoyed. The least Patrick could have done would be to take our coffees off the bill, at least I would have. Sorry, I can't recommend this place anymore.
(1)
Jessica C.
This is a great brunch spot if you are looking for a nice place to take someone that also wont break the bank. Its in a really fun spot downtown and the food is delicious!
(5)
Scott H.
I had to sum this place up to a friend. So I told him, "You get what you pay for" The food is not cheap, but when you try it you will see where that money went. It's pretty obvious that they only use the highest quality ingredients to make dishes prepared by an obviously well trained staff. Everything we ordered what beautifully plated and had fresh, authentic flavors. My wife had the mushroom ravioli. It was packed with wild mushroom and topped with a wonderful cream sauce and more meaty mushrooms. The portion wasn't large, but the flavors were. I had the duck. I love me some duck. Beautifully rare in a flavorful sauce that I just wanted to pick up the plate and lick it. I'm told the brunch in the best part of the restaurant, and I'm not afraid to find out for myself. The service was a little chilly. Professional, but chilly. Maybe it's their angle. Whatever, I know what Darden type restaurants to go to if all I want is sugary sweet service. You can't get food like this at a Chilis. Don't you dare skip dessert either. The butterscotch pudding and peanut brittle sounds goofy, but is worth it. Even if you have to take it home in the cool jar. I love the ambiance of the place. It's very casual and unassuming. I came here fresh from a hike because we chose against one of the local brewpubs., and I didn't feel underdressed. Yay Portland I guess.
(5)
Kevin O.
Great food, amazing atmosphere! I love the mix of modern industrial and earthy easy feeling. The servers were excellent. Five stars by me all the way around.
(5)
Joanna F.
Eeeeeeehhhhh. It took forever for the hostess to acknowledge our existence, but finally we got seated. Atmosphere is beautiful and our server was warm and helpful. However, the food just left me wanting more. We got the cheese plate to start and it just wasn't memorable. I recall all of the cheese was a little funky also, which I like, but I could see how that would be offputting if you weren't obsessed with cheese. I got the halibut for my entree. It was fine. The halibut was good, but everything on the side was kind of lackluster. My husband ordered the ravioli. It took forever because the chef "didn't like the way the the sauce came out", so they gave us some free apps. I enjoyed that they were so transparent about the delay. That being said, when the ravioli did come out, the sauce tasted like lemon and not much else. I was expecting to be blown away after the chef appeared to put special effort into making the sauce. Needless to say, I probably wouldn't be back. This wasn't a bad experience, but it seems like there are so many great restaurants in Portland.
(3)
Brian H.
I had a birthday party for my husband here ,great food ,great Waite staff Nice bar
(4)
Shirley L.
OK, the rating is for their dinner. I've heard great reviews of their brunch/lunch, but yet to try those. The reason why I'm giving 3 stars is because of how salty all of our dishes were. I think if they cut down the salt, I can easily give a 4+ stars.
(3)
Rick S.
Bottom Line - No wait (as of March 2012), tasty food and menu items not greater than $15. Not bad for a backup if you don't have reservations elsewhere or are unwilling to wait. Give it a shot! Came for brunch on 24 March 2012 with 5 other friends, and we ordered the following: Gravlox Benedict ($12.00 x2) - One friend and I ordered this and it was pretty tasty. I liked the lox, and the hollandaise sauce was pretty good. The only thing I didn't really care for was the biscuit... I would have preferred house-made english muffins. Burger ($12.00 x2) - Two of my friends ordered this, and they both thought that the burger patty was too filled with flavour and the avocado couldn't be tasted at all. The garlic fries that came with it were pretty tasty. Eggs Any Style ($11.00 x2) - Two friends got this... one scrambled one poached. The scrambled version was lightly scrambled and it looked so good! My friends seemed to like it. Side Grits ($6.00) - These grits were described as garlic grits, and they were SO GOOD. I think this was my favourite part of the meal. It went really well with the benedict. I'd order it again. Along witg drinks: green tea mimosa ($11.00), EB Law of Nature ($6.00 x2), black coffee ($4.00 x2), our bill came to $107.00 + 20.00 tip = $127.00 total for our table of 6.
Went with a group of 4. Had reservations but got there a little early. We were seated right away. Great wine selection, ended up getting a bottle then a few glasses on top! Had the steak and it was amazing, would definitely reccomend.
(5)
Jeff D.
Never got the chance to eat or even drink water. Waiter walked past 3 times without even acknowledging us. 4th time was the charm. I am afraid we will never know if the food is good. Too many restaurants in PDX to put up with bad service.
I thought brunch was quite good when we met 6 friends there a few weeks ago. 8 adults, 1 child - not an issue with a meal or service. Everyone was happy with their meal. I got the breakfast version of Jambalaya which was good. Was a little more of a afternoon/evening meal for me, not quite what I was expecting but was tasty nevertheless. My toddler son was a complete a-hole running around in the empty back room and to the couches twice...service didn't blink an eye. Good thing he's cute and albeit rambunctious but fairly quiet. Would like to try it kid free - but we really enjoyed ourselves.
(4)
Brooke G.
Quarterly my girlfriends and I go out to a nice restaurant that's been on our [never-shortening] list of Portland hot-spots to try to celebrate our birthdays. Last night, the birthday girl picked Irving St. Kitchen. It was my first time...and honestly, I'd missed the hype on the place. The ambiance was rustic/romantic. Because I'm an east-sider, I tend to like the smaller, more intimate restaurants characteristic of East Portland, but Irving St. Kitchen had the perfect cozy feel. Dinner was absolutely fantastic! We shared four entrees: the trout, the pork cutlets, the steak and the truffle-stuffed guinea hen. Each dish was perfectly complemented with winter vegetables and cooked to perfection. But, it was the guinea hen that stole my heart. So tender it melted in your mouth, the guinea hen was lightly covered with a guinea hen liver au jus... Truffles and liver au jus. Decadent, but light. Unique and amazing. I thought I could walk away happily...then I had the butterscotch pudding. Heart stolen...again. Do not miss it, folks. This will have you licking the plate and wishing you had space for more.
(5)
Adam P.
Food was great, ambiance and design of the place was great, the service was OK. The interior of the restaurant is well designed and has some unique features. The menu is not large but has some higher end selections and the price reflects that. The prices are reasonable for the upscale restaurant, the portion sizes were a little small though. It is more upscale than casual but not dressy. A good date or night on the town place. My biggest issues was I asked twice for bread, once when we ordered and once when our first dishes came out. We never got any bread. Bread is not automatically brought out here, menu clearly states to ask which I did. For a nice place like this the bread should be standard or the wait staff should ask if the table wants some. Still a good place though that could have got 5* from me but a place like this should be missing the mark at all.
(3)
Emma F.
We arrived here with the belief that this would be a great experience. Busy Friday night- and we were seated immediately so that was a definite plus. Our first dish was the Salmon Gravlax 'platter'; this dish was exceptionally tiny though we did enjoy it (three rye crackers... whaaaat...). We then ordered our next two courses, mine being a celeriac and white truffle oil "soup" (it was really more of a lukewarm and VERY bland puree) along with the Salmon and melted leek dish with sorrel sauce. First off, the leeks were along the lines of quickly sauteed-- but nowhere near the appeal of melted. A very inaccurate description. This dish could have been elevated with a brown butter or perhaps a proper amount of salt, but it was overall a very shallow flavor. But I will say that the salmon was cooked wonderfully. My boyfriend ordered the barbecue shrimp along with the "17 hour" truffle short ribs. The barbecue sauce on the shrimp was delicious but the large amount of filler bread under the shrimp was oily and soppy all the way through. In regards the the short rib dish, it seemed that the description epitomized inaccuracy. They may have cooked it for 17 hours, but anyone could cook short ribs and yield the same product in 20 minutes. Tough. Chewy. Un-glazed. And quite far from the advertised and expected level of tenderness. I might add that this dish was also lacking in the salt department. Just to keep harping on this-- don't put horseradish in the description if you plan on putting the most undetectable amount on as possible. We shall not be returning, it's safe to say. Maybe the brunch is where it's at, but we won't be back to find that out. Service was decent
(2)
Cydney B.
15 stars for this one... 5 for the food. 5 for the service (Eva). 5 for the ambiance/decor. We happened into this place by accident on a visit from San Francisco, and we're happily surprised that it is the brother restaurant to our fave restaurant in San Francisco -- Town Hall. The Huz was sick NY Eve this year, so we missed our annual celebration at Town Hall but more than made up for it at Irving Street. Huz had the fried chicken and I had the brook trout and we shared the butterscotch dessert. Now Irving Street is our fave Portland restaurant.
(5)
Jackie R.
WOW and wow again! As has been said by many previous reviewers, there is a LOT to love about this fabulous restaurant. It seemed to us that no detail had been overlooked, making a recent dinner one we will long remember. A few highlights? Patrick , our waiter, was personable and knowledgeable. He answered our questions thoughtfully, saw to our every need, and had a TERRIFIC sense of humor. We haven't had a better waiter anywhere. The space was wonderful, with some quirky touches but not over-the-top, which might have distracted us from the delicious food. The food: Fried oysters--briny, crunchy, and not at all greasy Gravlax---satiny smooth, served with a lovely cucumber salad, fresh dill, house-made rye crackers, and a marvelous sauce Fried chicken with smashed potatoes and a cream gravy---Among the tastiest, juiciest, crunchiest I have EVER had the pleasure of tasting. [My love of fried chicken goes back 50 years; as a child, while traveling across the country by car, I wrote a fried chicken guide to America.]. This chicken had been brined but was not overly salty. It was moist---even the breast. YUM! FYI, the portion was immense! Side of broccoli- market fresh, served perfectly cooked with interesting components. House-made ricotta (?) cavatelli with crawfish, sweet corn, and summer squash--- A very rich, savory preparation, which I personally would have preferred as an appetizer, in a smaller portion. Excellent amber ale. Fantastic bread from Ken's Artisan Bakery---served on request. We thought this was the best bread we had EVER eaten in a restaurant. Parenthetically, the butter was served at the perfect temperature, which is, sadly, quite unusual. Even though we thought we could not fit one more bite into our mouths/stomachs, we just could not resist the butterscotch pudding. I will just say this: Tonight we wanted to return for a take -out order! A cup of delicious, whole-leaf Bergamot tea. Excellent coffee. We would not have missed this dining experience for anything. If we are ever asked by anyone where to eat in Portland, we will give Irving Street Kitchen our most enthusiastic recommendation. When is the New York sister restaurant opening?
(5)
J F.
We wanted to do brunch before Christmas shopping and couldn't have picked a better place. We love seeking out restaurants where the menu includes 'not your everyday basics', but a selection of foodie items that makes your mouth water just by reading it. My husband had the Salmon Gravlax Benedict with a side of Tasso bacon and I indulged in the Smoked Scrambled Egg Nachos. The eggs for his Benedict were poached perfectly and the chips for my nachos (homemade?) kept their crispness throughout our meal. I must mention their Bloody Marys hit the spot even on this cooler morning. Nice big windows to people watch, good energy, wonderful high ceilings and pleasant staff. We must try dinner soon!
(5)
Stef M.
Brunch was good! Amazing cocktails, try the shambala, with OJ and whiskey. Sounds weird, but it was spot on. They made me a strong cappuccino, as well, and even asked what kind of milk I wanted in it. Gravlax eggs benedict were quite good, but the biscuits were disappointingly chewy. And the dill in the hollandaise didn't really come through as much as I thought it would. Definitely try the assorted pastries: you get a doughnut, chocolate pumpkin bread, and a muffin topped with streusel and filled with rhubarb jam. I still can't decide which is my favorite. I saw someone at the next table had ordered the french toast, and it looked amazing. Whoever chose the brunch soundtrack should get a promotion, because it was brilliant: New Order, Morrissey, Tears for Fears. Cool interior, really nice and friendly waitress. If they had nailed the biscuits, this would have been a 4-star review.
(3)
Michael C.
(Note that so far we've only been here for brunch.) Overall, given the other strong reviews, the cool atmosphere, and the interesting menu, I'm willing to give this place another try. But, our first experience here was mediocre. The french toast was alright, but the breakfast nachos left a lot to be desired. The grilled avocado was quite overdone (black nearly all around), and it definitely felt like there was something missing -- it wasn't terrible, but it just wasn't as tasty or filling as we'd hoped for given the popularity of this restaurant. It sounds like dinner is supposed to be better, so we'll try that next.
(3)
Kat P.
Amazing Food! Amazing Service! Really enjoy grabbing a specialty cocktail and the fried chicken is to die for. Highly recommend for someone looking for a great atmosphere. Not to mention, their desserts are some of the best around.
(5)
Tatiana P.
I would not recommend going here. Made a reservation for valentines day with my boyfriend and I were very excited about. One of the things we started the meal with was a cloud cap cheese that had white truffle honey on it. The cheese was very bland and tasteless and the tiny drizzle of honey that they gave us tasted absolutely nothing like truffles. After that we should a ravioli with crab on it. This part of the meal was not particularly bad but they only gave us three raviolis for $15. For my entree I ordered something I was very excited about, a quail stuffed with duck sausage. This tasted exactly like a big block of salt and it came with some cranberry sauce. The cranberry sauce would have helped to drown out the salt if they had given me enough but instead they literally gave me a quarter of a teaspoon smeared on the side of the plate. My boyfriend did however enjoy his fried chicken and he agrees with me that it was the only good part of the meal. Overall very disappointing, very overpriced, and very skimpy portions of food that was made to sound much better than what it really was.
(2)
Reena M.
Wow! This place is amazing. I wish I had a bigger appetite by the time I got to Irving St. Kitchen, but we ended up having dinner elsewhere when we got into town as we were starvin' like Marvin. Then we proceeded to go on a self-guided pub crawl and found ourselves by Irving St. Kitchen. We stopped in for dessert and regardless of how many pints we had earlier, this was a memory etched in our brains - the desserts and cocktails were that good! We got seated at a cool little table in a small nook in the restaurant. The table itself was made of a large cross section of a tree. It was pretty cool. It felt like we were in this hidden corner away from the rest of the world (except when the servers popped by). The servers, by the way, were really helpful with cocktail suggestions. Unfortunately, the cocktails are not what I remember vividly. We got the butterscotch pudding and a chocolate torte with sour cherries. They were delicious - maybe even orgasmic! I would have loved to come here for actual dinner, but maybe next time.
(5)
Natalie B.
I really used to love this place. We dined here relatively often for both dinner and brunch and always had great meals/service. Yes, it was a little spendy but worth it. We went back last night, bringing out of town guests. I was excited because the menu had a bunch of new items that looked wonderful. Right off the bat I noticed the prices for both food and drink were significantly higher. Fine, I get it, probably worth it based on my past experiences here. Appetizers were good (although took over 30 minutes to arrive), stand out was the octopus salad. Then the entrees arrived. We were all shocked to see the portion sizes. $28 for a piece of salmon that was probably 5 bites? Same price for 3 scallops? The food tasted good, not as great as in the past, but not bad. It seems like the new menu has almost doubled the prices and halved the portions. I'm willing to pay $$$ for a good meal, but this was not the case. The final bill averaged over $70/person (we each had wine/cocktail), too much for what it was. Too bad this place has gone downhill as it used to be a favorite!
(2)
Steph L.
My fiance and I came here for a nice Valentine's brunch. We didn't make a reservation beforehand (we actually stopped at three other popular hot-spots for brunch but the wait was 1.5 hrs long for each), so luckily Irving St. had an opening for 10:15 am. I had the sourdough french toast with cranberry compote and it was divine. It came with a small scoop of chocolate chip ice cream which I thought was a little strange and over-the-top, but that's just me. I was more in the mood for breakfast, not exactly dessert. The sourdough complemented the sweetness of the compote/syrup, and was not heavy at all, like french toast can be. The perfect amount of sweetness. My fiance had the ham & cheese croissant with a side salad. Salad was really large and he ate a majority of it since he said the vinaigrette was great. (in my opinion, it looked too glossy and was overly dressed). But he never eats something he doesn't like. The sandwich wasn't your standard croissant with ham and cheese in between; it looks like they stuffed it and then popped it in the oven and egg-washed it extra for more shininess. It was pretty toasted (and by that i mean brown), but not burnt. I took a bite and thought it was good, not something I'd get though(too oily for me). Service was good, but probably because the place was not packed yet and we totally lucked out with Open Table. The food came fairly quickly. We had a laugh at the end bc the waiter brought us the check and sandwiched it in one of those little memo pads you get at any bookstore and I guess previous patrons draw random things in the book, along with compliments about the food. Well the page the waiter left our check on had a huge drawing of a hairy penis, balls and all. Nice wrap-up to our v-day brunch.
(4)
Nicole H.
My friend and I went here last night. Walked in, waited....waited....and waited for someone to greet us. Two hostesses were busy venting about something, then one finally asked if we had been helped. "No" Then she asks what do we need. "Well, we would like to be seated." Then just says "sit wherever your comfortable." But there were no seats available, so we left. Very poor customer service! Such a shame because this was my first time going and had heard good things.
(1)
Ana R.
Scrumptious brunch, as good as it gets. I suggest starting with the Sugar and Spice donuts, they are sweet and goey inside. My favorite dishes are the pork belly waffles and the green fried tomatoes BLT. But in between my husband, in-laws and friends we have had everything on the menu and they were all very satisfied. They serve Smith Tea (my favorite) and their lemonade is made to order (delicious!) I've also been there for dessert and they were amazing. I love their decor, specially the repurposed milk bottles lamp and they have bookcases with old library books that you can read while waiting for the food.
(5)
Brian N.
Last night a friend and I went here for happy hour. We sat at the bar top and were greeted by an excellent bar tender. I had two drinks called Adios something and they were mixed perfect. I ordered the meatballs, jambalaya and wedge salad. My friend ordered the chicken something oysters, Jambalaya and meatballs. Everything was A+ except the wedge salad wasn't really my style. Prefer the tomato and bacon over pecans, radish and apple toppings. The meatballs were so good we each ordered another order. In and out for $66 for both...awesome! Service A+, love the buildout and will be back for full dinner and will reserve the private both/tables which they have like 5 of. Really cool! Hope this place makes it!
(5)
Philip S.
A lovely atmosphere. And the food was quite good. But this place suffers from the same problem as so many Portland establishments and that is inexperienced staff. Our server had very poor timing and left the table empty for long periods then cluttered it with too many things all at once. The clearest example of poor timing was during desert course when I asked to see the list of available whiskies. this was promptly delivered as were the deserts but server did not return to ask about whisky until desert plates were empty. Senseless. I did not order the whisky and desert was not as much fun without it.
(3)
Adam M.
Always enjoy the food here.... delicious but comfortable and casual. Can get expensive though.
(4)
Vi B.
A very classy, funky, cool, polished place. I had my birthday party here, and thought the staff did an amazing job taking care of me and my friends - we were a pretty large (and loud) group, and it was nice to be doted on for my special day. The food was great (I had chicken and waffles, and if you've read any of my other reviews you'd know I go loco over this dish), and the drinks are strong. It's not the kind of place you'd go if you were looking to rage (especially since the crowd's a bit older and I imagine 'raging' isn't in their vocabulary), but it is a very cool place to start a night with friends (and cocktails).
(4)
Katherine K.
Service is wonderful, and the space is beautiful; a bright and inviting place to enjoy a meal with friends. The food is consistently good. The Salmon Gravlax Benedict with buttermilk biscuits, wilted greens, dill hollandaise and the Levain French Toast with cranberry, cherry compote and mascarpone are dishes I would come back for. The steel cut oatmeal and sugar and spice donuts were also good, though not anything spectacular enough to get me to order them again. I made reservations here for a brunch for a baby shower, and the manager was very helpful, and our table was set up when we arrived.
(4)
Kirsten H.
While the food was good the portions were ridiculously small for the expensive prices. The service was ok but the restaurant was really loud. Not worth the money.
(2)
Judy L.
the best steamed clams with bacon wrapped quail egg. everything was on point here. we got the squid ink risotto, chanterelle ravioli, tomato soup, and extra bread because the butter was so fresh and amazing. ambiance is great, service is attentive and quick, waitress is very versed in all dishes.
(5)
Christian K.
Located in the Pearl District at 13th and Irving, the Irving St. Kitchen has quickly become a brunch favorite. From the moment you enter the space, the ambiance portrays a very cool vibe with a bit of trendy, yet somewhat familiar, flair. The bar is located just in front of the entrance with high top seating to the left and nice two top seating in front of the fireplace. There is a great lounge type area to the left of the entrance, which is almost a modern version of the old school coffeehouse. Sofas around a living room type table offer a groovy, yet comfortable area to enjoy drinks while you visit with friends or even wait for a table in the main dining room. Preferring to sit in the bar for brunch, the Irving St. Kitchen has never failed to please. Pete, the bartender, has waited on me, or me and my husband, the last three times I've been to the restaurant and has always provided great, consistent service. He's knowledgeable about the menu and always has good wine and drink recommendations. Now, on to the food! The brunch menu offered at Irving St., is fantastic. During our latest visit, I ordered the Soft Scrambled Egg Nachos with Refried Beans, Smoked Tomatillo Salsa, and Grilled Avocado and my husband ordered the Smoked Tasso Jambalaya Skillet Eggs. The textures and flavors of both were well thought out and wonderfully layered, each bite offering an expected, yet new and unexpected, experience. The only thing I'd note here is that they edge on using just a bit too much salt and I truly think if they pulled back on that just a bit, it would really allow a fuller experience of all the spices and flavors they have formulated and put together. Previously, I have also enjoyed the Bibb Wedge Salad with Rogue Blue Cheese, Pink Lady Apple, Radish, Candied Pecan, and Tasso Bacon, as well as the Poached Yellowfin Tuna Nicoise, Kalamata Vinaigrette and Cherry Tomato salad, and would easily order either again. In conclusion, if you are looking for a great place to have brunch which offers a twist on some classics, as well as some more nontraditional options, definitely go to the Irving St. Kitchen. It is a restaurant with a menu and service level that offers a wonderfully refreshing experience. Please note that this review is for the brunch experience only. To date, I have not had the pleasure of dining here for dinner but plan on changing that fact in the very near future.
(4)
Jenni L.
I really want to hate this place just for being so incredibly yuppy but the service is always superb and everything on the menu just makes me so damn happy that I can't help but love it. I came here again recently with the girls for one of their quarter century birthdays. We had scored a table out on the deck which was really nice as it was one of those uncommon blissful 70 degree nights. Because it was a girls-only birthday dinner we felt it appropriate to start the night out with bright pink cosmos, which were fabulous. On a side note, the bartenders are fantastic and will always go out of their way to find out how to make anything you order that isn't on the list. Random prohibition era cocktails? Check. Something with Pims you ordered once at a bar on the east coast? Check. The food is even better. For dinner I ordered the seared snapper with cumin roasted potatoes, Johnston ham, brown butter and the juiciest roasted peaches known to man. The snapper was great, but those peaches really stole the show. I love that Irving St. constantly rotates their menu to reflect the best of what's in season at the time. It makes for some really superb seasonal items and is the main reason I have such confidence in the menu. One of my friends ordered the meatballs, which I've actually had before, but didn't stop me from stealing a bite. Still awesome. I'm a little sad that we didn't order the buttermilk biscuits with the red pepper jelly, because they were such a showstopper last time, but that really only gives me more reason to make a trip back again soon. The inside of Irving St. is really just as spectacular as sitting outside. I'm in love with the milk bottle lighting, as well as the entire bar area with it's cute animal prints, squashy window seating and pretty vintage appeal. In fact, Irving St. might be my favorite place to go esthetically. It walks the line of being an upscale establishment yet contains no ounce of pretention. This is a superb example of a truly fantastic restaurant and bar in the Pearl.
(5)
Lauren S.
Stopped in here Sunday morning for breakfast. We got there as soon as they opened and to be honest they were a little slow. I get it, I'm not a morning person but I wish our coffee would have come sooner than it did. The poached eggs were really good but I'd def suggest ordering a side of bacon or something since the two poached eggs aren't really a lot of food. We shared the doughnuts - also tasty. Guys that sat beside us were having a fit that the space looked like a Restoration Hardware exploded but I thought the space was beautiful. Loved how open it felt. Large chandeliers were pretty and interesting and I liked how the space was split up with bookshelves and such. Love rustic, modern decor even though it is a little overdone.
(4)
Chad V.
Had Sunday brunch here and was disappointed with the food. The chicken and waffles I ordered came out of the kitchen cold so I sent it back. The chef made another one but didn't cook the chicken all the way so it was raw in the middle... I had to order a completely different meal in order to get something cooked thoroughly and hot. The waitress was really nice but overall the food wasn't good at all.
(2)
Randy S.
Salmon on spaghetti squash, wedge butter leaf salad, steelhead trout grilled asparagus and buckwheat side with a nice Pinot Gris. We sat at the bar since without a reservation a table was out of the question. With the open bar and dining area, it was a perfectly fine place to sit for a casual diner. The bartender seemed a bit put off by having us order order dinner, and generally gave off a bad vibe, but we did enjoy our entrees and simply ignored the bartender. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. One star off for the poor service, but as an out-of-towner i'd return to this restaurant.
(4)
Tamara C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a destination I intend to frequent more often as I live within walking distance. The place was hopping' recently when I met up with a group of my fellow Yeeps during First Thursday. Our server did not miss a beat. Her upbeat attitude and skill at keeping everyone with a cocktail in hand and getting happy hour orders in under the wire was much appreciated. She rocked. Although I did not order food, my pals that had the Mac n'Cheese tell me it was fantastic. I was particularly enamored with my absinthe cocktails. The Chrysanthemum, which I ordered off the cocktail menu and the "dealer's choice"... a concoction created for me by our skilled bartender was a winner. Next time I will partake of that terrific HH menu. ISK is now back on my radar - I'll be seeing you next weekend.
(5)
Frank C.
We had a wonderful dinner here and enjoyed eating outside. We had the Corn crab soup, baby green salad, hazlenut crusted halibut, and rice-stuffed crab. The halibut was very tender with light crust and delicate flavor with lemon relish butter. Can't go wrong here!
(4)
Emily P.
Great atmosphere that is fun but still sophisticated. The waiter was well informed on the menu and gave great information! I will be heading back for evening drinks for sure!
(4)
Chad A.
My partner and I came here for brunch almost every sunday for about a year and we were never disappointed. The french toast changes seasonally and we made sure to order whatever new flavor variation they had come up with. Dinner is fantastic making this our go to restaurant for entertaining friends and family who were visiting PDX.
(5)
Eve K.
Cool, unique spot in warehousey pearl street row of nice places with great, fresh food and a casual, fun, yet upscale atmosphere. Food 4.2 Atmosphere: 5 Service: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3.5 (aps ~$11, entrees ~$25) Return worthiness: yes - Atmosphere: love the decor which was a type of rustic, northwestern, open, and quirky. The chandelier made of old school glass milk bottles and bar area with animal shadow drawings stood out. - Halibut: fresh with good variety in texture, but the star of the show was the corn. Close second was the stellar subtle curry with crawfish sauce - Drinks: strong bourbon ones were great - Wine: served in mini mason jars Midlights: - Cornbread: dug the sweet Bourbon glaze, but actual corn bread slice didn't have much flavor even with jalapeño - Tomato watermelon salad: turned into standard Caprese but was expecting more excitement from the grilled watermelon. It was more like a green circle that looked like it could be a twin of a green tomato and didn't see any proof of grilling Lowlights: - Peach turnover: 3 mini half moon shaped pastries with no flavor but points for effort on the bourbon ice cream Enjoyed the place's food, drink, and atmosphere and would return.
(4)
Melissa L.
I have now eaten a great brunch at ISK, so it's time for a review update. I went to ISK for brunch solo, after receiving a massage a block or so away. Clearly I was in a relaxed state of mind, but it was also still early (not quite 11AM on a Saturday) and I hadn't had breakfast yet, thus was a bit bleary-eyed and hungry. I had heard that the brunch wait could be long here, so I was stunned to walk in and sit right down at the bar, its only patron. (It happened to be a very cold, blustery morning, which may have had an impact on the number of people coming out for brunch.) I was greeted warmly by the bartender and offered a cocktail menu right away. I wasn't feeling quite up to a cocktail yet, and instead ordered a huge mug of perfectly-pulled Stumptown americano. Perfectamundo. The gravlax benedict jumped off the brunch menu page at me, so I knew I had to order it. It arrived and was beautiful, but I realized that I had forgotten to ask for the eggs to be poached until the yolk is set, because I'm not a fan of runny yolks. Oh well, my fault, can't blame ISK for that one. As it turned out, the slightly-runny yolks really went well with the smoked salmon and the gorgeous, fluffy biscuit that was the base for the whole dish. I ate the whole plate in about 8 bites, it was that good. I also immensely enjoyed the jazz/blues tunes they had on the PA during my meal. I might have stayed longer, but time was running out on my 3-hr-limit parking space. I may have just gotten very lucky with my timing and the weather, but it was a perfect brunch experience ( or at least as perfect as it could be while dining alone.) I will definitely be back, if I find myself in the Pearl/NW around brunch again...hopefully then I'll have the fortitude to try one of their really complicated-looking cocktails.
(5)
Biker S.
Really enjoyed the ambiance and decor of this place and the food was good but not great. That suggests to the three of us that it is a bit overpriced and does not live up to its price expectations. Will likely go back soon and check out its happy hour.
(3)
Renee T.
Being foodies from California we were so excited when our local friends invited us here!! Food was perfect! Amazing cocktails and you must try the rootbeer float desert with a shit if bourbon!!! Awesome way to close out a reunion dinner!
(5)
Ken A.
Our first time and we look forward to trying everything on the menu after this fantastic dining experience. Service from all the staff was good and our server was exceptional. Signature dish - fried chicken over mash and collared greeens (not something I would ever normally order) is now on our list of must have again dishes. Go here and enjoy the experience provided by the exceptional service, ambiance, and fantastic food.
(5)
Justin K.
#fail Avoid this place. It may fly for some folks here, but it's very poorly managed and and the food is just a notch over mediocre bar fare.
(2)
Laurie G.
My partner and I had our wedding reception dinner for 40 people in the private dining room. I cannot say enough how fantastic the ISK team was. Jessie, the private dining coordinator, was always prompt with communication and answering questions. The whole service team was excellent with prompt service, friendly, and the plated food for 40 came out hot and delicious. The room looked spectacular. I would not hesitate to recommend ISK for a meal or for a special event. 5 stars across the board.
(5)
Mandy M.
Everything was just okay. The water was great and plentiful. Coffee hot and refilled. The brisket fried egg sandwich was good, but the fries came with this truly unappetizing grainy cheese sauce. And even though cheese is my favorite food, I couldn't enjoy that sauce at all. We also ordered the salmon Benedict, which was oddly cold. Literally the worst Bloody Mary I ever had, I felt bad for the waitress because she clearly didn't make it. It tasted like cocktail sauce jacked on horseradish. I didn't finish it. Which I've never done in my life. Overall service good, nice waitress and attentive staff. Just not worth it.
(3)
Ophelia Y.
We went to Irving St. Kitchen with a big group, anticipating a great dining experience. We had a reservation schedule for 2 weeks, and didn't get seated until an hour after our scheduled reservation time. 1 star dinged for that. The environment is nice, calming, and classy. The decor is spectacular. The food was good--the fried chicken made to perfection. The ham and biscuits were good--the red pepper jelly was a bit odd for my taste. The cornbread was recommended to us, and was red peppery as well. Tasted like red pepper cornbread with maple syrup on it. I was most impressed with the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The collared greens were okay. The dishes are a bit overpriced for what they are. You can find similar tasting biscuits at Popeye's. Also, when they wrapped up my leftovers for me, the guy threw out my half-eaten piece of chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes, and he left me with one drumstick! Come on, if you're going to wrap up my food, give me EVERYTHING left on my plate. 1 more star dinged for that. I'd be willing to give this place another chance to impress me, but I feel like you can do better.
(3)
Mark C.
Had an excellent dinner here. The food was fresh and well presented, would have given them 5 Stars but the service could have been better.
(4)
Allie R.
Irving Street Kitchen has enchanted me in every way. I've been here for both breakfast and dinner, and while dinner (and dessert!) is the meal that truly romanced me, the ambiance can be appreciated at any time of day or night. A little bit rustic, a little bit modern, a lot bit well-executed. East-siders will feel right at home, but suburbanites won't feel out of place. The guinea hen was a particular favorite among the diners at my table, but we tried four entrees and I would order any of them again. Be sure to save room for dessert. The butterscotch pudding is arguably my favorite restaurant dessert anywhere in Portland, and the presentation will delight.
(5)
Kevin S.
I have been to this restaurant twice now. The first time, the service was so-so. Last night, however, I received the epitome of what I like to call "Portland-Waiter-Syndrome." You know.. when your waiter makes you feel like you are a nuisance for even being in the restaurant. God forbid that they actually have to serve you... and do their job! Only in Portland have I experienced waiters that are too good to do the job that they were hired for... but are ever so quick to complain about an 18% tip. "What?! They didn't leave 20%??" It took us an hour to get a table, which was understandable, because the place was pretty lively. After getting our table, however, it took another 15 minutes just for our waiter to approach the table. He mumbled a few words while staring down at the floor, and then took our order. Another 15 minutes went by and we received our appetizers prior to our cocktails. When the cocktails finally arrived, one of the martinis was made with olive instead of a twist. No big deal. Without any type of apology, the waiter took the drink back, and returned very shortly with what was supposed to be a brand new drink. After taking a few sips, however, the one drinking it noticed that the drink had a funny taste to it, and then upon looking more closely, noticed remnants of olives floating at the bottom of the drink. It was the same drink! All they had done was remove the olive and put a twist in its place. To me, this is unacceptable, and completely classless. After finally receiving all of the correct drinks, along with a grumpy "too good to serve you" attitude from the waiter, we enjoyed our drinks and conversation while waiting for our meal. We kept waiting. After an hour went by without our waiter even returning to the table, we finally asked someone to run him down for us. When he approached the table, we asked him if our dinner had been ordered. He mumbled a few indecipherable words, and walked to the kitchen window where our food was waiting. (Who knows for how long?) The food was ok. I ordered steak frites, prepared medium. It came out medium rare. The frites were cold. The service was terrible. One of the worst experiences I have had with a waiter. When a group of 4 goes out to eat, and spends over $300, they should be able to expect to be taken care of properly. I came in the restaurant happy and enjoying great company. We all left feeling off-put by our waiter's attitude and carelessness. I liked this place enough the first time to come back and bring friends, but doubt I will return.
(2)
T K.
This is a great place to treat yourself or an out of town guest. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is fashionable yet cozy. I love the lighting fixtures. Staff/service has always been exceptional. Tip: do the wedge salad instead of the green goddess, unless you want your mouth covered in garlic.
(5)
Bob U.
Every time we have been here, the consistency of the food and service is quality.
(4)
David L.
Based on the nice sensual ambiance and it being crowded on a Monday night, we were looking forward to a sublime dining experience. The restaurant sits above street level somewhat like a long open loading dock, reminiscent of establishments in New York's Meatpacking district. Our waiter was great -- attentive and knowledgeable, as well as having strong opinions about recommendations for drinks and food. I always like wait staff that is invested in their menu and has strong recommendations. The guy was experienced enough to read what level of help we were looking for and comply. Whereas the atmosphere and staff deserve a higher rating, I'm sorry to report that the food was just hit and miss. The artisan cheeses and bread were very good, and the Halibut with Smoked Brandade my brother-in-law ordered was also quite nice. My wife's Squid Ink Risotto was just okay, while the signature Mary's Organic Fried Chicken that I ordered was just not good at all. The chicken had a lot of different flavors but somehow the combination sort of cancelled everything out and I can't really even remember what it tasted like. On top of that the thigh piece had a gummy consistency that did not feel good in the mouth. I will agree with other reviewers that the desserts were very good, and the Butterscotch Pudding is a must have.
(2)
William L.
I had dinner here last night. When ordering the cheese plate, I wanted to confirm it did not include any meats. The waitress confirmed. She overheard me talking about not being able to eat pork. Later the waitress took our order. 10 minutes after placing the order, she returned and made me aware she overheard me mention that I am not able to eat pork. She made me aware there was pork in the entree I selected (even though pork was not a listed ingredient). I then selected another option. She then informed me that entree also had pork. REALLY? Two entrees on the menu that have pork and it's not listed in the description/ingredients included? I asked the waitress about this very concerning flaw. She agreed- however said there is not room to list all ingredients on the menu... ALERT... Pork is not an ingredient you leave out of your description. There are many VERY IMPORTANT reasons people don't eat pork. In addition to this huge flaw, the rest of the food was not good.
(1)
Gorman E.
Irving St. Kitchen is ready for PDX Prime Time! Our beautiful hostress greeted us and told us of the wait since it was busy. No matter, we just ordered some drinks and chit chat with a few ladies by the comfy couches by the bar and entrance area until a booth was open for us. We felt an instant warm ambiance and the decor was a rustic cabin feel but with Hollywood cabana booths. Each booth had a name of a celebrity. I notice great looking chandeliers and fantastic wooden bar with mason jars full of candles. The flags above combine with the lighting to give the effect of live animals. Large gorgeous wooden columns. Our waitress, Nateya was awesome. She was not only super eye candy but wish she was Nat - E - Ya on us. Both our beautiful hostess who is going pre-med and waitress had the most helpful recommendation for drinks and food. They ordered me this fantastic delicious cocktail drink but I forgot what it is called since it was not on the cocktail menu anymore but it was our hostress favorite drink. I got two...that is how good it was! I was still full from a big lunch but I remember my Elite Yelper friend, Valerie W told me about this place and that I must get the Side of Smoked Tasso Jambalaya and glazed corn bread....I would be blown away. She was absolutely right, I was blown away how good the Jambalaya was...the smoked tasso was like butter with well seasoned and smokeyness rice....just heavenly. The Glazed Corn Bread was SO DELICIOUS! It had a kick and the drizzle honey syrup taste like candy...huge portions...I could stick candles in it for my birthday cake. I almost jizz how good the food is here....foodgasm...glazed corn bread pair well with the Smoke Tasso Jambalaya. Nateya wanted to get me a free dessert for my birthday but I declined since we had an agenda and full night of drunken debauchery. Just a perfect birthday dinner with fantastic friends who join me from Seattle. The atmosphere, the staff, and food rock my socks! Thanks again, Valerie for recommending this spot to me. I can't wait to try their brunch on a Sunday when I am in town again! Highly Recommended.
(5)
David W.
My family took advantage of the restaurants offer for take out Thanksgiving dinner which we had yesterday. I have to say the food was absolutely wonderful, Very flavorful. Even though some of the family was a little skeptical about the collard greens it turned out everybody really enjoyed the flavors. There was enough food to feed easily 3 to 4 people. The turkey was cooked to perfection. I would highly recommend this dinner offer at next year's Thanksgiving if you're somebody who does not feel up to preparing a full Thanksgiving meal. Again great job Irving St. kitchen.
(5)
Valerie W.
Came back to Irving St. for my Birthday and was again blown away by both the service and food here. LOVE their Smoked Tasso Jambalaya, and Glazed Cornbread!!!!! I also was starving so I opted for their Butter Leaf Salad and again it was tasty. For my Birthday the server surprised me with complementary sparkling wine which was fantastic. Seated in one of their 'private booths' I must say I felt quite cozy. Our server was excellent and friendly. The Marinated Olives and Spiced Nuts were a great starter to the meal. All in all I can't say enough great things about this place. I really enjoyed myself and highly recommend to anyone!
(5)
Diane W.
Our foodie daughter highly recommended we dine at Irving Street Kitchen in the Pearl District, and we were glad we did. We didn't have reservations and lucked out on a table shortly after arriving. Wonderful cocktails and small plates to share. (Reminded me a bit of MB Post, which is my daughters favorite restaurant, so no wonder she recommeded ISK). This place is a must if you enjoy great food! Next time, we will made a reservation for one of their private booths.
(5)
Leo G.
Vegitarians should stay away from this place. Very few vegitarian items and none that taste good. In addition the place is complete rip off for what you get.
(1)
Steve A.
Very cool menu, being from the south a definite southern vibe. Service was great as well, albeit a Tuesday night so not that busy. Worth the $$
(5)
K B.
Not worth the money. Overpriced food with mediocre service at best. Didn't care much for the hostess' attitude. Saw other reviews mentioning her arrogance coz i almost thought she was racist. Don't know what her issue in life is. Maybe she is too pretty but now old so gotta earn a living; btw more than half the seating area was available so it wasn't like the place was busy, she still sat us by the bar. Ambience: great, hip and fun ambience till you notice whatever they have hung around the bar. It's just plain ugly and disgusting, not something I want to look at while eating. Outside seating is pretty romantic though, I think the booths are cute too. Food: We tried to order porchetta but they were out of it. Tried to order some bread, which btw is on request only. After waiting for about 10 minutes and not receiving anything, tried to locate the server who just kept disappearing on us to find out they were out of bread too. First time heard of a restaurant running of of bread !!! And it would have been great if he had bothered to inform us in a timely manner. We could have saved ourselves an order of olives which cost $6 for a bunch of JUST olives. I ordered the asparagus cous cous and my partner got the salmon. The cous cous was outright a mess of bunch of different textures and completely bland. Whoever came up with the dish must have had good intentions but probably forgot to taste the dish. The soft egg with thick pieces of mushrooms, lemony shavings left a bad feeling in the mouth making me feel nauseated. The salmon came with a creamy pea sauce. While either of them tasted great on their own, we felt like they didn't pair well together. Best part was definitely the butterscotch pudding that comes in a mason jar but it is a bit too sweet. And the caramel is overwhelming but I don't have a sweet tooth, the dessert lovers should definitely give it a try. Overall a blah experience with food and service. I have had so much better in this price range. This place leaves you wanting so much more for what you would shell out. Lot of other great options around the neighborhood, won't recommend this one.
(2)
Matt V.
I am in love with this place. Between the atmosphere, location and food...I couldn't ask for anything more. I ordered the breakfast nachos and the smoked salmon benedict (yeah, I split it...so quit judging). Both were delectable!
(5)
Holy-foo' X.
I've been going to the gym across the street from ISK since Gold's moved into that old warehouse in the very early 90s and the "Pearl" was still an old, ugly, dilapidated burnt out section of town. The name and ownership of the gym has changed several times since then but continues to chug on, as the neighborhood around it has so radically blossomed and transformed. Even so, I was surprised to learn that ISK has been there in its current incarnation for only 3 years. It seems like so much longer than that, in a good way...For all that, I never managed to be there doing "normal business hours" until late last year and was delighted to find that it was worth the wait to finally get to come and check it out. The menu is so big and ever-changing and so completely alien to my simple mind (chicory greens? Shaved grana? Grase? Sunchoked Puree? No idea what any of it was), so cutting a wide swath through the selections, making judicious use of the sampler platters where they appear, expanded my culinary sensibilities a little as well as my lexicon. The terminology is a little silly and pretentious IMHO, but I do realize that for a good many folks, dressing up nice and even knowing about these dishes and words, as well as how to order them and eat them correctly, is half the fun. The food was very good and the price tag offered at the end was steep but not surprising and our server was gracious, well-informed and just a real peach. I'd love to check out ISK's brunch, but maybe not until the brunch fad has died down a bit, and the folks who love to play dress-up-like-the-grown-ups and order fancy food will have moved on to the next Big Thing....
(4)
Leslie W.
I lived in New Orleans for a couple of years and I hesitate to eat anything that claims affinity with the cooking of NOLA, but I have to say that the Dungeness Crab stuffed with dirty rice was one of the tastiest dishes I've eaten--here, or there. I am a super fan of Irving St. Kitchen. It is one of my top places to eat on the Westside. We've been several times and each time has been awesome. Our waiter, Don, was a wonderful server who knew about food and wine and more important, the food and wine at Irving St. He was great and helped make the evening very special. The gravlax was amazing. I have never understood gravlax, until tonight. Now, I'm totally there, one with the gravlax. I frequently complain about Sunday meals: how you're likely to get wilted lettuce and old fish, but every item was as fresh as could be, perfectly prepared, beautifully plated, and exquisite. The portions seemed very adequate to me. So much so, that I could not, unfortunately, try the butterscotch pudding. Sounded delicious but there's a limit and my limit was stuffed with dungeness crab and rice. This was a fantastic meal. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Shannon H.
I was absolutely impressed with this spot! I was lucky enough to attend their Fat Tuesday event, and I could not be more pleased with the experience! First, the space is incredibly well presented. Open and spacious, without feeling empty or lacking. Tastefully decorated, interesting decor without being too trendy or "Pearl District," which is a huge turn-off for me. I felt comfortable in there, it was very warm and inviting, and I loved the curtained tables. Now onto the best part, the food! Oh the glorious, delicious food. Because it was a special event we didn't have a menu to order from, but got to try many more items than we normally would have. Have to admit, my favorite was the oyster bar, with beautiful freshly shucked oysters as far as the eye could see. The oysters were so fresh and delicious I could have happily stuck to eating them all night long. But I managed to tear myself away (after another quick plateful) long enough to sample an open face pulled pork something-or-other on a light biscuit of sorts (yummy!), mac & cheese (very well seasoned and quite delicious, even to this non-mac&cheese person), jumbalaya (good, but not my favorite dish offered), some kind of peppers (a little too bitter and "earthy" for my liking), chicken wings (oh yeah! bring me more!), and the focal point of the meal...the roast pig. They had been roasting it all day and were serving up slices of tender, juicy pork. So juicy and delicious, in fact, that I wondered how I was going to convince them to give me a doggie bag to take home. Overall, excellent restaurant. So glad I had the chance to try it out on such a special night! The entertainment was great, the event's emcee, Don, did a fabulous job, and the staff were incredibly wonderful and engaging. I can't wait to come back and try their normal menu!
(5)
Uikwon L.
Trendy interior, pleasant server. Their tap wine system was very impressive! Definitely going back again.
(5)
Tom H.
Had an unbelievable dinner there on Monday night during a business trip. We tried the Fried Chicken as a shared appetizer which was phenomenal as was the salmon main course. The desserts and cocktails were also great.
(5)
Mike H.
I went there several months ago , had the fried chicken ... Not good ... Went again last night with a friend , against all instinct I not only ordered the chicken again but also recommended the same to my friend ... Again I was pretty bad , all done never again .... Wine is also very overpriced
(1)
In B.
We went here with a large group and pretty much ordered everything from their happy hour menu. Everything was very good. The atmosphere is very classy yet cozy. I also tried their Draper Valley fried chicken with smashed potatoes. The chicken was very juicy and tender and their smashed potatoes were full of flavor.
(4)
Rachel J.
I like this place a lot, but as a picky vegetarian, it's not great for me. Their non-meat options seem pretty token. I know that I'm not their target customer, and that they're really gunning for the foodie, flesh-loving crowd, but putting pig parts all over everything (even pancakes!) just seems like a shortcut. I went here for brunch for the first time today, and I was disappointed that they don't have any egg substitutes. Most other places in town will happily sub in tofu for eggs, and as someone who dislikes eggs, I've gotten used to having this option at brunch. I asked, and they don't have any tofu. It may compromise your chef's artistic vision or whatever, but just keep a big tub of tofu in the fridge for people like me, and I'll love you forever. You can even charge an extra $1 for it, if you must.
(3)
Harlan E.
The vibe and the service account for a lot in the experience at ISK. That said the food is consitantly great. I'd reccomend to a friend any day.
(4)
Asher J.
Wonderful ambience, incredible service and one of the most incredible deserts ever. That's why I give this place 4 stars instead of 3. Eaten here 4-5 times now and, unfortunately, I've never been blown away by the meals. (The butterscotch pudding deserves 5 stars on its own though.) Had the halibut last night and I wasn't impressed. It wasn't bad - just didn't wow me.
(4)
Linda T.
nice bar area for happy hour! staff members are trendy and nice. take a seat at the cool looking bar or on the couches. order some beer and apps to sit back and relax. happy hour drinks limits to 2 different wines, one beer, and one cocktail. truffle fries on the happy hour menu was crispy and delicious! definitely a get! salted caramel pudding with peanut brittle was amazing ($8.50). caramel was dark and rich, peanut brittle had the perfect crunch...wish there was a little cookie layer at the bottom for added texture and contrast to the smooth pudding. comes in a cool jar, which i love!!!
(4)
H O.
+: Food is good but not great. -: Looks like any other Portland spot, nothing unique. !: The cornbread was presented to look like a cake and it sort of tasted like one too! ?: Maybe the food is better if you order a whole entree versus three side dishes w
(3)
Jason G.
The venue is nice, the location is great, but Irving St. Kitchen just doesn't deliver in my opinion. I ordered Mary's Organic Fried Chicken and Waffles, and I assumed, as fried chicken and waffles is comfort food, that it would be a suitable serving - that and the waiter told me it was a "good amount" of food. Well it wasn't, unfortunately. The dish was very small, overpriced, taste good, but clearly fell short of what an entree should be. I wouldn't recommend it. Again, Irving St. Kitchen is a nice venue, just not my cup of tea. If you're looking for value and a good amount of food, this place might not be for you.
(2)
John L.
I love the ambiance and the atmosphere. It's quite the contrast from most Portland area restaurants that are very cozy but somewhat cramped. This place feels very roomy and wide open. It can also accommodate larger groups and takes reservations which is a big bonus when you tend to travel in big packs of several families. The food was overall pretty good. They made a mac 'n cheese for my kids that was not on the menu. It was really good 4 stars. A few in our group thought the food was a bit on the salty side but I like my food that way. I haven't had any good cooked salmon in the past several years. I just seem to like it better raw, but the salmon here was actually really good. 4.5 stars. It is a bit overpriced.... but might be back if in the area.
(4)
Derek J.
I love their chicken and waffles. I have been a lot and have ordered 3 meals on then brunch menu. I have to say, they know chicken and waffles. cocktails are always spot on and have great customer service! Always feel welcomed and have a great experience every time im there.
(4)
Heather H.
We had date night here last night and really enjoyed ourselves! The service, ambiance, cocktails, food and crowd this place draws is top notch! We have three children all under the age of 9 and needed a fun evening out without the kiddos and Irving Street Kitchen definitely delivered. We would recommend this place and will be back for sure!
(5)
Shayla S.
I love this place and I will definitely revisit when I return to Portland. My boyfriend took me here for my 30th birthday and I had a great dining experience. A number of factors contributed to my dinner. 1. Customer Service: The waiter was very polite and gave his suggestions and honest opinion when requested. I originally ordered the white corn ravioli and he informed me that they no longer had the dish. I felt bumbed because I didn't think of anything else. He then apologized and suggested the fried chicken, which was amazing. It was well seasoned and the mashed potatoes were good as well. The great thing was that the waiter still brought a sample of a new dish similar to the ravioli that the Chef sent for me. His gesture was totally appreciated!! 2. Ambience: I love the decor with all the books on the shelfs. The restaurant has a romantic feel to it but you could also go with some girl friends to have a drink and a bite to eat. 3. Attentiveness: Although we had a waiter that was very attentive, the other waiter was present and willing to assist us. What I had to eat: Fois gras club was very tasty! The Halibut was amazing! Fried chicken was exploding with flavor!
(4)
Lana S.
My absolute favorite brunch place. There's never a line - well, that could change, but well worth it. I adore the atmosphere and art. The menu is great too. Food is great, beverages are better. Eat, drink, and be merry.
(4)
Tamsen G.
Irving Street Kitchen. It's not like that other...whatever the other restaurant was that preceded it. It's actually memorable. Net: Ambiance? Check. Food? Check so hard you dent the table. Service? See food. Check? A bit spendy but worth every penny. In detail: I needed New Year's Eve dinner reservations for myself and one of my favorite people who was visiting for the weekend. Like, on the 30th. So I hit OpenTable (love) and found a table for two at 5:45. This is one of the few trendy restaurants I haven't checked out in town, so I took it. Don't hate me for reviewing it after my first visit - it was that good. Ambiance: Already at 5:45, the restaurant was bustling but not overwhelmed with activity. We were seated quickly at a lovely table window-side. This space used to be tres-urban. In other words, trying to out-Pearl the Pearl District. It did, definitely. Out-Pearled itself right out of business. But Irving Street Kitchen has really turned it into a warm and welcoming (without being cloying or overdone) urban space. Food: OMG. A meat lover's paradise. We ordered cocktails and the charcuterie plate with a side of olives. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, OMG. The pate was DIVINE. It comes in a tiny ramekin, which is good because if it was any larger I would have used it for a full body rub. It was SOOO GOOOD. The crostini it was delivered with was excellent, as were the olives. oh so good. Oh. I am going back for happy hour today. I am salivating already. That is really sad, and really wonderful all at the same time. After the charcuterie, we each had the porchetta. Oh oh oh. Oh dear god. That has to be the perfect preparation for pork. It is phenomenal. The two of us smallish ladies polished our plates. It was full on indulgence. Service: Walking into a busy restaurant, you don't want to be greeted by a rushed staff or any sense of the restaurant being overwhelmed. This was not a problem at all at Irving St. Kitchen. Everyone was friendly and genuine and efficient. Even the busboys were charming and helpful beyond their scope. We thoroughly enjoyed dinner at the Irving Street Kitchen. I absolutely will come here for dinner again, especially with guests from out of town.
(5)
Melanie L.
The ambience, decor and food were definitely above average. My husband and I came on date night and it was a great choice. The reason for 3-stars is we sat down and our waiter said: "Everything offered tonight is listed on our menu". Period. 10 minutes later, we overheard him telling the table next to us "We have everything on our menu, and our appetizer special is a salmon tartare - it's delicious and there are only a few orders left"... Did we not look like tartare people? I just didn't understand the differing treatment. So while we truly enjoyed our black cod and short ribs, we really would have enjoyed a nice little salmon tartare as well!
(3)
Angela C.
Good place to eat in an artsy part of town. Food and drinks were delicious. We could see the chefs from where we were sitting. The place had good energy. Our waiter was top notch, very attentive. There was 80's music playing in the background.
(4)
Sarah L.
Anyone remember when this space was Bay 13? That was good. Irving St. Kitchen, is even better! I loooooove the interior. It's like rustic and fancy came together and got married. The food was fantastic and the bartender makes one hell of a dirty martini. Friends have been raving about the brunch, so I'll have to give it a go one of these days soon.
(4)
Chris S.
I would say 4.5 stars, but that isn't an option. Been here twice and both times I've really enjoyed my meal. The bloody mary from the bar was fantastic; although, the olives had pits. This was not something I was expecting and was quite surprised when I bit into my first olive. The interior is one of my favorites, if not my favorite, in town. Service is great. Prices are reasonable for the quality you get.
(4)
Kendra M.
We went for New Year's Eve dinner. We enjoyed absolutely wonderful service by everyone from host, to bar, to our amazing server and everyone in between. The food was to DIE for... every single thing we ordered. The cocktails were perfect. The ambiance is beautiful (if you had been to Bay 13, the decor was totally sterile). Lots of great details and interesting pieces throughout. And considering everything, the prices are quite reasonable. We couldn't be happier. We went for a special occasion, but now we plan to be regulars.
(5)
Susanna L.
Though Irving St Kitchen is beautifully designed and the staff friendly and attentive, we really didn't feel that we got our money's worth for dinner here. It's not that anything was really *bad* - the drinks were good, the food attractively presented - but nothing had the kind of flavor that makes your eyes roll up in your head and at the end of the meal we were left feeling rather flat about the whole thing. $101 for three drinks, an appetizer and 2 entrees? My partner had a fish dish (teeny fish and he said everything was the same sweet flavor with no contrasts at all). I had the pork, which was a nice sized dish but the meat was very rare. I realize that most chefs prefer to present meat that way - but I'm sure I read somewhere that it's dangerous to undercook pork? In any case, I found my dish very nearly inedible. All in all, I might go back for a drink next to the tiny fireplace but given the range of choices in Portland for really great meals, I think this one is a miss overall.
(2)
Alyssa C.
I've been here now for both dinner and brunch and I was VERY pleased with the experience both times! The first dinner was a work function and the corn chowder starter was absolutely PHENOMENAL (unfortunately doesn't look like it's on the menu currently). We also shared some charcuterie which was tasty - I don't know about you but I'm always a little disappointed with charcuterie in general. But the wine was great and the halibut main course I got was absolutely delicious. The menu here always makes my mouth water. The only downside is that you can spend a LOT of money here so not the kind of place to go when you're on a budget! For brunch, I got the lobster scramble and it was delicious. Big chunks of tasty lobster - YUM! Only downside here was it was put on top of two pieces of toast which very quickly got soggy...so, that wasn't perfect and the coffee they served was so strong I couldn't even drink it (which is saying something because I like my coffee really strong normally). But, the dish was still delicious and the service excellent and this is truly a delicious place. Not perfect, but I'll definitely be back! Did I mention there was no wait for brunch at 10AM on a Sunday, and they take brunch reservations? That is definitely a plus for Portland!
(4)
Lewis M.
I took a dear friend visiting from Chicago out to dinner last Monday and tried Irving St Kitchen, a recommendation from a co-worker. I wanted a great restaurant that had atmosphere, quite space (for overdue catching up), good martinis, and great food. I was not disappointed. I had the lamb porterhouse (great!) and my friend had the halibut (INCREDIBLE!!). I totally recommend this place. And I'll be back. I tend to seek the neighborhood places and have been to other "destination" restaurants in downtown. For downtown, this is one of the best.
(4)
Michael P.
Our brunch was good. The portions are a little small but everything was tasty. The drinks are good too - I recommend the Penicillin, especially after a night of drinking.
(4)
Al S.
The overall quality of the food was very good. The rating would be much higher if it were not for the horrible service. The service was awkward and missing in action for most of the evening. Our server brought water and said she would return to take our drink order. What she failed to say is that we would not see her again for quite some time. When she returned we placed our drink and appetizer order. I knew I should have taken the opportunity to place our dinner orders. She did not return to take our dinner order until we were just about done with appetizers. We finished our dinner without her returning to check on us which meant empty drink glasses for most of meal. To add insult to injury our server never brought us our leftovers. It was a good thing my wife waited until we were driving home to remind me that the server forget to bring our leftovers. Overall the service or lack there of made for an awful dining experience despite the excellent quality of the meal.
(2)
Sam K.
Wow what a treat! Great find... First off the design/ambience is nothing short of spectacular... It is so visually stimulating that it makes the food less important, but then you get the food and it gets even better. I had the Hangar steak, highly recommend it, forget exactly what was in the Twinkie looking like side that accompanied it, but it was delicious. Also, had some cheesecake after for dessert and it was fantastic. Only downside is that it is too expensive to eat there on the regs for me, but what a great spot!
(5)
Jeff P.
Above average. Little spendy for what you get.
(3)
Shannon M.
I think that the fact that I lived in New Orleans for four years qualifies me to speak on southern cooking and I tell you now this place is the real deal. The waitress was amazing. Her service was flawless and she knew her wine. You start your wonderful night with bread from Ken's artisan, then I had the fried chicken. Omg, amazing. They served me my collard greens like I was in the south. It had the nice ham hock essence, tasso and vinegar with a little spice. Thank you for not being an amateur. My husband had the steak that had a nice chimchurri inspired sauce and fried polenta sticks - amazing. I had mashed potatoes and gravy that were to die for. We ordered a merlot that was complex, had a long finish and a nice nose of black berry, leather, american oak and tobacco. Complex and amazing. The entire experience was amazing. I completely recommend it. I love this restaurant!!!!
(5)
emily r.
Amazing food. Amazing service. Beautiful decor. The best dessert I have ever had in my life! We were walking by looking for a place to eat for mothers day (our original choice was completely full and we were not able to get a table for another hour) so we went in. The restaurant was busy, but we were seated within just a few minutes of arriving. We were seated in an enclosed booth that was very comfortable and quieted the hubbub of the restaurant. The raw wood and artwork on parchment was gorgeous. I also noticed they had filament lightbulbs lighting up the restaurant in the light fixtures (I am a big nerd! I notice lightbulbs?!?) which I thought were just beautiful. Our waiter (Patrick, maybe?) was incredibly informative about every dish. He had personal recommendations and knew about all the others as well. As the food was handed to us another waitress repeated what we had to the exact detail, which was a really nice touch. 2 of us had the fried chicken with Yukon potatoes, collard greens, and country gravy. My mother-in-law had the bistro steak, and my husband had the 24 hour smoked ribs. None of us said a word for the first minute or so, as we just savored the flavors. Absolutely amazing. Apparently, the fried chicken was injected (injected!) with clarified butter, which made it more tender and juicy and delicious. yum. YUM! Another fun thing about this place is they have wine on tap. They had a selection of 8 or so. I am not a big fancy wine drinker (i like the boxed stuff!) so I can't be much of a judge, but I was content with the Riesling I ordered :) My husband ordered a bourbon drink that he said was the best he had ever had. I had a taste (even though I don't care for bourbon) and it was very, very, very good tasting, so it must be great, right? We finished with sharing a butterscotch pudding and banana brulee with creme fraiche and walnut pralines. It was the best dessert I have ever eaten. Ever. I will dream about this forever. I hope that the next time I go to this restaurant that they will still have this pudding and that it lives up to the first bite I had. Holy crap!!! Don't leave without getting it. Also, its served in a little jar. yay for little jars! Oh, did I mention it was only their 2nd real night open, following a week of a soft opening? They really had it together. It was an incredible experience. I will be back and would be happy to recommend it to anyone looking for the best meal ever.
(5)
Wendy S.
Stopped by here on my way back from a quick coffee at Barista as they have a BBQ Grill sitting grilling up some lunch. Menu was quite enticing. Grabbed a pastrami sausage with mustard and saurkraut. Served on a yummy crispy but soft sourdough roll. Would give that a 5. Definitely want to go back and try some of the real food.
(4)
Jon F.
Great place for dinner with friends. The service was quick and helpful, and the food was quite good. I would have given it 5 stars but some small things could have been better. The watermelon salad was nice, but more dressing could have been used on the watermelon as it lacked flavor. The squid ink risotto was very delicious as it melted in your mouth, but I had expected larger pieces of chorizo and didn't really see any. I can say that the butterscotch pudding with brittle for dessert is heavenly. All in all, it's well worth the price, and I would totally be back next time I'm visiting.
(4)
George D.
good food, and interesting variety. service is fair, and prices are on the high side.
(4)
Zuzana K.
PLUS: Came here for the New Year's Pajama Brunch. That was fun. Just for that idea, this restaurant deserves 5 stars. For being troopers and coming in with our pajamas on, we earned complimentary donuts and bloody mary. :) MINUS: The service was too slow and there was no acknowledgment about that...so they lose a star. NEUTRAL: Selection, taste and presentation of the food was great but that is expected in this type of establishment. Did not shock me in good or in bad way.
Have been to Irving St. Kitchen twice for dinner and once for brunch. Had the lobster scramble for brunch, which was good (eggs were firm, good portions of lobster- very tasty). No wait, which may actually be the best part, given the quality of the food. For dinner I had the bacon-wrapped oysters, which were delicious. we also ordered a side of cornbread, which I just found a bit too heavy for my like (although I suppose it is cornbread). For my main, i ended up ordering the pork chop, which was uber-heavy, but cooked quite well (tender, juicy). Loved the fresh artichokes that came with it. The restaurant itself is very cool- lot's of wood around- with some booths. Also a small patio.
(4)
Ran B.
The bacon wrapped oysters ere awful. I returned them after a tiny bite. Replacement took a very long time to arrive. The short ribs were almost burned through - and yet didn't have proper flavor. Last straw was presentation of the check - throwing a bit of paper on the table. Ugh. Even much humbler places do better. Won't come her again.
(2)
Stephanie K.
Everything about this place is five stars. The food, the desserts, the beer & wine choices, the drinks, the service, the decor--everything is fantastic. The pickings are slim for vegetarians and vegans, but my vegan friend was able to get a dish modified to suit her needs (it is Portland, after all). I am an animal lover, too--I loved my delicious fried chicken more than I can tell you! And the sticky toffee pudding? I would eat vats of it if I could! Unfortunately, I was dining with a group, so I had to share. ;)
(5)
P H.
Great place for brunch. Great cocktails and food. Classy. Very nice atmosphere.
(5)
Dee W.
No thanks. Rude, indifferent service, unimpressive food.The salmon omelet was overpriced ($14) and runny at the center. The server did not offer toast/baguette etc. although I was more than willing to pay- but after dumping food on our table, no one ever returned. I finished my cappuccino and would have gladly ordered another - but again, no one checked on our table. Finally, I (female)left out my credit card to pay right next to my place setting and the server happily returned it to -my partner (male), geez, welcome to the age of equality. Overall, nice location and we may be back to try the bar, but such awful service and such mediocre food will not entice us back for a meal. Try somewhere else!
Went to happy hour with a friend of mine, and I must say, the meatballs are HEAVENLY. I'm taking away one star just for the fact that there was only three and there was some fighting going on between the two of us for that last one. The poutine, as suggested by our waiter was incredible as well. The drinks however, were super limited during happy hour and whatever I have, it was just way tooooo strong I don't even remember the name of it. But I'll be back for the meatballs, that's for sure.
(4)
Darren A.
Tried this place out last week with two friends. I had heard some good things. One thing I had heard was "get the fried chicken!". Ironically, I didn't, but my buddy did, and he loved it. It looked very good. I got the bistro steak, which was descibred as a filet. A filet for $21.00 seemed like a steal, so I ordered that instead of the chicken. The filet was tough. Drag. Also tried the charcuterie plate. This was OK. KInda skimpy. Also got the Bibb lettuce salad. Also OK. Very generous portion, but almost tasteless. The highlight of the meal was the butterscotch pudding we shared for dessert. This totally rocked! I would return to get the chicken I should have ordered, and a repeat on the pudding. I was less impressed with the decor than some others on here. It looked like a patch job on the former restaurant. Admittedly better, but the place still feels kind of like an airplane hanger. Service was good with one exception. The brought out my steak while I was still eating my salad. Not cool, but forgivable.
(3)
J S.
Our meal/dining experience was absolutely one of the best that we have ever had! For entrees I'd recommend both the fried chicken and the sole. They were both extremely delicious!
(5)
S B.
In the ten minutes before my impending demise, all I want in the world is a jar of ISK's butterscotch pudding, a spoon, and a moment alone. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you? Amazing halibut entree. Solid poached egg/lemon sauce over asparagus concoction as a starter. But life is uncertain, so maybe eat dessert first...
(5)
L A.
I love water. Like I love it when people serve me in cool (aka sick, bomb, dank, shizz, bombdiggity, etc) water cups. I just get really excited and bouncy. Suddenly everything about the place is dank. As soon as you walk in, wow. The place is dank! A whole new world (ten points if you tell me what song I quoted)! Everyone and everything is so fancy and glamorous-including the wait staff- I always feel out of place. Still that doesn't stop me from wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja T-Shirt and getting really excited about the water jugs. The wait staff is super friendly. I mean they're so smiley and they look so professional it's hard not to be entertained. This one lady we had was bombdiggity. Very polite, very attentive, basically awesome. The shizz thing about the staff though, is that every time I go they're always nice. And that's a quality I really admire. Now since I am under the age of 21, by law I am not supposed to drink alcoholic beverages in public domains. Doesn't mean I won't try and order a slippery nipple to gage the server's reaction. Still I think it's really sick that they offer a non- alcoholic substitute to us intelligible drinkers. No not the typical coke or pepsi products. They've got a nice selection of mixed drinks minus the usual main ingredient and to me that's dank. I've been there about three times. So obviously I like the food. And it's true I do, their brunch is bomb. But my main reason for continuing to back is I am on a quest to find delicious fried chicken and waffles! Since there is no Rasco's in portland I am gonna have to find the next best thing. UNFORTUNATELY every time I go they're out or not serving them! Curse these elusive waffles, I'll someday taste them, and when I do...well we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
(4)
Heather H.
Update: Returned 6.4.12 with a large party of 11. Service was stellar. Our server had just the right amount of moxie to deal with our rambunctious bunch and the chef prepared an off-menu vegan dish for my sweetie that was amazing. Remains one of my favoriate joints in PDX. Update: Returned 1.1.12 and it's still as tasty as ever. Still lacks vegan fare, not a lot of gluten-free options. Irving Street Kitchen is my new favorite restaurant in PDX. The drinks are divine, certainly some of the best cocktails I've had in the city. I had a charcuterie and the halibut my first venture. Each and every bite was perfect. The halibut was tender, not overcooked and the grits and succotash that accompanied the meal were the perfect compliment. My second venture was for happy hour. The meatballs were incredible, although the mashed potatoes were served too cool for my liking, and that detracted from the experience somewhat. The edamame spread was only so-so, I wouldn't order it again. The service here can be a little too attentive, bordering on hovering. I personally don't need my water glass filled every time I take a drink and I don't like it when wait staff remove my plate as soon as I've put my fork down -- I like to linger over my food, even if my plate sits empty -- otherwise I feel rushed by the staff. My ONLY real complaint, is the lack of vegan fare. In a city like PDX, I think every establishment worth it's weight should carry at least 2 viable vegan options. My partner is vegan and it's a total bummer to miss out on going to great restaurants like this when we dine together. I'll have to skip ISK more than I'd like too because they don't offer anything substantial my partner can eat. I get that places like Beast are going to lack vegetarian and vegan items as their concept is much more narrow. However, there is no reason ISK cannot serve up some inspired vegan cuisine. I hope they do because then I can eat there more often, and that's a really exciting proposition.
(5)
Amy Z.
I enjoyed brunch here with my family. The staff was courteous, food was amazing, and the atmosphere was fresh.
(5)
Charlie K.
One of the friends I was with during tonight's visit (10.22) suggested the fried chicken. Very good. What completed the dish were the mashed potatoes. I'm not sure if they are using liquid smoke or not but the velvety texture and rich smokey flavor took me for a sweet sweet ride. Drink a curmudgeon. Can't wait until my next visit .. Service was stellar this time.
(4)
Jennifer A.
Portland restaurants have a motto, from the farm to the table and this place is no exception. Hot Menu and Even Hotter Drinks! I am a FAN. I love a place where you can get a great meal and fresh drinks (no mixes & unique). Would have given 5 stars except for the dessert menu. Decor - 4 stars, Wait staff - stars, Food - 5 stars, Drinks - 5 stars, Desserts - 3 stars (I would like more variety) But the butterscotch pudding, which I would not be prone to order MELTS in your mouth. Our table had the cheese plate and the charcuterie for starters. 1st course - Dungeness crab bisque (seasoned to perfection) 2nd course - seared scallops (I always order a tad bit past seared, I don't like the gel feel) with pork belly, greens and black eye peas. 3rd - shared a friend's caramel pudding (like I said, melts in your mouth!) Drinks for the evening, (not to sound like a boozer) I started with one of their Irving Street Originals, WALK IN THE WOODS- gin, stone pine liqueur and sage peppercorn syrup (what is that? Heaven in a cup) An Oregon Pinot Noir with din din And for my dessert, a hot totty (I had the sniffles) Cool spot with Excellent food, hip & trendy, salvaged decor with some bling. If ever I am back in Portland, this will be my first stop. Must eat.
(4)
Britt C.
This place gets a solid 4 starts for food, ambiance, and service. I would definitely go back. The garlic soup, either despite or because of the fact that it is 90% heavy cream, is delicious. The Johnston County ham and biscuits are also great. I was skeptical of the accompanying pepper jelly, but somehow it worked. For mains, the scallops on Napa cabbage were great (a bit salty, though), as was the cod. What you really want, however, is the Old Rasputin glazed Porchetta. What could be better than a fatty, boneless pork cut smother in one of the world's finest beers and cooked for hours upon hours? This dish was outstanding. If you have room, you must try the butterscotch pudding. I'm not a big fan of either butterscotch or pudding, but still found this to be one of the most satisfying deserts I've had in a very long time.
(4)
Edward J.
Beautiful decor and lovely space. This is one of those restaurants I miss when I lived in a bigger city like NYC or Toronto. The service was excellent, the hostess and waiters were all very attentive and friendly. I've been here a couple of times and each experience is just as wonderful as the next. Excellent wine selections: I got a on tap pinot noir, very tasty, from Brooks vineyard in the Willamette Valley. My boyfriend got the rose on tap and it was perfectly chilled and crisp. $10 each glass, quite pricy. The appetizers were very good. Get the edamame puree, a fantastic dipping sauce. The entrees I recommend the fried chicken, hearty and perfect for someone who has to run 16miles in the forest park next morning. If you are looking for a lighter meal I suggest any of the salad or the risotto. Creamy and not too heavy. I have yet to try the dessert. Here's one problem from my last visit. We've been eating and hanging out at our table for about 2 hours. There are 5 of us. At the end of the meal the waiter comes up to check on us. My friend asked for the bill and if we can split it into 3, as in 2 cards and rest of it on cash. The waiter returns with the bill not split, its fine, we can do math. But on the bill we found two pints of beer that we never ordered. My friend asked the waiter to take them off but he was convinced that we did order the beer. He was sure that the bartender indicated that we had ordered the beer before we sat down. My friend started to get upset and demand him to double check. He stared at us blankly for a while then walked away. Came back with the bill without the beer that we did not order. Did not apologize for the mistake to the end. My friend was upset enough that she said she will never return to the restaurant. As for me, I like the wine so I might come back but probably will avoid that waiter from now on.
(4)
Kathryn H.
We finally went to Irving Street Kitchen, and we were not disappointed! We started with a Sunday brunch, and had some divine entrees! We have been there 3 more times in less than a month and every time we were pleasantly surprised at the quality, innovation, service and staff! It's now on our favorite list!
(5)
Tara S.
I've been twice, once for breakfast, which was nothing to write home about, and also for dinner. The restaraunt is beautiful, and the servers that I've encountered have been quite knowledgeable and friendly, but the menu and food is nothing that anyone else in town can't do as well, but cheaper. If you're in love with their butterscotch dessert and that's why you are coming here, try Nostrana's sea salt butterscotch dessert instead - and bonus points for Nostrana, if you go there after 9 pm, you will be getting a bargain basement priced happy hour menu, and it has similar decor and atmosphere. Thanks ISK, I had a nice meal, but not $60 per person nice.
(3)
Sigmund M.
if your going to get free plates sent from the kitchen, make sure the food isnt gross (slimy raw cucumbers) the cod was slightly over, and the garnishes were bland, meyer lemon- where? five stars for the cocktail
(3)
Etta H.
Been here a lot as we live close by. Food is excellent. Had the jambalaya, soft shell clams, meatballs and the most delicious dessert I have had all year, the butterscotch/chocolate in a mason jar. OMG! I would give them a five star except for the cost of the wine! A bit expensive unless it is happy hour!
(4)
Robert B.
Took out of town guests to Irving St. Kitchen last night and ordered the Crab stuffed with shrimp and dirty rice because it was recommended by the waiter and had been mentioned favorably in a review. Hate,hate hated it. Seasoning was over the top and the dish was inedible for me. Our guest's was much smaller than mine but she didn't finish either. My wife, who eats light ordered soup and salad. The soup came in an extremely large bowl but there was very little of it. (appeared to be 1/2 inch deep in the bottom of the big bowl.) Butterscotch pudding was great but was the only thing that got a comment from our guests. Pricey and disappointing .
(2)
Amanda E.
This restaurant has one of the best bar scenes in the Pearl. There is limited outdoor seating, which can be used even in the winter because it is undercover and enclosed in plastic. The food and drinks are good. The restaurant also has an excellent private event space.
(4)
Phoebe M.
This place ROCKS!!! Everything is incredible!!! The ambience is great, lots of seating and mood lighting, food is exceptional - we tried almost everything on the menu (right when they opened). I would recommend everything - super yummy (except for the BBQ shrimp and jambalaya). It is definitely the place to go - make reservations though. It's such a great place to eat at, it will fill up quickly. :)
(5)
J K.
Perfect experience! A 3 year old and 6 year and my wife. Delicious, great service. Best lemonade ever! They made our kids grilled cheese even though it wasn't on the menu-- and it was delicious grilled cheese.
(5)
Joe M.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night and we were seated within 5 minutes with no reservation. Food was absolutely outstanding along with a great wine list (Oregon Pinots starting around mid-40s with great bottles in the high 60s). Not the pretentious or stuck up feeling one may get at other Pearl District restaurants - just go eat here.
(5)
Daniel W.
Great atmosphere and good food. Only had drinks and appetizers but will come back again and enjoy their dinner menu in the near future!
(5)
Suzanne M.
Went for happy hour this afternoon and were really happy. Lovely atmosphere. Excellent service and extremely yummy food. My husband and i ordered the meatballs, pontines (french fries smothered in gravy, cheese and meats) and the jambalaya. I had their happy hour red, very good for the price, and husband had a beer. Are already planning to go for brunch and another happy hour soon.
(5)
Celine B.
The space is beautiful. The owner designed the lamps himself, I was told by the waitstaff. I came on my birthday on a Sunday morning, and even though they weren't serving dessert, they made an exception and brought out my FAVORITE dessert of all time- the butterscotch pudding. What great service!!! I have raved about this pudding to everyone I know and converted non-believers who thought they hated butterscotch. Order it. The Johnson Ham appetizer is delicious, as is the fried chicken. Low Country drink is also divine. I come very often. I really like this place.
(4)
Cody J.
After reading the mostly favorable reviews and consulting with some friends I made a reservation for 12 people for Friday night at Irving Street Kitchen. The occasion was an engagement celebration for girlfriend. We are all professionals in our mid 30's. Decor was great, and our waitress was sweet. The vibe was pretty subdued and the service was quite slow I think due more to the kitchen than due to our waitress. Drinks were mediocre and the food was less than mediocre. We ordered almost the entire menu among the 12 of us. Fried oyster appetizer was bland. The veggie risotto was more flavorful but not spectacular. The garnish was under cooked and crunchy. Beet salad was middle of the road. The mustard vinaigrette was a unique touch. Watermelon salad was sub par. Chinook was one of the worst interpretations I've ever had. I asked the entire table what they thought of their meal and the consensus was it was mediocre. Looking at the reviews, I think this may be more of a brunch spot. It was an extremely disappointing representation of Portland's food scene for my out of town guests. Our bill was around $600 for 12 people and I resent the fact that I spent as much as I did on a very sub par dining experience. This might be a good place for brunch or happy hour, but I will not be back to find out.
(2)
J W.
Good food, and friendly service. The scenery is nice, and there is a nice waiting area where they serve you drinks. The menu has some good dishes, but a bit pricy for what you're getting.
(4)
G.L. T.
Took a group of 12 here for breakfast last Sunday May 12th (Mother's Day) at 10am. The decor was warm & inviting. Acoustics were good, as in you didn't have to yell to carry on a conversation. Service at our table was great. As was the food & drink. For many it was their first time at Irving St. Kitchen, everybody enjoyed themselves and their meal. We would all go back for breakfast or to try lunch or dinner.
(4)
Sara O.
Going out on a limb here...this was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. We were visiting from Denver, CO and decided to yelp a restaurant for a fancy restaurant downtown Portland. The Yelp reviews on this place were wonderful making us want to check it out! We made our reservations and seriously LOVED everything...including the friends that we made at the table next to us. We wanted to try a bit of everything and Patrick, our server suggested offering the Foie Gras to start with the red wine we ordered, then the peanut butter biscuit/ham and I had the kale and radicchio salad and we shared the pork chop. It was ALL phenomenal! I usually have a hard time giving a 5 star review - but really, there was not one complaint. We would suggest this to locals, or visitors to town to experience a fantastic meal. The ambiance, the service, the wine list, and the food...OOOH the foooood! Thanks Irving St.! Can't wait to come back!
(5)
Sarah C.
We went for late brunch today, about 45 minutes before close. It was excellent. We were seated away from the rest of the patrons, which was nice, because it was quiet and intimate. Our server was friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. The coffee was better than I was expecting. My husband ordered the fried chicken, and he loved it (I had a bite, and can confirm that it was delicious, but really it was the gravy that made the meal). I got the salmon eggs benedict, which was surprisingly even better than I had imagined from the description (buttermilk biscuit, shaved garlic, arugula, salmon, perfectly poached eggs, and a dill hollandaise). It was a little pricey and fancy for what we typically do, so we'll probably be back, but not too often.
(5)
Jay K.
the menu here is always changing, non-mainstream and seasonal. I really like coming here on miserable pdx nights and getting the charcuterie plate and a nice red. the food here has a rustic slant to it, rabbit, marrow, octopus, all of the good stuff! I even pick a cocktail now and again. the waitstaff has a good grasp of the menus and wines
(4)
T D.
Good food, interesting ambience and the staff is friendly and attentive. A friend I was dining with has dietary restrictions due to a health problem and the waitress was very accomodating and helpful. She even checked with the kitchen to see what they could come up with that wasn't on the menu.
Went with a party of 14 on a Sunday night to celebrate a birthday. Considering how quiet it was in there the service was pretty poor. Drink service alone was pretty poor. Once we were able to track down our server to order drinks, it would take 15 minutes or longer for them to arrive on the table... and we were mostly drinking wine. Appetizers were awesome, especially the ham plate. Dinner could have been great. Ordered the teres major with garlic grits and bone marrow reduction. So did the dude across from me. It would have been amazing if it wasn't cold. Both of ours were. Although I did eat some of the fried chicken which was not only hot but AWESOME. Been before, love the joint, just was a bit of a strike this time.
(2)
Aaron H.
Probably my favorite dinner in Portland (Toro Bravo is giving it a run for its money). Easily my favorite wings anywhere (happy hour, woo!). Their desserts are great (the key lime pie will change your life if they're doing it). I still love their cornbread, and the ham and pepper jelly starter is phenomenal. The only thing I didn't fall in love with that I've had here is the house limoncellos (and that's probably because I had never tried limoncellos before and I guess I just don't like 'em). The fried chicken! THE FRIED CHICKEN!
(5)
Jane W.
Best chinook salmon meal ever plus a delightful watermelon tomato salad special and great wine. Who could ask for more? I'd go back in a minute!
(5)
Julie P.
Had a great experience here on a recent Friday night. Despite being totally packed, we had wonderful, quick service. And the food was delicious- get the fried chicken like everyone says you should because it is worth the hype! Also, the soft shell crab was to die for. The only disappointment was that they were out of the local vodka! Will have to go back (and we would, anyway).
(4)
Linnea M.
I have been here twice for brunch, and it was top notch. Both times we started with the donuts...freshly fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they come to the table hot and doughy. Perfect way to start the day! First time I had the moroccan eggs. Perfectly poached eggs, in a spiced tomato sauce served with chunky toast for dipping. The eggs were perfectly poached, the sauce spicy but well balanced. Second time I had the salmon gravlax eggs benedict. I didn't love this as much as the moroccan eggs, but it was well done. Perhaps just a little rich for me that morning? It was served on a biscuit. I love the atmosphere...high ceilings, big windows, casual yet polished. The service is engaging and friendly. I want to go back with my husband for dinner sometime! side note: I was also excited to learn that they are owned by the same owners as Town Hall in SF, one of our favorite restaurants when we lived there.
(5)
Sugardumplin Z.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place, the vibe is sooooooo cool, the people really make this place. This was the resto that made me fall in love with the Portland restaurant scene. They have kind of an odd menu though.... it's eclectic so be prepared to try something different. Definitely go for the experience or just to have a drink and people watch.
(4)
Debbie B.
Well-crafted food with great flavor balance. The butterscotch pudding is heavenly.
(5)
Rob W.
Good food, nice atmosphere, reasonable prices. Covers all the bases your trendy upscale restaurant without the pretention. We chose to get a variety of small plates, which was a great as they have so many different flavors to try. Cheese plate was exceptionally good, biscuits were almost as good as my moms (anyone who knows my mom's biscuits can vouch that is a serious compliment) and butterscotch pudding was a great finish. Like nearly every similar restaurant these days, they have a dish with pork belly and a desert with salted caramel, but Irving St. Kitchen follows the trends with integrity. All of our food was well prepared and delicious. As a side note, although the restaurant is clearly southern inspired, don't go expecting a chic version of down-home cooking. Although a one or two items on the menu look to be modern presentations of southern classics, the majority are in an entirely different direction.
(5)
Elizabeth E.
Irving Street serves up a chic southern comfort-food meal with style. The dinner menu is both inventive and unusual while remaining delicious and not fussy. What I love most however, is the decor. It feels both rustic - with wooden beams and vintage decor - and modern - with concrete floors, and simple clean lines. Mostly, it feels open without being cavernous. This is a great place to go with a group of friends for a classy southern meal. Definitely try one of their southern inspired cocktails or a glass of wine in a jelly jar. Also on the pro list is the service. Servers are consistently top quality (often not needing anything but their memories to take orders), and pacing the meal so it luxiously drawn out. The cons: brunch, from 10 am to 2 pm on the weekends, is unimpressive. There is a reason there is never a wait: the food is average but pricey. I also found the brunch menu lacking healthy options.
(4)
Jim K.
Love the decor of this place and the service is top notch. They know how to leave you alone when you are engrossed in conversation with your table mates. The food is good, but it feels to me like the chefs are really trying to be "different" and not just trying to make really tasty food. In many of the dishes I found that there was one ingredient listed that just kinda killed it for me. For example, I would have probably ordered the scallops, if it weren't for the addition of raisins to the dish (raisins! really!). The tombo that I had was quite good - cooked to medium, and a tender excellent cut of fish. Could probably have done without the "dusting" of spices though. Make it a glaze or something like that. The dust just doesn't immediately blend well with the food. Loved the biscuits and the lobster benedict first courses, but they were pretty darned spendy. Be prepared to drop some serious cash if you want a full meal here.
(3)
Molly H.
4.5 stars for happy hour, 2.5 stars for dinner. Happy hour is great: - prices are good ($6-9 for snacks, $6-8 for wine and cocktails) - snacks are tasty and filling (get the meatballs!!) - the deck is wonderful on sunny days and you can watch people walking around the Pearl District Dinner is eh. The food is really expensive for what you actually get. It really didn't blow me away - everything was fine, but generally just underwhelming and safe. Also, the bill for two of us (with drinks and dessert) was around $120 once tip was added in.
(3)
Gary H.
I came here with my girlfriend right around closing time on a Sunday. We were 3/4 of our way to being drunk by this point, needed some food and this place had some good reviews on Yelp. We sat at the bar and were assured by the bartender that he'll stick around to make sure we got some food. The bartender was very knowledgeable about their wine barrel selection (all locals). It seems the restaurant goes out of their way to ensure their employees are knowledgeable about the food/beverages they serve. We got the fried chicken as it was one of the recommended dishes. While waiting, the bartender was very nice and kept us pretty well entertained. The fried chicken itself was pretty damn good. Very crispy and had just the right amount of batter on it. My only negative critique about it was that there didn't seem to be enough seasoning to really make it "pop". The food (that we had) gives this place a 3 star review, but the service bumps them up to a solid 4 star in my opinion.
(4)
Cindy I.
We just went here for a special occasion. Really like the booths to have a romantic dinner where you can hear each other. It does seem to get noisy in the normal table area. Wonderful cocktail that was prosecco and peach puree - I'm sure seasonal. I thought the halibut dish was great. I think some said it was boring but if you like halibut which is not a strong fish you will really enjoy this dish. My husband had the fried chicken and I tasted it. We had a hard time deciding what we thought. It was crisp not greasy but it was lacking something. We think it was missing some spice like at least some pepper. It was strong buttermilk flavor but not really anything else. I will say we really like Pine State, Bernie's and Screen Door and how they spice their fried chicken. The butterscotch pudding was great like others have mentioned. It is enough to share too since it is a little rich. There are peanuts in the caramel corn but they are on the side. We would definitely go back again and really liked the server (made us feel special for our occasion) and the atmosphere - points for cool chandeliers too with interesting light bulbs.
(4)
Sunshine M.
I am not quite a regular at Irving Street but really should be. If you go in you are usually greeted by the manager Ryan. Very charming gentleman and strives for amazing service. We had family in from England and they were overwhelmed with the quality of food and outstanding service. This is a great place to take clients or for special family events....or just a great happy hour at the bar.
(5)
Lisa N.
Loved this place. Went with a group of 5 and for starters had the octopus, the meatballs were AMAZING, kale and gravlax. then the steak, salmon, duck cassoulet and everything was really delicious. The server was attentive and made great wine suggestions. I would love to go back next time I'm in Portland.
(5)
Andrew S.
This place is pretty nice. Has an old school cabin feel to it. Lots of wines to chose from. And drink specials. Happy Hour menu is decent. Price is very good for the quality of food you get. Everyone at our table was pleased. I would say very good classic American menu. Service was fairly sharp for how crowded it was. I don't recall what I had. It was either a rib dish or a fried chicken. But we all shared at the table. And I enjoyed it all.
(4)
Kristen M.
I don't know where to start about how I feel, but I'm just going to brain-dump my feelings that I've been holding back inside: I love your wine (especially on tap). I love your relaxed-rustic modern atmosphere. I love the way you spoil me rotten with great service! I love your mini-happy hour menu - my tummy thanks you shamelessly! I love that I can hang out with you for hours and hours with my friends. I don't know what it is about you, but I love everything about you. I have been to Irving St. Kitchen (ISK) several times for happy hour and have never been disappointed. They deliver on service, food and drink. What's not to love about this place? For they've got me mesmerized. I highly recommend this place if you want to just hang out with a bunch of friends or just for a date. It's where swanky meets rustic. Alas, I should come back to you for brunch and/or dinner.
One of my favorite restaurants I've been to. Creative menu. The homemade biscuits were a 10. The chicken dish was crazy good. Excellent service.
(5)
Steve L.
Remarkable! Visited with a good friend last week; booked in advance. Delightful highpoints: "Angels", "Signature Chicken" entree. Superb waiter - Patrick. Great wines-by-the-glass and "barrel to bar" wine offerings. Truly unique! Parking on the street, as available, or public lots for a fee. Outdoor seating, as well. Bravo.
(5)
Pascal B.
Very good food, nice atmosphere, good location. The kitchen is southern, including Cajun. You can order the jambalaya as a side dish, bit heavy for a side dish.. They have put their own twist on it, which will most likely not be appreciated by Louisiana people, but it is not bad at all.
(4)
Kevin W.
My wife and I have eaten at Irving Street twice now and both times our food and overall experience has been exceptional. I have had a hard time explaining the culinary point of view at Irving Street but have settled on "Southern Rustic Upscale"...which means nothing until you go here and experience the atmosphere and food. You must be willing to shell out a bit of cash for a full meal and drinks but in our experience it has been worth it. I've had their porchetta both times I have eaten here, though each was a different version. Both were beyond great and I highly recommend any fan of pork fat to indulge! I would like to try the brunch as I've heard it is really good. We'll venture down some weekend I'm sure.
(5)
Jean P.
The ambiance, deck, and service are great! Now, the food... My halibut was good but not memorable. The shrimp and dirty rice stuffed crab was the better entree. Sides were great - beet salad and watermelon/heirloom tomato salad. Cocktails were so-so. Quickly consumed their made-to-order beignets for dessert. Looks like happy hour or sides and cocktails might be the way to go. Overall, not bad but also nothing to write home about. Perhaps Portland has made me too picky.
(3)
Craig R.
I went to ISK last weekend for breakfast. The food was pretty good. I had an asparagus frittata. The look and feel of the space is very cool. My main complaint is how long it took for our food to come out. People who were seated after us were already done eating before my table had our food. And the waitress never said a thing. In fact I don't think she even came over to us in the 50 minutes between when we ordered and when we received our food. What's your deal brah? Not sure the wait was worth it.
(2)
Kayla C.
Good food, atmosphere, and Sunday Bloody Mary! Definite must stop for Portland.
(5)
Jim S.
I have sampled the HH offerings here, and on a follow-up visit for Brunch, their Breakfast menu. HH is a All Systems Go! Great selections, portions, taste and price. The place wasn't crowded at all like so many downtown venues are, and service was stellar. The decor and layout of the restaurant is really something special. Big props to the decorator, it's a lovely environ. The breakfast menu is truly unique. There are items on it that you won't find elsewhere and will challenge your definition of what "Breakfast" should taste like. We sampled 3 of their offerings and the winner was...the BACON. Wow, like amazing bacon. Loved it. ISK is pricey. Party of 3 for breakfast with no alcohol..74.00. But it ain't Denny's. It's elegant, crafty and it's worth the tab at least once!
(3)
Richard P.
Visited Portland for a week and ate here twice. Fabulous each time. First time bar food/tapas and drinks. Second time brunch (in our PJs). Service was exceptional. Friendly, fast, funny, real. Drinks were splendid. Every dish was a treat and I loved loved loved the atmosphere grounded by a cute little fire place. I'll be back next time I'm in town. Great vibe.
(5)
Robert H.
Really friendly reception. Bartender, Peter , was helpful and a pleasure to talk to. Happy hour outstanding. Recommend the smoked Tasso jambalaya and also the meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon mashed potatoes. House wine excellent and prices reasonable. Definitely a go to place.
(5)
Kevin S.
Great food and top-notch service. Charcuterie plate was a standout for me. Also had Porchetta and side order of black eyed peas. High marks for both. Appreciated a Luxardo cherry in my Manhattan as well. Server tolerated a lot of questions about the dishes and had a strong opinion on favorites, which I always appreciate. Nothing worse than "everything here is great!" when you ask for a recommendation. Slight marks off for our entrees being done a very short while after the charcuterie arrived but in the house's defense the server did offer to push them back if we wanted. We had taken a long time deciding on what entrees we wanted, which may have had an effect.
(4)
HOWIE B.
Delicious, nicely prepared food. Great happy hour. Pleasant, mildly quirky NW decor. Service was spotty, at best. Waited for bread, waited for dessert menus, waited for our bill. Lots of waiting and it was half full. Still, my fried chicken was tip top and the staff was pleasant. Dinner for 2 with drinks and desserts runs around $100.
(4)
Trista S.
Went to ISK for my Bday dinner with a party of 10. We had a reservation and were promptly seated! Yay! Service was great, although a little slow. Food was amazing, had the beet salad, truffle stuffed hen and chocolate cake with pistachio. All delicious. We also had a bottle of the Gramercy Tempranillo. Pricey but oh so worth it. The dessert and starters were the stars of the show, next time I would likely skip the entree.
I can't believe my return has gone from a 5 star to 2.... it was only 7months ago we were here for HH.... We came in for dinner this time, and sad to say this would be our last :-( We were seated right away, but then waited at least 10mins before our server came over to us? What was going on...it was after 11pm, they were not super busy, empty tables and spots at the bar, so not sure why the service was not on top of their game... We ordered our drinks, and studied the menu....hmm, we both had a hard time deciphering what the food is?! We remembered how awesome the HH was, and expected the same for dinner. I asked if they offered a burger for the dinner menu like the HH menu, she said no but said we should try the meatballs....meatballs? where was that?... we choose a charcuterie board to start and trout for later. The charcuterie was a big let down, a few shavings of meat was it? Where the hell did the meat go? Our fish was OK, service was a let down as was the menu.... IST, what happened? From my 5 star HH experience to a 2 start dinner let down...our hearts are saddened as we won't be back... at all!
(2)
Alefia M.
Would have liked to give it more stars because the food and atmosphere were great. I had the bibb salad and hubby had the sweet potato burger. However, the service was poor, and when I asked for a side of apple slices because my kids liked the ones on my salad, i was disappointed to find a charge for $5 on my bill. Really?! $5 for a side of apple slices? Unbelievable.
(3)
Byron S.
Great food and impeccable service. I was very impressed. Me and my wife started with Angels on Horseback. (Bacon wrapped Oysters w/ remoulade sauce). F_ckin' Delicious! We also got the Salumi plate. Yum! Also, the Bibb Lettuce salad. MMMM! Main course, we shared the Aged hanger steak. Ono. Broke da mouth good! The portions were good enough to share. As far as wine goes, not a big fan, but I hear it's a great place for it. If you ever go here, you will not be disappointed.
(4)
Sandra W.
Cornbread -- a combination of simple ingredients; and yet, so very easy to do wrong. I've tried so many versions in so many places throughout the country, and I have been disappointed so frequently that I almost swore off cornbread completely, convinced that a good cornbread does not exist. I'm glad ISK has proved me wrong on this. This was simply the best cornbread I have ever had. For $6, we were served a triangular slice topped by a honey sauce. The cornbread was sweet, moist, and with a little kick of spice, but not so much that it drowned out the essential primary corn flavor. ISK also served an excellent peach trifle for our dessert, layered with vanilla pound cake, caramel and mascarpone. But the entire experience, including the entrees in between the cornbread and the dessert, was just a bit lacking. The fried chicken and fish dishes that we had were just okay, perfectly edible and tasty, but there was no 'wow' factor that would have coaxed out that fifth star. The veggies accompanying the fish did not stand on their own, and needed to be eaten with the paper-thin slices of ham. The peaches in the dish were not ripe and reminded me of Fred Meyer-quality nectarines. The same can also be said of the service. There was nothing overtly wrong with the service, it just seemed disconnected, disjointed, a bit chaotic and disorganized. For example, we asked the waitress to bring the cornbread at the same time as our salads. That didn't happen -- the cornbread showed up well after our salad plates left the table. I had iced tea as my beverage, and it was refilled at the table with warm tea from a glass beaker, so what I ended up with then was lukewarm tea in a glass with almost no ice. It's the tiny little details in the way things are done and presented that make a great place stand apart from a "pretty good" place like ISK. When there's difficulty in execution in the dining room and "good but not fabulous food;" it's symptomatic of leadership issues in the operation in general. Had we dined only on cornbread and peach trifle, we may have thought harder about giving them 5 stars, but the dining room issues would still have held them back.
(4)
Anthony B.
I would go back for the old fashioned alone...but the food and atmosphere was great too!
(5)
Frank W.
Overall, thoroughly disappointed. We've been three times and the food has been awful, the wine bad and the hostess this last trip was quite rude. We're not going back.
(1)
Kirsten R.
Are you kidding me? Where has this place been all my life? First of all every single course is like dessert-from the Dutch baby topped with Gruyere cheese and bacon to the beautifully arranged wedge salad with bacon, bleu cheese and radish. The bloody Mary was delicious and the Mimosa was sparkling and grand! And don't even get me started on the actual dessert! Bittersweet chocolate pudding topped with butterscotch pudding topped with a salted caramel. I'm in heaven! The space is beautiful with high ceilings and lots of wood throughout giving it a rustic feel-and they give ample room between tables so you can actually hear your dining partner. Novel concept in this city, where I often feel crammed into whatever small space I'm given... and our waitress was amazing. So go-just go-and love it!
(5)
Nam N.
stumbled upon this place while strolling the pearl district with my aunt. i was very pleased by the decor and setting. a rustic feel - with a dash of urban modernty (yes i made that word up) we were warmly welcomed by the hostess and quickly seated in a booth. we ordered: fried okra - cooked to perfection. no slime. all flavor and the jalapeno aioli was a nice balance bacon wrapped oysters - yum. i like bacon and love oysters. a perfect balance of flavors. beef tartare - this was okay to me. nothing of great tastes compared others i have tried before. the raw quail egg was a nice touch of flavor. pork belly - not as savory as i thought it would be as pork belly is amongst my favorite things to eat. but not overly fatty and still good. and my final and favorite of the night... corn bread - simply amazing. it had bits of red chili in it not making it spicy but had a slight hint of spice. topped with a maple suger syrup that made the corn bread taste like the worlds best cake. i want one for my birthday. i will definitely come back!
(4)
Adam G.
This is the only place that has ever made me food-drunk. This is the point beyond food-coma where you stagger around looking terrible because you have just gorged yourself on such a staggering quantity of food that even the manager (I think he was a manager) wonders how you did it. Dial back an hour and let's see how this happened ... 0 - asked the bartender to make something up for me. You can do that here and discover something about yourself (Bourbon can be delicious?) or you can get wine from the tap, but I definitely recommend letting the bartenders do their thing. 1 - crab and clam chowder, with bacon. I don't know where this came from, or how it got here but it was phenomenal. 2 - braised veal rib. meat falling off the bone, succulent fat, even the greens were great. 2.5 - cornbread with bourbon butter glaze. Be aware, although in my magnificence I was able to consume the entire slice of pie (that's how delicious this was - think wonderful pie) you should probably share with 1 or 2 or 3 other people. 3 - Mississippi mud pie - I shouldn't have ordered this. I was already full and bubbling over, but hey, it was my birthday and I wanted dessert. I finished it. I was full, and I finished it. Yep, it was that tasty. 100% consumed by yours truly. I've never had bad food here. While I went for the veal rib this time, the fried chicken is an old standby - some of the best I've ever had. NOTE: As a general rule, I will almost always choose to sit at the bar over at a table in the restaurant area. I do this everywhere, and it's worth noting in this case, because I expect a significant difference in atmosphere. One a weekend night, ISK is bustling. It's busy, it's definitely not quiet, and it can get crowded at the bar. Every member of the staff I have encountered has been very friendly. That said, this is not the place to go for a "quick bite" before a show or movie. Your food will not arrive 5 minutes after you order it. Go when you've got time to enjoy the reasonably well list establishment with good friends and food & drink that will enthrall your taste buds. About Brunch - I kind of want to write a separate review, but I'll just mention it here. The place has a very different vibe during weekend brunch. It's much quieter and "brighter" (crappy word, but the vibe is light and airy .. not that those words help much.) The brunch is a regular thing for me. The food and drink quality is every bit as good as dinner, but the price is much less. For brunch, it's $$ instead of $$$ for dinner. 5-stars. I'm constantly drawn back here both for food, drinks, and to visit some of my regular bartenders.
(5)
Asher Y.
elegant food, great cocktails.
(5)
Alison P.
I have been here numerous times, and they have never let me down. The service is absolutely fantastic, and the food is superb. If you have the chance to go for brunch, PLEASE try the moroccan eggs. Their bloody mary's aren't too shabby either. For dinner, you have to get the cornbread. What's that? You don't like cornbread? Shut up. Get it. You won't be sorry. How do I know? Because I don't like cornbread. Dessert: Chevre Cheesecake. I don't have anything to add here...just Chevre Cheesecake. All in all, the atmosphere is wonderful, the food is wonderful, the service is wonderful...yeah. Can't go wrong.
(5)
H T.
i love town hall in sf, and salt house and anchor and hope are ok as well, so i thought irving street kitchen would be a good place for dinner in the pearl. on monday night, we went around 7, and it wasn't crowded at all. drinks here are good and STRONG. i could barely finish one drink before getting tipsy already. they start you w/ ken's artisan bakery bread, so if you can't get to the bakery itself, then you must eat bread here. if you are a fan of tartine bakery in sf, then you would love this bread. we ate it w/ edamame puree, which was an app and really tasty. for dinner, i got the chinook (which i learned was wild salmon, and i figure i should eat salmon in the pacific NW), and i shared the succotash and beet sides w/ my husband. the chinook had a mustardy sauce and was super fresh. we were super full by the end of dinner, so we couldn't eat dessert, but you can buy the butterscotch pudding w/ salted caramel sauce to-go. you get the pudding in a cute mason jar too, so you can re-use it after! i didn't even eat the pudding until 3 days later, and it was still awesome.
(4)
Paula L.
We were in town visiting and happened upon this place. We started with drinks and appetizers and ended with desserts and every course was amazing. The staff was great and food choices were top notch. Very eclectic menu. We had the deviled eggs and waffles to start- waffles were my favorite. The trout was outstanding, the steak was perfect, and the salmon gravlox was also very good. We finished with the salted caramel pudding and kettle corn. Our table left very full and happy! If we come back to town we will definitely return!
(5)
Jason L.
I've been to the Irving St. Kitchen on three separate occasions, and every time has been outstanding. Our last visit, my girlfriend, Ali, and I decided we wanted to go on a "fancy date," so we put on nice outfits and had ourselves a three course meal with wine pairings. We started with the ISK-style BLT (smoked ahi tuna "bacon," arugula, and fried green tomatoes) and a corn soup of which I forget the particulars. The soup was outstanding-- a bit sweet, but in that good way. The BLT was very good, but I'd say it was probably the weakest part of the meal. We paired the appetizers with prosecco. (Because if you don't have bubbles in your wine, you can't possibly be fancy.) Next up, Ali had the halibut, and I ordered duck-stuffed duck, wrapped in duck. Both dishes were unreasonably good. We got a side of cornbread on the recommendation of several people, and that was an excellent decision. We let Patrick, our waiter, pair wines with the meal, and he did a KILLER job. Honestly, I don't remember what he gave us, but the pairings were solid. Finally, we ordered the cheesecake, which wasn't quite cheesecake. It didn't have a crust, but it had a... chocolate grenache? I don't know. Whatever it was, I put it in my mouth and felt very good about the decision. This was paired with a pinot noir dessert wine, which was surprisingly delicious and paired perfectly with the cheesecake. Patrick talked me out of a port, which I thought was especially cool considering the port was $5/glass more expensive. We left full, happy, and most importantly, feeling very fancy. The best part of this experience was the service-- I mean, I can get amazing food all over Portland, right? -- the way Patrick talked about the food and helped us make solid pairings really showed a passion for solid dining experiences. Our previous experiences were met with excellent service as well, so I don't think it's just Patrick -- ISK has managed to create a really good working culture, and it shows through in their dining experience. I'll definitely be returning. Probably frequently. Maybe with a monocle next time.
(5)
Maya S.
5 star. How could it be less? I am raving. Fantastic, unbelievable, as good as it gets in Portland. Why do I say this? Because I am completely fed up with paying high prices and receiving just "okay" service or ambience or food or drinks. Irving Street Kitchen does EVERYTHING right, and I mean everything. The total package. The server was absolutely spot on. They should clone her and send her to all the high end restaurants in Portland so she can be an exemplar. THIS is how it's done. Not a hipster, holier than though, 'tude in sight. Thank you for that! She was absolutely perfect, truly. Warm, informed, extremely attentive. The lighting, perfect. The ambience, perfect. And here is a major pet peeve of mine: dining room music. They have it perfect. You can hear it but it's in the background and above your head as opposed to blaring so loud you cannot hear the people you are with because it's blasting right at ear level. Thank you for even getting the music right! I notice all these things that make up the entire package and that's why I say Irving Street IS the entire package. Best cocktail I've ever had, fantastic and beautiful shaved vegetable salad, great meal, and the dessert??? Insane. To die for. I told the server there must be crazy people in the kitchen making something like that! Black bottomed butterscotch pudding but not the horrible sticky sweet corn syrup kind... light as a feather with a nearly bitter layer and a salted caramel layer and a sweet pillow layer... made me crazy! Feeding it into my mouth when long ago I had passed "I can't eat another bite" status, because I HAD to have it! To be treated so well and so warmly and have great ambience and great food, especially when out for a special occasion like I was... well, it just doesn't get better than that in Portland. Many try to achieve this but fail somewhere along the chain of events. There is no failure at Irving Street. Best fried chicken ever, done right. Take heed, restaurants of Portland. Do what they do, all down the line, and I'll give you 5 stars too! Spot on. Impeccable. Warm. Delicious. I'd say it's the place to be in Portland. Why mess with the rest when you can have the best? I won't bother with the rest anymore, that's for sure.
(5)
kristin e.
I have to give this place 5 stars if only for their delicious butterscotch pudding. This is not your typical butterscotch pudding snack cup from the grocery store. It was rich, velvety, thick, creamy yet very light at the same time. I've been craving it since last night and I'm now suffering from withdrawal. I came in here only with the intention to have a drink but ended up having a 2nd dinner (I had eaten dinner a few hours previously at the Heathman) because I couldn't resist the offerings. It started off with the cheese sampler which was fantastic along with some speciality cocktails: The Seelbach and the Old Curmudgeon. I wasn't too thrilled with the Seelbach (I love prosecco and I love bourbon but I guess I don't love them together) but the Old Curmudgeon was a winner. It was bourbon with a peppery kick. For the main course I had the fried chicken with collard greens, mashed potatoes and gravy. You get a juicy drumstuck, thigh and breast which is nice because many places give you just 2 pieces of chicken. Our server was friendly and funny and the space itself was gorgeous. It's very warm and inviting. I can't wait for the day I get to go back.
(5)
B. A.
Super nice wait staff, pleasant room (albeit many, many hard surfaces), nice wines -- and the appetizers and entrees were good enough. I wanted to love this friendly place! But the wee portions for the charcuterie and the cheeses plates are either a cost-saving measure or just pretentious (maybe some of each) and our group wasn't happy about that. Pieces of cheese and meat no bigger than tasting samples - that's just plain silly and a good way to lose repeat business.
(2)
Ari R.
A perfect restaurant. If you like an urban, rustic modern vibe, you will love this place. The decor is incredible. They use a lot of reclaimed wood and Edison lightbulbs. The bar is gorgeous. They have the neatest contemporary wine taps ever. All the lighting is enchanting and dim. Food is decadent and flavorful. Cocktails are pre-prohibition on.... and beer is great.. lots of Belgians. You will love it here.
(5)
David C.
I had a gift certificate for Irving Street, so I decided to check it out. I really didn't have an expectation level. I was completely blown away. This place was amazing! There were 3 in our party and we all traded each of our dishes at eah course. Service was great...food was great. Definately coming back!
(5)
kevin c.
First, if the entree has a salad already but the menu does not mention that, it's just good form for the waitperson to so inform the customer when he orders a salad with the entree. I don't think many people out there are looking for 2 lettuce salads with 1 meal. Second, who thought it'd be a good idea to serve scrambled eggs on top of toast -- the toast just gets soggy and nasty. And who thought it'd be a good idea to put a sweet tomato-apple relish on an egg-lobster-mascapone scramble? A really rank combination of tastes and textures. Finally, who thought it'd be a good idea to pile the side salad on top of said toast-egg-lobster-sweet salsa mess? Who in their right mind wants vinegar on their eggs? Or the already soggy toast to be further saturated with vinegar? The extra salad I ordered? Soggy and over-saturated with a strangely tasteless dressing. And the whole schtick is a bit much. Bringing the wine to the table in a mason jar on to then pour it into the wine glass? Mismatched cutlery? Really? What's next? Gonna dress the staff in overalls and straw hats? This place tries way too hard, but doesn't have the talent in the kitchen to back up the ambition. And, btw, I just moved here from SF. I like Town Hall and Anchor and Hope (and Salt House is alright), so I guess I expected their Portland outpost to at least be edible.
(1)
Joel D.
Great bar, great atmosphere, great food. What else could you ask for. I thought the scallop dish was a little too salty but the great drink selection and heavenly butterscotch pudding - yeah, it's that good - make for a fantastic night out. I highly recommend.
(5)
Hemesh P.
went here because everyone talks about the butterscotch pudding...man was it good...yum its a fun place even if you just come for dessert like i did!
(5)
Erin S.
Brett W. said it perfectly, "One word describes the experience I had at Irving Street Kitchen: Genuine. From the moment our server approached our table and greeted us, I felt taken care of. Pampered, even" This was our exact experience. Everyone from the hostess to our server to the bartender made sure we were having a wonderful time. Our server explained any questions we had about the menu and told us her favorite dishes as well. We decided to treat ourselves and order everything we wanted. CHARCUTERIE a wonderful array of house smoked meats and sausages served on a piece of drift wood. FOIE GRAS & SWEETBREAD RAVIOLI served with black truffle foam. The texture was great and the foam really made the dish. HEIRLOOM BABY BEET SALAD with truffle balsamic vinaigrette and sheep's milk cheese. This dish alone turned me on to loving beets! They were so fresh, juicy and the dressing was mouthwatering. Highly recommend this salad. SEARED SHRIMP & LOBSTER RAGOUT with bienville bread pudding and pickled okra. This was the most creative dish. I didn't know what I was ordering, but it was wonderful. It solved any seafood craving I have ever had. SLOW BAKED SALOM with ras el hanout crust, lentil salad, and cauliflower-walnut sauce. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the crust on top had a great texture. BOURBON ROASTED PORCHETTA with sweet potatoes, black trumpets and whole grain mustard jus. I just keep thinking about this dish. So so tender and the trumpets were amazing. Everything worked. BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING with brown ale caramel sauce, crème freiche, and caramel corn. After our whole filling meal we only had a few bites that were great. It was just so rich. Irving Street Kitchen was an experience and one of the best meals I have ever had. Its right up there with Anchor & Hope and Town Hall!
(5)
Trey C.
Excellent food, great service in a relaxing yet fun atmosphere. Definitely recommend!
(5)
Neill P.
I like the open atmosphere in this place. If I weren't such a wretched introvert, this seems like a good place to go on a First Thursday to mingle with the crowd that is standing in the bar section. The food is fine, but overpriced and therefore not worth it in my book. One standout is the cornbread, which you can get for $5 and is fantastic. It's a sweet cornbread that comes with a bourbon-caramel sauce, and should be eaten as a dessert. It's almost a mix of angel food cake and what you would normally associate with cornbread. Definitely get it if you eat here.
(3)
Sam A.
The Soup of the Day is always a fantastic surprise!
(5)
Bryan W.
Good food and beer selection.
(3)
Zach M.
Great place! We went at 9:30 on a Sunday evening. Every dish of our meal was excellent! The place was pretty empty as expected but we sat in one of the cool enclosed booths and had great conversation. You could close the curtain and have a very intimate evening. The only negative is higher than necessary wine prices - $12/glass for a wine you could buy retail for $25/bottle.
(4)
Elisabeth B.
Some of the best food I've ever eaten...and really cute, friendly waiters. Restaurant experience doesn't get much better than that.
(5)
Melissa S.
Dropped in tonight to grab a bite to eat since we moved in next door and we couldn't stand smelling the food anymore without at least trying something there! First impressions, the place had a great vibe, nice lighting, slightly western, slightly modern, totally awesome. Service was outstanding, we sat and the low top bar and were greeted promptly, my husband ordered a signature cocktail which was served in a antique cocktail glass and absolutely fabulous for those who love a little sweet dinner drink. We started with the blue cheese salad; fresh crisp and pre-split! Love that! Then we ordered the salmon with walnut cream sauce, lentils and crumb topping... the salmon was cooked perfectly, and the lentils were a nice compliment to the nutty sweet salmon. Simple, but perfect. We also ordered a side of the green beans and mushrooms.... YUM! Not like many places out there that feel the need to cook green beans until they are mush, no these were crisp and warm and mixed with fungi goodies :) We're close to this place, actually we're attached to this place... so we'll def. be back... happy hour looks great.. $2 tall boy and whiskey, SIGN ME UP.
(4)
Thomas L.
Everything here is delicious and the bartenders are super nice and friendly. My partner and I used to come here almost once a week when we lived closer. We typically sat at the bar, because of the friendly bartenders. Atmosphere is great. Nothing bad to say. Brunch? Yums. Dinner? Yums. Drinks? You get the point... I've taken a few out-of-town guests here and they loved it.
(4)
Melissa S.
This is by far the best food I have had in a very long time if not ever! And this is coming from someone that loves good food and eats out a lot. All of the ingredients were super fresh and combined in a way that were not overkill like some finer restaurants like to do. Every thing was cooked to perfection and the selection they had on the menu was great. Also, the service was wonderful. We had a top notch waiter that totally knew the menu as if he was the chef himself and he was very friendly. Also, the atmosphere is awesome because it is classy and modern, yet very comfortable, urban and warm. This is a hard combination to pull off and I think they did it to a 'T'.
(5)
Y L.
I have been to ISK twice and my experience was about the same both times. The restaurant setup is great, nice space and open dining area. The food is good/mediocre and the service is about the same. I will likely continue to go to this restaurant because it is in my neighborhood and the menu is good enough.
(3)
Jeremy B.
A group of us came here on Sunday night to have dinner before going out. We sat down and after about 5 minutes ordered drinks. Then that was it. Literally. After 40 minutes had passed and never seeing the waitress again we decided to leave. We stood up and walked out. Seeing the waitress on the way out we informed her we were leaving and why. She simply responded with a carefree "ok, cool, have a good night" and let us just walk out. No apology, nothing. That will be my lat time returning there.
(1)
Liz C.
Nice ambiance and noise level, and very creative flavor pairings. Rave of the table went to the beet and cornbread sides, which we had as appetizers. The dirty rice and shrimp-stuffed crab was the best entree of our four, with the quail a close second. Halibut and fried chicken were just so-so, although the mashed potatoes were a hit. Strawberry sorbet and basil syrup were a-ma-zing, but the toasted angel food cake was nothing special. Seemed like we waited a long time for each food course to arrive, but we enjoyed being able to watch the kitchen action from our table.Glad we tried it, but we won't rush back.
(3)
Jenna B.
This place is one of the best restaurants I have been to in Portlnad. The ambience and atmosphere is great, not too stuffy, just right. The service is excellent, I couldn't have done it better and the food is awesome, portions are not too big, not too small. Comfort food at its best!!! This place gets an A+ in my book. I will definitely be back again and again!!
(5)
Jack D.
Went for brunch which is only on Sat-Sun. Glad we did. My Smothered Southern w/ country fried chicken came in a skillet and was mouth watering. A "bloody buddy" washed it down nicely (spicy) and the natural wood environment made a unique and pleasant dining experience. The booth we were seated at had curtains that closed. The service was solid and the check came delivered in a moleskin notebook with patron passages scribbled in it. Impressive place to eat and wash your hands (the water closets have large shallow flat sinks). Oh and the waiting area looked comfy....
(4)
jennifer w.
we went for brunch and im simply l.o.v.i.n.g this place! james got the lobster soft scrambled eggs with truffle mascarpone. it comes on top of a toasted brioche. i got the moroccan poached eggs. hells bells, yall. this was sooooo good. it comes with garlic rubbed toast. we both loved our breakfast and will totally be heading back!
(5)
Erin M.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner here on Saturday. We'd made a reservation just to be safe but when we arrived a little early they were happy to seat us immediately. All of the staff was attentive and helpful. They may have been a little obsessive about filling my water glass but I never went thirsty! I really appreciated that our server didn't rush us. I was having dinner with an old friend I hadn't seen in a while and we had trouble concentrating on the menu because we were so busy catching up. Never once did I feel like I needed to rush or make a quick decision, even after we ate our dinner and our table was cleared. When we finally did take a moment to look over the menu my mouth began watering. I tried the ham and biscuits for my starter and it was delicious. The ham just melted in my mouth and biscuits were just like grandma makes, but in mini form. The fried chicken for dinner was also fantastic. The meat was moist and the coating was flavorful, just what you want out of a good piece of fired chicken. Of course the most wonderful bit of food came for desert when I ordered the butterscotch pudding. After reading all the reviews here I ad to try it myself. YUM. YUM. YUM. No really, it was yummy. The apple rhubarb crisp my friend ordered was great too, but that pudding made my night. I'll be back to try happy hour soon!
(4)
Quinn S.
Damn good food and drinks. Amazing staff! Really cool space.
(5)
Ann S.
Horrible service. I've been in here three times now, each repeat hoping for a redemption. All three visits I experienced such horrible service that the last time i didn't even stay for the meal. I've never been treated so poorly. Each time I walked in no one greeted me but rather have nasty looks and one word answers...it was like begging for a table when that is their job to greet you? Also extremely slow and inattentive wait staff. There are much better options out there, don't waste your time.
(1)
Tyler A.
Decided to check it out since it's just around the corner. Man, it's a HUGE venue. We walked in, no res, waited 2 minutes at the fireplace in the front. We sat in the center of the dining room, there were some cozy booths for 4 or more, rooms in the back? What I noticed throughout the night was how BRIGHT it was, yes I like seeing my food but seriously, you can drop it down a few watts. Why bother with the candles if they're not glowing in comparison to its surroundings? Dinner: (I can't remember what my hubs got...) -Charcuterie plate, not the best I've seen but it's really cheap at $15 -Snapper with risotto was quite well balanced. A bit too heavy handed with the salt but overall very enjoyable. I love arugula in ANYTHING -Meyer Lemon Napoleon - OMFG lemony crack! (This is worth the visit alone, pastry chef, you've done good!) Overall, ambiance can get a slight improvement from lowered lights, super space, food is a solid A-/B+ and we also had a nice bottle of super Cote de Rhone for super cheap at $33 (Vacqueyras) that drank like a $75+ bottle. And the service was as if I were at a restaurant in LA or NY not PDX, ATTENTIVE (someone - manager? hostess? who ran over to us t tell us the 86 in the most enthusiastic and disturbing way but other than that, our server was thumbs up) Will definitely revisit, often.
(4)
Matt S.
We had the best meal that I've had in a REALLY long time here, just before Christmas. The service was excellent, granted we arrived right as the kitchen opened - but it was really great regardless. The standout dish was easily the Crispy Quail Salad, it tasted like Christmas and was so delicious. All of the other dishes we tried were fantastic as well, but if the Quail Salad is still on the menu, order it!
(5)
Rosemary R.
The food was good. Not a great value, but good. The staff was lovely. But, I truly do not understand why everything took soooo long. They weren't that busy and they seemed fully staffed. We ordered drinks and 10 minutes later they showed up. We ordered dinner and 30 minutes later it showed up. Desert arrived rather promptly but the coffees we ordered with our desert showed up after we finished eating desert. It was strange. Our dinner was pleasant and I liked the atmosphere.
(3)
Lusha K.
When walking into this huge restaurant - not one person greeted me and for a Saturday I was surprised how slow it was at 11:15 am. I ordered the fried chicken and grits and asked for a side biscuit. It appeared that they forgot to place our order and so they brought out two chocolate muffins to apologize for the wait. The muffins were dry and really I would have much preferred to have my fried chicken. Once the food arrive - it was really average and the eggs which I ordered over medium still had uncooked egg white. The fried chicken crust was unseasoned and the grits and sauce were just plain bad. The bill arrived and I was shocked that the side biscuit I requested was $5 for two dry biscuits that's weren't even warm. And overall I feel this place is over priced for what you're getting. Finally the staff was fine - but the food was not worth the price or the wait. This place is lovely inside and the bartender made some great drinks but I will not be going back any time soon. There are too many other places that make better fried chicken.
(2)
Jordan C.
Outstanding place. Charcuterie plate was a great great great value at 15 bucks. My girlfriend had the fried chicken which was super good and I had the porchetta. It was one of the most flavorful pork dishes I've ever had and the madera sauce on top worked perfectly. Not so sure about the wine out of a tap, but whatever. I went for the food and it was great
(5)
Dave S.
Yep, this is a rating Irving St. Kitchen deserves. Our first visit was bad (see other review), but this visit was amazing. This time we went in for dinner with a couple of friends who own a wine bar in Seattle. First, our waiter was outstanding. Friendly, helpful, funny and right there when you need him, and not when you don't. The manager even visited our table to see how we liked the food and wine. Very good service. The food was excellent. From the very fresh salad, to all of our entrees to the dessert, everything was perfectly done, fresh and with excellent flavors. They have several wines on tap, which from all of the time we spend at Bottlehouse in Seattle, we know gives you excellent wine by the glass at a lower price than bottled. We tried three outstanding wines and were even delivered glasses of awesome dessert wine by the manager...on the house! Overall an outstanding experience. We'll be back many times.
(5)
Ian R.
One star reviews are extreme, but if ever a restaurant merited one, this is it. I was ready to write a two-star review after being severely underwhelmed by underwhelming service, a mediocre pasta dish, an over-hyped fried chicken that couldn't hold a candle to numerous other fried chickens in Portland, but then ... I had a dinner party and by total chance both of my friends had dined at ISK during the same week I did and both had such awful experiences that their meals were fully comped. One of the meals was comped because of poor service, the other because of terrible service and multiple cold plates. The second meal was over $300 with alcohol and was still comped. It was that BAD. On the positive side, at least someone there knows things are bad. But three meals that bad is inexcusable in a town with so many delicious dining options.
(1)
Thomas W.
AmaZING... with an emphasis on the ZING. The decor is interesting, a bit rustic, a bit ironic and throughly enjoyable. We loved dining in a booth with a curtain. The waitstaff was well-trained, friendly without intruding on our evening and very attentive when needed. And the food... how do you spell exquisite? EXQUISITE!!!!! Thank you for a memorable evening!
(5)
Jon O.
Inconsistent. Some well put together dishes, some head scratchers. Happy hour is the best time to come, fun place + good values. Brunch, meh. Dinner, better, but out of six people we've found that at least two dishes here will end up being dissapointments. Good service.
(3)
Anne R.
I'll start out saying I'm not a brunch person. But, after being up all night I wanted a drink and a nice meal so went here with some friends. While it's a big space, I loved the cozy booths, the bench seating and areas by the fire. My friends got the bloody mary's, the heuvos rancheros, and the chicken/waffles. Both were very happy. Neither could finish their portions. We split the spiced donuts which were the best donuts i've ever had and just amazing. And I got the eggs benedict with salmon lox as a lover of lox on all things... they were amazing. The best eggs benedict I've ever had and one of the best things I've eaten in almost a year maybe. They were incredibly rich, with a lemon flavor. The arugula and salmon went perfectly with biscuit. Please go eat them =)
(5)
Anita H.
I came here for brunch with friends and ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict. I am normally not a huge benedict fan, since my firsthand experiences consist of watching others devour two large cholesterol saturated poached eggs completely smothered in over the top creamy hollandaise sauce. So I knew I was taking a risk by ordering the benedict at Irving St. However, I was quite impressed! The Salmon Gravlax Benedict was pretty darn amazing! The chefs at Irving St were on point with this breakfast dish; the buttermilk biscuits were delicious with the eggs perfectly poached and covered with just the right amount of dill hollandaise sauce. The dill hollandaise sauce paired extremely well with the raw salmon. The dish was like a salmon lox benedict. My hubster ordered the exact same dish (great minds think alike, I guess), but he preferred the salmon cooked. I usually agree with him because he tends to be smarter, but this time he was DEAD WRONG. I thought the salmon being uncooked was a perfect complement to the other ingredients in the dish. I'm giving this place four stars since this was my first visit and I want to come back and try other items on the menu.
(4)
Sam S.
Great meal and excellent service. Would recommend to anyone looking for a imaginative bistro.
(5)
Amreen U.
I came here for happy hour with a few friends, lured by my food writer friend's urging and Willamette Weekly's review of the happy hour hot dog. The hot dog was amazing, and we ended up staying for dinner and ordering things to share. We got the cheese plate (w/ fig jam, yum), the oysters on horseback (surprisingly awful, with a weird texture), the BBQ shrimp (pretty good) and several desserts. They were all good, but the butterscotch pudding was ridiculous. Amazing. So good. I want to spend the rest of my life eating it. Also, they have a lovely lambrusco, an Italian sparkling red wine, on the menu right now. Dry and refreshing, not too sweet like lambruscos tend to be. Mmm. SInce we mostly got small plates, happy hour stuff, and drinks, the check wasn't too bad either, and the service was great.
(5)
Rita C.
This was my new favorite restaurant in Portland based on an incredibly good birthday dinner there. Next time we went, I took my sisters visiting from Atlanta and Charleston. It was wonderful. Then, this morning...uh oh. My son, his girlfriend and I were treating my husband for his 62nd birthday. They were all satisfied. My Shrimp and Grits, however, (my favorite dish in the world) was cold, and tasteless. I was expecting the "barbecued" shrimp to be the same as the barbecued shrimp from the dinner menu, which was creamy, spicy, lemony and delectable. This sauce was a brown, clear liquid that had no taste, was so cool that it had a gelled film over the top of it, and the shrimp was small, sparse and tasteless. The scrambled egg topping the whole mess was cold and overcooked. I have to say, the service was excellent. I am not one to let my disatisfaction pass, however, so I chatted with the waitress (very politely) and told her I was disappointed that it was not the spicy, tangy dish I'd had before. She was "sorry I was disappointed". Me, too. A huge fan turns into a tepid one...just like my shrimp and grits.
(3)
Jan A.
Went for brunch, got seated immediately but food took f o r e v e r. and was not worth the wait. Toast was burned. Black burned. Bacon was burned. Almost black burned. Bacon was extra chewy and way overcooked. Bread pudding french toast was good. Doughnut starter was the best. Moroccan eggs, meh. Server was apologetic and comped the doughnuts. Probably will not be back but the space is pretty cool.
Irving Street was spectacular from start to finish. Why not start with an assortment of olives and cheese? I should do that at home. The meal was delicious. I had the salmon and my husband had cod. Apparently the premier dish is the Southern fried chicken. I didn't feel like eating something that heavy. I know we'll return, so I felt comfortable with my choice. The salmon was served on a bed of rice and cauliflower florets. The meal went from "real good" to "unbelievable" with dessert. I asked for the signature dessert and out came butterscotch pudding served with s side of carmel popcorn. Who does that? In one spoonful my childhood flashed before my eyes and I tasted every birthday cake, every cupcake, every Brach's Butterscotch candy, everything that was delicious about childhood. Amazing combination of flavors; salty and sweet and something else, something that you bring to the dessert. Honest to Julia Child, it was phenomenal. I want to try the brunch next time and then I'll have to try the chicken. I don't eat too much in the way of fried food so I might need to go into training, but I love this restaurant and plan to go again and again. Service was exceptional. We had the best time.
(5)
Carla L.
One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Portland. Everything in this restaurant is of the best quality, and it's obvious to the customers. The cheese plate is one of my favorite small plates to order. The staff is always extremely knowledgable about where all of the food comes from, how the food is prepared, what pairs well with the food, etc. The ham and biscuits small plate is one of my other favorites. The biscuits are fluffy and warm, the ham is of the very best quality, (the servers will tell you exactly where the ham came from and the pains the restaurant has gone through to bring such good quality ingredients to your table). This, to me is very impressive because it shows how involved the staff is. I have only had a couple things from the menu which I did not thoroughly enoy. And once my server learned that I did not absolutely enjoy my meal, he was quick to offer me something else and apologized profusely. This just reinforced the excellent service that this restaurant offers. The desserts....omg the desserts...ANYONE who has tried the butterscotch pudding will tell you how good it is, but you must experience this for yourself. It's got this strong, sweet, buttery taste and this home-cooked texture. It stays on your mind for long after you've left the restaurant. Every time I have been in ISK, management always stops by my table to make sure my dining experience is pleasant. I don't need to tell anyone that this is not common. This restaurant offers the best food, the best service, an immaculate presentation, and the best dining experience in Portland. Period.
(5)
Steve R.
A late night dinner and drink session turned out to be very satisfying. The service was excellent. The booth was private, quiet. I like the lighting, the artwork and the abundance of rough wood. There is a good wine selection. Try the Trifecta Cabernet. The Salmon Gravlax with tartar and rye crackers appetizer was very tasty. The Charred Sturgeon dinner was perfectly prepared. I especially liked what seemed like a bottomless plate of Ken's Artisan bread. There was also a dish with squash prepared in a delicious sauce. (Sorry for the lack of details) Two desserts were devoured - the lemon chess pie and an ice cream over Bananas upside down cake smothered with carmel sauce, Excellent! If my experience turns out to be equally good the second time around I'd consider bumping this kitchen up to a 5.
(4)
Sara G.
I usually wait a while before visiting a new place, but I met one of the cooks and after chatting with him and feeling his enthusiasm we decided to dive in. Awesome fried chicken. It's on the bone like it should be, not some limp patty. They have wines on tap straight out of the barrel--how neat is that? Services was unattentive and professional, although complaining about service in the first month a place is open is just unfair, you have to give them a chance to get a rhythm. How good were you at your job during the first month? My only complaint would be the...clientele. Were I a young man looking for an older lady to buy me nice clothes in exchange for orgasms, I might prefer the atmosphere at the bar. Instead, I'll ask for a table next time.
(4)
El S.
I need to start out by saying that the food is excellent but only four stars...the reason for the 5th star is for the service. My server, Lynn, was exceptional and extraordinarily well prepared. She had a vast knowlege of the wine list as well as a genuine interest in the menu. That counts for a lot....most restaurants don't realize that. On to the food....when I first walked in I noticed a giant, round crusty loaf of bread. This bread is usually found exclusivley in Italian neighborhoods on the east coast. In fact, if you've never bitten into this burned, crusty, bread on a Sunday morning while standing over the kitchen sink (mom would hit you if you with her church shoes if you made crumbs on the floor) then you are not really Italian. For some reason this bread has found its way to Portland via Ken's Artisan...and Irving Street Kitchen has the good sense to offer it. That's major points in my book...it shows good, unpretentious taste. If Ken isn't Italian I'd be shocked. I got the olive sampler to start. Granted its only olives but the selection was terrific. Green Sicilian with some Gaeta and hot peppers as well. Smartly done. I'm a fat pig and that means two entrees - The steak and the fried chicken. I get my steak medium rare...the chimicurri type sauce was decent albeit not spicy enough but the meat was cooked perfectly and very well seasoned. It came with polenta cakes and something else so awesome that I ate so fast I forget what it was. The fried chicken was top top top notch. No joke. It came with nicely done mashed potatoes and collared greens that were pre-vinegared and seasoned to perfection. Most places give you malt vinegar to put on yourself...no need here...the guy out back seasoned it to perfection. Well done. I got the rhubarb pie for desert. A little disappointing....it came de-contructed which I don't like for desert. When you order desert it should be decadent and complicated. I can appreciate de-construction for an entree but not for a desert. I wish I had got something else. This newcomer is a first rate restaurant and a welcome addition to the neighborhood....I'll be coming here a lot. not just because I'm a fat pig with man-hooters but because its really, really good and the service is five-star and unpretentious. Well done, keep up the good work.
(5)
Leah H.
Having had a delightful meal at Town Hall last time I visited San Francisco, I was thrilled to hear about the opening of Irving Street Kitchen. I checked out the menu on their website and was excited to see a number of the same menu offerings as Town Hall. I finally got the chance to make it down there. The food was wonderful but the service was a bit lacking. In fact, if it were not for how satisfactory the meal was, there is no way a restaurant could pull off a 4 star review with the service I received. I'm going to assume it was bad timing/new employees/or something - but at least this gives me an opportunity to update this to a 5 star when the quality of the service matches the quality of the food! We started at the bar thinking that we could take advantage of happy hour. I was uncertain about what to drink and so the bartender suggested that she make me her favorite (and see if I like "big girl drinks"). It was made with gin, my least favorite spirit, but it was wonderful. Now sitting with a nice drink, we wanted to order a couple things off of the happy hour menu and then continue on to entrees. The only problem: we were never asked about food. My dining companion finished his drink, but still, no notice was taken to us. After being ignored for around 30 minutes we decided to see if we could be moved to the dining room. Screw happy hour, I guess. Although I really did want to try their poutine. Once moved, we were asked if we needed drinks, but then sat without being asked about food for some time. At this point, my dining partner was working on convincing me that we should leave and find some pizza. Granted, when people are hungry (and without food) the crankiness level at the table greatly increases. Needless to say, I was relieved when our waitress came around just as my friend was beginning to stand up. We ordered the salumi plate to start and asked for some bread. Mmm, Ken's Artisan Bread. So good! The meats were served with a house-made whole seed mustard. Normally the taste of mustard triggers my gag reflex, but I could eat this! And, you know what, it didn't taste too bad! I ordered the sirloin & smoked rib. The sirloin was cooked perfectly! It was crisp and smokey on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. But the smoked rib stole the show. It was smokey and melty and OH MY GOODNESS just damn delicious. My companion mentioned that it was an insult to the sirloin to be plated with the rib, because it never stood a chance. The rib was just so damn good. My friend ordered the fried chicken on recommendation of our waitress. It had yummy breading that remained amazingly crunchy through the meal - even while sitting in the potatoes and greens. His take on his plate was that it was good, but it wouldn't be the item that brings him back again and again. We ended the meal with the butterscotch pudding to-go. It came in an adorable jar. I honestly wanted to buy a half dozen of them and give them away as holiday gifts. But I restrained myself. Altogether, a couple of drinks a piece, a shared appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert only amounted to $80. Not bad at all. Once fed, my (now considerably less) cranky companion admitted that this had been one of the best meals that he has had in Portland. I will certainly return to try more of their menu and to get me that poutine!! I'm just hoping I will never experience service like that again.
(4)
John J.
I really wanted to rate this place higher as I heard such good reviews. Unfortunately, I had to ask the server where they got their salmon as something didn't taste right. i was extremely disappointed to hear their fish is farmed. I cannot respect an upscale restaurant that serves FARMED salmon, especially in the NW, but more specifically Portland.
(1)
Ellen E.
This is our favorite place in Portland. Recommend the biscuits & ham as a starter. The red pepper jelly is so good. Meals are big enough to split, especially if you want to save room for one of the delicious dessert options. The brunch on Sunday is great, too. Entire experience is a little pricey, but if you're sharing with a friend, it's definitely worth it.
(5)
John E.
Totally surprising fact: this place has the best habanero salsa in the city. It's not on the menu, but it's available on request (waitress said they use it for some egg dishes at brunch). How is this possible? We went for happy hour appetizers and drinks. Tequila based drink was my favorite. I think pork belly and waffles with eggs was the favorite appetizer. Poutine, jambalaya, meatballs were all pretty good as well. There were several other dishes that looked interesting. We'll be back.
(5)
Aung B.
This is my first review in Yelp and I'm sad that it's not going to be a positive one. We've been to Irving St. Kitchen twice before. The food here is decent, not the best thing I've ever tasted. But the location was convenient. We were just there on Mother's day for brunch. We called ahead to ask about seating for four and were told that there're plenty of walk-in seating. No wait. We showed up 10 minutes later, the hostess said we will have to wait for at least an hour or we could sit by the bar or the couch and eat there instead. She (short blonde hair and small) did not even ask us if we want to put our name down and wait. She just stared blankly at us. We had to ask her if we can put our names down. It only took 20 minutes for us to wait. Our waiter was nice, but we waited 45 minutes for our food. We didn't have any special orders and the place wasn't even full or busy. My husband and a friend, who's pregnant, both ordered the lobster dishes, had stomachache and felt sick for the rest of the day. This probably won't do much to change anything there, but we're sure not going to be back agian.
(1)
Amanda O.
This place is incredible! The food is always good and there's something about the atmosphere that definitely makes you feel comfortable. It's busy and your server might forget something but nonetheless it is always good. Creative menu but never intimidating.
(5)
Some G.
Went on a tasting spree in portland. Dined at dozen+ places in portland over 2 days. We tried everything from artisan cheese and duck from Veritable Quandry, fresh truffles at Bluehour, beer and burger at Rogue, fresh toro at Bamboo, and what feels like everything in between. But after all said and done the Irving Street Kitchen really stood out. Their decor, wine on tap, and great food made us wish we lived upstairs to this restaurant. I loved ordering half a dozen appetizers as opposed to a few entrees and sharing it. Each and everyone of them were wonderful. Can't wait to visit portland again.
(5)
Mitch S.
Great hip atmosphere and the server was super friendly. We visited on a busy Sunday morning and the hostess was less than friendly. Menu had flair with unique pairings, food was excellent. I had the fried chicken and waffle and my GF had the apple caramel oatmeal. Both were very good. French toast with blueberry compote looked awesome, I will try on next visit. Recommend a trip!
(4)
Gene B.
Another gem of a restaurant in the trendy Pearl District! I liked this place a lot. It has a Southern pastiche, as do so many other Portland restaurants lately. At first blush it kinda seemed like a fancier version of Screen Door, but I think that's an over-generalization and that they are doing their own thing. The shrimp and duck tongue gumbo was out of this world good, made with a properly dark roux - a detail that is rarely done right. The foie gras torchon was creamy, smooth and rich, It was accompanied by a nice, slightly tart, slightly sweet rhubarb coulis which went well with the foie and Ken's artisanal bread. I had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and greens. I saw so many going out of the kitchen window all night that I felt compelled to try it and it is really good. Almost as good as the chicken at Screen Door and just like at the Screen Door, it's a huge amount of food. Portions here are ample. My dining partner had the lamb chops with herbed coucous and they were just perfection. After seeing so many desserts coming out of the kitchen, we also felt compelled to order some for ourselves even though we were pretty stuffed at that point. I had the butterscotch pudding which came in a Mason jar and had a decadent caramel sauce both on top and the bottom of the pudding layer. It was light and airy, but rich and decadent all at the same time. My friend had the chocolate bread pudding with a scoop of mint ice cream. The bread pudding was warm and very chocolatey and the cool mint ice cream made the perfect foil to it. The service was top notch from the hostess to the bartenders and to, especially, our waiter. who was helpful and quick to offer suggestions and/or tips.
(4)
Scott J.
Excellent food - we had a large group (5 adults / 4 kids) - and all loved their dishes - foie gras, duck, fried chicken, halibut, salmon - all good. Great ambiance and service!
(5)
Amy B.
Edited for brunch: we took our out-of-town visitor for brunch and were less-than-pleased. While still a go-to for dinner, we've crossed this off the list for brunch. Overcooked chicken & waffles, really slow service...sad little diners. Otherwise: Probably one of my favorite places to eat in Portland. Every time we've been, we have been so over-the-top satisfied it's incredible. The menu is ever-changing so if you have a favorite dish, be prepared for it to disappear at any given time. Last year, my favorite was a halibut with tomatoes dish. They have a new halibut dish currently (which is still delish!), but I went with the hangar steak. Perfectly cooked, and 100% recommended. My crew ended up splitting the butterscotch pudding which was so good, once of the girls decided to take an order home to her hubby. Service is always top notch with great recommendations for both food and drink. Our out-of-towners had a hard time initially deciding with the very-Portland menu, but once they did they were happy customers. Always a go-to.
(4)
Kate B.
I love this restaurant. We've been here for brunch, lunch, dinner and just drinks and it never disappoints. Recently discovered their bloody mary - a must have for brunch. The only quibble I have is that service can be a little slow for brunch or if you're just having cocktails. But lunch and dinner service has always been superb.
(4)
m b.
Went there this morning for breakfast. Food was good, drinks were good,,, service? Not so good. A guy was shadowing a girl OR the girl was shadowing the guy server, but it was awkward because we couldn't tell. They ought to have explained the situation to us (hey, we're training!) because it was terribly strange to be flanked by two employees who couldn't tell me what the drink ingredients were like on the menu..
(2)
Small J.
OVERALL : Consistently well executed dishes with exemplary service. I've dined here over 15 times and never once been disappointed. A favorite "go to" in Portland. SPACE : _ The space is open warehouse style. Tall ceilings + cement floors + exposed brick. Comfortable and warm feel. Wood bar and nice fire place on the far wall. _ Bar is welcoming with high stools and a thick, smooth wood slab counter. _ Dining room has open floor plan with intimate nooks formed by bookshelves and cozy booths draped with cotton curtains. _ Patio is less romantic and cozy and more social and good for the people watching that NW 13th provides. Strong heat lamps combined with an overhang keep this as an outdoor dining option nearly year round. FOOD + DRINK : _ Wonderful specialty drinks, mixed by talented bar staff. _ Small (single page), yet very well appointed wine list (let your server guide you for the ones you aren't familiar with; they have some real gems). _ Locally sourced (of course!) and seasonally focused specials, as well as outstanding mainstays. _ Highly recommend the scallops (on the smaller side) or fried chicken (requires a hearty appetite). And do NOT pass on the "For There" option of Butterscotch Pudding - absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. SERVICE : _ Absolutely impeccable. From the hostess to the bar staff to the wait staff. All are well trained, knowledgeable on menu and drink offerings. Friendly without being overboard.
(5)
Natalie B.
I met a girlfriend here for a celebratory glass of wine and a light dinner. The ambiance was lovely and the service was great. Maybe I am a little cheap, but i found it pretty expensive for Portland (think $14 for an ok glass of wine is kinda steep?). They have a menu that a literary genius must have worked on, and i learned a lot of new vocabulary from the waiter. When translating the description of one of the salad he used the phrase "tons of vegetables." Magical words, so i ordered that. turns out a ton can also be about a handful.. but the taste was good, and then i went home and made myself some dinner.
(3)
Benjamin P.
Really good food, try the fried chicken with waffle or the fried chicken on dinner! very fullfilling! :D Good service, good atmosphere.
(5)
Barbara M.
Delicious brunch, try the breakfast nachos you will not be disappointed. Nice service, only downside was having to sit at the bar by the door so I got a burst of cold air every time someone opened the door.
(4)
gerard f.
Great place to meet people for an untraditional brunch! Went there for Sunday brunch and loved the menu and ambience
(5)
BenandWen ..
We've been here twice now, and it's been great both times. My husband got the fried chicken both times, and he absolutely loved it. This time, he finsihed it so quickly, I didn't even get a chance to have a bite. I had the pork crepinette, which was kind of like a salmon cake, but filled with tender slow cooked shredded pork. Very good, and quite unusual. The service has been friendly and attentive on both of our visits as well. I can't think of a negative at this point. I would love to eat there again!
(5)
Ariel S.
After hearing so many great things about this restaurant's brunch, I couldn't wait to try it myself. I went on a Sunday morning and was sorely disappointed. First, I'll state the good, because those comments are few and far between: There was ample street parking, and no wait for a seat. Second, and in excess, are the negatives.... First, the menu is very limited for vegetarians. Even Belgium waffles aren't vegararian- it's served with pork belly. On the bottom of the menu is a phrase that sums up their customer service: "Requests for substitutions will be polietly declined." I ended up having to order a few things a la carte, which made the breakfast even more expensive than their already inflated prices. The food, in a word was aweful. My over easy eggs were still clear and unedible, the grits were the consistency of tapioca pudding mixed with glue, and the waffle soggy and tasteless. Worse yet, the service was completely lack luster. We waited for nearly 20 minutes to get our bill while the waitress flirted with the bartender. Needless to say, I'm never returning. I'd rather wait in line for better food and service than ever return here.
(1)
Becca J.
Came here for brunch prior to seeing a show at the Armory the other weekend. It was good, but not great. We came out on what seems like it was the last nice day before winter, so we chose to be seated on the porch. (My friend had made us a reservation, but we got to the restaurant a little early, so we were given a few options on where to sit. That being said, the fact that this restaurant offers reservations is +1 star in my book.) I ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict (which was over a biscuit instead of an English muffin). It was just ok - not bad, but nothing special. Unfortunately, service was really slow. We gave ourselves a lot of time before the show, so we weren't stressed out, but it took a surprisingly long time for us to get our food after placing our order. Additionally, I don't think that anyone ever came to check on us while we were eating. Not sure if this sub-par service was a result of us sitting outdoors, but regardless, I was not overly impressed. Ambiance indoors was really nice. There was a lot of wood, and it had an upscale / rustic feel. When we checked in at the hostess stand, she had a giant book, and when she opened it up there was a tablet computer inside, which was a pretty cute dichotomy. Additionally, when we received out check it came out in a tiny book. I'd like to try this place again and order something different.
(4)
Kelsey N.
I rented their private room for a group work function, and had an outstanding experience. Emily, the event coordinator took amazing care of us. The staff was friendly, attentive and professional. Our every wish was their command. The private room is fantastic space- very conducive to giving presentations. The vibe was classy, farm-to-table, and the food was out of this world. I got a vegetarian dish- the baby artichoke backed ricotta, that was so creative and flavorful. I would love to return the next time I'm in Portland.
This review is a struggle for me...I've delayed writing it because I wasn't sure how to frame this up! Let me first say the ambience and the food here is top notch. I cannot wait to come back here again. But our service was....entertainment for the evening. First and foremost, the food: Charcuterie plate is one of the best I've had. The chicken liver mousse is a dream. Octopus salad also perfectly cooked and a well balanced plate. My trout entree was amazing and my husband got a pasta dish that was perfect. The food lived up to the reputation, which is always important. About the service: At a place like this you have certain expectations about service. We waited at least 5 minutes for our server to even come over to say "hi." He didn't introduce himself, and when we asked for recommendations his descriptions were bizarre. He said if we liked our protein from the sea we should get the risotto. The primary ingredient described was the chorizo. There were other seafood ingredients in there but still, it seemed off. Then he described his the trout as "brooks" trout. After our food came he never stopped by to ask how it was. When he came to clear our plates he said nothing to us. We had to ask for dessert menus which he dropped off without any commentary. Later when we ASKED him for recommendations he had some good commentary, but then told us that honey tastes different based on where the bees "forage." If the service matches the food I think this is easily a 5-star. Luckily I liked the food enough I want to come back and am hoping this server was a fluke!
(4)
Al C.
Don't be fooled by the attractive interior. Disappointing amount of happy hour drinks. Hostess was not welcoming, had the worst attitude, was not flexible about seating when more people showed up. Quickly finished our drinks and went to another restaurant down the block.
(1)
Rebecca C.
I've been here a few times now, and I know this place is super popular but for the prices and variety I will probably choose another location. Happy Hour: the menu selection was rather small but what I did eat was good. Nothing I'd rave about and come back for, but food that filled me up without blowing me away. Brunch: the salmon benedict was good, the lox were nice and meaty and the hollandaise was tangy and delicious. The problem is that it's all you get. Every other brunch place I've been to throws in spuds or fruit or something. Not here. You get the benedict and that's it. Oh, and also it has a TON of kale on it that's like crunch in parts and wasn't listed on the menu. I don't like kale so I had to spend time picking it off. Just weird. Also, the bloody mary was $11. For tomato juice. I didn't order it, my friend did, and she was appalled at the price. Usually you can get bottomless mimosas for $9. I'm just saying, spendy. Dessert: Ok, now here's what kicks this up to the 3rd star. Every year I go to a food event where Irving St. Kichen hands out little mason jars of the butterscotch pudding. I live for this pudding. I am not a fan of butterscotch, but man is this stuff good. I've yet to order it at the actual restaurant, but it's probably the one thing I'd come back to eat.
I personally find this place to be overrated and overpriced. I've been here a few times, and while I understand food takes time, it honestly feels like forever, only to get food that's mediocre. The best part was the server who was incredibly polite to my party and the service dog we had. Living in the Pearl, there are far better options, especially for the price.
(3)
Nathan K.
BE CAREFUL: The fried chicken was under cooked and made my wife sick causing her to throw up and a long black hair was cooked into my food. I noticed when it was dangling a piece of oyster off my fork. Talk about gross! I loved this place the first time I went. We had a business meeting and took a vendor out for a nice dinner. All went well so I decided to take my wife out on a spontaneous date. The service was pretty good the second time, our server was pleasant and knowledgeable. The food had good flavor. I ordered the Fried Oysters (with hair cooked into the batter) with a trout entree and a glass of wine. My wife ordered a delicious asparagus appetizer with the(under cooked) fried chicken entree and cocktail. It was an expensive dinner that ended in disappointment and sickness. They comp-ed the oysters, in my opinion the least they could do. As far as my wife's chicken we threw out the leftovers the next morning after she got sick.
(1)
Han Z.
Overall: meh Service was good. Restaurant is cute and has ambiance. Food was fine. Nothing was bad, nothing was memorable. Prices feel a bit steep when the food is only okay. Tried: - Nettle soup: $11 - Charcuterie board: $20 - Fried chicken: $23 - 17 hour truffle short ribs: $26 Of the above, the short ribs were by far the star though you couldn't get that much truffle flavor. Fried chicken was juicy and a huge portion, but not amazing (but I'm from the South so my bar for fried chicken is probably a bit high.) The charcuterie board was the biggest disappointment of all. I love all things charcuterie and this just didn't cut it.
(3)
Jen V.
Sublime. We had our reservation on a Sunday evening, and when we arrived there was no problem getting a table anyway. We sat by the bar & had some custom cocktails that were out of this world! We brought two bottles of wine to be uncorked, but they waived the corking fee because of the cocktails. We had such an amazing meal - The service was impeccable, the food was amazing and tasty, and the atmosphere was beautiful. Towards the end of the night we were the only table there, but we were unrushed as we ordered after dinner drinks and dessert. Irving Street is one of my number one places in Portland. I always bring family and friends here!
(5)
Chelsea M.
Yay! I'm a fan. My husband took me here for date night after I accidently stumbled upon its location trying to find parking and loved the open, industrial, yet classy feel of the place. SERVICE: Impeccable. The waiter let us order one course at a time, and we never felt rushed. Everything came out in a timely manner and was perfectly warm. All of the staff worked together to make it a very memorable experience. WATER: This place is the best restaurant I have EVER been to in terms of their water service. Water carafe on table and it was never empty and if any of the service members saw your water glass getting low, they refilled it immediately. It's amazing how much better a meal is when you have water. FOOD: Great, fresh choices. You will never know what is going to be on the menu because they print it daily. I would skip the cheese plate next time and go for their cornbread. Salads had absolutely amazing flavor and the perfect amount of dressing. I would highly recommend the kale salad. Entrees were a great size and cooked to perfection. Fish was buttery and the pastrami short ribs were melt in your mouth good. Desserts were incredible. In other words, not much bad on the menu. Try something new! Down scores: 1. Sheep's milk cheese almost inedible, crackers too lite, no cheese knife. 2. Just a little too spendy, $5 off entrees and $3 off salads and I'd be sold. 3. Everything was short in the bathrooms... if you are over 5'7", you'll see. Notes: This is one place I would take an out of town guest. Very Portland chill but still upscale. The noise level is appropriate for private conversations and you won't have to yell.
(4)
Maret S.
Bummer. Was really excited to come here for a baby-free brunch. Ordered eggs and bacon expecting a well-executed brunch basic. What I received was a notch below Denny's a scrambler. Everything arrived tasting as if it had been warming under a hot plate for 10 mins. The bacon and toast were soggy and the eggs were under salted. It was just bad. I'm hoping to send it back but the last time the waiter spoke to me was 15 minutes ago when I was trying to figure out how eggs and bacon could go so wrong. My husband's salmon Benedict was slightly better. Elevated possibly only because it wasn't boring but still. Just kinda meh. Edit: they brought me chicken and waffles! Much, much better. They we're nice about it too. I guess I'd give them another shot. Everyone has off days.
(3)
Charlie L.
Super amazing. Mackenzie wanted to try a new place so we followed the word on the street to Irving Street. All I gotta say is "Whoa." I came in with high expectations and I was not disappointed. From the fabulous ambiance to the fantastic food, everything is definitely 5 start worthy. We stated with the octopus salad, followed by salmon and smoked pork chop mains, added brussels sprouts and finished with the apple carrot cake. I say again, whoa. Flavor explosion: check, perfect flavor balance: check, mouthwatering deliciousness: check. And when it was all over, we were happy and full and plotting our imminent return. It was 100% wonderful. Irving Street delivered a near perfect food experience that makes it my new Portland favorite. Highly highly recommended!
(5)
Suzie B.
Only eat here if you have several hours to spare. For our one night in Portland a friend recommended this place. The location was perfect as it was walking to Pearl District from our hotel. As we arrived we were pleasantly surprised at the adorable ambience and decor. We had a table (of four) by the window on a nice evening. Upon arrival it took more than ten minutes to get a glass of wine and place an app order. We received our app after about 30 minutes. Each course took longer than the next with little to no attention from the 10 + waitstaff at the restaurant. The place was only about 15 percent full (especially towards the end of the night). We sat down at 730 and dinner was not over until around 10pm. The food was slightly better than the service and mediocre at best. On a trip to the ladies room two friends (not with our party) chatted about how they are "never coming here again." We asked for a manager on two separate occasions and the hostess let us know she was "in a meeting" and unable to come by. The lack of management was extremely evident. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone or come here again.
(1)
Meana K.
One of my favorite dining spots in the Pearl. It's so great coming here for after-work drinks and food at the bar. What a beautiful space - so open, light, and a very chic casual vibe. The place looks fancy upon first impression but you realize quickly how cozy and familiar it feels. Also, when I've been there for happy hour, I've loved the 90s throwback music that was playing. The food -- ohmygosh -- amazing. Meatballs and mashed potatoes. Bone Marrow. Foie Gras. Smoked beets salad. Fried chicken. Fried oysters. Butterscotch pudding!!!! The menu changes, but everything I've had here has been amazing.
(5)
Beverly C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a very beautiful space, the food is beautiful to look at. The food didn't impress me, it was ok.
(3)
Sanjay N.
Great location, but mediocre food and service. Was disappointed with the table we got (with a reservation). Asked for a better table, but no luck. Still, hoped the food and service would make up for it, but it didn't. Took a long time for a waitress to show up, even though it wasn't too busy. She took half our drink orders, then inexplicably left, came back with half the drinks 10 minutes later, then took the other drink orders. Food was not great. I tried the fried chicken, the pan-seared fish, and the (only) vegetarian entree. All were pretty bland. Cornbread was good but that's about it. First time eating there. May be last time. There are many better places to spend your money in the Pearl. Hope they improve the food and the service, or something better opens up in that great location.
(2)
Jessica N.
Went in for dinner tonight expecting to eat at a nice place with air conditioning. Boy was I wrong! It was just as hot inside as it was outside, felt bad for the employees. Besides that service was not that great, for the money I expected better service. Food was just ok, nothing spectacular. Took a very long time to get our meal was almost an hour and 15 mins after we ordered before our dinner arrived. Too many other great restaurants in Portland, not sure I'll be back.
(2)
Tara T.
Great location! Beautiful outside seating in a cool neighborhood, inside is well decorated and spacious. Wonderful menu- shared multiple plates with a few people so I got to sample a lot of things! Great grilled salad, cheese plate and fries. Highly recommend!
(5)
Hayden N.
You know how things get so hyped up then you finally try it and it was just alright? That's Irving Street Kitchen for me. I made a reservation for two on a Thursday night. We were surprised to find the restaurant sparse of customers. Considering that it was first Thursday, I figured it would be busy so I made a reservation to be safe. I feel that we got seated at an awkward table, it was next to a support column that blocked the space and a heavy foot traffic path. There was hardly anyone...couldn't have put us in a booth, at a table on the patio, or more toward the middle of the dining area?? I like the decor of the space but the disruption from people walking by our table took away from the ambiance. We started out sharing the Meatballs that came with Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and Green Peppercorn Sauce. It was good, however, not amazing...three pieces for $11 is on the steep side for decent meatballs. You have ask for bread. For entrees, I had Mary's Organic Fried Chicken with Smashed Potatoes, Collard Greens, Country Gravy and my friend had the Slow Cooked Salmon with Bacon Braised Cabbage & Kraut, Beer Glaze, and Pistachio Pistou. The chicken was delicious but, again, not the best in town--you do get three enormous pieces and the smashed potatoes were excellent. Give me a whole bowl of smashed potatoes! My friend liked her salmon, but she wasn't a fan of the cabbage and kraut so she ate around it. With how large the portion is, I am surprised that we had room for dessert. She ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Caramelia Cheesecake and I got the Bay Leaf Creme Brulee. I just had the best Creme Brulee of my life not too long ago, I wasn't sold on the bay leaf flavor in it...I prefer the classic. For all the raves and recommendations to try this restaurant, maybe I had really high expectations of the food blowing me away. And it didn't. I feel bad for giving three stars so I'll give you four, but this was more of a 3.5 stars for me.
(4)
Melissah L.
I visited a friend in Portland and came here at the recommendation of a longtime local. It was really nice out when we came for brunch, so we grabbed a seat on the patio. I LOVE the scene outside Irving St. Kitchen, lots of colorful people stroll by and it's easy to people-watch but also feels kind of secluded and quiet. The service was pretty good here, and the food was also decent. Not "amazing" like the local promised (my food was lukewarm and the portions were not that big), but pretty good. I got the salmon gravlax benedict, and while it tasted good, I do wish that for $13 it was served hot came with a side of something. The rest of my table got the fried chicken and waffles (I digress, I will have to order this for myself one day to have the full chicken and waffles experience), the kale and raddichio salad and that's all I can remember. Definitely worth a try, the coffee here is amazing and comes in adorable cups and the decor is really nice as well!
(3)
Matthew D.
Met a few friends for dinner , they suggested this place.. It definitely did not disappoint, from the service to the food. The service was amazing, water glasses always full, we were asked if we wanted more cocktails just at the right time (when they were 3/4 gone). The servers knowledge of the menu was actually like the chef did a tasting with them before service. We had the biscuits and ham, and fried chicken, I kinda went with the flow since I was told this was amazing. I wish I tried the halibut as it sounded amazing but the chicken did not let me down, now I just have another reason to go back and try something else.. Well done!!
(4)
Chris L.
So many things wrong when I visited that I feel like that rating is very valid. Moroccan Slow Poached Eggs, Grilled Garlic Rubbed Toast (12) This dish seemed watered down. There was no Moroccan punch and it was just a tomato soup. The "slow poached eggs" were a huge let down. One egg was perfect, the second was simply hard boiled. The second egg texture was all wrong. The chef botched this egg.. my meal mate laughed, "both my eggs are perfect." Well maybe this was a one off, but there other dishes that were pretty off. Smoked Brisket & Fried Egg Sandwich, Sour Pickles, Cheesy Cajun Fries (14) The brisket was DOUSED with BBQ sauce. Overpowering that it felt like you were drinking BBQ sauce. Also, the brisket was oddly cut into tiny cubes so the pieces kept falling out. Didn't make much sense. The "cheese" on the fries was powdery. It was pretty terrible. I would have rather they used cheezewiz or singles. This concoction was offensive for it's taste and texture. The fried egg was also over cooked. Mary's Organic Fried Chicken & Pecan Waffles, Fried Egg, Buttermilk Syrup (13) So small and basic. It was yawns-ville for $13. Buttermilk Biscuits, Jalapeño Butter, Red Eye Gravy (7) This was the only winner. But if you're gonna get biscuits in Portland... right?? The place is cute and of course the district is adorable, but there's nothing going on with the food.
(3)
Fawn W.
The hubs and I call this our Cheers "because everybody knows your name..." We tend to go at least once a week. I've only had one so-so experience in probably 10+ experiences since we first came a few months ago. Favorite things: -Fried chicken! My friends, there is a lot of fried chicken in this town. And they are all surprisingly good (Tilt, Screen Door, Imperial, The Parish on a good day) but my favorite is this one. It's perfectly golden fried so I ask for the greens and mashed potatoes on the side (as to not soggy the bottom of my perfectly crisp chicken). The sides on this dish are delightful so definitely don't swap them out. -Biscuit with ham, butter and jelly (it has a much fancier description on the menu but I can't remember it). Absolutely delicious. -Cheese and crackers. Seems boring for a dinner table but the cheese is so tasty it's worth the order. -Chilled corn soup (seasonal and it recently went out of season but If you ever see it on the menu - get it!) -Butterscotch pudding (usually not my thing, but here, I make an exception). Enjoy!
(5)
Deanna E.
Okay, Haven't been in here, orderd through Postmates. BEST. DELIVERY. EVER. Got the fried chicken with gravy and biscuits, came to us within 25 minutes, hot and amazing. best fried chicken ever, egg cooked perfectly, best gravy, honey from heaven, biscuits like light airy kisses from a professional ballerina. Order it immediately. Also I got the bag of mixed pastries, which was mixed reviewed by all. But I gotta say the Sugar and Spice Doughnut that was included made me CRY. Tears of a GD ANGEL. Thank you Postmates, and THANK YOU IRVING STREET KITCHEN.
(5)
Omar T.
My daughter turned 14 and had her Birthday dinner at Irving yesterday (8/17) (with her 16 year old sister in tow to pay the $340 bill!!). Ten 14 year olds were treated like 5 year olds. My 16 year old asked for the dessert menu early on so she could order a few desserts and ask the server to make it special for her sister. The server proceeded to tell her she could have the dessert menu after she ate her meal! Food was good - service was terrible. Shame as I always brag about what a great place this is each time we have events there.
(2)
Jonathan B.
Went in on a Saturday for a mid morning breakfast and it was awesome. Began with coffee and the fresh warm crispy outside warm doughy inside cinnamon sugar donuts. Then a Salty dog and the salmon and biscuit breakfast. Crazy good, with great service and atmosphere. On the pricy side, but a special place out on the town!
(5)
Chris E.
Such a great place! The staff is probably the best at there job in town. I'm almost positive I haven't met all the staff, but they sure act like we've been friends forever! It's very charming. The food is good, portions could be bigger, but I'm starved in the morning for brunch, so that's probably just me! :)
(5)
Jerry M.
Stopped in for happy hour at Irving St. Kitchen. Their HH menu is relatively small with only seven items, but what matters is that there were things on there that I liked. I had a Bibb Wedge salad, and I thought it was a great idea that they make a wedge salad using tender Bibb lettuce rather than the more typical stiffer iceberg lettuce. Very tasty. I also had Meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. It was delicious, but I wish the portion was a little bit bigger (but, of course, it was just a HH item, so that's OK). Seriously, I could have eaten about maybe eight of those meatballs! Well, I'll be going back there again to also try their happy hour Jambalaya and Parmesan Tater Tots too. They sound good. Service was attentive and friendly. This is maybe just a small detail, but I noticed that the waiter took away my knife that I used for my salad (it had salad dressing on it), and brought me a clean one for the meatballs. I was impressed with that thoughtfulness.
(4)
Todd G.
I had this squid ink risotto thing that was really, really good. Drinks are slow, but very good. Ambiance feels like it's trying to be a little too upscale for what I've come to know and love in Portland, and the bill was more of what I'd expect to see in New York or LA than what I've come to expect/know and love in Portland as well. If you let yourself get lost in the drink menu and appetizers, the bill is going to look more like a car payment than a bill for your dinner. By comparison to other cities it's no problem, but a little spendy for this corner of the planet. But don't get me wrong, it's very good. I'd go again.
(4)
Richard K.
Walked by this place in the Pearl district, loved the menu and decided to take a chance. What a pleasant surprise...everything we had was great. Highly recommend the egg nachos, the Moravian eggs, and the chicken and biscuits. In addition, the fries (as an appetizer) were great. Don't forget to get the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Rich
(5)
Leighton P.
I went for both dinner and brunch on a Portland weekend. What do I remember months after two dining experiences there? DINNER: The salmon main, a specialty of the chef. The fried oyster app. The pecan pie and the butterscotch dessert. Lots of Willamette pinot noir served in mason jars. What did I have for brunch several days later? Couldn't tell you. What was I not a fan of? The shrimp and grits (note: I'm also from the South). They are popular and can be crowded. Vibe: urban casual chic. When I go back (and I will), I will sit at the bar. I will order the salmon. I will drink pinot noir.
(4)
Kaitlyn L.
What an incredible place. Kind knowledgable staff. Delicious food that you can tell was made with love. I actually licked my glass that had the butterscotch pudding in it. Lastly the ambiance! I recently relocated from pdx to SF and can't tell you how much I missed restaurants decorated like Irving -- rustic and urban. Can't say enough great things about this restaurant. If you are looking for a great place to take a gf or a significant other or the parents -- don't second guess -- just go to Irving St. Kitchen.
(5)
Colin C.
I go hear for brunch once or twice a month. It's really great food, the ingredients are always premium. As other's have noted the service can be kind of iffy. It's always extremely friendly, but there can be long gaps in someone checking in. The whole getting menus/asking for coffee/getting coffee/ordering thing can take a while. They might just need another server or two. In general, it might be a good idea to have a reservation for brunch on weekends. They used to have this really great house hot sauce, I took a break for a few months from this place, and it was gone and replaced with Tabasco. I don't know what it was, but bring it back!
(4)
James S.
Irving St Kitchen furnishes a beautiful atmosphere, but left me hungry and unimpressed. The food just didn't have much going for it. The quality is definitely there, but I found their menu to be somewhat bland and uncreative. At the price point, I was expecting a bit more of an experience.
It might not be fair to judge a restaurant by its brunch food. Some people are not at their best in the early hours. I understand that. I'm not a morning person either -- or an early afternoon person, really. Nonetheless, I came here for brunch, so that's what I'm going to review. The brunch menu is broadly divided into two sections -- breakfastey stuff, and lunchey stuff. I got chicken and waffles from the lunch section. After quite a wait, and several cups of mediocre coffee, they brought me half a waffle, a dry chicken nugget, and a poached egg, artfully arranged in a puddle of syrup. It wasn't very good food, but on the bright side, there wasn't very much of it. I did sneak a few forkfuls from the other dishes ordered at my table. The Moroccan slow-poached eggs were quite good -- two perfectly poached eggs in a delicately spicy sauce, with garlic toast. The scrambled egg nachos were also pretty well-received, and generously portioned. The biscuits and gravy were greasy mushcakes. So, two hits, two misses. Most brunch entrees were in the $12-$14 region. On the whole, pretty skippable. Portland is a city obsessed with brunch, to the point that you can't stand outdoors on a weekend afternoon without unintentionally finding yourself in a brunch queue. I think the high bruncher:brunchee ratio has led some restaurants to become complacent in their brunch offerings.
(2)
Rafael G.
The service here is always so friendly and efficient. Today, we had the fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits and the scrambled egg nachos with red beans and grilled avocado. We did start off with the donuts and scone which was warm and soft followed by the fries. The fries here are among the best in the city. The chicken was crunchy outside and soft and juicy inside, packed with flavor, and topped with an egg. The nachos were amazing. It had enough toppings like white cheese without being overwhelming.
(5)
Frank R.
Bland, boring American food. Just like the owners San Francisco restaurants. -The only particularly good were the fried oysters -- and even then they were under seasoned, served with a tiny wedge of lemon and a it's-pretty-much-just-bland-mayo "aioli". -Hubby said the fried chicken was cooked well, but again, boring and bland. -Kale salad had way too much cheese, but it was pretty yummy. The little bit of parsley in there was a nice touch. -The cavatelli was a tad overcooked, the sauce was bland and heavy. Served with candied walnuts, which was just weird. Seemed like it was an accident, but it was on the menu. Cocktails are too sweet. Wine selection is fair. Decor is incredible. Conclusion: come here for wine and fried oysters. The bar is very cool. Or maybe take your grandparents here. Their old people taste buds will likely enjoy this place.
(3)
John L.
Disappointing service, good food. We stopped at Irving for a light dinner before boarding a redeye flight back to the east coast. The limited menu and atmosphere were appealing, and we sat outside to enjoy being in the Portland air just a bit more. We both ordered the green salad with shrimp, avocado and strawberries, and it was delicious. I also had a side order of the jambalaya, and I was very pleased with that as well. However, the service was poor. Our server seemed completely uninterested in her job, either that or she was on heavy sedatives. She barely told us about the menu, took the order, didn't even serve it, and then didn't bother to check on us to see if we were pleased. I wasn't rude when I asked for the check, but I was frustrated considering the table to our immediate right was worked by a different server, and he seemed very enthusiastic about what he was doing, making me wish we had him instead. I'm sure that with a different server, Irving would provide a better experience, but I won't make it a point to return there should we in Portland again.
(3)
Missy W.
Made a 9p reservation for 4 on a Saturday evening, very last minute. This place came through. Beautiful interior and exterior, very "hipster chic" (Haha). Here's what we ordered: Salad Wedge, Cornbread, Halibut, Lamb Porterhouse, New York, and Fried Chicken; all equally amazing and cooked perfectly. The hit of the evening was def my fried chicken dish. It came with 3 huge pieces and I totally shared! (Only thing I thought it needed was a little pepper or spice/seasoning to the batter). The cornbread was they down of the evening, it was stale and we had to remind our waitress to bring it out. She didn't return with it till we were almost done with dinner. We also ordered some wine and beer. $250 including tip was not bad at all and I can't wait for an excuse to return!
(5)
M G.
Other then the arrogant hostess, the food and service was excellent.. (we almost left because of the rude girl at the door). Why do Portland restaurants have staff that repel customers? I see it everywhere, hipsters with attitude... Not good for business!
(5)
Jan R.
Try a few dishes and share. Not only is the food delicious and masterfully prepared, but the variety and breadth of their menu will make you want to come back and try something completely new
(5)
Steph W.
In Portland for just 2.5 days, but after dinner here on night one, had to return for brunch. absolutely incredibleeeee. For dinner the burrata is a must to start. For brunch the pancakes with berry bacon compote are the fluffiest most delicious cakes I've ever had. Interior decor is gorgeous, urban rustic. Would come back again and again. #1 Portland Rec.
(5)
Stephen C.
Uneven service, only a token vegetarian option, and you have to ask about non-alc beverages--they are nowhere to be found on the detailed drinks menu. Meh.
(2)
Winny S.
Started with a nice sparkling water with lime, along with the cheese & cracker plate with agave and fresh strawberries. Followed by a Bibb wedge salad with blue cheese, radishes and candied pecans. I ordered one of the restaurants favorites, the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and spiced collard greens. Everything was good, but the cheese and cracker plate was very small. Service was good, all in all, a great place to enjoy a meal with friends, in the Pearl District. Btw, I enjoyed my salad the most, along with the wonderful crusty bread you get along with the bottle of cold water they bring to your table.
(3)
Bin C.
Great food. We had quail stuffed with duck sausage and fried chicken. All delicious. Not sure about the service though. We ordered the charcuterie board for the four of us as an appetizer, and the sever forgot to put it in. We also never got one of the sides we ordered, and didn't get a chance to order a second round of drinks since the server didn't come back until the very end of the meal. Service aside, good place, but since service is part of the experience, I gave it three stars.
(3)
Eli R.
Very solid dinner. Had the salmon here, and it was absolutely delicious. It was quite a small portion for $27, but the location is excellent, and the interior design definitely gets an "A." This is the type of classy, but not too classy place you can count on for consistently delicious, albeit expensive food.
(4)
Connor B.
Very on point! Drink and beer lists are great. Happy hour is the best, solid prices for delicious food, although the dinner is very good as well. The plates are quite small, so be prepared to get multiple items. The service is outstanding. Food comes out in courses with good timing. The staff is very friendly and does not make you feel rushed. I would recommend the happy hour!
(4)
Allegra P.
Unusually large for a Portland hot spot with a great location in the Pearl District! Creative, comfortable & inspiring decor. Bartenders know their mixology and beverages! Great menu! A happy spot to sit casually on the couches, eat at the bar or grab a table!
(4)
Laura P.
We live in the Pearl and are spoiled with incredible food and drinks all the time, we tend to almost take it for granted. But, then we wander into the Irving Kitchen and remember the amazingness of Portland food - damn! I had happy hour apps and wine, then ordered the halibut poached in duck fat, and my guy a pork dish. Both dishes were incredible, think the halibut was a little more so. Our waiter was awesome, he was able to recommend wines that were delicious matches to our meals. We've done brunch here in the past, also great. Highly recommend - great food, cool space (inside and out) and helpful, friendly service.
(5)
Shawn T.
This place rocks. Matt was our server and he was great. Introduced himself and was timely and attentive. Food was outstanding. Pork chop was perfect, risotto excellent, and the butterscotch pudding is as awesome as they say. The notebook check delivery is a wonderful touch. We left a note about our occasion, a graduation, with our check. Definitely worth the trip.
(5)
Stefan K.
A modern and trendy take on rustic and gritty Portland aesthetic. Good food, good service, great decor/ambiance.
(4)
Laura W.
This would have been a 4 star review based on the food, but the service was so terrible that it was downgraded. In all honesty I would not return unless I was going with someone who really wanted to. We sat next to the kitchen for a late brunch. The restaurant seemed staffed well, but despite many open tables it took a long time to be seated because no one focused on setting a table at a time for the people waiting- instead they seemed to approach it as a holistic effort with stacks of napkins to fold and a relaxed team approach. We waited over an hour for our easy brunch food and were not offered coffee refills in that time. When served I asked about the dish he did not bring because usually someone says - your XX will be coming in a minute". The waiter sounded miffed and said "I only have two hands". Since we were right by the kitchen I could see nothing was sitting up there and I was very polite the way I asked about it. It just wasn't ready. All that said the food was REALLY GOOD when it did come, but the kitchen seemed disorganized- not talking, each person relying on reading the slips independently so maybe they had an organization that worked, but it was very slow. The worst part was the inattentive and even snippy waiter. If I return, I will be happy to update and change this review since it reflects a single bad experience.
(3)
Michelle H.
Had you talked to me the night of the infamous truffle stuffed guinea hen, I'd have given you 7 stars and then some. But the high of really good company and food coma wore off in a day or two, and I realized just how this wasn't one of my most favorite meals. Irving St. Kitchen does have the things dreams are made of, assuming your dreams are really rich. The entire menu screams of all kinds of gussied up comfort foods, complete with the current local ingredients begging to be used at the farmers markets. It took me forever to pick something to eat because just about everything had my name on it. The menus rotate based on availability, so I won't bore you with what we had that night, but just know that there was plenty for meat eaters and vegetable lovers alike. I bounced back and forth between a ton of things, and the server practiced an amazing amount of patience as our group continued to talk between his visits making for very slow ordering on our end. I loved the layout of the dining room. The kitchen is sort of open, the bar is in the middle, and the rest of the dining room maximizes space without sitting on your neighbors lap. There are plenty of tables and then a few more private booths. I prefer the dining room purely because there is more to look at. Food, like I mentioned before, is really rich. Too rich, really. The portions were more than ample, and that might have been half of the problem. Maybe it's to encourage you to take some home because you definitely get your money's worth. Have you ever known me to take food home, though? Not often. I could have been comfortable just after my first course and cocktail. The entree, the truffle-stuffed guinea hen, was a pile of deliciousness that actually felt a little bit of a chore to eat by the last bite. I was prepared to top everything with the butterscotch pudding [at this point, you're so overwhelmed by rich, why stop now?], but we split an order of the beignets. Light. Fluffy. Super hot. While good, I left wishing I'd tried the pudding. Next time. Because there will be a next time. I really enjoyed what Irving Street Kitchen has to offer, but I'll plan my meal accordingly to not have flavor overload and burnout when I leave.
(4)
Tamara K.
The interior of this place really makes me want to dine here but for some odd reason, I have only gone in for drinks. I have barely even glanced at the menu when a bartender has plopped one down in front of me. I need to put it on my radar as a place for dinner or maybe a happy hour outing. It is a large space that is wide open with some very cozy booths on the north end. There are some very cozy seating areas near the bar that make you feel like you are in the living room of a friend. Although some may find it tacky, I like that they pour the wine into canning jars as long as they also serve a wine glass along side, which they do. They also serve their wines out of steel kegs so an A+ for sustainability instead of wasting energy by using glass bottles. It doesn't hurt that they always have very good local beer on tap!
(4)
Adam R.
Incredible!!! Irving St. Kitchen is unlike anything you have seen before. You are greeted as you enter with rough cut lumber walls, light fixtures made from wagon wheels and glass milk bottles. Yet it doesn't feel hillbilly. Definitely has a contemporary feel and youthful exuberance. We had the Fennel Dusted scallops and Draper Valley fried chicken. I would recommend both. For dessert we had the Chocolate Bread pudding with mint chocolate ice cream. And of course, because we read the prior review we ordered butterscotch pudding to go.
(5)
Don S.
The restaurant is attractive. The food is first rate. Service is attentive. We had a horrible experience. We had two in our party of seven with serious food limitations. Our very simple request to accommodate (such as replace broccoli with some other vegetable) was far more than they could do. I was later sent a carefully crafted letter explaining it would violate "chef's vision" and a response from the general manager that if they change pairings, then they may have an extra entree they may be stuck with. Do they plate entire meals in the afternoon and then microwave them to serve? A sad waste of talent from either prima dona chef or foolish owners. And believe it or not, I am seriously understating what transpired.
(1)
Ellie S.
Went for brunch and it had a nice atmosphere. The yogurt with apricot jam was delicious, the french toast was just fine and the smoked salmon benedict had eggs that were totally undercooked. They let us return it, but offered nothing else. The food was very slow to come out. All in all, it was a pricey, lacklustre experience.
(2)
Pete V.
I simply love the decor of Irving St. Kitchen. A clean modern look meshed with a wintery lodge style motif. Very urban kitchen like, which compliments its food style. We enjoyed Sunday brunch here and I can't express how enjoyable our meal was. The smothered southern sunny side grits were simply delicious. Grits like your grandma would make with lovely sunny side up eggs with yolk that melted into your grits like a good hearty breakfast should. This coupled with a crisp, hoppy "hop lava" IPA is the proper way that a true Portland day should be started. The chili creole fried chicken was also delicious. Juicy fried chicken with crispy skin and chili that although it lacked heat, was a perfect compliment to the intense fried chicken. Our service was also top notch and the staff even moved us to an inside table after we had originally requested an outside table, which we found to be too cold. What would have made our meal truly special was a table near the fire place, but we'll save that one for our next visit to Irving St. Kitchen!
(5)
Veruca S.
SERIOUS PROPS to Irving St. Kitchen management and staff!! My bestie and I went to Ptown to celebrate my birthday weekend and do a little holiday shopping. After a full day at Washington Square and the area, we hurried back to our hotel and got ready for dinner. Let me tell you... it was chaaablippers outside! Holy of all Holies! It was up in the air between Irving St. and Andina. We chose Irving St. and are glad we did. We had THE BEST server. She was so efficient, and friendly with just the right amount of attentiveness. My friend ordered the Beet Filled Ravioli and I ordered that "stick to your ribs" Organic Fried Chicken... yuuuuuumm! Of course we needed a bottle of champagne to wash it all down with. ;) When in doubt, our server had great 411 on all the dishes. My chicken was tender and flavorful with the right amount of crunch on the outside. Loved the little lumps of potato in my mashed. Well...as all great things...it had to come to an end. I was sporting a food baby and was ready to wobble to my cab. The bartender called for us but found out the minimum wait was 1 HOUR!... it seems all walkers in Portland decided to call cabs too. So...even though we were the last people to leave..and the restaurant was closing, the manager was gracious enough to allow us to stay inside by the fire and keep warm while waiting for our taxi. She even gifted us with champagne to sip until the taxi came. It was a great birthday dinner, indeed. Will I be back? Oh yeah!
(4)
Marina P.
What an amazing place! I couldn't keep my eyes off all the intricate decorations (milk bottle chandeliers), bookshelves, drapped booths. All of it! Just beautiful! The feel is great. The food also was amazing. The oats with nibbs mmmmm yum! I would get the breakfast nachos again just without beans on the bottom. Still delicious! Their eggs with potatoes, and toast were delicious! :D Definately will be back.
(5)
Vincent G.
Simply one of the best restaurants in Portland. The staff is always kind and knowledgeable, the food is positively delightful, and the menu is ever changing so you'll likely have a new dining experience each and every time you visit. If you haven't tried this place, make a reservation and schedule a night out with friends or family.
(5)
Guido F.
Love this place! The BEST service I have encountered since I left Frisco. It matches the best service if any European Restaraunt I have been to This is the real deal. They know exactly what get are doing and really try to share the joy of eating a well thought and prepared meal. The menu is a little eclectic but my recommendation is just pick something. It may sound a little strange but trust me it will be excellent from Southern fried chicken (and as a child if the south am particular) to fish, the care in cooking and presentation is obvious. And treat yourself, let the beverage manager pick a wine for you, you won't be disappointed!!
(5)
Christine P.
Amazing! My mother-in-law made dinner reservations for all of us during our trip out to Portland this past weekend. I absolutely LOVED it here. Service was impeccable from the hostess to the waiter. I loved the bacon wrapped oysters, cheese plate, fried chicken, risotto! The corn bread is absolutely FANTASTIC! You must try it. LOVED LOVED LOVE this place. Definitely check it out when you're in the 'hood. You won't regret it.
(5)
Katy H.
Irving's deserving of all 5 of these stars, baby! Between cheese plates, porchetta, steak frites, fried chicken and amazing cocktails, where do I begin!? Silly me. I've eaten here a few times but failed to realize that I'd written a review. Which I suppose is good because now I can talk about the sum of my experiences here. Service is always great and when I called to ask about business hours (as I was coming in from out of town) they were kind enough to suggest that I make a reservation. Like an old couple, my friend and I sauntered in at 5:30pm. Who eats dinner that early? Everyone! Within 5 mins of opening this restaurant was almost entirely full. Whodathunk that people were dying to get in so early? Prepare to set aside some time to eat here. The tasty American fare is served up in more of a Euro style. No rush! Drinks came first, then apps, then a second app (we were hungry!) and then the main dishes. The dining experience was fabulous and we hung out for nearly two hours. This was great though because it allowed for a lovely conversation and time for each of us to admire the light fixtures, the nice heavy silverware, the wine being poured from canning jars, the water being poured (from what I think) are old liquor bottles. Every little detail here is just as good as the food. If you're still reading this, book a dinner already!
(5)
Alex T.
Fantastic service and really amazing food. I do wish there was a bit more of a southern feel to the people but maybe being from Alabama I am just too used to the southern charm. I loved this place and encourage everyone to come here to try everything they have
(4)
Kate S.
We were just visiting Portland and made a trip here on a whim, but I am so glad we did. All elements of our meal were amazing. We had the Chicken Fried Oysters for an appetizer, then the Fried Chicken and Trout for entrees and Butterscotch Pudding for dessert. All were delicious and perfectly prepared. The service was great too! We hope to return on a future trip.
(5)
Teresa J.
Went back to ISK last night and on the way in I inquired about my previous martini experience. The server at the welcome station (not the hostess) explained that there is a $2 upcharge for a martini, and maybe I was wrong about it being $3. She said ISK marinates their own olives with citrus and herbs, and it was possible that some of the herbs made their way into the drink I ordered before; she didn't address that the olive was black or that it was one in number when I asked for two. I would like to say that I got the feeling that this woman gave a shite about my unsatisfactory $11-$12 drink, but alas, I did not. It was kind of a like-it-or-lump-it exchange. Whatever. I've learned my lesson on ordering martinis at Irving Street Kitchen. Last night I ordered a Negroni, no citrus, instead, and it was quite good.
(3)
Joyice G.
Great dining experience. Menu was imaginative, ambience perfect and no one rushed us. And the food was excellent. We will be back!
(4)
John R.
Overpriced. The food was very tasty. The ambiance very nice. Service was superb. We had steak, and a variety of appetizers and starters. Everything was very very tasty. But very expensive. Incredibly expensive considering the *tiny* portions. I'm not cheap, I am willing to pay well for excellent meals. All of the food was very good. But they charge $12 for three tiny slices of (very tasty) cheese and three rye crackers. The pork shoulder appetizer had one small slice of pork shoulder. The steak was literally 6 bites (6 very yummy bites). Overall - it was high quality but over priced for the portion size. An enjoyable experience though. If you are hungry, just bring your credit card and order two of everything...
(3)
Karen D.
I went to this restaurant because of a friend's recommendation and advertisements seen in Portland brochures. Although our waitress was very friendly, I can not speak as positively about the food. I ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and collard greens, while my bf ordered the steak shanks. My fried chicken was bland and one piece was even undercooked. I showed the waitress the piece of undercooked chicken and she apologized and brought me a new piece. However, the new piece was severely burnt (see my pic). The steak shanks that my bf ordered was tough and there were only four pieces. This place was over priced, over hyped and did not live up to my expectations. There are so many better places in this area. Don't waste your money and go somewhere else.
(1)
Rosalie H.
To ring in the new year we stared with a mimosa! Atmosphere awesomely trendy, hipsters and posh Pearl District locals blends into the semi
(5)
April Y.
Butterscotch pudding is a must! Save room!
(5)
Alex C.
I had a wonderful meal here. My GF got a super tasty salmon dish and I got their fried chicken (injection brined). We also had a vegetarian caldo verde for a starter that was AMAZING. All the drinks were great and the atmosphere is awesome as well.
(5)
Carlos C.
We have been several times to Irving St. Kitchen and we have always had a wonderful experience. This place is great for a nice intimate dinner, or a delicious Sunday brunch. On sunny days they have outdoor seating. Recommended!
(5)
Jesy B.
As I rule, I somewhat cringe when coming to places like these. I'm not a very 'fancy place' kinda person and I quickly get uneasy when entering, usually expecting a death glare from a server who can easily sense that I'm out of my element for sure. I mean really, the Pearl kind of scares me, how silly. That being said, ISK was nothing like that. I was meet some fellow Yelpers for First Thursday so I squared my shoulders and marched in. This place is fantastic! From the moment I walked in, I was OK with it. I love the layout - couches, a fireplace, a lovely laid out bar and plenty of places to sit. I got there around the tail end of the HH and it was already getting pretty busy. I was inclined to get my usual - beer - but dangit, this place has some fancy cocktails so I had to indulge. I have to say my first real foray into artisan cocktails was a total success. Though I didn't totaly understand what some of the elements were (absinthe rinse, que?!), it all added up to yummy. I even had a gin drink (I don't like gin, it smells like Christmas trees!) and was amazed to find I loved it. Well done, ISK! I didn't partake too heavily in the food, but I did get their mac & cheese off the happy hour menu. Flavorful, well cooked and just freaking tasty. That bodes well for the rest of the menu and I surely want to come back for dinner - crab chower, yes PLEASE. Last - service was superb. We had people trickling in and never once did the waitress seem to be irritated at the volatility of our group. She was absolutely pleasant, attentive and always made sure you had a drink in front of you if you needed one. That's my kind of service! Not overbearing, but you always know you can get what you need pretty quickly.
(5)
dean d.
My first experience, which has led to repeated trips, had to do with stopping in after having dinner close by for a little desert. After seeing the menu and loving the ambience, NW cozy, we stopped in, sat at the bar and ordered the butterscotch pudding. Our eyes rolled back in delight with the first bite. It is so insanely good. Since we've been back a number of times. We usually stick with the pudding cause it's that good. Oh and you can also get it to go and it comes in a nice preserve jar. The drinks are outstanding to.
(5)
Christopher T.
I was not happy at all about this place. I am from San Francisco and visit Portland twice a month for work. I have grown to love the Portland food scene with my favorites being being Little Bird, Andina, and Pok Pok. I just finished a work out at the gym across the street and was craving some Pok Pok but eating on the company dime I decided to give this place a shot and try something new. Now for the review: Food/Drink: 3 Stars Service: 2 Stars Atmosphere: 4 Stars Value: 2 Stars When I got into the restaurant there was no hostess to greet or seat me. After waiting a couple of minutes I sat myself at the bar. When the bar tender noticed I was there he just gave me a menu without saying welcome to Irving or even telling me about their specials or drinks. I had to ask questions and made selections based on his recommendations. I ended up getting the Penicillin cocktail for $11 and it actually tasted like Penicillin (I am a physician so I know) which is not a good thing. No one bothered to ask how my drink was after it was served. I then had to call bar tender over again to order my entree and selected the black cod with a crawfish curry for $26. I did wait for approximately 25 minutes for my entree with no one checking up on me or offering bread (helps soak up the alcohol on an empty stomach) which i had to request when my entree was served. When my entree was served it was good but nothing special. The fish was cooked perfectly along with the crawfish and vegetables but all the flavors just blended together and nothing was excellent, special, or memorable. After eating I had to again request my check and then I left with no one ever thanking me for my visit. In closing I have a real problem with this restaurant. The service is terrible and I was not treated like a guest or made to feel welcome in fact yesterday I had lunch at Chipotle and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and the service at both places was remarkably better. The portion size also was relatively small and after paying $42 with tax and tip for my meal I was still left pretty hungry and bought a piece of fruit at whole foods which was remarkable fresh and juicy (reminded me of Georgia peaches) and probably the highlight of my dinner. If you are going to lack in value you need to make up in service which was not there. I definitely will not eat here again and felt sorry that my company had to pay for this meal. Now I cant wait to get some Pok Pok tomorrow....so much for trying new things.
(2)
Everett S.
It's definitely good. I had the fried chicken, which had a unique tasting gravy. I was with a big group and nothing we ordered was too remarkable. It's expensive and I just don't know if it's the place I would splurge on. That said. I can't really think of anything bad to say.
(3)
Kevin P.
4.5 stars. Place is one of the best in Portland. Hand crafted cocktails and an ever changing local menu that dominates life. Never had a bad experience there, never will. Could be a bit less expensive but that's just finding an excuse to not give it 5 stars.
(5)
Brittany K.
Good ambience, great food all around. We tried the trout and lamb porterhouse and both were very good.
(4)
Marie Y.
Come here for brunch! In the summer you can sit out in the morning sun on the patio overlooking the passerbys below, but the rustic yet modern interior here means that it's excellent for brunch in winter too! I have had almost everything on the brunch menu here, and have been very satisfied and impressed consistently. The hollandaise sauce is divine, and the Bloody Mary's are the spiciest I have found in town! mmmm! Prices are very resonable here too. I recommend the Salmon Benedict or the Artichoke Sardou. My favorite brunch spot in Portland, and I'm pretty into brunch!
(5)
Audrey S.
This is one of the few restaurants in Portland that I will miss when we move. Wonderful menu. Everything I've ever had here has been delicious. The desserts are beyond decadent. We love bringing friends and family from out of town here because we know they will enjoy the overall dining experience as much as we do. Everything from the drinks, to the food to the service is done right. Other restaurants looking to provide flawless food and service should rip a page from Irving Street Kitchen's play book.
(5)
Abby S.
It's no surprise that Portland is a foodie town. (Thanks Captain Obvious!) From food carts to craft cocktails and fancy restaurants, the city is overflowing with deliciousness; Irving St. Kitchen is no exception. Without a doubt, my dinner here Wednesday night goes on the "Best Meals Evar" list, and here's why: - Fresh and unique choice of ingredients - Warm, friendly staff - Beautiful decor, yet there's no air of pretentiousness anywhere within - Fantastic wine list - Anytime lobster and butter are offered together in a dish on your menu, you've got my vote - Butterscotch pudding - 'nuff said! This place gives me the warm fuzzies and I wouldn't hesitate going back with friends, family or my lovely co-workers again.
(5)
Tricia L.
What a great place! Friendly waitstaff, amazing food, great ambiance. Great place to bring out of town guests as it is so Portland.
(5)
Cassandra C.
Nice atmosphere, nice food. Nice staff. Just not that nice. Had the fried chicken meal and to-go butterscotch pudding. It was cute that the pudding came in a practically gift-wrapped package and it was a short mason jar. That was cute. But it was very run-of-the-mill. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. Some people like that.
(2)
Meredith h.
So I am not trying to be negative however I did not have a great experience, nor did I have a horrible one. I sat at the bar bymyself and was weakly greeted, no smile or hello just a glass of water poured for me by one bartender. He then walked away and i waited for a bit then another bartenter came by and gave me some menus. He returned to take my drink order, and none of the speciality cocktails were calling my name so I just went for a glass of Prosecco instead. The bartender was knowledgable and answered my questions but was not warm. I started off with the mussel corn chowder soup which had a nice base with crips sweet corn with potatoe and fennel, the mussels however where not good and they didn't seem to ruin the soup. I next had the Salmon gravlex with cucumber salad and homemade rye crackers. The salmon was decent, salty as expected maybe a little too much, the gribiche sauce was plentyful drizzled over the salmon. It was ok it didn't necissarily compliment the salmon nor insult it. The cucumber salad was non-existant, it was a bunch of frisee lettuce. When I asked about it, saying "isn't a cucumber salad supposed to come with cucumber?" The bartender asked if I wanted to send the dish back, but I really didn't want to send the whole thing back. I just wasn't sure if my interpretation was incorrect. He then offered to bring a side of cucumbers. Again the effort was rather luke warm. The homemade rye crackers had a nice texture but were bland if you did not have a nice peice of salty salmon on top. Overall the food was so so, I gave it two stars for the setting and tone that I felt in there. It is a beautiful restaurant and the food has potential however I guess I just wasn't feeling it there. As I left everyone was pleasant and said goododbye, but I guess my initial reception i felt wasn't as pleasant or welcoming.
(2)
Tiffany N.
Irving Street has an awesome selection of charcuterie and I was lucky enough to sample almost all of their offerings. I say I was lucky because it was all so very delightful. Besides the smorgasbord of meat Don B and I shared Oysters on Horseback (bacon-wrapped oysters), an edamame puree with radishes and cucumbers (this was the consistency of something like hummus and you could dip the veggies into the puree), a mind-blowingly delicious Shrimp Etouffe, and a Jambalaya that was too sweet for me (I prefer it super spicy.) I love all their draft wines and the cocktail list is amazing. Speaking of amazing, that's a great word to describe the space and the service as well. While the space is rather on the largish size it doesn't seem cold or cavernous, but warm and cozy. And never for a moment was I at a want for attention when necessary - empty glasses became full again quickly, courses were ordered leisurely and food was delivered promptly. All in all it was a most pleasant experience.
(5)
Jeff T.
So I've had a couple of days to think about our recent dinner at Irving St. Kitchen. I'd seen some good buzz and review here on Yelp and other sites. There were some real high points to the meal, but then there were some real disconnect. We had two of the starters, the sweet potato/fennel soup was exceptional and they kindly split it into two smaller bowls for us to share. The beet salad was pretty good and not made with prickled beets that you come to expect. After this great start, we waited for over 20 minutes for our entrees after our starter service was cleared. We'd ordered the rabbit chorizo, the trout and a side order of the pickled okra that the waitress said was great. I enjoyed the rabbit, but didn't really find it very spicy as you'd expect with chorizo. My wife liked the trout, it didn't wow her, but she liked it. However, we never did get the okra. I'm pretty sure I saw it sitting on the kitchen window for about 10 minutes under a heat lamp until it was taken away. I would have said something to our server, but she didn't make it by our table until it was gone and we'd finished our entrees. I asked her about it and she was sorry and I could tell she meant it. After our exchange I'd expected her to return with the dessert menu but we had to wait another 10-15 minutes for that. We did go for the butterscotch pudding which was really good, but very very rich. I won't recommend trying to eat this alone, it's just that rich, but very good. I did find our server to be very nice and friendly, but it looked like she was either covering too many tables, or a little overwhelmed on a Friday night. And I think the waits between courses were more of a kitchen timing issues than on the wait staff. We liked the ambience of the restaurant, and I particularly enjoyed the Freya Prowe art installation over the bar. I would say that it was extremely warm in the restaurant and there needs to be some ceiling fans or something to keep the air moving. So the final question, would I go back? Yes, but with so many great restaurants here in Portland, it's not going to make it to the top of the list right now. I think it will curse of that space on 13th and I'll give it a shot again in the future, just not the near future.
(3)
Chris C.
The space is large and really neatly decorated. The wait staff was really nice and the food was good. Its not the most amazing meal, but it was tasty and Id go back.
(4)
Tiffany P.
Ok, I admit that I was hooked after reading the article about them in Thursday's Oregonian. A new restaurant in the Pearl,,,Southern type cooking...my mind was reeling, plus we haven't been downtown in about a year, ready for a restaurant trip. I made reservations online for 545 this evening. We arrived and anxiously awaited outside with the other patrons, eager for our first glimpse inside this new restaurant. Inside, the decor is awesome! A cross between a butcher shop and a very stylish barn, they have milk bottles for lights! We were the second couple seated and ended up waiting for 15-20 minutes with no one noticing us. All of the tables seated after us had drinks and were giving food orders while we sat and questioned how long we would wait before we walked out. On the flip side, it was their second night in business, I was willing to forgive, (the reason I took away a star). We finally flagged down a waiter who took our drink order and it was perfect from there. He apologized and explained the menu to us, which is made up of "firsts" and "seconds". We made a meal out of the firsts. Our drinks arrived via a different waitress who advised us that there was a mix up and there was not a waiter scheduled for our area till later, why we were seated there, I cannot tell you. We started with the BBQ shrimp, which comes with 4 large shrimps, a chive drop biscuit and the best sauce I have ever tasted, a cross between a tomato and bbq sauce=DIVINE!!Next, we had the bib salad with blue cheese dressing, the piquillo peppers stuffed with a chicken ragout and the meatballs with smashed potatoes and gravy....one of the best dishes ever! They specialize in wines but since we had been to a few wineries earlier in the afternoon, we partook in a few draft beers, they have some amazing local, different beers (ie Hopworks, Laurelhurst, etc). We were there to celebrate, so we had to have dessert. Our waitress recommended the "sugar and spice donuts" which was SPOT ON!! There was 3 donut holes with a Stumptown coffee ice cream type thing that was "One of the best desserts we ever had", says my husband who is a connoisseur of all things sweet! We will definately be back soon!!!
(4)
Tamara M.
Loved everything here. Inventive drinks, a rich veggie entree and amazing butterscotch pudding/custard.
(5)
R R.
I have loved the cocktails at Irving Street Kitchen, and think they are the best around. Based on the cocktails and happy hour, I would have rated this place four stars. But man oh man was New Year's Brunch HORRIBLE. My boyfriend and I ordered the waffles and an order of lox benedict. The waffles were cold and hard and the "pork belly" was a chunk of greasy fat, upon which sat a brownish egg. ($15) The eggs benedict was cold. The eggs were underdone, the whites running everywhere. The escarole weirdly paired with the watery, congealing hollandaise sauce. ($15) The orange juice was the size of a shot. And then, we were both ill all day, after a $42 tab. So, two stars for you, Irving Street Kitchen. I'm sad to say that we won't be back.
(1)
Richard H.
My wife and I bailed-out on another function and stopped in here on a whim. We were SO happy we did. The staff what friendly and the food was great. When they heard us in a serious debate on what desert to get, they made it easy and sent us home with a complimentary jar of the Butterscotch pudding (a MUST have). Though they forgot to put in my order my second visit, I forgave them when they brought me some grilled banana bread and jam.
(4)
David N.
Ate there this evening for the 1st time. I had the steak/rib entree and my wife had the snapper. Food, service, drinks and ambiance were good. The entree portions were not exactly generous. The server did a great job with our large party, including breaking out separate checks.
(4)
Dave D.
Awesome! Came here for a Nike dinner and they did it right. Delicious food and wine list. The atmosphere reminded me of a fancy estate style house, complete with bookshelves. Cheers~
(4)
Becky F.
I took some clients here in Feb 2011 and it was a great place. It was easy to find, not super busy, where we could still have conversations and the ambience was perfect. We started with the meat/cheese samplers that were perfect.. very fresh, very unique tasting and paired well with the Sav I was drinking. The menu is a bit on the ecclectic side and after careful reading, decided to opt for the blackened salmon and it was delicious.. very fresh. The bisquits are a treat.. and a must try as well.
(4)
Melissa R.
We went here for brunch. OMG I had the shrimp and grits and they were so delicious. My husband was soo jealous, he got the burger which was pretty darn tasty as well, but they forgot to put bacon on it, so he was disappointed and the server was nowhere to be found after we got our food that he couldn't tell him that they forgot it. But I loved my breakfast. We also got the fries with the truffle mayo, which was sooo tasty as well. Next time we are Portland we will try this place for dinner.
(4)
Kyle K.
Great ambience, Meatball and mash app. was decent. Drinks were average as was the cheese plate. I'll give this place a second try as I did not have a true dinner plate on my first visit.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Phoebe M.
This place ROCKS!!! Everything is incredible!!! The ambience is great, lots of seating and mood lighting, food is exceptional - we tried almost everything on the menu (right when they opened). I would recommend everything - super yummy (except for the BBQ shrimp and jambalaya). It is definitely the place to go - make reservations though. It's such a great place to eat at, it will fill up quickly. :)
(5)J K.
Perfect experience! A 3 year old and 6 year and my wife. Delicious, great service. Best lemonade ever! They made our kids grilled cheese even though it wasn't on the menu-- and it was delicious grilled cheese.
(5)Celine B.
The space is beautiful. The owner designed the lamps himself, I was told by the waitstaff. I came on my birthday on a Sunday morning, and even though they weren't serving dessert, they made an exception and brought out my FAVORITE dessert of all time- the butterscotch pudding. What great service!!! I have raved about this pudding to everyone I know and converted non-believers who thought they hated butterscotch. Order it. The Johnson Ham appetizer is delicious, as is the fried chicken. Low Country drink is also divine. I come very often. I really like this place.
(4)Erin S.
Brett W. said it perfectly, "One word describes the experience I had at Irving Street Kitchen: Genuine. From the moment our server approached our table and greeted us, I felt taken care of. Pampered, even" This was our exact experience. Everyone from the hostess to our server to the bartender made sure we were having a wonderful time. Our server explained any questions we had about the menu and told us her favorite dishes as well. We decided to treat ourselves and order everything we wanted. CHARCUTERIE a wonderful array of house smoked meats and sausages served on a piece of drift wood. FOIE GRAS & SWEETBREAD RAVIOLI served with black truffle foam. The texture was great and the foam really made the dish. HEIRLOOM BABY BEET SALAD with truffle balsamic vinaigrette and sheep's milk cheese. This dish alone turned me on to loving beets! They were so fresh, juicy and the dressing was mouthwatering. Highly recommend this salad. SEARED SHRIMP & LOBSTER RAGOUT with bienville bread pudding and pickled okra. This was the most creative dish. I didn't know what I was ordering, but it was wonderful. It solved any seafood craving I have ever had. SLOW BAKED SALOM with ras el hanout crust, lentil salad, and cauliflower-walnut sauce. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the crust on top had a great texture. BOURBON ROASTED PORCHETTA with sweet potatoes, black trumpets and whole grain mustard jus. I just keep thinking about this dish. So so tender and the trumpets were amazing. Everything worked. BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING with brown ale caramel sauce, crème freiche, and caramel corn. After our whole filling meal we only had a few bites that were great. It was just so rich. Irving Street Kitchen was an experience and one of the best meals I have ever had. Its right up there with Anchor & Hope and Town Hall!
(5)Elisabeth B.
Some of the best food I've ever eaten...and really cute, friendly waiters. Restaurant experience doesn't get much better than that.
(5)Liz C.
Nice ambiance and noise level, and very creative flavor pairings. Rave of the table went to the beet and cornbread sides, which we had as appetizers. The dirty rice and shrimp-stuffed crab was the best entree of our four, with the quail a close second. Halibut and fried chicken were just so-so, although the mashed potatoes were a hit. Strawberry sorbet and basil syrup were a-ma-zing, but the toasted angel food cake was nothing special. Seemed like we waited a long time for each food course to arrive, but we enjoyed being able to watch the kitchen action from our table.Glad we tried it, but we won't rush back.
(3)Neill P.
I like the open atmosphere in this place. If I weren't such a wretched introvert, this seems like a good place to go on a First Thursday to mingle with the crowd that is standing in the bar section. The food is fine, but overpriced and therefore not worth it in my book. One standout is the cornbread, which you can get for $5 and is fantastic. It's a sweet cornbread that comes with a bourbon-caramel sauce, and should be eaten as a dessert. It's almost a mix of angel food cake and what you would normally associate with cornbread. Definitely get it if you eat here.
(3)Sam A.
The Soup of the Day is always a fantastic surprise!
(5)Bryan W.
Good food and beer selection.
(3)Zach M.
Great place! We went at 9:30 on a Sunday evening. Every dish of our meal was excellent! The place was pretty empty as expected but we sat in one of the cool enclosed booths and had great conversation. You could close the curtain and have a very intimate evening. The only negative is higher than necessary wine prices - $12/glass for a wine you could buy retail for $25/bottle.
(4)Trey C.
Excellent food, great service in a relaxing yet fun atmosphere. Definitely recommend!
(5)Melissa S.
Dropped in tonight to grab a bite to eat since we moved in next door and we couldn't stand smelling the food anymore without at least trying something there! First impressions, the place had a great vibe, nice lighting, slightly western, slightly modern, totally awesome. Service was outstanding, we sat and the low top bar and were greeted promptly, my husband ordered a signature cocktail which was served in a antique cocktail glass and absolutely fabulous for those who love a little sweet dinner drink. We started with the blue cheese salad; fresh crisp and pre-split! Love that! Then we ordered the salmon with walnut cream sauce, lentils and crumb topping... the salmon was cooked perfectly, and the lentils were a nice compliment to the nutty sweet salmon. Simple, but perfect. We also ordered a side of the green beans and mushrooms.... YUM! Not like many places out there that feel the need to cook green beans until they are mush, no these were crisp and warm and mixed with fungi goodies :) We're close to this place, actually we're attached to this place... so we'll def. be back... happy hour looks great.. $2 tall boy and whiskey, SIGN ME UP.
(4)Thomas L.
Everything here is delicious and the bartenders are super nice and friendly. My partner and I used to come here almost once a week when we lived closer. We typically sat at the bar, because of the friendly bartenders. Atmosphere is great. Nothing bad to say. Brunch? Yums. Dinner? Yums. Drinks? You get the point... I've taken a few out-of-town guests here and they loved it.
(4)Melissa S.
This is by far the best food I have had in a very long time if not ever! And this is coming from someone that loves good food and eats out a lot. All of the ingredients were super fresh and combined in a way that were not overkill like some finer restaurants like to do. Every thing was cooked to perfection and the selection they had on the menu was great. Also, the service was wonderful. We had a top notch waiter that totally knew the menu as if he was the chef himself and he was very friendly. Also, the atmosphere is awesome because it is classy and modern, yet very comfortable, urban and warm. This is a hard combination to pull off and I think they did it to a 'T'.
(5)Y L.
I have been to ISK twice and my experience was about the same both times. The restaurant setup is great, nice space and open dining area. The food is good/mediocre and the service is about the same. I will likely continue to go to this restaurant because it is in my neighborhood and the menu is good enough.
(3)Jeremy B.
A group of us came here on Sunday night to have dinner before going out. We sat down and after about 5 minutes ordered drinks. Then that was it. Literally. After 40 minutes had passed and never seeing the waitress again we decided to leave. We stood up and walked out. Seeing the waitress on the way out we informed her we were leaving and why. She simply responded with a carefree "ok, cool, have a good night" and let us just walk out. No apology, nothing. That will be my lat time returning there.
(1)Jenna B.
This place is one of the best restaurants I have been to in Portlnad. The ambience and atmosphere is great, not too stuffy, just right. The service is excellent, I couldn't have done it better and the food is awesome, portions are not too big, not too small. Comfort food at its best!!! This place gets an A+ in my book. I will definitely be back again and again!!
(5)Jack D.
Went for brunch which is only on Sat-Sun. Glad we did. My Smothered Southern w/ country fried chicken came in a skillet and was mouth watering. A "bloody buddy" washed it down nicely (spicy) and the natural wood environment made a unique and pleasant dining experience. The booth we were seated at had curtains that closed. The service was solid and the check came delivered in a moleskin notebook with patron passages scribbled in it. Impressive place to eat and wash your hands (the water closets have large shallow flat sinks). Oh and the waiting area looked comfy....
(4)jennifer w.
we went for brunch and im simply l.o.v.i.n.g this place! james got the lobster soft scrambled eggs with truffle mascarpone. it comes on top of a toasted brioche. i got the moroccan poached eggs. hells bells, yall. this was sooooo good. it comes with garlic rubbed toast. we both loved our breakfast and will totally be heading back!
(5)Erin M.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner here on Saturday. We'd made a reservation just to be safe but when we arrived a little early they were happy to seat us immediately. All of the staff was attentive and helpful. They may have been a little obsessive about filling my water glass but I never went thirsty! I really appreciated that our server didn't rush us. I was having dinner with an old friend I hadn't seen in a while and we had trouble concentrating on the menu because we were so busy catching up. Never once did I feel like I needed to rush or make a quick decision, even after we ate our dinner and our table was cleared. When we finally did take a moment to look over the menu my mouth began watering. I tried the ham and biscuits for my starter and it was delicious. The ham just melted in my mouth and biscuits were just like grandma makes, but in mini form. The fried chicken for dinner was also fantastic. The meat was moist and the coating was flavorful, just what you want out of a good piece of fired chicken. Of course the most wonderful bit of food came for desert when I ordered the butterscotch pudding. After reading all the reviews here I ad to try it myself. YUM. YUM. YUM. No really, it was yummy. The apple rhubarb crisp my friend ordered was great too, but that pudding made my night. I'll be back to try happy hour soon!
(4)Quinn S.
Damn good food and drinks. Amazing staff! Really cool space.
(5)Ann S.
Horrible service. I've been in here three times now, each repeat hoping for a redemption. All three visits I experienced such horrible service that the last time i didn't even stay for the meal. I've never been treated so poorly. Each time I walked in no one greeted me but rather have nasty looks and one word answers...it was like begging for a table when that is their job to greet you? Also extremely slow and inattentive wait staff. There are much better options out there, don't waste your time.
(1)Tyler A.
Decided to check it out since it's just around the corner. Man, it's a HUGE venue. We walked in, no res, waited 2 minutes at the fireplace in the front. We sat in the center of the dining room, there were some cozy booths for 4 or more, rooms in the back? What I noticed throughout the night was how BRIGHT it was, yes I like seeing my food but seriously, you can drop it down a few watts. Why bother with the candles if they're not glowing in comparison to its surroundings? Dinner: (I can't remember what my hubs got...) -Charcuterie plate, not the best I've seen but it's really cheap at $15 -Snapper with risotto was quite well balanced. A bit too heavy handed with the salt but overall very enjoyable. I love arugula in ANYTHING -Meyer Lemon Napoleon - OMFG lemony crack! (This is worth the visit alone, pastry chef, you've done good!) Overall, ambiance can get a slight improvement from lowered lights, super space, food is a solid A-/B+ and we also had a nice bottle of super Cote de Rhone for super cheap at $33 (Vacqueyras) that drank like a $75+ bottle. And the service was as if I were at a restaurant in LA or NY not PDX, ATTENTIVE (someone - manager? hostess? who ran over to us t tell us the 86 in the most enthusiastic and disturbing way but other than that, our server was thumbs up) Will definitely revisit, often.
(4)Matt S.
We had the best meal that I've had in a REALLY long time here, just before Christmas. The service was excellent, granted we arrived right as the kitchen opened - but it was really great regardless. The standout dish was easily the Crispy Quail Salad, it tasted like Christmas and was so delicious. All of the other dishes we tried were fantastic as well, but if the Quail Salad is still on the menu, order it!
(5)Rosemary R.
The food was good. Not a great value, but good. The staff was lovely. But, I truly do not understand why everything took soooo long. They weren't that busy and they seemed fully staffed. We ordered drinks and 10 minutes later they showed up. We ordered dinner and 30 minutes later it showed up. Desert arrived rather promptly but the coffees we ordered with our desert showed up after we finished eating desert. It was strange. Our dinner was pleasant and I liked the atmosphere.
(3)Lusha K.
When walking into this huge restaurant - not one person greeted me and for a Saturday I was surprised how slow it was at 11:15 am. I ordered the fried chicken and grits and asked for a side biscuit. It appeared that they forgot to place our order and so they brought out two chocolate muffins to apologize for the wait. The muffins were dry and really I would have much preferred to have my fried chicken. Once the food arrive - it was really average and the eggs which I ordered over medium still had uncooked egg white. The fried chicken crust was unseasoned and the grits and sauce were just plain bad. The bill arrived and I was shocked that the side biscuit I requested was $5 for two dry biscuits that's weren't even warm. And overall I feel this place is over priced for what you're getting. Finally the staff was fine - but the food was not worth the price or the wait. This place is lovely inside and the bartender made some great drinks but I will not be going back any time soon. There are too many other places that make better fried chicken.
(2)Jordan C.
Outstanding place. Charcuterie plate was a great great great value at 15 bucks. My girlfriend had the fried chicken which was super good and I had the porchetta. It was one of the most flavorful pork dishes I've ever had and the madera sauce on top worked perfectly. Not so sure about the wine out of a tap, but whatever. I went for the food and it was great
(5)Dave S.
Yep, this is a rating Irving St. Kitchen deserves. Our first visit was bad (see other review), but this visit was amazing. This time we went in for dinner with a couple of friends who own a wine bar in Seattle. First, our waiter was outstanding. Friendly, helpful, funny and right there when you need him, and not when you don't. The manager even visited our table to see how we liked the food and wine. Very good service. The food was excellent. From the very fresh salad, to all of our entrees to the dessert, everything was perfectly done, fresh and with excellent flavors. They have several wines on tap, which from all of the time we spend at Bottlehouse in Seattle, we know gives you excellent wine by the glass at a lower price than bottled. We tried three outstanding wines and were even delivered glasses of awesome dessert wine by the manager...on the house! Overall an outstanding experience. We'll be back many times.
(5)Ian R.
One star reviews are extreme, but if ever a restaurant merited one, this is it. I was ready to write a two-star review after being severely underwhelmed by underwhelming service, a mediocre pasta dish, an over-hyped fried chicken that couldn't hold a candle to numerous other fried chickens in Portland, but then ... I had a dinner party and by total chance both of my friends had dined at ISK during the same week I did and both had such awful experiences that their meals were fully comped. One of the meals was comped because of poor service, the other because of terrible service and multiple cold plates. The second meal was over $300 with alcohol and was still comped. It was that BAD. On the positive side, at least someone there knows things are bad. But three meals that bad is inexcusable in a town with so many delicious dining options.
(1)Thomas W.
AmaZING... with an emphasis on the ZING. The decor is interesting, a bit rustic, a bit ironic and throughly enjoyable. We loved dining in a booth with a curtain. The waitstaff was well-trained, friendly without intruding on our evening and very attentive when needed. And the food... how do you spell exquisite? EXQUISITE!!!!! Thank you for a memorable evening!
(5)Jon O.
Inconsistent. Some well put together dishes, some head scratchers. Happy hour is the best time to come, fun place + good values. Brunch, meh. Dinner, better, but out of six people we've found that at least two dishes here will end up being dissapointments. Good service.
(3)Anne R.
I'll start out saying I'm not a brunch person. But, after being up all night I wanted a drink and a nice meal so went here with some friends. While it's a big space, I loved the cozy booths, the bench seating and areas by the fire. My friends got the bloody mary's, the heuvos rancheros, and the chicken/waffles. Both were very happy. Neither could finish their portions. We split the spiced donuts which were the best donuts i've ever had and just amazing. And I got the eggs benedict with salmon lox as a lover of lox on all things... they were amazing. The best eggs benedict I've ever had and one of the best things I've eaten in almost a year maybe. They were incredibly rich, with a lemon flavor. The arugula and salmon went perfectly with biscuit. Please go eat them =)
(5)Anita H.
I came here for brunch with friends and ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict. I am normally not a huge benedict fan, since my firsthand experiences consist of watching others devour two large cholesterol saturated poached eggs completely smothered in over the top creamy hollandaise sauce. So I knew I was taking a risk by ordering the benedict at Irving St. However, I was quite impressed! The Salmon Gravlax Benedict was pretty darn amazing! The chefs at Irving St were on point with this breakfast dish; the buttermilk biscuits were delicious with the eggs perfectly poached and covered with just the right amount of dill hollandaise sauce. The dill hollandaise sauce paired extremely well with the raw salmon. The dish was like a salmon lox benedict. My hubster ordered the exact same dish (great minds think alike, I guess), but he preferred the salmon cooked. I usually agree with him because he tends to be smarter, but this time he was DEAD WRONG. I thought the salmon being uncooked was a perfect complement to the other ingredients in the dish. I'm giving this place four stars since this was my first visit and I want to come back and try other items on the menu.
(4)Sam S.
Great meal and excellent service. Would recommend to anyone looking for a imaginative bistro.
(5)Amreen U.
I came here for happy hour with a few friends, lured by my food writer friend's urging and Willamette Weekly's review of the happy hour hot dog. The hot dog was amazing, and we ended up staying for dinner and ordering things to share. We got the cheese plate (w/ fig jam, yum), the oysters on horseback (surprisingly awful, with a weird texture), the BBQ shrimp (pretty good) and several desserts. They were all good, but the butterscotch pudding was ridiculous. Amazing. So good. I want to spend the rest of my life eating it. Also, they have a lovely lambrusco, an Italian sparkling red wine, on the menu right now. Dry and refreshing, not too sweet like lambruscos tend to be. Mmm. SInce we mostly got small plates, happy hour stuff, and drinks, the check wasn't too bad either, and the service was great.
(5)Rita C.
This was my new favorite restaurant in Portland based on an incredibly good birthday dinner there. Next time we went, I took my sisters visiting from Atlanta and Charleston. It was wonderful. Then, this morning...uh oh. My son, his girlfriend and I were treating my husband for his 62nd birthday. They were all satisfied. My Shrimp and Grits, however, (my favorite dish in the world) was cold, and tasteless. I was expecting the "barbecued" shrimp to be the same as the barbecued shrimp from the dinner menu, which was creamy, spicy, lemony and delectable. This sauce was a brown, clear liquid that had no taste, was so cool that it had a gelled film over the top of it, and the shrimp was small, sparse and tasteless. The scrambled egg topping the whole mess was cold and overcooked. I have to say, the service was excellent. I am not one to let my disatisfaction pass, however, so I chatted with the waitress (very politely) and told her I was disappointed that it was not the spicy, tangy dish I'd had before. She was "sorry I was disappointed". Me, too. A huge fan turns into a tepid one...just like my shrimp and grits.
(3)Jan A.
Went for brunch, got seated immediately but food took f o r e v e r. and was not worth the wait. Toast was burned. Black burned. Bacon was burned. Almost black burned. Bacon was extra chewy and way overcooked. Bread pudding french toast was good. Doughnut starter was the best. Moroccan eggs, meh. Server was apologetic and comped the doughnuts. Probably will not be back but the space is pretty cool.
(2)Stephanie K.
Oh Irving St. Kitchen, how I absolutely wanted to fall in love with the mythical creature that you have become. For months, I've heard about how this is the premier restaurant to go to in Portland and many dates have promised this for dinner, but never followed through. Luckily, I found a man wanting to get lucky bad enough that he made reservations, even though I wouldn't be able to make dinner until 10 pm. So we arrived at Irving St. dressed for the nice night out. The place had a nice buzz to it when we arrived, which was always a good sign. The hostess was kind enough to seat us in the private tables, which remind me of a cross between a cabin in the woods and a private cabana in Vegas. Our waitress was amazing! She made us feel right at home and had a lot of recommendations for us. We started off with two of their signature cocktails, one of which came in a mason jar which was adorable. The cocktails were good, but nothing mindblowing. That was okay, as I figured the food was more the star of the show. So we started off with the cheese plate, ordered the veal rib, steelhead, and a side of brussel sprouts. The cheese plate was good, but I find it really difficult to mess up a cheese plate. And I am beginning to feel like putting bleu cheese on a cheese plate almost becomes a throwaway. The entrées were delicious as well, but nothing mind blowing. So the meal has been good, but I'm still waiting to experience all that everyone raves about. I figured at least the dessert would shine through, a sweet potato mousse pie and rhubarb and apple crisp. Again, good and tasty, but still missing the wow factor. Beautiful place, good wine, and great food, but I wouldn't put it as a 5-star, you haven't experience the Portland food scene if you haven't been here. So far, Paragon has won my heart over Irving St. Kitchen.
(4)Fawn W.
The hubs and I call this our Cheers "because everybody knows your name..." We tend to go at least once a week. I've only had one so-so experience in probably 10+ experiences since we first came a few months ago. Favorite things: -Fried chicken! My friends, there is a lot of fried chicken in this town. And they are all surprisingly good (Tilt, Screen Door, Imperial, The Parish on a good day) but my favorite is this one. It's perfectly golden fried so I ask for the greens and mashed potatoes on the side (as to not soggy the bottom of my perfectly crisp chicken). The sides on this dish are delightful so definitely don't swap them out. -Biscuit with ham, butter and jelly (it has a much fancier description on the menu but I can't remember it). Absolutely delicious. -Cheese and crackers. Seems boring for a dinner table but the cheese is so tasty it's worth the order. -Chilled corn soup (seasonal and it recently went out of season but If you ever see it on the menu - get it!) -Butterscotch pudding (usually not my thing, but here, I make an exception). Enjoy!
(5)Deanna E.
Okay, Haven't been in here, orderd through Postmates. BEST. DELIVERY. EVER. Got the fried chicken with gravy and biscuits, came to us within 25 minutes, hot and amazing. best fried chicken ever, egg cooked perfectly, best gravy, honey from heaven, biscuits like light airy kisses from a professional ballerina. Order it immediately. Also I got the bag of mixed pastries, which was mixed reviewed by all. But I gotta say the Sugar and Spice Doughnut that was included made me CRY. Tears of a GD ANGEL. Thank you Postmates, and THANK YOU IRVING STREET KITCHEN.
(5)Omar T.
My daughter turned 14 and had her Birthday dinner at Irving yesterday (8/17) (with her 16 year old sister in tow to pay the $340 bill!!). Ten 14 year olds were treated like 5 year olds. My 16 year old asked for the dessert menu early on so she could order a few desserts and ask the server to make it special for her sister. The server proceeded to tell her she could have the dessert menu after she ate her meal! Food was good - service was terrible. Shame as I always brag about what a great place this is each time we have events there.
(2)Jonathan B.
Went in on a Saturday for a mid morning breakfast and it was awesome. Began with coffee and the fresh warm crispy outside warm doughy inside cinnamon sugar donuts. Then a Salty dog and the salmon and biscuit breakfast. Crazy good, with great service and atmosphere. On the pricy side, but a special place out on the town!
(5)Chris E.
Such a great place! The staff is probably the best at there job in town. I'm almost positive I haven't met all the staff, but they sure act like we've been friends forever! It's very charming. The food is good, portions could be bigger, but I'm starved in the morning for brunch, so that's probably just me! :)
(5)Jerry M.
Stopped in for happy hour at Irving St. Kitchen. Their HH menu is relatively small with only seven items, but what matters is that there were things on there that I liked. I had a Bibb Wedge salad, and I thought it was a great idea that they make a wedge salad using tender Bibb lettuce rather than the more typical stiffer iceberg lettuce. Very tasty. I also had Meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. It was delicious, but I wish the portion was a little bit bigger (but, of course, it was just a HH item, so that's OK). Seriously, I could have eaten about maybe eight of those meatballs! Well, I'll be going back there again to also try their happy hour Jambalaya and Parmesan Tater Tots too. They sound good. Service was attentive and friendly. This is maybe just a small detail, but I noticed that the waiter took away my knife that I used for my salad (it had salad dressing on it), and brought me a clean one for the meatballs. I was impressed with that thoughtfulness.
(4)Todd G.
I had this squid ink risotto thing that was really, really good. Drinks are slow, but very good. Ambiance feels like it's trying to be a little too upscale for what I've come to know and love in Portland, and the bill was more of what I'd expect to see in New York or LA than what I've come to expect/know and love in Portland as well. If you let yourself get lost in the drink menu and appetizers, the bill is going to look more like a car payment than a bill for your dinner. By comparison to other cities it's no problem, but a little spendy for this corner of the planet. But don't get me wrong, it's very good. I'd go again.
(4)Richard K.
Walked by this place in the Pearl district, loved the menu and decided to take a chance. What a pleasant surprise...everything we had was great. Highly recommend the egg nachos, the Moravian eggs, and the chicken and biscuits. In addition, the fries (as an appetizer) were great. Don't forget to get the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Rich
(5)Becca J.
Came here for brunch prior to seeing a show at the Armory the other weekend. It was good, but not great. We came out on what seems like it was the last nice day before winter, so we chose to be seated on the porch. (My friend had made us a reservation, but we got to the restaurant a little early, so we were given a few options on where to sit. That being said, the fact that this restaurant offers reservations is +1 star in my book.) I ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict (which was over a biscuit instead of an English muffin). It was just ok - not bad, but nothing special. Unfortunately, service was really slow. We gave ourselves a lot of time before the show, so we weren't stressed out, but it took a surprisingly long time for us to get our food after placing our order. Additionally, I don't think that anyone ever came to check on us while we were eating. Not sure if this sub-par service was a result of us sitting outdoors, but regardless, I was not overly impressed. Ambiance indoors was really nice. There was a lot of wood, and it had an upscale / rustic feel. When we checked in at the hostess stand, she had a giant book, and when she opened it up there was a tablet computer inside, which was a pretty cute dichotomy. Additionally, when we received out check it came out in a tiny book. I'd like to try this place again and order something different.
(4)Kelsey N.
I rented their private room for a group work function, and had an outstanding experience. Emily, the event coordinator took amazing care of us. The staff was friendly, attentive and professional. Our every wish was their command. The private room is fantastic space- very conducive to giving presentations. The vibe was classy, farm-to-table, and the food was out of this world. I got a vegetarian dish- the baby artichoke backed ricotta, that was so creative and flavorful. I would love to return the next time I'm in Portland.
(5)Kristi C.
After a couple of visits, three stars it is. There's a lot to like here, including the beautiful open space, enjoyable music in the background and the ability to carry on a conversation without the buzz of the room overwhelming you. I found the service friendly, food came out in a very reasonable amount of time. There was a good selection of cocktails, beer and wine, in addition to the ambiance, it's what I'd probably return for. Most recently, I was looking for an interesting twist on eggs benny. The Skuna Salmon Gravlax Benedict's biscuit was a great base, greens were nicely sautéed and still had just a bit of crunch, tabasco hollandaise could have used a little more tabasco as well as more hollandaise over top of the eggs. The dish was nearly returned. While the eggs were poached well, they were just barely warm. My server graciously delivered this slip in execution to the kitchen. The Charcuterie Board had a silky and rich chicken liver pate and the lamb terrine was well seasoned. Four thin and slightly toasted baguette slices are simply too few, the choice of grain mustard seems overly sweet and disconnected from the rest of the meats that were nicely presented. So it happens, to be on the fence about a place that seems to fill the bill for more than not.
(3)Jessica N.
This review is a struggle for me...I've delayed writing it because I wasn't sure how to frame this up! Let me first say the ambience and the food here is top notch. I cannot wait to come back here again. But our service was....entertainment for the evening. First and foremost, the food: Charcuterie plate is one of the best I've had. The chicken liver mousse is a dream. Octopus salad also perfectly cooked and a well balanced plate. My trout entree was amazing and my husband got a pasta dish that was perfect. The food lived up to the reputation, which is always important. About the service: At a place like this you have certain expectations about service. We waited at least 5 minutes for our server to even come over to say "hi." He didn't introduce himself, and when we asked for recommendations his descriptions were bizarre. He said if we liked our protein from the sea we should get the risotto. The primary ingredient described was the chorizo. There were other seafood ingredients in there but still, it seemed off. Then he described his the trout as "brooks" trout. After our food came he never stopped by to ask how it was. When he came to clear our plates he said nothing to us. We had to ask for dessert menus which he dropped off without any commentary. Later when we ASKED him for recommendations he had some good commentary, but then told us that honey tastes different based on where the bees "forage." If the service matches the food I think this is easily a 5-star. Luckily I liked the food enough I want to come back and am hoping this server was a fluke!
(4)Al C.
Don't be fooled by the attractive interior. Disappointing amount of happy hour drinks. Hostess was not welcoming, had the worst attitude, was not flexible about seating when more people showed up. Quickly finished our drinks and went to another restaurant down the block.
(1)Rebecca C.
I've been here a few times now, and I know this place is super popular but for the prices and variety I will probably choose another location. Happy Hour: the menu selection was rather small but what I did eat was good. Nothing I'd rave about and come back for, but food that filled me up without blowing me away. Brunch: the salmon benedict was good, the lox were nice and meaty and the hollandaise was tangy and delicious. The problem is that it's all you get. Every other brunch place I've been to throws in spuds or fruit or something. Not here. You get the benedict and that's it. Oh, and also it has a TON of kale on it that's like crunch in parts and wasn't listed on the menu. I don't like kale so I had to spend time picking it off. Just weird. Also, the bloody mary was $11. For tomato juice. I didn't order it, my friend did, and she was appalled at the price. Usually you can get bottomless mimosas for $9. I'm just saying, spendy. Dessert: Ok, now here's what kicks this up to the 3rd star. Every year I go to a food event where Irving St. Kichen hands out little mason jars of the butterscotch pudding. I live for this pudding. I am not a fan of butterscotch, but man is this stuff good. I've yet to order it at the actual restaurant, but it's probably the one thing I'd come back to eat.
(3)Sarah R.
Hands down the best meal/ambiance/service we've experienced in Portland. The restaurant is very trendy inside and although seated near the front door it still managed to feel cozy. Our waitress was impressive! She knew every aspect of the menu, described dishes so perfectly it made my mouth water, and her knowledge of the wine list was top notch. She recommended an excellent bottle that was able to compliment all of our entrees. We began with a charcuterie plate and the chicken fried oysters. Both hit the spot! The oysters were perfectly battered and fried, the charcuterie plate was excellent for nibbling and had something for everyone's likes. We were all impressed by the house made pâté; I quickly scraped up the last dab with my crostini. For the entree I had the house smoked trout which everyone agreed was the best entree at the table. The sausage stuffed quail was so delish as was the short ribs. The side of Brussels sprouts made us feel better about our lack of veggies and they were perfectly cooked. Lastly the chocolate bread pudding sealed the deal. My new favorite restaurant in Portland by a LONG shot!
(5)Brittany G.
I personally find this place to be overrated and overpriced. I've been here a few times, and while I understand food takes time, it honestly feels like forever, only to get food that's mediocre. The best part was the server who was incredibly polite to my party and the service dog we had. Living in the Pearl, there are far better options, especially for the price.
(3)Nathan K.
BE CAREFUL: The fried chicken was under cooked and made my wife sick causing her to throw up and a long black hair was cooked into my food. I noticed when it was dangling a piece of oyster off my fork. Talk about gross! I loved this place the first time I went. We had a business meeting and took a vendor out for a nice dinner. All went well so I decided to take my wife out on a spontaneous date. The service was pretty good the second time, our server was pleasant and knowledgeable. The food had good flavor. I ordered the Fried Oysters (with hair cooked into the batter) with a trout entree and a glass of wine. My wife ordered a delicious asparagus appetizer with the(under cooked) fried chicken entree and cocktail. It was an expensive dinner that ended in disappointment and sickness. They comp-ed the oysters, in my opinion the least they could do. As far as my wife's chicken we threw out the leftovers the next morning after she got sick.
(1)Han Z.
Overall: meh Service was good. Restaurant is cute and has ambiance. Food was fine. Nothing was bad, nothing was memorable. Prices feel a bit steep when the food is only okay. Tried: - Nettle soup: $11 - Charcuterie board: $20 - Fried chicken: $23 - 17 hour truffle short ribs: $26 Of the above, the short ribs were by far the star though you couldn't get that much truffle flavor. Fried chicken was juicy and a huge portion, but not amazing (but I'm from the South so my bar for fried chicken is probably a bit high.) The charcuterie board was the biggest disappointment of all. I love all things charcuterie and this just didn't cut it.
(3)Jen V.
Sublime. We had our reservation on a Sunday evening, and when we arrived there was no problem getting a table anyway. We sat by the bar & had some custom cocktails that were out of this world! We brought two bottles of wine to be uncorked, but they waived the corking fee because of the cocktails. We had such an amazing meal - The service was impeccable, the food was amazing and tasty, and the atmosphere was beautiful. Towards the end of the night we were the only table there, but we were unrushed as we ordered after dinner drinks and dessert. Irving Street is one of my number one places in Portland. I always bring family and friends here!
(5)Chelsea M.
Yay! I'm a fan. My husband took me here for date night after I accidently stumbled upon its location trying to find parking and loved the open, industrial, yet classy feel of the place. SERVICE: Impeccable. The waiter let us order one course at a time, and we never felt rushed. Everything came out in a timely manner and was perfectly warm. All of the staff worked together to make it a very memorable experience. WATER: This place is the best restaurant I have EVER been to in terms of their water service. Water carafe on table and it was never empty and if any of the service members saw your water glass getting low, they refilled it immediately. It's amazing how much better a meal is when you have water. FOOD: Great, fresh choices. You will never know what is going to be on the menu because they print it daily. I would skip the cheese plate next time and go for their cornbread. Salads had absolutely amazing flavor and the perfect amount of dressing. I would highly recommend the kale salad. Entrees were a great size and cooked to perfection. Fish was buttery and the pastrami short ribs were melt in your mouth good. Desserts were incredible. In other words, not much bad on the menu. Try something new! Down scores: 1. Sheep's milk cheese almost inedible, crackers too lite, no cheese knife. 2. Just a little too spendy, $5 off entrees and $3 off salads and I'd be sold. 3. Everything was short in the bathrooms... if you are over 5'7", you'll see. Notes: This is one place I would take an out of town guest. Very Portland chill but still upscale. The noise level is appropriate for private conversations and you won't have to yell.
(4)Maret S.
Bummer. Was really excited to come here for a baby-free brunch. Ordered eggs and bacon expecting a well-executed brunch basic. What I received was a notch below Denny's a scrambler. Everything arrived tasting as if it had been warming under a hot plate for 10 mins. The bacon and toast were soggy and the eggs were under salted. It was just bad. I'm hoping to send it back but the last time the waiter spoke to me was 15 minutes ago when I was trying to figure out how eggs and bacon could go so wrong. My husband's salmon Benedict was slightly better. Elevated possibly only because it wasn't boring but still. Just kinda meh. Edit: they brought me chicken and waffles! Much, much better. They we're nice about it too. I guess I'd give them another shot. Everyone has off days.
(3)Charlie L.
Super amazing. Mackenzie wanted to try a new place so we followed the word on the street to Irving Street. All I gotta say is "Whoa." I came in with high expectations and I was not disappointed. From the fabulous ambiance to the fantastic food, everything is definitely 5 start worthy. We stated with the octopus salad, followed by salmon and smoked pork chop mains, added brussels sprouts and finished with the apple carrot cake. I say again, whoa. Flavor explosion: check, perfect flavor balance: check, mouthwatering deliciousness: check. And when it was all over, we were happy and full and plotting our imminent return. It was 100% wonderful. Irving Street delivered a near perfect food experience that makes it my new Portland favorite. Highly highly recommended!
(5)Suzie B.
Only eat here if you have several hours to spare. For our one night in Portland a friend recommended this place. The location was perfect as it was walking to Pearl District from our hotel. As we arrived we were pleasantly surprised at the adorable ambience and decor. We had a table (of four) by the window on a nice evening. Upon arrival it took more than ten minutes to get a glass of wine and place an app order. We received our app after about 30 minutes. Each course took longer than the next with little to no attention from the 10 + waitstaff at the restaurant. The place was only about 15 percent full (especially towards the end of the night). We sat down at 730 and dinner was not over until around 10pm. The food was slightly better than the service and mediocre at best. On a trip to the ladies room two friends (not with our party) chatted about how they are "never coming here again." We asked for a manager on two separate occasions and the hostess let us know she was "in a meeting" and unable to come by. The lack of management was extremely evident. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone or come here again.
(1)Meana K.
One of my favorite dining spots in the Pearl. It's so great coming here for after-work drinks and food at the bar. What a beautiful space - so open, light, and a very chic casual vibe. The place looks fancy upon first impression but you realize quickly how cozy and familiar it feels. Also, when I've been there for happy hour, I've loved the 90s throwback music that was playing. The food -- ohmygosh -- amazing. Meatballs and mashed potatoes. Bone Marrow. Foie Gras. Smoked beets salad. Fried chicken. Fried oysters. Butterscotch pudding!!!! The menu changes, but everything I've had here has been amazing.
(5)Beverly C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a very beautiful space, the food is beautiful to look at. The food didn't impress me, it was ok.
(3)Leighton P.
I went for both dinner and brunch on a Portland weekend. What do I remember months after two dining experiences there? DINNER: The salmon main, a specialty of the chef. The fried oyster app. The pecan pie and the butterscotch dessert. Lots of Willamette pinot noir served in mason jars. What did I have for brunch several days later? Couldn't tell you. What was I not a fan of? The shrimp and grits (note: I'm also from the South). They are popular and can be crowded. Vibe: urban casual chic. When I go back (and I will), I will sit at the bar. I will order the salmon. I will drink pinot noir.
(4)Sanjay N.
Great location, but mediocre food and service. Was disappointed with the table we got (with a reservation). Asked for a better table, but no luck. Still, hoped the food and service would make up for it, but it didn't. Took a long time for a waitress to show up, even though it wasn't too busy. She took half our drink orders, then inexplicably left, came back with half the drinks 10 minutes later, then took the other drink orders. Food was not great. I tried the fried chicken, the pan-seared fish, and the (only) vegetarian entree. All were pretty bland. Cornbread was good but that's about it. First time eating there. May be last time. There are many better places to spend your money in the Pearl. Hope they improve the food and the service, or something better opens up in that great location.
(2)Jessica N.
Went in for dinner tonight expecting to eat at a nice place with air conditioning. Boy was I wrong! It was just as hot inside as it was outside, felt bad for the employees. Besides that service was not that great, for the money I expected better service. Food was just ok, nothing spectacular. Took a very long time to get our meal was almost an hour and 15 mins after we ordered before our dinner arrived. Too many other great restaurants in Portland, not sure I'll be back.
(2)Tara T.
Great location! Beautiful outside seating in a cool neighborhood, inside is well decorated and spacious. Wonderful menu- shared multiple plates with a few people so I got to sample a lot of things! Great grilled salad, cheese plate and fries. Highly recommend!
(5)Hayden N.
You know how things get so hyped up then you finally try it and it was just alright? That's Irving Street Kitchen for me. I made a reservation for two on a Thursday night. We were surprised to find the restaurant sparse of customers. Considering that it was first Thursday, I figured it would be busy so I made a reservation to be safe. I feel that we got seated at an awkward table, it was next to a support column that blocked the space and a heavy foot traffic path. There was hardly anyone...couldn't have put us in a booth, at a table on the patio, or more toward the middle of the dining area?? I like the decor of the space but the disruption from people walking by our table took away from the ambiance. We started out sharing the Meatballs that came with Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and Green Peppercorn Sauce. It was good, however, not amazing...three pieces for $11 is on the steep side for decent meatballs. You have ask for bread. For entrees, I had Mary's Organic Fried Chicken with Smashed Potatoes, Collard Greens, Country Gravy and my friend had the Slow Cooked Salmon with Bacon Braised Cabbage & Kraut, Beer Glaze, and Pistachio Pistou. The chicken was delicious but, again, not the best in town--you do get three enormous pieces and the smashed potatoes were excellent. Give me a whole bowl of smashed potatoes! My friend liked her salmon, but she wasn't a fan of the cabbage and kraut so she ate around it. With how large the portion is, I am surprised that we had room for dessert. She ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Caramelia Cheesecake and I got the Bay Leaf Creme Brulee. I just had the best Creme Brulee of my life not too long ago, I wasn't sold on the bay leaf flavor in it...I prefer the classic. For all the raves and recommendations to try this restaurant, maybe I had really high expectations of the food blowing me away. And it didn't. I feel bad for giving three stars so I'll give you four, but this was more of a 3.5 stars for me.
(4)Melissah L.
I visited a friend in Portland and came here at the recommendation of a longtime local. It was really nice out when we came for brunch, so we grabbed a seat on the patio. I LOVE the scene outside Irving St. Kitchen, lots of colorful people stroll by and it's easy to people-watch but also feels kind of secluded and quiet. The service was pretty good here, and the food was also decent. Not "amazing" like the local promised (my food was lukewarm and the portions were not that big), but pretty good. I got the salmon gravlax benedict, and while it tasted good, I do wish that for $13 it was served hot came with a side of something. The rest of my table got the fried chicken and waffles (I digress, I will have to order this for myself one day to have the full chicken and waffles experience), the kale and raddichio salad and that's all I can remember. Definitely worth a try, the coffee here is amazing and comes in adorable cups and the decor is really nice as well!
(3)Matthew D.
Met a few friends for dinner , they suggested this place.. It definitely did not disappoint, from the service to the food. The service was amazing, water glasses always full, we were asked if we wanted more cocktails just at the right time (when they were 3/4 gone). The servers knowledge of the menu was actually like the chef did a tasting with them before service. We had the biscuits and ham, and fried chicken, I kinda went with the flow since I was told this was amazing. I wish I tried the halibut as it sounded amazing but the chicken did not let me down, now I just have another reason to go back and try something else.. Well done!!
(4)Chris L.
So many things wrong when I visited that I feel like that rating is very valid. Moroccan Slow Poached Eggs, Grilled Garlic Rubbed Toast (12) This dish seemed watered down. There was no Moroccan punch and it was just a tomato soup. The "slow poached eggs" were a huge let down. One egg was perfect, the second was simply hard boiled. The second egg texture was all wrong. The chef botched this egg.. my meal mate laughed, "both my eggs are perfect." Well maybe this was a one off, but there other dishes that were pretty off. Smoked Brisket & Fried Egg Sandwich, Sour Pickles, Cheesy Cajun Fries (14) The brisket was DOUSED with BBQ sauce. Overpowering that it felt like you were drinking BBQ sauce. Also, the brisket was oddly cut into tiny cubes so the pieces kept falling out. Didn't make much sense. The "cheese" on the fries was powdery. It was pretty terrible. I would have rather they used cheezewiz or singles. This concoction was offensive for it's taste and texture. The fried egg was also over cooked. Mary's Organic Fried Chicken & Pecan Waffles, Fried Egg, Buttermilk Syrup (13) So small and basic. It was yawns-ville for $13. Buttermilk Biscuits, Jalapeño Butter, Red Eye Gravy (7) This was the only winner. But if you're gonna get biscuits in Portland... right?? The place is cute and of course the district is adorable, but there's nothing going on with the food.
(3)Kaitlyn L.
What an incredible place. Kind knowledgable staff. Delicious food that you can tell was made with love. I actually licked my glass that had the butterscotch pudding in it. Lastly the ambiance! I recently relocated from pdx to SF and can't tell you how much I missed restaurants decorated like Irving -- rustic and urban. Can't say enough great things about this restaurant. If you are looking for a great place to take a gf or a significant other or the parents -- don't second guess -- just go to Irving St. Kitchen.
(5)Colin C.
I go hear for brunch once or twice a month. It's really great food, the ingredients are always premium. As other's have noted the service can be kind of iffy. It's always extremely friendly, but there can be long gaps in someone checking in. The whole getting menus/asking for coffee/getting coffee/ordering thing can take a while. They might just need another server or two. In general, it might be a good idea to have a reservation for brunch on weekends. They used to have this really great house hot sauce, I took a break for a few months from this place, and it was gone and replaced with Tabasco. I don't know what it was, but bring it back!
(4)James S.
Irving St Kitchen furnishes a beautiful atmosphere, but left me hungry and unimpressed. The food just didn't have much going for it. The quality is definitely there, but I found their menu to be somewhat bland and uncreative. At the price point, I was expecting a bit more of an experience.
(3)Rafael G.
The service here is always so friendly and efficient. Today, we had the fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits and the scrambled egg nachos with red beans and grilled avocado. We did start off with the donuts and scone which was warm and soft followed by the fries. The fries here are among the best in the city. The chicken was crunchy outside and soft and juicy inside, packed with flavor, and topped with an egg. The nachos were amazing. It had enough toppings like white cheese without being overwhelming.
(5)Frank R.
Bland, boring American food. Just like the owners San Francisco restaurants. -The only particularly good were the fried oysters -- and even then they were under seasoned, served with a tiny wedge of lemon and a it's-pretty-much-just-bland-mayo "aioli". -Hubby said the fried chicken was cooked well, but again, boring and bland. -Kale salad had way too much cheese, but it was pretty yummy. The little bit of parsley in there was a nice touch. -The cavatelli was a tad overcooked, the sauce was bland and heavy. Served with candied walnuts, which was just weird. Seemed like it was an accident, but it was on the menu. Cocktails are too sweet. Wine selection is fair. Decor is incredible. Conclusion: come here for wine and fried oysters. The bar is very cool. Or maybe take your grandparents here. Their old people taste buds will likely enjoy this place.
(3)Brandon T.
These guys have excellent butterscotch pudding! Oh... you wanted more? The drinks are pretty good too and you should really hit them up during happy hour to try a few. So, that about wraps it up....right? Come now....What more can I say that hasn't already been said by the oh-so many other happy customers? Okay, I'll try So, I've dined here several times, both for dinner and for happy hour, and I guess you could say that I am a fan, a huge fan even. I personally think you get the best deal during happy hour because they have great food and a fair selection of drinks available to choose from, all for a reasonable price. Also, you can sort of kick back and relax on a couch, sometimes even by a fireplace which is really cool. The dinner scene, though, is where this ISK shines, even if things are a bit more formal and expensive. The main reason is because the entrées are simply amazing. They come with a complexity that isn't offered during happy hour, which makes the food transcend tasty and enter the realm of fantastic. I've yet to have an experience where I wasn't completely satisfied and there have been times when I just randomly picked something off of the menu because I was having difficulty making a choice. You won't be disappointed no matter what you choose to eat as it is all very very good. Now, say for example that you were only to come here for dinner. You might say that the staff must have been bringing their "A" game because thats what it would look like. Now, given my number of repeat visits, I can safely say that they make that same exceptional effort all day long. I've made a point to put this part into its own paragraph for specific reason of making it stick out. Simply said, you won't miss out on a great experience if you come during the afternoon hours. The people who work here are great, perhaps even the best waiting staff in Portland. I can't put my finger on why they are so good but they definitely stand out from the rest. The staff is a large part of why this restaurant is so well liked.. Truth be told, I can't recommend this place enough. In truth, practically every guest of ours has had the pleasure of coming here because I insist on it. Portland is known as a town where great things are done with food and Irving Street Kitchen is one of the reasons why that is true.
(5)Nath A.
It might not be fair to judge a restaurant by its brunch food. Some people are not at their best in the early hours. I understand that. I'm not a morning person either -- or an early afternoon person, really. Nonetheless, I came here for brunch, so that's what I'm going to review. The brunch menu is broadly divided into two sections -- breakfastey stuff, and lunchey stuff. I got chicken and waffles from the lunch section. After quite a wait, and several cups of mediocre coffee, they brought me half a waffle, a dry chicken nugget, and a poached egg, artfully arranged in a puddle of syrup. It wasn't very good food, but on the bright side, there wasn't very much of it. I did sneak a few forkfuls from the other dishes ordered at my table. The Moroccan slow-poached eggs were quite good -- two perfectly poached eggs in a delicately spicy sauce, with garlic toast. The scrambled egg nachos were also pretty well-received, and generously portioned. The biscuits and gravy were greasy mushcakes. So, two hits, two misses. Most brunch entrees were in the $12-$14 region. On the whole, pretty skippable. Portland is a city obsessed with brunch, to the point that you can't stand outdoors on a weekend afternoon without unintentionally finding yourself in a brunch queue. I think the high bruncher:brunchee ratio has led some restaurants to become complacent in their brunch offerings.
(2)John L.
Disappointing service, good food. We stopped at Irving for a light dinner before boarding a redeye flight back to the east coast. The limited menu and atmosphere were appealing, and we sat outside to enjoy being in the Portland air just a bit more. We both ordered the green salad with shrimp, avocado and strawberries, and it was delicious. I also had a side order of the jambalaya, and I was very pleased with that as well. However, the service was poor. Our server seemed completely uninterested in her job, either that or she was on heavy sedatives. She barely told us about the menu, took the order, didn't even serve it, and then didn't bother to check on us to see if we were pleased. I wasn't rude when I asked for the check, but I was frustrated considering the table to our immediate right was worked by a different server, and he seemed very enthusiastic about what he was doing, making me wish we had him instead. I'm sure that with a different server, Irving would provide a better experience, but I won't make it a point to return there should we in Portland again.
(3)Missy W.
Made a 9p reservation for 4 on a Saturday evening, very last minute. This place came through. Beautiful interior and exterior, very "hipster chic" (Haha). Here's what we ordered: Salad Wedge, Cornbread, Halibut, Lamb Porterhouse, New York, and Fried Chicken; all equally amazing and cooked perfectly. The hit of the evening was def my fried chicken dish. It came with 3 huge pieces and I totally shared! (Only thing I thought it needed was a little pepper or spice/seasoning to the batter). The cornbread was they down of the evening, it was stale and we had to remind our waitress to bring it out. She didn't return with it till we were almost done with dinner. We also ordered some wine and beer. $250 including tip was not bad at all and I can't wait for an excuse to return!
(5)M G.
Other then the arrogant hostess, the food and service was excellent.. (we almost left because of the rude girl at the door). Why do Portland restaurants have staff that repel customers? I see it everywhere, hipsters with attitude... Not good for business!
(5)Jan R.
Try a few dishes and share. Not only is the food delicious and masterfully prepared, but the variety and breadth of their menu will make you want to come back and try something completely new
(5)Steph W.
In Portland for just 2.5 days, but after dinner here on night one, had to return for brunch. absolutely incredibleeeee. For dinner the burrata is a must to start. For brunch the pancakes with berry bacon compote are the fluffiest most delicious cakes I've ever had. Interior decor is gorgeous, urban rustic. Would come back again and again. #1 Portland Rec.
(5)Stephen C.
Uneven service, only a token vegetarian option, and you have to ask about non-alc beverages--they are nowhere to be found on the detailed drinks menu. Meh.
(2)Winny S.
Started with a nice sparkling water with lime, along with the cheese & cracker plate with agave and fresh strawberries. Followed by a Bibb wedge salad with blue cheese, radishes and candied pecans. I ordered one of the restaurants favorites, the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and spiced collard greens. Everything was good, but the cheese and cracker plate was very small. Service was good, all in all, a great place to enjoy a meal with friends, in the Pearl District. Btw, I enjoyed my salad the most, along with the wonderful crusty bread you get along with the bottle of cold water they bring to your table.
(3)Bin C.
Great food. We had quail stuffed with duck sausage and fried chicken. All delicious. Not sure about the service though. We ordered the charcuterie board for the four of us as an appetizer, and the sever forgot to put it in. We also never got one of the sides we ordered, and didn't get a chance to order a second round of drinks since the server didn't come back until the very end of the meal. Service aside, good place, but since service is part of the experience, I gave it three stars.
(3)Eli R.
Very solid dinner. Had the salmon here, and it was absolutely delicious. It was quite a small portion for $27, but the location is excellent, and the interior design definitely gets an "A." This is the type of classy, but not too classy place you can count on for consistently delicious, albeit expensive food.
(4)Connor B.
Very on point! Drink and beer lists are great. Happy hour is the best, solid prices for delicious food, although the dinner is very good as well. The plates are quite small, so be prepared to get multiple items. The service is outstanding. Food comes out in courses with good timing. The staff is very friendly and does not make you feel rushed. I would recommend the happy hour!
(4)Allegra P.
Unusually large for a Portland hot spot with a great location in the Pearl District! Creative, comfortable & inspiring decor. Bartenders know their mixology and beverages! Great menu! A happy spot to sit casually on the couches, eat at the bar or grab a table!
(4)Laura P.
We live in the Pearl and are spoiled with incredible food and drinks all the time, we tend to almost take it for granted. But, then we wander into the Irving Kitchen and remember the amazingness of Portland food - damn! I had happy hour apps and wine, then ordered the halibut poached in duck fat, and my guy a pork dish. Both dishes were incredible, think the halibut was a little more so. Our waiter was awesome, he was able to recommend wines that were delicious matches to our meals. We've done brunch here in the past, also great. Highly recommend - great food, cool space (inside and out) and helpful, friendly service.
(5)Shawn T.
This place rocks. Matt was our server and he was great. Introduced himself and was timely and attentive. Food was outstanding. Pork chop was perfect, risotto excellent, and the butterscotch pudding is as awesome as they say. The notebook check delivery is a wonderful touch. We left a note about our occasion, a graduation, with our check. Definitely worth the trip.
(5)Stefan K.
A modern and trendy take on rustic and gritty Portland aesthetic. Good food, good service, great decor/ambiance.
(4)Laura W.
This would have been a 4 star review based on the food, but the service was so terrible that it was downgraded. In all honesty I would not return unless I was going with someone who really wanted to. We sat next to the kitchen for a late brunch. The restaurant seemed staffed well, but despite many open tables it took a long time to be seated because no one focused on setting a table at a time for the people waiting- instead they seemed to approach it as a holistic effort with stacks of napkins to fold and a relaxed team approach. We waited over an hour for our easy brunch food and were not offered coffee refills in that time. When served I asked about the dish he did not bring because usually someone says - your XX will be coming in a minute". The waiter sounded miffed and said "I only have two hands". Since we were right by the kitchen I could see nothing was sitting up there and I was very polite the way I asked about it. It just wasn't ready. All that said the food was REALLY GOOD when it did come, but the kitchen seemed disorganized- not talking, each person relying on reading the slips independently so maybe they had an organization that worked, but it was very slow. The worst part was the inattentive and even snippy waiter. If I return, I will be happy to update and change this review since it reflects a single bad experience.
(3)Don S.
The restaurant is attractive. The food is first rate. Service is attentive. We had a horrible experience. We had two in our party of seven with serious food limitations. Our very simple request to accommodate (such as replace broccoli with some other vegetable) was far more than they could do. I was later sent a carefully crafted letter explaining it would violate "chef's vision" and a response from the general manager that if they change pairings, then they may have an extra entree they may be stuck with. Do they plate entire meals in the afternoon and then microwave them to serve? A sad waste of talent from either prima dona chef or foolish owners. And believe it or not, I am seriously understating what transpired.
(1)Ellie S.
Went for brunch and it had a nice atmosphere. The yogurt with apricot jam was delicious, the french toast was just fine and the smoked salmon benedict had eggs that were totally undercooked. They let us return it, but offered nothing else. The food was very slow to come out. All in all, it was a pricey, lacklustre experience.
(2)Guido F.
Love this place! The BEST service I have encountered since I left Frisco. It matches the best service if any European Restaraunt I have been to This is the real deal. They know exactly what get are doing and really try to share the joy of eating a well thought and prepared meal. The menu is a little eclectic but my recommendation is just pick something. It may sound a little strange but trust me it will be excellent from Southern fried chicken (and as a child if the south am particular) to fish, the care in cooking and presentation is obvious. And treat yourself, let the beverage manager pick a wine for you, you won't be disappointed!!
(5)Michelle H.
Had you talked to me the night of the infamous truffle stuffed guinea hen, I'd have given you 7 stars and then some. But the high of really good company and food coma wore off in a day or two, and I realized just how this wasn't one of my most favorite meals. Irving St. Kitchen does have the things dreams are made of, assuming your dreams are really rich. The entire menu screams of all kinds of gussied up comfort foods, complete with the current local ingredients begging to be used at the farmers markets. It took me forever to pick something to eat because just about everything had my name on it. The menus rotate based on availability, so I won't bore you with what we had that night, but just know that there was plenty for meat eaters and vegetable lovers alike. I bounced back and forth between a ton of things, and the server practiced an amazing amount of patience as our group continued to talk between his visits making for very slow ordering on our end. I loved the layout of the dining room. The kitchen is sort of open, the bar is in the middle, and the rest of the dining room maximizes space without sitting on your neighbors lap. There are plenty of tables and then a few more private booths. I prefer the dining room purely because there is more to look at. Food, like I mentioned before, is really rich. Too rich, really. The portions were more than ample, and that might have been half of the problem. Maybe it's to encourage you to take some home because you definitely get your money's worth. Have you ever known me to take food home, though? Not often. I could have been comfortable just after my first course and cocktail. The entree, the truffle-stuffed guinea hen, was a pile of deliciousness that actually felt a little bit of a chore to eat by the last bite. I was prepared to top everything with the butterscotch pudding [at this point, you're so overwhelmed by rich, why stop now?], but we split an order of the beignets. Light. Fluffy. Super hot. While good, I left wishing I'd tried the pudding. Next time. Because there will be a next time. I really enjoyed what Irving Street Kitchen has to offer, but I'll plan my meal accordingly to not have flavor overload and burnout when I leave.
(4)Tamara K.
The interior of this place really makes me want to dine here but for some odd reason, I have only gone in for drinks. I have barely even glanced at the menu when a bartender has plopped one down in front of me. I need to put it on my radar as a place for dinner or maybe a happy hour outing. It is a large space that is wide open with some very cozy booths on the north end. There are some very cozy seating areas near the bar that make you feel like you are in the living room of a friend. Although some may find it tacky, I like that they pour the wine into canning jars as long as they also serve a wine glass along side, which they do. They also serve their wines out of steel kegs so an A+ for sustainability instead of wasting energy by using glass bottles. It doesn't hurt that they always have very good local beer on tap!
(4)Adam R.
Incredible!!! Irving St. Kitchen is unlike anything you have seen before. You are greeted as you enter with rough cut lumber walls, light fixtures made from wagon wheels and glass milk bottles. Yet it doesn't feel hillbilly. Definitely has a contemporary feel and youthful exuberance. We had the Fennel Dusted scallops and Draper Valley fried chicken. I would recommend both. For dessert we had the Chocolate Bread pudding with mint chocolate ice cream. And of course, because we read the prior review we ordered butterscotch pudding to go.
(5)Pete V.
I simply love the decor of Irving St. Kitchen. A clean modern look meshed with a wintery lodge style motif. Very urban kitchen like, which compliments its food style. We enjoyed Sunday brunch here and I can't express how enjoyable our meal was. The smothered southern sunny side grits were simply delicious. Grits like your grandma would make with lovely sunny side up eggs with yolk that melted into your grits like a good hearty breakfast should. This coupled with a crisp, hoppy "hop lava" IPA is the proper way that a true Portland day should be started. The chili creole fried chicken was also delicious. Juicy fried chicken with crispy skin and chili that although it lacked heat, was a perfect compliment to the intense fried chicken. Our service was also top notch and the staff even moved us to an inside table after we had originally requested an outside table, which we found to be too cold. What would have made our meal truly special was a table near the fire place, but we'll save that one for our next visit to Irving St. Kitchen!
(5)Veruca S.
SERIOUS PROPS to Irving St. Kitchen management and staff!! My bestie and I went to Ptown to celebrate my birthday weekend and do a little holiday shopping. After a full day at Washington Square and the area, we hurried back to our hotel and got ready for dinner. Let me tell you... it was chaaablippers outside! Holy of all Holies! It was up in the air between Irving St. and Andina. We chose Irving St. and are glad we did. We had THE BEST server. She was so efficient, and friendly with just the right amount of attentiveness. My friend ordered the Beet Filled Ravioli and I ordered that "stick to your ribs" Organic Fried Chicken... yuuuuuumm! Of course we needed a bottle of champagne to wash it all down with. ;) When in doubt, our server had great 411 on all the dishes. My chicken was tender and flavorful with the right amount of crunch on the outside. Loved the little lumps of potato in my mashed. Well...as all great things...it had to come to an end. I was sporting a food baby and was ready to wobble to my cab. The bartender called for us but found out the minimum wait was 1 HOUR!... it seems all walkers in Portland decided to call cabs too. So...even though we were the last people to leave..and the restaurant was closing, the manager was gracious enough to allow us to stay inside by the fire and keep warm while waiting for our taxi. She even gifted us with champagne to sip until the taxi came. It was a great birthday dinner, indeed. Will I be back? Oh yeah!
(4)Marina P.
What an amazing place! I couldn't keep my eyes off all the intricate decorations (milk bottle chandeliers), bookshelves, drapped booths. All of it! Just beautiful! The feel is great. The food also was amazing. The oats with nibbs mmmmm yum! I would get the breakfast nachos again just without beans on the bottom. Still delicious! Their eggs with potatoes, and toast were delicious! :D Definately will be back.
(5)Vincent G.
Simply one of the best restaurants in Portland. The staff is always kind and knowledgeable, the food is positively delightful, and the menu is ever changing so you'll likely have a new dining experience each and every time you visit. If you haven't tried this place, make a reservation and schedule a night out with friends or family.
(5)Christine P.
Amazing! My mother-in-law made dinner reservations for all of us during our trip out to Portland this past weekend. I absolutely LOVED it here. Service was impeccable from the hostess to the waiter. I loved the bacon wrapped oysters, cheese plate, fried chicken, risotto! The corn bread is absolutely FANTASTIC! You must try it. LOVED LOVED LOVE this place. Definitely check it out when you're in the 'hood. You won't regret it.
(5)Katy H.
Irving's deserving of all 5 of these stars, baby! Between cheese plates, porchetta, steak frites, fried chicken and amazing cocktails, where do I begin!? Silly me. I've eaten here a few times but failed to realize that I'd written a review. Which I suppose is good because now I can talk about the sum of my experiences here. Service is always great and when I called to ask about business hours (as I was coming in from out of town) they were kind enough to suggest that I make a reservation. Like an old couple, my friend and I sauntered in at 5:30pm. Who eats dinner that early? Everyone! Within 5 mins of opening this restaurant was almost entirely full. Whodathunk that people were dying to get in so early? Prepare to set aside some time to eat here. The tasty American fare is served up in more of a Euro style. No rush! Drinks came first, then apps, then a second app (we were hungry!) and then the main dishes. The dining experience was fabulous and we hung out for nearly two hours. This was great though because it allowed for a lovely conversation and time for each of us to admire the light fixtures, the nice heavy silverware, the wine being poured from canning jars, the water being poured (from what I think) are old liquor bottles. Every little detail here is just as good as the food. If you're still reading this, book a dinner already!
(5)Alex T.
Fantastic service and really amazing food. I do wish there was a bit more of a southern feel to the people but maybe being from Alabama I am just too used to the southern charm. I loved this place and encourage everyone to come here to try everything they have
(4)Kate S.
We were just visiting Portland and made a trip here on a whim, but I am so glad we did. All elements of our meal were amazing. We had the Chicken Fried Oysters for an appetizer, then the Fried Chicken and Trout for entrees and Butterscotch Pudding for dessert. All were delicious and perfectly prepared. The service was great too! We hope to return on a future trip.
(5)Teresa J.
Went back to ISK last night and on the way in I inquired about my previous martini experience. The server at the welcome station (not the hostess) explained that there is a $2 upcharge for a martini, and maybe I was wrong about it being $3. She said ISK marinates their own olives with citrus and herbs, and it was possible that some of the herbs made their way into the drink I ordered before; she didn't address that the olive was black or that it was one in number when I asked for two. I would like to say that I got the feeling that this woman gave a shite about my unsatisfactory $11-$12 drink, but alas, I did not. It was kind of a like-it-or-lump-it exchange. Whatever. I've learned my lesson on ordering martinis at Irving Street Kitchen. Last night I ordered a Negroni, no citrus, instead, and it was quite good.
(3)Joyice G.
Great dining experience. Menu was imaginative, ambience perfect and no one rushed us. And the food was excellent. We will be back!
(4)John R.
Overpriced. The food was very tasty. The ambiance very nice. Service was superb. We had steak, and a variety of appetizers and starters. Everything was very very tasty. But very expensive. Incredibly expensive considering the *tiny* portions. I'm not cheap, I am willing to pay well for excellent meals. All of the food was very good. But they charge $12 for three tiny slices of (very tasty) cheese and three rye crackers. The pork shoulder appetizer had one small slice of pork shoulder. The steak was literally 6 bites (6 very yummy bites). Overall - it was high quality but over priced for the portion size. An enjoyable experience though. If you are hungry, just bring your credit card and order two of everything...
(3)Karen D.
I went to this restaurant because of a friend's recommendation and advertisements seen in Portland brochures. Although our waitress was very friendly, I can not speak as positively about the food. I ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and collard greens, while my bf ordered the steak shanks. My fried chicken was bland and one piece was even undercooked. I showed the waitress the piece of undercooked chicken and she apologized and brought me a new piece. However, the new piece was severely burnt (see my pic). The steak shanks that my bf ordered was tough and there were only four pieces. This place was over priced, over hyped and did not live up to my expectations. There are so many better places in this area. Don't waste your money and go somewhere else.
(1)Rosalie H.
To ring in the new year we stared with a mimosa! Atmosphere awesomely trendy, hipsters and posh Pearl District locals blends into the semi
(5)April Y.
Butterscotch pudding is a must! Save room!
(5)Alex C.
I had a wonderful meal here. My GF got a super tasty salmon dish and I got their fried chicken (injection brined). We also had a vegetarian caldo verde for a starter that was AMAZING. All the drinks were great and the atmosphere is awesome as well.
(5)Carlos C.
We have been several times to Irving St. Kitchen and we have always had a wonderful experience. This place is great for a nice intimate dinner, or a delicious Sunday brunch. On sunny days they have outdoor seating. Recommended!
(5)Marie Y.
Come here for brunch! In the summer you can sit out in the morning sun on the patio overlooking the passerbys below, but the rustic yet modern interior here means that it's excellent for brunch in winter too! I have had almost everything on the brunch menu here, and have been very satisfied and impressed consistently. The hollandaise sauce is divine, and the Bloody Mary's are the spiciest I have found in town! mmmm! Prices are very resonable here too. I recommend the Salmon Benedict or the Artichoke Sardou. My favorite brunch spot in Portland, and I'm pretty into brunch!
(5)Jesy B.
As I rule, I somewhat cringe when coming to places like these. I'm not a very 'fancy place' kinda person and I quickly get uneasy when entering, usually expecting a death glare from a server who can easily sense that I'm out of my element for sure. I mean really, the Pearl kind of scares me, how silly. That being said, ISK was nothing like that. I was meet some fellow Yelpers for First Thursday so I squared my shoulders and marched in. This place is fantastic! From the moment I walked in, I was OK with it. I love the layout - couches, a fireplace, a lovely laid out bar and plenty of places to sit. I got there around the tail end of the HH and it was already getting pretty busy. I was inclined to get my usual - beer - but dangit, this place has some fancy cocktails so I had to indulge. I have to say my first real foray into artisan cocktails was a total success. Though I didn't totaly understand what some of the elements were (absinthe rinse, que?!), it all added up to yummy. I even had a gin drink (I don't like gin, it smells like Christmas trees!) and was amazed to find I loved it. Well done, ISK! I didn't partake too heavily in the food, but I did get their mac & cheese off the happy hour menu. Flavorful, well cooked and just freaking tasty. That bodes well for the rest of the menu and I surely want to come back for dinner - crab chower, yes PLEASE. Last - service was superb. We had people trickling in and never once did the waitress seem to be irritated at the volatility of our group. She was absolutely pleasant, attentive and always made sure you had a drink in front of you if you needed one. That's my kind of service! Not overbearing, but you always know you can get what you need pretty quickly.
(5)dean d.
My first experience, which has led to repeated trips, had to do with stopping in after having dinner close by for a little desert. After seeing the menu and loving the ambience, NW cozy, we stopped in, sat at the bar and ordered the butterscotch pudding. Our eyes rolled back in delight with the first bite. It is so insanely good. Since we've been back a number of times. We usually stick with the pudding cause it's that good. Oh and you can also get it to go and it comes in a nice preserve jar. The drinks are outstanding to.
(5)Audrey S.
This is one of the few restaurants in Portland that I will miss when we move. Wonderful menu. Everything I've ever had here has been delicious. The desserts are beyond decadent. We love bringing friends and family from out of town here because we know they will enjoy the overall dining experience as much as we do. Everything from the drinks, to the food to the service is done right. Other restaurants looking to provide flawless food and service should rip a page from Irving Street Kitchen's play book.
(5)Abby S.
It's no surprise that Portland is a foodie town. (Thanks Captain Obvious!) From food carts to craft cocktails and fancy restaurants, the city is overflowing with deliciousness; Irving St. Kitchen is no exception. Without a doubt, my dinner here Wednesday night goes on the "Best Meals Evar" list, and here's why: - Fresh and unique choice of ingredients - Warm, friendly staff - Beautiful decor, yet there's no air of pretentiousness anywhere within - Fantastic wine list - Anytime lobster and butter are offered together in a dish on your menu, you've got my vote - Butterscotch pudding - 'nuff said! This place gives me the warm fuzzies and I wouldn't hesitate going back with friends, family or my lovely co-workers again.
(5)Christopher T.
I was not happy at all about this place. I am from San Francisco and visit Portland twice a month for work. I have grown to love the Portland food scene with my favorites being being Little Bird, Andina, and Pok Pok. I just finished a work out at the gym across the street and was craving some Pok Pok but eating on the company dime I decided to give this place a shot and try something new. Now for the review: Food/Drink: 3 Stars Service: 2 Stars Atmosphere: 4 Stars Value: 2 Stars When I got into the restaurant there was no hostess to greet or seat me. After waiting a couple of minutes I sat myself at the bar. When the bar tender noticed I was there he just gave me a menu without saying welcome to Irving or even telling me about their specials or drinks. I had to ask questions and made selections based on his recommendations. I ended up getting the Penicillin cocktail for $11 and it actually tasted like Penicillin (I am a physician so I know) which is not a good thing. No one bothered to ask how my drink was after it was served. I then had to call bar tender over again to order my entree and selected the black cod with a crawfish curry for $26. I did wait for approximately 25 minutes for my entree with no one checking up on me or offering bread (helps soak up the alcohol on an empty stomach) which i had to request when my entree was served. When my entree was served it was good but nothing special. The fish was cooked perfectly along with the crawfish and vegetables but all the flavors just blended together and nothing was excellent, special, or memorable. After eating I had to again request my check and then I left with no one ever thanking me for my visit. In closing I have a real problem with this restaurant. The service is terrible and I was not treated like a guest or made to feel welcome in fact yesterday I had lunch at Chipotle and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and the service at both places was remarkably better. The portion size also was relatively small and after paying $42 with tax and tip for my meal I was still left pretty hungry and bought a piece of fruit at whole foods which was remarkable fresh and juicy (reminded me of Georgia peaches) and probably the highlight of my dinner. If you are going to lack in value you need to make up in service which was not there. I definitely will not eat here again and felt sorry that my company had to pay for this meal. Now I cant wait to get some Pok Pok tomorrow....so much for trying new things.
(2)Everett S.
It's definitely good. I had the fried chicken, which had a unique tasting gravy. I was with a big group and nothing we ordered was too remarkable. It's expensive and I just don't know if it's the place I would splurge on. That said. I can't really think of anything bad to say.
(3)Kevin P.
4.5 stars. Place is one of the best in Portland. Hand crafted cocktails and an ever changing local menu that dominates life. Never had a bad experience there, never will. Could be a bit less expensive but that's just finding an excuse to not give it 5 stars.
(5)Brittany K.
Good ambience, great food all around. We tried the trout and lamb porterhouse and both were very good.
(4)Tricia L.
What a great place! Friendly waitstaff, amazing food, great ambiance. Great place to bring out of town guests as it is so Portland.
(5)Cassandra C.
Nice atmosphere, nice food. Nice staff. Just not that nice. Had the fried chicken meal and to-go butterscotch pudding. It was cute that the pudding came in a practically gift-wrapped package and it was a short mason jar. That was cute. But it was very run-of-the-mill. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. Some people like that.
(2)Meredith h.
So I am not trying to be negative however I did not have a great experience, nor did I have a horrible one. I sat at the bar bymyself and was weakly greeted, no smile or hello just a glass of water poured for me by one bartender. He then walked away and i waited for a bit then another bartenter came by and gave me some menus. He returned to take my drink order, and none of the speciality cocktails were calling my name so I just went for a glass of Prosecco instead. The bartender was knowledgable and answered my questions but was not warm. I started off with the mussel corn chowder soup which had a nice base with crips sweet corn with potatoe and fennel, the mussels however where not good and they didn't seem to ruin the soup. I next had the Salmon gravlex with cucumber salad and homemade rye crackers. The salmon was decent, salty as expected maybe a little too much, the gribiche sauce was plentyful drizzled over the salmon. It was ok it didn't necissarily compliment the salmon nor insult it. The cucumber salad was non-existant, it was a bunch of frisee lettuce. When I asked about it, saying "isn't a cucumber salad supposed to come with cucumber?" The bartender asked if I wanted to send the dish back, but I really didn't want to send the whole thing back. I just wasn't sure if my interpretation was incorrect. He then offered to bring a side of cucumbers. Again the effort was rather luke warm. The homemade rye crackers had a nice texture but were bland if you did not have a nice peice of salty salmon on top. Overall the food was so so, I gave it two stars for the setting and tone that I felt in there. It is a beautiful restaurant and the food has potential however I guess I just wasn't feeling it there. As I left everyone was pleasant and said goododbye, but I guess my initial reception i felt wasn't as pleasant or welcoming.
(2)Tiffany N.
Irving Street has an awesome selection of charcuterie and I was lucky enough to sample almost all of their offerings. I say I was lucky because it was all so very delightful. Besides the smorgasbord of meat Don B and I shared Oysters on Horseback (bacon-wrapped oysters), an edamame puree with radishes and cucumbers (this was the consistency of something like hummus and you could dip the veggies into the puree), a mind-blowingly delicious Shrimp Etouffe, and a Jambalaya that was too sweet for me (I prefer it super spicy.) I love all their draft wines and the cocktail list is amazing. Speaking of amazing, that's a great word to describe the space and the service as well. While the space is rather on the largish size it doesn't seem cold or cavernous, but warm and cozy. And never for a moment was I at a want for attention when necessary - empty glasses became full again quickly, courses were ordered leisurely and food was delivered promptly. All in all it was a most pleasant experience.
(5)Sara G.
I usually wait a while before visiting a new place, but I met one of the cooks and after chatting with him and feeling his enthusiasm we decided to dive in. Awesome fried chicken. It's on the bone like it should be, not some limp patty. They have wines on tap straight out of the barrel--how neat is that? Services was unattentive and professional, although complaining about service in the first month a place is open is just unfair, you have to give them a chance to get a rhythm. How good were you at your job during the first month? My only complaint would be the...clientele. Were I a young man looking for an older lady to buy me nice clothes in exchange for orgasms, I might prefer the atmosphere at the bar. Instead, I'll ask for a table next time.
(4)El S.
I need to start out by saying that the food is excellent but only four stars...the reason for the 5th star is for the service. My server, Lynn, was exceptional and extraordinarily well prepared. She had a vast knowlege of the wine list as well as a genuine interest in the menu. That counts for a lot....most restaurants don't realize that. On to the food....when I first walked in I noticed a giant, round crusty loaf of bread. This bread is usually found exclusivley in Italian neighborhoods on the east coast. In fact, if you've never bitten into this burned, crusty, bread on a Sunday morning while standing over the kitchen sink (mom would hit you if you with her church shoes if you made crumbs on the floor) then you are not really Italian. For some reason this bread has found its way to Portland via Ken's Artisan...and Irving Street Kitchen has the good sense to offer it. That's major points in my book...it shows good, unpretentious taste. If Ken isn't Italian I'd be shocked. I got the olive sampler to start. Granted its only olives but the selection was terrific. Green Sicilian with some Gaeta and hot peppers as well. Smartly done. I'm a fat pig and that means two entrees - The steak and the fried chicken. I get my steak medium rare...the chimicurri type sauce was decent albeit not spicy enough but the meat was cooked perfectly and very well seasoned. It came with polenta cakes and something else so awesome that I ate so fast I forget what it was. The fried chicken was top top top notch. No joke. It came with nicely done mashed potatoes and collared greens that were pre-vinegared and seasoned to perfection. Most places give you malt vinegar to put on yourself...no need here...the guy out back seasoned it to perfection. Well done. I got the rhubarb pie for desert. A little disappointing....it came de-contructed which I don't like for desert. When you order desert it should be decadent and complicated. I can appreciate de-construction for an entree but not for a desert. I wish I had got something else. This newcomer is a first rate restaurant and a welcome addition to the neighborhood....I'll be coming here a lot. not just because I'm a fat pig with man-hooters but because its really, really good and the service is five-star and unpretentious. Well done, keep up the good work.
(5)Leah H.
Having had a delightful meal at Town Hall last time I visited San Francisco, I was thrilled to hear about the opening of Irving Street Kitchen. I checked out the menu on their website and was excited to see a number of the same menu offerings as Town Hall. I finally got the chance to make it down there. The food was wonderful but the service was a bit lacking. In fact, if it were not for how satisfactory the meal was, there is no way a restaurant could pull off a 4 star review with the service I received. I'm going to assume it was bad timing/new employees/or something - but at least this gives me an opportunity to update this to a 5 star when the quality of the service matches the quality of the food! We started at the bar thinking that we could take advantage of happy hour. I was uncertain about what to drink and so the bartender suggested that she make me her favorite (and see if I like "big girl drinks"). It was made with gin, my least favorite spirit, but it was wonderful. Now sitting with a nice drink, we wanted to order a couple things off of the happy hour menu and then continue on to entrees. The only problem: we were never asked about food. My dining companion finished his drink, but still, no notice was taken to us. After being ignored for around 30 minutes we decided to see if we could be moved to the dining room. Screw happy hour, I guess. Although I really did want to try their poutine. Once moved, we were asked if we needed drinks, but then sat without being asked about food for some time. At this point, my dining partner was working on convincing me that we should leave and find some pizza. Granted, when people are hungry (and without food) the crankiness level at the table greatly increases. Needless to say, I was relieved when our waitress came around just as my friend was beginning to stand up. We ordered the salumi plate to start and asked for some bread. Mmm, Ken's Artisan Bread. So good! The meats were served with a house-made whole seed mustard. Normally the taste of mustard triggers my gag reflex, but I could eat this! And, you know what, it didn't taste too bad! I ordered the sirloin & smoked rib. The sirloin was cooked perfectly! It was crisp and smokey on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. But the smoked rib stole the show. It was smokey and melty and OH MY GOODNESS just damn delicious. My companion mentioned that it was an insult to the sirloin to be plated with the rib, because it never stood a chance. The rib was just so damn good. My friend ordered the fried chicken on recommendation of our waitress. It had yummy breading that remained amazingly crunchy through the meal - even while sitting in the potatoes and greens. His take on his plate was that it was good, but it wouldn't be the item that brings him back again and again. We ended the meal with the butterscotch pudding to-go. It came in an adorable jar. I honestly wanted to buy a half dozen of them and give them away as holiday gifts. But I restrained myself. Altogether, a couple of drinks a piece, a shared appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert only amounted to $80. Not bad at all. Once fed, my (now considerably less) cranky companion admitted that this had been one of the best meals that he has had in Portland. I will certainly return to try more of their menu and to get me that poutine!! I'm just hoping I will never experience service like that again.
(4)Troy W.
Irving St Kitchen has all the elements that I look for in a restaurant. The drinks, food, ambiance, creature comforts and service is great. The roasted trout was great and pared with wheatberry for a hearty starch. The limey bastard SAS a delicious gin drink. The decor was simple yet week thought out. Not pearl district hipster but refined new American. It's easy to get a great seat art the bar and the staff will concoct a masterpiece or pour from the tap a glass of wine! A great spot for a date, reunion or just catching up.
(5)Miss M.
Thank god for this place!!! We ended up here after a disaster at the Pink rose (Check out my hilarious review of that crap shack!) First impression was not so great when the hostess was short and snappy when we didn't have a reservation (I get it there was like 14 people in the place) and when we asked to sit outside. Luckily it was all made better by our server who brought coffee and mimosas. The key to this yelper's heart? Booze and java! And you serve it on a hipster tray with raw brown sugar cubes cuz splenda packets are so 2005? EVEN BETTER! Breakfast was like heaven carny goodness. I had eggs bacon and potatoes with toast. Pretty backs right? Nope! Irving street's ooh can throw it down in the kitchen. i had to refrain from licking my plate it was that good. Over all Irving street is a win. I think the hostesses may be a little full of themselves but overall I will 100% be back next time I'm in Portland.
(4)Anthony W.
Ate here with some friends and had a great time. We had a huge table of about 12 people and the servers did a great job attending to our needs in a timely fashion. The food was good but nothing to write home about. What I mean about this is that everything we ordered was just on par with a good meal but didn't blow our socks off. They did mix up some great cocktails and the decor is nice. Would still come here again to eat.
(4)Alison T.
This is in my top 5 favorite restaurants in Portland. I've been here 3 times (twice for dinner and once for brunch). The service has always been 100% satisfactory. In fact, last time we were there our foie gras took longer than the other apps to come out so it was on the house, as well as a charcuterie plate because the kitchen had been busy and the entrees were taking too long. The food though is fantastic!! I've tried so many things off the menu, but my favorite has to be the mahi mahi with bacon and sautéed mushrooms. Every bite was so succulent and the mushrooms were meaty and flavorful. Great fried chicken! As an entree, or as the chicken and waffles (for brunch). Crunchy, crispy, and peppery. The desserts hold their own, and I would even recommend just popping in for a butterscotch pudding. The texture is so fluffy and creamy, nothing like the heavy or grainy stuff from the box. It's my absolute favorite. I rave about it to anyone who will listen. For brunch they serve Happy Cup coffee, which is a local roaster. It is now my favorite and a must-have in my pantry. I am forever indebted to Irving St. Kitchen for the coffee, alone.
(5)R C.
It's gone way downhill in the past 6 months and I won't be back. The cocktails are always disappointing and the food quality doesn't match ambiance or price point. The seafood is always mushy from being improperly defrosted. The head on gulf prawns were a joke, they assembled poor quality shrimp with unmatched heads! Come on!
(2)Kathy B.
I've been here for brunch, dinner, and now happy hour. The service has always been friendly and available. I know that saying a server is available is odd,but in this town, sometimes a server is as hard to find as a place that doesn't have a happy hour. I'm sitting at Irving St kitchen outside on the patio. There is only one other group here. For a happy hour, the place is empty. The happy hour wine served is passable and one of the cheaper ones from Spain. The menu is limited but unique. It's not the regular hamburger and pub food in a lot of places. The tasso jambalaya was amazing (made with their own handmade andouille sausage). I forgot to mention that they have a dismal selection of beers on Happy hour. However, the regular selection is good and they have wine and cocktails.
(5)Deanna N.
Went for happy hour on a Sunday night. Portions are small, but did enjoy the wings. And of course their signature bell jar butterscotch budino. I do love this place, but think I'll come for a full meal or brunch and always willing to take that butterscotch home! A friend told me one year she bought it to give out as Christmas presents.
(4)Bill W.
As a tourist I heard about the eclectic Portland food scene. The Irving Street Kitchen epitomizes this. The 'southern comfort food' was creative without losing it southern roots.
(5)Jonathan N.
Come for the happy hour, its a great price and has a nice selection of wines and spirits, as well as appetizers. The other thing i like about this place is the wine on tap, which means you get to try out a few on request. I like this place because it's designed well, not too crowded, nicely modern - portland style. Go for it, take a friend, take your mom, take a date.
(4)Janice F.
Love the ambiance - open patio space, cabana booths & lots of other seating options to accommodate larger groups. Eclectic but modern furnishings, bookcases & couches. Service was efficient & attentive - they refolded napkins when we went to the bathroom, kept water glasses filled at all times. Food-wise, the seared foie with peanut butter & apple jelly was really good! Although, I think the peanut butter did overpower the foie a bit. But the foie itself was cooked really nicely. Their fried chicken is a half a chicken, it's a large portion - you get 3 pieces, thigh drumstick & breast. Good, but Screen Door still takes the cake. Loved the butterscotch pudding dessert - comes with caramel sauce & vanilla whipped cream. Would come back for a relaxing brunch.
(4)Kate D.
A must dining experience in Portland. Rustic chic with a twist. Loved the ambiance and presentation. Great outdoor area. Small plates were amazing. We had salmon gravlax and the crab lyonnaise salad was to die for.
(5)Bruce W.
Found the entire experience lacking on my third visit after thoroughly enjoying this place the first two times we had dinner there. Our waiter was either having a bad night or he's in the wrong job. He made us feel like we were such a bother at every turn. With the exception of the host/hostess, the front house staff made us feel like they didn't want us there. For example, when my wife got up to go to the bathroom, she nearly got run over by a waiter who brushed past her in the aisle rather than waiting for her to go by. When I ordered "another one of these" from a different person and was making sure they knew my cocktail order, they cut me off, saying "got it" as they turned on their heel and walked away. Nobody checked with us after the entrees were served. Our check was delivered before we were offered desert. I saw another reviewer describe what I experienced as "Portland Waiter Syndrome" where the waiter makes you feel like a nuisance for being in the restaurant. That pretty much sums up our impression on our last visit. There are so many restaurants in Portland where both the food and service are excellent. I'll be grateful when I've forgotten all about Irving Street Kitchen.
(2)C Z.
Excellent food. However, the waiter forgot our appetizer completely and we thought he forgot about us for a good 25 min, then our entree arrived. Regardless, good food, great decor and ambiance altogether a 5 star and worth the price.
(5)Chris B.
I am never disappointed when I eat here. No matter what the meal is excellent the service is excellent and I am always so happy when I leave. Even if you don't want southern food still eat here and you'll be surprised and defiantly enjoy yourself.
(4)aaron r.
I've been here a few times and each time is great...dinners are great as is brunch. Minus 1 star for service that is sometimes aloof, but even with slightly sub-par service, this place still deserves at least 4 stars.
(4)Jeffrey K.
My wife and were in Portland a few months ago, and looking for someplace new to try. The Yelp reviews were good, so we gave it a try. This is now our favorite restaurant in Portland. We have been there twice for Sunday brunch, and once for dinner. We have not had a bad meal. My favorite has to be the double cheeseburger. Has grilled pastrami and sour kraut on it. Amazing! The atmosphere is relaxed, but full of energy at the same time. The staff has been great. The last time there, we did not have time to stay for desert. Our server brought my wife a jar of butterscotch pudding for us to take with us, on the house! I found the prices were very reasonable, especially for being in the Pearl District. Does get very busy, so if you have the time to make a reservation, I would recommend it. I can't wait to return.
(5)Michael S.
Cool vibe and neat decor. Food was interesting and well prepared, served by a very attentive staff. Be sure to ask for bread, as they don't just put it on the table, and it's no charge and very good...but leave room for the meal :-)
(4)Jamie L.
Food was amazing! The wording of the menu may seem off putting with wording. But oh my gosh the food was mind blowing my awesome. Definitely get the halibut, steak, apricot upside down cake and/or the vanilla bean cheesecake.
(5)Jess A.
Cute, very well decorated. Good for brunch it's not too loud. Go with friends or your significant other you'll have a good time. Food was good and quick. Coffee wasn't impressive. Drinks were pretty good there too. I'll go back.
(4)Kerri M.
I only came here for dessert. Butterscotch pudding. It was pretty amazing.
(4)Jone V.
we had a sunday morning (make reservations!) breakfast here, but i have had better poached eggs with hollandaise saus. need i say more? but the cappuccino was delicious and made up for the price. the personnel definitely works hard doing their best, but the cooks could use more training, in my opinion.
(2)Gillian T.
I can't say enough great things about this place. I've been for dinner, happy hour, and brunch and every single time the food knocks me away. The servers are knowledgeable about their offerings and are friendly and nice without being overbearing or overly attentive, which can detract from service sometimes. I would give them 5 stars except that at brunch this past weekend, the coffee was TERRIBLE. I don't know if it was the prep of it or the coffee itself, but it was baaaaaad. Kind of disappointing since every other detail of this place is so well thought out. Everything else was 5 stars though.
(4)Sherry C.
Irving St. Kitchen was highly recommended by a fellow frequent traveler foodie friend and we were so glad we had went b/c it was the highlight of our wkd trip to Portland. We had made a reservation for dinner and was seated promptly upon arrival. Although the noise level was moderately high, my companion and I were tucked into one of the alcoves which was really romantic. The menu items were creative and delicious. Who knew peaches and trout would tastes so good together. The fried chicken was juicy and the batter had a nice crunch to it. Being conditioned by Bay Area prices, even though the prices were printed on the menu, we were pleasantly surprised by the check when it had came. We highly recommend Irving St. Kitchen to friends and family visiting Portland!
(5)Vanessa M.
One of the few places you can make a reservation for brunch! It makes life so much easier when you can do that! The coffee is strong and hot, and the waiter was good about the refills. We had the salmon benedict and the moroccan slow poached eggs. Both were really great with tons of flavor, but the portions were kind of small. Maybe we are just used to huge brunch portions everywhere or maybe the plates they use are just too big. In any case the food was spot on and we will be back for brunch again and to try dinner.
(4)Livia M.
Big open planned space. Great happy hour options that can take you all the way to dinner. Lots of options on the wine taps and friendly, efficient, staff (and other guests).
(4)Scott A.
Fantastic service.. Our cheeky waitress was a master at up selling lol Great food, being from Melbourne Australia we are a bit spoilt in culinary aspects but Irving St Kitchen really restored my faith in American cuisine. Great night out Thank you
(4)Sandra W.
Cornbread -- a combination of simple ingredients; and yet, so very easy to do wrong. I've tried so many versions in so many places throughout the country, and I have been disappointed so frequently that I almost swore off cornbread completely, convinced that a good cornbread does not exist. I'm glad ISK has proved me wrong on this. This was simply the best cornbread I have ever had. For $6, we were served a triangular slice topped by a honey sauce. The cornbread was sweet, moist, and with a little kick of spice, but not so much that it drowned out the essential primary corn flavor. ISK also served an excellent peach trifle for our dessert, layered with vanilla pound cake, caramel and mascarpone. But the entire experience, including the entrees in between the cornbread and the dessert, was just a bit lacking. The fried chicken and fish dishes that we had were just okay, perfectly edible and tasty, but there was no 'wow' factor that would have coaxed out that fifth star. The veggies accompanying the fish did not stand on their own, and needed to be eaten with the paper-thin slices of ham. The peaches in the dish were not ripe and reminded me of Fred Meyer-quality nectarines. The same can also be said of the service. There was nothing overtly wrong with the service, it just seemed disconnected, disjointed, a bit chaotic and disorganized. For example, we asked the waitress to bring the cornbread at the same time as our salads. That didn't happen -- the cornbread showed up well after our salad plates left the table. I had iced tea as my beverage, and it was refilled at the table with warm tea from a glass beaker, so what I ended up with then was lukewarm tea in a glass with almost no ice. It's the tiny little details in the way things are done and presented that make a great place stand apart from a "pretty good" place like ISK. When there's difficulty in execution in the dining room and "good but not fabulous food;" it's symptomatic of leadership issues in the operation in general. Had we dined only on cornbread and peach trifle, we may have thought harder about giving them 5 stars, but the dining room issues would still have held them back.
(4)Anthony B.
I would go back for the old fashioned alone...but the food and atmosphere was great too!
(5)Frank W.
Overall, thoroughly disappointed. We've been three times and the food has been awful, the wine bad and the hostess this last trip was quite rude. We're not going back.
(1)Kirsten R.
Are you kidding me? Where has this place been all my life? First of all every single course is like dessert-from the Dutch baby topped with Gruyere cheese and bacon to the beautifully arranged wedge salad with bacon, bleu cheese and radish. The bloody Mary was delicious and the Mimosa was sparkling and grand! And don't even get me started on the actual dessert! Bittersweet chocolate pudding topped with butterscotch pudding topped with a salted caramel. I'm in heaven! The space is beautiful with high ceilings and lots of wood throughout giving it a rustic feel-and they give ample room between tables so you can actually hear your dining partner. Novel concept in this city, where I often feel crammed into whatever small space I'm given... and our waitress was amazing. So go-just go-and love it!
(5)Nam N.
stumbled upon this place while strolling the pearl district with my aunt. i was very pleased by the decor and setting. a rustic feel - with a dash of urban modernty (yes i made that word up) we were warmly welcomed by the hostess and quickly seated in a booth. we ordered: fried okra - cooked to perfection. no slime. all flavor and the jalapeno aioli was a nice balance bacon wrapped oysters - yum. i like bacon and love oysters. a perfect balance of flavors. beef tartare - this was okay to me. nothing of great tastes compared others i have tried before. the raw quail egg was a nice touch of flavor. pork belly - not as savory as i thought it would be as pork belly is amongst my favorite things to eat. but not overly fatty and still good. and my final and favorite of the night... corn bread - simply amazing. it had bits of red chili in it not making it spicy but had a slight hint of spice. topped with a maple suger syrup that made the corn bread taste like the worlds best cake. i want one for my birthday. i will definitely come back!
(4)Adam G.
This is the only place that has ever made me food-drunk. This is the point beyond food-coma where you stagger around looking terrible because you have just gorged yourself on such a staggering quantity of food that even the manager (I think he was a manager) wonders how you did it. Dial back an hour and let's see how this happened ... 0 - asked the bartender to make something up for me. You can do that here and discover something about yourself (Bourbon can be delicious?) or you can get wine from the tap, but I definitely recommend letting the bartenders do their thing. 1 - crab and clam chowder, with bacon. I don't know where this came from, or how it got here but it was phenomenal. 2 - braised veal rib. meat falling off the bone, succulent fat, even the greens were great. 2.5 - cornbread with bourbon butter glaze. Be aware, although in my magnificence I was able to consume the entire slice of pie (that's how delicious this was - think wonderful pie) you should probably share with 1 or 2 or 3 other people. 3 - Mississippi mud pie - I shouldn't have ordered this. I was already full and bubbling over, but hey, it was my birthday and I wanted dessert. I finished it. I was full, and I finished it. Yep, it was that tasty. 100% consumed by yours truly. I've never had bad food here. While I went for the veal rib this time, the fried chicken is an old standby - some of the best I've ever had. NOTE: As a general rule, I will almost always choose to sit at the bar over at a table in the restaurant area. I do this everywhere, and it's worth noting in this case, because I expect a significant difference in atmosphere. One a weekend night, ISK is bustling. It's busy, it's definitely not quiet, and it can get crowded at the bar. Every member of the staff I have encountered has been very friendly. That said, this is not the place to go for a "quick bite" before a show or movie. Your food will not arrive 5 minutes after you order it. Go when you've got time to enjoy the reasonably well list establishment with good friends and food & drink that will enthrall your taste buds. About Brunch - I kind of want to write a separate review, but I'll just mention it here. The place has a very different vibe during weekend brunch. It's much quieter and "brighter" (crappy word, but the vibe is light and airy .. not that those words help much.) The brunch is a regular thing for me. The food and drink quality is every bit as good as dinner, but the price is much less. For brunch, it's $$ instead of $$$ for dinner. 5-stars. I'm constantly drawn back here both for food, drinks, and to visit some of my regular bartenders.
(5)Alison P.
I have been here numerous times, and they have never let me down. The service is absolutely fantastic, and the food is superb. If you have the chance to go for brunch, PLEASE try the moroccan eggs. Their bloody mary's aren't too shabby either. For dinner, you have to get the cornbread. What's that? You don't like cornbread? Shut up. Get it. You won't be sorry. How do I know? Because I don't like cornbread. Dessert: Chevre Cheesecake. I don't have anything to add here...just Chevre Cheesecake. All in all, the atmosphere is wonderful, the food is wonderful, the service is wonderful...yeah. Can't go wrong.
(5)H T.
i love town hall in sf, and salt house and anchor and hope are ok as well, so i thought irving street kitchen would be a good place for dinner in the pearl. on monday night, we went around 7, and it wasn't crowded at all. drinks here are good and STRONG. i could barely finish one drink before getting tipsy already. they start you w/ ken's artisan bakery bread, so if you can't get to the bakery itself, then you must eat bread here. if you are a fan of tartine bakery in sf, then you would love this bread. we ate it w/ edamame puree, which was an app and really tasty. for dinner, i got the chinook (which i learned was wild salmon, and i figure i should eat salmon in the pacific NW), and i shared the succotash and beet sides w/ my husband. the chinook had a mustardy sauce and was super fresh. we were super full by the end of dinner, so we couldn't eat dessert, but you can buy the butterscotch pudding w/ salted caramel sauce to-go. you get the pudding in a cute mason jar too, so you can re-use it after! i didn't even eat the pudding until 3 days later, and it was still awesome.
(4)Paula L.
We were in town visiting and happened upon this place. We started with drinks and appetizers and ended with desserts and every course was amazing. The staff was great and food choices were top notch. Very eclectic menu. We had the deviled eggs and waffles to start- waffles were my favorite. The trout was outstanding, the steak was perfect, and the salmon gravlox was also very good. We finished with the salted caramel pudding and kettle corn. Our table left very full and happy! If we come back to town we will definitely return!
(5)Jason L.
I've been to the Irving St. Kitchen on three separate occasions, and every time has been outstanding. Our last visit, my girlfriend, Ali, and I decided we wanted to go on a "fancy date," so we put on nice outfits and had ourselves a three course meal with wine pairings. We started with the ISK-style BLT (smoked ahi tuna "bacon," arugula, and fried green tomatoes) and a corn soup of which I forget the particulars. The soup was outstanding-- a bit sweet, but in that good way. The BLT was very good, but I'd say it was probably the weakest part of the meal. We paired the appetizers with prosecco. (Because if you don't have bubbles in your wine, you can't possibly be fancy.) Next up, Ali had the halibut, and I ordered duck-stuffed duck, wrapped in duck. Both dishes were unreasonably good. We got a side of cornbread on the recommendation of several people, and that was an excellent decision. We let Patrick, our waiter, pair wines with the meal, and he did a KILLER job. Honestly, I don't remember what he gave us, but the pairings were solid. Finally, we ordered the cheesecake, which wasn't quite cheesecake. It didn't have a crust, but it had a... chocolate grenache? I don't know. Whatever it was, I put it in my mouth and felt very good about the decision. This was paired with a pinot noir dessert wine, which was surprisingly delicious and paired perfectly with the cheesecake. Patrick talked me out of a port, which I thought was especially cool considering the port was $5/glass more expensive. We left full, happy, and most importantly, feeling very fancy. The best part of this experience was the service-- I mean, I can get amazing food all over Portland, right? -- the way Patrick talked about the food and helped us make solid pairings really showed a passion for solid dining experiences. Our previous experiences were met with excellent service as well, so I don't think it's just Patrick -- ISK has managed to create a really good working culture, and it shows through in their dining experience. I'll definitely be returning. Probably frequently. Maybe with a monocle next time.
(5)B. A.
Super nice wait staff, pleasant room (albeit many, many hard surfaces), nice wines -- and the appetizers and entrees were good enough. I wanted to love this friendly place! But the wee portions for the charcuterie and the cheeses plates are either a cost-saving measure or just pretentious (maybe some of each) and our group wasn't happy about that. Pieces of cheese and meat no bigger than tasting samples - that's just plain silly and a good way to lose repeat business.
(2)Ari R.
A perfect restaurant. If you like an urban, rustic modern vibe, you will love this place. The decor is incredible. They use a lot of reclaimed wood and Edison lightbulbs. The bar is gorgeous. They have the neatest contemporary wine taps ever. All the lighting is enchanting and dim. Food is decadent and flavorful. Cocktails are pre-prohibition on.... and beer is great.. lots of Belgians. You will love it here.
(5)David C.
I had a gift certificate for Irving Street, so I decided to check it out. I really didn't have an expectation level. I was completely blown away. This place was amazing! There were 3 in our party and we all traded each of our dishes at eah course. Service was great...food was great. Definately coming back!
(5)Maya S.
5 star. How could it be less? I am raving. Fantastic, unbelievable, as good as it gets in Portland. Why do I say this? Because I am completely fed up with paying high prices and receiving just "okay" service or ambience or food or drinks. Irving Street Kitchen does EVERYTHING right, and I mean everything. The total package. The server was absolutely spot on. They should clone her and send her to all the high end restaurants in Portland so she can be an exemplar. THIS is how it's done. Not a hipster, holier than though, 'tude in sight. Thank you for that! She was absolutely perfect, truly. Warm, informed, extremely attentive. The lighting, perfect. The ambience, perfect. And here is a major pet peeve of mine: dining room music. They have it perfect. You can hear it but it's in the background and above your head as opposed to blaring so loud you cannot hear the people you are with because it's blasting right at ear level. Thank you for even getting the music right! I notice all these things that make up the entire package and that's why I say Irving Street IS the entire package. Best cocktail I've ever had, fantastic and beautiful shaved vegetable salad, great meal, and the dessert??? Insane. To die for. I told the server there must be crazy people in the kitchen making something like that! Black bottomed butterscotch pudding but not the horrible sticky sweet corn syrup kind... light as a feather with a nearly bitter layer and a salted caramel layer and a sweet pillow layer... made me crazy! Feeding it into my mouth when long ago I had passed "I can't eat another bite" status, because I HAD to have it! To be treated so well and so warmly and have great ambience and great food, especially when out for a special occasion like I was... well, it just doesn't get better than that in Portland. Many try to achieve this but fail somewhere along the chain of events. There is no failure at Irving Street. Best fried chicken ever, done right. Take heed, restaurants of Portland. Do what they do, all down the line, and I'll give you 5 stars too! Spot on. Impeccable. Warm. Delicious. I'd say it's the place to be in Portland. Why mess with the rest when you can have the best? I won't bother with the rest anymore, that's for sure.
(5)kristin e.
I have to give this place 5 stars if only for their delicious butterscotch pudding. This is not your typical butterscotch pudding snack cup from the grocery store. It was rich, velvety, thick, creamy yet very light at the same time. I've been craving it since last night and I'm now suffering from withdrawal. I came in here only with the intention to have a drink but ended up having a 2nd dinner (I had eaten dinner a few hours previously at the Heathman) because I couldn't resist the offerings. It started off with the cheese sampler which was fantastic along with some speciality cocktails: The Seelbach and the Old Curmudgeon. I wasn't too thrilled with the Seelbach (I love prosecco and I love bourbon but I guess I don't love them together) but the Old Curmudgeon was a winner. It was bourbon with a peppery kick. For the main course I had the fried chicken with collard greens, mashed potatoes and gravy. You get a juicy drumstuck, thigh and breast which is nice because many places give you just 2 pieces of chicken. Our server was friendly and funny and the space itself was gorgeous. It's very warm and inviting. I can't wait for the day I get to go back.
(5)kevin c.
First, if the entree has a salad already but the menu does not mention that, it's just good form for the waitperson to so inform the customer when he orders a salad with the entree. I don't think many people out there are looking for 2 lettuce salads with 1 meal. Second, who thought it'd be a good idea to serve scrambled eggs on top of toast -- the toast just gets soggy and nasty. And who thought it'd be a good idea to put a sweet tomato-apple relish on an egg-lobster-mascapone scramble? A really rank combination of tastes and textures. Finally, who thought it'd be a good idea to pile the side salad on top of said toast-egg-lobster-sweet salsa mess? Who in their right mind wants vinegar on their eggs? Or the already soggy toast to be further saturated with vinegar? The extra salad I ordered? Soggy and over-saturated with a strangely tasteless dressing. And the whole schtick is a bit much. Bringing the wine to the table in a mason jar on to then pour it into the wine glass? Mismatched cutlery? Really? What's next? Gonna dress the staff in overalls and straw hats? This place tries way too hard, but doesn't have the talent in the kitchen to back up the ambition. And, btw, I just moved here from SF. I like Town Hall and Anchor and Hope (and Salt House is alright), so I guess I expected their Portland outpost to at least be edible.
(1)Joel D.
Great bar, great atmosphere, great food. What else could you ask for. I thought the scallop dish was a little too salty but the great drink selection and heavenly butterscotch pudding - yeah, it's that good - make for a fantastic night out. I highly recommend.
(5)Hemesh P.
went here because everyone talks about the butterscotch pudding...man was it good...yum its a fun place even if you just come for dessert like i did!
(5)Daniel M.
The burger was one of the most delicious thing I have ever had. Amazing menu, wonderful service, and a totally kick ass atmosphere. While the food is expensive, two people can split the burger and be well fed. We will for sure be back... after I graduate.
(5)scott c.
5 stars for the quality of the food, delicious drinks, and attentive service.
(5)Sara C.
To start with I don't write many reviews, but the brunch was so crap I thought I would start. First off my husband was charged $6 (that's right!) for a side of subpar bacon sitting in a pool of it's own grease that came at the end of our meal. Secondly, when you offer a breakfast plate don't skip on portions. I have small hands and the portion of unsalted potatoes on my plate could have very easily fit in my palm. The poached eggs I got with them were poached properly, but I ordered a side of their hollandaise sauce and it was cold and bland and again charged for it. I don't believe any style of egg ordered would have been better let alone salted, because nothing had any sort of seasoning at this place, either time we went. I really don't understand how this place is still in business, but I wish they would either get better chefs and a better menu or close and be replaced by a better restaurant. Angry I can't give it 0 stars!
(1)Michael T.
Great food, but bring you wallet because quality doesn't come cheap. The squid ink Risotto was excellent.
(4)Brad F.
Reservation for our v-day dinner one night early. Service, food, ambiance...excellent. Great big space, right downtown in the Pearl district. But I just felt everything (beer, starters, salads, entrees) were all overpriced. Draft beer $6. Wedge salad $10! Starters $8-12. Entrees $20-28. Portions were average at best. We split the ribs, ordered wedge, meatballs, bread, and cornbread, two beers, and our total before tip was $73. I know it appears like we ordered a lot, but sharing an entree and only having two drinks should not be $70+. And the men's bathroom urinal had urine all over the floor. Should have been 4/5 stars, just didn't make the cut. Still glad we tried.
(3)Roger M.
CONSISTENT! Call to reserve a private booth with curtain for the quais-private-intimate dining. Has bar with fireplace. Food fantastic, not all dishes are 5 star but most everything is 4 star. Like the aged hanger steak over polenta and seared egg; rice and sausage jumbalaya; salami (4 kinds) delicious and lots of it for an appetizer. Fried chicken southern style, with collards and mashed potatoes was good. I recommend the 3 meatballs (pork, beef & lamb) over mashed potatoes for happy hour along with fries and a IPA, of course. Been there 7x's so give it a try for sure.
(4)Kelsea A.
Two words: Fried Chicken. Oh man, it was so good and hearty, perfect for the snowy weather that was happening the weekend I was there. I also order the lox and rye crackers which was delightful! The wine on tap list was pretty mind blowing. I will be back next time I visit portland!!!
(5)Jane C.
Try the smoked trout entree - it is fabulous. Perfectly prepared the fish is moist and has a wonderful wood smoked flavor. Our service was excellent - attentive but not pushy. Dined here twice in a week and both experiences were excellent
(4)Laura P.
We love this restaurant! We've been here nearly a dozen times and have yet to be disappointed! We've dined by ourselves, taken guests and recommended. No disappointments. We love the Johnson Country Ham, buttermilk biscuits and pepper jelly, the Salmon Gravlax, the Dirty Sexy Pig Head (WOW) Seared Fois Gras. You could be done just with the small plates. We've had the Salmon, other fish dishes, like the Snapper, beef dishes, pork, we haven't had anything that was not fantastic. Desserts are equally good, it's hard to choose just one, which is why we don't, we usually choose two so we can taste each others. The Bar is also very good. The bartenders are knowledgable and fun to chat with. They have great drinks and good service. Service at the tables is always good, the servers are knowledgeable, helpful and attentive. They know the menu and can make suggestions. All in all, it's a winner!
(5)Kimmy V.
Make reservations if plan on coming for brunch. One of the best salmon benedicts i've had in a long while. We sat the bar top and service was still amazing. The place has a nice classy clean ambiance. The breakfast nachos are also super good here -- don't confuse or compare it to chilaquiles tho!
(5)Mikhail H.
The service is incredible here...our waitress was amazing and put us at such ease. She deserves five stars bigtime. I even caught the view of the bartender at one point and she gave me a huge grin...all of their staff is pretty incredible. The food was very good but honestly, the portions seemed very small for the price and also for what you were getting compared to most restaurants in Portland of this caliber. I did really enjoy our meal here though and their wine selection and drinks are also excellent. Perhaps I will be back for nibbles and drinks but if I am buying a $200 dinner I would most likely go somewhere else since I am not huge on Southern food and many of the menu items sounded interesting but a bit too cheap for me. My steak was heaven but on top of grits? Hmmm...
(4)Jana C.
HH review only. Old Bay 13, just across st from 24 Hr. Not impressed by food menu. Cajun fries not golden enough, and I could go on....jambalaya was something not pleasant on the tongue. Neither of us thought it resembled anything to a genuine jambalaya. Meatballs saved the day. Unctuous and yummy, over the smoothest mash. Drink with gin and pale ale, lime also saved day. Interior beautiful...like being inside a large mountain lodge.
(2)Eric B.
Food was awesome. Staff is super helpful and nice. Although everything looked great, we shared small plates...meatballs were great! Good spot for a girls night! :)
(4)Jacob K.
I loved my first experience here, I really don't know where to begin so I'll make this as short and simple as possible. Interior: great! We got a nice dim booth that was private and exactly how I like it. Appetizer: Chef's cheese & crackers.. this was so good.. it reawakened my love for cheese. The soft cow's milk cheese was my favorite, with a bit of fruit compote on some bread, it was heaven. Entree: halibut bouillabaisse. I sampled a bit off everyone's plate (everything was delicious, it's impossible to go wrong) but I still think the halibut was the best. Perfect texture, perfect spiciness, the clams were lovely, everything about this dish came together.. nice and filling without being too heavy handed. I was completely impressed. My friend had the roasted corn cavatelli which had an intoxicating smokiness to it.. this would be perfect on a cold day. My other friend had the lamb porterhouse (extra rare) and my LAWDY that thing was juicy like a peach. Probably the nicest cut of lamb I've ever had.. this is definitely the dish I'm getting next time. Our server was very attentive and helpful, very professional and he made our night here at ISK the best it could be. I really cannot say enough positive things about our experience here.
(5)Tamara S.
We had a great dinner here. I highly recommend the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. SO good. However, we came back a few weeks later for brunch and were really disappointed. I got the chicken and waffles and the portion was a joke. One small piece of chicken and two tiny (tiny!) waffles. The flavor was bland and it was expensive. The friends I was with were all disappointed in their mediocre (and tiny) dishes as well. So all to say...I recommend for dinner but definitely not for brunch.
(3)Pdxgirl W.
Amazing place! Great service, drinks and food. They should really promote their gluten free options more because they have a great selection. I have celiac disease so I was prepared to just have a simple salad but our waitress gladly listed a ton of options for me which included the squid ink risotto. SOOO delish! My boyfriend had the trout dish, he loved that as well.
(5)Joy D.
Great atmosphere with the rustic look and open charcuterie bar! Place looks inviting. Food was delicious and staff was friendly!
(5)D G.
Passed by here a couple nights ago while walking around the Pearl District. Looked like an neat place from the outside - bright lights, great decor - the kind of place that has a great vibe. Looked it up on Yelp, and saw it got 4 stars - definitely worth a try. I'm giving it 5 stars. I had the Herb Stuffed Trout with Grilled asparagus. Wow. Simply the best trout I have ever had - just the right amount of saltiness and herbs. My wife had the Seared Halibut Bouillabaisse - different than what you would expect out of a Bouillabaisse - much lighter. She loved it. Our daughter ordered the Green Garlic & Parmesan Soup and the Bibb Wedge with Rogue Blue Cheese Dressing. She loved her meal as well. The best dinner we've had in a while. Great service. Great vibe. We'll be eating here again.
(5)Annabelle J.
We sat at the bar for a quick Happy hour and it was wonderful. The bartender was so fun and the food was amazing. We will be coming back here.
(5)Kai F.
Finally got the opportunity to get back here for dinner! Starting with the best stuff: Pickled Foie Torchon, Brioche French Toast, Shallot Rhubarb Jam, Savory Caramel. on a scale from 1 to 5, this is a 6. Off the chart yumminess. I would even go sit at the bar and just have this with a glass of wine or cocktail! I know - duck liver is so politically incorrect, but i suspect this is a humane type. The service was also excellent (5 star). although they didn't ask us if we wanted bread, and we could have used it. (their bread is so good). I was also happy they have one of my favorite wines: Priorat from Spain. we also had the tater tots, which is actually breaded and deep-fried fluffy mashed potatoes - really light. I tried the fried chicken based on so many people saying it's the best...it as good, but not off-the-hook. collard greens and smashed potatoes were tasty. I'm sure the chicken is organic and local. but I expected it to be better. my sister got the short ribs, and it was "different"....expected fall-off-the-bone tenderness, but it was really more like top sirloin steak. not at all "pot roasty". it was a pretty small plate as well. I am still a fan and will go back. The charcuterie and the ham/biscuit platters we saw being served also look enticing.
(4)Amy T.
What an amazing spot in Pearl for brunch! We partied a little too hard in Portland the first night so by Saturday, we all slept pretty early. Works out because the next day, we woke up early for Sunday Brunch. There are tons of restaurants, but as we walked by Irving St. Kitchen, the exposed brick, ink blot art, exposed ceilings and wood panels drew us in. I had the most mouth watering scrambled egg dish. It was an English Pea and Morel Scramble with creme fraiche. It was served with lightly dressed butter lettuce and toast. If we weren't in a rush to get to our next destination, we would have stayed longer.
(5)Joyce V.
Cool spot I found in the Pearl District amongst the lofts and warehouses. Beautifully decorated and comfortable. We came here for brunch and I had the poached egg, Belgian waffle, and pork belly with a smoked maple syrup that was amazing! My husband had over-easy eggs and Andouille sausage with the house-made Habanero salsa. His complaint was that it was not as hot as he'd like it. I tasted it and thought it was savory but definitely not spicy hot. The service was great and everyone was very friendly. We would definitely be back to try Happy Hour and dinner the next time we're back in town.
(5)Eric M.
Started with a great Orange Juice it was very tasty. Then had the basic breakfast and the sausage was really good. Nothing to write home about but good food and great ambiance.
(4)M G.
Food was good but the service was slow and I mean slow. Neat location and menu was interesting. I had the Chicken entree and it was good but did not really stick out. We had a couple of appetizers both were very good.
(3)Dano B.
This is one of my favorite spots in Portland. The food is rich in flavor, the environment is cozy, and the staff is friendly. I highly recommend the brussel sprouts, the squid ink risotto, and the butterscotch pudding.
(5)Marty J.
I enjoyed some mama and grandma quality fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and greens this Easter Sunday. Boy was it delicious and downright good food. I was like Sunday dinner at my grandma's farm...maybe a bit better. The drinks were good, and so was the service by our waitress, Fiona. The bartender was fast and friendly. We arrived about ten minutes before dinner service, and there was a slight cold front with our greeting from the hostess when we asked if we could be seated. She said we could sit a the bar, and they would seat us when the dining room opened. The hitch...it was Easter Sunday, and the place was empty and seemed prepped and ready for guests. It's all about timing, so I won't hold this against them, and we were seated right at 5pm! I recently attended TEDx Portland, and I saw that they were sponsors, and I liked that...so I put them on the top of my list to go visit. My pal visiting from Los Angeles, liked it a lot too, and he was impressed with their massive Bourbon selection. This is a high quality establishment, with wonderful and open ambiance to match the delicious food. Happy Hour seems like a delicious bargain too...and that meatball dish served on mashed potatoes is on my radar. I'm a big dessert fan, but I was underwhelmed by their offerings this past weekend.
(4)Michael W.
This place was a major disappointment. I took my parents here who were visiting from out of town and I was sorry I did. The service was extremely slow. We didn't get our entree until 2 hours after arriving. This place also has the classic pompous attitude that many establish Portland restaurants have. My GF and mother asked for a different sides with her dish and she was told that the chef would not allow it. Why a restaurant would argue with a customer over a side of potatoes vs a veggie is beyond my comprehension. F this place, I would never go back.
(1)Joshua N.
Good service, great, great atmosphere and very tasty menu. We arrived for happy hour and were happily delighted. We had the fries, jambalaya and chicken wings. All delicious. The Pabst and shot of whiskey for $4... awesome! Date rating 5 out of 5.
(4)Inga W.
I was visiting Portland for a conference and in need of some great food at night. We headed to the Pearl district and our cabby recommended this place. Score for cabby, never would I ask this question in SF. The menu looked good and sitting outside on a summer night was an added bonus, we're from SF so it's cold and foggy now. I started with the Foie Gras which I can't have in SF, yet another stupid thing and then had the duck. My coworker had the salad and salmon which is in season. The food was amazing, great flavor balance and textures. The Foie came with a bacon, toast and sweet jelly that just was amazing. The duck was great too, lean, cooked just right and rich in flavor. The drinks were great, they improvised with vodka martinis with some mint and lemon juice to make them refreshing. And not that I needed it but we had the bread pudding dessert which is not what you expect, it's rich and creamy and not hot or bread. I had a manhattan to finish up my meal. The atmosphere was casual, hip and fun both inside and out, would absolutely come back to this place, the menu was rich and had tons of options.
(4)Lauren W.
Wow this place was amazing. We were taken here by my manager on our first night in Portland. Such a treat! The ambiance is really cool and I love the design of the restaurant. We sat in the table with drapes for more privacy, so we could talk. Our server was very knowledgeable on each item and just listening to her talk about the preparation of each had our mouths watering and saying "I changed my mind, I'll have that instead!" She also recommended a Pinot Noir which I thoroughly enjoyed, and to my husband some of her favorite local brews. We tried the vegetable salad with pears and strawberries. This was soooo good. I then had the galic halibut for dinner. It was very fresh. I wanted the squid ink risotto but couldn't make up my mind. Next time! Will definitely come back on my next trip to Portland and try their brunch.
(5)Nancy H.
This is a disappointing restaurant. Food was mediocre at best. Service person lacked knowledge and enthusiasm for menu. Oysters were bland, salmon was not memorable, fried chicken a bore, cold mashed potatoes. Bar had sagging thrift store couches, same as sipping your wine on the floor. It is an over rated restaurant that does not meet the level of service and food excellence of others in Portland, i.e., A Cena or The Screen Door and many more. Cost was $70/person. Skip this one -- many others better and enjoyable to experience.
(1)Jennifer D.
An unfortunate disappointment because we live so close to this place. Overall thought, was that the place lacked a strong manager to keep things moving. Food was ok, Bloody Mary was decent. Unusually un-friendly staff (not typical in Portland). We were seated in a booth right by the kitchen where we were able to see everything going on back there.After 40 minutes without receiving our food, it was upsetting to see kitchen staff munching on rolls and french fries through the open window. Would make a good episode for that TV show where the boss goes in undercover.
(2)Momo B.
ONLY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST The wonderfully adaptive Pacific Northwest cuisine has included ethnic Asian and Native American ingredients and cooking methodologies. Within this distinctive cuisine are those who fulfill the appetites of the "locavores or localvores", Those seeking foods from plants and animals and wines indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. Irving Street Kitchen lives up to that reputation of satisfying this locavore. For this evening, we ordered the following: -Chicken Fried Oyster using buttermilk that includes a Herbsaint Aioli dip -Dirty Sexy Pig's Head over Crispy Garlicky Bread, topped generously with a spicy enriched reduction plus Coriander Slaw -Pan Roasted Brook Trout on a bed of cipollini & brussels' sprout hash and finished with a topping of almonds and sage butter. (head, tail removed and de-boned) -Twin wedges of lemon pie encircled with honey dripping, topped with whipped cream and scattered "crumplets" of mixed pecans and brown sugar. While the dinner was amazing rich, delightful and exceedingly satisfying, I can't say enough about our server Patrick "Franken(stein)-Burro" affectionately nicknamed by his Latino co-workers. I characterize Patrick as the creme de la creme of his profession. BTW... Patrick is similarly mentioned in three other reviews. So I'm not the first nor the last to make special mention of Patrick.
(5)Kalong W.
Extremely disappointed this time around. I brought my friend from out of town for brunch and was embarrassed that this was the experience she got for a famous Portland brunch. We waited 50 mins for our food to arrive with no apologies or acknowledgment from our server, Patrick. When the food arrived it was cold, bland and sparse. I had ordered the eggs platter w sausage and potatoes-the poached eggs were cold and too done, the sausages were cold and salty, and there were maybe 10 small chunks of potatoes on the plate. My friend was equally dismayed with her egg nachos which I confirmed were cold and tasteless, and the nacho chips definitely tasted stale. Refried beans and stale chips are NOT worth $14, what happened guys?! It was a complete 180 from the last time I was there, last the server came out multiple times to make sure we had fresh coffee and the food was being enjoyed. The least Patrick could have done would be to take our coffees off the bill, at least I would have. Sorry, I can't recommend this place anymore.
(1)Jessica C.
This is a great brunch spot if you are looking for a nice place to take someone that also wont break the bank. Its in a really fun spot downtown and the food is delicious!
(5)Scott H.
I had to sum this place up to a friend. So I told him, "You get what you pay for" The food is not cheap, but when you try it you will see where that money went. It's pretty obvious that they only use the highest quality ingredients to make dishes prepared by an obviously well trained staff. Everything we ordered what beautifully plated and had fresh, authentic flavors. My wife had the mushroom ravioli. It was packed with wild mushroom and topped with a wonderful cream sauce and more meaty mushrooms. The portion wasn't large, but the flavors were. I had the duck. I love me some duck. Beautifully rare in a flavorful sauce that I just wanted to pick up the plate and lick it. I'm told the brunch in the best part of the restaurant, and I'm not afraid to find out for myself. The service was a little chilly. Professional, but chilly. Maybe it's their angle. Whatever, I know what Darden type restaurants to go to if all I want is sugary sweet service. You can't get food like this at a Chilis. Don't you dare skip dessert either. The butterscotch pudding and peanut brittle sounds goofy, but is worth it. Even if you have to take it home in the cool jar. I love the ambiance of the place. It's very casual and unassuming. I came here fresh from a hike because we chose against one of the local brewpubs., and I didn't feel underdressed. Yay Portland I guess.
(5)Kevin O.
Great food, amazing atmosphere! I love the mix of modern industrial and earthy easy feeling. The servers were excellent. Five stars by me all the way around.
(5)Joanna F.
Eeeeeeehhhhh. It took forever for the hostess to acknowledge our existence, but finally we got seated. Atmosphere is beautiful and our server was warm and helpful. However, the food just left me wanting more. We got the cheese plate to start and it just wasn't memorable. I recall all of the cheese was a little funky also, which I like, but I could see how that would be offputting if you weren't obsessed with cheese. I got the halibut for my entree. It was fine. The halibut was good, but everything on the side was kind of lackluster. My husband ordered the ravioli. It took forever because the chef "didn't like the way the the sauce came out", so they gave us some free apps. I enjoyed that they were so transparent about the delay. That being said, when the ravioli did come out, the sauce tasted like lemon and not much else. I was expecting to be blown away after the chef appeared to put special effort into making the sauce. Needless to say, I probably wouldn't be back. This wasn't a bad experience, but it seems like there are so many great restaurants in Portland.
(3)Brian H.
I had a birthday party for my husband here ,great food ,great Waite staff Nice bar
(4)Shirley L.
OK, the rating is for their dinner. I've heard great reviews of their brunch/lunch, but yet to try those. The reason why I'm giving 3 stars is because of how salty all of our dishes were. I think if they cut down the salt, I can easily give a 4+ stars.
(3)John J.
I really wanted to rate this place higher as I heard such good reviews. Unfortunately, I had to ask the server where they got their salmon as something didn't taste right. i was extremely disappointed to hear their fish is farmed. I cannot respect an upscale restaurant that serves FARMED salmon, especially in the NW, but more specifically Portland.
(1)Ellen E.
This is our favorite place in Portland. Recommend the biscuits & ham as a starter. The red pepper jelly is so good. Meals are big enough to split, especially if you want to save room for one of the delicious dessert options. The brunch on Sunday is great, too. Entire experience is a little pricey, but if you're sharing with a friend, it's definitely worth it.
(5)John E.
Totally surprising fact: this place has the best habanero salsa in the city. It's not on the menu, but it's available on request (waitress said they use it for some egg dishes at brunch). How is this possible? We went for happy hour appetizers and drinks. Tequila based drink was my favorite. I think pork belly and waffles with eggs was the favorite appetizer. Poutine, jambalaya, meatballs were all pretty good as well. There were several other dishes that looked interesting. We'll be back.
(5)Aung B.
This is my first review in Yelp and I'm sad that it's not going to be a positive one. We've been to Irving St. Kitchen twice before. The food here is decent, not the best thing I've ever tasted. But the location was convenient. We were just there on Mother's day for brunch. We called ahead to ask about seating for four and were told that there're plenty of walk-in seating. No wait. We showed up 10 minutes later, the hostess said we will have to wait for at least an hour or we could sit by the bar or the couch and eat there instead. She (short blonde hair and small) did not even ask us if we want to put our name down and wait. She just stared blankly at us. We had to ask her if we can put our names down. It only took 20 minutes for us to wait. Our waiter was nice, but we waited 45 minutes for our food. We didn't have any special orders and the place wasn't even full or busy. My husband and a friend, who's pregnant, both ordered the lobster dishes, had stomachache and felt sick for the rest of the day. This probably won't do much to change anything there, but we're sure not going to be back agian.
(1)Amanda O.
This place is incredible! The food is always good and there's something about the atmosphere that definitely makes you feel comfortable. It's busy and your server might forget something but nonetheless it is always good. Creative menu but never intimidating.
(5)Some G.
Went on a tasting spree in portland. Dined at dozen+ places in portland over 2 days. We tried everything from artisan cheese and duck from Veritable Quandry, fresh truffles at Bluehour, beer and burger at Rogue, fresh toro at Bamboo, and what feels like everything in between. But after all said and done the Irving Street Kitchen really stood out. Their decor, wine on tap, and great food made us wish we lived upstairs to this restaurant. I loved ordering half a dozen appetizers as opposed to a few entrees and sharing it. Each and everyone of them were wonderful. Can't wait to visit portland again.
(5)Mitch S.
Great hip atmosphere and the server was super friendly. We visited on a busy Sunday morning and the hostess was less than friendly. Menu had flair with unique pairings, food was excellent. I had the fried chicken and waffle and my GF had the apple caramel oatmeal. Both were very good. French toast with blueberry compote looked awesome, I will try on next visit. Recommend a trip!
(4)m b.
Went there this morning for breakfast. Food was good, drinks were good,,, service? Not so good. A guy was shadowing a girl OR the girl was shadowing the guy server, but it was awkward because we couldn't tell. They ought to have explained the situation to us (hey, we're training!) because it was terribly strange to be flanked by two employees who couldn't tell me what the drink ingredients were like on the menu..
(2)Gene B.
Another gem of a restaurant in the trendy Pearl District! I liked this place a lot. It has a Southern pastiche, as do so many other Portland restaurants lately. At first blush it kinda seemed like a fancier version of Screen Door, but I think that's an over-generalization and that they are doing their own thing. The shrimp and duck tongue gumbo was out of this world good, made with a properly dark roux - a detail that is rarely done right. The foie gras torchon was creamy, smooth and rich, It was accompanied by a nice, slightly tart, slightly sweet rhubarb coulis which went well with the foie and Ken's artisanal bread. I had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and greens. I saw so many going out of the kitchen window all night that I felt compelled to try it and it is really good. Almost as good as the chicken at Screen Door and just like at the Screen Door, it's a huge amount of food. Portions here are ample. My dining partner had the lamb chops with herbed coucous and they were just perfection. After seeing so many desserts coming out of the kitchen, we also felt compelled to order some for ourselves even though we were pretty stuffed at that point. I had the butterscotch pudding which came in a Mason jar and had a decadent caramel sauce both on top and the bottom of the pudding layer. It was light and airy, but rich and decadent all at the same time. My friend had the chocolate bread pudding with a scoop of mint ice cream. The bread pudding was warm and very chocolatey and the cool mint ice cream made the perfect foil to it. The service was top notch from the hostess to the bartenders and to, especially, our waiter. who was helpful and quick to offer suggestions and/or tips.
(4)Scott J.
Excellent food - we had a large group (5 adults / 4 kids) - and all loved their dishes - foie gras, duck, fried chicken, halibut, salmon - all good. Great ambiance and service!
(5)Amy B.
Edited for brunch: we took our out-of-town visitor for brunch and were less-than-pleased. While still a go-to for dinner, we've crossed this off the list for brunch. Overcooked chicken & waffles, really slow service...sad little diners. Otherwise: Probably one of my favorite places to eat in Portland. Every time we've been, we have been so over-the-top satisfied it's incredible. The menu is ever-changing so if you have a favorite dish, be prepared for it to disappear at any given time. Last year, my favorite was a halibut with tomatoes dish. They have a new halibut dish currently (which is still delish!), but I went with the hangar steak. Perfectly cooked, and 100% recommended. My crew ended up splitting the butterscotch pudding which was so good, once of the girls decided to take an order home to her hubby. Service is always top notch with great recommendations for both food and drink. Our out-of-towners had a hard time initially deciding with the very-Portland menu, but once they did they were happy customers. Always a go-to.
(4)Kate B.
I love this restaurant. We've been here for brunch, lunch, dinner and just drinks and it never disappoints. Recently discovered their bloody mary - a must have for brunch. The only quibble I have is that service can be a little slow for brunch or if you're just having cocktails. But lunch and dinner service has always been superb.
(4)Small J.
OVERALL : Consistently well executed dishes with exemplary service. I've dined here over 15 times and never once been disappointed. A favorite "go to" in Portland. SPACE : _ The space is open warehouse style. Tall ceilings + cement floors + exposed brick. Comfortable and warm feel. Wood bar and nice fire place on the far wall. _ Bar is welcoming with high stools and a thick, smooth wood slab counter. _ Dining room has open floor plan with intimate nooks formed by bookshelves and cozy booths draped with cotton curtains. _ Patio is less romantic and cozy and more social and good for the people watching that NW 13th provides. Strong heat lamps combined with an overhang keep this as an outdoor dining option nearly year round. FOOD + DRINK : _ Wonderful specialty drinks, mixed by talented bar staff. _ Small (single page), yet very well appointed wine list (let your server guide you for the ones you aren't familiar with; they have some real gems). _ Locally sourced (of course!) and seasonally focused specials, as well as outstanding mainstays. _ Highly recommend the scallops (on the smaller side) or fried chicken (requires a hearty appetite). And do NOT pass on the "For There" option of Butterscotch Pudding - absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. SERVICE : _ Absolutely impeccable. From the hostess to the bar staff to the wait staff. All are well trained, knowledgeable on menu and drink offerings. Friendly without being overboard.
(5)Natalie B.
I met a girlfriend here for a celebratory glass of wine and a light dinner. The ambiance was lovely and the service was great. Maybe I am a little cheap, but i found it pretty expensive for Portland (think $14 for an ok glass of wine is kinda steep?). They have a menu that a literary genius must have worked on, and i learned a lot of new vocabulary from the waiter. When translating the description of one of the salad he used the phrase "tons of vegetables." Magical words, so i ordered that. turns out a ton can also be about a handful.. but the taste was good, and then i went home and made myself some dinner.
(3)Benjamin P.
Really good food, try the fried chicken with waffle or the fried chicken on dinner! very fullfilling! :D Good service, good atmosphere.
(5)Barbara M.
Delicious brunch, try the breakfast nachos you will not be disappointed. Nice service, only downside was having to sit at the bar by the door so I got a burst of cold air every time someone opened the door.
(4)gerard f.
Great place to meet people for an untraditional brunch! Went there for Sunday brunch and loved the menu and ambience
(5)BenandWen ..
We've been here twice now, and it's been great both times. My husband got the fried chicken both times, and he absolutely loved it. This time, he finsihed it so quickly, I didn't even get a chance to have a bite. I had the pork crepinette, which was kind of like a salmon cake, but filled with tender slow cooked shredded pork. Very good, and quite unusual. The service has been friendly and attentive on both of our visits as well. I can't think of a negative at this point. I would love to eat there again!
(5)Ariel S.
After hearing so many great things about this restaurant's brunch, I couldn't wait to try it myself. I went on a Sunday morning and was sorely disappointed. First, I'll state the good, because those comments are few and far between: There was ample street parking, and no wait for a seat. Second, and in excess, are the negatives.... First, the menu is very limited for vegetarians. Even Belgium waffles aren't vegararian- it's served with pork belly. On the bottom of the menu is a phrase that sums up their customer service: "Requests for substitutions will be polietly declined." I ended up having to order a few things a la carte, which made the breakfast even more expensive than their already inflated prices. The food, in a word was aweful. My over easy eggs were still clear and unedible, the grits were the consistency of tapioca pudding mixed with glue, and the waffle soggy and tasteless. Worse yet, the service was completely lack luster. We waited for nearly 20 minutes to get our bill while the waitress flirted with the bartender. Needless to say, I'm never returning. I'd rather wait in line for better food and service than ever return here.
(1)G.L. T.
Took a group of 12 here for breakfast last Sunday May 12th (Mother's Day) at 10am. The decor was warm & inviting. Acoustics were good, as in you didn't have to yell to carry on a conversation. Service at our table was great. As was the food & drink. For many it was their first time at Irving St. Kitchen, everybody enjoyed themselves and their meal. We would all go back for breakfast or to try lunch or dinner.
(4)Sara O.
Going out on a limb here...this was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. We were visiting from Denver, CO and decided to yelp a restaurant for a fancy restaurant downtown Portland. The Yelp reviews on this place were wonderful making us want to check it out! We made our reservations and seriously LOVED everything...including the friends that we made at the table next to us. We wanted to try a bit of everything and Patrick, our server suggested offering the Foie Gras to start with the red wine we ordered, then the peanut butter biscuit/ham and I had the kale and radicchio salad and we shared the pork chop. It was ALL phenomenal! I usually have a hard time giving a 5 star review - but really, there was not one complaint. We would suggest this to locals, or visitors to town to experience a fantastic meal. The ambiance, the service, the wine list, and the food...OOOH the foooood! Thanks Irving St.! Can't wait to come back!
(5)Sarah C.
We went for late brunch today, about 45 minutes before close. It was excellent. We were seated away from the rest of the patrons, which was nice, because it was quiet and intimate. Our server was friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. The coffee was better than I was expecting. My husband ordered the fried chicken, and he loved it (I had a bite, and can confirm that it was delicious, but really it was the gravy that made the meal). I got the salmon eggs benedict, which was surprisingly even better than I had imagined from the description (buttermilk biscuit, shaved garlic, arugula, salmon, perfectly poached eggs, and a dill hollandaise). It was a little pricey and fancy for what we typically do, so we'll probably be back, but not too often.
(5)Jay K.
the menu here is always changing, non-mainstream and seasonal. I really like coming here on miserable pdx nights and getting the charcuterie plate and a nice red. the food here has a rustic slant to it, rabbit, marrow, octopus, all of the good stuff! I even pick a cocktail now and again. the waitstaff has a good grasp of the menus and wines
(4)T D.
Good food, interesting ambience and the staff is friendly and attentive. A friend I was dining with has dietary restrictions due to a health problem and the waitress was very accomodating and helpful. She even checked with the kitchen to see what they could come up with that wasn't on the menu.
(4)Don B.
Irving Street Kitchen, the brainchild of some successful SF restauranteurs, and heir to an otherwise cursed space, has finally opened it's doors, and after one visit, I have nothing but positivity and hope, for what they're doing now, and for things to come. ISK sits in the huge, open, cavernous former Bay-13 space on 13th and Irving in NW. The decór offers a rustic, bookish, style, with dark, weathered wood panels, intermittent steel and concrete interspersed with more wood, some earthen reds and browns, and lots of candlelight. They seem to take what was a cold, calculating space and warm it up... a bunch. Immediately upon entering you're faced with a bar with a small bar/bistro seating area to the left, and a big, open main dining room to the right. At the front of the bar are 10 curved steel "taps" that make up the delivery end of a cask-to-tap wine system offering cask wines from local producers (some of which are made specifically for ISK). Along one side of the well-appointed craft-cocktail bar is a long row of seating, and along the other side is a hot-seat style middle-of-the room charcuterie station. Yes, they make their own in house. The wine list is long and luxurious, the beers (6 on tap) are carefully selected (currently Upright #7, HUB Lager, Laurelwood Free Range Red, La Chouffe, Homo Erectus, and Deschutes' Miss Spelt), and the cocktail list, while short, boasts some interesting craft concoctions. The spirit selection behind the bar is beyond complete, and the bartender on duty when I was in was able to make me some interesting off-menu creations to pair with my meal. The menu sports a mix of New American cuisine with some Northwest flair and a nice padding of southern comfort food. I started off with a house charcuterie plate (my choice of 3 for $9) of a molé salami, foie mousse, and rabbit rillette. I was tempted instead to get the "angels on horseback," a dish of bacon-wrapped oysters, but house-made charcuterie almost always wins the day. Other intriguing starters included a Columbia River salmon gravlox (more than likely made in-house), a ham, biscuits and red pepper jelly sampler, and BBQ shrimp with worcestershire sauce and a chive drop biscuit. The 11 starters ranged in price from $7 to $13. For my main, I went with the bartender's recommendation of the duck sausage with duck confit over a basmati pilaf with rhubarb compote. The sausage had a tasty, herbed flavor, the confit was fried perfectly (fall off the bone, not too dry), and the basmati pilaf had a rich, deep meaty flavor from the pan drippings. The tangy/sweet rhubarb was a perfect complement to the savory duck. In fact, it's up there with some of the better duck dishes I've ever experienced, and for the low $20's, not a bad price either. My courses were paired with bartender's choice cocktails, each of which was made with a precise level of care. The first was a rye whiskey with aperol, amaro, carpano antica, and house-made bitters, and the second was a maraschino and bourbon drink with a pernod rinse. Both right in line with the flavor profile I provided the bartender, and paired well with the dishes. The dessert menu, while overly impressive in stature (house made spice donuts with stumptown semifreddo? Meyer lemon chess cake? Butterscotch pudding?!), were not an option for me tonight. Overly full from the generous portion of my main course, I waived the white flag of surrender and opted for the check, which was delivered in an oh-so-Portland style - stuffed inside a Moleskine notebook with a pen, and offered with a suggestion to "be creative." So I got to pay the bill and write a love note to the bartenders who provided me some impressive and friendly service. From the moment I entered the space, I was impressed with how they had made it comfortable, welcoming, and approachable. This feeling lasted well throughout dinner, as I and those around me were met with unpretentious service of food exhibiting a quality that would normally call for pretense, in a sector of town known for its snootery. Based on what I experienced tonight, I have high hopes, and as you just have read, nothing but positive things to say. If the other dishes are as good as my duck, Portland's in for a treat.
(5)Beau R.
Went with a party of 14 on a Sunday night to celebrate a birthday. Considering how quiet it was in there the service was pretty poor. Drink service alone was pretty poor. Once we were able to track down our server to order drinks, it would take 15 minutes or longer for them to arrive on the table... and we were mostly drinking wine. Appetizers were awesome, especially the ham plate. Dinner could have been great. Ordered the teres major with garlic grits and bone marrow reduction. So did the dude across from me. It would have been amazing if it wasn't cold. Both of ours were. Although I did eat some of the fried chicken which was not only hot but AWESOME. Been before, love the joint, just was a bit of a strike this time.
(2)Aaron H.
Probably my favorite dinner in Portland (Toro Bravo is giving it a run for its money). Easily my favorite wings anywhere (happy hour, woo!). Their desserts are great (the key lime pie will change your life if they're doing it). I still love their cornbread, and the ham and pepper jelly starter is phenomenal. The only thing I didn't fall in love with that I've had here is the house limoncellos (and that's probably because I had never tried limoncellos before and I guess I just don't like 'em). The fried chicken! THE FRIED CHICKEN!
(5)Jane W.
Best chinook salmon meal ever plus a delightful watermelon tomato salad special and great wine. Who could ask for more? I'd go back in a minute!
(5)Julie P.
Had a great experience here on a recent Friday night. Despite being totally packed, we had wonderful, quick service. And the food was delicious- get the fried chicken like everyone says you should because it is worth the hype! Also, the soft shell crab was to die for. The only disappointment was that they were out of the local vodka! Will have to go back (and we would, anyway).
(4)Linnea M.
I have been here twice for brunch, and it was top notch. Both times we started with the donuts...freshly fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they come to the table hot and doughy. Perfect way to start the day! First time I had the moroccan eggs. Perfectly poached eggs, in a spiced tomato sauce served with chunky toast for dipping. The eggs were perfectly poached, the sauce spicy but well balanced. Second time I had the salmon gravlax eggs benedict. I didn't love this as much as the moroccan eggs, but it was well done. Perhaps just a little rich for me that morning? It was served on a biscuit. I love the atmosphere...high ceilings, big windows, casual yet polished. The service is engaging and friendly. I want to go back with my husband for dinner sometime! side note: I was also excited to learn that they are owned by the same owners as Town Hall in SF, one of our favorite restaurants when we lived there.
(5)Sugardumplin Z.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place, the vibe is sooooooo cool, the people really make this place. This was the resto that made me fall in love with the Portland restaurant scene. They have kind of an odd menu though.... it's eclectic so be prepared to try something different. Definitely go for the experience or just to have a drink and people watch.
(4)Debbie B.
Well-crafted food with great flavor balance. The butterscotch pudding is heavenly.
(5)Rob W.
Good food, nice atmosphere, reasonable prices. Covers all the bases your trendy upscale restaurant without the pretention. We chose to get a variety of small plates, which was a great as they have so many different flavors to try. Cheese plate was exceptionally good, biscuits were almost as good as my moms (anyone who knows my mom's biscuits can vouch that is a serious compliment) and butterscotch pudding was a great finish. Like nearly every similar restaurant these days, they have a dish with pork belly and a desert with salted caramel, but Irving St. Kitchen follows the trends with integrity. All of our food was well prepared and delicious. As a side note, although the restaurant is clearly southern inspired, don't go expecting a chic version of down-home cooking. Although a one or two items on the menu look to be modern presentations of southern classics, the majority are in an entirely different direction.
(5)Elizabeth E.
Irving Street serves up a chic southern comfort-food meal with style. The dinner menu is both inventive and unusual while remaining delicious and not fussy. What I love most however, is the decor. It feels both rustic - with wooden beams and vintage decor - and modern - with concrete floors, and simple clean lines. Mostly, it feels open without being cavernous. This is a great place to go with a group of friends for a classy southern meal. Definitely try one of their southern inspired cocktails or a glass of wine in a jelly jar. Also on the pro list is the service. Servers are consistently top quality (often not needing anything but their memories to take orders), and pacing the meal so it luxiously drawn out. The cons: brunch, from 10 am to 2 pm on the weekends, is unimpressive. There is a reason there is never a wait: the food is average but pricey. I also found the brunch menu lacking healthy options.
(4)Jim K.
Love the decor of this place and the service is top notch. They know how to leave you alone when you are engrossed in conversation with your table mates. The food is good, but it feels to me like the chefs are really trying to be "different" and not just trying to make really tasty food. In many of the dishes I found that there was one ingredient listed that just kinda killed it for me. For example, I would have probably ordered the scallops, if it weren't for the addition of raisins to the dish (raisins! really!). The tombo that I had was quite good - cooked to medium, and a tender excellent cut of fish. Could probably have done without the "dusting" of spices though. Make it a glaze or something like that. The dust just doesn't immediately blend well with the food. Loved the biscuits and the lobster benedict first courses, but they were pretty darned spendy. Be prepared to drop some serious cash if you want a full meal here.
(3)Molly H.
4.5 stars for happy hour, 2.5 stars for dinner. Happy hour is great: - prices are good ($6-9 for snacks, $6-8 for wine and cocktails) - snacks are tasty and filling (get the meatballs!!) - the deck is wonderful on sunny days and you can watch people walking around the Pearl District Dinner is eh. The food is really expensive for what you actually get. It really didn't blow me away - everything was fine, but generally just underwhelming and safe. Also, the bill for two of us (with drinks and dessert) was around $120 once tip was added in.
(3)Gary H.
I came here with my girlfriend right around closing time on a Sunday. We were 3/4 of our way to being drunk by this point, needed some food and this place had some good reviews on Yelp. We sat at the bar and were assured by the bartender that he'll stick around to make sure we got some food. The bartender was very knowledgeable about their wine barrel selection (all locals). It seems the restaurant goes out of their way to ensure their employees are knowledgeable about the food/beverages they serve. We got the fried chicken as it was one of the recommended dishes. While waiting, the bartender was very nice and kept us pretty well entertained. The fried chicken itself was pretty damn good. Very crispy and had just the right amount of batter on it. My only negative critique about it was that there didn't seem to be enough seasoning to really make it "pop". The food (that we had) gives this place a 3 star review, but the service bumps them up to a solid 4 star in my opinion.
(4)Zuzana K.
PLUS: Came here for the New Year's Pajama Brunch. That was fun. Just for that idea, this restaurant deserves 5 stars. For being troopers and coming in with our pajamas on, we earned complimentary donuts and bloody mary. :) MINUS: The service was too slow and there was no acknowledgment about that...so they lose a star. NEUTRAL: Selection, taste and presentation of the food was great but that is expected in this type of establishment. Did not shock me in good or in bad way.
(4)Catherine H.
Interesting, almost rustic decor. We were seated by the open door to patio on a rare warm spring evening. We enjoyed the salami plate - the quail sausage was the best. Geoff had fried chicken, which looked very crunchy. I had a delicious halibut over a root purée, with pistou. The Mississippi mud pie for dessert was decadent, it was mostly espresso ice cream but I liked it! Someone ripped out the page for mississippi mud cake from emeril's cookbook!
(4)Cindy I.
We just went here for a special occasion. Really like the booths to have a romantic dinner where you can hear each other. It does seem to get noisy in the normal table area. Wonderful cocktail that was prosecco and peach puree - I'm sure seasonal. I thought the halibut dish was great. I think some said it was boring but if you like halibut which is not a strong fish you will really enjoy this dish. My husband had the fried chicken and I tasted it. We had a hard time deciding what we thought. It was crisp not greasy but it was lacking something. We think it was missing some spice like at least some pepper. It was strong buttermilk flavor but not really anything else. I will say we really like Pine State, Bernie's and Screen Door and how they spice their fried chicken. The butterscotch pudding was great like others have mentioned. It is enough to share too since it is a little rich. There are peanuts in the caramel corn but they are on the side. We would definitely go back again and really liked the server (made us feel special for our occasion) and the atmosphere - points for cool chandeliers too with interesting light bulbs.
(4)Sunshine M.
I am not quite a regular at Irving Street but really should be. If you go in you are usually greeted by the manager Ryan. Very charming gentleman and strives for amazing service. We had family in from England and they were overwhelmed with the quality of food and outstanding service. This is a great place to take clients or for special family events....or just a great happy hour at the bar.
(5)Lisa N.
Loved this place. Went with a group of 5 and for starters had the octopus, the meatballs were AMAZING, kale and gravlax. then the steak, salmon, duck cassoulet and everything was really delicious. The server was attentive and made great wine suggestions. I would love to go back next time I'm in Portland.
(5)Asher Y.
elegant food, great cocktails.
(5)Trista S.
Went to ISK for my Bday dinner with a party of 10. We had a reservation and were promptly seated! Yay! Service was great, although a little slow. Food was amazing, had the beet salad, truffle stuffed hen and chocolate cake with pistachio. All delicious. We also had a bottle of the Gramercy Tempranillo. Pricey but oh so worth it. The dessert and starters were the stars of the show, next time I would likely skip the entree.
(4)Byron S.
Great food and impeccable service. I was very impressed. Me and my wife started with Angels on Horseback. (Bacon wrapped Oysters w/ remoulade sauce). F_ckin' Delicious! We also got the Salumi plate. Yum! Also, the Bibb Lettuce salad. MMMM! Main course, we shared the Aged hanger steak. Ono. Broke da mouth good! The portions were good enough to share. As far as wine goes, not a big fan, but I hear it's a great place for it. If you ever go here, you will not be disappointed.
(4)Robert H.
Really friendly reception. Bartender, Peter , was helpful and a pleasure to talk to. Happy hour outstanding. Recommend the smoked Tasso jambalaya and also the meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon mashed potatoes. House wine excellent and prices reasonable. Definitely a go to place.
(5)Kevin S.
Great food and top-notch service. Charcuterie plate was a standout for me. Also had Porchetta and side order of black eyed peas. High marks for both. Appreciated a Luxardo cherry in my Manhattan as well. Server tolerated a lot of questions about the dishes and had a strong opinion on favorites, which I always appreciate. Nothing worse than "everything here is great!" when you ask for a recommendation. Slight marks off for our entrees being done a very short while after the charcuterie arrived but in the house's defense the server did offer to push them back if we wanted. We had taken a long time deciding on what entrees we wanted, which may have had an effect.
(4)HOWIE B.
Delicious, nicely prepared food. Great happy hour. Pleasant, mildly quirky NW decor. Service was spotty, at best. Waited for bread, waited for dessert menus, waited for our bill. Lots of waiting and it was half full. Still, my fried chicken was tip top and the staff was pleasant. Dinner for 2 with drinks and desserts runs around $100.
(4)Andrew S.
This place is pretty nice. Has an old school cabin feel to it. Lots of wines to chose from. And drink specials. Happy Hour menu is decent. Price is very good for the quality of food you get. Everyone at our table was pleased. I would say very good classic American menu. Service was fairly sharp for how crowded it was. I don't recall what I had. It was either a rib dish or a fried chicken. But we all shared at the table. And I enjoyed it all.
(4)Kristen M.
I don't know where to start about how I feel, but I'm just going to brain-dump my feelings that I've been holding back inside: I love your wine (especially on tap). I love your relaxed-rustic modern atmosphere. I love the way you spoil me rotten with great service! I love your mini-happy hour menu - my tummy thanks you shamelessly! I love that I can hang out with you for hours and hours with my friends. I don't know what it is about you, but I love everything about you. I have been to Irving St. Kitchen (ISK) several times for happy hour and have never been disappointed. They deliver on service, food and drink. What's not to love about this place? For they've got me mesmerized. I highly recommend this place if you want to just hang out with a bunch of friends or just for a date. It's where swanky meets rustic. Alas, I should come back to you for brunch and/or dinner.
(5)Tet W.
Yesterday I came here for dinner and we came around 8:30pm. The bar was completely packed with very little room for new people to sit. The restaurant was fairly noisy with many youngster hanging out with friends over drinks. The restaurant has a warm rustic feel with dim lights and personal booths which gives diners a feel of privacy in this very busy and crowded space. We started the night with the artisan cheeses which came with three assorted cheeses. I couldn't identify two of the cheeses but one of them was blue cheese. It comes with Ken's Bread, fruit compote, and house made rye crackers. The fruit compote was excellent with the cheeses and the bread was very good. For a hefty $15 price tag, I'm not sure if this appetizer justifies the price we paid. We also shared a fruit salad with mandarin and cherries with a mandarin vinaigrette. The salad was very small for an $8 price tag, but nonetheless was light and refreshing. For the entrees I ordered the grilled hanger steak with sautéed kale, fried cheddar grits with Mama's sauce. The steak with Mama's sauce was very good and steak was cooked to a perfect medium. The sautéed kale was slightly on the raw side for me but the fried cheddar grits was good and interesting. My friend ordered the shrimp and dirty rice stuffed Dungeness crab, green garlic bearnaise, and horseradish. This dish was very good with great chunks of shrimp and crab. The rice could have been more moist as if felt a bit dry for my taste. Anyway, the dish had a nice presentation and the good overall was good. For the price tag of $97 with tip, the price was steep. I would come here to try other dishes but I am likely to just stick with the entrees and forgo the appetizers and sides as they are overpriced for the quality and quantity. Service was excellent although it was a bit on the slower side. I have to say, it was extremely busy last night so I think this is a big reason for the slower service. He was very nice and gave us some wonderful suggestions. We had a positive dining experience here and I recommend giving this place a try but I wouldn't make this place a regular due to the lack of quantity and high price tag.
(4)Patrick G.
One of my favorite restaurants I've been to. Creative menu. The homemade biscuits were a 10. The chicken dish was crazy good. Excellent service.
(5)Steve L.
Remarkable! Visited with a good friend last week; booked in advance. Delightful highpoints: "Angels", "Signature Chicken" entree. Superb waiter - Patrick. Great wines-by-the-glass and "barrel to bar" wine offerings. Truly unique! Parking on the street, as available, or public lots for a fee. Outdoor seating, as well. Bravo.
(5)Pascal B.
Very good food, nice atmosphere, good location. The kitchen is southern, including Cajun. You can order the jambalaya as a side dish, bit heavy for a side dish.. They have put their own twist on it, which will most likely not be appreciated by Louisiana people, but it is not bad at all.
(4)Kevin W.
My wife and I have eaten at Irving Street twice now and both times our food and overall experience has been exceptional. I have had a hard time explaining the culinary point of view at Irving Street but have settled on "Southern Rustic Upscale"...which means nothing until you go here and experience the atmosphere and food. You must be willing to shell out a bit of cash for a full meal and drinks but in our experience it has been worth it. I've had their porchetta both times I have eaten here, though each was a different version. Both were beyond great and I highly recommend any fan of pork fat to indulge! I would like to try the brunch as I've heard it is really good. We'll venture down some weekend I'm sure.
(5)Jean P.
The ambiance, deck, and service are great! Now, the food... My halibut was good but not memorable. The shrimp and dirty rice stuffed crab was the better entree. Sides were great - beet salad and watermelon/heirloom tomato salad. Cocktails were so-so. Quickly consumed their made-to-order beignets for dessert. Looks like happy hour or sides and cocktails might be the way to go. Overall, not bad but also nothing to write home about. Perhaps Portland has made me too picky.
(3)Craig R.
I went to ISK last weekend for breakfast. The food was pretty good. I had an asparagus frittata. The look and feel of the space is very cool. My main complaint is how long it took for our food to come out. People who were seated after us were already done eating before my table had our food. And the waitress never said a thing. In fact I don't think she even came over to us in the 50 minutes between when we ordered and when we received our food. What's your deal brah? Not sure the wait was worth it.
(2)Kayla C.
Good food, atmosphere, and Sunday Bloody Mary! Definite must stop for Portland.
(5)Jim S.
I have sampled the HH offerings here, and on a follow-up visit for Brunch, their Breakfast menu. HH is a All Systems Go! Great selections, portions, taste and price. The place wasn't crowded at all like so many downtown venues are, and service was stellar. The decor and layout of the restaurant is really something special. Big props to the decorator, it's a lovely environ. The breakfast menu is truly unique. There are items on it that you won't find elsewhere and will challenge your definition of what "Breakfast" should taste like. We sampled 3 of their offerings and the winner was...the BACON. Wow, like amazing bacon. Loved it. ISK is pricey. Party of 3 for breakfast with no alcohol..74.00. But it ain't Denny's. It's elegant, crafty and it's worth the tab at least once!
(3)Richard P.
Visited Portland for a week and ate here twice. Fabulous each time. First time bar food/tapas and drinks. Second time brunch (in our PJs). Service was exceptional. Friendly, fast, funny, real. Drinks were splendid. Every dish was a treat and I loved loved loved the atmosphere grounded by a cute little fire place. I'll be back next time I'm in town. Great vibe.
(5)Jeff M.
Irving Street Kitchen (ISK) is the Portland outpost for three men who operate three restaurants in San Francisco. ISK fits the San Francisco and Pearl District mold of urbane and urban, with eye-catching, interior decorator touches that make the cavernous, brick-exposed old loading dock interesting. How about milk bottle chandeliers? Or a few booths with privacy curtains? We had a table for nine sectioned off by low bookcases, giving us a sense of coziness, yet allowing us to see if any fashionable people walk in. Fried chicken and mashed potatoes highlights the down-to-earth menu options. The charcuterie, which included duck prosciutto and rabbit pâté sits on the other end of the continuum. And that about summarizes it: Southern food, such as ham, collard greens, and jambalaya is the counterpoint to something like butternut squash risotto or salmon. I found the happy middle with a whole trout, cooked just right, wrapped in pancetta (which stuck, inextricably, onto the skin). It was very good, but, perhaps, the chef might have put more seasoning inside of the fish. Don't forget to ask for ISK's terrific bread. My brother asked for an alteration to a dish or something off-menu. A gentle, "no" was the answer, which made me believe that there were no chefs on duty, only cooks. Contrast that with the Stephanie Inn, which asks in advance if anyone has food restrictions and then is willing to do cartwheels to make sure you are happy. ISK has an interesting wine gimmick, which, no doubt, also increases profit margins: wine right out of the barrel and into a big jar, to be poured into your glass. ISK is a good restaurant, not a brilliant restaurant. The lowbrow food on the menu is overpriced. ISK can be quite a scene, especially on First Thursday. Now, after my second visit, I'd say that perhaps your best option is to hang out at the bar for the atmosphere, drink a glass of barrel wine, and order a side of cornbread and butter if you're in bubba-mode or sautéed kale with garlic if your feeling Pearl. November, 2011
(3)Tiffany B.
I can't believe my return has gone from a 5 star to 2.... it was only 7months ago we were here for HH.... We came in for dinner this time, and sad to say this would be our last :-( We were seated right away, but then waited at least 10mins before our server came over to us? What was going on...it was after 11pm, they were not super busy, empty tables and spots at the bar, so not sure why the service was not on top of their game... We ordered our drinks, and studied the menu....hmm, we both had a hard time deciphering what the food is?! We remembered how awesome the HH was, and expected the same for dinner. I asked if they offered a burger for the dinner menu like the HH menu, she said no but said we should try the meatballs....meatballs? where was that?... we choose a charcuterie board to start and trout for later. The charcuterie was a big let down, a few shavings of meat was it? Where the hell did the meat go? Our fish was OK, service was a let down as was the menu.... IST, what happened? From my 5 star HH experience to a 2 start dinner let down...our hearts are saddened as we won't be back... at all!
(2)Alefia M.
Would have liked to give it more stars because the food and atmosphere were great. I had the bibb salad and hubby had the sweet potato burger. However, the service was poor, and when I asked for a side of apple slices because my kids liked the ones on my salad, i was disappointed to find a charge for $5 on my bill. Really?! $5 for a side of apple slices? Unbelievable.
(3)Ryan H.
Went with a group of 4. Had reservations but got there a little early. We were seated right away. Great wine selection, ended up getting a bottle then a few glasses on top! Had the steak and it was amazing, would definitely reccomend.
(5)Jeff D.
Never got the chance to eat or even drink water. Waiter walked past 3 times without even acknowledging us. 4th time was the charm. I am afraid we will never know if the food is good. Too many restaurants in PDX to put up with bad service.
(1)Sarah M.
I liked Irving Street Kitchen, but it was not even close to the best fried chicken I've ever had and it was REALLY over-priced. There just wasn't anything special about it. The taste of the dishes I tried was more suited to a $12-$16 entrée rather than the $21-$25 I saw on the menu. The drinks are good, but, again, really over-priced. My dinner companion also ordered the fried chicken, but it came out undercooked so they graciously comped him so that was nice. Overall, if you want a safe and satisfactory meal, this is it.
(3)Alyx W.
Went to happy hour with a friend of mine, and I must say, the meatballs are HEAVENLY. I'm taking away one star just for the fact that there was only three and there was some fighting going on between the two of us for that last one. The poutine, as suggested by our waiter was incredible as well. The drinks however, were super limited during happy hour and whatever I have, it was just way tooooo strong I don't even remember the name of it. But I'll be back for the meatballs, that's for sure.
(4)Constance P.
Irving Street was spectacular from start to finish. Why not start with an assortment of olives and cheese? I should do that at home. The meal was delicious. I had the salmon and my husband had cod. Apparently the premier dish is the Southern fried chicken. I didn't feel like eating something that heavy. I know we'll return, so I felt comfortable with my choice. The salmon was served on a bed of rice and cauliflower florets. The meal went from "real good" to "unbelievable" with dessert. I asked for the signature dessert and out came butterscotch pudding served with s side of carmel popcorn. Who does that? In one spoonful my childhood flashed before my eyes and I tasted every birthday cake, every cupcake, every Brach's Butterscotch candy, everything that was delicious about childhood. Amazing combination of flavors; salty and sweet and something else, something that you bring to the dessert. Honest to Julia Child, it was phenomenal. I want to try the brunch next time and then I'll have to try the chicken. I don't eat too much in the way of fried food so I might need to go into training, but I love this restaurant and plan to go again and again. Service was exceptional. We had the best time.
(5)Carla L.
One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Portland. Everything in this restaurant is of the best quality, and it's obvious to the customers. The cheese plate is one of my favorite small plates to order. The staff is always extremely knowledgable about where all of the food comes from, how the food is prepared, what pairs well with the food, etc. The ham and biscuits small plate is one of my other favorites. The biscuits are fluffy and warm, the ham is of the very best quality, (the servers will tell you exactly where the ham came from and the pains the restaurant has gone through to bring such good quality ingredients to your table). This, to me is very impressive because it shows how involved the staff is. I have only had a couple things from the menu which I did not thoroughly enoy. And once my server learned that I did not absolutely enjoy my meal, he was quick to offer me something else and apologized profusely. This just reinforced the excellent service that this restaurant offers. The desserts....omg the desserts...ANYONE who has tried the butterscotch pudding will tell you how good it is, but you must experience this for yourself. It's got this strong, sweet, buttery taste and this home-cooked texture. It stays on your mind for long after you've left the restaurant. Every time I have been in ISK, management always stops by my table to make sure my dining experience is pleasant. I don't need to tell anyone that this is not common. This restaurant offers the best food, the best service, an immaculate presentation, and the best dining experience in Portland. Period.
(5)Steve R.
A late night dinner and drink session turned out to be very satisfying. The service was excellent. The booth was private, quiet. I like the lighting, the artwork and the abundance of rough wood. There is a good wine selection. Try the Trifecta Cabernet. The Salmon Gravlax with tartar and rye crackers appetizer was very tasty. The Charred Sturgeon dinner was perfectly prepared. I especially liked what seemed like a bottomless plate of Ken's Artisan bread. There was also a dish with squash prepared in a delicious sauce. (Sorry for the lack of details) Two desserts were devoured - the lemon chess pie and an ice cream over Bananas upside down cake smothered with carmel sauce, Excellent! If my experience turns out to be equally good the second time around I'd consider bumping this kitchen up to a 5.
(4)Mandy M.
Everything was just okay. The water was great and plentiful. Coffee hot and refilled. The brisket fried egg sandwich was good, but the fries came with this truly unappetizing grainy cheese sauce. And even though cheese is my favorite food, I couldn't enjoy that sauce at all. We also ordered the salmon Benedict, which was oddly cold. Literally the worst Bloody Mary I ever had, I felt bad for the waitress because she clearly didn't make it. It tasted like cocktail sauce jacked on horseradish. I didn't finish it. Which I've never done in my life. Overall service good, nice waitress and attentive staff. Just not worth it.
(3)Laurie G.
My partner and I had our wedding reception dinner for 40 people in the private dining room. I cannot say enough how fantastic the ISK team was. Jessie, the private dining coordinator, was always prompt with communication and answering questions. The whole service team was excellent with prompt service, friendly, and the plated food for 40 came out hot and delicious. The room looked spectacular. I would not hesitate to recommend ISK for a meal or for a special event. 5 stars across the board.
(5)Renee T.
Being foodies from California we were so excited when our local friends invited us here!! Food was perfect! Amazing cocktails and you must try the rootbeer float desert with a shit if bourbon!!! Awesome way to close out a reunion dinner!
(5)Ken A.
Our first time and we look forward to trying everything on the menu after this fantastic dining experience. Service from all the staff was good and our server was exceptional. Signature dish - fried chicken over mash and collared greeens (not something I would ever normally order) is now on our list of must have again dishes. Go here and enjoy the experience provided by the exceptional service, ambiance, and fantastic food.
(5)Justin K.
#fail Avoid this place. It may fly for some folks here, but it's very poorly managed and and the food is just a notch over mediocre bar fare.
(2)Ophelia Y.
We went to Irving St. Kitchen with a big group, anticipating a great dining experience. We had a reservation schedule for 2 weeks, and didn't get seated until an hour after our scheduled reservation time. 1 star dinged for that. The environment is nice, calming, and classy. The decor is spectacular. The food was good--the fried chicken made to perfection. The ham and biscuits were good--the red pepper jelly was a bit odd for my taste. The cornbread was recommended to us, and was red peppery as well. Tasted like red pepper cornbread with maple syrup on it. I was most impressed with the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The collared greens were okay. The dishes are a bit overpriced for what they are. You can find similar tasting biscuits at Popeye's. Also, when they wrapped up my leftovers for me, the guy threw out my half-eaten piece of chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes, and he left me with one drumstick! Come on, if you're going to wrap up my food, give me EVERYTHING left on my plate. 1 more star dinged for that. I'd be willing to give this place another chance to impress me, but I feel like you can do better.
(3)Mark C.
Had an excellent dinner here. The food was fresh and well presented, would have given them 5 Stars but the service could have been better.
(4)Allie R.
Irving Street Kitchen has enchanted me in every way. I've been here for both breakfast and dinner, and while dinner (and dessert!) is the meal that truly romanced me, the ambiance can be appreciated at any time of day or night. A little bit rustic, a little bit modern, a lot bit well-executed. East-siders will feel right at home, but suburbanites won't feel out of place. The guinea hen was a particular favorite among the diners at my table, but we tried four entrees and I would order any of them again. Be sure to save room for dessert. The butterscotch pudding is arguably my favorite restaurant dessert anywhere in Portland, and the presentation will delight.
(5)Kevin S.
I have been to this restaurant twice now. The first time, the service was so-so. Last night, however, I received the epitome of what I like to call "Portland-Waiter-Syndrome." You know.. when your waiter makes you feel like you are a nuisance for even being in the restaurant. God forbid that they actually have to serve you... and do their job! Only in Portland have I experienced waiters that are too good to do the job that they were hired for... but are ever so quick to complain about an 18% tip. "What?! They didn't leave 20%??" It took us an hour to get a table, which was understandable, because the place was pretty lively. After getting our table, however, it took another 15 minutes just for our waiter to approach the table. He mumbled a few words while staring down at the floor, and then took our order. Another 15 minutes went by and we received our appetizers prior to our cocktails. When the cocktails finally arrived, one of the martinis was made with olive instead of a twist. No big deal. Without any type of apology, the waiter took the drink back, and returned very shortly with what was supposed to be a brand new drink. After taking a few sips, however, the one drinking it noticed that the drink had a funny taste to it, and then upon looking more closely, noticed remnants of olives floating at the bottom of the drink. It was the same drink! All they had done was remove the olive and put a twist in its place. To me, this is unacceptable, and completely classless. After finally receiving all of the correct drinks, along with a grumpy "too good to serve you" attitude from the waiter, we enjoyed our drinks and conversation while waiting for our meal. We kept waiting. After an hour went by without our waiter even returning to the table, we finally asked someone to run him down for us. When he approached the table, we asked him if our dinner had been ordered. He mumbled a few indecipherable words, and walked to the kitchen window where our food was waiting. (Who knows for how long?) The food was ok. I ordered steak frites, prepared medium. It came out medium rare. The frites were cold. The service was terrible. One of the worst experiences I have had with a waiter. When a group of 4 goes out to eat, and spends over $300, they should be able to expect to be taken care of properly. I came in the restaurant happy and enjoying great company. We all left feeling off-put by our waiter's attitude and carelessness. I liked this place enough the first time to come back and bring friends, but doubt I will return.
(2)T K.
This is a great place to treat yourself or an out of town guest. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is fashionable yet cozy. I love the lighting fixtures. Staff/service has always been exceptional. Tip: do the wedge salad instead of the green goddess, unless you want your mouth covered in garlic.
(5)Bob U.
Every time we have been here, the consistency of the food and service is quality.
(4)David L.
Based on the nice sensual ambiance and it being crowded on a Monday night, we were looking forward to a sublime dining experience. The restaurant sits above street level somewhat like a long open loading dock, reminiscent of establishments in New York's Meatpacking district. Our waiter was great -- attentive and knowledgeable, as well as having strong opinions about recommendations for drinks and food. I always like wait staff that is invested in their menu and has strong recommendations. The guy was experienced enough to read what level of help we were looking for and comply. Whereas the atmosphere and staff deserve a higher rating, I'm sorry to report that the food was just hit and miss. The artisan cheeses and bread were very good, and the Halibut with Smoked Brandade my brother-in-law ordered was also quite nice. My wife's Squid Ink Risotto was just okay, while the signature Mary's Organic Fried Chicken that I ordered was just not good at all. The chicken had a lot of different flavors but somehow the combination sort of cancelled everything out and I can't really even remember what it tasted like. On top of that the thigh piece had a gummy consistency that did not feel good in the mouth. I will agree with other reviewers that the desserts were very good, and the Butterscotch Pudding is a must have.
(2)William L.
I had dinner here last night. When ordering the cheese plate, I wanted to confirm it did not include any meats. The waitress confirmed. She overheard me talking about not being able to eat pork. Later the waitress took our order. 10 minutes after placing the order, she returned and made me aware she overheard me mention that I am not able to eat pork. She made me aware there was pork in the entree I selected (even though pork was not a listed ingredient). I then selected another option. She then informed me that entree also had pork. REALLY? Two entrees on the menu that have pork and it's not listed in the description/ingredients included? I asked the waitress about this very concerning flaw. She agreed- however said there is not room to list all ingredients on the menu... ALERT... Pork is not an ingredient you leave out of your description. There are many VERY IMPORTANT reasons people don't eat pork. In addition to this huge flaw, the rest of the food was not good.
(1)Diane W.
Our foodie daughter highly recommended we dine at Irving Street Kitchen in the Pearl District, and we were glad we did. We didn't have reservations and lucked out on a table shortly after arriving. Wonderful cocktails and small plates to share. (Reminded me a bit of MB Post, which is my daughters favorite restaurant, so no wonder she recommeded ISK). This place is a must if you enjoy great food! Next time, we will made a reservation for one of their private booths.
(5)Leo G.
Vegitarians should stay away from this place. Very few vegitarian items and none that taste good. In addition the place is complete rip off for what you get.
(1)Steve A.
Very cool menu, being from the south a definite southern vibe. Service was great as well, albeit a Tuesday night so not that busy. Worth the $$
(5)Gorman E.
Irving St. Kitchen is ready for PDX Prime Time! Our beautiful hostress greeted us and told us of the wait since it was busy. No matter, we just ordered some drinks and chit chat with a few ladies by the comfy couches by the bar and entrance area until a booth was open for us. We felt an instant warm ambiance and the decor was a rustic cabin feel but with Hollywood cabana booths. Each booth had a name of a celebrity. I notice great looking chandeliers and fantastic wooden bar with mason jars full of candles. The flags above combine with the lighting to give the effect of live animals. Large gorgeous wooden columns. Our waitress, Nateya was awesome. She was not only super eye candy but wish she was Nat - E - Ya on us. Both our beautiful hostess who is going pre-med and waitress had the most helpful recommendation for drinks and food. They ordered me this fantastic delicious cocktail drink but I forgot what it is called since it was not on the cocktail menu anymore but it was our hostress favorite drink. I got two...that is how good it was! I was still full from a big lunch but I remember my Elite Yelper friend, Valerie W told me about this place and that I must get the Side of Smoked Tasso Jambalaya and glazed corn bread....I would be blown away. She was absolutely right, I was blown away how good the Jambalaya was...the smoked tasso was like butter with well seasoned and smokeyness rice....just heavenly. The Glazed Corn Bread was SO DELICIOUS! It had a kick and the drizzle honey syrup taste like candy...huge portions...I could stick candles in it for my birthday cake. I almost jizz how good the food is here....foodgasm...glazed corn bread pair well with the Smoke Tasso Jambalaya. Nateya wanted to get me a free dessert for my birthday but I declined since we had an agenda and full night of drunken debauchery. Just a perfect birthday dinner with fantastic friends who join me from Seattle. The atmosphere, the staff, and food rock my socks! Thanks again, Valerie for recommending this spot to me. I can't wait to try their brunch on a Sunday when I am in town again! Highly Recommended.
(5)David W.
My family took advantage of the restaurants offer for take out Thanksgiving dinner which we had yesterday. I have to say the food was absolutely wonderful, Very flavorful. Even though some of the family was a little skeptical about the collard greens it turned out everybody really enjoyed the flavors. There was enough food to feed easily 3 to 4 people. The turkey was cooked to perfection. I would highly recommend this dinner offer at next year's Thanksgiving if you're somebody who does not feel up to preparing a full Thanksgiving meal. Again great job Irving St. kitchen.
(5)Valerie W.
Came back to Irving St. for my Birthday and was again blown away by both the service and food here. LOVE their Smoked Tasso Jambalaya, and Glazed Cornbread!!!!! I also was starving so I opted for their Butter Leaf Salad and again it was tasty. For my Birthday the server surprised me with complementary sparkling wine which was fantastic. Seated in one of their 'private booths' I must say I felt quite cozy. Our server was excellent and friendly. The Marinated Olives and Spiced Nuts were a great starter to the meal. All in all I can't say enough great things about this place. I really enjoyed myself and highly recommend to anyone!
(5)K B.
Not worth the money. Overpriced food with mediocre service at best. Didn't care much for the hostess' attitude. Saw other reviews mentioning her arrogance coz i almost thought she was racist. Don't know what her issue in life is. Maybe she is too pretty but now old so gotta earn a living; btw more than half the seating area was available so it wasn't like the place was busy, she still sat us by the bar. Ambience: great, hip and fun ambience till you notice whatever they have hung around the bar. It's just plain ugly and disgusting, not something I want to look at while eating. Outside seating is pretty romantic though, I think the booths are cute too. Food: We tried to order porchetta but they were out of it. Tried to order some bread, which btw is on request only. After waiting for about 10 minutes and not receiving anything, tried to locate the server who just kept disappearing on us to find out they were out of bread too. First time heard of a restaurant running of of bread !!! And it would have been great if he had bothered to inform us in a timely manner. We could have saved ourselves an order of olives which cost $6 for a bunch of JUST olives. I ordered the asparagus cous cous and my partner got the salmon. The cous cous was outright a mess of bunch of different textures and completely bland. Whoever came up with the dish must have had good intentions but probably forgot to taste the dish. The soft egg with thick pieces of mushrooms, lemony shavings left a bad feeling in the mouth making me feel nauseated. The salmon came with a creamy pea sauce. While either of them tasted great on their own, we felt like they didn't pair well together. Best part was definitely the butterscotch pudding that comes in a mason jar but it is a bit too sweet. And the caramel is overwhelming but I don't have a sweet tooth, the dessert lovers should definitely give it a try. Overall a blah experience with food and service. I have had so much better in this price range. This place leaves you wanting so much more for what you would shell out. Lot of other great options around the neighborhood, won't recommend this one.
(2)Matt V.
I am in love with this place. Between the atmosphere, location and food...I couldn't ask for anything more. I ordered the breakfast nachos and the smoked salmon benedict (yeah, I split it...so quit judging). Both were delectable!
(5)Holy-foo' X.
I've been going to the gym across the street from ISK since Gold's moved into that old warehouse in the very early 90s and the "Pearl" was still an old, ugly, dilapidated burnt out section of town. The name and ownership of the gym has changed several times since then but continues to chug on, as the neighborhood around it has so radically blossomed and transformed. Even so, I was surprised to learn that ISK has been there in its current incarnation for only 3 years. It seems like so much longer than that, in a good way...For all that, I never managed to be there doing "normal business hours" until late last year and was delighted to find that it was worth the wait to finally get to come and check it out. The menu is so big and ever-changing and so completely alien to my simple mind (chicory greens? Shaved grana? Grase? Sunchoked Puree? No idea what any of it was), so cutting a wide swath through the selections, making judicious use of the sampler platters where they appear, expanded my culinary sensibilities a little as well as my lexicon. The terminology is a little silly and pretentious IMHO, but I do realize that for a good many folks, dressing up nice and even knowing about these dishes and words, as well as how to order them and eat them correctly, is half the fun. The food was very good and the price tag offered at the end was steep but not surprising and our server was gracious, well-informed and just a real peach. I'd love to check out ISK's brunch, but maybe not until the brunch fad has died down a bit, and the folks who love to play dress-up-like-the-grown-ups and order fancy food will have moved on to the next Big Thing....
(4)Leslie W.
I lived in New Orleans for a couple of years and I hesitate to eat anything that claims affinity with the cooking of NOLA, but I have to say that the Dungeness Crab stuffed with dirty rice was one of the tastiest dishes I've eaten--here, or there. I am a super fan of Irving St. Kitchen. It is one of my top places to eat on the Westside. We've been several times and each time has been awesome. Our waiter, Don, was a wonderful server who knew about food and wine and more important, the food and wine at Irving St. He was great and helped make the evening very special. The gravlax was amazing. I have never understood gravlax, until tonight. Now, I'm totally there, one with the gravlax. I frequently complain about Sunday meals: how you're likely to get wilted lettuce and old fish, but every item was as fresh as could be, perfectly prepared, beautifully plated, and exquisite. The portions seemed very adequate to me. So much so, that I could not, unfortunately, try the butterscotch pudding. Sounded delicious but there's a limit and my limit was stuffed with dungeness crab and rice. This was a fantastic meal. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Shannon H.
I was absolutely impressed with this spot! I was lucky enough to attend their Fat Tuesday event, and I could not be more pleased with the experience! First, the space is incredibly well presented. Open and spacious, without feeling empty or lacking. Tastefully decorated, interesting decor without being too trendy or "Pearl District," which is a huge turn-off for me. I felt comfortable in there, it was very warm and inviting, and I loved the curtained tables. Now onto the best part, the food! Oh the glorious, delicious food. Because it was a special event we didn't have a menu to order from, but got to try many more items than we normally would have. Have to admit, my favorite was the oyster bar, with beautiful freshly shucked oysters as far as the eye could see. The oysters were so fresh and delicious I could have happily stuck to eating them all night long. But I managed to tear myself away (after another quick plateful) long enough to sample an open face pulled pork something-or-other on a light biscuit of sorts (yummy!), mac & cheese (very well seasoned and quite delicious, even to this non-mac&cheese person), jumbalaya (good, but not my favorite dish offered), some kind of peppers (a little too bitter and "earthy" for my liking), chicken wings (oh yeah! bring me more!), and the focal point of the meal...the roast pig. They had been roasting it all day and were serving up slices of tender, juicy pork. So juicy and delicious, in fact, that I wondered how I was going to convince them to give me a doggie bag to take home. Overall, excellent restaurant. So glad I had the chance to try it out on such a special night! The entertainment was great, the event's emcee, Don, did a fabulous job, and the staff were incredibly wonderful and engaging. I can't wait to come back and try their normal menu!
(5)Uikwon L.
Trendy interior, pleasant server. Their tap wine system was very impressive! Definitely going back again.
(5)Tom H.
Had an unbelievable dinner there on Monday night during a business trip. We tried the Fried Chicken as a shared appetizer which was phenomenal as was the salmon main course. The desserts and cocktails were also great.
(5)Mike H.
I went there several months ago , had the fried chicken ... Not good ... Went again last night with a friend , against all instinct I not only ordered the chicken again but also recommended the same to my friend ... Again I was pretty bad , all done never again .... Wine is also very overpriced
(1)In B.
We went here with a large group and pretty much ordered everything from their happy hour menu. Everything was very good. The atmosphere is very classy yet cozy. I also tried their Draper Valley fried chicken with smashed potatoes. The chicken was very juicy and tender and their smashed potatoes were full of flavor.
(4)Rachel J.
I like this place a lot, but as a picky vegetarian, it's not great for me. Their non-meat options seem pretty token. I know that I'm not their target customer, and that they're really gunning for the foodie, flesh-loving crowd, but putting pig parts all over everything (even pancakes!) just seems like a shortcut. I went here for brunch for the first time today, and I was disappointed that they don't have any egg substitutes. Most other places in town will happily sub in tofu for eggs, and as someone who dislikes eggs, I've gotten used to having this option at brunch. I asked, and they don't have any tofu. It may compromise your chef's artistic vision or whatever, but just keep a big tub of tofu in the fridge for people like me, and I'll love you forever. You can even charge an extra $1 for it, if you must.
(3)Harlan E.
The vibe and the service account for a lot in the experience at ISK. That said the food is consitantly great. I'd reccomend to a friend any day.
(4)Asher J.
Wonderful ambience, incredible service and one of the most incredible deserts ever. That's why I give this place 4 stars instead of 3. Eaten here 4-5 times now and, unfortunately, I've never been blown away by the meals. (The butterscotch pudding deserves 5 stars on its own though.) Had the halibut last night and I wasn't impressed. It wasn't bad - just didn't wow me.
(4)Linda T.
nice bar area for happy hour! staff members are trendy and nice. take a seat at the cool looking bar or on the couches. order some beer and apps to sit back and relax. happy hour drinks limits to 2 different wines, one beer, and one cocktail. truffle fries on the happy hour menu was crispy and delicious! definitely a get! salted caramel pudding with peanut brittle was amazing ($8.50). caramel was dark and rich, peanut brittle had the perfect crunch...wish there was a little cookie layer at the bottom for added texture and contrast to the smooth pudding. comes in a cool jar, which i love!!!
(4)H O.
+: Food is good but not great. -: Looks like any other Portland spot, nothing unique. !: The cornbread was presented to look like a cake and it sort of tasted like one too! ?: Maybe the food is better if you order a whole entree versus three side dishes w
(3)Jason G.
The venue is nice, the location is great, but Irving St. Kitchen just doesn't deliver in my opinion. I ordered Mary's Organic Fried Chicken and Waffles, and I assumed, as fried chicken and waffles is comfort food, that it would be a suitable serving - that and the waiter told me it was a "good amount" of food. Well it wasn't, unfortunately. The dish was very small, overpriced, taste good, but clearly fell short of what an entree should be. I wouldn't recommend it. Again, Irving St. Kitchen is a nice venue, just not my cup of tea. If you're looking for value and a good amount of food, this place might not be for you.
(2)John L.
I love the ambiance and the atmosphere. It's quite the contrast from most Portland area restaurants that are very cozy but somewhat cramped. This place feels very roomy and wide open. It can also accommodate larger groups and takes reservations which is a big bonus when you tend to travel in big packs of several families. The food was overall pretty good. They made a mac 'n cheese for my kids that was not on the menu. It was really good 4 stars. A few in our group thought the food was a bit on the salty side but I like my food that way. I haven't had any good cooked salmon in the past several years. I just seem to like it better raw, but the salmon here was actually really good. 4.5 stars. It is a bit overpriced.... but might be back if in the area.
(4)Derek J.
I love their chicken and waffles. I have been a lot and have ordered 3 meals on then brunch menu. I have to say, they know chicken and waffles. cocktails are always spot on and have great customer service! Always feel welcomed and have a great experience every time im there.
(4)Heather H.
We had date night here last night and really enjoyed ourselves! The service, ambiance, cocktails, food and crowd this place draws is top notch! We have three children all under the age of 9 and needed a fun evening out without the kiddos and Irving Street Kitchen definitely delivered. We would recommend this place and will be back for sure!
(5)Shayla S.
I love this place and I will definitely revisit when I return to Portland. My boyfriend took me here for my 30th birthday and I had a great dining experience. A number of factors contributed to my dinner. 1. Customer Service: The waiter was very polite and gave his suggestions and honest opinion when requested. I originally ordered the white corn ravioli and he informed me that they no longer had the dish. I felt bumbed because I didn't think of anything else. He then apologized and suggested the fried chicken, which was amazing. It was well seasoned and the mashed potatoes were good as well. The great thing was that the waiter still brought a sample of a new dish similar to the ravioli that the Chef sent for me. His gesture was totally appreciated!! 2. Ambience: I love the decor with all the books on the shelfs. The restaurant has a romantic feel to it but you could also go with some girl friends to have a drink and a bite to eat. 3. Attentiveness: Although we had a waiter that was very attentive, the other waiter was present and willing to assist us. What I had to eat: Fois gras club was very tasty! The Halibut was amazing! Fried chicken was exploding with flavor!
(4)Lana S.
My absolute favorite brunch place. There's never a line - well, that could change, but well worth it. I adore the atmosphere and art. The menu is great too. Food is great, beverages are better. Eat, drink, and be merry.
(4)Tamsen G.
Irving Street Kitchen. It's not like that other...whatever the other restaurant was that preceded it. It's actually memorable. Net: Ambiance? Check. Food? Check so hard you dent the table. Service? See food. Check? A bit spendy but worth every penny. In detail: I needed New Year's Eve dinner reservations for myself and one of my favorite people who was visiting for the weekend. Like, on the 30th. So I hit OpenTable (love) and found a table for two at 5:45. This is one of the few trendy restaurants I haven't checked out in town, so I took it. Don't hate me for reviewing it after my first visit - it was that good. Ambiance: Already at 5:45, the restaurant was bustling but not overwhelmed with activity. We were seated quickly at a lovely table window-side. This space used to be tres-urban. In other words, trying to out-Pearl the Pearl District. It did, definitely. Out-Pearled itself right out of business. But Irving Street Kitchen has really turned it into a warm and welcoming (without being cloying or overdone) urban space. Food: OMG. A meat lover's paradise. We ordered cocktails and the charcuterie plate with a side of olives. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, OMG. The pate was DIVINE. It comes in a tiny ramekin, which is good because if it was any larger I would have used it for a full body rub. It was SOOO GOOOD. The crostini it was delivered with was excellent, as were the olives. oh so good. Oh. I am going back for happy hour today. I am salivating already. That is really sad, and really wonderful all at the same time. After the charcuterie, we each had the porchetta. Oh oh oh. Oh dear god. That has to be the perfect preparation for pork. It is phenomenal. The two of us smallish ladies polished our plates. It was full on indulgence. Service: Walking into a busy restaurant, you don't want to be greeted by a rushed staff or any sense of the restaurant being overwhelmed. This was not a problem at all at Irving St. Kitchen. Everyone was friendly and genuine and efficient. Even the busboys were charming and helpful beyond their scope. We thoroughly enjoyed dinner at the Irving Street Kitchen. I absolutely will come here for dinner again, especially with guests from out of town.
(5)Alyssa C.
I've been here now for both dinner and brunch and I was VERY pleased with the experience both times! The first dinner was a work function and the corn chowder starter was absolutely PHENOMENAL (unfortunately doesn't look like it's on the menu currently). We also shared some charcuterie which was tasty - I don't know about you but I'm always a little disappointed with charcuterie in general. But the wine was great and the halibut main course I got was absolutely delicious. The menu here always makes my mouth water. The only downside is that you can spend a LOT of money here so not the kind of place to go when you're on a budget! For brunch, I got the lobster scramble and it was delicious. Big chunks of tasty lobster - YUM! Only downside here was it was put on top of two pieces of toast which very quickly got soggy...so, that wasn't perfect and the coffee they served was so strong I couldn't even drink it (which is saying something because I like my coffee really strong normally). But, the dish was still delicious and the service excellent and this is truly a delicious place. Not perfect, but I'll definitely be back! Did I mention there was no wait for brunch at 10AM on a Sunday, and they take brunch reservations? That is definitely a plus for Portland!
(4)Lewis M.
I took a dear friend visiting from Chicago out to dinner last Monday and tried Irving St Kitchen, a recommendation from a co-worker. I wanted a great restaurant that had atmosphere, quite space (for overdue catching up), good martinis, and great food. I was not disappointed. I had the lamb porterhouse (great!) and my friend had the halibut (INCREDIBLE!!). I totally recommend this place. And I'll be back. I tend to seek the neighborhood places and have been to other "destination" restaurants in downtown. For downtown, this is one of the best.
(4)Michael P.
Our brunch was good. The portions are a little small but everything was tasty. The drinks are good too - I recommend the Penicillin, especially after a night of drinking.
(4)Al S.
The overall quality of the food was very good. The rating would be much higher if it were not for the horrible service. The service was awkward and missing in action for most of the evening. Our server brought water and said she would return to take our drink order. What she failed to say is that we would not see her again for quite some time. When she returned we placed our drink and appetizer order. I knew I should have taken the opportunity to place our dinner orders. She did not return to take our dinner order until we were just about done with appetizers. We finished our dinner without her returning to check on us which meant empty drink glasses for most of meal. To add insult to injury our server never brought us our leftovers. It was a good thing my wife waited until we were driving home to remind me that the server forget to bring our leftovers. Overall the service or lack there of made for an awful dining experience despite the excellent quality of the meal.
(2)Sam K.
Wow what a treat! Great find... First off the design/ambience is nothing short of spectacular... It is so visually stimulating that it makes the food less important, but then you get the food and it gets even better. I had the Hangar steak, highly recommend it, forget exactly what was in the Twinkie looking like side that accompanied it, but it was delicious. Also, had some cheesecake after for dessert and it was fantastic. Only downside is that it is too expensive to eat there on the regs for me, but what a great spot!
(5)Jeff P.
Above average. Little spendy for what you get.
(3)Shannon M.
I think that the fact that I lived in New Orleans for four years qualifies me to speak on southern cooking and I tell you now this place is the real deal. The waitress was amazing. Her service was flawless and she knew her wine. You start your wonderful night with bread from Ken's artisan, then I had the fried chicken. Omg, amazing. They served me my collard greens like I was in the south. It had the nice ham hock essence, tasso and vinegar with a little spice. Thank you for not being an amateur. My husband had the steak that had a nice chimchurri inspired sauce and fried polenta sticks - amazing. I had mashed potatoes and gravy that were to die for. We ordered a merlot that was complex, had a long finish and a nice nose of black berry, leather, american oak and tobacco. Complex and amazing. The entire experience was amazing. I completely recommend it. I love this restaurant!!!!
(5)emily r.
Amazing food. Amazing service. Beautiful decor. The best dessert I have ever had in my life! We were walking by looking for a place to eat for mothers day (our original choice was completely full and we were not able to get a table for another hour) so we went in. The restaurant was busy, but we were seated within just a few minutes of arriving. We were seated in an enclosed booth that was very comfortable and quieted the hubbub of the restaurant. The raw wood and artwork on parchment was gorgeous. I also noticed they had filament lightbulbs lighting up the restaurant in the light fixtures (I am a big nerd! I notice lightbulbs?!?) which I thought were just beautiful. Our waiter (Patrick, maybe?) was incredibly informative about every dish. He had personal recommendations and knew about all the others as well. As the food was handed to us another waitress repeated what we had to the exact detail, which was a really nice touch. 2 of us had the fried chicken with Yukon potatoes, collard greens, and country gravy. My mother-in-law had the bistro steak, and my husband had the 24 hour smoked ribs. None of us said a word for the first minute or so, as we just savored the flavors. Absolutely amazing. Apparently, the fried chicken was injected (injected!) with clarified butter, which made it more tender and juicy and delicious. yum. YUM! Another fun thing about this place is they have wine on tap. They had a selection of 8 or so. I am not a big fancy wine drinker (i like the boxed stuff!) so I can't be much of a judge, but I was content with the Riesling I ordered :) My husband ordered a bourbon drink that he said was the best he had ever had. I had a taste (even though I don't care for bourbon) and it was very, very, very good tasting, so it must be great, right? We finished with sharing a butterscotch pudding and banana brulee with creme fraiche and walnut pralines. It was the best dessert I have ever eaten. Ever. I will dream about this forever. I hope that the next time I go to this restaurant that they will still have this pudding and that it lives up to the first bite I had. Holy crap!!! Don't leave without getting it. Also, its served in a little jar. yay for little jars! Oh, did I mention it was only their 2nd real night open, following a week of a soft opening? They really had it together. It was an incredible experience. I will be back and would be happy to recommend it to anyone looking for the best meal ever.
(5)Wendy S.
Stopped by here on my way back from a quick coffee at Barista as they have a BBQ Grill sitting grilling up some lunch. Menu was quite enticing. Grabbed a pastrami sausage with mustard and saurkraut. Served on a yummy crispy but soft sourdough roll. Would give that a 5. Definitely want to go back and try some of the real food.
(4)Jon F.
Great place for dinner with friends. The service was quick and helpful, and the food was quite good. I would have given it 5 stars but some small things could have been better. The watermelon salad was nice, but more dressing could have been used on the watermelon as it lacked flavor. The squid ink risotto was very delicious as it melted in your mouth, but I had expected larger pieces of chorizo and didn't really see any. I can say that the butterscotch pudding with brittle for dessert is heavenly. All in all, it's well worth the price, and I would totally be back next time I'm visiting.
(4)George D.
good food, and interesting variety. service is fair, and prices are on the high side.
(4)Steph C.
Have been to Irving St. Kitchen twice for dinner and once for brunch. Had the lobster scramble for brunch, which was good (eggs were firm, good portions of lobster- very tasty). No wait, which may actually be the best part, given the quality of the food. For dinner I had the bacon-wrapped oysters, which were delicious. we also ordered a side of cornbread, which I just found a bit too heavy for my like (although I suppose it is cornbread). For my main, i ended up ordering the pork chop, which was uber-heavy, but cooked quite well (tender, juicy). Loved the fresh artichokes that came with it. The restaurant itself is very cool- lot's of wood around- with some booths. Also a small patio.
(4)Ran B.
The bacon wrapped oysters ere awful. I returned them after a tiny bite. Replacement took a very long time to arrive. The short ribs were almost burned through - and yet didn't have proper flavor. Last straw was presentation of the check - throwing a bit of paper on the table. Ugh. Even much humbler places do better. Won't come her again.
(2)Stephanie K.
Everything about this place is five stars. The food, the desserts, the beer & wine choices, the drinks, the service, the decor--everything is fantastic. The pickings are slim for vegetarians and vegans, but my vegan friend was able to get a dish modified to suit her needs (it is Portland, after all). I am an animal lover, too--I loved my delicious fried chicken more than I can tell you! And the sticky toffee pudding? I would eat vats of it if I could! Unfortunately, I was dining with a group, so I had to share. ;)
(5)P H.
Great place for brunch. Great cocktails and food. Classy. Very nice atmosphere.
(5)Dee W.
No thanks. Rude, indifferent service, unimpressive food.The salmon omelet was overpriced ($14) and runny at the center. The server did not offer toast/baguette etc. although I was more than willing to pay- but after dumping food on our table, no one ever returned. I finished my cappuccino and would have gladly ordered another - but again, no one checked on our table. Finally, I (female)left out my credit card to pay right next to my place setting and the server happily returned it to -my partner (male), geez, welcome to the age of equality. Overall, nice location and we may be back to try the bar, but such awful service and such mediocre food will not entice us back for a meal. Try somewhere else!
(2)Cara T.
While dinner here is fantastic, we had an underwhelming brunch this morning. The service was incredibly slow-we felt ignored during the 45 minute wait for our food. I had biscuits and gravy, my fiancé had the pork belly and waffles. The biscuits were fresh but the gravy was thin and runny...nothing like the delicious gravy that comes with the fried chicken. The waffles were tasty but the egg was badly cooked-very slimy. There are an incredible number of places to have breakfast/brunch...sad to say Irving Street isn't one of them.
(2)Darren A.
Tried this place out last week with two friends. I had heard some good things. One thing I had heard was "get the fried chicken!". Ironically, I didn't, but my buddy did, and he loved it. It looked very good. I got the bistro steak, which was descibred as a filet. A filet for $21.00 seemed like a steal, so I ordered that instead of the chicken. The filet was tough. Drag. Also tried the charcuterie plate. This was OK. KInda skimpy. Also got the Bibb lettuce salad. Also OK. Very generous portion, but almost tasteless. The highlight of the meal was the butterscotch pudding we shared for dessert. This totally rocked! I would return to get the chicken I should have ordered, and a repeat on the pudding. I was less impressed with the decor than some others on here. It looked like a patch job on the former restaurant. Admittedly better, but the place still feels kind of like an airplane hanger. Service was good with one exception. The brought out my steak while I was still eating my salad. Not cool, but forgivable.
(3)J S.
Our meal/dining experience was absolutely one of the best that we have ever had! For entrees I'd recommend both the fried chicken and the sole. They were both extremely delicious!
(5)S B.
In the ten minutes before my impending demise, all I want in the world is a jar of ISK's butterscotch pudding, a spoon, and a moment alone. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you? Amazing halibut entree. Solid poached egg/lemon sauce over asparagus concoction as a starter. But life is uncertain, so maybe eat dessert first...
(5)L A.
I love water. Like I love it when people serve me in cool (aka sick, bomb, dank, shizz, bombdiggity, etc) water cups. I just get really excited and bouncy. Suddenly everything about the place is dank. As soon as you walk in, wow. The place is dank! A whole new world (ten points if you tell me what song I quoted)! Everyone and everything is so fancy and glamorous-including the wait staff- I always feel out of place. Still that doesn't stop me from wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja T-Shirt and getting really excited about the water jugs. The wait staff is super friendly. I mean they're so smiley and they look so professional it's hard not to be entertained. This one lady we had was bombdiggity. Very polite, very attentive, basically awesome. The shizz thing about the staff though, is that every time I go they're always nice. And that's a quality I really admire. Now since I am under the age of 21, by law I am not supposed to drink alcoholic beverages in public domains. Doesn't mean I won't try and order a slippery nipple to gage the server's reaction. Still I think it's really sick that they offer a non- alcoholic substitute to us intelligible drinkers. No not the typical coke or pepsi products. They've got a nice selection of mixed drinks minus the usual main ingredient and to me that's dank. I've been there about three times. So obviously I like the food. And it's true I do, their brunch is bomb. But my main reason for continuing to back is I am on a quest to find delicious fried chicken and waffles! Since there is no Rasco's in portland I am gonna have to find the next best thing. UNFORTUNATELY every time I go they're out or not serving them! Curse these elusive waffles, I'll someday taste them, and when I do...well we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
(4)Heather H.
Update: Returned 6.4.12 with a large party of 11. Service was stellar. Our server had just the right amount of moxie to deal with our rambunctious bunch and the chef prepared an off-menu vegan dish for my sweetie that was amazing. Remains one of my favoriate joints in PDX. Update: Returned 1.1.12 and it's still as tasty as ever. Still lacks vegan fare, not a lot of gluten-free options. Irving Street Kitchen is my new favorite restaurant in PDX. The drinks are divine, certainly some of the best cocktails I've had in the city. I had a charcuterie and the halibut my first venture. Each and every bite was perfect. The halibut was tender, not overcooked and the grits and succotash that accompanied the meal were the perfect compliment. My second venture was for happy hour. The meatballs were incredible, although the mashed potatoes were served too cool for my liking, and that detracted from the experience somewhat. The edamame spread was only so-so, I wouldn't order it again. The service here can be a little too attentive, bordering on hovering. I personally don't need my water glass filled every time I take a drink and I don't like it when wait staff remove my plate as soon as I've put my fork down -- I like to linger over my food, even if my plate sits empty -- otherwise I feel rushed by the staff. My ONLY real complaint, is the lack of vegan fare. In a city like PDX, I think every establishment worth it's weight should carry at least 2 viable vegan options. My partner is vegan and it's a total bummer to miss out on going to great restaurants like this when we dine together. I'll have to skip ISK more than I'd like too because they don't offer anything substantial my partner can eat. I get that places like Beast are going to lack vegetarian and vegan items as their concept is much more narrow. However, there is no reason ISK cannot serve up some inspired vegan cuisine. I hope they do because then I can eat there more often, and that's a really exciting proposition.
(5)Amy Z.
I enjoyed brunch here with my family. The staff was courteous, food was amazing, and the atmosphere was fresh.
(5)Charlie K.
One of the friends I was with during tonight's visit (10.22) suggested the fried chicken. Very good. What completed the dish were the mashed potatoes. I'm not sure if they are using liquid smoke or not but the velvety texture and rich smokey flavor took me for a sweet sweet ride. Drink a curmudgeon. Can't wait until my next visit .. Service was stellar this time.
(4)Robert B.
Took out of town guests to Irving St. Kitchen last night and ordered the Crab stuffed with shrimp and dirty rice because it was recommended by the waiter and had been mentioned favorably in a review. Hate,hate hated it. Seasoning was over the top and the dish was inedible for me. Our guest's was much smaller than mine but she didn't finish either. My wife, who eats light ordered soup and salad. The soup came in an extremely large bowl but there was very little of it. (appeared to be 1/2 inch deep in the bottom of the big bowl.) Butterscotch pudding was great but was the only thing that got a comment from our guests. Pricey and disappointing .
(2)Amanda E.
This restaurant has one of the best bar scenes in the Pearl. There is limited outdoor seating, which can be used even in the winter because it is undercover and enclosed in plastic. The food and drinks are good. The restaurant also has an excellent private event space.
(4)Jennifer A.
Portland restaurants have a motto, from the farm to the table and this place is no exception. Hot Menu and Even Hotter Drinks! I am a FAN. I love a place where you can get a great meal and fresh drinks (no mixes & unique). Would have given 5 stars except for the dessert menu. Decor - 4 stars, Wait staff - stars, Food - 5 stars, Drinks - 5 stars, Desserts - 3 stars (I would like more variety) But the butterscotch pudding, which I would not be prone to order MELTS in your mouth. Our table had the cheese plate and the charcuterie for starters. 1st course - Dungeness crab bisque (seasoned to perfection) 2nd course - seared scallops (I always order a tad bit past seared, I don't like the gel feel) with pork belly, greens and black eye peas. 3rd - shared a friend's caramel pudding (like I said, melts in your mouth!) Drinks for the evening, (not to sound like a boozer) I started with one of their Irving Street Originals, WALK IN THE WOODS- gin, stone pine liqueur and sage peppercorn syrup (what is that? Heaven in a cup) An Oregon Pinot Noir with din din And for my dessert, a hot totty (I had the sniffles) Cool spot with Excellent food, hip & trendy, salvaged decor with some bling. If ever I am back in Portland, this will be my first stop. Must eat.
(4)Britt C.
This place gets a solid 4 starts for food, ambiance, and service. I would definitely go back. The garlic soup, either despite or because of the fact that it is 90% heavy cream, is delicious. The Johnston County ham and biscuits are also great. I was skeptical of the accompanying pepper jelly, but somehow it worked. For mains, the scallops on Napa cabbage were great (a bit salty, though), as was the cod. What you really want, however, is the Old Rasputin glazed Porchetta. What could be better than a fatty, boneless pork cut smother in one of the world's finest beers and cooked for hours upon hours? This dish was outstanding. If you have room, you must try the butterscotch pudding. I'm not a big fan of either butterscotch or pudding, but still found this to be one of the most satisfying deserts I've had in a very long time.
(4)Joe M.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night and we were seated within 5 minutes with no reservation. Food was absolutely outstanding along with a great wine list (Oregon Pinots starting around mid-40s with great bottles in the high 60s). Not the pretentious or stuck up feeling one may get at other Pearl District restaurants - just go eat here.
(5)Daniel W.
Great atmosphere and good food. Only had drinks and appetizers but will come back again and enjoy their dinner menu in the near future!
(5)Suzanne M.
Went for happy hour this afternoon and were really happy. Lovely atmosphere. Excellent service and extremely yummy food. My husband and i ordered the meatballs, pontines (french fries smothered in gravy, cheese and meats) and the jambalaya. I had their happy hour red, very good for the price, and husband had a beer. Are already planning to go for brunch and another happy hour soon.
(5)Edward J.
Beautiful decor and lovely space. This is one of those restaurants I miss when I lived in a bigger city like NYC or Toronto. The service was excellent, the hostess and waiters were all very attentive and friendly. I've been here a couple of times and each experience is just as wonderful as the next. Excellent wine selections: I got a on tap pinot noir, very tasty, from Brooks vineyard in the Willamette Valley. My boyfriend got the rose on tap and it was perfectly chilled and crisp. $10 each glass, quite pricy. The appetizers were very good. Get the edamame puree, a fantastic dipping sauce. The entrees I recommend the fried chicken, hearty and perfect for someone who has to run 16miles in the forest park next morning. If you are looking for a lighter meal I suggest any of the salad or the risotto. Creamy and not too heavy. I have yet to try the dessert. Here's one problem from my last visit. We've been eating and hanging out at our table for about 2 hours. There are 5 of us. At the end of the meal the waiter comes up to check on us. My friend asked for the bill and if we can split it into 3, as in 2 cards and rest of it on cash. The waiter returns with the bill not split, its fine, we can do math. But on the bill we found two pints of beer that we never ordered. My friend asked the waiter to take them off but he was convinced that we did order the beer. He was sure that the bartender indicated that we had ordered the beer before we sat down. My friend started to get upset and demand him to double check. He stared at us blankly for a while then walked away. Came back with the bill without the beer that we did not order. Did not apologize for the mistake to the end. My friend was upset enough that she said she will never return to the restaurant. As for me, I like the wine so I might come back but probably will avoid that waiter from now on.
(4)Kathryn H.
We finally went to Irving Street Kitchen, and we were not disappointed! We started with a Sunday brunch, and had some divine entrees! We have been there 3 more times in less than a month and every time we were pleasantly surprised at the quality, innovation, service and staff! It's now on our favorite list!
(5)Tara S.
I've been twice, once for breakfast, which was nothing to write home about, and also for dinner. The restaraunt is beautiful, and the servers that I've encountered have been quite knowledgeable and friendly, but the menu and food is nothing that anyone else in town can't do as well, but cheaper. If you're in love with their butterscotch dessert and that's why you are coming here, try Nostrana's sea salt butterscotch dessert instead - and bonus points for Nostrana, if you go there after 9 pm, you will be getting a bargain basement priced happy hour menu, and it has similar decor and atmosphere. Thanks ISK, I had a nice meal, but not $60 per person nice.
(3)Sigmund M.
if your going to get free plates sent from the kitchen, make sure the food isnt gross (slimy raw cucumbers) the cod was slightly over, and the garnishes were bland, meyer lemon- where? five stars for the cocktail
(3)Etta H.
Been here a lot as we live close by. Food is excellent. Had the jambalaya, soft shell clams, meatballs and the most delicious dessert I have had all year, the butterscotch/chocolate in a mason jar. OMG! I would give them a five star except for the cost of the wine! A bit expensive unless it is happy hour!
(4)Cody J.
After reading the mostly favorable reviews and consulting with some friends I made a reservation for 12 people for Friday night at Irving Street Kitchen. The occasion was an engagement celebration for girlfriend. We are all professionals in our mid 30's. Decor was great, and our waitress was sweet. The vibe was pretty subdued and the service was quite slow I think due more to the kitchen than due to our waitress. Drinks were mediocre and the food was less than mediocre. We ordered almost the entire menu among the 12 of us. Fried oyster appetizer was bland. The veggie risotto was more flavorful but not spectacular. The garnish was under cooked and crunchy. Beet salad was middle of the road. The mustard vinaigrette was a unique touch. Watermelon salad was sub par. Chinook was one of the worst interpretations I've ever had. I asked the entire table what they thought of their meal and the consensus was it was mediocre. Looking at the reviews, I think this may be more of a brunch spot. It was an extremely disappointing representation of Portland's food scene for my out of town guests. Our bill was around $600 for 12 people and I resent the fact that I spent as much as I did on a very sub par dining experience. This might be a good place for brunch or happy hour, but I will not be back to find out.
(2)J W.
Good food, and friendly service. The scenery is nice, and there is a nice waiting area where they serve you drinks. The menu has some good dishes, but a bit pricy for what you're getting.
(4)Melanie L.
The ambience, decor and food were definitely above average. My husband and I came on date night and it was a great choice. The reason for 3-stars is we sat down and our waiter said: "Everything offered tonight is listed on our menu". Period. 10 minutes later, we overheard him telling the table next to us "We have everything on our menu, and our appetizer special is a salmon tartare - it's delicious and there are only a few orders left"... Did we not look like tartare people? I just didn't understand the differing treatment. So while we truly enjoyed our black cod and short ribs, we really would have enjoyed a nice little salmon tartare as well!
(3)Angela C.
Good place to eat in an artsy part of town. Food and drinks were delicious. We could see the chefs from where we were sitting. The place had good energy. Our waiter was top notch, very attentive. There was 80's music playing in the background.
(4)Sarah L.
Anyone remember when this space was Bay 13? That was good. Irving St. Kitchen, is even better! I loooooove the interior. It's like rustic and fancy came together and got married. The food was fantastic and the bartender makes one hell of a dirty martini. Friends have been raving about the brunch, so I'll have to give it a go one of these days soon.
(4)Chris S.
I would say 4.5 stars, but that isn't an option. Been here twice and both times I've really enjoyed my meal. The bloody mary from the bar was fantastic; although, the olives had pits. This was not something I was expecting and was quite surprised when I bit into my first olive. The interior is one of my favorites, if not my favorite, in town. Service is great. Prices are reasonable for the quality you get.
(4)Kendra M.
We went for New Year's Eve dinner. We enjoyed absolutely wonderful service by everyone from host, to bar, to our amazing server and everyone in between. The food was to DIE for... every single thing we ordered. The cocktails were perfect. The ambiance is beautiful (if you had been to Bay 13, the decor was totally sterile). Lots of great details and interesting pieces throughout. And considering everything, the prices are quite reasonable. We couldn't be happier. We went for a special occasion, but now we plan to be regulars.
(5)Susanna L.
Though Irving St Kitchen is beautifully designed and the staff friendly and attentive, we really didn't feel that we got our money's worth for dinner here. It's not that anything was really *bad* - the drinks were good, the food attractively presented - but nothing had the kind of flavor that makes your eyes roll up in your head and at the end of the meal we were left feeling rather flat about the whole thing. $101 for three drinks, an appetizer and 2 entrees? My partner had a fish dish (teeny fish and he said everything was the same sweet flavor with no contrasts at all). I had the pork, which was a nice sized dish but the meat was very rare. I realize that most chefs prefer to present meat that way - but I'm sure I read somewhere that it's dangerous to undercook pork? In any case, I found my dish very nearly inedible. All in all, I might go back for a drink next to the tiny fireplace but given the range of choices in Portland for really great meals, I think this one is a miss overall.
(2)Travis S.
The food is amazing, I've especially enjoyed the burger here. For dessert their butterscotch pudding will put you in a coma - fantastic!
(5)Dr X.
Beautiful "Portlandian" atmosphere, friendly staff, and the food just impeccable. Not one item ordered could be considered just average or just satisfactory. Truly an extraordinary experience. The beef tartare was was to die for.
(5)Tom D.
Great space, though large. I was here on a weekend and it wasn't very full, maybe it's more of a weekday place. It's always a challenge to fill a huge space for a restaurant. Our waiter was excellent, and as it was our first visit we basically went with his reccos. All were good, although the fried chicken is not Southern fried Chicken style, so if you're expecting that (and the person ordering it was) you may be disappointed. The "angels on horseback" and the T&T Pigs foot were very good. The entrees were all solid, but nothing spectacular. We had the Cod, the Fried Chicken, the Short rib, and the Salmon between us, and the Short Ribs were my favorite of the four. This place is a good, not great, restaurant in a great space, with great service. I'll be back
(4)Christi P.
well well, look who makes an amazing salmon benedict. I actually went and joined a gym after eating it, just so that I can come back and order it again without worrying about adding a pants size. We had brunch by the huge windows in the bar area. The space is really beautiful, I love the ink drawings hanging over the bar (I wanted to take the pig home with me). Ya'll can brew some stumptown coffee too, I felt like a superhero after 3 cups of that stuff! Can't wait to come back for drinks and dinner if the scene is right at night. Like.
(5)Martin B.
Great space. We sat in an alcove between bookcases. Server must have been new. He made a couple of poor recommendations and had to read descriptions of many things. The chicken was AMAZING.
(3)Karen D.
good food, but very small portions for the price
(3)Trish S.
Great ambiance! We sat in one of their private cozy booths and the service was spectacular. The drink selection is vast, my favorite cocktail was the Ann Margaret. We tried several of the first plates which were all very good and main dishes included the Pork and Halibut which were both phenomenal. Of course when you are in this deep you got to go for dessert! The chocolate cake with pistachio was by far the favorite with the beignets and bourbon ice cream coming in at a close second.
(5)Jeffrey B.
Only my second time at Irving Street Kitchen, though for most of the evening I was wondering why I haven't gone back sooner. Very warm and energetic ambience. Excellent and knowledgeable service. Creative first and second course options, all prepared and presented perfectly, with a lovely and comfortable flow the meal and evening. Great desserts and a comprehensive selection of beverages. I'll definitely be returning here more in the future.
(5)Kelly S.
Good brunch. Fries were way too salted and service was very slow (despite there being only a few other people in the place.) Their take on eggs benedict was very tasty. Cute place and if not outstanding, very pleasant.
(4)Dave R.
Good stuff. This was my 3rd visit, and now I know what to order.... I am a fan of the Frouis Grouis....lol... I never thought in a million years I would have tried this, but I sure as hell glad I did...
(5)Mac M.
I've not eaten here before, so this review will be incomplete and in need of an update when I do. That being said, I found the drinks to be moderately acceptable, a tad pricey - but good. I like the ambiance of the place especially if you're going on a date in the winter or fall seasons because of the fireplace. I know this is a lazy review and doesn't tell the whole story of the place - I promise to do it justice at a later date.
(3)Brad D.
Consistent!
(4)Jay C.
Irving Street grill WINS for being the first restaurant to disappoint at this price level. That's hard to do! Sub par service to the point where I thought we were being Punkd! 15 minutes after we ordered the glass of wine, we hadn't had a sip since entering the restaurant. Waiter returns, asks again what wine we ordered, still didn't bring for another 10 minutes. Almost a half hour before our first sip of wine. The waiter forgot to bring the bread, then apologized and said was coming. Bread never came. Ever. I can assure you this bad experience WASN'T due to them being busy, because the loud, drunk people at the table next to us - obviously friends of the manager - were getting the stellar service that i paid for. They had frequent check backs from their (our) server, multiple wine pours over a 15 min period (check for their review below, I'm sure it's 5 stars) As for the food, the chicken liver appetizer was absolutely DELICIOUS, though miniature in size (even in high end restaurants, I've had my appetite satisfied, I'm going out to eat, aren't I ?) The liver was the first and last good thing about the meal. The appetizers were more of a Tapas, with an appetizer price. As for the Entree, I had the Cod. Salt was more prominent than flavor. Sorry. Expected more. Like I said, disappointed on a new level. The one star is for the liver appetizer and the ambience. Good, hip feel. Food, ehhh. Service very bad for us.
(1)G S.
Simply the best eggs benedict I've had up until now, all on wonderful biscuits with a little smoked salmon. Other things seemed to very good as well. Nice service, atmosphere, etc., etc. Maybe not a revelation, but sometimes the simple things are hard to do.
(4)Jana H.
Yum. I can't believe it took me so long to get here. Great experience, service was A++. The food - maybe a little over priced, but well worth it when you consider the whole package. I had the beet salad to start, the hangar steak, and the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Don't eat too much for dinner, because dessert is where it's AT!! My pudding was served to me a jar with a lid, a generous amount of salted caramel sauce, and butterscotch candy on the side. Everything was well prepared, presented, and delicious. I can't wait to go back for happy hour!
(5)John D.
Ya gotta love a place with that much meet on the menu... Brunch is fantastic and the hanger steak is excellent. Very fun and cool environment. I'll be back soon!
(5)Frank M.
We were there recently on a Sunday night for a special occassion. They did a great job recognizing that special occassion (comped champagne, desert). The service was excellent. Our waitress had a great knowledge of the wines and food; she was attentive w/out being intrusive and made several recommendations that turned out to be spot on. On the other hand, I join some of the others who say the food was good but not knock your socks off fantastic. Here's the run down: Olive starter - A bit underwhelming. Two types of olives. Nothing wrong with it, nothing special. Meatballs - served on a rectangular tapas type plate, you get 3 of them on a bed of grits and sauce. The grits were very good. Sauce was fine. In the end the meatballs were, well, meatballs. Angel Oysters - I'm not a seafood person so this one wasn't my cup of tea. I suspect these were actually very high quality. They seemed well prepared and the oysters seem to be very fresh - they had a very distinctive briney flavor (which kind of overwhelmed the wrapped bacon and sauce...but that could just be me). My wife loved them. Biscuits - comes with thinly sliced ham, butter and a spicey jelly. The biscuits were these very tiny creations (1/2 dollar diameter). The jelly and salty ham went well together. Would have been nice if the biscuits were just a bit bigger. Chicken dinner entree - I agree with others who say the chicken was very bland. But the thing is the chicken was cooked to near perfection. And I think the deal is you're expected to eat the chicken with either the mashed potatoes / gravy (gravy is just a bit salty) or the greens (cooked perfectly with a distinct vinegar flavor), either of which complement the chicken. Eat any of them by themselves and they are a bit salty, a bit vinegary or a bit bland. Put two of them together and it is great. Lemon pie dessert - the star of the show. Dense, intense, great. Pudding - it was good, but didn't hold up to the lemon pie. In summary, it is a nice place with good food and great service. I would go back. If we could do 1/2 stars I'd rate it 3.5.
(3)Kyle M.
Oh ISK, I really love you. I love that you have wine on-tap, I love that your fried chicken is divine, I love that you have Domaine Ott rose, and I love that you're a pitching wedge from my new place in Portland. I'm even willing to gain a few pounds to visit you more often. If that's not a culinary crush, then I don't know what is.
(4)Maxine C.
This is a consistant place to go for great food. My last meal was the steelhead with leeks. Absolutely one of the best steelhead preparations I've had the pleasure to eat. The atmosphere is warm, the booths and bookcase areas are cozy and the service has always been great.
(5)Devon D.
Irving Street surpassed expectations. Everything was epic. Beautifully crafted cocktails (recommend New Money as a unique and complicated drink, and the Chrysanthemum is a must.) Best steak in Portland (a controversial statement, I know.) Awesome salmon. Crave-worthy artichoke/oyster soup. Love that they house cure charcuterie, house bake some bomb bread loaves, and pour wine direct from barrel. The space is pretty and comfortable, almost transporting one to a hip San Francisco hang-out. This is at the top of my Portland musts.
(5)Don C.
I would not recommend the Irving Street Kitchen. The food was a Denny's quality, the service poor, and the kitchen staff slow. I had brunch here on Easter. My expectations were high....the place looked great......the staff seemed friendly......the menu looked great.....I should have left at this point because the high expectations were slooooowly dashed. It took an hour to get our simple egg dishes. They forgot of doughnuts and messed up my order. I asked the the "southern smother" and the delivered "morocan eggs," which were a couple of eggs, on a biscuit with a spoon of salsa. When I mentioned this to our waiter he said he'd see what he could do and we never heard from him again. They will never here from me again so I guess we are even.
(1)Brian C.
Went to Irving St Kitchen 4 months ago when I first visited Portland. Moved to Portland from Ohio 2 weeks ago and have been to Irving St Kitchen 4 times. Food is great.... brussel sprouts that will make you cry..... Amazing soups and good wine selection. Alison and Aisha are the best bartenders in town.... Everyone there is great!!
(5)Ptown G.
Love, love, love this place. From the beautiful decor and romantic booths, to the fantastic wait staff, this place rocks. Oh, the food is simply delectable too. ISK is a take on Southern Food with a NW twist. This is not your southern greasy spoon, this is everything wonderfully comforting about southern cooking. But, if you leave this Portland foodie staple without trying the Butterscotch pudding, you might as well ask your date to give you a slap upside the head :/. It is hands down, THE BEST DESSERT IN THE NW in my opinion.
(5)Jack G.
Service was horribly slow and inattentive. The glass I drank out of had a chip and cut my lip. When I told the waiter, he barely apologized and proceeded to return with the full bill intact. A top notch establishment would have had the manager approach the table and apologize on behalf of the restaurant and adjust the bill accordingly. Restaurant rule #1 is to make the customer happy so they don't complain to others about such basic things.
(2)Matt K.
Finally got to try Irving St. Kitchen last night. I was immediately impressed by the fact that they had my favorite gin, Miller's Westbourne Strength at the bar, BIG PLUS! From there we ordered: - Meatballs: 3 delicious meatballs coddled by creamy mashed potatoes - BBQ Ribs: Fall off the bone tender meat sitting on top of a bed of freshly made coleslaw...my favorite of the night - Smoked Thuringer, Chorizo, Pastrami, Fennel Salumi - Each meat was better than the one before. Served with whole seed mustard, delicious! - Trio of Artisan Cheeses: Great cheeses, my only complaint was that it wasn't enough! Overall, had a pretty good experience at Irving St. Friendly service, my favorite gin, and some good food. Next time I will have to try some of the entrees.
(4)Andy R.
We had a fabulous dinner for two. Food was original and very well prepared. I thought the menu had just about the right amount of variety. The waiter gave us the perfect amount if attention and the atmosphere was vibrant. We look forward to going again soon.
(5)Kate G.
We did the boozy brunch at Irving St Kitchen and it was excellent. Great bartenders and phenomenal drinks. Recently went back for another meal with friends to avoid all the lines at other spots and really enjoyed it. Sometimes the portions seem a wee bit small for the price but the food is always delicious. We always end up spending way more money then we intend to but I love the attention to detail and this is the first place I've ever seen wine on tap. wow! I like the way this place is decorated but I hate the art they have hanging above the bar-it looks like someone puked up ink blots of deer and pigs and other random creatures but people actually buy them so maybe I should start doing art...
(4)Lori J.
My husband and I were on a rare night out and wanted to try something different...which means out of our area by 20 minutes. A friend recommended Irving Street. We both loved the ambiance when we first walked inside we were seated at the bar, so we of course had to try the barrel to glass wines. What a fabulous idea! The bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, once we were seated way in the back by the kitchen...we were forgotten. With our prompting 20 minutes later we had a server. He was knowledgeable and efficient from that point on. He recommended his favorite dishes and we were not disappointed. We had the fried chicken and the steelhead both were fabulous. The rest of the dinner was delicious and the evening was a success. We would definitely go back again:)
(4)Scott B.
Great!! Excellent service - really a standard apart. We eat at good restaurants and would definitely recommend ISK. We're from Denver and this made our trip to Portland really stand out, Well done, Irving St. Kitchen!!
(5)C. P.
Amazing! We've eaten dinner and brunch here and both were amazing. The location, atmosphere, staff and of course the food are all outstanding. The chef knows what he/she is doing back there. They manage to pull off 5 star quality food without the pretentious atmosphere that usually goes with it. The menu changes regularly, to keep the dishes seasonal. I loved the parmasean bread soup, pumpkin bread with chocolate & coconut and the steak with smashed potatoes. This is definitely my new favorite place!
(5)Eric P.
Recently had brunch here. The lobster scramble was totally awesome. Wife had Moroccan poached eggs. Also very nice. Would have given it 5 stars but the server was a bit of a loser. Waited way to long for the Mimosa. Points off...
(4)H O.
This place has a great atmosphere but the food is mixed and the wine is pricey. Some dishes were excellent (trout, fried oysters) and some were not so great (grass-fed beef and fries). Waiter has no clue about wine. Great fried chicken. Kudos for the two buck PBR on the menu! Oh and the service is rubbish.
(2)Lana T.
Sunday Brunch, 10am, we clearly did not need our open table reservation. Great atmosphere! Friendly staff. We both ordered the 2 eggs any way. They were both cooked appropriately, the toast was delicious, potatoes seasoned nicely, with a perfect texture. We ended our meal with the cinnamon sugar donuts...delicious! I definitely recommend this place for brunch!
(4)Jessica S.
Good location in the Pearl. Great outdoor seating. Ambience is really nice. Food was overall great. Fried chicken was fried without being greasy, Collard Greens were cooked to perfection, and the Cornbread is a must! We didn't get dessert because the "Sucker Punch" was awesome enough!
(4)Matt B.
One of the best meals I've ever had! Winner!!
(5)dave s.
Went with a group of 10 people. Service was very good, and food was great. I thought it was cheesy that the fried chix was the signature dish, but I ordered it anyway, and it was amazing. The ham and biscuit app was great...pepper jelly was the one of the best parts of the dinner. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Picking one entrée was tough.
(5)Morgan B.
Love this place! I usually sit at the bar with friends and am never disappointed. The drinks are fantastic and the service is outstanding.
(5)vince o.
I had heard great things about the fried chicken and while it was certainly ok I didn't find it to be as "remarkable" as it's been proclaimed to be. The staff was attentive and well trained and the atmosphere is very well put together. The food unfortunately is just barely above average, not up to par with the sevice or ambiance. I doubt that I would return.
(3)Karen J.
Love Irving Street. I've only been living in Portland for eight months. There are so many great restaraunts here that I've been trying to go to a new place each time we go out. Irving is one of the few places that I feel compelled to go back to over and over again. The atmosphere is great. The staff is friendly and the food is consistent and tasty. Most recently, I had the fried chicken and it was great - but I've tried several things here and never been disappointed. Love the wine on tap too.
(5)Laura W.
Finally tried this restaurant and am thrilled I did! Our group of 4 tried a little bit of everything but the scallops with pork belly and the halibut were the standouts. Desserts were also a big hit. Service was some of the best I've had - incredibly attentive and helpful with questions about how dishes were prepared, ingredients, etc. And their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint was an added bonus. We love taking advantage of Portland's terrific dining scene and definitely plan to go back here!
(5)Tracy V.
Irving Street Kitchen has a lot of great reviews, but I wanted to comment on the experience when eating (or just drinking) at the bar - a shout out to Allison for always making the experience very fun! My husband and I have dined many times in the restaurant and at the bar and we prefer the bar due to the wealth of knowledge on wine and spirits; we seem to always leave impressed with the dinner and a little more educated on beverages!
(4)Dazer T.
First of all, it was so nice to eat at a restaurant with a knowledgeable as well as friendly waiter (Don). It is an all too rare experience anymore. However, this was not enough to overcome a rather lackluster meal. The menu did not do much for me to start. We ordered the artisan cheese platter and that hit the first sour note. For $14, there is very little cheese. For the entrees, my wife really loved her salmon, although it was a pretty small portion. I could overlook that, but our other two dishes were nothing special. For the total cost of the bill, you can do a lot better elsewhere. I will say the booths are very nice to sit in, and feel very private while at the same time taking in a view of the whole room. But that room...it just feels like I'm in another city, at some corporate created establishment. It almost works, but it's just not my cup of tea. Neither was the Classic Rock music playing all through dinner. Definitely did not help create a mood or vibe I could connect with.
(2)carol c.
We'll I don't have paragraphs to write about my experience!! I can sum it up in two words... IT BLEW!! Being from the Bay Area and knowing good food and service, I heard that SF restauranteurs opened this place and thought we would give it a try. Wrong! The service was horrible! The meat was under cooked and the only saving grace was the dessert! We waited 25 minutes for the bread. The waitress was a ditz that couldn't think on her own. She apologized because she hadn't had a break! Is that legal?? Honestly, the service and the product shines through when the employees are trained by sophisticated, respectful, everyday people that value the all around experience of the patrons that walk through the door. Get it together!
(1)Asa P.
Love this place.
(5)jim w.
I love this place- the service is impeccable - the price point appropriate for the delicious food and quality - there is real teamwork here in the service - they care - we have found ourselves eating here quite a lot and a few times as a result of trying somewhere else that we were disappointed in and decided to relocate to Irving Street Kitchen instead. Love it Love it the Fried Chicken - awesome - the fish dish is always very interesting - great flavors pulled together in an unexpected way. Do not leave without having the butterscotch / caramel desert - or get it to take away in it's nicely packaged mason jar - I could eat it every day!
(5)Dave S.
Would have been 5 star if not for the ridiculous wine from the barrel program. If I'm paying top dollar for wine it better come in something other than a mason jar! Now corkage service was spot on, wine steward did an excellent job decanting a couple of tricky bottles. The food again was delicious well thought out and generous in portion size. If they'd just pony up for some carafes for the wine and drop the price point for the whole barrel to table thing they'd be a winner! Nuf' said.
(4)Suzy W.
Hard to beat the ambiance here. Happy hour every day, impeccable service. Menu is somewhat on the adventurous side, but well worth the effort!
(5)magdalena w.
This place goes to my all-time favourite restaurants in the world. They just got it all right; the deco is intriguing without being too much, combining a bit of japanese elements with contemporary western effects. No cliche artifacts, all very original pieces. Huge open space, great lighting. Good service although had to wait for 45 min for my fish which got me a free edamame puree and a glass of wine. Commandable. The food, oh the food! I had a fish which came in such an amazing combination of flavours.. I had to slow myself down to enjoy each bite. Highly recommended. I now cannot wait to go back to Portland!
(5)Mary M.
I've been to ISK twice now, and loved both times. The first time I went with my Supper Club friends and almost cancelled because I was not impressed with the online menu, nothing seemed to catch my eye. I'm happy I went. great food, good service. Highly recommend the charcuterie and cheese plates, Cowboys on horseback (Bacon wrapped oysters)-even if you are not a fan of oysters you may really like this dish! and I agree, the butterscotch pudding is great! Also a fun place to go for happy hour and hang out on their couches.
(4)Jessica H.
Went to ISK for brunch with a large party (10+). Our server was wonderful and attentive but not TOO attentive. Food was out quickly, but (again) not TOO quickly as if it was sitting under heat lamps waiting for a taker like some lesser dining establishment. That part of the experience was 5 stars, but the food has very mixed reviews. Out of the group about 1/2 would order their dish again and the other half were not overly impressed. The later half included me. I was told the moroccan eggs were spicy - as in flavorful. I'm wimpy and can't do spicy hot but love strong flavored food so was looking forward to this dish with cumin, coriander and other spices mentioned. The dish was served in a nice shallow bowl, 2 poached eggs hidden under a lot with a red sauce. One person I was with asked if I had ordered tomato soup. That's what it looked and tasted like. The Moroccan flavors I was looking forward to were no where to be found. The sauce just tasted like tomato without any spices. The garlic rubbed toast tasted nothing of garlic. I ate it all because I like tomato and I like bread, but it was very underwhelming for such a hyped up restaurant. I'll try ISK again, but not for breakfast. So many other restaurants in Portland that do breakfast extremely well - every dish - that I'll put my money toward a sure bet but I might be back for dinner. Dishes that rocked: carnitas and egg dish Dishes that fizzled: crab sandwich - more breading than crab, Moroccan eggs EVERYONE loved their mixed drinks - mimosa special was a favorite
(3)Jeff T.
So I've had a couple of days to think about our recent dinner at Irving St. Kitchen. I'd seen some good buzz and review here on Yelp and other sites. There were some real high points to the meal, but then there were some real disconnect. We had two of the starters, the sweet potato/fennel soup was exceptional and they kindly split it into two smaller bowls for us to share. The beet salad was pretty good and not made with prickled beets that you come to expect. After this great start, we waited for over 20 minutes for our entrees after our starter service was cleared. We'd ordered the rabbit chorizo, the trout and a side order of the pickled okra that the waitress said was great. I enjoyed the rabbit, but didn't really find it very spicy as you'd expect with chorizo. My wife liked the trout, it didn't wow her, but she liked it. However, we never did get the okra. I'm pretty sure I saw it sitting on the kitchen window for about 10 minutes under a heat lamp until it was taken away. I would have said something to our server, but she didn't make it by our table until it was gone and we'd finished our entrees. I asked her about it and she was sorry and I could tell she meant it. After our exchange I'd expected her to return with the dessert menu but we had to wait another 10-15 minutes for that. We did go for the butterscotch pudding which was really good, but very very rich. I won't recommend trying to eat this alone, it's just that rich, but very good. I did find our server to be very nice and friendly, but it looked like she was either covering too many tables, or a little overwhelmed on a Friday night. And I think the waits between courses were more of a kitchen timing issues than on the wait staff. We liked the ambience of the restaurant, and I particularly enjoyed the Freya Prowe art installation over the bar. I would say that it was extremely warm in the restaurant and there needs to be some ceiling fans or something to keep the air moving. So the final question, would I go back? Yes, but with so many great restaurants here in Portland, it's not going to make it to the top of the list right now. I think it will curse of that space on 13th and I'll give it a shot again in the future, just not the near future.
(3)Chris C.
The space is large and really neatly decorated. The wait staff was really nice and the food was good. Its not the most amazing meal, but it was tasty and Id go back.
(4)Tiffany P.
Ok, I admit that I was hooked after reading the article about them in Thursday's Oregonian. A new restaurant in the Pearl,,,Southern type cooking...my mind was reeling, plus we haven't been downtown in about a year, ready for a restaurant trip. I made reservations online for 545 this evening. We arrived and anxiously awaited outside with the other patrons, eager for our first glimpse inside this new restaurant. Inside, the decor is awesome! A cross between a butcher shop and a very stylish barn, they have milk bottles for lights! We were the second couple seated and ended up waiting for 15-20 minutes with no one noticing us. All of the tables seated after us had drinks and were giving food orders while we sat and questioned how long we would wait before we walked out. On the flip side, it was their second night in business, I was willing to forgive, (the reason I took away a star). We finally flagged down a waiter who took our drink order and it was perfect from there. He apologized and explained the menu to us, which is made up of "firsts" and "seconds". We made a meal out of the firsts. Our drinks arrived via a different waitress who advised us that there was a mix up and there was not a waiter scheduled for our area till later, why we were seated there, I cannot tell you. We started with the BBQ shrimp, which comes with 4 large shrimps, a chive drop biscuit and the best sauce I have ever tasted, a cross between a tomato and bbq sauce=DIVINE!!Next, we had the bib salad with blue cheese dressing, the piquillo peppers stuffed with a chicken ragout and the meatballs with smashed potatoes and gravy....one of the best dishes ever! They specialize in wines but since we had been to a few wineries earlier in the afternoon, we partook in a few draft beers, they have some amazing local, different beers (ie Hopworks, Laurelhurst, etc). We were there to celebrate, so we had to have dessert. Our waitress recommended the "sugar and spice donuts" which was SPOT ON!! There was 3 donut holes with a Stumptown coffee ice cream type thing that was "One of the best desserts we ever had", says my husband who is a connoisseur of all things sweet! We will definately be back soon!!!
(4)Tamara M.
Loved everything here. Inventive drinks, a rich veggie entree and amazing butterscotch pudding/custard.
(5)R R.
I have loved the cocktails at Irving Street Kitchen, and think they are the best around. Based on the cocktails and happy hour, I would have rated this place four stars. But man oh man was New Year's Brunch HORRIBLE. My boyfriend and I ordered the waffles and an order of lox benedict. The waffles were cold and hard and the "pork belly" was a chunk of greasy fat, upon which sat a brownish egg. ($15) The eggs benedict was cold. The eggs were underdone, the whites running everywhere. The escarole weirdly paired with the watery, congealing hollandaise sauce. ($15) The orange juice was the size of a shot. And then, we were both ill all day, after a $42 tab. So, two stars for you, Irving Street Kitchen. I'm sad to say that we won't be back.
(1)Richard H.
My wife and I bailed-out on another function and stopped in here on a whim. We were SO happy we did. The staff what friendly and the food was great. When they heard us in a serious debate on what desert to get, they made it easy and sent us home with a complimentary jar of the Butterscotch pudding (a MUST have). Though they forgot to put in my order my second visit, I forgave them when they brought me some grilled banana bread and jam.
(4)David N.
Ate there this evening for the 1st time. I had the steak/rib entree and my wife had the snapper. Food, service, drinks and ambiance were good. The entree portions were not exactly generous. The server did a great job with our large party, including breaking out separate checks.
(4)Dave D.
Awesome! Came here for a Nike dinner and they did it right. Delicious food and wine list. The atmosphere reminded me of a fancy estate style house, complete with bookshelves. Cheers~
(4)Becky F.
I took some clients here in Feb 2011 and it was a great place. It was easy to find, not super busy, where we could still have conversations and the ambience was perfect. We started with the meat/cheese samplers that were perfect.. very fresh, very unique tasting and paired well with the Sav I was drinking. The menu is a bit on the ecclectic side and after careful reading, decided to opt for the blackened salmon and it was delicious.. very fresh. The bisquits are a treat.. and a must try as well.
(4)Melissa R.
We went here for brunch. OMG I had the shrimp and grits and they were so delicious. My husband was soo jealous, he got the burger which was pretty darn tasty as well, but they forgot to put bacon on it, so he was disappointed and the server was nowhere to be found after we got our food that he couldn't tell him that they forgot it. But I loved my breakfast. We also got the fries with the truffle mayo, which was sooo tasty as well. Next time we are Portland we will try this place for dinner.
(4)Kyle K.
Great ambience, Meatball and mash app. was decent. Drinks were average as was the cheese plate. I'll give this place a second try as I did not have a true dinner plate on my first visit.
(3)Kerry W.
They are inflexible to substitutions for brunch--which has me unable to go there with my daughter. I am vegan--how difficult can it be to put more vegetables in the scramble vs eggs? Every restaurant I've ever been to has been willing to accommodate.
(1)Chynele F.
Ive stopped in Irving st kitchen now twice for a quick bite or a cocktail and I was very pleasantly surprised both times! This last time especially. Our server/bartender was very nice and friendly. I will definitely be back
(5)Dina N.
Love the fried chicken...injected with clarified butter steeped in garlic? Love the service and space!
(4)Erin C.
My husband and I tried out this place for our anniversary dinner. Knowing that the Chef was from SF and we lived there for a bit, I thought we would see some of that flavor here. No such luck. Our server was nice but had to narrate everything he did, came in too many times, and made a point of telling us how great our choices were. "Oh yes, that will go perfect with that! You have done this before" I don't know I just prefer a server that is uber cool, minimal chatting. I had the beet salad, it was good. Beets cooked perfectly, but I have had better. My husband had the charcuterie, i believe he had the same opinion. For dinner I had the Hanger Steak with grits. I asked for medium and it was slightly under temp. The char was good, but overpowered all the other flavors on the plate. The grits were quite tasty, but I wasn't able to taste any of the flavor until I ate them on their own. Again, OK but I have had better. My husband had the snapper and was not impressed getting 2 pieces instead of one along with 4 clams and 1 spoonful of risotto. The fish was overcooked as well. For dessert I had the butterscotch pudding, that was the best thing I had there all night. My husband asked for just a hunk of cheese. Apparently no one asked for cheese for dessert and he was basically brought the cheese plate but with only 1 cheese. It was $12 which was a bit excessive for 1 cheese, 3 pieces of toast and 2 rye crackers. We won't be back, there is better food in town.
(2)Melissa C.
As people in the biz, it is often hard to find a place that truly impresses. We were completely impressed. The atmosphere was relaxed & comfortable while at the same time, a place you can go out on a date night. The service was ridiculously attentive--and our server was clearly well-informed, and we followed every one of her recommendations. And the food was absolutely delicious. The gravlax were beautiful and clean. I was squealing ,the rabbit cassoulet was so good, and my husband, a chef, was pretty damn excited about the Sirloin with tamarind. The server picked perfectly paired wines for my husband and a tasty non-alcoholic cocktail for me. The dessert was outstanding. It's rare that we want to go back to a place, and I promise we will be there as often as we can.
(4)jeff f.
I read all the reviews in Yelp and was anxious to check out this place. The restaurant is large and modern with the typical industrial chic look. We ordered the Olive Oil Baked Halibut, Duck Sausage with duck leg confit and some Collard Greens. I had had olive oil halibut at another restaurant a few weeks ago and I will say that version was much better than that of Irving Street. The halibut was a bit on the mushy side. The duck has a very nice taste but both the duck and halibut were very bland. The vegetables served with the entrees were both very good and definitively better than the meats. Our server strongly suggested to try the deserts and she was right. The lemon chess pie with homemade graham cracker crust was wonderful.
(3)Julie R.
I was introduced to Irving St. while slightly inebriated so my recollection of their food is obscured by booze. That being said, the fried chicken was DELICIOUS. On top of that, the very talented bartenders made a special cocktail named White Preakness that uses white whiskey and it is GREAT! Have been back for cocktails and was not disappointed. The decor is lovely and the little lounge area with couches is great for a small group.
(5)Evan B.
We'd actually give it 3.5 stars overall. Here is the plate by plate: Asparagus Soup / preserved lemon - not a winner. Needed salt, and didn't have the taste of Spring - 3 stars. Spiced beets, horseradish creme, pickled mustard seed: nice dressing and flavor - 4 stars. Salmon Gravlox, tartar sauce, rye crackers: excellent- nice sauce and good character - 4 stars. Jambalaya: good, tangy, spicy, but a little sweet - 4.5 stars. Collard Greens: both diners thought the were DE-Licious, but could have done with a little heat - 4.5 stars. Coleslaw: good but small for $6 - 3 stars. Bibb lettuce salad, bleu cheese, apple: good, but croutons are a little mushy (especially considering they served Ken's Artisan Bread on the table); dressing is fabulous - 3.5. Meatballs: plate licking good; sends meatloaf to a new high - 5 stars. Chicken, smashed potatoes: - 5 stars. Rhubarb cobbler recommends over the Lemon Chess, and it was delightful. Tart, right sweetness. - 5 stars. Slow kitchen between salad and entree, especially considering this was a Sunday night (not that busy) and there were 3-4 in the kitchen. Server knowledgeable about selections and made good recommendations - We'd give her a 4.5 stars!
(3)Clayton T.
I was frankly a little disappointed in this restaurant. It came well recommended but the food was less than exceptional. I had the prawn appitizer and then the fried chicken. The prawns were somewhat bland and the chicken was greasey. Surprising for such a well attended and carefully put together place.
(2)Jim A.
This place has excellent service and exceptional food. We will definitely be back the next time we're in Portland.
(5)sanjar a.
Food - 4.5 stars. Presentation 5 stars, taste 4-4.5 stars. Design and ambiance - 5 stars!!!! Great place for a romantic date or just enjoy a solitary dinner or lunch
(5)M G.
I have always enjoyed the food here and I would love to give them 5 stars but I have to share my experience from last night. My dinner was delicious and the wait staff were incredibly attentive. A server approached us and asked if we were done eating and whether they could clear our dishes. We said yes, but I had only eaten 1/3rd of my fried chicken and because I was full I asked to have the leftovers boxed. No problem. The server picked up our empty plates and dirty silverware. Then he picked up my plate and realized that he was unable to carry my plate separately in the same trip back to the kitchen. So... He put all the plates in a pile with mine on top and placed the used silverware from our table on my plate with my leftovers. Totally gross. The leftovers sit in boxes back in the kitchen until you are done dining and receive your check. I typically have no issues with this but god only knows what utensils were used to handle my leftovers and possibly dirty hands handled my food.
(3)Aaron M.
Environment/Ambiance 5 out of 5 (cool decor) Food Quality/value 4 out of 5 (had the fried chicken) Service 3 out of 5 (waitress couldn't give suggestions or more detailed explanations of the entrees. Training??)
(4)Lisa W.
We have a handful of favorite happy hour spots when we spend a weekend in Portland, but I wanted to try a couple of new places this time so I found Irving Street Kitchen on Yelp. The space is very wide open with high ceilings and interesting big light fixtures hanging overhead. We sat at the bar and had excellent service from beginning to end. The bartender was very attentive and brought my glass of Sangiovese and my BF's HUB lager right away. It was interesting that along with my glass of wine, he placed a small Mason jar containing about half a glass of wine. So for the price of a glass of wine, you actually receive a little more than a glass. I wasn't super hungry so I ordered the almond and peanut mixture for $5. My BF ordered the beef tartare with quail egg, tonnato and sourdough crostini ($13). The bartender also brought us a complimentary plate of big, hearty rustic bread and a side of butter. The beef tartare plate looked beautiful and received rave reviews regarding taste. Very cool atmosphere with weathered wood walls and rustic feel...it kind of reminded us of being in the French countryside.
(4)ryan l.
Great ambiance, very good drinks, wonderful service and of course, delicious food. The bar nuts as an appetizer are phenomenal, so simple and so good. I also tried the angels on horseback, which sounds incredible on paper, but unfortunately did not do much for me. This was quite a surprise because anything wrapped in bacon has to be good right? No biggy though... Both the halibut and the steak were home runs and loved the cocktails! Tried the Lowcountry and the Carolina Julep... both were made very well. Nice restaurant experience, would highly recommend, just don't bother with the angels on horseback sadly.
(4)Well Fed Traveler A.
It's always about the food, is it memorable or not. Bottom line would I eat here again..hmm..NO..there are to many other exceptional restaurants in Portland. I would rate it this way: Food 3 stars, decor 2 stars, service 4 stars. I'm afraid this place will sputter along or go extinct, and that's to bad. We had the bacon wrapped oysters appetizer (a "signature dish"), it was surprisingly tasteless and the oysters were mushy. Entree, I had blackened bavette steak with fried grits and cheese, the steak was seared black with little or no seasoning (boring), it came with spinach puree under the steak?? which was very bitter. My wife had the fried chicken, (another signature dish), wow you get a whole half of chicken, to much food. It was moist, flavorful, but not good enough to a repeat, she "doesn't want to eat there again". One big mistake is to serve drip coffee, what no espresso machine?! The NorthWest is the land of espresso! Skip the hype and eat elsewhere.
(3)Alex S.
My scallops were so salty that I could not eat them. I sent them back and they took the dish off the bill.
(2)theresa c.
Ive been three times it started with bang and now has settled on being just OK not A-OK .
(3)J G.
Had brunch here and it was good. The skillet was nice but the side of cheesy grits was what made the meal for me!
(4)Rick S.
Bottom Line - No wait (as of March 2012), tasty food and menu items not greater than $15. Not bad for a backup if you don't have reservations elsewhere or are unwilling to wait. Give it a shot! Came for brunch on 24 March 2012 with 5 other friends, and we ordered the following: Gravlox Benedict ($12.00 x2) - One friend and I ordered this and it was pretty tasty. I liked the lox, and the hollandaise sauce was pretty good. The only thing I didn't really care for was the biscuit... I would have preferred house-made english muffins. Burger ($12.00 x2) - Two of my friends ordered this, and they both thought that the burger patty was too filled with flavour and the avocado couldn't be tasted at all. The garlic fries that came with it were pretty tasty. Eggs Any Style ($11.00 x2) - Two friends got this... one scrambled one poached. The scrambled version was lightly scrambled and it looked so good! My friends seemed to like it. Side Grits ($6.00) - These grits were described as garlic grits, and they were SO GOOD. I think this was my favourite part of the meal. It went really well with the benedict. I'd order it again. Along witg drinks: green tea mimosa ($11.00), EB Law of Nature ($6.00 x2), black coffee ($4.00 x2), our bill came to $107.00 + 20.00 tip = $127.00 total for our table of 6.
(4)Lynn A.
Came here on a Monday night with three other coworkers. We love exploring Portland, but this restaurant had not been on our list of places to try. One of my coworkers explained that it was pretty trendy a couple years ago. Still seems great to me! We had the charcuterie plate, fried oysters, burrata/tomato salad and lox plate to start. They charcuterie was a bit underwhelming. I think a lot was made in house, but it all sort of tasted the same. The fried oysters were great, but it's hard to go wrong. The burrata salad could have used some more burrata and flavor. Our main dishes were fabulous though. All meats were done to perfection. My friend really enjoyed the lamb. And the butterscotch pudding for dessert. It was the sort of thing where it actually physically hurts to eat but you can continue to do so, because it's THAT good. In a bout of bad (good?) sense, we also ordered the creme brûlée with bay leaf. Interesting flavor and also worth ordering!
(4)Hey U.
I thought brunch was quite good when we met 6 friends there a few weeks ago. 8 adults, 1 child - not an issue with a meal or service. Everyone was happy with their meal. I got the breakfast version of Jambalaya which was good. Was a little more of a afternoon/evening meal for me, not quite what I was expecting but was tasty nevertheless. My toddler son was a complete a-hole running around in the empty back room and to the couches twice...service didn't blink an eye. Good thing he's cute and albeit rambunctious but fairly quiet. Would like to try it kid free - but we really enjoyed ourselves.
(4)Brooke G.
Quarterly my girlfriends and I go out to a nice restaurant that's been on our [never-shortening] list of Portland hot-spots to try to celebrate our birthdays. Last night, the birthday girl picked Irving St. Kitchen. It was my first time...and honestly, I'd missed the hype on the place. The ambiance was rustic/romantic. Because I'm an east-sider, I tend to like the smaller, more intimate restaurants characteristic of East Portland, but Irving St. Kitchen had the perfect cozy feel. Dinner was absolutely fantastic! We shared four entrees: the trout, the pork cutlets, the steak and the truffle-stuffed guinea hen. Each dish was perfectly complemented with winter vegetables and cooked to perfection. But, it was the guinea hen that stole my heart. So tender it melted in your mouth, the guinea hen was lightly covered with a guinea hen liver au jus... Truffles and liver au jus. Decadent, but light. Unique and amazing. I thought I could walk away happily...then I had the butterscotch pudding. Heart stolen...again. Do not miss it, folks. This will have you licking the plate and wishing you had space for more.
(5)Adam P.
Food was great, ambiance and design of the place was great, the service was OK. The interior of the restaurant is well designed and has some unique features. The menu is not large but has some higher end selections and the price reflects that. The prices are reasonable for the upscale restaurant, the portion sizes were a little small though. It is more upscale than casual but not dressy. A good date or night on the town place. My biggest issues was I asked twice for bread, once when we ordered and once when our first dishes came out. We never got any bread. Bread is not automatically brought out here, menu clearly states to ask which I did. For a nice place like this the bread should be standard or the wait staff should ask if the table wants some. Still a good place though that could have got 5* from me but a place like this should be missing the mark at all.
(3)Emma F.
We arrived here with the belief that this would be a great experience. Busy Friday night- and we were seated immediately so that was a definite plus. Our first dish was the Salmon Gravlax 'platter'; this dish was exceptionally tiny though we did enjoy it (three rye crackers... whaaaat...). We then ordered our next two courses, mine being a celeriac and white truffle oil "soup" (it was really more of a lukewarm and VERY bland puree) along with the Salmon and melted leek dish with sorrel sauce. First off, the leeks were along the lines of quickly sauteed-- but nowhere near the appeal of melted. A very inaccurate description. This dish could have been elevated with a brown butter or perhaps a proper amount of salt, but it was overall a very shallow flavor. But I will say that the salmon was cooked wonderfully. My boyfriend ordered the barbecue shrimp along with the "17 hour" truffle short ribs. The barbecue sauce on the shrimp was delicious but the large amount of filler bread under the shrimp was oily and soppy all the way through. In regards the the short rib dish, it seemed that the description epitomized inaccuracy. They may have cooked it for 17 hours, but anyone could cook short ribs and yield the same product in 20 minutes. Tough. Chewy. Un-glazed. And quite far from the advertised and expected level of tenderness. I might add that this dish was also lacking in the salt department. Just to keep harping on this-- don't put horseradish in the description if you plan on putting the most undetectable amount on as possible. We shall not be returning, it's safe to say. Maybe the brunch is where it's at, but we won't be back to find that out. Service was decent
(2)Cydney B.
15 stars for this one... 5 for the food. 5 for the service (Eva). 5 for the ambiance/decor. We happened into this place by accident on a visit from San Francisco, and we're happily surprised that it is the brother restaurant to our fave restaurant in San Francisco -- Town Hall. The Huz was sick NY Eve this year, so we missed our annual celebration at Town Hall but more than made up for it at Irving Street. Huz had the fried chicken and I had the brook trout and we shared the butterscotch dessert. Now Irving Street is our fave Portland restaurant.
(5)Jackie R.
WOW and wow again! As has been said by many previous reviewers, there is a LOT to love about this fabulous restaurant. It seemed to us that no detail had been overlooked, making a recent dinner one we will long remember. A few highlights? Patrick , our waiter, was personable and knowledgeable. He answered our questions thoughtfully, saw to our every need, and had a TERRIFIC sense of humor. We haven't had a better waiter anywhere. The space was wonderful, with some quirky touches but not over-the-top, which might have distracted us from the delicious food. The food: Fried oysters--briny, crunchy, and not at all greasy Gravlax---satiny smooth, served with a lovely cucumber salad, fresh dill, house-made rye crackers, and a marvelous sauce Fried chicken with smashed potatoes and a cream gravy---Among the tastiest, juiciest, crunchiest I have EVER had the pleasure of tasting. [My love of fried chicken goes back 50 years; as a child, while traveling across the country by car, I wrote a fried chicken guide to America.]. This chicken had been brined but was not overly salty. It was moist---even the breast. YUM! FYI, the portion was immense! Side of broccoli- market fresh, served perfectly cooked with interesting components. House-made ricotta (?) cavatelli with crawfish, sweet corn, and summer squash--- A very rich, savory preparation, which I personally would have preferred as an appetizer, in a smaller portion. Excellent amber ale. Fantastic bread from Ken's Artisan Bakery---served on request. We thought this was the best bread we had EVER eaten in a restaurant. Parenthetically, the butter was served at the perfect temperature, which is, sadly, quite unusual. Even though we thought we could not fit one more bite into our mouths/stomachs, we just could not resist the butterscotch pudding. I will just say this: Tonight we wanted to return for a take -out order! A cup of delicious, whole-leaf Bergamot tea. Excellent coffee. We would not have missed this dining experience for anything. If we are ever asked by anyone where to eat in Portland, we will give Irving Street Kitchen our most enthusiastic recommendation. When is the New York sister restaurant opening?
(5)J F.
We wanted to do brunch before Christmas shopping and couldn't have picked a better place. We love seeking out restaurants where the menu includes 'not your everyday basics', but a selection of foodie items that makes your mouth water just by reading it. My husband had the Salmon Gravlax Benedict with a side of Tasso bacon and I indulged in the Smoked Scrambled Egg Nachos. The eggs for his Benedict were poached perfectly and the chips for my nachos (homemade?) kept their crispness throughout our meal. I must mention their Bloody Marys hit the spot even on this cooler morning. Nice big windows to people watch, good energy, wonderful high ceilings and pleasant staff. We must try dinner soon!
(5)Stef M.
Brunch was good! Amazing cocktails, try the shambala, with OJ and whiskey. Sounds weird, but it was spot on. They made me a strong cappuccino, as well, and even asked what kind of milk I wanted in it. Gravlax eggs benedict were quite good, but the biscuits were disappointingly chewy. And the dill in the hollandaise didn't really come through as much as I thought it would. Definitely try the assorted pastries: you get a doughnut, chocolate pumpkin bread, and a muffin topped with streusel and filled with rhubarb jam. I still can't decide which is my favorite. I saw someone at the next table had ordered the french toast, and it looked amazing. Whoever chose the brunch soundtrack should get a promotion, because it was brilliant: New Order, Morrissey, Tears for Fears. Cool interior, really nice and friendly waitress. If they had nailed the biscuits, this would have been a 4-star review.
(3)Michael C.
(Note that so far we've only been here for brunch.) Overall, given the other strong reviews, the cool atmosphere, and the interesting menu, I'm willing to give this place another try. But, our first experience here was mediocre. The french toast was alright, but the breakfast nachos left a lot to be desired. The grilled avocado was quite overdone (black nearly all around), and it definitely felt like there was something missing -- it wasn't terrible, but it just wasn't as tasty or filling as we'd hoped for given the popularity of this restaurant. It sounds like dinner is supposed to be better, so we'll try that next.
(3)Kat P.
Amazing Food! Amazing Service! Really enjoy grabbing a specialty cocktail and the fried chicken is to die for. Highly recommend for someone looking for a great atmosphere. Not to mention, their desserts are some of the best around.
(5)Tatiana P.
I would not recommend going here. Made a reservation for valentines day with my boyfriend and I were very excited about. One of the things we started the meal with was a cloud cap cheese that had white truffle honey on it. The cheese was very bland and tasteless and the tiny drizzle of honey that they gave us tasted absolutely nothing like truffles. After that we should a ravioli with crab on it. This part of the meal was not particularly bad but they only gave us three raviolis for $15. For my entree I ordered something I was very excited about, a quail stuffed with duck sausage. This tasted exactly like a big block of salt and it came with some cranberry sauce. The cranberry sauce would have helped to drown out the salt if they had given me enough but instead they literally gave me a quarter of a teaspoon smeared on the side of the plate. My boyfriend did however enjoy his fried chicken and he agrees with me that it was the only good part of the meal. Overall very disappointing, very overpriced, and very skimpy portions of food that was made to sound much better than what it really was.
(2)Reena M.
Wow! This place is amazing. I wish I had a bigger appetite by the time I got to Irving St. Kitchen, but we ended up having dinner elsewhere when we got into town as we were starvin' like Marvin. Then we proceeded to go on a self-guided pub crawl and found ourselves by Irving St. Kitchen. We stopped in for dessert and regardless of how many pints we had earlier, this was a memory etched in our brains - the desserts and cocktails were that good! We got seated at a cool little table in a small nook in the restaurant. The table itself was made of a large cross section of a tree. It was pretty cool. It felt like we were in this hidden corner away from the rest of the world (except when the servers popped by). The servers, by the way, were really helpful with cocktail suggestions. Unfortunately, the cocktails are not what I remember vividly. We got the butterscotch pudding and a chocolate torte with sour cherries. They were delicious - maybe even orgasmic! I would have loved to come here for actual dinner, but maybe next time.
(5)Natalie B.
I really used to love this place. We dined here relatively often for both dinner and brunch and always had great meals/service. Yes, it was a little spendy but worth it. We went back last night, bringing out of town guests. I was excited because the menu had a bunch of new items that looked wonderful. Right off the bat I noticed the prices for both food and drink were significantly higher. Fine, I get it, probably worth it based on my past experiences here. Appetizers were good (although took over 30 minutes to arrive), stand out was the octopus salad. Then the entrees arrived. We were all shocked to see the portion sizes. $28 for a piece of salmon that was probably 5 bites? Same price for 3 scallops? The food tasted good, not as great as in the past, but not bad. It seems like the new menu has almost doubled the prices and halved the portions. I'm willing to pay $$$ for a good meal, but this was not the case. The final bill averaged over $70/person (we each had wine/cocktail), too much for what it was. Too bad this place has gone downhill as it used to be a favorite!
(2)Randy S.
Salmon on spaghetti squash, wedge butter leaf salad, steelhead trout grilled asparagus and buckwheat side with a nice Pinot Gris. We sat at the bar since without a reservation a table was out of the question. With the open bar and dining area, it was a perfectly fine place to sit for a casual diner. The bartender seemed a bit put off by having us order order dinner, and generally gave off a bad vibe, but we did enjoy our entrees and simply ignored the bartender. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. One star off for the poor service, but as an out-of-towner i'd return to this restaurant.
(4)Steph L.
My fiance and I came here for a nice Valentine's brunch. We didn't make a reservation beforehand (we actually stopped at three other popular hot-spots for brunch but the wait was 1.5 hrs long for each), so luckily Irving St. had an opening for 10:15 am. I had the sourdough french toast with cranberry compote and it was divine. It came with a small scoop of chocolate chip ice cream which I thought was a little strange and over-the-top, but that's just me. I was more in the mood for breakfast, not exactly dessert. The sourdough complemented the sweetness of the compote/syrup, and was not heavy at all, like french toast can be. The perfect amount of sweetness. My fiance had the ham & cheese croissant with a side salad. Salad was really large and he ate a majority of it since he said the vinaigrette was great. (in my opinion, it looked too glossy and was overly dressed). But he never eats something he doesn't like. The sandwich wasn't your standard croissant with ham and cheese in between; it looks like they stuffed it and then popped it in the oven and egg-washed it extra for more shininess. It was pretty toasted (and by that i mean brown), but not burnt. I took a bite and thought it was good, not something I'd get though(too oily for me). Service was good, but probably because the place was not packed yet and we totally lucked out with Open Table. The food came fairly quickly. We had a laugh at the end bc the waiter brought us the check and sandwiched it in one of those little memo pads you get at any bookstore and I guess previous patrons draw random things in the book, along with compliments about the food. Well the page the waiter left our check on had a huge drawing of a hairy penis, balls and all. Nice wrap-up to our v-day brunch.
(4)Nicole H.
My friend and I went here last night. Walked in, waited....waited....and waited for someone to greet us. Two hostesses were busy venting about something, then one finally asked if we had been helped. "No" Then she asks what do we need. "Well, we would like to be seated." Then just says "sit wherever your comfortable." But there were no seats available, so we left. Very poor customer service! Such a shame because this was my first time going and had heard good things.
(1)Ana R.
Scrumptious brunch, as good as it gets. I suggest starting with the Sugar and Spice donuts, they are sweet and goey inside. My favorite dishes are the pork belly waffles and the green fried tomatoes BLT. But in between my husband, in-laws and friends we have had everything on the menu and they were all very satisfied. They serve Smith Tea (my favorite) and their lemonade is made to order (delicious!) I've also been there for dessert and they were amazing. I love their decor, specially the repurposed milk bottles lamp and they have bookcases with old library books that you can read while waiting for the food.
(5)Brian N.
Last night a friend and I went here for happy hour. We sat at the bar top and were greeted by an excellent bar tender. I had two drinks called Adios something and they were mixed perfect. I ordered the meatballs, jambalaya and wedge salad. My friend ordered the chicken something oysters, Jambalaya and meatballs. Everything was A+ except the wedge salad wasn't really my style. Prefer the tomato and bacon over pecans, radish and apple toppings. The meatballs were so good we each ordered another order. In and out for $66 for both...awesome! Service A+, love the buildout and will be back for full dinner and will reserve the private both/tables which they have like 5 of. Really cool! Hope this place makes it!
(5)Philip S.
A lovely atmosphere. And the food was quite good. But this place suffers from the same problem as so many Portland establishments and that is inexperienced staff. Our server had very poor timing and left the table empty for long periods then cluttered it with too many things all at once. The clearest example of poor timing was during desert course when I asked to see the list of available whiskies. this was promptly delivered as were the deserts but server did not return to ask about whisky until desert plates were empty. Senseless. I did not order the whisky and desert was not as much fun without it.
(3)Adam M.
Always enjoy the food here.... delicious but comfortable and casual. Can get expensive though.
(4)Vi B.
A very classy, funky, cool, polished place. I had my birthday party here, and thought the staff did an amazing job taking care of me and my friends - we were a pretty large (and loud) group, and it was nice to be doted on for my special day. The food was great (I had chicken and waffles, and if you've read any of my other reviews you'd know I go loco over this dish), and the drinks are strong. It's not the kind of place you'd go if you were looking to rage (especially since the crowd's a bit older and I imagine 'raging' isn't in their vocabulary), but it is a very cool place to start a night with friends (and cocktails).
(4)Katherine K.
Service is wonderful, and the space is beautiful; a bright and inviting place to enjoy a meal with friends. The food is consistently good. The Salmon Gravlax Benedict with buttermilk biscuits, wilted greens, dill hollandaise and the Levain French Toast with cranberry, cherry compote and mascarpone are dishes I would come back for. The steel cut oatmeal and sugar and spice donuts were also good, though not anything spectacular enough to get me to order them again. I made reservations here for a brunch for a baby shower, and the manager was very helpful, and our table was set up when we arrived.
(4)Kirsten H.
While the food was good the portions were ridiculously small for the expensive prices. The service was ok but the restaurant was really loud. Not worth the money.
(2)Judy L.
the best steamed clams with bacon wrapped quail egg. everything was on point here. we got the squid ink risotto, chanterelle ravioli, tomato soup, and extra bread because the butter was so fresh and amazing. ambiance is great, service is attentive and quick, waitress is very versed in all dishes.
(5)Christian K.
Located in the Pearl District at 13th and Irving, the Irving St. Kitchen has quickly become a brunch favorite. From the moment you enter the space, the ambiance portrays a very cool vibe with a bit of trendy, yet somewhat familiar, flair. The bar is located just in front of the entrance with high top seating to the left and nice two top seating in front of the fireplace. There is a great lounge type area to the left of the entrance, which is almost a modern version of the old school coffeehouse. Sofas around a living room type table offer a groovy, yet comfortable area to enjoy drinks while you visit with friends or even wait for a table in the main dining room. Preferring to sit in the bar for brunch, the Irving St. Kitchen has never failed to please. Pete, the bartender, has waited on me, or me and my husband, the last three times I've been to the restaurant and has always provided great, consistent service. He's knowledgeable about the menu and always has good wine and drink recommendations. Now, on to the food! The brunch menu offered at Irving St., is fantastic. During our latest visit, I ordered the Soft Scrambled Egg Nachos with Refried Beans, Smoked Tomatillo Salsa, and Grilled Avocado and my husband ordered the Smoked Tasso Jambalaya Skillet Eggs. The textures and flavors of both were well thought out and wonderfully layered, each bite offering an expected, yet new and unexpected, experience. The only thing I'd note here is that they edge on using just a bit too much salt and I truly think if they pulled back on that just a bit, it would really allow a fuller experience of all the spices and flavors they have formulated and put together. Previously, I have also enjoyed the Bibb Wedge Salad with Rogue Blue Cheese, Pink Lady Apple, Radish, Candied Pecan, and Tasso Bacon, as well as the Poached Yellowfin Tuna Nicoise, Kalamata Vinaigrette and Cherry Tomato salad, and would easily order either again. In conclusion, if you are looking for a great place to have brunch which offers a twist on some classics, as well as some more nontraditional options, definitely go to the Irving St. Kitchen. It is a restaurant with a menu and service level that offers a wonderfully refreshing experience. Please note that this review is for the brunch experience only. To date, I have not had the pleasure of dining here for dinner but plan on changing that fact in the very near future.
(4)Jenni L.
I really want to hate this place just for being so incredibly yuppy but the service is always superb and everything on the menu just makes me so damn happy that I can't help but love it. I came here again recently with the girls for one of their quarter century birthdays. We had scored a table out on the deck which was really nice as it was one of those uncommon blissful 70 degree nights. Because it was a girls-only birthday dinner we felt it appropriate to start the night out with bright pink cosmos, which were fabulous. On a side note, the bartenders are fantastic and will always go out of their way to find out how to make anything you order that isn't on the list. Random prohibition era cocktails? Check. Something with Pims you ordered once at a bar on the east coast? Check. The food is even better. For dinner I ordered the seared snapper with cumin roasted potatoes, Johnston ham, brown butter and the juiciest roasted peaches known to man. The snapper was great, but those peaches really stole the show. I love that Irving St. constantly rotates their menu to reflect the best of what's in season at the time. It makes for some really superb seasonal items and is the main reason I have such confidence in the menu. One of my friends ordered the meatballs, which I've actually had before, but didn't stop me from stealing a bite. Still awesome. I'm a little sad that we didn't order the buttermilk biscuits with the red pepper jelly, because they were such a showstopper last time, but that really only gives me more reason to make a trip back again soon. The inside of Irving St. is really just as spectacular as sitting outside. I'm in love with the milk bottle lighting, as well as the entire bar area with it's cute animal prints, squashy window seating and pretty vintage appeal. In fact, Irving St. might be my favorite place to go esthetically. It walks the line of being an upscale establishment yet contains no ounce of pretention. This is a superb example of a truly fantastic restaurant and bar in the Pearl.
(5)Lauren S.
Stopped in here Sunday morning for breakfast. We got there as soon as they opened and to be honest they were a little slow. I get it, I'm not a morning person but I wish our coffee would have come sooner than it did. The poached eggs were really good but I'd def suggest ordering a side of bacon or something since the two poached eggs aren't really a lot of food. We shared the doughnuts - also tasty. Guys that sat beside us were having a fit that the space looked like a Restoration Hardware exploded but I thought the space was beautiful. Loved how open it felt. Large chandeliers were pretty and interesting and I liked how the space was split up with bookshelves and such. Love rustic, modern decor even though it is a little overdone.
(4)Chad V.
Had Sunday brunch here and was disappointed with the food. The chicken and waffles I ordered came out of the kitchen cold so I sent it back. The chef made another one but didn't cook the chicken all the way so it was raw in the middle... I had to order a completely different meal in order to get something cooked thoroughly and hot. The waitress was really nice but overall the food wasn't good at all.
(2)Tamara C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a destination I intend to frequent more often as I live within walking distance. The place was hopping' recently when I met up with a group of my fellow Yeeps during First Thursday. Our server did not miss a beat. Her upbeat attitude and skill at keeping everyone with a cocktail in hand and getting happy hour orders in under the wire was much appreciated. She rocked. Although I did not order food, my pals that had the Mac n'Cheese tell me it was fantastic. I was particularly enamored with my absinthe cocktails. The Chrysanthemum, which I ordered off the cocktail menu and the "dealer's choice"... a concoction created for me by our skilled bartender was a winner. Next time I will partake of that terrific HH menu. ISK is now back on my radar - I'll be seeing you next weekend.
(5)Frank C.
We had a wonderful dinner here and enjoyed eating outside. We had the Corn crab soup, baby green salad, hazlenut crusted halibut, and rice-stuffed crab. The halibut was very tender with light crust and delicate flavor with lemon relish butter. Can't go wrong here!
(4)Emily P.
Great atmosphere that is fun but still sophisticated. The waiter was well informed on the menu and gave great information! I will be heading back for evening drinks for sure!
(4)Chad A.
My partner and I came here for brunch almost every sunday for about a year and we were never disappointed. The french toast changes seasonally and we made sure to order whatever new flavor variation they had come up with. Dinner is fantastic making this our go to restaurant for entertaining friends and family who were visiting PDX.
(5)Eve K.
Cool, unique spot in warehousey pearl street row of nice places with great, fresh food and a casual, fun, yet upscale atmosphere. Food 4.2 Atmosphere: 5 Service: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3.5 (aps ~$11, entrees ~$25) Return worthiness: yes - Atmosphere: love the decor which was a type of rustic, northwestern, open, and quirky. The chandelier made of old school glass milk bottles and bar area with animal shadow drawings stood out. - Halibut: fresh with good variety in texture, but the star of the show was the corn. Close second was the stellar subtle curry with crawfish sauce - Drinks: strong bourbon ones were great - Wine: served in mini mason jars Midlights: - Cornbread: dug the sweet Bourbon glaze, but actual corn bread slice didn't have much flavor even with jalapeño - Tomato watermelon salad: turned into standard Caprese but was expecting more excitement from the grilled watermelon. It was more like a green circle that looked like it could be a twin of a green tomato and didn't see any proof of grilling Lowlights: - Peach turnover: 3 mini half moon shaped pastries with no flavor but points for effort on the bourbon ice cream Enjoyed the place's food, drink, and atmosphere and would return.
(4)Melissa L.
I have now eaten a great brunch at ISK, so it's time for a review update. I went to ISK for brunch solo, after receiving a massage a block or so away. Clearly I was in a relaxed state of mind, but it was also still early (not quite 11AM on a Saturday) and I hadn't had breakfast yet, thus was a bit bleary-eyed and hungry. I had heard that the brunch wait could be long here, so I was stunned to walk in and sit right down at the bar, its only patron. (It happened to be a very cold, blustery morning, which may have had an impact on the number of people coming out for brunch.) I was greeted warmly by the bartender and offered a cocktail menu right away. I wasn't feeling quite up to a cocktail yet, and instead ordered a huge mug of perfectly-pulled Stumptown americano. Perfectamundo. The gravlax benedict jumped off the brunch menu page at me, so I knew I had to order it. It arrived and was beautiful, but I realized that I had forgotten to ask for the eggs to be poached until the yolk is set, because I'm not a fan of runny yolks. Oh well, my fault, can't blame ISK for that one. As it turned out, the slightly-runny yolks really went well with the smoked salmon and the gorgeous, fluffy biscuit that was the base for the whole dish. I ate the whole plate in about 8 bites, it was that good. I also immensely enjoyed the jazz/blues tunes they had on the PA during my meal. I might have stayed longer, but time was running out on my 3-hr-limit parking space. I may have just gotten very lucky with my timing and the weather, but it was a perfect brunch experience ( or at least as perfect as it could be while dining alone.) I will definitely be back, if I find myself in the Pearl/NW around brunch again...hopefully then I'll have the fortitude to try one of their really complicated-looking cocktails.
(5)Biker S.
Really enjoyed the ambiance and decor of this place and the food was good but not great. That suggests to the three of us that it is a bit overpriced and does not live up to its price expectations. Will likely go back soon and check out its happy hour.
(3)Miss M.
Thank god for this place!!! We ended up here after a disaster at the Pink rose (Check out my hilarious review of that crap shack!) First impression was not so great when the hostess was short and snappy when we didn't have a reservation (I get it there was like 14 people in the place) and when we asked to sit outside. Luckily it was all made better by our server who brought coffee and mimosas. The key to this yelper's heart? Booze and java! And you serve it on a hipster tray with raw brown sugar cubes cuz splenda packets are so 2005? EVEN BETTER! Breakfast was like heaven carny goodness. I had eggs bacon and potatoes with toast. Pretty backs right? Nope! Irving street's ooh can throw it down in the kitchen. i had to refrain from licking my plate it was that good. Over all Irving street is a win. I think the hostesses may be a little full of themselves but overall I will 100% be back next time I'm in Portland.
(4)Troy W.
Irving St Kitchen has all the elements that I look for in a restaurant. The drinks, food, ambiance, creature comforts and service is great. The roasted trout was great and pared with wheatberry for a hearty starch. The limey bastard SAS a delicious gin drink. The decor was simple yet week thought out. Not pearl district hipster but refined new American. It's easy to get a great seat art the bar and the staff will concoct a masterpiece or pour from the tap a glass of wine! A great spot for a date, reunion or just catching up.
(5)Anthony W.
Ate here with some friends and had a great time. We had a huge table of about 12 people and the servers did a great job attending to our needs in a timely fashion. The food was good but nothing to write home about. What I mean about this is that everything we ordered was just on par with a good meal but didn't blow our socks off. They did mix up some great cocktails and the decor is nice. Would still come here again to eat.
(4)Alison T.
This is in my top 5 favorite restaurants in Portland. I've been here 3 times (twice for dinner and once for brunch). The service has always been 100% satisfactory. In fact, last time we were there our foie gras took longer than the other apps to come out so it was on the house, as well as a charcuterie plate because the kitchen had been busy and the entrees were taking too long. The food though is fantastic!! I've tried so many things off the menu, but my favorite has to be the mahi mahi with bacon and sautéed mushrooms. Every bite was so succulent and the mushrooms were meaty and flavorful. Great fried chicken! As an entree, or as the chicken and waffles (for brunch). Crunchy, crispy, and peppery. The desserts hold their own, and I would even recommend just popping in for a butterscotch pudding. The texture is so fluffy and creamy, nothing like the heavy or grainy stuff from the box. It's my absolute favorite. I rave about it to anyone who will listen. For brunch they serve Happy Cup coffee, which is a local roaster. It is now my favorite and a must-have in my pantry. I am forever indebted to Irving St. Kitchen for the coffee, alone.
(5)R C.
It's gone way downhill in the past 6 months and I won't be back. The cocktails are always disappointing and the food quality doesn't match ambiance or price point. The seafood is always mushy from being improperly defrosted. The head on gulf prawns were a joke, they assembled poor quality shrimp with unmatched heads! Come on!
(2)Kathy B.
I've been here for brunch, dinner, and now happy hour. The service has always been friendly and available. I know that saying a server is available is odd,but in this town, sometimes a server is as hard to find as a place that doesn't have a happy hour. I'm sitting at Irving St kitchen outside on the patio. There is only one other group here. For a happy hour, the place is empty. The happy hour wine served is passable and one of the cheaper ones from Spain. The menu is limited but unique. It's not the regular hamburger and pub food in a lot of places. The tasso jambalaya was amazing (made with their own handmade andouille sausage). I forgot to mention that they have a dismal selection of beers on Happy hour. However, the regular selection is good and they have wine and cocktails.
(5)Deanna N.
Went for happy hour on a Sunday night. Portions are small, but did enjoy the wings. And of course their signature bell jar butterscotch budino. I do love this place, but think I'll come for a full meal or brunch and always willing to take that butterscotch home! A friend told me one year she bought it to give out as Christmas presents.
(4)Bill W.
As a tourist I heard about the eclectic Portland food scene. The Irving Street Kitchen epitomizes this. The 'southern comfort food' was creative without losing it southern roots.
(5)Jonathan N.
Come for the happy hour, its a great price and has a nice selection of wines and spirits, as well as appetizers. The other thing i like about this place is the wine on tap, which means you get to try out a few on request. I like this place because it's designed well, not too crowded, nicely modern - portland style. Go for it, take a friend, take your mom, take a date.
(4)Janice F.
Love the ambiance - open patio space, cabana booths & lots of other seating options to accommodate larger groups. Eclectic but modern furnishings, bookcases & couches. Service was efficient & attentive - they refolded napkins when we went to the bathroom, kept water glasses filled at all times. Food-wise, the seared foie with peanut butter & apple jelly was really good! Although, I think the peanut butter did overpower the foie a bit. But the foie itself was cooked really nicely. Their fried chicken is a half a chicken, it's a large portion - you get 3 pieces, thigh drumstick & breast. Good, but Screen Door still takes the cake. Loved the butterscotch pudding dessert - comes with caramel sauce & vanilla whipped cream. Would come back for a relaxing brunch.
(4)Kate D.
A must dining experience in Portland. Rustic chic with a twist. Loved the ambiance and presentation. Great outdoor area. Small plates were amazing. We had salmon gravlax and the crab lyonnaise salad was to die for.
(5)Bruce W.
Found the entire experience lacking on my third visit after thoroughly enjoying this place the first two times we had dinner there. Our waiter was either having a bad night or he's in the wrong job. He made us feel like we were such a bother at every turn. With the exception of the host/hostess, the front house staff made us feel like they didn't want us there. For example, when my wife got up to go to the bathroom, she nearly got run over by a waiter who brushed past her in the aisle rather than waiting for her to go by. When I ordered "another one of these" from a different person and was making sure they knew my cocktail order, they cut me off, saying "got it" as they turned on their heel and walked away. Nobody checked with us after the entrees were served. Our check was delivered before we were offered desert. I saw another reviewer describe what I experienced as "Portland Waiter Syndrome" where the waiter makes you feel like a nuisance for being in the restaurant. That pretty much sums up our impression on our last visit. There are so many restaurants in Portland where both the food and service are excellent. I'll be grateful when I've forgotten all about Irving Street Kitchen.
(2)C Z.
Excellent food. However, the waiter forgot our appetizer completely and we thought he forgot about us for a good 25 min, then our entree arrived. Regardless, good food, great decor and ambiance altogether a 5 star and worth the price.
(5)Chris B.
I am never disappointed when I eat here. No matter what the meal is excellent the service is excellent and I am always so happy when I leave. Even if you don't want southern food still eat here and you'll be surprised and defiantly enjoy yourself.
(4)aaron r.
I've been here a few times and each time is great...dinners are great as is brunch. Minus 1 star for service that is sometimes aloof, but even with slightly sub-par service, this place still deserves at least 4 stars.
(4)Jeffrey K.
My wife and were in Portland a few months ago, and looking for someplace new to try. The Yelp reviews were good, so we gave it a try. This is now our favorite restaurant in Portland. We have been there twice for Sunday brunch, and once for dinner. We have not had a bad meal. My favorite has to be the double cheeseburger. Has grilled pastrami and sour kraut on it. Amazing! The atmosphere is relaxed, but full of energy at the same time. The staff has been great. The last time there, we did not have time to stay for desert. Our server brought my wife a jar of butterscotch pudding for us to take with us, on the house! I found the prices were very reasonable, especially for being in the Pearl District. Does get very busy, so if you have the time to make a reservation, I would recommend it. I can't wait to return.
(5)Michael S.
Cool vibe and neat decor. Food was interesting and well prepared, served by a very attentive staff. Be sure to ask for bread, as they don't just put it on the table, and it's no charge and very good...but leave room for the meal :-)
(4)Jamie L.
Food was amazing! The wording of the menu may seem off putting with wording. But oh my gosh the food was mind blowing my awesome. Definitely get the halibut, steak, apricot upside down cake and/or the vanilla bean cheesecake.
(5)Jess A.
Cute, very well decorated. Good for brunch it's not too loud. Go with friends or your significant other you'll have a good time. Food was good and quick. Coffee wasn't impressive. Drinks were pretty good there too. I'll go back.
(4)Kerri M.
I only came here for dessert. Butterscotch pudding. It was pretty amazing.
(4)Jone V.
we had a sunday morning (make reservations!) breakfast here, but i have had better poached eggs with hollandaise saus. need i say more? but the cappuccino was delicious and made up for the price. the personnel definitely works hard doing their best, but the cooks could use more training, in my opinion.
(2)Gillian T.
I can't say enough great things about this place. I've been for dinner, happy hour, and brunch and every single time the food knocks me away. The servers are knowledgeable about their offerings and are friendly and nice without being overbearing or overly attentive, which can detract from service sometimes. I would give them 5 stars except that at brunch this past weekend, the coffee was TERRIBLE. I don't know if it was the prep of it or the coffee itself, but it was baaaaaad. Kind of disappointing since every other detail of this place is so well thought out. Everything else was 5 stars though.
(4)Sherry C.
Irving St. Kitchen was highly recommended by a fellow frequent traveler foodie friend and we were so glad we had went b/c it was the highlight of our wkd trip to Portland. We had made a reservation for dinner and was seated promptly upon arrival. Although the noise level was moderately high, my companion and I were tucked into one of the alcoves which was really romantic. The menu items were creative and delicious. Who knew peaches and trout would tastes so good together. The fried chicken was juicy and the batter had a nice crunch to it. Being conditioned by Bay Area prices, even though the prices were printed on the menu, we were pleasantly surprised by the check when it had came. We highly recommend Irving St. Kitchen to friends and family visiting Portland!
(5)Vanessa M.
One of the few places you can make a reservation for brunch! It makes life so much easier when you can do that! The coffee is strong and hot, and the waiter was good about the refills. We had the salmon benedict and the moroccan slow poached eggs. Both were really great with tons of flavor, but the portions were kind of small. Maybe we are just used to huge brunch portions everywhere or maybe the plates they use are just too big. In any case the food was spot on and we will be back for brunch again and to try dinner.
(4)Livia M.
Big open planned space. Great happy hour options that can take you all the way to dinner. Lots of options on the wine taps and friendly, efficient, staff (and other guests).
(4)Scott A.
Fantastic service.. Our cheeky waitress was a master at up selling lol Great food, being from Melbourne Australia we are a bit spoilt in culinary aspects but Irving St Kitchen really restored my faith in American cuisine. Great night out Thank you
(4)Tom D.
Great space, though large. I was here on a weekend and it wasn't very full, maybe it's more of a weekday place. It's always a challenge to fill a huge space for a restaurant. Our waiter was excellent, and as it was our first visit we basically went with his reccos. All were good, although the fried chicken is not Southern fried Chicken style, so if you're expecting that (and the person ordering it was) you may be disappointed. The "angels on horseback" and the T&T Pigs foot were very good. The entrees were all solid, but nothing spectacular. We had the Cod, the Fried Chicken, the Short rib, and the Salmon between us, and the Short Ribs were my favorite of the four. This place is a good, not great, restaurant in a great space, with great service. I'll be back
(4)Christi P.
well well, look who makes an amazing salmon benedict. I actually went and joined a gym after eating it, just so that I can come back and order it again without worrying about adding a pants size. We had brunch by the huge windows in the bar area. The space is really beautiful, I love the ink drawings hanging over the bar (I wanted to take the pig home with me). Ya'll can brew some stumptown coffee too, I felt like a superhero after 3 cups of that stuff! Can't wait to come back for drinks and dinner if the scene is right at night. Like.
(5)Martin B.
Great space. We sat in an alcove between bookcases. Server must have been new. He made a couple of poor recommendations and had to read descriptions of many things. The chicken was AMAZING.
(3)Karen D.
good food, but very small portions for the price
(3)Trish S.
Great ambiance! We sat in one of their private cozy booths and the service was spectacular. The drink selection is vast, my favorite cocktail was the Ann Margaret. We tried several of the first plates which were all very good and main dishes included the Pork and Halibut which were both phenomenal. Of course when you are in this deep you got to go for dessert! The chocolate cake with pistachio was by far the favorite with the beignets and bourbon ice cream coming in at a close second.
(5)Jeffrey B.
Only my second time at Irving Street Kitchen, though for most of the evening I was wondering why I haven't gone back sooner. Very warm and energetic ambience. Excellent and knowledgeable service. Creative first and second course options, all prepared and presented perfectly, with a lovely and comfortable flow the meal and evening. Great desserts and a comprehensive selection of beverages. I'll definitely be returning here more in the future.
(5)Kelly S.
Good brunch. Fries were way too salted and service was very slow (despite there being only a few other people in the place.) Their take on eggs benedict was very tasty. Cute place and if not outstanding, very pleasant.
(4)Dave R.
Good stuff. This was my 3rd visit, and now I know what to order.... I am a fan of the Frouis Grouis....lol... I never thought in a million years I would have tried this, but I sure as hell glad I did...
(5)Travis S.
The food is amazing, I've especially enjoyed the burger here. For dessert their butterscotch pudding will put you in a coma - fantastic!
(5)Dr X.
Beautiful "Portlandian" atmosphere, friendly staff, and the food just impeccable. Not one item ordered could be considered just average or just satisfactory. Truly an extraordinary experience. The beef tartare was was to die for.
(5)Mac M.
I've not eaten here before, so this review will be incomplete and in need of an update when I do. That being said, I found the drinks to be moderately acceptable, a tad pricey - but good. I like the ambiance of the place especially if you're going on a date in the winter or fall seasons because of the fireplace. I know this is a lazy review and doesn't tell the whole story of the place - I promise to do it justice at a later date.
(3)Brad D.
Consistent!
(4)Jay C.
Irving Street grill WINS for being the first restaurant to disappoint at this price level. That's hard to do! Sub par service to the point where I thought we were being Punkd! 15 minutes after we ordered the glass of wine, we hadn't had a sip since entering the restaurant. Waiter returns, asks again what wine we ordered, still didn't bring for another 10 minutes. Almost a half hour before our first sip of wine. The waiter forgot to bring the bread, then apologized and said was coming. Bread never came. Ever. I can assure you this bad experience WASN'T due to them being busy, because the loud, drunk people at the table next to us - obviously friends of the manager - were getting the stellar service that i paid for. They had frequent check backs from their (our) server, multiple wine pours over a 15 min period (check for their review below, I'm sure it's 5 stars) As for the food, the chicken liver appetizer was absolutely DELICIOUS, though miniature in size (even in high end restaurants, I've had my appetite satisfied, I'm going out to eat, aren't I ?) The liver was the first and last good thing about the meal. The appetizers were more of a Tapas, with an appetizer price. As for the Entree, I had the Cod. Salt was more prominent than flavor. Sorry. Expected more. Like I said, disappointed on a new level. The one star is for the liver appetizer and the ambience. Good, hip feel. Food, ehhh. Service very bad for us.
(1)Frank M.
We were there recently on a Sunday night for a special occassion. They did a great job recognizing that special occassion (comped champagne, desert). The service was excellent. Our waitress had a great knowledge of the wines and food; she was attentive w/out being intrusive and made several recommendations that turned out to be spot on. On the other hand, I join some of the others who say the food was good but not knock your socks off fantastic. Here's the run down: Olive starter - A bit underwhelming. Two types of olives. Nothing wrong with it, nothing special. Meatballs - served on a rectangular tapas type plate, you get 3 of them on a bed of grits and sauce. The grits were very good. Sauce was fine. In the end the meatballs were, well, meatballs. Angel Oysters - I'm not a seafood person so this one wasn't my cup of tea. I suspect these were actually very high quality. They seemed well prepared and the oysters seem to be very fresh - they had a very distinctive briney flavor (which kind of overwhelmed the wrapped bacon and sauce...but that could just be me). My wife loved them. Biscuits - comes with thinly sliced ham, butter and a spicey jelly. The biscuits were these very tiny creations (1/2 dollar diameter). The jelly and salty ham went well together. Would have been nice if the biscuits were just a bit bigger. Chicken dinner entree - I agree with others who say the chicken was very bland. But the thing is the chicken was cooked to near perfection. And I think the deal is you're expected to eat the chicken with either the mashed potatoes / gravy (gravy is just a bit salty) or the greens (cooked perfectly with a distinct vinegar flavor), either of which complement the chicken. Eat any of them by themselves and they are a bit salty, a bit vinegary or a bit bland. Put two of them together and it is great. Lemon pie dessert - the star of the show. Dense, intense, great. Pudding - it was good, but didn't hold up to the lemon pie. In summary, it is a nice place with good food and great service. I would go back. If we could do 1/2 stars I'd rate it 3.5.
(3)Kyle M.
Oh ISK, I really love you. I love that you have wine on-tap, I love that your fried chicken is divine, I love that you have Domaine Ott rose, and I love that you're a pitching wedge from my new place in Portland. I'm even willing to gain a few pounds to visit you more often. If that's not a culinary crush, then I don't know what is.
(4)Maxine C.
This is a consistant place to go for great food. My last meal was the steelhead with leeks. Absolutely one of the best steelhead preparations I've had the pleasure to eat. The atmosphere is warm, the booths and bookcase areas are cozy and the service has always been great.
(5)Devon D.
Irving Street surpassed expectations. Everything was epic. Beautifully crafted cocktails (recommend New Money as a unique and complicated drink, and the Chrysanthemum is a must.) Best steak in Portland (a controversial statement, I know.) Awesome salmon. Crave-worthy artichoke/oyster soup. Love that they house cure charcuterie, house bake some bomb bread loaves, and pour wine direct from barrel. The space is pretty and comfortable, almost transporting one to a hip San Francisco hang-out. This is at the top of my Portland musts.
(5)Don C.
I would not recommend the Irving Street Kitchen. The food was a Denny's quality, the service poor, and the kitchen staff slow. I had brunch here on Easter. My expectations were high....the place looked great......the staff seemed friendly......the menu looked great.....I should have left at this point because the high expectations were slooooowly dashed. It took an hour to get our simple egg dishes. They forgot of doughnuts and messed up my order. I asked the the "southern smother" and the delivered "morocan eggs," which were a couple of eggs, on a biscuit with a spoon of salsa. When I mentioned this to our waiter he said he'd see what he could do and we never heard from him again. They will never here from me again so I guess we are even.
(1)Brian C.
Went to Irving St Kitchen 4 months ago when I first visited Portland. Moved to Portland from Ohio 2 weeks ago and have been to Irving St Kitchen 4 times. Food is great.... brussel sprouts that will make you cry..... Amazing soups and good wine selection. Alison and Aisha are the best bartenders in town.... Everyone there is great!!
(5)Ptown G.
Love, love, love this place. From the beautiful decor and romantic booths, to the fantastic wait staff, this place rocks. Oh, the food is simply delectable too. ISK is a take on Southern Food with a NW twist. This is not your southern greasy spoon, this is everything wonderfully comforting about southern cooking. But, if you leave this Portland foodie staple without trying the Butterscotch pudding, you might as well ask your date to give you a slap upside the head :/. It is hands down, THE BEST DESSERT IN THE NW in my opinion.
(5)Jack G.
Service was horribly slow and inattentive. The glass I drank out of had a chip and cut my lip. When I told the waiter, he barely apologized and proceeded to return with the full bill intact. A top notch establishment would have had the manager approach the table and apologize on behalf of the restaurant and adjust the bill accordingly. Restaurant rule #1 is to make the customer happy so they don't complain to others about such basic things.
(2)Matt K.
Finally got to try Irving St. Kitchen last night. I was immediately impressed by the fact that they had my favorite gin, Miller's Westbourne Strength at the bar, BIG PLUS! From there we ordered: - Meatballs: 3 delicious meatballs coddled by creamy mashed potatoes - BBQ Ribs: Fall off the bone tender meat sitting on top of a bed of freshly made coleslaw...my favorite of the night - Smoked Thuringer, Chorizo, Pastrami, Fennel Salumi - Each meat was better than the one before. Served with whole seed mustard, delicious! - Trio of Artisan Cheeses: Great cheeses, my only complaint was that it wasn't enough! Overall, had a pretty good experience at Irving St. Friendly service, my favorite gin, and some good food. Next time I will have to try some of the entrees.
(4)Andy R.
We had a fabulous dinner for two. Food was original and very well prepared. I thought the menu had just about the right amount of variety. The waiter gave us the perfect amount if attention and the atmosphere was vibrant. We look forward to going again soon.
(5)G S.
Simply the best eggs benedict I've had up until now, all on wonderful biscuits with a little smoked salmon. Other things seemed to very good as well. Nice service, atmosphere, etc., etc. Maybe not a revelation, but sometimes the simple things are hard to do.
(4)Jana H.
Yum. I can't believe it took me so long to get here. Great experience, service was A++. The food - maybe a little over priced, but well worth it when you consider the whole package. I had the beet salad to start, the hangar steak, and the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Don't eat too much for dinner, because dessert is where it's AT!! My pudding was served to me a jar with a lid, a generous amount of salted caramel sauce, and butterscotch candy on the side. Everything was well prepared, presented, and delicious. I can't wait to go back for happy hour!
(5)John D.
Ya gotta love a place with that much meet on the menu... Brunch is fantastic and the hanger steak is excellent. Very fun and cool environment. I'll be back soon!
(5)Kate G.
We did the boozy brunch at Irving St Kitchen and it was excellent. Great bartenders and phenomenal drinks. Recently went back for another meal with friends to avoid all the lines at other spots and really enjoyed it. Sometimes the portions seem a wee bit small for the price but the food is always delicious. We always end up spending way more money then we intend to but I love the attention to detail and this is the first place I've ever seen wine on tap. wow! I like the way this place is decorated but I hate the art they have hanging above the bar-it looks like someone puked up ink blots of deer and pigs and other random creatures but people actually buy them so maybe I should start doing art...
(4)Lori J.
My husband and I were on a rare night out and wanted to try something different...which means out of our area by 20 minutes. A friend recommended Irving Street. We both loved the ambiance when we first walked inside we were seated at the bar, so we of course had to try the barrel to glass wines. What a fabulous idea! The bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, once we were seated way in the back by the kitchen...we were forgotten. With our prompting 20 minutes later we had a server. He was knowledgeable and efficient from that point on. He recommended his favorite dishes and we were not disappointed. We had the fried chicken and the steelhead both were fabulous. The rest of the dinner was delicious and the evening was a success. We would definitely go back again:)
(4)Scott B.
Great!! Excellent service - really a standard apart. We eat at good restaurants and would definitely recommend ISK. We're from Denver and this made our trip to Portland really stand out, Well done, Irving St. Kitchen!!
(5)C. P.
Amazing! We've eaten dinner and brunch here and both were amazing. The location, atmosphere, staff and of course the food are all outstanding. The chef knows what he/she is doing back there. They manage to pull off 5 star quality food without the pretentious atmosphere that usually goes with it. The menu changes regularly, to keep the dishes seasonal. I loved the parmasean bread soup, pumpkin bread with chocolate & coconut and the steak with smashed potatoes. This is definitely my new favorite place!
(5)Eric P.
Recently had brunch here. The lobster scramble was totally awesome. Wife had Moroccan poached eggs. Also very nice. Would have given it 5 stars but the server was a bit of a loser. Waited way to long for the Mimosa. Points off...
(4)H O.
This place has a great atmosphere but the food is mixed and the wine is pricey. Some dishes were excellent (trout, fried oysters) and some were not so great (grass-fed beef and fries). Waiter has no clue about wine. Great fried chicken. Kudos for the two buck PBR on the menu! Oh and the service is rubbish.
(2)Lana T.
Sunday Brunch, 10am, we clearly did not need our open table reservation. Great atmosphere! Friendly staff. We both ordered the 2 eggs any way. They were both cooked appropriately, the toast was delicious, potatoes seasoned nicely, with a perfect texture. We ended our meal with the cinnamon sugar donuts...delicious! I definitely recommend this place for brunch!
(4)Jessica S.
Good location in the Pearl. Great outdoor seating. Ambience is really nice. Food was overall great. Fried chicken was fried without being greasy, Collard Greens were cooked to perfection, and the Cornbread is a must! We didn't get dessert because the "Sucker Punch" was awesome enough!
(4)Erin C.
My husband and I tried out this place for our anniversary dinner. Knowing that the Chef was from SF and we lived there for a bit, I thought we would see some of that flavor here. No such luck. Our server was nice but had to narrate everything he did, came in too many times, and made a point of telling us how great our choices were. "Oh yes, that will go perfect with that! You have done this before" I don't know I just prefer a server that is uber cool, minimal chatting. I had the beet salad, it was good. Beets cooked perfectly, but I have had better. My husband had the charcuterie, i believe he had the same opinion. For dinner I had the Hanger Steak with grits. I asked for medium and it was slightly under temp. The char was good, but overpowered all the other flavors on the plate. The grits were quite tasty, but I wasn't able to taste any of the flavor until I ate them on their own. Again, OK but I have had better. My husband had the snapper and was not impressed getting 2 pieces instead of one along with 4 clams and 1 spoonful of risotto. The fish was overcooked as well. For dessert I had the butterscotch pudding, that was the best thing I had there all night. My husband asked for just a hunk of cheese. Apparently no one asked for cheese for dessert and he was basically brought the cheese plate but with only 1 cheese. It was $12 which was a bit excessive for 1 cheese, 3 pieces of toast and 2 rye crackers. We won't be back, there is better food in town.
(2)Melissa C.
As people in the biz, it is often hard to find a place that truly impresses. We were completely impressed. The atmosphere was relaxed & comfortable while at the same time, a place you can go out on a date night. The service was ridiculously attentive--and our server was clearly well-informed, and we followed every one of her recommendations. And the food was absolutely delicious. The gravlax were beautiful and clean. I was squealing ,the rabbit cassoulet was so good, and my husband, a chef, was pretty damn excited about the Sirloin with tamarind. The server picked perfectly paired wines for my husband and a tasty non-alcoholic cocktail for me. The dessert was outstanding. It's rare that we want to go back to a place, and I promise we will be there as often as we can.
(4)jeff f.
I read all the reviews in Yelp and was anxious to check out this place. The restaurant is large and modern with the typical industrial chic look. We ordered the Olive Oil Baked Halibut, Duck Sausage with duck leg confit and some Collard Greens. I had had olive oil halibut at another restaurant a few weeks ago and I will say that version was much better than that of Irving Street. The halibut was a bit on the mushy side. The duck has a very nice taste but both the duck and halibut were very bland. The vegetables served with the entrees were both very good and definitively better than the meats. Our server strongly suggested to try the deserts and she was right. The lemon chess pie with homemade graham cracker crust was wonderful.
(3)Julie R.
I was introduced to Irving St. while slightly inebriated so my recollection of their food is obscured by booze. That being said, the fried chicken was DELICIOUS. On top of that, the very talented bartenders made a special cocktail named White Preakness that uses white whiskey and it is GREAT! Have been back for cocktails and was not disappointed. The decor is lovely and the little lounge area with couches is great for a small group.
(5)Matt B.
One of the best meals I've ever had! Winner!!
(5)Evan B.
We'd actually give it 3.5 stars overall. Here is the plate by plate: Asparagus Soup / preserved lemon - not a winner. Needed salt, and didn't have the taste of Spring - 3 stars. Spiced beets, horseradish creme, pickled mustard seed: nice dressing and flavor - 4 stars. Salmon Gravlox, tartar sauce, rye crackers: excellent- nice sauce and good character - 4 stars. Jambalaya: good, tangy, spicy, but a little sweet - 4.5 stars. Collard Greens: both diners thought the were DE-Licious, but could have done with a little heat - 4.5 stars. Coleslaw: good but small for $6 - 3 stars. Bibb lettuce salad, bleu cheese, apple: good, but croutons are a little mushy (especially considering they served Ken's Artisan Bread on the table); dressing is fabulous - 3.5. Meatballs: plate licking good; sends meatloaf to a new high - 5 stars. Chicken, smashed potatoes: - 5 stars. Rhubarb cobbler recommends over the Lemon Chess, and it was delightful. Tart, right sweetness. - 5 stars. Slow kitchen between salad and entree, especially considering this was a Sunday night (not that busy) and there were 3-4 in the kitchen. Server knowledgeable about selections and made good recommendations - We'd give her a 4.5 stars!
(3)Clayton T.
I was frankly a little disappointed in this restaurant. It came well recommended but the food was less than exceptional. I had the prawn appitizer and then the fried chicken. The prawns were somewhat bland and the chicken was greasey. Surprising for such a well attended and carefully put together place.
(2)Jim A.
This place has excellent service and exceptional food. We will definitely be back the next time we're in Portland.
(5)sanjar a.
Food - 4.5 stars. Presentation 5 stars, taste 4-4.5 stars. Design and ambiance - 5 stars!!!! Great place for a romantic date or just enjoy a solitary dinner or lunch
(5)M G.
I have always enjoyed the food here and I would love to give them 5 stars but I have to share my experience from last night. My dinner was delicious and the wait staff were incredibly attentive. A server approached us and asked if we were done eating and whether they could clear our dishes. We said yes, but I had only eaten 1/3rd of my fried chicken and because I was full I asked to have the leftovers boxed. No problem. The server picked up our empty plates and dirty silverware. Then he picked up my plate and realized that he was unable to carry my plate separately in the same trip back to the kitchen. So... He put all the plates in a pile with mine on top and placed the used silverware from our table on my plate with my leftovers. Totally gross. The leftovers sit in boxes back in the kitchen until you are done dining and receive your check. I typically have no issues with this but god only knows what utensils were used to handle my leftovers and possibly dirty hands handled my food.
(3)Aaron M.
Environment/Ambiance 5 out of 5 (cool decor) Food Quality/value 4 out of 5 (had the fried chicken) Service 3 out of 5 (waitress couldn't give suggestions or more detailed explanations of the entrees. Training??)
(4)Kerry W.
They are inflexible to substitutions for brunch--which has me unable to go there with my daughter. I am vegan--how difficult can it be to put more vegetables in the scramble vs eggs? Every restaurant I've ever been to has been willing to accommodate.
(1)Chynele F.
Ive stopped in Irving st kitchen now twice for a quick bite or a cocktail and I was very pleasantly surprised both times! This last time especially. Our server/bartender was very nice and friendly. I will definitely be back
(5)Dina N.
Love the fried chicken...injected with clarified butter steeped in garlic? Love the service and space!
(4)Lisa W.
We have a handful of favorite happy hour spots when we spend a weekend in Portland, but I wanted to try a couple of new places this time so I found Irving Street Kitchen on Yelp. The space is very wide open with high ceilings and interesting big light fixtures hanging overhead. We sat at the bar and had excellent service from beginning to end. The bartender was very attentive and brought my glass of Sangiovese and my BF's HUB lager right away. It was interesting that along with my glass of wine, he placed a small Mason jar containing about half a glass of wine. So for the price of a glass of wine, you actually receive a little more than a glass. I wasn't super hungry so I ordered the almond and peanut mixture for $5. My BF ordered the beef tartare with quail egg, tonnato and sourdough crostini ($13). The bartender also brought us a complimentary plate of big, hearty rustic bread and a side of butter. The beef tartare plate looked beautiful and received rave reviews regarding taste. Very cool atmosphere with weathered wood walls and rustic feel...it kind of reminded us of being in the French countryside.
(4)ryan l.
Great ambiance, very good drinks, wonderful service and of course, delicious food. The bar nuts as an appetizer are phenomenal, so simple and so good. I also tried the angels on horseback, which sounds incredible on paper, but unfortunately did not do much for me. This was quite a surprise because anything wrapped in bacon has to be good right? No biggy though... Both the halibut and the steak were home runs and loved the cocktails! Tried the Lowcountry and the Carolina Julep... both were made very well. Nice restaurant experience, would highly recommend, just don't bother with the angels on horseback sadly.
(4)Well Fed Traveler A.
It's always about the food, is it memorable or not. Bottom line would I eat here again..hmm..NO..there are to many other exceptional restaurants in Portland. I would rate it this way: Food 3 stars, decor 2 stars, service 4 stars. I'm afraid this place will sputter along or go extinct, and that's to bad. We had the bacon wrapped oysters appetizer (a "signature dish"), it was surprisingly tasteless and the oysters were mushy. Entree, I had blackened bavette steak with fried grits and cheese, the steak was seared black with little or no seasoning (boring), it came with spinach puree under the steak?? which was very bitter. My wife had the fried chicken, (another signature dish), wow you get a whole half of chicken, to much food. It was moist, flavorful, but not good enough to a repeat, she "doesn't want to eat there again". One big mistake is to serve drip coffee, what no espresso machine?! The NorthWest is the land of espresso! Skip the hype and eat elsewhere.
(3)Alex S.
My scallops were so salty that I could not eat them. I sent them back and they took the dish off the bill.
(2)theresa c.
Ive been three times it started with bang and now has settled on being just OK not A-OK .
(3)J G.
Had brunch here and it was good. The skillet was nice but the side of cheesy grits was what made the meal for me!
(4)dave s.
Went with a group of 10 people. Service was very good, and food was great. I thought it was cheesy that the fried chix was the signature dish, but I ordered it anyway, and it was amazing. The ham and biscuit app was great...pepper jelly was the one of the best parts of the dinner. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Picking one entrée was tough.
(5)Morgan B.
Love this place! I usually sit at the bar with friends and am never disappointed. The drinks are fantastic and the service is outstanding.
(5)Karen J.
Love Irving Street. I've only been living in Portland for eight months. There are so many great restaraunts here that I've been trying to go to a new place each time we go out. Irving is one of the few places that I feel compelled to go back to over and over again. The atmosphere is great. The staff is friendly and the food is consistent and tasty. Most recently, I had the fried chicken and it was great - but I've tried several things here and never been disappointed. Love the wine on tap too.
(5)Laura W.
Finally tried this restaurant and am thrilled I did! Our group of 4 tried a little bit of everything but the scallops with pork belly and the halibut were the standouts. Desserts were also a big hit. Service was some of the best I've had - incredibly attentive and helpful with questions about how dishes were prepared, ingredients, etc. And their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint was an added bonus. We love taking advantage of Portland's terrific dining scene and definitely plan to go back here!
(5)Tracy V.
Irving Street Kitchen has a lot of great reviews, but I wanted to comment on the experience when eating (or just drinking) at the bar - a shout out to Allison for always making the experience very fun! My husband and I have dined many times in the restaurant and at the bar and we prefer the bar due to the wealth of knowledge on wine and spirits; we seem to always leave impressed with the dinner and a little more educated on beverages!
(4)vince o.
I had heard great things about the fried chicken and while it was certainly ok I didn't find it to be as "remarkable" as it's been proclaimed to be. The staff was attentive and well trained and the atmosphere is very well put together. The food unfortunately is just barely above average, not up to par with the sevice or ambiance. I doubt that I would return.
(3)Dazer T.
First of all, it was so nice to eat at a restaurant with a knowledgeable as well as friendly waiter (Don). It is an all too rare experience anymore. However, this was not enough to overcome a rather lackluster meal. The menu did not do much for me to start. We ordered the artisan cheese platter and that hit the first sour note. For $14, there is very little cheese. For the entrees, my wife really loved her salmon, although it was a pretty small portion. I could overlook that, but our other two dishes were nothing special. For the total cost of the bill, you can do a lot better elsewhere. I will say the booths are very nice to sit in, and feel very private while at the same time taking in a view of the whole room. But that room...it just feels like I'm in another city, at some corporate created establishment. It almost works, but it's just not my cup of tea. Neither was the Classic Rock music playing all through dinner. Definitely did not help create a mood or vibe I could connect with.
(2)carol c.
We'll I don't have paragraphs to write about my experience!! I can sum it up in two words... IT BLEW!! Being from the Bay Area and knowing good food and service, I heard that SF restauranteurs opened this place and thought we would give it a try. Wrong! The service was horrible! The meat was under cooked and the only saving grace was the dessert! We waited 25 minutes for the bread. The waitress was a ditz that couldn't think on her own. She apologized because she hadn't had a break! Is that legal?? Honestly, the service and the product shines through when the employees are trained by sophisticated, respectful, everyday people that value the all around experience of the patrons that walk through the door. Get it together!
(1)Asa P.
Love this place.
(5)jim w.
I love this place- the service is impeccable - the price point appropriate for the delicious food and quality - there is real teamwork here in the service - they care - we have found ourselves eating here quite a lot and a few times as a result of trying somewhere else that we were disappointed in and decided to relocate to Irving Street Kitchen instead. Love it Love it the Fried Chicken - awesome - the fish dish is always very interesting - great flavors pulled together in an unexpected way. Do not leave without having the butterscotch / caramel desert - or get it to take away in it's nicely packaged mason jar - I could eat it every day!
(5)Dave S.
Would have been 5 star if not for the ridiculous wine from the barrel program. If I'm paying top dollar for wine it better come in something other than a mason jar! Now corkage service was spot on, wine steward did an excellent job decanting a couple of tricky bottles. The food again was delicious well thought out and generous in portion size. If they'd just pony up for some carafes for the wine and drop the price point for the whole barrel to table thing they'd be a winner! Nuf' said.
(4)Suzy W.
Hard to beat the ambiance here. Happy hour every day, impeccable service. Menu is somewhat on the adventurous side, but well worth the effort!
(5)magdalena w.
This place goes to my all-time favourite restaurants in the world. They just got it all right; the deco is intriguing without being too much, combining a bit of japanese elements with contemporary western effects. No cliche artifacts, all very original pieces. Huge open space, great lighting. Good service although had to wait for 45 min for my fish which got me a free edamame puree and a glass of wine. Commandable. The food, oh the food! I had a fish which came in such an amazing combination of flavours.. I had to slow myself down to enjoy each bite. Highly recommended. I now cannot wait to go back to Portland!
(5)Mary M.
I've been to ISK twice now, and loved both times. The first time I went with my Supper Club friends and almost cancelled because I was not impressed with the online menu, nothing seemed to catch my eye. I'm happy I went. great food, good service. Highly recommend the charcuterie and cheese plates, Cowboys on horseback (Bacon wrapped oysters)-even if you are not a fan of oysters you may really like this dish! and I agree, the butterscotch pudding is great! Also a fun place to go for happy hour and hang out on their couches.
(4)Jessica H.
Went to ISK for brunch with a large party (10+). Our server was wonderful and attentive but not TOO attentive. Food was out quickly, but (again) not TOO quickly as if it was sitting under heat lamps waiting for a taker like some lesser dining establishment. That part of the experience was 5 stars, but the food has very mixed reviews. Out of the group about 1/2 would order their dish again and the other half were not overly impressed. The later half included me. I was told the moroccan eggs were spicy - as in flavorful. I'm wimpy and can't do spicy hot but love strong flavored food so was looking forward to this dish with cumin, coriander and other spices mentioned. The dish was served in a nice shallow bowl, 2 poached eggs hidden under a lot with a red sauce. One person I was with asked if I had ordered tomato soup. That's what it looked and tasted like. The Moroccan flavors I was looking forward to were no where to be found. The sauce just tasted like tomato without any spices. The garlic rubbed toast tasted nothing of garlic. I ate it all because I like tomato and I like bread, but it was very underwhelming for such a hyped up restaurant. I'll try ISK again, but not for breakfast. So many other restaurants in Portland that do breakfast extremely well - every dish - that I'll put my money toward a sure bet but I might be back for dinner. Dishes that rocked: carnitas and egg dish Dishes that fizzled: crab sandwich - more breading than crab, Moroccan eggs EVERYONE loved their mixed drinks - mimosa special was a favorite
(3)Daniel M.
The burger was one of the most delicious thing I have ever had. Amazing menu, wonderful service, and a totally kick ass atmosphere. While the food is expensive, two people can split the burger and be well fed. We will for sure be back... after I graduate.
(5)scott c.
5 stars for the quality of the food, delicious drinks, and attentive service.
(5)Sara C.
To start with I don't write many reviews, but the brunch was so crap I thought I would start. First off my husband was charged $6 (that's right!) for a side of subpar bacon sitting in a pool of it's own grease that came at the end of our meal. Secondly, when you offer a breakfast plate don't skip on portions. I have small hands and the portion of unsalted potatoes on my plate could have very easily fit in my palm. The poached eggs I got with them were poached properly, but I ordered a side of their hollandaise sauce and it was cold and bland and again charged for it. I don't believe any style of egg ordered would have been better let alone salted, because nothing had any sort of seasoning at this place, either time we went. I really don't understand how this place is still in business, but I wish they would either get better chefs and a better menu or close and be replaced by a better restaurant. Angry I can't give it 0 stars!
(1)Michael T.
Great food, but bring you wallet because quality doesn't come cheap. The squid ink Risotto was excellent.
(4)Brad F.
Reservation for our v-day dinner one night early. Service, food, ambiance...excellent. Great big space, right downtown in the Pearl district. But I just felt everything (beer, starters, salads, entrees) were all overpriced. Draft beer $6. Wedge salad $10! Starters $8-12. Entrees $20-28. Portions were average at best. We split the ribs, ordered wedge, meatballs, bread, and cornbread, two beers, and our total before tip was $73. I know it appears like we ordered a lot, but sharing an entree and only having two drinks should not be $70+. And the men's bathroom urinal had urine all over the floor. Should have been 4/5 stars, just didn't make the cut. Still glad we tried.
(3)Roger M.
CONSISTENT! Call to reserve a private booth with curtain for the quais-private-intimate dining. Has bar with fireplace. Food fantastic, not all dishes are 5 star but most everything is 4 star. Like the aged hanger steak over polenta and seared egg; rice and sausage jumbalaya; salami (4 kinds) delicious and lots of it for an appetizer. Fried chicken southern style, with collards and mashed potatoes was good. I recommend the 3 meatballs (pork, beef & lamb) over mashed potatoes for happy hour along with fries and a IPA, of course. Been there 7x's so give it a try for sure.
(4)Kelsea A.
Two words: Fried Chicken. Oh man, it was so good and hearty, perfect for the snowy weather that was happening the weekend I was there. I also order the lox and rye crackers which was delightful! The wine on tap list was pretty mind blowing. I will be back next time I visit portland!!!
(5)Jane C.
Try the smoked trout entree - it is fabulous. Perfectly prepared the fish is moist and has a wonderful wood smoked flavor. Our service was excellent - attentive but not pushy. Dined here twice in a week and both experiences were excellent
(4)Laura P.
We love this restaurant! We've been here nearly a dozen times and have yet to be disappointed! We've dined by ourselves, taken guests and recommended. No disappointments. We love the Johnson Country Ham, buttermilk biscuits and pepper jelly, the Salmon Gravlax, the Dirty Sexy Pig Head (WOW) Seared Fois Gras. You could be done just with the small plates. We've had the Salmon, other fish dishes, like the Snapper, beef dishes, pork, we haven't had anything that was not fantastic. Desserts are equally good, it's hard to choose just one, which is why we don't, we usually choose two so we can taste each others. The Bar is also very good. The bartenders are knowledgable and fun to chat with. They have great drinks and good service. Service at the tables is always good, the servers are knowledgeable, helpful and attentive. They know the menu and can make suggestions. All in all, it's a winner!
(5)Kimmy V.
Make reservations if plan on coming for brunch. One of the best salmon benedicts i've had in a long while. We sat the bar top and service was still amazing. The place has a nice classy clean ambiance. The breakfast nachos are also super good here -- don't confuse or compare it to chilaquiles tho!
(5)Mikhail H.
The service is incredible here...our waitress was amazing and put us at such ease. She deserves five stars bigtime. I even caught the view of the bartender at one point and she gave me a huge grin...all of their staff is pretty incredible. The food was very good but honestly, the portions seemed very small for the price and also for what you were getting compared to most restaurants in Portland of this caliber. I did really enjoy our meal here though and their wine selection and drinks are also excellent. Perhaps I will be back for nibbles and drinks but if I am buying a $200 dinner I would most likely go somewhere else since I am not huge on Southern food and many of the menu items sounded interesting but a bit too cheap for me. My steak was heaven but on top of grits? Hmmm...
(4)Jana C.
HH review only. Old Bay 13, just across st from 24 Hr. Not impressed by food menu. Cajun fries not golden enough, and I could go on....jambalaya was something not pleasant on the tongue. Neither of us thought it resembled anything to a genuine jambalaya. Meatballs saved the day. Unctuous and yummy, over the smoothest mash. Drink with gin and pale ale, lime also saved day. Interior beautiful...like being inside a large mountain lodge.
(2)Eric B.
Food was awesome. Staff is super helpful and nice. Although everything looked great, we shared small plates...meatballs were great! Good spot for a girls night! :)
(4)Jacob K.
I loved my first experience here, I really don't know where to begin so I'll make this as short and simple as possible. Interior: great! We got a nice dim booth that was private and exactly how I like it. Appetizer: Chef's cheese & crackers.. this was so good.. it reawakened my love for cheese. The soft cow's milk cheese was my favorite, with a bit of fruit compote on some bread, it was heaven. Entree: halibut bouillabaisse. I sampled a bit off everyone's plate (everything was delicious, it's impossible to go wrong) but I still think the halibut was the best. Perfect texture, perfect spiciness, the clams were lovely, everything about this dish came together.. nice and filling without being too heavy handed. I was completely impressed. My friend had the roasted corn cavatelli which had an intoxicating smokiness to it.. this would be perfect on a cold day. My other friend had the lamb porterhouse (extra rare) and my LAWDY that thing was juicy like a peach. Probably the nicest cut of lamb I've ever had.. this is definitely the dish I'm getting next time. Our server was very attentive and helpful, very professional and he made our night here at ISK the best it could be. I really cannot say enough positive things about our experience here.
(5)Tamara S.
We had a great dinner here. I highly recommend the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. SO good. However, we came back a few weeks later for brunch and were really disappointed. I got the chicken and waffles and the portion was a joke. One small piece of chicken and two tiny (tiny!) waffles. The flavor was bland and it was expensive. The friends I was with were all disappointed in their mediocre (and tiny) dishes as well. So all to say...I recommend for dinner but definitely not for brunch.
(3)Pdxgirl W.
Amazing place! Great service, drinks and food. They should really promote their gluten free options more because they have a great selection. I have celiac disease so I was prepared to just have a simple salad but our waitress gladly listed a ton of options for me which included the squid ink risotto. SOOO delish! My boyfriend had the trout dish, he loved that as well.
(5)Joy D.
Great atmosphere with the rustic look and open charcuterie bar! Place looks inviting. Food was delicious and staff was friendly!
(5)D G.
Passed by here a couple nights ago while walking around the Pearl District. Looked like an neat place from the outside - bright lights, great decor - the kind of place that has a great vibe. Looked it up on Yelp, and saw it got 4 stars - definitely worth a try. I'm giving it 5 stars. I had the Herb Stuffed Trout with Grilled asparagus. Wow. Simply the best trout I have ever had - just the right amount of saltiness and herbs. My wife had the Seared Halibut Bouillabaisse - different than what you would expect out of a Bouillabaisse - much lighter. She loved it. Our daughter ordered the Green Garlic & Parmesan Soup and the Bibb Wedge with Rogue Blue Cheese Dressing. She loved her meal as well. The best dinner we've had in a while. Great service. Great vibe. We'll be eating here again.
(5)Annabelle J.
We sat at the bar for a quick Happy hour and it was wonderful. The bartender was so fun and the food was amazing. We will be coming back here.
(5)Kai F.
Finally got the opportunity to get back here for dinner! Starting with the best stuff: Pickled Foie Torchon, Brioche French Toast, Shallot Rhubarb Jam, Savory Caramel. on a scale from 1 to 5, this is a 6. Off the chart yumminess. I would even go sit at the bar and just have this with a glass of wine or cocktail! I know - duck liver is so politically incorrect, but i suspect this is a humane type. The service was also excellent (5 star). although they didn't ask us if we wanted bread, and we could have used it. (their bread is so good). I was also happy they have one of my favorite wines: Priorat from Spain. we also had the tater tots, which is actually breaded and deep-fried fluffy mashed potatoes - really light. I tried the fried chicken based on so many people saying it's the best...it as good, but not off-the-hook. collard greens and smashed potatoes were tasty. I'm sure the chicken is organic and local. but I expected it to be better. my sister got the short ribs, and it was "different"....expected fall-off-the-bone tenderness, but it was really more like top sirloin steak. not at all "pot roasty". it was a pretty small plate as well. I am still a fan and will go back. The charcuterie and the ham/biscuit platters we saw being served also look enticing.
(4)Amy T.
What an amazing spot in Pearl for brunch! We partied a little too hard in Portland the first night so by Saturday, we all slept pretty early. Works out because the next day, we woke up early for Sunday Brunch. There are tons of restaurants, but as we walked by Irving St. Kitchen, the exposed brick, ink blot art, exposed ceilings and wood panels drew us in. I had the most mouth watering scrambled egg dish. It was an English Pea and Morel Scramble with creme fraiche. It was served with lightly dressed butter lettuce and toast. If we weren't in a rush to get to our next destination, we would have stayed longer.
(5)Joyce V.
Cool spot I found in the Pearl District amongst the lofts and warehouses. Beautifully decorated and comfortable. We came here for brunch and I had the poached egg, Belgian waffle, and pork belly with a smoked maple syrup that was amazing! My husband had over-easy eggs and Andouille sausage with the house-made Habanero salsa. His complaint was that it was not as hot as he'd like it. I tasted it and thought it was savory but definitely not spicy hot. The service was great and everyone was very friendly. We would definitely be back to try Happy Hour and dinner the next time we're back in town.
(5)Eric M.
Started with a great Orange Juice it was very tasty. Then had the basic breakfast and the sausage was really good. Nothing to write home about but good food and great ambiance.
(4)M G.
Food was good but the service was slow and I mean slow. Neat location and menu was interesting. I had the Chicken entree and it was good but did not really stick out. We had a couple of appetizers both were very good.
(3)Dano B.
This is one of my favorite spots in Portland. The food is rich in flavor, the environment is cozy, and the staff is friendly. I highly recommend the brussel sprouts, the squid ink risotto, and the butterscotch pudding.
(5)Marty J.
I enjoyed some mama and grandma quality fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and greens this Easter Sunday. Boy was it delicious and downright good food. I was like Sunday dinner at my grandma's farm...maybe a bit better. The drinks were good, and so was the service by our waitress, Fiona. The bartender was fast and friendly. We arrived about ten minutes before dinner service, and there was a slight cold front with our greeting from the hostess when we asked if we could be seated. She said we could sit a the bar, and they would seat us when the dining room opened. The hitch...it was Easter Sunday, and the place was empty and seemed prepped and ready for guests. It's all about timing, so I won't hold this against them, and we were seated right at 5pm! I recently attended TEDx Portland, and I saw that they were sponsors, and I liked that...so I put them on the top of my list to go visit. My pal visiting from Los Angeles, liked it a lot too, and he was impressed with their massive Bourbon selection. This is a high quality establishment, with wonderful and open ambiance to match the delicious food. Happy Hour seems like a delicious bargain too...and that meatball dish served on mashed potatoes is on my radar. I'm a big dessert fan, but I was underwhelmed by their offerings this past weekend.
(4)Michael W.
This place was a major disappointment. I took my parents here who were visiting from out of town and I was sorry I did. The service was extremely slow. We didn't get our entree until 2 hours after arriving. This place also has the classic pompous attitude that many establish Portland restaurants have. My GF and mother asked for a different sides with her dish and she was told that the chef would not allow it. Why a restaurant would argue with a customer over a side of potatoes vs a veggie is beyond my comprehension. F this place, I would never go back.
(1)Joshua N.
Good service, great, great atmosphere and very tasty menu. We arrived for happy hour and were happily delighted. We had the fries, jambalaya and chicken wings. All delicious. The Pabst and shot of whiskey for $4... awesome! Date rating 5 out of 5.
(4)Inga W.
I was visiting Portland for a conference and in need of some great food at night. We headed to the Pearl district and our cabby recommended this place. Score for cabby, never would I ask this question in SF. The menu looked good and sitting outside on a summer night was an added bonus, we're from SF so it's cold and foggy now. I started with the Foie Gras which I can't have in SF, yet another stupid thing and then had the duck. My coworker had the salad and salmon which is in season. The food was amazing, great flavor balance and textures. The Foie came with a bacon, toast and sweet jelly that just was amazing. The duck was great too, lean, cooked just right and rich in flavor. The drinks were great, they improvised with vodka martinis with some mint and lemon juice to make them refreshing. And not that I needed it but we had the bread pudding dessert which is not what you expect, it's rich and creamy and not hot or bread. I had a manhattan to finish up my meal. The atmosphere was casual, hip and fun both inside and out, would absolutely come back to this place, the menu was rich and had tons of options.
(4)Lauren W.
Wow this place was amazing. We were taken here by my manager on our first night in Portland. Such a treat! The ambiance is really cool and I love the design of the restaurant. We sat in the table with drapes for more privacy, so we could talk. Our server was very knowledgeable on each item and just listening to her talk about the preparation of each had our mouths watering and saying "I changed my mind, I'll have that instead!" She also recommended a Pinot Noir which I thoroughly enjoyed, and to my husband some of her favorite local brews. We tried the vegetable salad with pears and strawberries. This was soooo good. I then had the galic halibut for dinner. It was very fresh. I wanted the squid ink risotto but couldn't make up my mind. Next time! Will definitely come back on my next trip to Portland and try their brunch.
(5)Nancy H.
This is a disappointing restaurant. Food was mediocre at best. Service person lacked knowledge and enthusiasm for menu. Oysters were bland, salmon was not memorable, fried chicken a bore, cold mashed potatoes. Bar had sagging thrift store couches, same as sipping your wine on the floor. It is an over rated restaurant that does not meet the level of service and food excellence of others in Portland, i.e., A Cena or The Screen Door and many more. Cost was $70/person. Skip this one -- many others better and enjoyable to experience.
(1)Jennifer D.
An unfortunate disappointment because we live so close to this place. Overall thought, was that the place lacked a strong manager to keep things moving. Food was ok, Bloody Mary was decent. Unusually un-friendly staff (not typical in Portland). We were seated in a booth right by the kitchen where we were able to see everything going on back there.After 40 minutes without receiving our food, it was upsetting to see kitchen staff munching on rolls and french fries through the open window. Would make a good episode for that TV show where the boss goes in undercover.
(2)Momo B.
ONLY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST The wonderfully adaptive Pacific Northwest cuisine has included ethnic Asian and Native American ingredients and cooking methodologies. Within this distinctive cuisine are those who fulfill the appetites of the "locavores or localvores", Those seeking foods from plants and animals and wines indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. Irving Street Kitchen lives up to that reputation of satisfying this locavore. For this evening, we ordered the following: -Chicken Fried Oyster using buttermilk that includes a Herbsaint Aioli dip -Dirty Sexy Pig's Head over Crispy Garlicky Bread, topped generously with a spicy enriched reduction plus Coriander Slaw -Pan Roasted Brook Trout on a bed of cipollini & brussels' sprout hash and finished with a topping of almonds and sage butter. (head, tail removed and de-boned) -Twin wedges of lemon pie encircled with honey dripping, topped with whipped cream and scattered "crumplets" of mixed pecans and brown sugar. While the dinner was amazing rich, delightful and exceedingly satisfying, I can't say enough about our server Patrick "Franken(stein)-Burro" affectionately nicknamed by his Latino co-workers. I characterize Patrick as the creme de la creme of his profession. BTW... Patrick is similarly mentioned in three other reviews. So I'm not the first nor the last to make special mention of Patrick.
(5)Kalong W.
Extremely disappointed this time around. I brought my friend from out of town for brunch and was embarrassed that this was the experience she got for a famous Portland brunch. We waited 50 mins for our food to arrive with no apologies or acknowledgment from our server, Patrick. When the food arrived it was cold, bland and sparse. I had ordered the eggs platter w sausage and potatoes-the poached eggs were cold and too done, the sausages were cold and salty, and there were maybe 10 small chunks of potatoes on the plate. My friend was equally dismayed with her egg nachos which I confirmed were cold and tasteless, and the nacho chips definitely tasted stale. Refried beans and stale chips are NOT worth $14, what happened guys?! It was a complete 180 from the last time I was there, last the server came out multiple times to make sure we had fresh coffee and the food was being enjoyed. The least Patrick could have done would be to take our coffees off the bill, at least I would have. Sorry, I can't recommend this place anymore.
(1)Jessica C.
This is a great brunch spot if you are looking for a nice place to take someone that also wont break the bank. Its in a really fun spot downtown and the food is delicious!
(5)Scott H.
I had to sum this place up to a friend. So I told him, "You get what you pay for" The food is not cheap, but when you try it you will see where that money went. It's pretty obvious that they only use the highest quality ingredients to make dishes prepared by an obviously well trained staff. Everything we ordered what beautifully plated and had fresh, authentic flavors. My wife had the mushroom ravioli. It was packed with wild mushroom and topped with a wonderful cream sauce and more meaty mushrooms. The portion wasn't large, but the flavors were. I had the duck. I love me some duck. Beautifully rare in a flavorful sauce that I just wanted to pick up the plate and lick it. I'm told the brunch in the best part of the restaurant, and I'm not afraid to find out for myself. The service was a little chilly. Professional, but chilly. Maybe it's their angle. Whatever, I know what Darden type restaurants to go to if all I want is sugary sweet service. You can't get food like this at a Chilis. Don't you dare skip dessert either. The butterscotch pudding and peanut brittle sounds goofy, but is worth it. Even if you have to take it home in the cool jar. I love the ambiance of the place. It's very casual and unassuming. I came here fresh from a hike because we chose against one of the local brewpubs., and I didn't feel underdressed. Yay Portland I guess.
(5)Kevin O.
Great food, amazing atmosphere! I love the mix of modern industrial and earthy easy feeling. The servers were excellent. Five stars by me all the way around.
(5)Joanna F.
Eeeeeeehhhhh. It took forever for the hostess to acknowledge our existence, but finally we got seated. Atmosphere is beautiful and our server was warm and helpful. However, the food just left me wanting more. We got the cheese plate to start and it just wasn't memorable. I recall all of the cheese was a little funky also, which I like, but I could see how that would be offputting if you weren't obsessed with cheese. I got the halibut for my entree. It was fine. The halibut was good, but everything on the side was kind of lackluster. My husband ordered the ravioli. It took forever because the chef "didn't like the way the the sauce came out", so they gave us some free apps. I enjoyed that they were so transparent about the delay. That being said, when the ravioli did come out, the sauce tasted like lemon and not much else. I was expecting to be blown away after the chef appeared to put special effort into making the sauce. Needless to say, I probably wouldn't be back. This wasn't a bad experience, but it seems like there are so many great restaurants in Portland.
(3)Brian H.
I had a birthday party for my husband here ,great food ,great Waite staff Nice bar
(4)Shirley L.
OK, the rating is for their dinner. I've heard great reviews of their brunch/lunch, but yet to try those. The reason why I'm giving 3 stars is because of how salty all of our dishes were. I think if they cut down the salt, I can easily give a 4+ stars.
(3)Rick S.
Bottom Line - No wait (as of March 2012), tasty food and menu items not greater than $15. Not bad for a backup if you don't have reservations elsewhere or are unwilling to wait. Give it a shot! Came for brunch on 24 March 2012 with 5 other friends, and we ordered the following: Gravlox Benedict ($12.00 x2) - One friend and I ordered this and it was pretty tasty. I liked the lox, and the hollandaise sauce was pretty good. The only thing I didn't really care for was the biscuit... I would have preferred house-made english muffins. Burger ($12.00 x2) - Two of my friends ordered this, and they both thought that the burger patty was too filled with flavour and the avocado couldn't be tasted at all. The garlic fries that came with it were pretty tasty. Eggs Any Style ($11.00 x2) - Two friends got this... one scrambled one poached. The scrambled version was lightly scrambled and it looked so good! My friends seemed to like it. Side Grits ($6.00) - These grits were described as garlic grits, and they were SO GOOD. I think this was my favourite part of the meal. It went really well with the benedict. I'd order it again. Along witg drinks: green tea mimosa ($11.00), EB Law of Nature ($6.00 x2), black coffee ($4.00 x2), our bill came to $107.00 + 20.00 tip = $127.00 total for our table of 6.
(4)Sarah M.
I liked Irving Street Kitchen, but it was not even close to the best fried chicken I've ever had and it was REALLY over-priced. There just wasn't anything special about it. The taste of the dishes I tried was more suited to a $12-$16 entrée rather than the $21-$25 I saw on the menu. The drinks are good, but, again, really over-priced. My dinner companion also ordered the fried chicken, but it came out undercooked so they graciously comped him so that was nice. Overall, if you want a safe and satisfactory meal, this is it.
(3)Ryan H.
Went with a group of 4. Had reservations but got there a little early. We were seated right away. Great wine selection, ended up getting a bottle then a few glasses on top! Had the steak and it was amazing, would definitely reccomend.
(5)Jeff D.
Never got the chance to eat or even drink water. Waiter walked past 3 times without even acknowledging us. 4th time was the charm. I am afraid we will never know if the food is good. Too many restaurants in PDX to put up with bad service.
(1)Lynn A.
Came here on a Monday night with three other coworkers. We love exploring Portland, but this restaurant had not been on our list of places to try. One of my coworkers explained that it was pretty trendy a couple years ago. Still seems great to me! We had the charcuterie plate, fried oysters, burrata/tomato salad and lox plate to start. They charcuterie was a bit underwhelming. I think a lot was made in house, but it all sort of tasted the same. The fried oysters were great, but it's hard to go wrong. The burrata salad could have used some more burrata and flavor. Our main dishes were fabulous though. All meats were done to perfection. My friend really enjoyed the lamb. And the butterscotch pudding for dessert. It was the sort of thing where it actually physically hurts to eat but you can continue to do so, because it's THAT good. In a bout of bad (good?) sense, we also ordered the creme brûlée with bay leaf. Interesting flavor and also worth ordering!
(4)Hey U.
I thought brunch was quite good when we met 6 friends there a few weeks ago. 8 adults, 1 child - not an issue with a meal or service. Everyone was happy with their meal. I got the breakfast version of Jambalaya which was good. Was a little more of a afternoon/evening meal for me, not quite what I was expecting but was tasty nevertheless. My toddler son was a complete a-hole running around in the empty back room and to the couches twice...service didn't blink an eye. Good thing he's cute and albeit rambunctious but fairly quiet. Would like to try it kid free - but we really enjoyed ourselves.
(4)Brooke G.
Quarterly my girlfriends and I go out to a nice restaurant that's been on our [never-shortening] list of Portland hot-spots to try to celebrate our birthdays. Last night, the birthday girl picked Irving St. Kitchen. It was my first time...and honestly, I'd missed the hype on the place. The ambiance was rustic/romantic. Because I'm an east-sider, I tend to like the smaller, more intimate restaurants characteristic of East Portland, but Irving St. Kitchen had the perfect cozy feel. Dinner was absolutely fantastic! We shared four entrees: the trout, the pork cutlets, the steak and the truffle-stuffed guinea hen. Each dish was perfectly complemented with winter vegetables and cooked to perfection. But, it was the guinea hen that stole my heart. So tender it melted in your mouth, the guinea hen was lightly covered with a guinea hen liver au jus... Truffles and liver au jus. Decadent, but light. Unique and amazing. I thought I could walk away happily...then I had the butterscotch pudding. Heart stolen...again. Do not miss it, folks. This will have you licking the plate and wishing you had space for more.
(5)Adam P.
Food was great, ambiance and design of the place was great, the service was OK. The interior of the restaurant is well designed and has some unique features. The menu is not large but has some higher end selections and the price reflects that. The prices are reasonable for the upscale restaurant, the portion sizes were a little small though. It is more upscale than casual but not dressy. A good date or night on the town place. My biggest issues was I asked twice for bread, once when we ordered and once when our first dishes came out. We never got any bread. Bread is not automatically brought out here, menu clearly states to ask which I did. For a nice place like this the bread should be standard or the wait staff should ask if the table wants some. Still a good place though that could have got 5* from me but a place like this should be missing the mark at all.
(3)Emma F.
We arrived here with the belief that this would be a great experience. Busy Friday night- and we were seated immediately so that was a definite plus. Our first dish was the Salmon Gravlax 'platter'; this dish was exceptionally tiny though we did enjoy it (three rye crackers... whaaaat...). We then ordered our next two courses, mine being a celeriac and white truffle oil "soup" (it was really more of a lukewarm and VERY bland puree) along with the Salmon and melted leek dish with sorrel sauce. First off, the leeks were along the lines of quickly sauteed-- but nowhere near the appeal of melted. A very inaccurate description. This dish could have been elevated with a brown butter or perhaps a proper amount of salt, but it was overall a very shallow flavor. But I will say that the salmon was cooked wonderfully. My boyfriend ordered the barbecue shrimp along with the "17 hour" truffle short ribs. The barbecue sauce on the shrimp was delicious but the large amount of filler bread under the shrimp was oily and soppy all the way through. In regards the the short rib dish, it seemed that the description epitomized inaccuracy. They may have cooked it for 17 hours, but anyone could cook short ribs and yield the same product in 20 minutes. Tough. Chewy. Un-glazed. And quite far from the advertised and expected level of tenderness. I might add that this dish was also lacking in the salt department. Just to keep harping on this-- don't put horseradish in the description if you plan on putting the most undetectable amount on as possible. We shall not be returning, it's safe to say. Maybe the brunch is where it's at, but we won't be back to find that out. Service was decent
(2)Cydney B.
15 stars for this one... 5 for the food. 5 for the service (Eva). 5 for the ambiance/decor. We happened into this place by accident on a visit from San Francisco, and we're happily surprised that it is the brother restaurant to our fave restaurant in San Francisco -- Town Hall. The Huz was sick NY Eve this year, so we missed our annual celebration at Town Hall but more than made up for it at Irving Street. Huz had the fried chicken and I had the brook trout and we shared the butterscotch dessert. Now Irving Street is our fave Portland restaurant.
(5)Jackie R.
WOW and wow again! As has been said by many previous reviewers, there is a LOT to love about this fabulous restaurant. It seemed to us that no detail had been overlooked, making a recent dinner one we will long remember. A few highlights? Patrick , our waiter, was personable and knowledgeable. He answered our questions thoughtfully, saw to our every need, and had a TERRIFIC sense of humor. We haven't had a better waiter anywhere. The space was wonderful, with some quirky touches but not over-the-top, which might have distracted us from the delicious food. The food: Fried oysters--briny, crunchy, and not at all greasy Gravlax---satiny smooth, served with a lovely cucumber salad, fresh dill, house-made rye crackers, and a marvelous sauce Fried chicken with smashed potatoes and a cream gravy---Among the tastiest, juiciest, crunchiest I have EVER had the pleasure of tasting. [My love of fried chicken goes back 50 years; as a child, while traveling across the country by car, I wrote a fried chicken guide to America.]. This chicken had been brined but was not overly salty. It was moist---even the breast. YUM! FYI, the portion was immense! Side of broccoli- market fresh, served perfectly cooked with interesting components. House-made ricotta (?) cavatelli with crawfish, sweet corn, and summer squash--- A very rich, savory preparation, which I personally would have preferred as an appetizer, in a smaller portion. Excellent amber ale. Fantastic bread from Ken's Artisan Bakery---served on request. We thought this was the best bread we had EVER eaten in a restaurant. Parenthetically, the butter was served at the perfect temperature, which is, sadly, quite unusual. Even though we thought we could not fit one more bite into our mouths/stomachs, we just could not resist the butterscotch pudding. I will just say this: Tonight we wanted to return for a take -out order! A cup of delicious, whole-leaf Bergamot tea. Excellent coffee. We would not have missed this dining experience for anything. If we are ever asked by anyone where to eat in Portland, we will give Irving Street Kitchen our most enthusiastic recommendation. When is the New York sister restaurant opening?
(5)J F.
We wanted to do brunch before Christmas shopping and couldn't have picked a better place. We love seeking out restaurants where the menu includes 'not your everyday basics', but a selection of foodie items that makes your mouth water just by reading it. My husband had the Salmon Gravlax Benedict with a side of Tasso bacon and I indulged in the Smoked Scrambled Egg Nachos. The eggs for his Benedict were poached perfectly and the chips for my nachos (homemade?) kept their crispness throughout our meal. I must mention their Bloody Marys hit the spot even on this cooler morning. Nice big windows to people watch, good energy, wonderful high ceilings and pleasant staff. We must try dinner soon!
(5)Stef M.
Brunch was good! Amazing cocktails, try the shambala, with OJ and whiskey. Sounds weird, but it was spot on. They made me a strong cappuccino, as well, and even asked what kind of milk I wanted in it. Gravlax eggs benedict were quite good, but the biscuits were disappointingly chewy. And the dill in the hollandaise didn't really come through as much as I thought it would. Definitely try the assorted pastries: you get a doughnut, chocolate pumpkin bread, and a muffin topped with streusel and filled with rhubarb jam. I still can't decide which is my favorite. I saw someone at the next table had ordered the french toast, and it looked amazing. Whoever chose the brunch soundtrack should get a promotion, because it was brilliant: New Order, Morrissey, Tears for Fears. Cool interior, really nice and friendly waitress. If they had nailed the biscuits, this would have been a 4-star review.
(3)Michael C.
(Note that so far we've only been here for brunch.) Overall, given the other strong reviews, the cool atmosphere, and the interesting menu, I'm willing to give this place another try. But, our first experience here was mediocre. The french toast was alright, but the breakfast nachos left a lot to be desired. The grilled avocado was quite overdone (black nearly all around), and it definitely felt like there was something missing -- it wasn't terrible, but it just wasn't as tasty or filling as we'd hoped for given the popularity of this restaurant. It sounds like dinner is supposed to be better, so we'll try that next.
(3)Kat P.
Amazing Food! Amazing Service! Really enjoy grabbing a specialty cocktail and the fried chicken is to die for. Highly recommend for someone looking for a great atmosphere. Not to mention, their desserts are some of the best around.
(5)Tatiana P.
I would not recommend going here. Made a reservation for valentines day with my boyfriend and I were very excited about. One of the things we started the meal with was a cloud cap cheese that had white truffle honey on it. The cheese was very bland and tasteless and the tiny drizzle of honey that they gave us tasted absolutely nothing like truffles. After that we should a ravioli with crab on it. This part of the meal was not particularly bad but they only gave us three raviolis for $15. For my entree I ordered something I was very excited about, a quail stuffed with duck sausage. This tasted exactly like a big block of salt and it came with some cranberry sauce. The cranberry sauce would have helped to drown out the salt if they had given me enough but instead they literally gave me a quarter of a teaspoon smeared on the side of the plate. My boyfriend did however enjoy his fried chicken and he agrees with me that it was the only good part of the meal. Overall very disappointing, very overpriced, and very skimpy portions of food that was made to sound much better than what it really was.
(2)Reena M.
Wow! This place is amazing. I wish I had a bigger appetite by the time I got to Irving St. Kitchen, but we ended up having dinner elsewhere when we got into town as we were starvin' like Marvin. Then we proceeded to go on a self-guided pub crawl and found ourselves by Irving St. Kitchen. We stopped in for dessert and regardless of how many pints we had earlier, this was a memory etched in our brains - the desserts and cocktails were that good! We got seated at a cool little table in a small nook in the restaurant. The table itself was made of a large cross section of a tree. It was pretty cool. It felt like we were in this hidden corner away from the rest of the world (except when the servers popped by). The servers, by the way, were really helpful with cocktail suggestions. Unfortunately, the cocktails are not what I remember vividly. We got the butterscotch pudding and a chocolate torte with sour cherries. They were delicious - maybe even orgasmic! I would have loved to come here for actual dinner, but maybe next time.
(5)Natalie B.
I really used to love this place. We dined here relatively often for both dinner and brunch and always had great meals/service. Yes, it was a little spendy but worth it. We went back last night, bringing out of town guests. I was excited because the menu had a bunch of new items that looked wonderful. Right off the bat I noticed the prices for both food and drink were significantly higher. Fine, I get it, probably worth it based on my past experiences here. Appetizers were good (although took over 30 minutes to arrive), stand out was the octopus salad. Then the entrees arrived. We were all shocked to see the portion sizes. $28 for a piece of salmon that was probably 5 bites? Same price for 3 scallops? The food tasted good, not as great as in the past, but not bad. It seems like the new menu has almost doubled the prices and halved the portions. I'm willing to pay $$$ for a good meal, but this was not the case. The final bill averaged over $70/person (we each had wine/cocktail), too much for what it was. Too bad this place has gone downhill as it used to be a favorite!
(2)Steph L.
My fiance and I came here for a nice Valentine's brunch. We didn't make a reservation beforehand (we actually stopped at three other popular hot-spots for brunch but the wait was 1.5 hrs long for each), so luckily Irving St. had an opening for 10:15 am. I had the sourdough french toast with cranberry compote and it was divine. It came with a small scoop of chocolate chip ice cream which I thought was a little strange and over-the-top, but that's just me. I was more in the mood for breakfast, not exactly dessert. The sourdough complemented the sweetness of the compote/syrup, and was not heavy at all, like french toast can be. The perfect amount of sweetness. My fiance had the ham & cheese croissant with a side salad. Salad was really large and he ate a majority of it since he said the vinaigrette was great. (in my opinion, it looked too glossy and was overly dressed). But he never eats something he doesn't like. The sandwich wasn't your standard croissant with ham and cheese in between; it looks like they stuffed it and then popped it in the oven and egg-washed it extra for more shininess. It was pretty toasted (and by that i mean brown), but not burnt. I took a bite and thought it was good, not something I'd get though(too oily for me). Service was good, but probably because the place was not packed yet and we totally lucked out with Open Table. The food came fairly quickly. We had a laugh at the end bc the waiter brought us the check and sandwiched it in one of those little memo pads you get at any bookstore and I guess previous patrons draw random things in the book, along with compliments about the food. Well the page the waiter left our check on had a huge drawing of a hairy penis, balls and all. Nice wrap-up to our v-day brunch.
(4)Nicole H.
My friend and I went here last night. Walked in, waited....waited....and waited for someone to greet us. Two hostesses were busy venting about something, then one finally asked if we had been helped. "No" Then she asks what do we need. "Well, we would like to be seated." Then just says "sit wherever your comfortable." But there were no seats available, so we left. Very poor customer service! Such a shame because this was my first time going and had heard good things.
(1)Ana R.
Scrumptious brunch, as good as it gets. I suggest starting with the Sugar and Spice donuts, they are sweet and goey inside. My favorite dishes are the pork belly waffles and the green fried tomatoes BLT. But in between my husband, in-laws and friends we have had everything on the menu and they were all very satisfied. They serve Smith Tea (my favorite) and their lemonade is made to order (delicious!) I've also been there for dessert and they were amazing. I love their decor, specially the repurposed milk bottles lamp and they have bookcases with old library books that you can read while waiting for the food.
(5)Brian N.
Last night a friend and I went here for happy hour. We sat at the bar top and were greeted by an excellent bar tender. I had two drinks called Adios something and they were mixed perfect. I ordered the meatballs, jambalaya and wedge salad. My friend ordered the chicken something oysters, Jambalaya and meatballs. Everything was A+ except the wedge salad wasn't really my style. Prefer the tomato and bacon over pecans, radish and apple toppings. The meatballs were so good we each ordered another order. In and out for $66 for both...awesome! Service A+, love the buildout and will be back for full dinner and will reserve the private both/tables which they have like 5 of. Really cool! Hope this place makes it!
(5)Philip S.
A lovely atmosphere. And the food was quite good. But this place suffers from the same problem as so many Portland establishments and that is inexperienced staff. Our server had very poor timing and left the table empty for long periods then cluttered it with too many things all at once. The clearest example of poor timing was during desert course when I asked to see the list of available whiskies. this was promptly delivered as were the deserts but server did not return to ask about whisky until desert plates were empty. Senseless. I did not order the whisky and desert was not as much fun without it.
(3)Adam M.
Always enjoy the food here.... delicious but comfortable and casual. Can get expensive though.
(4)Vi B.
A very classy, funky, cool, polished place. I had my birthday party here, and thought the staff did an amazing job taking care of me and my friends - we were a pretty large (and loud) group, and it was nice to be doted on for my special day. The food was great (I had chicken and waffles, and if you've read any of my other reviews you'd know I go loco over this dish), and the drinks are strong. It's not the kind of place you'd go if you were looking to rage (especially since the crowd's a bit older and I imagine 'raging' isn't in their vocabulary), but it is a very cool place to start a night with friends (and cocktails).
(4)Katherine K.
Service is wonderful, and the space is beautiful; a bright and inviting place to enjoy a meal with friends. The food is consistently good. The Salmon Gravlax Benedict with buttermilk biscuits, wilted greens, dill hollandaise and the Levain French Toast with cranberry, cherry compote and mascarpone are dishes I would come back for. The steel cut oatmeal and sugar and spice donuts were also good, though not anything spectacular enough to get me to order them again. I made reservations here for a brunch for a baby shower, and the manager was very helpful, and our table was set up when we arrived.
(4)Kirsten H.
While the food was good the portions were ridiculously small for the expensive prices. The service was ok but the restaurant was really loud. Not worth the money.
(2)Judy L.
the best steamed clams with bacon wrapped quail egg. everything was on point here. we got the squid ink risotto, chanterelle ravioli, tomato soup, and extra bread because the butter was so fresh and amazing. ambiance is great, service is attentive and quick, waitress is very versed in all dishes.
(5)Christian K.
Located in the Pearl District at 13th and Irving, the Irving St. Kitchen has quickly become a brunch favorite. From the moment you enter the space, the ambiance portrays a very cool vibe with a bit of trendy, yet somewhat familiar, flair. The bar is located just in front of the entrance with high top seating to the left and nice two top seating in front of the fireplace. There is a great lounge type area to the left of the entrance, which is almost a modern version of the old school coffeehouse. Sofas around a living room type table offer a groovy, yet comfortable area to enjoy drinks while you visit with friends or even wait for a table in the main dining room. Preferring to sit in the bar for brunch, the Irving St. Kitchen has never failed to please. Pete, the bartender, has waited on me, or me and my husband, the last three times I've been to the restaurant and has always provided great, consistent service. He's knowledgeable about the menu and always has good wine and drink recommendations. Now, on to the food! The brunch menu offered at Irving St., is fantastic. During our latest visit, I ordered the Soft Scrambled Egg Nachos with Refried Beans, Smoked Tomatillo Salsa, and Grilled Avocado and my husband ordered the Smoked Tasso Jambalaya Skillet Eggs. The textures and flavors of both were well thought out and wonderfully layered, each bite offering an expected, yet new and unexpected, experience. The only thing I'd note here is that they edge on using just a bit too much salt and I truly think if they pulled back on that just a bit, it would really allow a fuller experience of all the spices and flavors they have formulated and put together. Previously, I have also enjoyed the Bibb Wedge Salad with Rogue Blue Cheese, Pink Lady Apple, Radish, Candied Pecan, and Tasso Bacon, as well as the Poached Yellowfin Tuna Nicoise, Kalamata Vinaigrette and Cherry Tomato salad, and would easily order either again. In conclusion, if you are looking for a great place to have brunch which offers a twist on some classics, as well as some more nontraditional options, definitely go to the Irving St. Kitchen. It is a restaurant with a menu and service level that offers a wonderfully refreshing experience. Please note that this review is for the brunch experience only. To date, I have not had the pleasure of dining here for dinner but plan on changing that fact in the very near future.
(4)Jenni L.
I really want to hate this place just for being so incredibly yuppy but the service is always superb and everything on the menu just makes me so damn happy that I can't help but love it. I came here again recently with the girls for one of their quarter century birthdays. We had scored a table out on the deck which was really nice as it was one of those uncommon blissful 70 degree nights. Because it was a girls-only birthday dinner we felt it appropriate to start the night out with bright pink cosmos, which were fabulous. On a side note, the bartenders are fantastic and will always go out of their way to find out how to make anything you order that isn't on the list. Random prohibition era cocktails? Check. Something with Pims you ordered once at a bar on the east coast? Check. The food is even better. For dinner I ordered the seared snapper with cumin roasted potatoes, Johnston ham, brown butter and the juiciest roasted peaches known to man. The snapper was great, but those peaches really stole the show. I love that Irving St. constantly rotates their menu to reflect the best of what's in season at the time. It makes for some really superb seasonal items and is the main reason I have such confidence in the menu. One of my friends ordered the meatballs, which I've actually had before, but didn't stop me from stealing a bite. Still awesome. I'm a little sad that we didn't order the buttermilk biscuits with the red pepper jelly, because they were such a showstopper last time, but that really only gives me more reason to make a trip back again soon. The inside of Irving St. is really just as spectacular as sitting outside. I'm in love with the milk bottle lighting, as well as the entire bar area with it's cute animal prints, squashy window seating and pretty vintage appeal. In fact, Irving St. might be my favorite place to go esthetically. It walks the line of being an upscale establishment yet contains no ounce of pretention. This is a superb example of a truly fantastic restaurant and bar in the Pearl.
(5)Lauren S.
Stopped in here Sunday morning for breakfast. We got there as soon as they opened and to be honest they were a little slow. I get it, I'm not a morning person but I wish our coffee would have come sooner than it did. The poached eggs were really good but I'd def suggest ordering a side of bacon or something since the two poached eggs aren't really a lot of food. We shared the doughnuts - also tasty. Guys that sat beside us were having a fit that the space looked like a Restoration Hardware exploded but I thought the space was beautiful. Loved how open it felt. Large chandeliers were pretty and interesting and I liked how the space was split up with bookshelves and such. Love rustic, modern decor even though it is a little overdone.
(4)Chad V.
Had Sunday brunch here and was disappointed with the food. The chicken and waffles I ordered came out of the kitchen cold so I sent it back. The chef made another one but didn't cook the chicken all the way so it was raw in the middle... I had to order a completely different meal in order to get something cooked thoroughly and hot. The waitress was really nice but overall the food wasn't good at all.
(2)Randy S.
Salmon on spaghetti squash, wedge butter leaf salad, steelhead trout grilled asparagus and buckwheat side with a nice Pinot Gris. We sat at the bar since without a reservation a table was out of the question. With the open bar and dining area, it was a perfectly fine place to sit for a casual diner. The bartender seemed a bit put off by having us order order dinner, and generally gave off a bad vibe, but we did enjoy our entrees and simply ignored the bartender. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. One star off for the poor service, but as an out-of-towner i'd return to this restaurant.
(4)Tamara C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a destination I intend to frequent more often as I live within walking distance. The place was hopping' recently when I met up with a group of my fellow Yeeps during First Thursday. Our server did not miss a beat. Her upbeat attitude and skill at keeping everyone with a cocktail in hand and getting happy hour orders in under the wire was much appreciated. She rocked. Although I did not order food, my pals that had the Mac n'Cheese tell me it was fantastic. I was particularly enamored with my absinthe cocktails. The Chrysanthemum, which I ordered off the cocktail menu and the "dealer's choice"... a concoction created for me by our skilled bartender was a winner. Next time I will partake of that terrific HH menu. ISK is now back on my radar - I'll be seeing you next weekend.
(5)Frank C.
We had a wonderful dinner here and enjoyed eating outside. We had the Corn crab soup, baby green salad, hazlenut crusted halibut, and rice-stuffed crab. The halibut was very tender with light crust and delicate flavor with lemon relish butter. Can't go wrong here!
(4)Emily P.
Great atmosphere that is fun but still sophisticated. The waiter was well informed on the menu and gave great information! I will be heading back for evening drinks for sure!
(4)Chad A.
My partner and I came here for brunch almost every sunday for about a year and we were never disappointed. The french toast changes seasonally and we made sure to order whatever new flavor variation they had come up with. Dinner is fantastic making this our go to restaurant for entertaining friends and family who were visiting PDX.
(5)Eve K.
Cool, unique spot in warehousey pearl street row of nice places with great, fresh food and a casual, fun, yet upscale atmosphere. Food 4.2 Atmosphere: 5 Service: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3.5 (aps ~$11, entrees ~$25) Return worthiness: yes - Atmosphere: love the decor which was a type of rustic, northwestern, open, and quirky. The chandelier made of old school glass milk bottles and bar area with animal shadow drawings stood out. - Halibut: fresh with good variety in texture, but the star of the show was the corn. Close second was the stellar subtle curry with crawfish sauce - Drinks: strong bourbon ones were great - Wine: served in mini mason jars Midlights: - Cornbread: dug the sweet Bourbon glaze, but actual corn bread slice didn't have much flavor even with jalapeño - Tomato watermelon salad: turned into standard Caprese but was expecting more excitement from the grilled watermelon. It was more like a green circle that looked like it could be a twin of a green tomato and didn't see any proof of grilling Lowlights: - Peach turnover: 3 mini half moon shaped pastries with no flavor but points for effort on the bourbon ice cream Enjoyed the place's food, drink, and atmosphere and would return.
(4)Melissa L.
I have now eaten a great brunch at ISK, so it's time for a review update. I went to ISK for brunch solo, after receiving a massage a block or so away. Clearly I was in a relaxed state of mind, but it was also still early (not quite 11AM on a Saturday) and I hadn't had breakfast yet, thus was a bit bleary-eyed and hungry. I had heard that the brunch wait could be long here, so I was stunned to walk in and sit right down at the bar, its only patron. (It happened to be a very cold, blustery morning, which may have had an impact on the number of people coming out for brunch.) I was greeted warmly by the bartender and offered a cocktail menu right away. I wasn't feeling quite up to a cocktail yet, and instead ordered a huge mug of perfectly-pulled Stumptown americano. Perfectamundo. The gravlax benedict jumped off the brunch menu page at me, so I knew I had to order it. It arrived and was beautiful, but I realized that I had forgotten to ask for the eggs to be poached until the yolk is set, because I'm not a fan of runny yolks. Oh well, my fault, can't blame ISK for that one. As it turned out, the slightly-runny yolks really went well with the smoked salmon and the gorgeous, fluffy biscuit that was the base for the whole dish. I ate the whole plate in about 8 bites, it was that good. I also immensely enjoyed the jazz/blues tunes they had on the PA during my meal. I might have stayed longer, but time was running out on my 3-hr-limit parking space. I may have just gotten very lucky with my timing and the weather, but it was a perfect brunch experience ( or at least as perfect as it could be while dining alone.) I will definitely be back, if I find myself in the Pearl/NW around brunch again...hopefully then I'll have the fortitude to try one of their really complicated-looking cocktails.
(5)Biker S.
Really enjoyed the ambiance and decor of this place and the food was good but not great. That suggests to the three of us that it is a bit overpriced and does not live up to its price expectations. Will likely go back soon and check out its happy hour.
(3)Renee T.
Being foodies from California we were so excited when our local friends invited us here!! Food was perfect! Amazing cocktails and you must try the rootbeer float desert with a shit if bourbon!!! Awesome way to close out a reunion dinner!
(5)Ken A.
Our first time and we look forward to trying everything on the menu after this fantastic dining experience. Service from all the staff was good and our server was exceptional. Signature dish - fried chicken over mash and collared greeens (not something I would ever normally order) is now on our list of must have again dishes. Go here and enjoy the experience provided by the exceptional service, ambiance, and fantastic food.
(5)Justin K.
#fail Avoid this place. It may fly for some folks here, but it's very poorly managed and and the food is just a notch over mediocre bar fare.
(2)Laurie G.
My partner and I had our wedding reception dinner for 40 people in the private dining room. I cannot say enough how fantastic the ISK team was. Jessie, the private dining coordinator, was always prompt with communication and answering questions. The whole service team was excellent with prompt service, friendly, and the plated food for 40 came out hot and delicious. The room looked spectacular. I would not hesitate to recommend ISK for a meal or for a special event. 5 stars across the board.
(5)Mandy M.
Everything was just okay. The water was great and plentiful. Coffee hot and refilled. The brisket fried egg sandwich was good, but the fries came with this truly unappetizing grainy cheese sauce. And even though cheese is my favorite food, I couldn't enjoy that sauce at all. We also ordered the salmon Benedict, which was oddly cold. Literally the worst Bloody Mary I ever had, I felt bad for the waitress because she clearly didn't make it. It tasted like cocktail sauce jacked on horseradish. I didn't finish it. Which I've never done in my life. Overall service good, nice waitress and attentive staff. Just not worth it.
(3)Ophelia Y.
We went to Irving St. Kitchen with a big group, anticipating a great dining experience. We had a reservation schedule for 2 weeks, and didn't get seated until an hour after our scheduled reservation time. 1 star dinged for that. The environment is nice, calming, and classy. The decor is spectacular. The food was good--the fried chicken made to perfection. The ham and biscuits were good--the red pepper jelly was a bit odd for my taste. The cornbread was recommended to us, and was red peppery as well. Tasted like red pepper cornbread with maple syrup on it. I was most impressed with the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The collared greens were okay. The dishes are a bit overpriced for what they are. You can find similar tasting biscuits at Popeye's. Also, when they wrapped up my leftovers for me, the guy threw out my half-eaten piece of chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes, and he left me with one drumstick! Come on, if you're going to wrap up my food, give me EVERYTHING left on my plate. 1 more star dinged for that. I'd be willing to give this place another chance to impress me, but I feel like you can do better.
(3)Mark C.
Had an excellent dinner here. The food was fresh and well presented, would have given them 5 Stars but the service could have been better.
(4)Allie R.
Irving Street Kitchen has enchanted me in every way. I've been here for both breakfast and dinner, and while dinner (and dessert!) is the meal that truly romanced me, the ambiance can be appreciated at any time of day or night. A little bit rustic, a little bit modern, a lot bit well-executed. East-siders will feel right at home, but suburbanites won't feel out of place. The guinea hen was a particular favorite among the diners at my table, but we tried four entrees and I would order any of them again. Be sure to save room for dessert. The butterscotch pudding is arguably my favorite restaurant dessert anywhere in Portland, and the presentation will delight.
(5)Kevin S.
I have been to this restaurant twice now. The first time, the service was so-so. Last night, however, I received the epitome of what I like to call "Portland-Waiter-Syndrome." You know.. when your waiter makes you feel like you are a nuisance for even being in the restaurant. God forbid that they actually have to serve you... and do their job! Only in Portland have I experienced waiters that are too good to do the job that they were hired for... but are ever so quick to complain about an 18% tip. "What?! They didn't leave 20%??" It took us an hour to get a table, which was understandable, because the place was pretty lively. After getting our table, however, it took another 15 minutes just for our waiter to approach the table. He mumbled a few words while staring down at the floor, and then took our order. Another 15 minutes went by and we received our appetizers prior to our cocktails. When the cocktails finally arrived, one of the martinis was made with olive instead of a twist. No big deal. Without any type of apology, the waiter took the drink back, and returned very shortly with what was supposed to be a brand new drink. After taking a few sips, however, the one drinking it noticed that the drink had a funny taste to it, and then upon looking more closely, noticed remnants of olives floating at the bottom of the drink. It was the same drink! All they had done was remove the olive and put a twist in its place. To me, this is unacceptable, and completely classless. After finally receiving all of the correct drinks, along with a grumpy "too good to serve you" attitude from the waiter, we enjoyed our drinks and conversation while waiting for our meal. We kept waiting. After an hour went by without our waiter even returning to the table, we finally asked someone to run him down for us. When he approached the table, we asked him if our dinner had been ordered. He mumbled a few indecipherable words, and walked to the kitchen window where our food was waiting. (Who knows for how long?) The food was ok. I ordered steak frites, prepared medium. It came out medium rare. The frites were cold. The service was terrible. One of the worst experiences I have had with a waiter. When a group of 4 goes out to eat, and spends over $300, they should be able to expect to be taken care of properly. I came in the restaurant happy and enjoying great company. We all left feeling off-put by our waiter's attitude and carelessness. I liked this place enough the first time to come back and bring friends, but doubt I will return.
(2)T K.
This is a great place to treat yourself or an out of town guest. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is fashionable yet cozy. I love the lighting fixtures. Staff/service has always been exceptional. Tip: do the wedge salad instead of the green goddess, unless you want your mouth covered in garlic.
(5)Bob U.
Every time we have been here, the consistency of the food and service is quality.
(4)David L.
Based on the nice sensual ambiance and it being crowded on a Monday night, we were looking forward to a sublime dining experience. The restaurant sits above street level somewhat like a long open loading dock, reminiscent of establishments in New York's Meatpacking district. Our waiter was great -- attentive and knowledgeable, as well as having strong opinions about recommendations for drinks and food. I always like wait staff that is invested in their menu and has strong recommendations. The guy was experienced enough to read what level of help we were looking for and comply. Whereas the atmosphere and staff deserve a higher rating, I'm sorry to report that the food was just hit and miss. The artisan cheeses and bread were very good, and the Halibut with Smoked Brandade my brother-in-law ordered was also quite nice. My wife's Squid Ink Risotto was just okay, while the signature Mary's Organic Fried Chicken that I ordered was just not good at all. The chicken had a lot of different flavors but somehow the combination sort of cancelled everything out and I can't really even remember what it tasted like. On top of that the thigh piece had a gummy consistency that did not feel good in the mouth. I will agree with other reviewers that the desserts were very good, and the Butterscotch Pudding is a must have.
(2)William L.
I had dinner here last night. When ordering the cheese plate, I wanted to confirm it did not include any meats. The waitress confirmed. She overheard me talking about not being able to eat pork. Later the waitress took our order. 10 minutes after placing the order, she returned and made me aware she overheard me mention that I am not able to eat pork. She made me aware there was pork in the entree I selected (even though pork was not a listed ingredient). I then selected another option. She then informed me that entree also had pork. REALLY? Two entrees on the menu that have pork and it's not listed in the description/ingredients included? I asked the waitress about this very concerning flaw. She agreed- however said there is not room to list all ingredients on the menu... ALERT... Pork is not an ingredient you leave out of your description. There are many VERY IMPORTANT reasons people don't eat pork. In addition to this huge flaw, the rest of the food was not good.
(1)Gorman E.
Irving St. Kitchen is ready for PDX Prime Time! Our beautiful hostress greeted us and told us of the wait since it was busy. No matter, we just ordered some drinks and chit chat with a few ladies by the comfy couches by the bar and entrance area until a booth was open for us. We felt an instant warm ambiance and the decor was a rustic cabin feel but with Hollywood cabana booths. Each booth had a name of a celebrity. I notice great looking chandeliers and fantastic wooden bar with mason jars full of candles. The flags above combine with the lighting to give the effect of live animals. Large gorgeous wooden columns. Our waitress, Nateya was awesome. She was not only super eye candy but wish she was Nat - E - Ya on us. Both our beautiful hostess who is going pre-med and waitress had the most helpful recommendation for drinks and food. They ordered me this fantastic delicious cocktail drink but I forgot what it is called since it was not on the cocktail menu anymore but it was our hostress favorite drink. I got two...that is how good it was! I was still full from a big lunch but I remember my Elite Yelper friend, Valerie W told me about this place and that I must get the Side of Smoked Tasso Jambalaya and glazed corn bread....I would be blown away. She was absolutely right, I was blown away how good the Jambalaya was...the smoked tasso was like butter with well seasoned and smokeyness rice....just heavenly. The Glazed Corn Bread was SO DELICIOUS! It had a kick and the drizzle honey syrup taste like candy...huge portions...I could stick candles in it for my birthday cake. I almost jizz how good the food is here....foodgasm...glazed corn bread pair well with the Smoke Tasso Jambalaya. Nateya wanted to get me a free dessert for my birthday but I declined since we had an agenda and full night of drunken debauchery. Just a perfect birthday dinner with fantastic friends who join me from Seattle. The atmosphere, the staff, and food rock my socks! Thanks again, Valerie for recommending this spot to me. I can't wait to try their brunch on a Sunday when I am in town again! Highly Recommended.
(5)David W.
My family took advantage of the restaurants offer for take out Thanksgiving dinner which we had yesterday. I have to say the food was absolutely wonderful, Very flavorful. Even though some of the family was a little skeptical about the collard greens it turned out everybody really enjoyed the flavors. There was enough food to feed easily 3 to 4 people. The turkey was cooked to perfection. I would highly recommend this dinner offer at next year's Thanksgiving if you're somebody who does not feel up to preparing a full Thanksgiving meal. Again great job Irving St. kitchen.
(5)Valerie W.
Came back to Irving St. for my Birthday and was again blown away by both the service and food here. LOVE their Smoked Tasso Jambalaya, and Glazed Cornbread!!!!! I also was starving so I opted for their Butter Leaf Salad and again it was tasty. For my Birthday the server surprised me with complementary sparkling wine which was fantastic. Seated in one of their 'private booths' I must say I felt quite cozy. Our server was excellent and friendly. The Marinated Olives and Spiced Nuts were a great starter to the meal. All in all I can't say enough great things about this place. I really enjoyed myself and highly recommend to anyone!
(5)Diane W.
Our foodie daughter highly recommended we dine at Irving Street Kitchen in the Pearl District, and we were glad we did. We didn't have reservations and lucked out on a table shortly after arriving. Wonderful cocktails and small plates to share. (Reminded me a bit of MB Post, which is my daughters favorite restaurant, so no wonder she recommeded ISK). This place is a must if you enjoy great food! Next time, we will made a reservation for one of their private booths.
(5)Leo G.
Vegitarians should stay away from this place. Very few vegitarian items and none that taste good. In addition the place is complete rip off for what you get.
(1)Steve A.
Very cool menu, being from the south a definite southern vibe. Service was great as well, albeit a Tuesday night so not that busy. Worth the $$
(5)K B.
Not worth the money. Overpriced food with mediocre service at best. Didn't care much for the hostess' attitude. Saw other reviews mentioning her arrogance coz i almost thought she was racist. Don't know what her issue in life is. Maybe she is too pretty but now old so gotta earn a living; btw more than half the seating area was available so it wasn't like the place was busy, she still sat us by the bar. Ambience: great, hip and fun ambience till you notice whatever they have hung around the bar. It's just plain ugly and disgusting, not something I want to look at while eating. Outside seating is pretty romantic though, I think the booths are cute too. Food: We tried to order porchetta but they were out of it. Tried to order some bread, which btw is on request only. After waiting for about 10 minutes and not receiving anything, tried to locate the server who just kept disappearing on us to find out they were out of bread too. First time heard of a restaurant running of of bread !!! And it would have been great if he had bothered to inform us in a timely manner. We could have saved ourselves an order of olives which cost $6 for a bunch of JUST olives. I ordered the asparagus cous cous and my partner got the salmon. The cous cous was outright a mess of bunch of different textures and completely bland. Whoever came up with the dish must have had good intentions but probably forgot to taste the dish. The soft egg with thick pieces of mushrooms, lemony shavings left a bad feeling in the mouth making me feel nauseated. The salmon came with a creamy pea sauce. While either of them tasted great on their own, we felt like they didn't pair well together. Best part was definitely the butterscotch pudding that comes in a mason jar but it is a bit too sweet. And the caramel is overwhelming but I don't have a sweet tooth, the dessert lovers should definitely give it a try. Overall a blah experience with food and service. I have had so much better in this price range. This place leaves you wanting so much more for what you would shell out. Lot of other great options around the neighborhood, won't recommend this one.
(2)Matt V.
I am in love with this place. Between the atmosphere, location and food...I couldn't ask for anything more. I ordered the breakfast nachos and the smoked salmon benedict (yeah, I split it...so quit judging). Both were delectable!
(5)Holy-foo' X.
I've been going to the gym across the street from ISK since Gold's moved into that old warehouse in the very early 90s and the "Pearl" was still an old, ugly, dilapidated burnt out section of town. The name and ownership of the gym has changed several times since then but continues to chug on, as the neighborhood around it has so radically blossomed and transformed. Even so, I was surprised to learn that ISK has been there in its current incarnation for only 3 years. It seems like so much longer than that, in a good way...For all that, I never managed to be there doing "normal business hours" until late last year and was delighted to find that it was worth the wait to finally get to come and check it out. The menu is so big and ever-changing and so completely alien to my simple mind (chicory greens? Shaved grana? Grase? Sunchoked Puree? No idea what any of it was), so cutting a wide swath through the selections, making judicious use of the sampler platters where they appear, expanded my culinary sensibilities a little as well as my lexicon. The terminology is a little silly and pretentious IMHO, but I do realize that for a good many folks, dressing up nice and even knowing about these dishes and words, as well as how to order them and eat them correctly, is half the fun. The food was very good and the price tag offered at the end was steep but not surprising and our server was gracious, well-informed and just a real peach. I'd love to check out ISK's brunch, but maybe not until the brunch fad has died down a bit, and the folks who love to play dress-up-like-the-grown-ups and order fancy food will have moved on to the next Big Thing....
(4)Leslie W.
I lived in New Orleans for a couple of years and I hesitate to eat anything that claims affinity with the cooking of NOLA, but I have to say that the Dungeness Crab stuffed with dirty rice was one of the tastiest dishes I've eaten--here, or there. I am a super fan of Irving St. Kitchen. It is one of my top places to eat on the Westside. We've been several times and each time has been awesome. Our waiter, Don, was a wonderful server who knew about food and wine and more important, the food and wine at Irving St. He was great and helped make the evening very special. The gravlax was amazing. I have never understood gravlax, until tonight. Now, I'm totally there, one with the gravlax. I frequently complain about Sunday meals: how you're likely to get wilted lettuce and old fish, but every item was as fresh as could be, perfectly prepared, beautifully plated, and exquisite. The portions seemed very adequate to me. So much so, that I could not, unfortunately, try the butterscotch pudding. Sounded delicious but there's a limit and my limit was stuffed with dungeness crab and rice. This was a fantastic meal. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Shannon H.
I was absolutely impressed with this spot! I was lucky enough to attend their Fat Tuesday event, and I could not be more pleased with the experience! First, the space is incredibly well presented. Open and spacious, without feeling empty or lacking. Tastefully decorated, interesting decor without being too trendy or "Pearl District," which is a huge turn-off for me. I felt comfortable in there, it was very warm and inviting, and I loved the curtained tables. Now onto the best part, the food! Oh the glorious, delicious food. Because it was a special event we didn't have a menu to order from, but got to try many more items than we normally would have. Have to admit, my favorite was the oyster bar, with beautiful freshly shucked oysters as far as the eye could see. The oysters were so fresh and delicious I could have happily stuck to eating them all night long. But I managed to tear myself away (after another quick plateful) long enough to sample an open face pulled pork something-or-other on a light biscuit of sorts (yummy!), mac & cheese (very well seasoned and quite delicious, even to this non-mac&cheese person), jumbalaya (good, but not my favorite dish offered), some kind of peppers (a little too bitter and "earthy" for my liking), chicken wings (oh yeah! bring me more!), and the focal point of the meal...the roast pig. They had been roasting it all day and were serving up slices of tender, juicy pork. So juicy and delicious, in fact, that I wondered how I was going to convince them to give me a doggie bag to take home. Overall, excellent restaurant. So glad I had the chance to try it out on such a special night! The entertainment was great, the event's emcee, Don, did a fabulous job, and the staff were incredibly wonderful and engaging. I can't wait to come back and try their normal menu!
(5)Uikwon L.
Trendy interior, pleasant server. Their tap wine system was very impressive! Definitely going back again.
(5)Tom H.
Had an unbelievable dinner there on Monday night during a business trip. We tried the Fried Chicken as a shared appetizer which was phenomenal as was the salmon main course. The desserts and cocktails were also great.
(5)Mike H.
I went there several months ago , had the fried chicken ... Not good ... Went again last night with a friend , against all instinct I not only ordered the chicken again but also recommended the same to my friend ... Again I was pretty bad , all done never again .... Wine is also very overpriced
(1)In B.
We went here with a large group and pretty much ordered everything from their happy hour menu. Everything was very good. The atmosphere is very classy yet cozy. I also tried their Draper Valley fried chicken with smashed potatoes. The chicken was very juicy and tender and their smashed potatoes were full of flavor.
(4)Rachel J.
I like this place a lot, but as a picky vegetarian, it's not great for me. Their non-meat options seem pretty token. I know that I'm not their target customer, and that they're really gunning for the foodie, flesh-loving crowd, but putting pig parts all over everything (even pancakes!) just seems like a shortcut. I went here for brunch for the first time today, and I was disappointed that they don't have any egg substitutes. Most other places in town will happily sub in tofu for eggs, and as someone who dislikes eggs, I've gotten used to having this option at brunch. I asked, and they don't have any tofu. It may compromise your chef's artistic vision or whatever, but just keep a big tub of tofu in the fridge for people like me, and I'll love you forever. You can even charge an extra $1 for it, if you must.
(3)Harlan E.
The vibe and the service account for a lot in the experience at ISK. That said the food is consitantly great. I'd reccomend to a friend any day.
(4)Asher J.
Wonderful ambience, incredible service and one of the most incredible deserts ever. That's why I give this place 4 stars instead of 3. Eaten here 4-5 times now and, unfortunately, I've never been blown away by the meals. (The butterscotch pudding deserves 5 stars on its own though.) Had the halibut last night and I wasn't impressed. It wasn't bad - just didn't wow me.
(4)Linda T.
nice bar area for happy hour! staff members are trendy and nice. take a seat at the cool looking bar or on the couches. order some beer and apps to sit back and relax. happy hour drinks limits to 2 different wines, one beer, and one cocktail. truffle fries on the happy hour menu was crispy and delicious! definitely a get! salted caramel pudding with peanut brittle was amazing ($8.50). caramel was dark and rich, peanut brittle had the perfect crunch...wish there was a little cookie layer at the bottom for added texture and contrast to the smooth pudding. comes in a cool jar, which i love!!!
(4)H O.
+: Food is good but not great. -: Looks like any other Portland spot, nothing unique. !: The cornbread was presented to look like a cake and it sort of tasted like one too! ?: Maybe the food is better if you order a whole entree versus three side dishes w
(3)Jason G.
The venue is nice, the location is great, but Irving St. Kitchen just doesn't deliver in my opinion. I ordered Mary's Organic Fried Chicken and Waffles, and I assumed, as fried chicken and waffles is comfort food, that it would be a suitable serving - that and the waiter told me it was a "good amount" of food. Well it wasn't, unfortunately. The dish was very small, overpriced, taste good, but clearly fell short of what an entree should be. I wouldn't recommend it. Again, Irving St. Kitchen is a nice venue, just not my cup of tea. If you're looking for value and a good amount of food, this place might not be for you.
(2)John L.
I love the ambiance and the atmosphere. It's quite the contrast from most Portland area restaurants that are very cozy but somewhat cramped. This place feels very roomy and wide open. It can also accommodate larger groups and takes reservations which is a big bonus when you tend to travel in big packs of several families. The food was overall pretty good. They made a mac 'n cheese for my kids that was not on the menu. It was really good 4 stars. A few in our group thought the food was a bit on the salty side but I like my food that way. I haven't had any good cooked salmon in the past several years. I just seem to like it better raw, but the salmon here was actually really good. 4.5 stars. It is a bit overpriced.... but might be back if in the area.
(4)Derek J.
I love their chicken and waffles. I have been a lot and have ordered 3 meals on then brunch menu. I have to say, they know chicken and waffles. cocktails are always spot on and have great customer service! Always feel welcomed and have a great experience every time im there.
(4)Heather H.
We had date night here last night and really enjoyed ourselves! The service, ambiance, cocktails, food and crowd this place draws is top notch! We have three children all under the age of 9 and needed a fun evening out without the kiddos and Irving Street Kitchen definitely delivered. We would recommend this place and will be back for sure!
(5)Shayla S.
I love this place and I will definitely revisit when I return to Portland. My boyfriend took me here for my 30th birthday and I had a great dining experience. A number of factors contributed to my dinner. 1. Customer Service: The waiter was very polite and gave his suggestions and honest opinion when requested. I originally ordered the white corn ravioli and he informed me that they no longer had the dish. I felt bumbed because I didn't think of anything else. He then apologized and suggested the fried chicken, which was amazing. It was well seasoned and the mashed potatoes were good as well. The great thing was that the waiter still brought a sample of a new dish similar to the ravioli that the Chef sent for me. His gesture was totally appreciated!! 2. Ambience: I love the decor with all the books on the shelfs. The restaurant has a romantic feel to it but you could also go with some girl friends to have a drink and a bite to eat. 3. Attentiveness: Although we had a waiter that was very attentive, the other waiter was present and willing to assist us. What I had to eat: Fois gras club was very tasty! The Halibut was amazing! Fried chicken was exploding with flavor!
(4)Lana S.
My absolute favorite brunch place. There's never a line - well, that could change, but well worth it. I adore the atmosphere and art. The menu is great too. Food is great, beverages are better. Eat, drink, and be merry.
(4)Tamsen G.
Irving Street Kitchen. It's not like that other...whatever the other restaurant was that preceded it. It's actually memorable. Net: Ambiance? Check. Food? Check so hard you dent the table. Service? See food. Check? A bit spendy but worth every penny. In detail: I needed New Year's Eve dinner reservations for myself and one of my favorite people who was visiting for the weekend. Like, on the 30th. So I hit OpenTable (love) and found a table for two at 5:45. This is one of the few trendy restaurants I haven't checked out in town, so I took it. Don't hate me for reviewing it after my first visit - it was that good. Ambiance: Already at 5:45, the restaurant was bustling but not overwhelmed with activity. We were seated quickly at a lovely table window-side. This space used to be tres-urban. In other words, trying to out-Pearl the Pearl District. It did, definitely. Out-Pearled itself right out of business. But Irving Street Kitchen has really turned it into a warm and welcoming (without being cloying or overdone) urban space. Food: OMG. A meat lover's paradise. We ordered cocktails and the charcuterie plate with a side of olives. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, OMG. The pate was DIVINE. It comes in a tiny ramekin, which is good because if it was any larger I would have used it for a full body rub. It was SOOO GOOOD. The crostini it was delivered with was excellent, as were the olives. oh so good. Oh. I am going back for happy hour today. I am salivating already. That is really sad, and really wonderful all at the same time. After the charcuterie, we each had the porchetta. Oh oh oh. Oh dear god. That has to be the perfect preparation for pork. It is phenomenal. The two of us smallish ladies polished our plates. It was full on indulgence. Service: Walking into a busy restaurant, you don't want to be greeted by a rushed staff or any sense of the restaurant being overwhelmed. This was not a problem at all at Irving St. Kitchen. Everyone was friendly and genuine and efficient. Even the busboys were charming and helpful beyond their scope. We thoroughly enjoyed dinner at the Irving Street Kitchen. I absolutely will come here for dinner again, especially with guests from out of town.
(5)Melanie L.
The ambience, decor and food were definitely above average. My husband and I came on date night and it was a great choice. The reason for 3-stars is we sat down and our waiter said: "Everything offered tonight is listed on our menu". Period. 10 minutes later, we overheard him telling the table next to us "We have everything on our menu, and our appetizer special is a salmon tartare - it's delicious and there are only a few orders left"... Did we not look like tartare people? I just didn't understand the differing treatment. So while we truly enjoyed our black cod and short ribs, we really would have enjoyed a nice little salmon tartare as well!
(3)Angela C.
Good place to eat in an artsy part of town. Food and drinks were delicious. We could see the chefs from where we were sitting. The place had good energy. Our waiter was top notch, very attentive. There was 80's music playing in the background.
(4)Sarah L.
Anyone remember when this space was Bay 13? That was good. Irving St. Kitchen, is even better! I loooooove the interior. It's like rustic and fancy came together and got married. The food was fantastic and the bartender makes one hell of a dirty martini. Friends have been raving about the brunch, so I'll have to give it a go one of these days soon.
(4)Chris S.
I would say 4.5 stars, but that isn't an option. Been here twice and both times I've really enjoyed my meal. The bloody mary from the bar was fantastic; although, the olives had pits. This was not something I was expecting and was quite surprised when I bit into my first olive. The interior is one of my favorites, if not my favorite, in town. Service is great. Prices are reasonable for the quality you get.
(4)Kendra M.
We went for New Year's Eve dinner. We enjoyed absolutely wonderful service by everyone from host, to bar, to our amazing server and everyone in between. The food was to DIE for... every single thing we ordered. The cocktails were perfect. The ambiance is beautiful (if you had been to Bay 13, the decor was totally sterile). Lots of great details and interesting pieces throughout. And considering everything, the prices are quite reasonable. We couldn't be happier. We went for a special occasion, but now we plan to be regulars.
(5)Susanna L.
Though Irving St Kitchen is beautifully designed and the staff friendly and attentive, we really didn't feel that we got our money's worth for dinner here. It's not that anything was really *bad* - the drinks were good, the food attractively presented - but nothing had the kind of flavor that makes your eyes roll up in your head and at the end of the meal we were left feeling rather flat about the whole thing. $101 for three drinks, an appetizer and 2 entrees? My partner had a fish dish (teeny fish and he said everything was the same sweet flavor with no contrasts at all). I had the pork, which was a nice sized dish but the meat was very rare. I realize that most chefs prefer to present meat that way - but I'm sure I read somewhere that it's dangerous to undercook pork? In any case, I found my dish very nearly inedible. All in all, I might go back for a drink next to the tiny fireplace but given the range of choices in Portland for really great meals, I think this one is a miss overall.
(2)Alyssa C.
I've been here now for both dinner and brunch and I was VERY pleased with the experience both times! The first dinner was a work function and the corn chowder starter was absolutely PHENOMENAL (unfortunately doesn't look like it's on the menu currently). We also shared some charcuterie which was tasty - I don't know about you but I'm always a little disappointed with charcuterie in general. But the wine was great and the halibut main course I got was absolutely delicious. The menu here always makes my mouth water. The only downside is that you can spend a LOT of money here so not the kind of place to go when you're on a budget! For brunch, I got the lobster scramble and it was delicious. Big chunks of tasty lobster - YUM! Only downside here was it was put on top of two pieces of toast which very quickly got soggy...so, that wasn't perfect and the coffee they served was so strong I couldn't even drink it (which is saying something because I like my coffee really strong normally). But, the dish was still delicious and the service excellent and this is truly a delicious place. Not perfect, but I'll definitely be back! Did I mention there was no wait for brunch at 10AM on a Sunday, and they take brunch reservations? That is definitely a plus for Portland!
(4)Lewis M.
I took a dear friend visiting from Chicago out to dinner last Monday and tried Irving St Kitchen, a recommendation from a co-worker. I wanted a great restaurant that had atmosphere, quite space (for overdue catching up), good martinis, and great food. I was not disappointed. I had the lamb porterhouse (great!) and my friend had the halibut (INCREDIBLE!!). I totally recommend this place. And I'll be back. I tend to seek the neighborhood places and have been to other "destination" restaurants in downtown. For downtown, this is one of the best.
(4)Michael P.
Our brunch was good. The portions are a little small but everything was tasty. The drinks are good too - I recommend the Penicillin, especially after a night of drinking.
(4)Al S.
The overall quality of the food was very good. The rating would be much higher if it were not for the horrible service. The service was awkward and missing in action for most of the evening. Our server brought water and said she would return to take our drink order. What she failed to say is that we would not see her again for quite some time. When she returned we placed our drink and appetizer order. I knew I should have taken the opportunity to place our dinner orders. She did not return to take our dinner order until we were just about done with appetizers. We finished our dinner without her returning to check on us which meant empty drink glasses for most of meal. To add insult to injury our server never brought us our leftovers. It was a good thing my wife waited until we were driving home to remind me that the server forget to bring our leftovers. Overall the service or lack there of made for an awful dining experience despite the excellent quality of the meal.
(2)Sam K.
Wow what a treat! Great find... First off the design/ambience is nothing short of spectacular... It is so visually stimulating that it makes the food less important, but then you get the food and it gets even better. I had the Hangar steak, highly recommend it, forget exactly what was in the Twinkie looking like side that accompanied it, but it was delicious. Also, had some cheesecake after for dessert and it was fantastic. Only downside is that it is too expensive to eat there on the regs for me, but what a great spot!
(5)Jeff P.
Above average. Little spendy for what you get.
(3)Shannon M.
I think that the fact that I lived in New Orleans for four years qualifies me to speak on southern cooking and I tell you now this place is the real deal. The waitress was amazing. Her service was flawless and she knew her wine. You start your wonderful night with bread from Ken's artisan, then I had the fried chicken. Omg, amazing. They served me my collard greens like I was in the south. It had the nice ham hock essence, tasso and vinegar with a little spice. Thank you for not being an amateur. My husband had the steak that had a nice chimchurri inspired sauce and fried polenta sticks - amazing. I had mashed potatoes and gravy that were to die for. We ordered a merlot that was complex, had a long finish and a nice nose of black berry, leather, american oak and tobacco. Complex and amazing. The entire experience was amazing. I completely recommend it. I love this restaurant!!!!
(5)emily r.
Amazing food. Amazing service. Beautiful decor. The best dessert I have ever had in my life! We were walking by looking for a place to eat for mothers day (our original choice was completely full and we were not able to get a table for another hour) so we went in. The restaurant was busy, but we were seated within just a few minutes of arriving. We were seated in an enclosed booth that was very comfortable and quieted the hubbub of the restaurant. The raw wood and artwork on parchment was gorgeous. I also noticed they had filament lightbulbs lighting up the restaurant in the light fixtures (I am a big nerd! I notice lightbulbs?!?) which I thought were just beautiful. Our waiter (Patrick, maybe?) was incredibly informative about every dish. He had personal recommendations and knew about all the others as well. As the food was handed to us another waitress repeated what we had to the exact detail, which was a really nice touch. 2 of us had the fried chicken with Yukon potatoes, collard greens, and country gravy. My mother-in-law had the bistro steak, and my husband had the 24 hour smoked ribs. None of us said a word for the first minute or so, as we just savored the flavors. Absolutely amazing. Apparently, the fried chicken was injected (injected!) with clarified butter, which made it more tender and juicy and delicious. yum. YUM! Another fun thing about this place is they have wine on tap. They had a selection of 8 or so. I am not a big fancy wine drinker (i like the boxed stuff!) so I can't be much of a judge, but I was content with the Riesling I ordered :) My husband ordered a bourbon drink that he said was the best he had ever had. I had a taste (even though I don't care for bourbon) and it was very, very, very good tasting, so it must be great, right? We finished with sharing a butterscotch pudding and banana brulee with creme fraiche and walnut pralines. It was the best dessert I have ever eaten. Ever. I will dream about this forever. I hope that the next time I go to this restaurant that they will still have this pudding and that it lives up to the first bite I had. Holy crap!!! Don't leave without getting it. Also, its served in a little jar. yay for little jars! Oh, did I mention it was only their 2nd real night open, following a week of a soft opening? They really had it together. It was an incredible experience. I will be back and would be happy to recommend it to anyone looking for the best meal ever.
(5)Wendy S.
Stopped by here on my way back from a quick coffee at Barista as they have a BBQ Grill sitting grilling up some lunch. Menu was quite enticing. Grabbed a pastrami sausage with mustard and saurkraut. Served on a yummy crispy but soft sourdough roll. Would give that a 5. Definitely want to go back and try some of the real food.
(4)Jon F.
Great place for dinner with friends. The service was quick and helpful, and the food was quite good. I would have given it 5 stars but some small things could have been better. The watermelon salad was nice, but more dressing could have been used on the watermelon as it lacked flavor. The squid ink risotto was very delicious as it melted in your mouth, but I had expected larger pieces of chorizo and didn't really see any. I can say that the butterscotch pudding with brittle for dessert is heavenly. All in all, it's well worth the price, and I would totally be back next time I'm visiting.
(4)George D.
good food, and interesting variety. service is fair, and prices are on the high side.
(4)Zuzana K.
PLUS: Came here for the New Year's Pajama Brunch. That was fun. Just for that idea, this restaurant deserves 5 stars. For being troopers and coming in with our pajamas on, we earned complimentary donuts and bloody mary. :) MINUS: The service was too slow and there was no acknowledgment about that...so they lose a star. NEUTRAL: Selection, taste and presentation of the food was great but that is expected in this type of establishment. Did not shock me in good or in bad way.
(4)Catherine H.
Interesting, almost rustic decor. We were seated by the open door to patio on a rare warm spring evening. We enjoyed the salami plate - the quail sausage was the best. Geoff had fried chicken, which looked very crunchy. I had a delicious halibut over a root purée, with pistou. The Mississippi mud pie for dessert was decadent, it was mostly espresso ice cream but I liked it! Someone ripped out the page for mississippi mud cake from emeril's cookbook!
(4)Steph C.
Have been to Irving St. Kitchen twice for dinner and once for brunch. Had the lobster scramble for brunch, which was good (eggs were firm, good portions of lobster- very tasty). No wait, which may actually be the best part, given the quality of the food. For dinner I had the bacon-wrapped oysters, which were delicious. we also ordered a side of cornbread, which I just found a bit too heavy for my like (although I suppose it is cornbread). For my main, i ended up ordering the pork chop, which was uber-heavy, but cooked quite well (tender, juicy). Loved the fresh artichokes that came with it. The restaurant itself is very cool- lot's of wood around- with some booths. Also a small patio.
(4)Ran B.
The bacon wrapped oysters ere awful. I returned them after a tiny bite. Replacement took a very long time to arrive. The short ribs were almost burned through - and yet didn't have proper flavor. Last straw was presentation of the check - throwing a bit of paper on the table. Ugh. Even much humbler places do better. Won't come her again.
(2)Stephanie K.
Everything about this place is five stars. The food, the desserts, the beer & wine choices, the drinks, the service, the decor--everything is fantastic. The pickings are slim for vegetarians and vegans, but my vegan friend was able to get a dish modified to suit her needs (it is Portland, after all). I am an animal lover, too--I loved my delicious fried chicken more than I can tell you! And the sticky toffee pudding? I would eat vats of it if I could! Unfortunately, I was dining with a group, so I had to share. ;)
(5)P H.
Great place for brunch. Great cocktails and food. Classy. Very nice atmosphere.
(5)Dee W.
No thanks. Rude, indifferent service, unimpressive food.The salmon omelet was overpriced ($14) and runny at the center. The server did not offer toast/baguette etc. although I was more than willing to pay- but after dumping food on our table, no one ever returned. I finished my cappuccino and would have gladly ordered another - but again, no one checked on our table. Finally, I (female)left out my credit card to pay right next to my place setting and the server happily returned it to -my partner (male), geez, welcome to the age of equality. Overall, nice location and we may be back to try the bar, but such awful service and such mediocre food will not entice us back for a meal. Try somewhere else!
(2)Cara T.
While dinner here is fantastic, we had an underwhelming brunch this morning. The service was incredibly slow-we felt ignored during the 45 minute wait for our food. I had biscuits and gravy, my fiancé had the pork belly and waffles. The biscuits were fresh but the gravy was thin and runny...nothing like the delicious gravy that comes with the fried chicken. The waffles were tasty but the egg was badly cooked-very slimy. There are an incredible number of places to have breakfast/brunch...sad to say Irving Street isn't one of them.
(2)Alyx W.
Went to happy hour with a friend of mine, and I must say, the meatballs are HEAVENLY. I'm taking away one star just for the fact that there was only three and there was some fighting going on between the two of us for that last one. The poutine, as suggested by our waiter was incredible as well. The drinks however, were super limited during happy hour and whatever I have, it was just way tooooo strong I don't even remember the name of it. But I'll be back for the meatballs, that's for sure.
(4)Darren A.
Tried this place out last week with two friends. I had heard some good things. One thing I had heard was "get the fried chicken!". Ironically, I didn't, but my buddy did, and he loved it. It looked very good. I got the bistro steak, which was descibred as a filet. A filet for $21.00 seemed like a steal, so I ordered that instead of the chicken. The filet was tough. Drag. Also tried the charcuterie plate. This was OK. KInda skimpy. Also got the Bibb lettuce salad. Also OK. Very generous portion, but almost tasteless. The highlight of the meal was the butterscotch pudding we shared for dessert. This totally rocked! I would return to get the chicken I should have ordered, and a repeat on the pudding. I was less impressed with the decor than some others on here. It looked like a patch job on the former restaurant. Admittedly better, but the place still feels kind of like an airplane hanger. Service was good with one exception. The brought out my steak while I was still eating my salad. Not cool, but forgivable.
(3)J S.
Our meal/dining experience was absolutely one of the best that we have ever had! For entrees I'd recommend both the fried chicken and the sole. They were both extremely delicious!
(5)S B.
In the ten minutes before my impending demise, all I want in the world is a jar of ISK's butterscotch pudding, a spoon, and a moment alone. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you? Amazing halibut entree. Solid poached egg/lemon sauce over asparagus concoction as a starter. But life is uncertain, so maybe eat dessert first...
(5)L A.
I love water. Like I love it when people serve me in cool (aka sick, bomb, dank, shizz, bombdiggity, etc) water cups. I just get really excited and bouncy. Suddenly everything about the place is dank. As soon as you walk in, wow. The place is dank! A whole new world (ten points if you tell me what song I quoted)! Everyone and everything is so fancy and glamorous-including the wait staff- I always feel out of place. Still that doesn't stop me from wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja T-Shirt and getting really excited about the water jugs. The wait staff is super friendly. I mean they're so smiley and they look so professional it's hard not to be entertained. This one lady we had was bombdiggity. Very polite, very attentive, basically awesome. The shizz thing about the staff though, is that every time I go they're always nice. And that's a quality I really admire. Now since I am under the age of 21, by law I am not supposed to drink alcoholic beverages in public domains. Doesn't mean I won't try and order a slippery nipple to gage the server's reaction. Still I think it's really sick that they offer a non- alcoholic substitute to us intelligible drinkers. No not the typical coke or pepsi products. They've got a nice selection of mixed drinks minus the usual main ingredient and to me that's dank. I've been there about three times. So obviously I like the food. And it's true I do, their brunch is bomb. But my main reason for continuing to back is I am on a quest to find delicious fried chicken and waffles! Since there is no Rasco's in portland I am gonna have to find the next best thing. UNFORTUNATELY every time I go they're out or not serving them! Curse these elusive waffles, I'll someday taste them, and when I do...well we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
(4)Heather H.
Update: Returned 6.4.12 with a large party of 11. Service was stellar. Our server had just the right amount of moxie to deal with our rambunctious bunch and the chef prepared an off-menu vegan dish for my sweetie that was amazing. Remains one of my favoriate joints in PDX. Update: Returned 1.1.12 and it's still as tasty as ever. Still lacks vegan fare, not a lot of gluten-free options. Irving Street Kitchen is my new favorite restaurant in PDX. The drinks are divine, certainly some of the best cocktails I've had in the city. I had a charcuterie and the halibut my first venture. Each and every bite was perfect. The halibut was tender, not overcooked and the grits and succotash that accompanied the meal were the perfect compliment. My second venture was for happy hour. The meatballs were incredible, although the mashed potatoes were served too cool for my liking, and that detracted from the experience somewhat. The edamame spread was only so-so, I wouldn't order it again. The service here can be a little too attentive, bordering on hovering. I personally don't need my water glass filled every time I take a drink and I don't like it when wait staff remove my plate as soon as I've put my fork down -- I like to linger over my food, even if my plate sits empty -- otherwise I feel rushed by the staff. My ONLY real complaint, is the lack of vegan fare. In a city like PDX, I think every establishment worth it's weight should carry at least 2 viable vegan options. My partner is vegan and it's a total bummer to miss out on going to great restaurants like this when we dine together. I'll have to skip ISK more than I'd like too because they don't offer anything substantial my partner can eat. I get that places like Beast are going to lack vegetarian and vegan items as their concept is much more narrow. However, there is no reason ISK cannot serve up some inspired vegan cuisine. I hope they do because then I can eat there more often, and that's a really exciting proposition.
(5)Amy Z.
I enjoyed brunch here with my family. The staff was courteous, food was amazing, and the atmosphere was fresh.
(5)Charlie K.
One of the friends I was with during tonight's visit (10.22) suggested the fried chicken. Very good. What completed the dish were the mashed potatoes. I'm not sure if they are using liquid smoke or not but the velvety texture and rich smokey flavor took me for a sweet sweet ride. Drink a curmudgeon. Can't wait until my next visit .. Service was stellar this time.
(4)Jennifer A.
Portland restaurants have a motto, from the farm to the table and this place is no exception. Hot Menu and Even Hotter Drinks! I am a FAN. I love a place where you can get a great meal and fresh drinks (no mixes & unique). Would have given 5 stars except for the dessert menu. Decor - 4 stars, Wait staff - stars, Food - 5 stars, Drinks - 5 stars, Desserts - 3 stars (I would like more variety) But the butterscotch pudding, which I would not be prone to order MELTS in your mouth. Our table had the cheese plate and the charcuterie for starters. 1st course - Dungeness crab bisque (seasoned to perfection) 2nd course - seared scallops (I always order a tad bit past seared, I don't like the gel feel) with pork belly, greens and black eye peas. 3rd - shared a friend's caramel pudding (like I said, melts in your mouth!) Drinks for the evening, (not to sound like a boozer) I started with one of their Irving Street Originals, WALK IN THE WOODS- gin, stone pine liqueur and sage peppercorn syrup (what is that? Heaven in a cup) An Oregon Pinot Noir with din din And for my dessert, a hot totty (I had the sniffles) Cool spot with Excellent food, hip & trendy, salvaged decor with some bling. If ever I am back in Portland, this will be my first stop. Must eat.
(4)Britt C.
This place gets a solid 4 starts for food, ambiance, and service. I would definitely go back. The garlic soup, either despite or because of the fact that it is 90% heavy cream, is delicious. The Johnston County ham and biscuits are also great. I was skeptical of the accompanying pepper jelly, but somehow it worked. For mains, the scallops on Napa cabbage were great (a bit salty, though), as was the cod. What you really want, however, is the Old Rasputin glazed Porchetta. What could be better than a fatty, boneless pork cut smother in one of the world's finest beers and cooked for hours upon hours? This dish was outstanding. If you have room, you must try the butterscotch pudding. I'm not a big fan of either butterscotch or pudding, but still found this to be one of the most satisfying deserts I've had in a very long time.
(4)Edward J.
Beautiful decor and lovely space. This is one of those restaurants I miss when I lived in a bigger city like NYC or Toronto. The service was excellent, the hostess and waiters were all very attentive and friendly. I've been here a couple of times and each experience is just as wonderful as the next. Excellent wine selections: I got a on tap pinot noir, very tasty, from Brooks vineyard in the Willamette Valley. My boyfriend got the rose on tap and it was perfectly chilled and crisp. $10 each glass, quite pricy. The appetizers were very good. Get the edamame puree, a fantastic dipping sauce. The entrees I recommend the fried chicken, hearty and perfect for someone who has to run 16miles in the forest park next morning. If you are looking for a lighter meal I suggest any of the salad or the risotto. Creamy and not too heavy. I have yet to try the dessert. Here's one problem from my last visit. We've been eating and hanging out at our table for about 2 hours. There are 5 of us. At the end of the meal the waiter comes up to check on us. My friend asked for the bill and if we can split it into 3, as in 2 cards and rest of it on cash. The waiter returns with the bill not split, its fine, we can do math. But on the bill we found two pints of beer that we never ordered. My friend asked the waiter to take them off but he was convinced that we did order the beer. He was sure that the bartender indicated that we had ordered the beer before we sat down. My friend started to get upset and demand him to double check. He stared at us blankly for a while then walked away. Came back with the bill without the beer that we did not order. Did not apologize for the mistake to the end. My friend was upset enough that she said she will never return to the restaurant. As for me, I like the wine so I might come back but probably will avoid that waiter from now on.
(4)Kathryn H.
We finally went to Irving Street Kitchen, and we were not disappointed! We started with a Sunday brunch, and had some divine entrees! We have been there 3 more times in less than a month and every time we were pleasantly surprised at the quality, innovation, service and staff! It's now on our favorite list!
(5)Tara S.
I've been twice, once for breakfast, which was nothing to write home about, and also for dinner. The restaraunt is beautiful, and the servers that I've encountered have been quite knowledgeable and friendly, but the menu and food is nothing that anyone else in town can't do as well, but cheaper. If you're in love with their butterscotch dessert and that's why you are coming here, try Nostrana's sea salt butterscotch dessert instead - and bonus points for Nostrana, if you go there after 9 pm, you will be getting a bargain basement priced happy hour menu, and it has similar decor and atmosphere. Thanks ISK, I had a nice meal, but not $60 per person nice.
(3)Sigmund M.
if your going to get free plates sent from the kitchen, make sure the food isnt gross (slimy raw cucumbers) the cod was slightly over, and the garnishes were bland, meyer lemon- where? five stars for the cocktail
(3)Etta H.
Been here a lot as we live close by. Food is excellent. Had the jambalaya, soft shell clams, meatballs and the most delicious dessert I have had all year, the butterscotch/chocolate in a mason jar. OMG! I would give them a five star except for the cost of the wine! A bit expensive unless it is happy hour!
(4)Robert B.
Took out of town guests to Irving St. Kitchen last night and ordered the Crab stuffed with shrimp and dirty rice because it was recommended by the waiter and had been mentioned favorably in a review. Hate,hate hated it. Seasoning was over the top and the dish was inedible for me. Our guest's was much smaller than mine but she didn't finish either. My wife, who eats light ordered soup and salad. The soup came in an extremely large bowl but there was very little of it. (appeared to be 1/2 inch deep in the bottom of the big bowl.) Butterscotch pudding was great but was the only thing that got a comment from our guests. Pricey and disappointing .
(2)Amanda E.
This restaurant has one of the best bar scenes in the Pearl. There is limited outdoor seating, which can be used even in the winter because it is undercover and enclosed in plastic. The food and drinks are good. The restaurant also has an excellent private event space.
(4)Phoebe M.
This place ROCKS!!! Everything is incredible!!! The ambience is great, lots of seating and mood lighting, food is exceptional - we tried almost everything on the menu (right when they opened). I would recommend everything - super yummy (except for the BBQ shrimp and jambalaya). It is definitely the place to go - make reservations though. It's such a great place to eat at, it will fill up quickly. :)
(5)J K.
Perfect experience! A 3 year old and 6 year and my wife. Delicious, great service. Best lemonade ever! They made our kids grilled cheese even though it wasn't on the menu-- and it was delicious grilled cheese.
(5)Joe M.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night and we were seated within 5 minutes with no reservation. Food was absolutely outstanding along with a great wine list (Oregon Pinots starting around mid-40s with great bottles in the high 60s). Not the pretentious or stuck up feeling one may get at other Pearl District restaurants - just go eat here.
(5)Daniel W.
Great atmosphere and good food. Only had drinks and appetizers but will come back again and enjoy their dinner menu in the near future!
(5)Suzanne M.
Went for happy hour this afternoon and were really happy. Lovely atmosphere. Excellent service and extremely yummy food. My husband and i ordered the meatballs, pontines (french fries smothered in gravy, cheese and meats) and the jambalaya. I had their happy hour red, very good for the price, and husband had a beer. Are already planning to go for brunch and another happy hour soon.
(5)Celine B.
The space is beautiful. The owner designed the lamps himself, I was told by the waitstaff. I came on my birthday on a Sunday morning, and even though they weren't serving dessert, they made an exception and brought out my FAVORITE dessert of all time- the butterscotch pudding. What great service!!! I have raved about this pudding to everyone I know and converted non-believers who thought they hated butterscotch. Order it. The Johnson Ham appetizer is delicious, as is the fried chicken. Low Country drink is also divine. I come very often. I really like this place.
(4)Cody J.
After reading the mostly favorable reviews and consulting with some friends I made a reservation for 12 people for Friday night at Irving Street Kitchen. The occasion was an engagement celebration for girlfriend. We are all professionals in our mid 30's. Decor was great, and our waitress was sweet. The vibe was pretty subdued and the service was quite slow I think due more to the kitchen than due to our waitress. Drinks were mediocre and the food was less than mediocre. We ordered almost the entire menu among the 12 of us. Fried oyster appetizer was bland. The veggie risotto was more flavorful but not spectacular. The garnish was under cooked and crunchy. Beet salad was middle of the road. The mustard vinaigrette was a unique touch. Watermelon salad was sub par. Chinook was one of the worst interpretations I've ever had. I asked the entire table what they thought of their meal and the consensus was it was mediocre. Looking at the reviews, I think this may be more of a brunch spot. It was an extremely disappointing representation of Portland's food scene for my out of town guests. Our bill was around $600 for 12 people and I resent the fact that I spent as much as I did on a very sub par dining experience. This might be a good place for brunch or happy hour, but I will not be back to find out.
(2)J W.
Good food, and friendly service. The scenery is nice, and there is a nice waiting area where they serve you drinks. The menu has some good dishes, but a bit pricy for what you're getting.
(4)G.L. T.
Took a group of 12 here for breakfast last Sunday May 12th (Mother's Day) at 10am. The decor was warm & inviting. Acoustics were good, as in you didn't have to yell to carry on a conversation. Service at our table was great. As was the food & drink. For many it was their first time at Irving St. Kitchen, everybody enjoyed themselves and their meal. We would all go back for breakfast or to try lunch or dinner.
(4)Sara O.
Going out on a limb here...this was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. We were visiting from Denver, CO and decided to yelp a restaurant for a fancy restaurant downtown Portland. The Yelp reviews on this place were wonderful making us want to check it out! We made our reservations and seriously LOVED everything...including the friends that we made at the table next to us. We wanted to try a bit of everything and Patrick, our server suggested offering the Foie Gras to start with the red wine we ordered, then the peanut butter biscuit/ham and I had the kale and radicchio salad and we shared the pork chop. It was ALL phenomenal! I usually have a hard time giving a 5 star review - but really, there was not one complaint. We would suggest this to locals, or visitors to town to experience a fantastic meal. The ambiance, the service, the wine list, and the food...OOOH the foooood! Thanks Irving St.! Can't wait to come back!
(5)Sarah C.
We went for late brunch today, about 45 minutes before close. It was excellent. We were seated away from the rest of the patrons, which was nice, because it was quiet and intimate. Our server was friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. The coffee was better than I was expecting. My husband ordered the fried chicken, and he loved it (I had a bite, and can confirm that it was delicious, but really it was the gravy that made the meal). I got the salmon eggs benedict, which was surprisingly even better than I had imagined from the description (buttermilk biscuit, shaved garlic, arugula, salmon, perfectly poached eggs, and a dill hollandaise). It was a little pricey and fancy for what we typically do, so we'll probably be back, but not too often.
(5)Jay K.
the menu here is always changing, non-mainstream and seasonal. I really like coming here on miserable pdx nights and getting the charcuterie plate and a nice red. the food here has a rustic slant to it, rabbit, marrow, octopus, all of the good stuff! I even pick a cocktail now and again. the waitstaff has a good grasp of the menus and wines
(4)T D.
Good food, interesting ambience and the staff is friendly and attentive. A friend I was dining with has dietary restrictions due to a health problem and the waitress was very accomodating and helpful. She even checked with the kitchen to see what they could come up with that wasn't on the menu.
(4)Don B.
Irving Street Kitchen, the brainchild of some successful SF restauranteurs, and heir to an otherwise cursed space, has finally opened it's doors, and after one visit, I have nothing but positivity and hope, for what they're doing now, and for things to come. ISK sits in the huge, open, cavernous former Bay-13 space on 13th and Irving in NW. The decór offers a rustic, bookish, style, with dark, weathered wood panels, intermittent steel and concrete interspersed with more wood, some earthen reds and browns, and lots of candlelight. They seem to take what was a cold, calculating space and warm it up... a bunch. Immediately upon entering you're faced with a bar with a small bar/bistro seating area to the left, and a big, open main dining room to the right. At the front of the bar are 10 curved steel "taps" that make up the delivery end of a cask-to-tap wine system offering cask wines from local producers (some of which are made specifically for ISK). Along one side of the well-appointed craft-cocktail bar is a long row of seating, and along the other side is a hot-seat style middle-of-the room charcuterie station. Yes, they make their own in house. The wine list is long and luxurious, the beers (6 on tap) are carefully selected (currently Upright #7, HUB Lager, Laurelwood Free Range Red, La Chouffe, Homo Erectus, and Deschutes' Miss Spelt), and the cocktail list, while short, boasts some interesting craft concoctions. The spirit selection behind the bar is beyond complete, and the bartender on duty when I was in was able to make me some interesting off-menu creations to pair with my meal. The menu sports a mix of New American cuisine with some Northwest flair and a nice padding of southern comfort food. I started off with a house charcuterie plate (my choice of 3 for $9) of a molé salami, foie mousse, and rabbit rillette. I was tempted instead to get the "angels on horseback," a dish of bacon-wrapped oysters, but house-made charcuterie almost always wins the day. Other intriguing starters included a Columbia River salmon gravlox (more than likely made in-house), a ham, biscuits and red pepper jelly sampler, and BBQ shrimp with worcestershire sauce and a chive drop biscuit. The 11 starters ranged in price from $7 to $13. For my main, I went with the bartender's recommendation of the duck sausage with duck confit over a basmati pilaf with rhubarb compote. The sausage had a tasty, herbed flavor, the confit was fried perfectly (fall off the bone, not too dry), and the basmati pilaf had a rich, deep meaty flavor from the pan drippings. The tangy/sweet rhubarb was a perfect complement to the savory duck. In fact, it's up there with some of the better duck dishes I've ever experienced, and for the low $20's, not a bad price either. My courses were paired with bartender's choice cocktails, each of which was made with a precise level of care. The first was a rye whiskey with aperol, amaro, carpano antica, and house-made bitters, and the second was a maraschino and bourbon drink with a pernod rinse. Both right in line with the flavor profile I provided the bartender, and paired well with the dishes. The dessert menu, while overly impressive in stature (house made spice donuts with stumptown semifreddo? Meyer lemon chess cake? Butterscotch pudding?!), were not an option for me tonight. Overly full from the generous portion of my main course, I waived the white flag of surrender and opted for the check, which was delivered in an oh-so-Portland style - stuffed inside a Moleskine notebook with a pen, and offered with a suggestion to "be creative." So I got to pay the bill and write a love note to the bartenders who provided me some impressive and friendly service. From the moment I entered the space, I was impressed with how they had made it comfortable, welcoming, and approachable. This feeling lasted well throughout dinner, as I and those around me were met with unpretentious service of food exhibiting a quality that would normally call for pretense, in a sector of town known for its snootery. Based on what I experienced tonight, I have high hopes, and as you just have read, nothing but positive things to say. If the other dishes are as good as my duck, Portland's in for a treat.
(5)Beau R.
Went with a party of 14 on a Sunday night to celebrate a birthday. Considering how quiet it was in there the service was pretty poor. Drink service alone was pretty poor. Once we were able to track down our server to order drinks, it would take 15 minutes or longer for them to arrive on the table... and we were mostly drinking wine. Appetizers were awesome, especially the ham plate. Dinner could have been great. Ordered the teres major with garlic grits and bone marrow reduction. So did the dude across from me. It would have been amazing if it wasn't cold. Both of ours were. Although I did eat some of the fried chicken which was not only hot but AWESOME. Been before, love the joint, just was a bit of a strike this time.
(2)Aaron H.
Probably my favorite dinner in Portland (Toro Bravo is giving it a run for its money). Easily my favorite wings anywhere (happy hour, woo!). Their desserts are great (the key lime pie will change your life if they're doing it). I still love their cornbread, and the ham and pepper jelly starter is phenomenal. The only thing I didn't fall in love with that I've had here is the house limoncellos (and that's probably because I had never tried limoncellos before and I guess I just don't like 'em). The fried chicken! THE FRIED CHICKEN!
(5)Jane W.
Best chinook salmon meal ever plus a delightful watermelon tomato salad special and great wine. Who could ask for more? I'd go back in a minute!
(5)Julie P.
Had a great experience here on a recent Friday night. Despite being totally packed, we had wonderful, quick service. And the food was delicious- get the fried chicken like everyone says you should because it is worth the hype! Also, the soft shell crab was to die for. The only disappointment was that they were out of the local vodka! Will have to go back (and we would, anyway).
(4)Linnea M.
I have been here twice for brunch, and it was top notch. Both times we started with the donuts...freshly fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they come to the table hot and doughy. Perfect way to start the day! First time I had the moroccan eggs. Perfectly poached eggs, in a spiced tomato sauce served with chunky toast for dipping. The eggs were perfectly poached, the sauce spicy but well balanced. Second time I had the salmon gravlax eggs benedict. I didn't love this as much as the moroccan eggs, but it was well done. Perhaps just a little rich for me that morning? It was served on a biscuit. I love the atmosphere...high ceilings, big windows, casual yet polished. The service is engaging and friendly. I want to go back with my husband for dinner sometime! side note: I was also excited to learn that they are owned by the same owners as Town Hall in SF, one of our favorite restaurants when we lived there.
(5)Sugardumplin Z.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place, the vibe is sooooooo cool, the people really make this place. This was the resto that made me fall in love with the Portland restaurant scene. They have kind of an odd menu though.... it's eclectic so be prepared to try something different. Definitely go for the experience or just to have a drink and people watch.
(4)Debbie B.
Well-crafted food with great flavor balance. The butterscotch pudding is heavenly.
(5)Rob W.
Good food, nice atmosphere, reasonable prices. Covers all the bases your trendy upscale restaurant without the pretention. We chose to get a variety of small plates, which was a great as they have so many different flavors to try. Cheese plate was exceptionally good, biscuits were almost as good as my moms (anyone who knows my mom's biscuits can vouch that is a serious compliment) and butterscotch pudding was a great finish. Like nearly every similar restaurant these days, they have a dish with pork belly and a desert with salted caramel, but Irving St. Kitchen follows the trends with integrity. All of our food was well prepared and delicious. As a side note, although the restaurant is clearly southern inspired, don't go expecting a chic version of down-home cooking. Although a one or two items on the menu look to be modern presentations of southern classics, the majority are in an entirely different direction.
(5)Elizabeth E.
Irving Street serves up a chic southern comfort-food meal with style. The dinner menu is both inventive and unusual while remaining delicious and not fussy. What I love most however, is the decor. It feels both rustic - with wooden beams and vintage decor - and modern - with concrete floors, and simple clean lines. Mostly, it feels open without being cavernous. This is a great place to go with a group of friends for a classy southern meal. Definitely try one of their southern inspired cocktails or a glass of wine in a jelly jar. Also on the pro list is the service. Servers are consistently top quality (often not needing anything but their memories to take orders), and pacing the meal so it luxiously drawn out. The cons: brunch, from 10 am to 2 pm on the weekends, is unimpressive. There is a reason there is never a wait: the food is average but pricey. I also found the brunch menu lacking healthy options.
(4)Jim K.
Love the decor of this place and the service is top notch. They know how to leave you alone when you are engrossed in conversation with your table mates. The food is good, but it feels to me like the chefs are really trying to be "different" and not just trying to make really tasty food. In many of the dishes I found that there was one ingredient listed that just kinda killed it for me. For example, I would have probably ordered the scallops, if it weren't for the addition of raisins to the dish (raisins! really!). The tombo that I had was quite good - cooked to medium, and a tender excellent cut of fish. Could probably have done without the "dusting" of spices though. Make it a glaze or something like that. The dust just doesn't immediately blend well with the food. Loved the biscuits and the lobster benedict first courses, but they were pretty darned spendy. Be prepared to drop some serious cash if you want a full meal here.
(3)Molly H.
4.5 stars for happy hour, 2.5 stars for dinner. Happy hour is great: - prices are good ($6-9 for snacks, $6-8 for wine and cocktails) - snacks are tasty and filling (get the meatballs!!) - the deck is wonderful on sunny days and you can watch people walking around the Pearl District Dinner is eh. The food is really expensive for what you actually get. It really didn't blow me away - everything was fine, but generally just underwhelming and safe. Also, the bill for two of us (with drinks and dessert) was around $120 once tip was added in.
(3)Gary H.
I came here with my girlfriend right around closing time on a Sunday. We were 3/4 of our way to being drunk by this point, needed some food and this place had some good reviews on Yelp. We sat at the bar and were assured by the bartender that he'll stick around to make sure we got some food. The bartender was very knowledgeable about their wine barrel selection (all locals). It seems the restaurant goes out of their way to ensure their employees are knowledgeable about the food/beverages they serve. We got the fried chicken as it was one of the recommended dishes. While waiting, the bartender was very nice and kept us pretty well entertained. The fried chicken itself was pretty damn good. Very crispy and had just the right amount of batter on it. My only negative critique about it was that there didn't seem to be enough seasoning to really make it "pop". The food (that we had) gives this place a 3 star review, but the service bumps them up to a solid 4 star in my opinion.
(4)Cindy I.
We just went here for a special occasion. Really like the booths to have a romantic dinner where you can hear each other. It does seem to get noisy in the normal table area. Wonderful cocktail that was prosecco and peach puree - I'm sure seasonal. I thought the halibut dish was great. I think some said it was boring but if you like halibut which is not a strong fish you will really enjoy this dish. My husband had the fried chicken and I tasted it. We had a hard time deciding what we thought. It was crisp not greasy but it was lacking something. We think it was missing some spice like at least some pepper. It was strong buttermilk flavor but not really anything else. I will say we really like Pine State, Bernie's and Screen Door and how they spice their fried chicken. The butterscotch pudding was great like others have mentioned. It is enough to share too since it is a little rich. There are peanuts in the caramel corn but they are on the side. We would definitely go back again and really liked the server (made us feel special for our occasion) and the atmosphere - points for cool chandeliers too with interesting light bulbs.
(4)Sunshine M.
I am not quite a regular at Irving Street but really should be. If you go in you are usually greeted by the manager Ryan. Very charming gentleman and strives for amazing service. We had family in from England and they were overwhelmed with the quality of food and outstanding service. This is a great place to take clients or for special family events....or just a great happy hour at the bar.
(5)Lisa N.
Loved this place. Went with a group of 5 and for starters had the octopus, the meatballs were AMAZING, kale and gravlax. then the steak, salmon, duck cassoulet and everything was really delicious. The server was attentive and made great wine suggestions. I would love to go back next time I'm in Portland.
(5)Andrew S.
This place is pretty nice. Has an old school cabin feel to it. Lots of wines to chose from. And drink specials. Happy Hour menu is decent. Price is very good for the quality of food you get. Everyone at our table was pleased. I would say very good classic American menu. Service was fairly sharp for how crowded it was. I don't recall what I had. It was either a rib dish or a fried chicken. But we all shared at the table. And I enjoyed it all.
(4)Kristen M.
I don't know where to start about how I feel, but I'm just going to brain-dump my feelings that I've been holding back inside: I love your wine (especially on tap). I love your relaxed-rustic modern atmosphere. I love the way you spoil me rotten with great service! I love your mini-happy hour menu - my tummy thanks you shamelessly! I love that I can hang out with you for hours and hours with my friends. I don't know what it is about you, but I love everything about you. I have been to Irving St. Kitchen (ISK) several times for happy hour and have never been disappointed. They deliver on service, food and drink. What's not to love about this place? For they've got me mesmerized. I highly recommend this place if you want to just hang out with a bunch of friends or just for a date. It's where swanky meets rustic. Alas, I should come back to you for brunch and/or dinner.
(5)Tet W.
Yesterday I came here for dinner and we came around 8:30pm. The bar was completely packed with very little room for new people to sit. The restaurant was fairly noisy with many youngster hanging out with friends over drinks. The restaurant has a warm rustic feel with dim lights and personal booths which gives diners a feel of privacy in this very busy and crowded space. We started the night with the artisan cheeses which came with three assorted cheeses. I couldn't identify two of the cheeses but one of them was blue cheese. It comes with Ken's Bread, fruit compote, and house made rye crackers. The fruit compote was excellent with the cheeses and the bread was very good. For a hefty $15 price tag, I'm not sure if this appetizer justifies the price we paid. We also shared a fruit salad with mandarin and cherries with a mandarin vinaigrette. The salad was very small for an $8 price tag, but nonetheless was light and refreshing. For the entrees I ordered the grilled hanger steak with sautéed kale, fried cheddar grits with Mama's sauce. The steak with Mama's sauce was very good and steak was cooked to a perfect medium. The sautéed kale was slightly on the raw side for me but the fried cheddar grits was good and interesting. My friend ordered the shrimp and dirty rice stuffed Dungeness crab, green garlic bearnaise, and horseradish. This dish was very good with great chunks of shrimp and crab. The rice could have been more moist as if felt a bit dry for my taste. Anyway, the dish had a nice presentation and the good overall was good. For the price tag of $97 with tip, the price was steep. I would come here to try other dishes but I am likely to just stick with the entrees and forgo the appetizers and sides as they are overpriced for the quality and quantity. Service was excellent although it was a bit on the slower side. I have to say, it was extremely busy last night so I think this is a big reason for the slower service. He was very nice and gave us some wonderful suggestions. We had a positive dining experience here and I recommend giving this place a try but I wouldn't make this place a regular due to the lack of quantity and high price tag.
(4)Patrick G.
One of my favorite restaurants I've been to. Creative menu. The homemade biscuits were a 10. The chicken dish was crazy good. Excellent service.
(5)Steve L.
Remarkable! Visited with a good friend last week; booked in advance. Delightful highpoints: "Angels", "Signature Chicken" entree. Superb waiter - Patrick. Great wines-by-the-glass and "barrel to bar" wine offerings. Truly unique! Parking on the street, as available, or public lots for a fee. Outdoor seating, as well. Bravo.
(5)Pascal B.
Very good food, nice atmosphere, good location. The kitchen is southern, including Cajun. You can order the jambalaya as a side dish, bit heavy for a side dish.. They have put their own twist on it, which will most likely not be appreciated by Louisiana people, but it is not bad at all.
(4)Kevin W.
My wife and I have eaten at Irving Street twice now and both times our food and overall experience has been exceptional. I have had a hard time explaining the culinary point of view at Irving Street but have settled on "Southern Rustic Upscale"...which means nothing until you go here and experience the atmosphere and food. You must be willing to shell out a bit of cash for a full meal and drinks but in our experience it has been worth it. I've had their porchetta both times I have eaten here, though each was a different version. Both were beyond great and I highly recommend any fan of pork fat to indulge! I would like to try the brunch as I've heard it is really good. We'll venture down some weekend I'm sure.
(5)Jean P.
The ambiance, deck, and service are great! Now, the food... My halibut was good but not memorable. The shrimp and dirty rice stuffed crab was the better entree. Sides were great - beet salad and watermelon/heirloom tomato salad. Cocktails were so-so. Quickly consumed their made-to-order beignets for dessert. Looks like happy hour or sides and cocktails might be the way to go. Overall, not bad but also nothing to write home about. Perhaps Portland has made me too picky.
(3)Craig R.
I went to ISK last weekend for breakfast. The food was pretty good. I had an asparagus frittata. The look and feel of the space is very cool. My main complaint is how long it took for our food to come out. People who were seated after us were already done eating before my table had our food. And the waitress never said a thing. In fact I don't think she even came over to us in the 50 minutes between when we ordered and when we received our food. What's your deal brah? Not sure the wait was worth it.
(2)Kayla C.
Good food, atmosphere, and Sunday Bloody Mary! Definite must stop for Portland.
(5)Jim S.
I have sampled the HH offerings here, and on a follow-up visit for Brunch, their Breakfast menu. HH is a All Systems Go! Great selections, portions, taste and price. The place wasn't crowded at all like so many downtown venues are, and service was stellar. The decor and layout of the restaurant is really something special. Big props to the decorator, it's a lovely environ. The breakfast menu is truly unique. There are items on it that you won't find elsewhere and will challenge your definition of what "Breakfast" should taste like. We sampled 3 of their offerings and the winner was...the BACON. Wow, like amazing bacon. Loved it. ISK is pricey. Party of 3 for breakfast with no alcohol..74.00. But it ain't Denny's. It's elegant, crafty and it's worth the tab at least once!
(3)Richard P.
Visited Portland for a week and ate here twice. Fabulous each time. First time bar food/tapas and drinks. Second time brunch (in our PJs). Service was exceptional. Friendly, fast, funny, real. Drinks were splendid. Every dish was a treat and I loved loved loved the atmosphere grounded by a cute little fire place. I'll be back next time I'm in town. Great vibe.
(5)Robert H.
Really friendly reception. Bartender, Peter , was helpful and a pleasure to talk to. Happy hour outstanding. Recommend the smoked Tasso jambalaya and also the meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon mashed potatoes. House wine excellent and prices reasonable. Definitely a go to place.
(5)Kevin S.
Great food and top-notch service. Charcuterie plate was a standout for me. Also had Porchetta and side order of black eyed peas. High marks for both. Appreciated a Luxardo cherry in my Manhattan as well. Server tolerated a lot of questions about the dishes and had a strong opinion on favorites, which I always appreciate. Nothing worse than "everything here is great!" when you ask for a recommendation. Slight marks off for our entrees being done a very short while after the charcuterie arrived but in the house's defense the server did offer to push them back if we wanted. We had taken a long time deciding on what entrees we wanted, which may have had an effect.
(4)HOWIE B.
Delicious, nicely prepared food. Great happy hour. Pleasant, mildly quirky NW decor. Service was spotty, at best. Waited for bread, waited for dessert menus, waited for our bill. Lots of waiting and it was half full. Still, my fried chicken was tip top and the staff was pleasant. Dinner for 2 with drinks and desserts runs around $100.
(4)Trista S.
Went to ISK for my Bday dinner with a party of 10. We had a reservation and were promptly seated! Yay! Service was great, although a little slow. Food was amazing, had the beet salad, truffle stuffed hen and chocolate cake with pistachio. All delicious. We also had a bottle of the Gramercy Tempranillo. Pricey but oh so worth it. The dessert and starters were the stars of the show, next time I would likely skip the entree.
(4)Jeff M.
Irving Street Kitchen (ISK) is the Portland outpost for three men who operate three restaurants in San Francisco. ISK fits the San Francisco and Pearl District mold of urbane and urban, with eye-catching, interior decorator touches that make the cavernous, brick-exposed old loading dock interesting. How about milk bottle chandeliers? Or a few booths with privacy curtains? We had a table for nine sectioned off by low bookcases, giving us a sense of coziness, yet allowing us to see if any fashionable people walk in. Fried chicken and mashed potatoes highlights the down-to-earth menu options. The charcuterie, which included duck prosciutto and rabbit pâté sits on the other end of the continuum. And that about summarizes it: Southern food, such as ham, collard greens, and jambalaya is the counterpoint to something like butternut squash risotto or salmon. I found the happy middle with a whole trout, cooked just right, wrapped in pancetta (which stuck, inextricably, onto the skin). It was very good, but, perhaps, the chef might have put more seasoning inside of the fish. Don't forget to ask for ISK's terrific bread. My brother asked for an alteration to a dish or something off-menu. A gentle, "no" was the answer, which made me believe that there were no chefs on duty, only cooks. Contrast that with the Stephanie Inn, which asks in advance if anyone has food restrictions and then is willing to do cartwheels to make sure you are happy. ISK has an interesting wine gimmick, which, no doubt, also increases profit margins: wine right out of the barrel and into a big jar, to be poured into your glass. ISK is a good restaurant, not a brilliant restaurant. The lowbrow food on the menu is overpriced. ISK can be quite a scene, especially on First Thursday. Now, after my second visit, I'd say that perhaps your best option is to hang out at the bar for the atmosphere, drink a glass of barrel wine, and order a side of cornbread and butter if you're in bubba-mode or sautéed kale with garlic if your feeling Pearl. November, 2011
(3)Tiffany B.
I can't believe my return has gone from a 5 star to 2.... it was only 7months ago we were here for HH.... We came in for dinner this time, and sad to say this would be our last :-( We were seated right away, but then waited at least 10mins before our server came over to us? What was going on...it was after 11pm, they were not super busy, empty tables and spots at the bar, so not sure why the service was not on top of their game... We ordered our drinks, and studied the menu....hmm, we both had a hard time deciphering what the food is?! We remembered how awesome the HH was, and expected the same for dinner. I asked if they offered a burger for the dinner menu like the HH menu, she said no but said we should try the meatballs....meatballs? where was that?... we choose a charcuterie board to start and trout for later. The charcuterie was a big let down, a few shavings of meat was it? Where the hell did the meat go? Our fish was OK, service was a let down as was the menu.... IST, what happened? From my 5 star HH experience to a 2 start dinner let down...our hearts are saddened as we won't be back... at all!
(2)Alefia M.
Would have liked to give it more stars because the food and atmosphere were great. I had the bibb salad and hubby had the sweet potato burger. However, the service was poor, and when I asked for a side of apple slices because my kids liked the ones on my salad, i was disappointed to find a charge for $5 on my bill. Really?! $5 for a side of apple slices? Unbelievable.
(3)Byron S.
Great food and impeccable service. I was very impressed. Me and my wife started with Angels on Horseback. (Bacon wrapped Oysters w/ remoulade sauce). F_ckin' Delicious! We also got the Salumi plate. Yum! Also, the Bibb Lettuce salad. MMMM! Main course, we shared the Aged hanger steak. Ono. Broke da mouth good! The portions were good enough to share. As far as wine goes, not a big fan, but I hear it's a great place for it. If you ever go here, you will not be disappointed.
(4)Sandra W.
Cornbread -- a combination of simple ingredients; and yet, so very easy to do wrong. I've tried so many versions in so many places throughout the country, and I have been disappointed so frequently that I almost swore off cornbread completely, convinced that a good cornbread does not exist. I'm glad ISK has proved me wrong on this. This was simply the best cornbread I have ever had. For $6, we were served a triangular slice topped by a honey sauce. The cornbread was sweet, moist, and with a little kick of spice, but not so much that it drowned out the essential primary corn flavor. ISK also served an excellent peach trifle for our dessert, layered with vanilla pound cake, caramel and mascarpone. But the entire experience, including the entrees in between the cornbread and the dessert, was just a bit lacking. The fried chicken and fish dishes that we had were just okay, perfectly edible and tasty, but there was no 'wow' factor that would have coaxed out that fifth star. The veggies accompanying the fish did not stand on their own, and needed to be eaten with the paper-thin slices of ham. The peaches in the dish were not ripe and reminded me of Fred Meyer-quality nectarines. The same can also be said of the service. There was nothing overtly wrong with the service, it just seemed disconnected, disjointed, a bit chaotic and disorganized. For example, we asked the waitress to bring the cornbread at the same time as our salads. That didn't happen -- the cornbread showed up well after our salad plates left the table. I had iced tea as my beverage, and it was refilled at the table with warm tea from a glass beaker, so what I ended up with then was lukewarm tea in a glass with almost no ice. It's the tiny little details in the way things are done and presented that make a great place stand apart from a "pretty good" place like ISK. When there's difficulty in execution in the dining room and "good but not fabulous food;" it's symptomatic of leadership issues in the operation in general. Had we dined only on cornbread and peach trifle, we may have thought harder about giving them 5 stars, but the dining room issues would still have held them back.
(4)Anthony B.
I would go back for the old fashioned alone...but the food and atmosphere was great too!
(5)Frank W.
Overall, thoroughly disappointed. We've been three times and the food has been awful, the wine bad and the hostess this last trip was quite rude. We're not going back.
(1)Kirsten R.
Are you kidding me? Where has this place been all my life? First of all every single course is like dessert-from the Dutch baby topped with Gruyere cheese and bacon to the beautifully arranged wedge salad with bacon, bleu cheese and radish. The bloody Mary was delicious and the Mimosa was sparkling and grand! And don't even get me started on the actual dessert! Bittersweet chocolate pudding topped with butterscotch pudding topped with a salted caramel. I'm in heaven! The space is beautiful with high ceilings and lots of wood throughout giving it a rustic feel-and they give ample room between tables so you can actually hear your dining partner. Novel concept in this city, where I often feel crammed into whatever small space I'm given... and our waitress was amazing. So go-just go-and love it!
(5)Nam N.
stumbled upon this place while strolling the pearl district with my aunt. i was very pleased by the decor and setting. a rustic feel - with a dash of urban modernty (yes i made that word up) we were warmly welcomed by the hostess and quickly seated in a booth. we ordered: fried okra - cooked to perfection. no slime. all flavor and the jalapeno aioli was a nice balance bacon wrapped oysters - yum. i like bacon and love oysters. a perfect balance of flavors. beef tartare - this was okay to me. nothing of great tastes compared others i have tried before. the raw quail egg was a nice touch of flavor. pork belly - not as savory as i thought it would be as pork belly is amongst my favorite things to eat. but not overly fatty and still good. and my final and favorite of the night... corn bread - simply amazing. it had bits of red chili in it not making it spicy but had a slight hint of spice. topped with a maple suger syrup that made the corn bread taste like the worlds best cake. i want one for my birthday. i will definitely come back!
(4)Adam G.
This is the only place that has ever made me food-drunk. This is the point beyond food-coma where you stagger around looking terrible because you have just gorged yourself on such a staggering quantity of food that even the manager (I think he was a manager) wonders how you did it. Dial back an hour and let's see how this happened ... 0 - asked the bartender to make something up for me. You can do that here and discover something about yourself (Bourbon can be delicious?) or you can get wine from the tap, but I definitely recommend letting the bartenders do their thing. 1 - crab and clam chowder, with bacon. I don't know where this came from, or how it got here but it was phenomenal. 2 - braised veal rib. meat falling off the bone, succulent fat, even the greens were great. 2.5 - cornbread with bourbon butter glaze. Be aware, although in my magnificence I was able to consume the entire slice of pie (that's how delicious this was - think wonderful pie) you should probably share with 1 or 2 or 3 other people. 3 - Mississippi mud pie - I shouldn't have ordered this. I was already full and bubbling over, but hey, it was my birthday and I wanted dessert. I finished it. I was full, and I finished it. Yep, it was that tasty. 100% consumed by yours truly. I've never had bad food here. While I went for the veal rib this time, the fried chicken is an old standby - some of the best I've ever had. NOTE: As a general rule, I will almost always choose to sit at the bar over at a table in the restaurant area. I do this everywhere, and it's worth noting in this case, because I expect a significant difference in atmosphere. One a weekend night, ISK is bustling. It's busy, it's definitely not quiet, and it can get crowded at the bar. Every member of the staff I have encountered has been very friendly. That said, this is not the place to go for a "quick bite" before a show or movie. Your food will not arrive 5 minutes after you order it. Go when you've got time to enjoy the reasonably well list establishment with good friends and food & drink that will enthrall your taste buds. About Brunch - I kind of want to write a separate review, but I'll just mention it here. The place has a very different vibe during weekend brunch. It's much quieter and "brighter" (crappy word, but the vibe is light and airy .. not that those words help much.) The brunch is a regular thing for me. The food and drink quality is every bit as good as dinner, but the price is much less. For brunch, it's $$ instead of $$$ for dinner. 5-stars. I'm constantly drawn back here both for food, drinks, and to visit some of my regular bartenders.
(5)Asher Y.
elegant food, great cocktails.
(5)Alison P.
I have been here numerous times, and they have never let me down. The service is absolutely fantastic, and the food is superb. If you have the chance to go for brunch, PLEASE try the moroccan eggs. Their bloody mary's aren't too shabby either. For dinner, you have to get the cornbread. What's that? You don't like cornbread? Shut up. Get it. You won't be sorry. How do I know? Because I don't like cornbread. Dessert: Chevre Cheesecake. I don't have anything to add here...just Chevre Cheesecake. All in all, the atmosphere is wonderful, the food is wonderful, the service is wonderful...yeah. Can't go wrong.
(5)H T.
i love town hall in sf, and salt house and anchor and hope are ok as well, so i thought irving street kitchen would be a good place for dinner in the pearl. on monday night, we went around 7, and it wasn't crowded at all. drinks here are good and STRONG. i could barely finish one drink before getting tipsy already. they start you w/ ken's artisan bakery bread, so if you can't get to the bakery itself, then you must eat bread here. if you are a fan of tartine bakery in sf, then you would love this bread. we ate it w/ edamame puree, which was an app and really tasty. for dinner, i got the chinook (which i learned was wild salmon, and i figure i should eat salmon in the pacific NW), and i shared the succotash and beet sides w/ my husband. the chinook had a mustardy sauce and was super fresh. we were super full by the end of dinner, so we couldn't eat dessert, but you can buy the butterscotch pudding w/ salted caramel sauce to-go. you get the pudding in a cute mason jar too, so you can re-use it after! i didn't even eat the pudding until 3 days later, and it was still awesome.
(4)Paula L.
We were in town visiting and happened upon this place. We started with drinks and appetizers and ended with desserts and every course was amazing. The staff was great and food choices were top notch. Very eclectic menu. We had the deviled eggs and waffles to start- waffles were my favorite. The trout was outstanding, the steak was perfect, and the salmon gravlox was also very good. We finished with the salted caramel pudding and kettle corn. Our table left very full and happy! If we come back to town we will definitely return!
(5)Jason L.
I've been to the Irving St. Kitchen on three separate occasions, and every time has been outstanding. Our last visit, my girlfriend, Ali, and I decided we wanted to go on a "fancy date," so we put on nice outfits and had ourselves a three course meal with wine pairings. We started with the ISK-style BLT (smoked ahi tuna "bacon," arugula, and fried green tomatoes) and a corn soup of which I forget the particulars. The soup was outstanding-- a bit sweet, but in that good way. The BLT was very good, but I'd say it was probably the weakest part of the meal. We paired the appetizers with prosecco. (Because if you don't have bubbles in your wine, you can't possibly be fancy.) Next up, Ali had the halibut, and I ordered duck-stuffed duck, wrapped in duck. Both dishes were unreasonably good. We got a side of cornbread on the recommendation of several people, and that was an excellent decision. We let Patrick, our waiter, pair wines with the meal, and he did a KILLER job. Honestly, I don't remember what he gave us, but the pairings were solid. Finally, we ordered the cheesecake, which wasn't quite cheesecake. It didn't have a crust, but it had a... chocolate grenache? I don't know. Whatever it was, I put it in my mouth and felt very good about the decision. This was paired with a pinot noir dessert wine, which was surprisingly delicious and paired perfectly with the cheesecake. Patrick talked me out of a port, which I thought was especially cool considering the port was $5/glass more expensive. We left full, happy, and most importantly, feeling very fancy. The best part of this experience was the service-- I mean, I can get amazing food all over Portland, right? -- the way Patrick talked about the food and helped us make solid pairings really showed a passion for solid dining experiences. Our previous experiences were met with excellent service as well, so I don't think it's just Patrick -- ISK has managed to create a really good working culture, and it shows through in their dining experience. I'll definitely be returning. Probably frequently. Maybe with a monocle next time.
(5)Maya S.
5 star. How could it be less? I am raving. Fantastic, unbelievable, as good as it gets in Portland. Why do I say this? Because I am completely fed up with paying high prices and receiving just "okay" service or ambience or food or drinks. Irving Street Kitchen does EVERYTHING right, and I mean everything. The total package. The server was absolutely spot on. They should clone her and send her to all the high end restaurants in Portland so she can be an exemplar. THIS is how it's done. Not a hipster, holier than though, 'tude in sight. Thank you for that! She was absolutely perfect, truly. Warm, informed, extremely attentive. The lighting, perfect. The ambience, perfect. And here is a major pet peeve of mine: dining room music. They have it perfect. You can hear it but it's in the background and above your head as opposed to blaring so loud you cannot hear the people you are with because it's blasting right at ear level. Thank you for even getting the music right! I notice all these things that make up the entire package and that's why I say Irving Street IS the entire package. Best cocktail I've ever had, fantastic and beautiful shaved vegetable salad, great meal, and the dessert??? Insane. To die for. I told the server there must be crazy people in the kitchen making something like that! Black bottomed butterscotch pudding but not the horrible sticky sweet corn syrup kind... light as a feather with a nearly bitter layer and a salted caramel layer and a sweet pillow layer... made me crazy! Feeding it into my mouth when long ago I had passed "I can't eat another bite" status, because I HAD to have it! To be treated so well and so warmly and have great ambience and great food, especially when out for a special occasion like I was... well, it just doesn't get better than that in Portland. Many try to achieve this but fail somewhere along the chain of events. There is no failure at Irving Street. Best fried chicken ever, done right. Take heed, restaurants of Portland. Do what they do, all down the line, and I'll give you 5 stars too! Spot on. Impeccable. Warm. Delicious. I'd say it's the place to be in Portland. Why mess with the rest when you can have the best? I won't bother with the rest anymore, that's for sure.
(5)kristin e.
I have to give this place 5 stars if only for their delicious butterscotch pudding. This is not your typical butterscotch pudding snack cup from the grocery store. It was rich, velvety, thick, creamy yet very light at the same time. I've been craving it since last night and I'm now suffering from withdrawal. I came in here only with the intention to have a drink but ended up having a 2nd dinner (I had eaten dinner a few hours previously at the Heathman) because I couldn't resist the offerings. It started off with the cheese sampler which was fantastic along with some speciality cocktails: The Seelbach and the Old Curmudgeon. I wasn't too thrilled with the Seelbach (I love prosecco and I love bourbon but I guess I don't love them together) but the Old Curmudgeon was a winner. It was bourbon with a peppery kick. For the main course I had the fried chicken with collard greens, mashed potatoes and gravy. You get a juicy drumstuck, thigh and breast which is nice because many places give you just 2 pieces of chicken. Our server was friendly and funny and the space itself was gorgeous. It's very warm and inviting. I can't wait for the day I get to go back.
(5)B. A.
Super nice wait staff, pleasant room (albeit many, many hard surfaces), nice wines -- and the appetizers and entrees were good enough. I wanted to love this friendly place! But the wee portions for the charcuterie and the cheeses plates are either a cost-saving measure or just pretentious (maybe some of each) and our group wasn't happy about that. Pieces of cheese and meat no bigger than tasting samples - that's just plain silly and a good way to lose repeat business.
(2)Ari R.
A perfect restaurant. If you like an urban, rustic modern vibe, you will love this place. The decor is incredible. They use a lot of reclaimed wood and Edison lightbulbs. The bar is gorgeous. They have the neatest contemporary wine taps ever. All the lighting is enchanting and dim. Food is decadent and flavorful. Cocktails are pre-prohibition on.... and beer is great.. lots of Belgians. You will love it here.
(5)David C.
I had a gift certificate for Irving Street, so I decided to check it out. I really didn't have an expectation level. I was completely blown away. This place was amazing! There were 3 in our party and we all traded each of our dishes at eah course. Service was great...food was great. Definately coming back!
(5)kevin c.
First, if the entree has a salad already but the menu does not mention that, it's just good form for the waitperson to so inform the customer when he orders a salad with the entree. I don't think many people out there are looking for 2 lettuce salads with 1 meal. Second, who thought it'd be a good idea to serve scrambled eggs on top of toast -- the toast just gets soggy and nasty. And who thought it'd be a good idea to put a sweet tomato-apple relish on an egg-lobster-mascapone scramble? A really rank combination of tastes and textures. Finally, who thought it'd be a good idea to pile the side salad on top of said toast-egg-lobster-sweet salsa mess? Who in their right mind wants vinegar on their eggs? Or the already soggy toast to be further saturated with vinegar? The extra salad I ordered? Soggy and over-saturated with a strangely tasteless dressing. And the whole schtick is a bit much. Bringing the wine to the table in a mason jar on to then pour it into the wine glass? Mismatched cutlery? Really? What's next? Gonna dress the staff in overalls and straw hats? This place tries way too hard, but doesn't have the talent in the kitchen to back up the ambition. And, btw, I just moved here from SF. I like Town Hall and Anchor and Hope (and Salt House is alright), so I guess I expected their Portland outpost to at least be edible.
(1)Joel D.
Great bar, great atmosphere, great food. What else could you ask for. I thought the scallop dish was a little too salty but the great drink selection and heavenly butterscotch pudding - yeah, it's that good - make for a fantastic night out. I highly recommend.
(5)Hemesh P.
went here because everyone talks about the butterscotch pudding...man was it good...yum its a fun place even if you just come for dessert like i did!
(5)Erin S.
Brett W. said it perfectly, "One word describes the experience I had at Irving Street Kitchen: Genuine. From the moment our server approached our table and greeted us, I felt taken care of. Pampered, even" This was our exact experience. Everyone from the hostess to our server to the bartender made sure we were having a wonderful time. Our server explained any questions we had about the menu and told us her favorite dishes as well. We decided to treat ourselves and order everything we wanted. CHARCUTERIE a wonderful array of house smoked meats and sausages served on a piece of drift wood. FOIE GRAS & SWEETBREAD RAVIOLI served with black truffle foam. The texture was great and the foam really made the dish. HEIRLOOM BABY BEET SALAD with truffle balsamic vinaigrette and sheep's milk cheese. This dish alone turned me on to loving beets! They were so fresh, juicy and the dressing was mouthwatering. Highly recommend this salad. SEARED SHRIMP & LOBSTER RAGOUT with bienville bread pudding and pickled okra. This was the most creative dish. I didn't know what I was ordering, but it was wonderful. It solved any seafood craving I have ever had. SLOW BAKED SALOM with ras el hanout crust, lentil salad, and cauliflower-walnut sauce. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the crust on top had a great texture. BOURBON ROASTED PORCHETTA with sweet potatoes, black trumpets and whole grain mustard jus. I just keep thinking about this dish. So so tender and the trumpets were amazing. Everything worked. BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING with brown ale caramel sauce, crème freiche, and caramel corn. After our whole filling meal we only had a few bites that were great. It was just so rich. Irving Street Kitchen was an experience and one of the best meals I have ever had. Its right up there with Anchor & Hope and Town Hall!
(5)Trey C.
Excellent food, great service in a relaxing yet fun atmosphere. Definitely recommend!
(5)Neill P.
I like the open atmosphere in this place. If I weren't such a wretched introvert, this seems like a good place to go on a First Thursday to mingle with the crowd that is standing in the bar section. The food is fine, but overpriced and therefore not worth it in my book. One standout is the cornbread, which you can get for $5 and is fantastic. It's a sweet cornbread that comes with a bourbon-caramel sauce, and should be eaten as a dessert. It's almost a mix of angel food cake and what you would normally associate with cornbread. Definitely get it if you eat here.
(3)Sam A.
The Soup of the Day is always a fantastic surprise!
(5)Bryan W.
Good food and beer selection.
(3)Zach M.
Great place! We went at 9:30 on a Sunday evening. Every dish of our meal was excellent! The place was pretty empty as expected but we sat in one of the cool enclosed booths and had great conversation. You could close the curtain and have a very intimate evening. The only negative is higher than necessary wine prices - $12/glass for a wine you could buy retail for $25/bottle.
(4)Elisabeth B.
Some of the best food I've ever eaten...and really cute, friendly waiters. Restaurant experience doesn't get much better than that.
(5)Melissa S.
Dropped in tonight to grab a bite to eat since we moved in next door and we couldn't stand smelling the food anymore without at least trying something there! First impressions, the place had a great vibe, nice lighting, slightly western, slightly modern, totally awesome. Service was outstanding, we sat and the low top bar and were greeted promptly, my husband ordered a signature cocktail which was served in a antique cocktail glass and absolutely fabulous for those who love a little sweet dinner drink. We started with the blue cheese salad; fresh crisp and pre-split! Love that! Then we ordered the salmon with walnut cream sauce, lentils and crumb topping... the salmon was cooked perfectly, and the lentils were a nice compliment to the nutty sweet salmon. Simple, but perfect. We also ordered a side of the green beans and mushrooms.... YUM! Not like many places out there that feel the need to cook green beans until they are mush, no these were crisp and warm and mixed with fungi goodies :) We're close to this place, actually we're attached to this place... so we'll def. be back... happy hour looks great.. $2 tall boy and whiskey, SIGN ME UP.
(4)Thomas L.
Everything here is delicious and the bartenders are super nice and friendly. My partner and I used to come here almost once a week when we lived closer. We typically sat at the bar, because of the friendly bartenders. Atmosphere is great. Nothing bad to say. Brunch? Yums. Dinner? Yums. Drinks? You get the point... I've taken a few out-of-town guests here and they loved it.
(4)Melissa S.
This is by far the best food I have had in a very long time if not ever! And this is coming from someone that loves good food and eats out a lot. All of the ingredients were super fresh and combined in a way that were not overkill like some finer restaurants like to do. Every thing was cooked to perfection and the selection they had on the menu was great. Also, the service was wonderful. We had a top notch waiter that totally knew the menu as if he was the chef himself and he was very friendly. Also, the atmosphere is awesome because it is classy and modern, yet very comfortable, urban and warm. This is a hard combination to pull off and I think they did it to a 'T'.
(5)Y L.
I have been to ISK twice and my experience was about the same both times. The restaurant setup is great, nice space and open dining area. The food is good/mediocre and the service is about the same. I will likely continue to go to this restaurant because it is in my neighborhood and the menu is good enough.
(3)Jeremy B.
A group of us came here on Sunday night to have dinner before going out. We sat down and after about 5 minutes ordered drinks. Then that was it. Literally. After 40 minutes had passed and never seeing the waitress again we decided to leave. We stood up and walked out. Seeing the waitress on the way out we informed her we were leaving and why. She simply responded with a carefree "ok, cool, have a good night" and let us just walk out. No apology, nothing. That will be my lat time returning there.
(1)Liz C.
Nice ambiance and noise level, and very creative flavor pairings. Rave of the table went to the beet and cornbread sides, which we had as appetizers. The dirty rice and shrimp-stuffed crab was the best entree of our four, with the quail a close second. Halibut and fried chicken were just so-so, although the mashed potatoes were a hit. Strawberry sorbet and basil syrup were a-ma-zing, but the toasted angel food cake was nothing special. Seemed like we waited a long time for each food course to arrive, but we enjoyed being able to watch the kitchen action from our table.Glad we tried it, but we won't rush back.
(3)Jenna B.
This place is one of the best restaurants I have been to in Portlnad. The ambience and atmosphere is great, not too stuffy, just right. The service is excellent, I couldn't have done it better and the food is awesome, portions are not too big, not too small. Comfort food at its best!!! This place gets an A+ in my book. I will definitely be back again and again!!
(5)Jack D.
Went for brunch which is only on Sat-Sun. Glad we did. My Smothered Southern w/ country fried chicken came in a skillet and was mouth watering. A "bloody buddy" washed it down nicely (spicy) and the natural wood environment made a unique and pleasant dining experience. The booth we were seated at had curtains that closed. The service was solid and the check came delivered in a moleskin notebook with patron passages scribbled in it. Impressive place to eat and wash your hands (the water closets have large shallow flat sinks). Oh and the waiting area looked comfy....
(4)jennifer w.
we went for brunch and im simply l.o.v.i.n.g this place! james got the lobster soft scrambled eggs with truffle mascarpone. it comes on top of a toasted brioche. i got the moroccan poached eggs. hells bells, yall. this was sooooo good. it comes with garlic rubbed toast. we both loved our breakfast and will totally be heading back!
(5)Erin M.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner here on Saturday. We'd made a reservation just to be safe but when we arrived a little early they were happy to seat us immediately. All of the staff was attentive and helpful. They may have been a little obsessive about filling my water glass but I never went thirsty! I really appreciated that our server didn't rush us. I was having dinner with an old friend I hadn't seen in a while and we had trouble concentrating on the menu because we were so busy catching up. Never once did I feel like I needed to rush or make a quick decision, even after we ate our dinner and our table was cleared. When we finally did take a moment to look over the menu my mouth began watering. I tried the ham and biscuits for my starter and it was delicious. The ham just melted in my mouth and biscuits were just like grandma makes, but in mini form. The fried chicken for dinner was also fantastic. The meat was moist and the coating was flavorful, just what you want out of a good piece of fired chicken. Of course the most wonderful bit of food came for desert when I ordered the butterscotch pudding. After reading all the reviews here I ad to try it myself. YUM. YUM. YUM. No really, it was yummy. The apple rhubarb crisp my friend ordered was great too, but that pudding made my night. I'll be back to try happy hour soon!
(4)Quinn S.
Damn good food and drinks. Amazing staff! Really cool space.
(5)Ann S.
Horrible service. I've been in here three times now, each repeat hoping for a redemption. All three visits I experienced such horrible service that the last time i didn't even stay for the meal. I've never been treated so poorly. Each time I walked in no one greeted me but rather have nasty looks and one word answers...it was like begging for a table when that is their job to greet you? Also extremely slow and inattentive wait staff. There are much better options out there, don't waste your time.
(1)Tyler A.
Decided to check it out since it's just around the corner. Man, it's a HUGE venue. We walked in, no res, waited 2 minutes at the fireplace in the front. We sat in the center of the dining room, there were some cozy booths for 4 or more, rooms in the back? What I noticed throughout the night was how BRIGHT it was, yes I like seeing my food but seriously, you can drop it down a few watts. Why bother with the candles if they're not glowing in comparison to its surroundings? Dinner: (I can't remember what my hubs got...) -Charcuterie plate, not the best I've seen but it's really cheap at $15 -Snapper with risotto was quite well balanced. A bit too heavy handed with the salt but overall very enjoyable. I love arugula in ANYTHING -Meyer Lemon Napoleon - OMFG lemony crack! (This is worth the visit alone, pastry chef, you've done good!) Overall, ambiance can get a slight improvement from lowered lights, super space, food is a solid A-/B+ and we also had a nice bottle of super Cote de Rhone for super cheap at $33 (Vacqueyras) that drank like a $75+ bottle. And the service was as if I were at a restaurant in LA or NY not PDX, ATTENTIVE (someone - manager? hostess? who ran over to us t tell us the 86 in the most enthusiastic and disturbing way but other than that, our server was thumbs up) Will definitely revisit, often.
(4)Matt S.
We had the best meal that I've had in a REALLY long time here, just before Christmas. The service was excellent, granted we arrived right as the kitchen opened - but it was really great regardless. The standout dish was easily the Crispy Quail Salad, it tasted like Christmas and was so delicious. All of the other dishes we tried were fantastic as well, but if the Quail Salad is still on the menu, order it!
(5)Rosemary R.
The food was good. Not a great value, but good. The staff was lovely. But, I truly do not understand why everything took soooo long. They weren't that busy and they seemed fully staffed. We ordered drinks and 10 minutes later they showed up. We ordered dinner and 30 minutes later it showed up. Desert arrived rather promptly but the coffees we ordered with our desert showed up after we finished eating desert. It was strange. Our dinner was pleasant and I liked the atmosphere.
(3)Lusha K.
When walking into this huge restaurant - not one person greeted me and for a Saturday I was surprised how slow it was at 11:15 am. I ordered the fried chicken and grits and asked for a side biscuit. It appeared that they forgot to place our order and so they brought out two chocolate muffins to apologize for the wait. The muffins were dry and really I would have much preferred to have my fried chicken. Once the food arrive - it was really average and the eggs which I ordered over medium still had uncooked egg white. The fried chicken crust was unseasoned and the grits and sauce were just plain bad. The bill arrived and I was shocked that the side biscuit I requested was $5 for two dry biscuits that's weren't even warm. And overall I feel this place is over priced for what you're getting. Finally the staff was fine - but the food was not worth the price or the wait. This place is lovely inside and the bartender made some great drinks but I will not be going back any time soon. There are too many other places that make better fried chicken.
(2)Jordan C.
Outstanding place. Charcuterie plate was a great great great value at 15 bucks. My girlfriend had the fried chicken which was super good and I had the porchetta. It was one of the most flavorful pork dishes I've ever had and the madera sauce on top worked perfectly. Not so sure about the wine out of a tap, but whatever. I went for the food and it was great
(5)Dave S.
Yep, this is a rating Irving St. Kitchen deserves. Our first visit was bad (see other review), but this visit was amazing. This time we went in for dinner with a couple of friends who own a wine bar in Seattle. First, our waiter was outstanding. Friendly, helpful, funny and right there when you need him, and not when you don't. The manager even visited our table to see how we liked the food and wine. Very good service. The food was excellent. From the very fresh salad, to all of our entrees to the dessert, everything was perfectly done, fresh and with excellent flavors. They have several wines on tap, which from all of the time we spend at Bottlehouse in Seattle, we know gives you excellent wine by the glass at a lower price than bottled. We tried three outstanding wines and were even delivered glasses of awesome dessert wine by the manager...on the house! Overall an outstanding experience. We'll be back many times.
(5)Ian R.
One star reviews are extreme, but if ever a restaurant merited one, this is it. I was ready to write a two-star review after being severely underwhelmed by underwhelming service, a mediocre pasta dish, an over-hyped fried chicken that couldn't hold a candle to numerous other fried chickens in Portland, but then ... I had a dinner party and by total chance both of my friends had dined at ISK during the same week I did and both had such awful experiences that their meals were fully comped. One of the meals was comped because of poor service, the other because of terrible service and multiple cold plates. The second meal was over $300 with alcohol and was still comped. It was that BAD. On the positive side, at least someone there knows things are bad. But three meals that bad is inexcusable in a town with so many delicious dining options.
(1)Thomas W.
AmaZING... with an emphasis on the ZING. The decor is interesting, a bit rustic, a bit ironic and throughly enjoyable. We loved dining in a booth with a curtain. The waitstaff was well-trained, friendly without intruding on our evening and very attentive when needed. And the food... how do you spell exquisite? EXQUISITE!!!!! Thank you for a memorable evening!
(5)Jon O.
Inconsistent. Some well put together dishes, some head scratchers. Happy hour is the best time to come, fun place + good values. Brunch, meh. Dinner, better, but out of six people we've found that at least two dishes here will end up being dissapointments. Good service.
(3)Anne R.
I'll start out saying I'm not a brunch person. But, after being up all night I wanted a drink and a nice meal so went here with some friends. While it's a big space, I loved the cozy booths, the bench seating and areas by the fire. My friends got the bloody mary's, the heuvos rancheros, and the chicken/waffles. Both were very happy. Neither could finish their portions. We split the spiced donuts which were the best donuts i've ever had and just amazing. And I got the eggs benedict with salmon lox as a lover of lox on all things... they were amazing. The best eggs benedict I've ever had and one of the best things I've eaten in almost a year maybe. They were incredibly rich, with a lemon flavor. The arugula and salmon went perfectly with biscuit. Please go eat them =)
(5)Anita H.
I came here for brunch with friends and ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict. I am normally not a huge benedict fan, since my firsthand experiences consist of watching others devour two large cholesterol saturated poached eggs completely smothered in over the top creamy hollandaise sauce. So I knew I was taking a risk by ordering the benedict at Irving St. However, I was quite impressed! The Salmon Gravlax Benedict was pretty darn amazing! The chefs at Irving St were on point with this breakfast dish; the buttermilk biscuits were delicious with the eggs perfectly poached and covered with just the right amount of dill hollandaise sauce. The dill hollandaise sauce paired extremely well with the raw salmon. The dish was like a salmon lox benedict. My hubster ordered the exact same dish (great minds think alike, I guess), but he preferred the salmon cooked. I usually agree with him because he tends to be smarter, but this time he was DEAD WRONG. I thought the salmon being uncooked was a perfect complement to the other ingredients in the dish. I'm giving this place four stars since this was my first visit and I want to come back and try other items on the menu.
(4)Sam S.
Great meal and excellent service. Would recommend to anyone looking for a imaginative bistro.
(5)Amreen U.
I came here for happy hour with a few friends, lured by my food writer friend's urging and Willamette Weekly's review of the happy hour hot dog. The hot dog was amazing, and we ended up staying for dinner and ordering things to share. We got the cheese plate (w/ fig jam, yum), the oysters on horseback (surprisingly awful, with a weird texture), the BBQ shrimp (pretty good) and several desserts. They were all good, but the butterscotch pudding was ridiculous. Amazing. So good. I want to spend the rest of my life eating it. Also, they have a lovely lambrusco, an Italian sparkling red wine, on the menu right now. Dry and refreshing, not too sweet like lambruscos tend to be. Mmm. SInce we mostly got small plates, happy hour stuff, and drinks, the check wasn't too bad either, and the service was great.
(5)Rita C.
This was my new favorite restaurant in Portland based on an incredibly good birthday dinner there. Next time we went, I took my sisters visiting from Atlanta and Charleston. It was wonderful. Then, this morning...uh oh. My son, his girlfriend and I were treating my husband for his 62nd birthday. They were all satisfied. My Shrimp and Grits, however, (my favorite dish in the world) was cold, and tasteless. I was expecting the "barbecued" shrimp to be the same as the barbecued shrimp from the dinner menu, which was creamy, spicy, lemony and delectable. This sauce was a brown, clear liquid that had no taste, was so cool that it had a gelled film over the top of it, and the shrimp was small, sparse and tasteless. The scrambled egg topping the whole mess was cold and overcooked. I have to say, the service was excellent. I am not one to let my disatisfaction pass, however, so I chatted with the waitress (very politely) and told her I was disappointed that it was not the spicy, tangy dish I'd had before. She was "sorry I was disappointed". Me, too. A huge fan turns into a tepid one...just like my shrimp and grits.
(3)Jan A.
Went for brunch, got seated immediately but food took f o r e v e r. and was not worth the wait. Toast was burned. Black burned. Bacon was burned. Almost black burned. Bacon was extra chewy and way overcooked. Bread pudding french toast was good. Doughnut starter was the best. Moroccan eggs, meh. Server was apologetic and comped the doughnuts. Probably will not be back but the space is pretty cool.
(2)Stephanie K.
Oh Irving St. Kitchen, how I absolutely wanted to fall in love with the mythical creature that you have become. For months, I've heard about how this is the premier restaurant to go to in Portland and many dates have promised this for dinner, but never followed through. Luckily, I found a man wanting to get lucky bad enough that he made reservations, even though I wouldn't be able to make dinner until 10 pm. So we arrived at Irving St. dressed for the nice night out. The place had a nice buzz to it when we arrived, which was always a good sign. The hostess was kind enough to seat us in the private tables, which remind me of a cross between a cabin in the woods and a private cabana in Vegas. Our waitress was amazing! She made us feel right at home and had a lot of recommendations for us. We started off with two of their signature cocktails, one of which came in a mason jar which was adorable. The cocktails were good, but nothing mindblowing. That was okay, as I figured the food was more the star of the show. So we started off with the cheese plate, ordered the veal rib, steelhead, and a side of brussel sprouts. The cheese plate was good, but I find it really difficult to mess up a cheese plate. And I am beginning to feel like putting bleu cheese on a cheese plate almost becomes a throwaway. The entrées were delicious as well, but nothing mind blowing. So the meal has been good, but I'm still waiting to experience all that everyone raves about. I figured at least the dessert would shine through, a sweet potato mousse pie and rhubarb and apple crisp. Again, good and tasty, but still missing the wow factor. Beautiful place, good wine, and great food, but I wouldn't put it as a 5-star, you haven't experience the Portland food scene if you haven't been here. So far, Paragon has won my heart over Irving St. Kitchen.
(4)Constance P.
Irving Street was spectacular from start to finish. Why not start with an assortment of olives and cheese? I should do that at home. The meal was delicious. I had the salmon and my husband had cod. Apparently the premier dish is the Southern fried chicken. I didn't feel like eating something that heavy. I know we'll return, so I felt comfortable with my choice. The salmon was served on a bed of rice and cauliflower florets. The meal went from "real good" to "unbelievable" with dessert. I asked for the signature dessert and out came butterscotch pudding served with s side of carmel popcorn. Who does that? In one spoonful my childhood flashed before my eyes and I tasted every birthday cake, every cupcake, every Brach's Butterscotch candy, everything that was delicious about childhood. Amazing combination of flavors; salty and sweet and something else, something that you bring to the dessert. Honest to Julia Child, it was phenomenal. I want to try the brunch next time and then I'll have to try the chicken. I don't eat too much in the way of fried food so I might need to go into training, but I love this restaurant and plan to go again and again. Service was exceptional. We had the best time.
(5)Carla L.
One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Portland. Everything in this restaurant is of the best quality, and it's obvious to the customers. The cheese plate is one of my favorite small plates to order. The staff is always extremely knowledgable about where all of the food comes from, how the food is prepared, what pairs well with the food, etc. The ham and biscuits small plate is one of my other favorites. The biscuits are fluffy and warm, the ham is of the very best quality, (the servers will tell you exactly where the ham came from and the pains the restaurant has gone through to bring such good quality ingredients to your table). This, to me is very impressive because it shows how involved the staff is. I have only had a couple things from the menu which I did not thoroughly enoy. And once my server learned that I did not absolutely enjoy my meal, he was quick to offer me something else and apologized profusely. This just reinforced the excellent service that this restaurant offers. The desserts....omg the desserts...ANYONE who has tried the butterscotch pudding will tell you how good it is, but you must experience this for yourself. It's got this strong, sweet, buttery taste and this home-cooked texture. It stays on your mind for long after you've left the restaurant. Every time I have been in ISK, management always stops by my table to make sure my dining experience is pleasant. I don't need to tell anyone that this is not common. This restaurant offers the best food, the best service, an immaculate presentation, and the best dining experience in Portland. Period.
(5)Steve R.
A late night dinner and drink session turned out to be very satisfying. The service was excellent. The booth was private, quiet. I like the lighting, the artwork and the abundance of rough wood. There is a good wine selection. Try the Trifecta Cabernet. The Salmon Gravlax with tartar and rye crackers appetizer was very tasty. The Charred Sturgeon dinner was perfectly prepared. I especially liked what seemed like a bottomless plate of Ken's Artisan bread. There was also a dish with squash prepared in a delicious sauce. (Sorry for the lack of details) Two desserts were devoured - the lemon chess pie and an ice cream over Bananas upside down cake smothered with carmel sauce, Excellent! If my experience turns out to be equally good the second time around I'd consider bumping this kitchen up to a 5.
(4)Sara G.
I usually wait a while before visiting a new place, but I met one of the cooks and after chatting with him and feeling his enthusiasm we decided to dive in. Awesome fried chicken. It's on the bone like it should be, not some limp patty. They have wines on tap straight out of the barrel--how neat is that? Services was unattentive and professional, although complaining about service in the first month a place is open is just unfair, you have to give them a chance to get a rhythm. How good were you at your job during the first month? My only complaint would be the...clientele. Were I a young man looking for an older lady to buy me nice clothes in exchange for orgasms, I might prefer the atmosphere at the bar. Instead, I'll ask for a table next time.
(4)El S.
I need to start out by saying that the food is excellent but only four stars...the reason for the 5th star is for the service. My server, Lynn, was exceptional and extraordinarily well prepared. She had a vast knowlege of the wine list as well as a genuine interest in the menu. That counts for a lot....most restaurants don't realize that. On to the food....when I first walked in I noticed a giant, round crusty loaf of bread. This bread is usually found exclusivley in Italian neighborhoods on the east coast. In fact, if you've never bitten into this burned, crusty, bread on a Sunday morning while standing over the kitchen sink (mom would hit you if you with her church shoes if you made crumbs on the floor) then you are not really Italian. For some reason this bread has found its way to Portland via Ken's Artisan...and Irving Street Kitchen has the good sense to offer it. That's major points in my book...it shows good, unpretentious taste. If Ken isn't Italian I'd be shocked. I got the olive sampler to start. Granted its only olives but the selection was terrific. Green Sicilian with some Gaeta and hot peppers as well. Smartly done. I'm a fat pig and that means two entrees - The steak and the fried chicken. I get my steak medium rare...the chimicurri type sauce was decent albeit not spicy enough but the meat was cooked perfectly and very well seasoned. It came with polenta cakes and something else so awesome that I ate so fast I forget what it was. The fried chicken was top top top notch. No joke. It came with nicely done mashed potatoes and collared greens that were pre-vinegared and seasoned to perfection. Most places give you malt vinegar to put on yourself...no need here...the guy out back seasoned it to perfection. Well done. I got the rhubarb pie for desert. A little disappointing....it came de-contructed which I don't like for desert. When you order desert it should be decadent and complicated. I can appreciate de-construction for an entree but not for a desert. I wish I had got something else. This newcomer is a first rate restaurant and a welcome addition to the neighborhood....I'll be coming here a lot. not just because I'm a fat pig with man-hooters but because its really, really good and the service is five-star and unpretentious. Well done, keep up the good work.
(5)Leah H.
Having had a delightful meal at Town Hall last time I visited San Francisco, I was thrilled to hear about the opening of Irving Street Kitchen. I checked out the menu on their website and was excited to see a number of the same menu offerings as Town Hall. I finally got the chance to make it down there. The food was wonderful but the service was a bit lacking. In fact, if it were not for how satisfactory the meal was, there is no way a restaurant could pull off a 4 star review with the service I received. I'm going to assume it was bad timing/new employees/or something - but at least this gives me an opportunity to update this to a 5 star when the quality of the service matches the quality of the food! We started at the bar thinking that we could take advantage of happy hour. I was uncertain about what to drink and so the bartender suggested that she make me her favorite (and see if I like "big girl drinks"). It was made with gin, my least favorite spirit, but it was wonderful. Now sitting with a nice drink, we wanted to order a couple things off of the happy hour menu and then continue on to entrees. The only problem: we were never asked about food. My dining companion finished his drink, but still, no notice was taken to us. After being ignored for around 30 minutes we decided to see if we could be moved to the dining room. Screw happy hour, I guess. Although I really did want to try their poutine. Once moved, we were asked if we needed drinks, but then sat without being asked about food for some time. At this point, my dining partner was working on convincing me that we should leave and find some pizza. Granted, when people are hungry (and without food) the crankiness level at the table greatly increases. Needless to say, I was relieved when our waitress came around just as my friend was beginning to stand up. We ordered the salumi plate to start and asked for some bread. Mmm, Ken's Artisan Bread. So good! The meats were served with a house-made whole seed mustard. Normally the taste of mustard triggers my gag reflex, but I could eat this! And, you know what, it didn't taste too bad! I ordered the sirloin & smoked rib. The sirloin was cooked perfectly! It was crisp and smokey on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. But the smoked rib stole the show. It was smokey and melty and OH MY GOODNESS just damn delicious. My companion mentioned that it was an insult to the sirloin to be plated with the rib, because it never stood a chance. The rib was just so damn good. My friend ordered the fried chicken on recommendation of our waitress. It had yummy breading that remained amazingly crunchy through the meal - even while sitting in the potatoes and greens. His take on his plate was that it was good, but it wouldn't be the item that brings him back again and again. We ended the meal with the butterscotch pudding to-go. It came in an adorable jar. I honestly wanted to buy a half dozen of them and give them away as holiday gifts. But I restrained myself. Altogether, a couple of drinks a piece, a shared appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert only amounted to $80. Not bad at all. Once fed, my (now considerably less) cranky companion admitted that this had been one of the best meals that he has had in Portland. I will certainly return to try more of their menu and to get me that poutine!! I'm just hoping I will never experience service like that again.
(4)John J.
I really wanted to rate this place higher as I heard such good reviews. Unfortunately, I had to ask the server where they got their salmon as something didn't taste right. i was extremely disappointed to hear their fish is farmed. I cannot respect an upscale restaurant that serves FARMED salmon, especially in the NW, but more specifically Portland.
(1)Ellen E.
This is our favorite place in Portland. Recommend the biscuits & ham as a starter. The red pepper jelly is so good. Meals are big enough to split, especially if you want to save room for one of the delicious dessert options. The brunch on Sunday is great, too. Entire experience is a little pricey, but if you're sharing with a friend, it's definitely worth it.
(5)John E.
Totally surprising fact: this place has the best habanero salsa in the city. It's not on the menu, but it's available on request (waitress said they use it for some egg dishes at brunch). How is this possible? We went for happy hour appetizers and drinks. Tequila based drink was my favorite. I think pork belly and waffles with eggs was the favorite appetizer. Poutine, jambalaya, meatballs were all pretty good as well. There were several other dishes that looked interesting. We'll be back.
(5)Aung B.
This is my first review in Yelp and I'm sad that it's not going to be a positive one. We've been to Irving St. Kitchen twice before. The food here is decent, not the best thing I've ever tasted. But the location was convenient. We were just there on Mother's day for brunch. We called ahead to ask about seating for four and were told that there're plenty of walk-in seating. No wait. We showed up 10 minutes later, the hostess said we will have to wait for at least an hour or we could sit by the bar or the couch and eat there instead. She (short blonde hair and small) did not even ask us if we want to put our name down and wait. She just stared blankly at us. We had to ask her if we can put our names down. It only took 20 minutes for us to wait. Our waiter was nice, but we waited 45 minutes for our food. We didn't have any special orders and the place wasn't even full or busy. My husband and a friend, who's pregnant, both ordered the lobster dishes, had stomachache and felt sick for the rest of the day. This probably won't do much to change anything there, but we're sure not going to be back agian.
(1)Amanda O.
This place is incredible! The food is always good and there's something about the atmosphere that definitely makes you feel comfortable. It's busy and your server might forget something but nonetheless it is always good. Creative menu but never intimidating.
(5)Some G.
Went on a tasting spree in portland. Dined at dozen+ places in portland over 2 days. We tried everything from artisan cheese and duck from Veritable Quandry, fresh truffles at Bluehour, beer and burger at Rogue, fresh toro at Bamboo, and what feels like everything in between. But after all said and done the Irving Street Kitchen really stood out. Their decor, wine on tap, and great food made us wish we lived upstairs to this restaurant. I loved ordering half a dozen appetizers as opposed to a few entrees and sharing it. Each and everyone of them were wonderful. Can't wait to visit portland again.
(5)Mitch S.
Great hip atmosphere and the server was super friendly. We visited on a busy Sunday morning and the hostess was less than friendly. Menu had flair with unique pairings, food was excellent. I had the fried chicken and waffle and my GF had the apple caramel oatmeal. Both were very good. French toast with blueberry compote looked awesome, I will try on next visit. Recommend a trip!
(4)Gene B.
Another gem of a restaurant in the trendy Pearl District! I liked this place a lot. It has a Southern pastiche, as do so many other Portland restaurants lately. At first blush it kinda seemed like a fancier version of Screen Door, but I think that's an over-generalization and that they are doing their own thing. The shrimp and duck tongue gumbo was out of this world good, made with a properly dark roux - a detail that is rarely done right. The foie gras torchon was creamy, smooth and rich, It was accompanied by a nice, slightly tart, slightly sweet rhubarb coulis which went well with the foie and Ken's artisanal bread. I had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and greens. I saw so many going out of the kitchen window all night that I felt compelled to try it and it is really good. Almost as good as the chicken at Screen Door and just like at the Screen Door, it's a huge amount of food. Portions here are ample. My dining partner had the lamb chops with herbed coucous and they were just perfection. After seeing so many desserts coming out of the kitchen, we also felt compelled to order some for ourselves even though we were pretty stuffed at that point. I had the butterscotch pudding which came in a Mason jar and had a decadent caramel sauce both on top and the bottom of the pudding layer. It was light and airy, but rich and decadent all at the same time. My friend had the chocolate bread pudding with a scoop of mint ice cream. The bread pudding was warm and very chocolatey and the cool mint ice cream made the perfect foil to it. The service was top notch from the hostess to the bartenders and to, especially, our waiter. who was helpful and quick to offer suggestions and/or tips.
(4)Scott J.
Excellent food - we had a large group (5 adults / 4 kids) - and all loved their dishes - foie gras, duck, fried chicken, halibut, salmon - all good. Great ambiance and service!
(5)Amy B.
Edited for brunch: we took our out-of-town visitor for brunch and were less-than-pleased. While still a go-to for dinner, we've crossed this off the list for brunch. Overcooked chicken & waffles, really slow service...sad little diners. Otherwise: Probably one of my favorite places to eat in Portland. Every time we've been, we have been so over-the-top satisfied it's incredible. The menu is ever-changing so if you have a favorite dish, be prepared for it to disappear at any given time. Last year, my favorite was a halibut with tomatoes dish. They have a new halibut dish currently (which is still delish!), but I went with the hangar steak. Perfectly cooked, and 100% recommended. My crew ended up splitting the butterscotch pudding which was so good, once of the girls decided to take an order home to her hubby. Service is always top notch with great recommendations for both food and drink. Our out-of-towners had a hard time initially deciding with the very-Portland menu, but once they did they were happy customers. Always a go-to.
(4)Kate B.
I love this restaurant. We've been here for brunch, lunch, dinner and just drinks and it never disappoints. Recently discovered their bloody mary - a must have for brunch. The only quibble I have is that service can be a little slow for brunch or if you're just having cocktails. But lunch and dinner service has always been superb.
(4)m b.
Went there this morning for breakfast. Food was good, drinks were good,,, service? Not so good. A guy was shadowing a girl OR the girl was shadowing the guy server, but it was awkward because we couldn't tell. They ought to have explained the situation to us (hey, we're training!) because it was terribly strange to be flanked by two employees who couldn't tell me what the drink ingredients were like on the menu..
(2)Small J.
OVERALL : Consistently well executed dishes with exemplary service. I've dined here over 15 times and never once been disappointed. A favorite "go to" in Portland. SPACE : _ The space is open warehouse style. Tall ceilings + cement floors + exposed brick. Comfortable and warm feel. Wood bar and nice fire place on the far wall. _ Bar is welcoming with high stools and a thick, smooth wood slab counter. _ Dining room has open floor plan with intimate nooks formed by bookshelves and cozy booths draped with cotton curtains. _ Patio is less romantic and cozy and more social and good for the people watching that NW 13th provides. Strong heat lamps combined with an overhang keep this as an outdoor dining option nearly year round. FOOD + DRINK : _ Wonderful specialty drinks, mixed by talented bar staff. _ Small (single page), yet very well appointed wine list (let your server guide you for the ones you aren't familiar with; they have some real gems). _ Locally sourced (of course!) and seasonally focused specials, as well as outstanding mainstays. _ Highly recommend the scallops (on the smaller side) or fried chicken (requires a hearty appetite). And do NOT pass on the "For There" option of Butterscotch Pudding - absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. SERVICE : _ Absolutely impeccable. From the hostess to the bar staff to the wait staff. All are well trained, knowledgeable on menu and drink offerings. Friendly without being overboard.
(5)Natalie B.
I met a girlfriend here for a celebratory glass of wine and a light dinner. The ambiance was lovely and the service was great. Maybe I am a little cheap, but i found it pretty expensive for Portland (think $14 for an ok glass of wine is kinda steep?). They have a menu that a literary genius must have worked on, and i learned a lot of new vocabulary from the waiter. When translating the description of one of the salad he used the phrase "tons of vegetables." Magical words, so i ordered that. turns out a ton can also be about a handful.. but the taste was good, and then i went home and made myself some dinner.
(3)Benjamin P.
Really good food, try the fried chicken with waffle or the fried chicken on dinner! very fullfilling! :D Good service, good atmosphere.
(5)Barbara M.
Delicious brunch, try the breakfast nachos you will not be disappointed. Nice service, only downside was having to sit at the bar by the door so I got a burst of cold air every time someone opened the door.
(4)gerard f.
Great place to meet people for an untraditional brunch! Went there for Sunday brunch and loved the menu and ambience
(5)BenandWen ..
We've been here twice now, and it's been great both times. My husband got the fried chicken both times, and he absolutely loved it. This time, he finsihed it so quickly, I didn't even get a chance to have a bite. I had the pork crepinette, which was kind of like a salmon cake, but filled with tender slow cooked shredded pork. Very good, and quite unusual. The service has been friendly and attentive on both of our visits as well. I can't think of a negative at this point. I would love to eat there again!
(5)Ariel S.
After hearing so many great things about this restaurant's brunch, I couldn't wait to try it myself. I went on a Sunday morning and was sorely disappointed. First, I'll state the good, because those comments are few and far between: There was ample street parking, and no wait for a seat. Second, and in excess, are the negatives.... First, the menu is very limited for vegetarians. Even Belgium waffles aren't vegararian- it's served with pork belly. On the bottom of the menu is a phrase that sums up their customer service: "Requests for substitutions will be polietly declined." I ended up having to order a few things a la carte, which made the breakfast even more expensive than their already inflated prices. The food, in a word was aweful. My over easy eggs were still clear and unedible, the grits were the consistency of tapioca pudding mixed with glue, and the waffle soggy and tasteless. Worse yet, the service was completely lack luster. We waited for nearly 20 minutes to get our bill while the waitress flirted with the bartender. Needless to say, I'm never returning. I'd rather wait in line for better food and service than ever return here.
(1)Becca J.
Came here for brunch prior to seeing a show at the Armory the other weekend. It was good, but not great. We came out on what seems like it was the last nice day before winter, so we chose to be seated on the porch. (My friend had made us a reservation, but we got to the restaurant a little early, so we were given a few options on where to sit. That being said, the fact that this restaurant offers reservations is +1 star in my book.) I ordered the Salmon Gravlax Benedict (which was over a biscuit instead of an English muffin). It was just ok - not bad, but nothing special. Unfortunately, service was really slow. We gave ourselves a lot of time before the show, so we weren't stressed out, but it took a surprisingly long time for us to get our food after placing our order. Additionally, I don't think that anyone ever came to check on us while we were eating. Not sure if this sub-par service was a result of us sitting outdoors, but regardless, I was not overly impressed. Ambiance indoors was really nice. There was a lot of wood, and it had an upscale / rustic feel. When we checked in at the hostess stand, she had a giant book, and when she opened it up there was a tablet computer inside, which was a pretty cute dichotomy. Additionally, when we received out check it came out in a tiny book. I'd like to try this place again and order something different.
(4)Kelsey N.
I rented their private room for a group work function, and had an outstanding experience. Emily, the event coordinator took amazing care of us. The staff was friendly, attentive and professional. Our every wish was their command. The private room is fantastic space- very conducive to giving presentations. The vibe was classy, farm-to-table, and the food was out of this world. I got a vegetarian dish- the baby artichoke backed ricotta, that was so creative and flavorful. I would love to return the next time I'm in Portland.
(5)Kristi C.
After a couple of visits, three stars it is. There's a lot to like here, including the beautiful open space, enjoyable music in the background and the ability to carry on a conversation without the buzz of the room overwhelming you. I found the service friendly, food came out in a very reasonable amount of time. There was a good selection of cocktails, beer and wine, in addition to the ambiance, it's what I'd probably return for. Most recently, I was looking for an interesting twist on eggs benny. The Skuna Salmon Gravlax Benedict's biscuit was a great base, greens were nicely sautéed and still had just a bit of crunch, tabasco hollandaise could have used a little more tabasco as well as more hollandaise over top of the eggs. The dish was nearly returned. While the eggs were poached well, they were just barely warm. My server graciously delivered this slip in execution to the kitchen. The Charcuterie Board had a silky and rich chicken liver pate and the lamb terrine was well seasoned. Four thin and slightly toasted baguette slices are simply too few, the choice of grain mustard seems overly sweet and disconnected from the rest of the meats that were nicely presented. So it happens, to be on the fence about a place that seems to fill the bill for more than not.
(3)Jessica N.
This review is a struggle for me...I've delayed writing it because I wasn't sure how to frame this up! Let me first say the ambience and the food here is top notch. I cannot wait to come back here again. But our service was....entertainment for the evening. First and foremost, the food: Charcuterie plate is one of the best I've had. The chicken liver mousse is a dream. Octopus salad also perfectly cooked and a well balanced plate. My trout entree was amazing and my husband got a pasta dish that was perfect. The food lived up to the reputation, which is always important. About the service: At a place like this you have certain expectations about service. We waited at least 5 minutes for our server to even come over to say "hi." He didn't introduce himself, and when we asked for recommendations his descriptions were bizarre. He said if we liked our protein from the sea we should get the risotto. The primary ingredient described was the chorizo. There were other seafood ingredients in there but still, it seemed off. Then he described his the trout as "brooks" trout. After our food came he never stopped by to ask how it was. When he came to clear our plates he said nothing to us. We had to ask for dessert menus which he dropped off without any commentary. Later when we ASKED him for recommendations he had some good commentary, but then told us that honey tastes different based on where the bees "forage." If the service matches the food I think this is easily a 5-star. Luckily I liked the food enough I want to come back and am hoping this server was a fluke!
(4)Al C.
Don't be fooled by the attractive interior. Disappointing amount of happy hour drinks. Hostess was not welcoming, had the worst attitude, was not flexible about seating when more people showed up. Quickly finished our drinks and went to another restaurant down the block.
(1)Rebecca C.
I've been here a few times now, and I know this place is super popular but for the prices and variety I will probably choose another location. Happy Hour: the menu selection was rather small but what I did eat was good. Nothing I'd rave about and come back for, but food that filled me up without blowing me away. Brunch: the salmon benedict was good, the lox were nice and meaty and the hollandaise was tangy and delicious. The problem is that it's all you get. Every other brunch place I've been to throws in spuds or fruit or something. Not here. You get the benedict and that's it. Oh, and also it has a TON of kale on it that's like crunch in parts and wasn't listed on the menu. I don't like kale so I had to spend time picking it off. Just weird. Also, the bloody mary was $11. For tomato juice. I didn't order it, my friend did, and she was appalled at the price. Usually you can get bottomless mimosas for $9. I'm just saying, spendy. Dessert: Ok, now here's what kicks this up to the 3rd star. Every year I go to a food event where Irving St. Kichen hands out little mason jars of the butterscotch pudding. I live for this pudding. I am not a fan of butterscotch, but man is this stuff good. I've yet to order it at the actual restaurant, but it's probably the one thing I'd come back to eat.
(3)Sarah R.
Hands down the best meal/ambiance/service we've experienced in Portland. The restaurant is very trendy inside and although seated near the front door it still managed to feel cozy. Our waitress was impressive! She knew every aspect of the menu, described dishes so perfectly it made my mouth water, and her knowledge of the wine list was top notch. She recommended an excellent bottle that was able to compliment all of our entrees. We began with a charcuterie plate and the chicken fried oysters. Both hit the spot! The oysters were perfectly battered and fried, the charcuterie plate was excellent for nibbling and had something for everyone's likes. We were all impressed by the house made pâté; I quickly scraped up the last dab with my crostini. For the entree I had the house smoked trout which everyone agreed was the best entree at the table. The sausage stuffed quail was so delish as was the short ribs. The side of Brussels sprouts made us feel better about our lack of veggies and they were perfectly cooked. Lastly the chocolate bread pudding sealed the deal. My new favorite restaurant in Portland by a LONG shot!
(5)Brittany G.
I personally find this place to be overrated and overpriced. I've been here a few times, and while I understand food takes time, it honestly feels like forever, only to get food that's mediocre. The best part was the server who was incredibly polite to my party and the service dog we had. Living in the Pearl, there are far better options, especially for the price.
(3)Nathan K.
BE CAREFUL: The fried chicken was under cooked and made my wife sick causing her to throw up and a long black hair was cooked into my food. I noticed when it was dangling a piece of oyster off my fork. Talk about gross! I loved this place the first time I went. We had a business meeting and took a vendor out for a nice dinner. All went well so I decided to take my wife out on a spontaneous date. The service was pretty good the second time, our server was pleasant and knowledgeable. The food had good flavor. I ordered the Fried Oysters (with hair cooked into the batter) with a trout entree and a glass of wine. My wife ordered a delicious asparagus appetizer with the(under cooked) fried chicken entree and cocktail. It was an expensive dinner that ended in disappointment and sickness. They comp-ed the oysters, in my opinion the least they could do. As far as my wife's chicken we threw out the leftovers the next morning after she got sick.
(1)Han Z.
Overall: meh Service was good. Restaurant is cute and has ambiance. Food was fine. Nothing was bad, nothing was memorable. Prices feel a bit steep when the food is only okay. Tried: - Nettle soup: $11 - Charcuterie board: $20 - Fried chicken: $23 - 17 hour truffle short ribs: $26 Of the above, the short ribs were by far the star though you couldn't get that much truffle flavor. Fried chicken was juicy and a huge portion, but not amazing (but I'm from the South so my bar for fried chicken is probably a bit high.) The charcuterie board was the biggest disappointment of all. I love all things charcuterie and this just didn't cut it.
(3)Jen V.
Sublime. We had our reservation on a Sunday evening, and when we arrived there was no problem getting a table anyway. We sat by the bar & had some custom cocktails that were out of this world! We brought two bottles of wine to be uncorked, but they waived the corking fee because of the cocktails. We had such an amazing meal - The service was impeccable, the food was amazing and tasty, and the atmosphere was beautiful. Towards the end of the night we were the only table there, but we were unrushed as we ordered after dinner drinks and dessert. Irving Street is one of my number one places in Portland. I always bring family and friends here!
(5)Chelsea M.
Yay! I'm a fan. My husband took me here for date night after I accidently stumbled upon its location trying to find parking and loved the open, industrial, yet classy feel of the place. SERVICE: Impeccable. The waiter let us order one course at a time, and we never felt rushed. Everything came out in a timely manner and was perfectly warm. All of the staff worked together to make it a very memorable experience. WATER: This place is the best restaurant I have EVER been to in terms of their water service. Water carafe on table and it was never empty and if any of the service members saw your water glass getting low, they refilled it immediately. It's amazing how much better a meal is when you have water. FOOD: Great, fresh choices. You will never know what is going to be on the menu because they print it daily. I would skip the cheese plate next time and go for their cornbread. Salads had absolutely amazing flavor and the perfect amount of dressing. I would highly recommend the kale salad. Entrees were a great size and cooked to perfection. Fish was buttery and the pastrami short ribs were melt in your mouth good. Desserts were incredible. In other words, not much bad on the menu. Try something new! Down scores: 1. Sheep's milk cheese almost inedible, crackers too lite, no cheese knife. 2. Just a little too spendy, $5 off entrees and $3 off salads and I'd be sold. 3. Everything was short in the bathrooms... if you are over 5'7", you'll see. Notes: This is one place I would take an out of town guest. Very Portland chill but still upscale. The noise level is appropriate for private conversations and you won't have to yell.
(4)Maret S.
Bummer. Was really excited to come here for a baby-free brunch. Ordered eggs and bacon expecting a well-executed brunch basic. What I received was a notch below Denny's a scrambler. Everything arrived tasting as if it had been warming under a hot plate for 10 mins. The bacon and toast were soggy and the eggs were under salted. It was just bad. I'm hoping to send it back but the last time the waiter spoke to me was 15 minutes ago when I was trying to figure out how eggs and bacon could go so wrong. My husband's salmon Benedict was slightly better. Elevated possibly only because it wasn't boring but still. Just kinda meh. Edit: they brought me chicken and waffles! Much, much better. They we're nice about it too. I guess I'd give them another shot. Everyone has off days.
(3)Charlie L.
Super amazing. Mackenzie wanted to try a new place so we followed the word on the street to Irving Street. All I gotta say is "Whoa." I came in with high expectations and I was not disappointed. From the fabulous ambiance to the fantastic food, everything is definitely 5 start worthy. We stated with the octopus salad, followed by salmon and smoked pork chop mains, added brussels sprouts and finished with the apple carrot cake. I say again, whoa. Flavor explosion: check, perfect flavor balance: check, mouthwatering deliciousness: check. And when it was all over, we were happy and full and plotting our imminent return. It was 100% wonderful. Irving Street delivered a near perfect food experience that makes it my new Portland favorite. Highly highly recommended!
(5)Suzie B.
Only eat here if you have several hours to spare. For our one night in Portland a friend recommended this place. The location was perfect as it was walking to Pearl District from our hotel. As we arrived we were pleasantly surprised at the adorable ambience and decor. We had a table (of four) by the window on a nice evening. Upon arrival it took more than ten minutes to get a glass of wine and place an app order. We received our app after about 30 minutes. Each course took longer than the next with little to no attention from the 10 + waitstaff at the restaurant. The place was only about 15 percent full (especially towards the end of the night). We sat down at 730 and dinner was not over until around 10pm. The food was slightly better than the service and mediocre at best. On a trip to the ladies room two friends (not with our party) chatted about how they are "never coming here again." We asked for a manager on two separate occasions and the hostess let us know she was "in a meeting" and unable to come by. The lack of management was extremely evident. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone or come here again.
(1)Meana K.
One of my favorite dining spots in the Pearl. It's so great coming here for after-work drinks and food at the bar. What a beautiful space - so open, light, and a very chic casual vibe. The place looks fancy upon first impression but you realize quickly how cozy and familiar it feels. Also, when I've been there for happy hour, I've loved the 90s throwback music that was playing. The food -- ohmygosh -- amazing. Meatballs and mashed potatoes. Bone Marrow. Foie Gras. Smoked beets salad. Fried chicken. Fried oysters. Butterscotch pudding!!!! The menu changes, but everything I've had here has been amazing.
(5)Beverly C.
Irving Street Kitchen is a very beautiful space, the food is beautiful to look at. The food didn't impress me, it was ok.
(3)Sanjay N.
Great location, but mediocre food and service. Was disappointed with the table we got (with a reservation). Asked for a better table, but no luck. Still, hoped the food and service would make up for it, but it didn't. Took a long time for a waitress to show up, even though it wasn't too busy. She took half our drink orders, then inexplicably left, came back with half the drinks 10 minutes later, then took the other drink orders. Food was not great. I tried the fried chicken, the pan-seared fish, and the (only) vegetarian entree. All were pretty bland. Cornbread was good but that's about it. First time eating there. May be last time. There are many better places to spend your money in the Pearl. Hope they improve the food and the service, or something better opens up in that great location.
(2)Jessica N.
Went in for dinner tonight expecting to eat at a nice place with air conditioning. Boy was I wrong! It was just as hot inside as it was outside, felt bad for the employees. Besides that service was not that great, for the money I expected better service. Food was just ok, nothing spectacular. Took a very long time to get our meal was almost an hour and 15 mins after we ordered before our dinner arrived. Too many other great restaurants in Portland, not sure I'll be back.
(2)Tara T.
Great location! Beautiful outside seating in a cool neighborhood, inside is well decorated and spacious. Wonderful menu- shared multiple plates with a few people so I got to sample a lot of things! Great grilled salad, cheese plate and fries. Highly recommend!
(5)Hayden N.
You know how things get so hyped up then you finally try it and it was just alright? That's Irving Street Kitchen for me. I made a reservation for two on a Thursday night. We were surprised to find the restaurant sparse of customers. Considering that it was first Thursday, I figured it would be busy so I made a reservation to be safe. I feel that we got seated at an awkward table, it was next to a support column that blocked the space and a heavy foot traffic path. There was hardly anyone...couldn't have put us in a booth, at a table on the patio, or more toward the middle of the dining area?? I like the decor of the space but the disruption from people walking by our table took away from the ambiance. We started out sharing the Meatballs that came with Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and Green Peppercorn Sauce. It was good, however, not amazing...three pieces for $11 is on the steep side for decent meatballs. You have ask for bread. For entrees, I had Mary's Organic Fried Chicken with Smashed Potatoes, Collard Greens, Country Gravy and my friend had the Slow Cooked Salmon with Bacon Braised Cabbage & Kraut, Beer Glaze, and Pistachio Pistou. The chicken was delicious but, again, not the best in town--you do get three enormous pieces and the smashed potatoes were excellent. Give me a whole bowl of smashed potatoes! My friend liked her salmon, but she wasn't a fan of the cabbage and kraut so she ate around it. With how large the portion is, I am surprised that we had room for dessert. She ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Caramelia Cheesecake and I got the Bay Leaf Creme Brulee. I just had the best Creme Brulee of my life not too long ago, I wasn't sold on the bay leaf flavor in it...I prefer the classic. For all the raves and recommendations to try this restaurant, maybe I had really high expectations of the food blowing me away. And it didn't. I feel bad for giving three stars so I'll give you four, but this was more of a 3.5 stars for me.
(4)Melissah L.
I visited a friend in Portland and came here at the recommendation of a longtime local. It was really nice out when we came for brunch, so we grabbed a seat on the patio. I LOVE the scene outside Irving St. Kitchen, lots of colorful people stroll by and it's easy to people-watch but also feels kind of secluded and quiet. The service was pretty good here, and the food was also decent. Not "amazing" like the local promised (my food was lukewarm and the portions were not that big), but pretty good. I got the salmon gravlax benedict, and while it tasted good, I do wish that for $13 it was served hot came with a side of something. The rest of my table got the fried chicken and waffles (I digress, I will have to order this for myself one day to have the full chicken and waffles experience), the kale and raddichio salad and that's all I can remember. Definitely worth a try, the coffee here is amazing and comes in adorable cups and the decor is really nice as well!
(3)Matthew D.
Met a few friends for dinner , they suggested this place.. It definitely did not disappoint, from the service to the food. The service was amazing, water glasses always full, we were asked if we wanted more cocktails just at the right time (when they were 3/4 gone). The servers knowledge of the menu was actually like the chef did a tasting with them before service. We had the biscuits and ham, and fried chicken, I kinda went with the flow since I was told this was amazing. I wish I tried the halibut as it sounded amazing but the chicken did not let me down, now I just have another reason to go back and try something else.. Well done!!
(4)Chris L.
So many things wrong when I visited that I feel like that rating is very valid. Moroccan Slow Poached Eggs, Grilled Garlic Rubbed Toast (12) This dish seemed watered down. There was no Moroccan punch and it was just a tomato soup. The "slow poached eggs" were a huge let down. One egg was perfect, the second was simply hard boiled. The second egg texture was all wrong. The chef botched this egg.. my meal mate laughed, "both my eggs are perfect." Well maybe this was a one off, but there other dishes that were pretty off. Smoked Brisket & Fried Egg Sandwich, Sour Pickles, Cheesy Cajun Fries (14) The brisket was DOUSED with BBQ sauce. Overpowering that it felt like you were drinking BBQ sauce. Also, the brisket was oddly cut into tiny cubes so the pieces kept falling out. Didn't make much sense. The "cheese" on the fries was powdery. It was pretty terrible. I would have rather they used cheezewiz or singles. This concoction was offensive for it's taste and texture. The fried egg was also over cooked. Mary's Organic Fried Chicken & Pecan Waffles, Fried Egg, Buttermilk Syrup (13) So small and basic. It was yawns-ville for $13. Buttermilk Biscuits, Jalapeño Butter, Red Eye Gravy (7) This was the only winner. But if you're gonna get biscuits in Portland... right?? The place is cute and of course the district is adorable, but there's nothing going on with the food.
(3)Fawn W.
The hubs and I call this our Cheers "because everybody knows your name..." We tend to go at least once a week. I've only had one so-so experience in probably 10+ experiences since we first came a few months ago. Favorite things: -Fried chicken! My friends, there is a lot of fried chicken in this town. And they are all surprisingly good (Tilt, Screen Door, Imperial, The Parish on a good day) but my favorite is this one. It's perfectly golden fried so I ask for the greens and mashed potatoes on the side (as to not soggy the bottom of my perfectly crisp chicken). The sides on this dish are delightful so definitely don't swap them out. -Biscuit with ham, butter and jelly (it has a much fancier description on the menu but I can't remember it). Absolutely delicious. -Cheese and crackers. Seems boring for a dinner table but the cheese is so tasty it's worth the order. -Chilled corn soup (seasonal and it recently went out of season but If you ever see it on the menu - get it!) -Butterscotch pudding (usually not my thing, but here, I make an exception). Enjoy!
(5)Deanna E.
Okay, Haven't been in here, orderd through Postmates. BEST. DELIVERY. EVER. Got the fried chicken with gravy and biscuits, came to us within 25 minutes, hot and amazing. best fried chicken ever, egg cooked perfectly, best gravy, honey from heaven, biscuits like light airy kisses from a professional ballerina. Order it immediately. Also I got the bag of mixed pastries, which was mixed reviewed by all. But I gotta say the Sugar and Spice Doughnut that was included made me CRY. Tears of a GD ANGEL. Thank you Postmates, and THANK YOU IRVING STREET KITCHEN.
(5)Omar T.
My daughter turned 14 and had her Birthday dinner at Irving yesterday (8/17) (with her 16 year old sister in tow to pay the $340 bill!!). Ten 14 year olds were treated like 5 year olds. My 16 year old asked for the dessert menu early on so she could order a few desserts and ask the server to make it special for her sister. The server proceeded to tell her she could have the dessert menu after she ate her meal! Food was good - service was terrible. Shame as I always brag about what a great place this is each time we have events there.
(2)Jonathan B.
Went in on a Saturday for a mid morning breakfast and it was awesome. Began with coffee and the fresh warm crispy outside warm doughy inside cinnamon sugar donuts. Then a Salty dog and the salmon and biscuit breakfast. Crazy good, with great service and atmosphere. On the pricy side, but a special place out on the town!
(5)Chris E.
Such a great place! The staff is probably the best at there job in town. I'm almost positive I haven't met all the staff, but they sure act like we've been friends forever! It's very charming. The food is good, portions could be bigger, but I'm starved in the morning for brunch, so that's probably just me! :)
(5)Jerry M.
Stopped in for happy hour at Irving St. Kitchen. Their HH menu is relatively small with only seven items, but what matters is that there were things on there that I liked. I had a Bibb Wedge salad, and I thought it was a great idea that they make a wedge salad using tender Bibb lettuce rather than the more typical stiffer iceberg lettuce. Very tasty. I also had Meatballs with green peppercorn sauce and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. It was delicious, but I wish the portion was a little bit bigger (but, of course, it was just a HH item, so that's OK). Seriously, I could have eaten about maybe eight of those meatballs! Well, I'll be going back there again to also try their happy hour Jambalaya and Parmesan Tater Tots too. They sound good. Service was attentive and friendly. This is maybe just a small detail, but I noticed that the waiter took away my knife that I used for my salad (it had salad dressing on it), and brought me a clean one for the meatballs. I was impressed with that thoughtfulness.
(4)Todd G.
I had this squid ink risotto thing that was really, really good. Drinks are slow, but very good. Ambiance feels like it's trying to be a little too upscale for what I've come to know and love in Portland, and the bill was more of what I'd expect to see in New York or LA than what I've come to expect/know and love in Portland as well. If you let yourself get lost in the drink menu and appetizers, the bill is going to look more like a car payment than a bill for your dinner. By comparison to other cities it's no problem, but a little spendy for this corner of the planet. But don't get me wrong, it's very good. I'd go again.
(4)Richard K.
Walked by this place in the Pearl district, loved the menu and decided to take a chance. What a pleasant surprise...everything we had was great. Highly recommend the egg nachos, the Moravian eggs, and the chicken and biscuits. In addition, the fries (as an appetizer) were great. Don't forget to get the butterscotch pudding for dessert. Rich
(5)Leighton P.
I went for both dinner and brunch on a Portland weekend. What do I remember months after two dining experiences there? DINNER: The salmon main, a specialty of the chef. The fried oyster app. The pecan pie and the butterscotch dessert. Lots of Willamette pinot noir served in mason jars. What did I have for brunch several days later? Couldn't tell you. What was I not a fan of? The shrimp and grits (note: I'm also from the South). They are popular and can be crowded. Vibe: urban casual chic. When I go back (and I will), I will sit at the bar. I will order the salmon. I will drink pinot noir.
(4)Kaitlyn L.
What an incredible place. Kind knowledgable staff. Delicious food that you can tell was made with love. I actually licked my glass that had the butterscotch pudding in it. Lastly the ambiance! I recently relocated from pdx to SF and can't tell you how much I missed restaurants decorated like Irving -- rustic and urban. Can't say enough great things about this restaurant. If you are looking for a great place to take a gf or a significant other or the parents -- don't second guess -- just go to Irving St. Kitchen.
(5)Colin C.
I go hear for brunch once or twice a month. It's really great food, the ingredients are always premium. As other's have noted the service can be kind of iffy. It's always extremely friendly, but there can be long gaps in someone checking in. The whole getting menus/asking for coffee/getting coffee/ordering thing can take a while. They might just need another server or two. In general, it might be a good idea to have a reservation for brunch on weekends. They used to have this really great house hot sauce, I took a break for a few months from this place, and it was gone and replaced with Tabasco. I don't know what it was, but bring it back!
(4)James S.
Irving St Kitchen furnishes a beautiful atmosphere, but left me hungry and unimpressed. The food just didn't have much going for it. The quality is definitely there, but I found their menu to be somewhat bland and uncreative. At the price point, I was expecting a bit more of an experience.
(3)Brandon T.
These guys have excellent butterscotch pudding! Oh... you wanted more? The drinks are pretty good too and you should really hit them up during happy hour to try a few. So, that about wraps it up....right? Come now....What more can I say that hasn't already been said by the oh-so many other happy customers? Okay, I'll try So, I've dined here several times, both for dinner and for happy hour, and I guess you could say that I am a fan, a huge fan even. I personally think you get the best deal during happy hour because they have great food and a fair selection of drinks available to choose from, all for a reasonable price. Also, you can sort of kick back and relax on a couch, sometimes even by a fireplace which is really cool. The dinner scene, though, is where this ISK shines, even if things are a bit more formal and expensive. The main reason is because the entrées are simply amazing. They come with a complexity that isn't offered during happy hour, which makes the food transcend tasty and enter the realm of fantastic. I've yet to have an experience where I wasn't completely satisfied and there have been times when I just randomly picked something off of the menu because I was having difficulty making a choice. You won't be disappointed no matter what you choose to eat as it is all very very good. Now, say for example that you were only to come here for dinner. You might say that the staff must have been bringing their "A" game because thats what it would look like. Now, given my number of repeat visits, I can safely say that they make that same exceptional effort all day long. I've made a point to put this part into its own paragraph for specific reason of making it stick out. Simply said, you won't miss out on a great experience if you come during the afternoon hours. The people who work here are great, perhaps even the best waiting staff in Portland. I can't put my finger on why they are so good but they definitely stand out from the rest. The staff is a large part of why this restaurant is so well liked.. Truth be told, I can't recommend this place enough. In truth, practically every guest of ours has had the pleasure of coming here because I insist on it. Portland is known as a town where great things are done with food and Irving Street Kitchen is one of the reasons why that is true.
(5)Nath A.
It might not be fair to judge a restaurant by its brunch food. Some people are not at their best in the early hours. I understand that. I'm not a morning person either -- or an early afternoon person, really. Nonetheless, I came here for brunch, so that's what I'm going to review. The brunch menu is broadly divided into two sections -- breakfastey stuff, and lunchey stuff. I got chicken and waffles from the lunch section. After quite a wait, and several cups of mediocre coffee, they brought me half a waffle, a dry chicken nugget, and a poached egg, artfully arranged in a puddle of syrup. It wasn't very good food, but on the bright side, there wasn't very much of it. I did sneak a few forkfuls from the other dishes ordered at my table. The Moroccan slow-poached eggs were quite good -- two perfectly poached eggs in a delicately spicy sauce, with garlic toast. The scrambled egg nachos were also pretty well-received, and generously portioned. The biscuits and gravy were greasy mushcakes. So, two hits, two misses. Most brunch entrees were in the $12-$14 region. On the whole, pretty skippable. Portland is a city obsessed with brunch, to the point that you can't stand outdoors on a weekend afternoon without unintentionally finding yourself in a brunch queue. I think the high bruncher:brunchee ratio has led some restaurants to become complacent in their brunch offerings.
(2)Rafael G.
The service here is always so friendly and efficient. Today, we had the fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits and the scrambled egg nachos with red beans and grilled avocado. We did start off with the donuts and scone which was warm and soft followed by the fries. The fries here are among the best in the city. The chicken was crunchy outside and soft and juicy inside, packed with flavor, and topped with an egg. The nachos were amazing. It had enough toppings like white cheese without being overwhelming.
(5)Frank R.
Bland, boring American food. Just like the owners San Francisco restaurants. -The only particularly good were the fried oysters -- and even then they were under seasoned, served with a tiny wedge of lemon and a it's-pretty-much-just-bland-mayo "aioli". -Hubby said the fried chicken was cooked well, but again, boring and bland. -Kale salad had way too much cheese, but it was pretty yummy. The little bit of parsley in there was a nice touch. -The cavatelli was a tad overcooked, the sauce was bland and heavy. Served with candied walnuts, which was just weird. Seemed like it was an accident, but it was on the menu. Cocktails are too sweet. Wine selection is fair. Decor is incredible. Conclusion: come here for wine and fried oysters. The bar is very cool. Or maybe take your grandparents here. Their old people taste buds will likely enjoy this place.
(3)John L.
Disappointing service, good food. We stopped at Irving for a light dinner before boarding a redeye flight back to the east coast. The limited menu and atmosphere were appealing, and we sat outside to enjoy being in the Portland air just a bit more. We both ordered the green salad with shrimp, avocado and strawberries, and it was delicious. I also had a side order of the jambalaya, and I was very pleased with that as well. However, the service was poor. Our server seemed completely uninterested in her job, either that or she was on heavy sedatives. She barely told us about the menu, took the order, didn't even serve it, and then didn't bother to check on us to see if we were pleased. I wasn't rude when I asked for the check, but I was frustrated considering the table to our immediate right was worked by a different server, and he seemed very enthusiastic about what he was doing, making me wish we had him instead. I'm sure that with a different server, Irving would provide a better experience, but I won't make it a point to return there should we in Portland again.
(3)Missy W.
Made a 9p reservation for 4 on a Saturday evening, very last minute. This place came through. Beautiful interior and exterior, very "hipster chic" (Haha). Here's what we ordered: Salad Wedge, Cornbread, Halibut, Lamb Porterhouse, New York, and Fried Chicken; all equally amazing and cooked perfectly. The hit of the evening was def my fried chicken dish. It came with 3 huge pieces and I totally shared! (Only thing I thought it needed was a little pepper or spice/seasoning to the batter). The cornbread was they down of the evening, it was stale and we had to remind our waitress to bring it out. She didn't return with it till we were almost done with dinner. We also ordered some wine and beer. $250 including tip was not bad at all and I can't wait for an excuse to return!
(5)M G.
Other then the arrogant hostess, the food and service was excellent.. (we almost left because of the rude girl at the door). Why do Portland restaurants have staff that repel customers? I see it everywhere, hipsters with attitude... Not good for business!
(5)Jan R.
Try a few dishes and share. Not only is the food delicious and masterfully prepared, but the variety and breadth of their menu will make you want to come back and try something completely new
(5)Steph W.
In Portland for just 2.5 days, but after dinner here on night one, had to return for brunch. absolutely incredibleeeee. For dinner the burrata is a must to start. For brunch the pancakes with berry bacon compote are the fluffiest most delicious cakes I've ever had. Interior decor is gorgeous, urban rustic. Would come back again and again. #1 Portland Rec.
(5)Stephen C.
Uneven service, only a token vegetarian option, and you have to ask about non-alc beverages--they are nowhere to be found on the detailed drinks menu. Meh.
(2)Winny S.
Started with a nice sparkling water with lime, along with the cheese & cracker plate with agave and fresh strawberries. Followed by a Bibb wedge salad with blue cheese, radishes and candied pecans. I ordered one of the restaurants favorites, the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and spiced collard greens. Everything was good, but the cheese and cracker plate was very small. Service was good, all in all, a great place to enjoy a meal with friends, in the Pearl District. Btw, I enjoyed my salad the most, along with the wonderful crusty bread you get along with the bottle of cold water they bring to your table.
(3)Bin C.
Great food. We had quail stuffed with duck sausage and fried chicken. All delicious. Not sure about the service though. We ordered the charcuterie board for the four of us as an appetizer, and the sever forgot to put it in. We also never got one of the sides we ordered, and didn't get a chance to order a second round of drinks since the server didn't come back until the very end of the meal. Service aside, good place, but since service is part of the experience, I gave it three stars.
(3)Eli R.
Very solid dinner. Had the salmon here, and it was absolutely delicious. It was quite a small portion for $27, but the location is excellent, and the interior design definitely gets an "A." This is the type of classy, but not too classy place you can count on for consistently delicious, albeit expensive food.
(4)Connor B.
Very on point! Drink and beer lists are great. Happy hour is the best, solid prices for delicious food, although the dinner is very good as well. The plates are quite small, so be prepared to get multiple items. The service is outstanding. Food comes out in courses with good timing. The staff is very friendly and does not make you feel rushed. I would recommend the happy hour!
(4)Allegra P.
Unusually large for a Portland hot spot with a great location in the Pearl District! Creative, comfortable & inspiring decor. Bartenders know their mixology and beverages! Great menu! A happy spot to sit casually on the couches, eat at the bar or grab a table!
(4)Laura P.
We live in the Pearl and are spoiled with incredible food and drinks all the time, we tend to almost take it for granted. But, then we wander into the Irving Kitchen and remember the amazingness of Portland food - damn! I had happy hour apps and wine, then ordered the halibut poached in duck fat, and my guy a pork dish. Both dishes were incredible, think the halibut was a little more so. Our waiter was awesome, he was able to recommend wines that were delicious matches to our meals. We've done brunch here in the past, also great. Highly recommend - great food, cool space (inside and out) and helpful, friendly service.
(5)Shawn T.
This place rocks. Matt was our server and he was great. Introduced himself and was timely and attentive. Food was outstanding. Pork chop was perfect, risotto excellent, and the butterscotch pudding is as awesome as they say. The notebook check delivery is a wonderful touch. We left a note about our occasion, a graduation, with our check. Definitely worth the trip.
(5)Stefan K.
A modern and trendy take on rustic and gritty Portland aesthetic. Good food, good service, great decor/ambiance.
(4)Laura W.
This would have been a 4 star review based on the food, but the service was so terrible that it was downgraded. In all honesty I would not return unless I was going with someone who really wanted to. We sat next to the kitchen for a late brunch. The restaurant seemed staffed well, but despite many open tables it took a long time to be seated because no one focused on setting a table at a time for the people waiting- instead they seemed to approach it as a holistic effort with stacks of napkins to fold and a relaxed team approach. We waited over an hour for our easy brunch food and were not offered coffee refills in that time. When served I asked about the dish he did not bring because usually someone says - your XX will be coming in a minute". The waiter sounded miffed and said "I only have two hands". Since we were right by the kitchen I could see nothing was sitting up there and I was very polite the way I asked about it. It just wasn't ready. All that said the food was REALLY GOOD when it did come, but the kitchen seemed disorganized- not talking, each person relying on reading the slips independently so maybe they had an organization that worked, but it was very slow. The worst part was the inattentive and even snippy waiter. If I return, I will be happy to update and change this review since it reflects a single bad experience.
(3)Michelle H.
Had you talked to me the night of the infamous truffle stuffed guinea hen, I'd have given you 7 stars and then some. But the high of really good company and food coma wore off in a day or two, and I realized just how this wasn't one of my most favorite meals. Irving St. Kitchen does have the things dreams are made of, assuming your dreams are really rich. The entire menu screams of all kinds of gussied up comfort foods, complete with the current local ingredients begging to be used at the farmers markets. It took me forever to pick something to eat because just about everything had my name on it. The menus rotate based on availability, so I won't bore you with what we had that night, but just know that there was plenty for meat eaters and vegetable lovers alike. I bounced back and forth between a ton of things, and the server practiced an amazing amount of patience as our group continued to talk between his visits making for very slow ordering on our end. I loved the layout of the dining room. The kitchen is sort of open, the bar is in the middle, and the rest of the dining room maximizes space without sitting on your neighbors lap. There are plenty of tables and then a few more private booths. I prefer the dining room purely because there is more to look at. Food, like I mentioned before, is really rich. Too rich, really. The portions were more than ample, and that might have been half of the problem. Maybe it's to encourage you to take some home because you definitely get your money's worth. Have you ever known me to take food home, though? Not often. I could have been comfortable just after my first course and cocktail. The entree, the truffle-stuffed guinea hen, was a pile of deliciousness that actually felt a little bit of a chore to eat by the last bite. I was prepared to top everything with the butterscotch pudding [at this point, you're so overwhelmed by rich, why stop now?], but we split an order of the beignets. Light. Fluffy. Super hot. While good, I left wishing I'd tried the pudding. Next time. Because there will be a next time. I really enjoyed what Irving Street Kitchen has to offer, but I'll plan my meal accordingly to not have flavor overload and burnout when I leave.
(4)Tamara K.
The interior of this place really makes me want to dine here but for some odd reason, I have only gone in for drinks. I have barely even glanced at the menu when a bartender has plopped one down in front of me. I need to put it on my radar as a place for dinner or maybe a happy hour outing. It is a large space that is wide open with some very cozy booths on the north end. There are some very cozy seating areas near the bar that make you feel like you are in the living room of a friend. Although some may find it tacky, I like that they pour the wine into canning jars as long as they also serve a wine glass along side, which they do. They also serve their wines out of steel kegs so an A+ for sustainability instead of wasting energy by using glass bottles. It doesn't hurt that they always have very good local beer on tap!
(4)Adam R.
Incredible!!! Irving St. Kitchen is unlike anything you have seen before. You are greeted as you enter with rough cut lumber walls, light fixtures made from wagon wheels and glass milk bottles. Yet it doesn't feel hillbilly. Definitely has a contemporary feel and youthful exuberance. We had the Fennel Dusted scallops and Draper Valley fried chicken. I would recommend both. For dessert we had the Chocolate Bread pudding with mint chocolate ice cream. And of course, because we read the prior review we ordered butterscotch pudding to go.
(5)Don S.
The restaurant is attractive. The food is first rate. Service is attentive. We had a horrible experience. We had two in our party of seven with serious food limitations. Our very simple request to accommodate (such as replace broccoli with some other vegetable) was far more than they could do. I was later sent a carefully crafted letter explaining it would violate "chef's vision" and a response from the general manager that if they change pairings, then they may have an extra entree they may be stuck with. Do they plate entire meals in the afternoon and then microwave them to serve? A sad waste of talent from either prima dona chef or foolish owners. And believe it or not, I am seriously understating what transpired.
(1)Ellie S.
Went for brunch and it had a nice atmosphere. The yogurt with apricot jam was delicious, the french toast was just fine and the smoked salmon benedict had eggs that were totally undercooked. They let us return it, but offered nothing else. The food was very slow to come out. All in all, it was a pricey, lacklustre experience.
(2)Pete V.
I simply love the decor of Irving St. Kitchen. A clean modern look meshed with a wintery lodge style motif. Very urban kitchen like, which compliments its food style. We enjoyed Sunday brunch here and I can't express how enjoyable our meal was. The smothered southern sunny side grits were simply delicious. Grits like your grandma would make with lovely sunny side up eggs with yolk that melted into your grits like a good hearty breakfast should. This coupled with a crisp, hoppy "hop lava" IPA is the proper way that a true Portland day should be started. The chili creole fried chicken was also delicious. Juicy fried chicken with crispy skin and chili that although it lacked heat, was a perfect compliment to the intense fried chicken. Our service was also top notch and the staff even moved us to an inside table after we had originally requested an outside table, which we found to be too cold. What would have made our meal truly special was a table near the fire place, but we'll save that one for our next visit to Irving St. Kitchen!
(5)Veruca S.
SERIOUS PROPS to Irving St. Kitchen management and staff!! My bestie and I went to Ptown to celebrate my birthday weekend and do a little holiday shopping. After a full day at Washington Square and the area, we hurried back to our hotel and got ready for dinner. Let me tell you... it was chaaablippers outside! Holy of all Holies! It was up in the air between Irving St. and Andina. We chose Irving St. and are glad we did. We had THE BEST server. She was so efficient, and friendly with just the right amount of attentiveness. My friend ordered the Beet Filled Ravioli and I ordered that "stick to your ribs" Organic Fried Chicken... yuuuuuumm! Of course we needed a bottle of champagne to wash it all down with. ;) When in doubt, our server had great 411 on all the dishes. My chicken was tender and flavorful with the right amount of crunch on the outside. Loved the little lumps of potato in my mashed. Well...as all great things...it had to come to an end. I was sporting a food baby and was ready to wobble to my cab. The bartender called for us but found out the minimum wait was 1 HOUR!... it seems all walkers in Portland decided to call cabs too. So...even though we were the last people to leave..and the restaurant was closing, the manager was gracious enough to allow us to stay inside by the fire and keep warm while waiting for our taxi. She even gifted us with champagne to sip until the taxi came. It was a great birthday dinner, indeed. Will I be back? Oh yeah!
(4)Marina P.
What an amazing place! I couldn't keep my eyes off all the intricate decorations (milk bottle chandeliers), bookshelves, drapped booths. All of it! Just beautiful! The feel is great. The food also was amazing. The oats with nibbs mmmmm yum! I would get the breakfast nachos again just without beans on the bottom. Still delicious! Their eggs with potatoes, and toast were delicious! :D Definately will be back.
(5)Vincent G.
Simply one of the best restaurants in Portland. The staff is always kind and knowledgeable, the food is positively delightful, and the menu is ever changing so you'll likely have a new dining experience each and every time you visit. If you haven't tried this place, make a reservation and schedule a night out with friends or family.
(5)Guido F.
Love this place! The BEST service I have encountered since I left Frisco. It matches the best service if any European Restaraunt I have been to This is the real deal. They know exactly what get are doing and really try to share the joy of eating a well thought and prepared meal. The menu is a little eclectic but my recommendation is just pick something. It may sound a little strange but trust me it will be excellent from Southern fried chicken (and as a child if the south am particular) to fish, the care in cooking and presentation is obvious. And treat yourself, let the beverage manager pick a wine for you, you won't be disappointed!!
(5)Christine P.
Amazing! My mother-in-law made dinner reservations for all of us during our trip out to Portland this past weekend. I absolutely LOVED it here. Service was impeccable from the hostess to the waiter. I loved the bacon wrapped oysters, cheese plate, fried chicken, risotto! The corn bread is absolutely FANTASTIC! You must try it. LOVED LOVED LOVE this place. Definitely check it out when you're in the 'hood. You won't regret it.
(5)Katy H.
Irving's deserving of all 5 of these stars, baby! Between cheese plates, porchetta, steak frites, fried chicken and amazing cocktails, where do I begin!? Silly me. I've eaten here a few times but failed to realize that I'd written a review. Which I suppose is good because now I can talk about the sum of my experiences here. Service is always great and when I called to ask about business hours (as I was coming in from out of town) they were kind enough to suggest that I make a reservation. Like an old couple, my friend and I sauntered in at 5:30pm. Who eats dinner that early? Everyone! Within 5 mins of opening this restaurant was almost entirely full. Whodathunk that people were dying to get in so early? Prepare to set aside some time to eat here. The tasty American fare is served up in more of a Euro style. No rush! Drinks came first, then apps, then a second app (we were hungry!) and then the main dishes. The dining experience was fabulous and we hung out for nearly two hours. This was great though because it allowed for a lovely conversation and time for each of us to admire the light fixtures, the nice heavy silverware, the wine being poured from canning jars, the water being poured (from what I think) are old liquor bottles. Every little detail here is just as good as the food. If you're still reading this, book a dinner already!
(5)Alex T.
Fantastic service and really amazing food. I do wish there was a bit more of a southern feel to the people but maybe being from Alabama I am just too used to the southern charm. I loved this place and encourage everyone to come here to try everything they have
(4)Kate S.
We were just visiting Portland and made a trip here on a whim, but I am so glad we did. All elements of our meal were amazing. We had the Chicken Fried Oysters for an appetizer, then the Fried Chicken and Trout for entrees and Butterscotch Pudding for dessert. All were delicious and perfectly prepared. The service was great too! We hope to return on a future trip.
(5)Teresa J.
Went back to ISK last night and on the way in I inquired about my previous martini experience. The server at the welcome station (not the hostess) explained that there is a $2 upcharge for a martini, and maybe I was wrong about it being $3. She said ISK marinates their own olives with citrus and herbs, and it was possible that some of the herbs made their way into the drink I ordered before; she didn't address that the olive was black or that it was one in number when I asked for two. I would like to say that I got the feeling that this woman gave a shite about my unsatisfactory $11-$12 drink, but alas, I did not. It was kind of a like-it-or-lump-it exchange. Whatever. I've learned my lesson on ordering martinis at Irving Street Kitchen. Last night I ordered a Negroni, no citrus, instead, and it was quite good.
(3)Joyice G.
Great dining experience. Menu was imaginative, ambience perfect and no one rushed us. And the food was excellent. We will be back!
(4)John R.
Overpriced. The food was very tasty. The ambiance very nice. Service was superb. We had steak, and a variety of appetizers and starters. Everything was very very tasty. But very expensive. Incredibly expensive considering the *tiny* portions. I'm not cheap, I am willing to pay well for excellent meals. All of the food was very good. But they charge $12 for three tiny slices of (very tasty) cheese and three rye crackers. The pork shoulder appetizer had one small slice of pork shoulder. The steak was literally 6 bites (6 very yummy bites). Overall - it was high quality but over priced for the portion size. An enjoyable experience though. If you are hungry, just bring your credit card and order two of everything...
(3)Karen D.
I went to this restaurant because of a friend's recommendation and advertisements seen in Portland brochures. Although our waitress was very friendly, I can not speak as positively about the food. I ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and collard greens, while my bf ordered the steak shanks. My fried chicken was bland and one piece was even undercooked. I showed the waitress the piece of undercooked chicken and she apologized and brought me a new piece. However, the new piece was severely burnt (see my pic). The steak shanks that my bf ordered was tough and there were only four pieces. This place was over priced, over hyped and did not live up to my expectations. There are so many better places in this area. Don't waste your money and go somewhere else.
(1)Rosalie H.
To ring in the new year we stared with a mimosa! Atmosphere awesomely trendy, hipsters and posh Pearl District locals blends into the semi
(5)April Y.
Butterscotch pudding is a must! Save room!
(5)Alex C.
I had a wonderful meal here. My GF got a super tasty salmon dish and I got their fried chicken (injection brined). We also had a vegetarian caldo verde for a starter that was AMAZING. All the drinks were great and the atmosphere is awesome as well.
(5)Carlos C.
We have been several times to Irving St. Kitchen and we have always had a wonderful experience. This place is great for a nice intimate dinner, or a delicious Sunday brunch. On sunny days they have outdoor seating. Recommended!
(5)Jesy B.
As I rule, I somewhat cringe when coming to places like these. I'm not a very 'fancy place' kinda person and I quickly get uneasy when entering, usually expecting a death glare from a server who can easily sense that I'm out of my element for sure. I mean really, the Pearl kind of scares me, how silly. That being said, ISK was nothing like that. I was meet some fellow Yelpers for First Thursday so I squared my shoulders and marched in. This place is fantastic! From the moment I walked in, I was OK with it. I love the layout - couches, a fireplace, a lovely laid out bar and plenty of places to sit. I got there around the tail end of the HH and it was already getting pretty busy. I was inclined to get my usual - beer - but dangit, this place has some fancy cocktails so I had to indulge. I have to say my first real foray into artisan cocktails was a total success. Though I didn't totaly understand what some of the elements were (absinthe rinse, que?!), it all added up to yummy. I even had a gin drink (I don't like gin, it smells like Christmas trees!) and was amazed to find I loved it. Well done, ISK! I didn't partake too heavily in the food, but I did get their mac & cheese off the happy hour menu. Flavorful, well cooked and just freaking tasty. That bodes well for the rest of the menu and I surely want to come back for dinner - crab chower, yes PLEASE. Last - service was superb. We had people trickling in and never once did the waitress seem to be irritated at the volatility of our group. She was absolutely pleasant, attentive and always made sure you had a drink in front of you if you needed one. That's my kind of service! Not overbearing, but you always know you can get what you need pretty quickly.
(5)dean d.
My first experience, which has led to repeated trips, had to do with stopping in after having dinner close by for a little desert. After seeing the menu and loving the ambience, NW cozy, we stopped in, sat at the bar and ordered the butterscotch pudding. Our eyes rolled back in delight with the first bite. It is so insanely good. Since we've been back a number of times. We usually stick with the pudding cause it's that good. Oh and you can also get it to go and it comes in a nice preserve jar. The drinks are outstanding to.
(5)Christopher T.
I was not happy at all about this place. I am from San Francisco and visit Portland twice a month for work. I have grown to love the Portland food scene with my favorites being being Little Bird, Andina, and Pok Pok. I just finished a work out at the gym across the street and was craving some Pok Pok but eating on the company dime I decided to give this place a shot and try something new. Now for the review: Food/Drink: 3 Stars Service: 2 Stars Atmosphere: 4 Stars Value: 2 Stars When I got into the restaurant there was no hostess to greet or seat me. After waiting a couple of minutes I sat myself at the bar. When the bar tender noticed I was there he just gave me a menu without saying welcome to Irving or even telling me about their specials or drinks. I had to ask questions and made selections based on his recommendations. I ended up getting the Penicillin cocktail for $11 and it actually tasted like Penicillin (I am a physician so I know) which is not a good thing. No one bothered to ask how my drink was after it was served. I then had to call bar tender over again to order my entree and selected the black cod with a crawfish curry for $26. I did wait for approximately 25 minutes for my entree with no one checking up on me or offering bread (helps soak up the alcohol on an empty stomach) which i had to request when my entree was served. When my entree was served it was good but nothing special. The fish was cooked perfectly along with the crawfish and vegetables but all the flavors just blended together and nothing was excellent, special, or memorable. After eating I had to again request my check and then I left with no one ever thanking me for my visit. In closing I have a real problem with this restaurant. The service is terrible and I was not treated like a guest or made to feel welcome in fact yesterday I had lunch at Chipotle and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and the service at both places was remarkably better. The portion size also was relatively small and after paying $42 with tax and tip for my meal I was still left pretty hungry and bought a piece of fruit at whole foods which was remarkable fresh and juicy (reminded me of Georgia peaches) and probably the highlight of my dinner. If you are going to lack in value you need to make up in service which was not there. I definitely will not eat here again and felt sorry that my company had to pay for this meal. Now I cant wait to get some Pok Pok tomorrow....so much for trying new things.
(2)Everett S.
It's definitely good. I had the fried chicken, which had a unique tasting gravy. I was with a big group and nothing we ordered was too remarkable. It's expensive and I just don't know if it's the place I would splurge on. That said. I can't really think of anything bad to say.
(3)Kevin P.
4.5 stars. Place is one of the best in Portland. Hand crafted cocktails and an ever changing local menu that dominates life. Never had a bad experience there, never will. Could be a bit less expensive but that's just finding an excuse to not give it 5 stars.
(5)Brittany K.
Good ambience, great food all around. We tried the trout and lamb porterhouse and both were very good.
(4)Marie Y.
Come here for brunch! In the summer you can sit out in the morning sun on the patio overlooking the passerbys below, but the rustic yet modern interior here means that it's excellent for brunch in winter too! I have had almost everything on the brunch menu here, and have been very satisfied and impressed consistently. The hollandaise sauce is divine, and the Bloody Mary's are the spiciest I have found in town! mmmm! Prices are very resonable here too. I recommend the Salmon Benedict or the Artichoke Sardou. My favorite brunch spot in Portland, and I'm pretty into brunch!
(5)Audrey S.
This is one of the few restaurants in Portland that I will miss when we move. Wonderful menu. Everything I've ever had here has been delicious. The desserts are beyond decadent. We love bringing friends and family from out of town here because we know they will enjoy the overall dining experience as much as we do. Everything from the drinks, to the food to the service is done right. Other restaurants looking to provide flawless food and service should rip a page from Irving Street Kitchen's play book.
(5)Abby S.
It's no surprise that Portland is a foodie town. (Thanks Captain Obvious!) From food carts to craft cocktails and fancy restaurants, the city is overflowing with deliciousness; Irving St. Kitchen is no exception. Without a doubt, my dinner here Wednesday night goes on the "Best Meals Evar" list, and here's why: - Fresh and unique choice of ingredients - Warm, friendly staff - Beautiful decor, yet there's no air of pretentiousness anywhere within - Fantastic wine list - Anytime lobster and butter are offered together in a dish on your menu, you've got my vote - Butterscotch pudding - 'nuff said! This place gives me the warm fuzzies and I wouldn't hesitate going back with friends, family or my lovely co-workers again.
(5)Tricia L.
What a great place! Friendly waitstaff, amazing food, great ambiance. Great place to bring out of town guests as it is so Portland.
(5)Cassandra C.
Nice atmosphere, nice food. Nice staff. Just not that nice. Had the fried chicken meal and to-go butterscotch pudding. It was cute that the pudding came in a practically gift-wrapped package and it was a short mason jar. That was cute. But it was very run-of-the-mill. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. Some people like that.
(2)Meredith h.
So I am not trying to be negative however I did not have a great experience, nor did I have a horrible one. I sat at the bar bymyself and was weakly greeted, no smile or hello just a glass of water poured for me by one bartender. He then walked away and i waited for a bit then another bartenter came by and gave me some menus. He returned to take my drink order, and none of the speciality cocktails were calling my name so I just went for a glass of Prosecco instead. The bartender was knowledgable and answered my questions but was not warm. I started off with the mussel corn chowder soup which had a nice base with crips sweet corn with potatoe and fennel, the mussels however where not good and they didn't seem to ruin the soup. I next had the Salmon gravlex with cucumber salad and homemade rye crackers. The salmon was decent, salty as expected maybe a little too much, the gribiche sauce was plentyful drizzled over the salmon. It was ok it didn't necissarily compliment the salmon nor insult it. The cucumber salad was non-existant, it was a bunch of frisee lettuce. When I asked about it, saying "isn't a cucumber salad supposed to come with cucumber?" The bartender asked if I wanted to send the dish back, but I really didn't want to send the whole thing back. I just wasn't sure if my interpretation was incorrect. He then offered to bring a side of cucumbers. Again the effort was rather luke warm. The homemade rye crackers had a nice texture but were bland if you did not have a nice peice of salty salmon on top. Overall the food was so so, I gave it two stars for the setting and tone that I felt in there. It is a beautiful restaurant and the food has potential however I guess I just wasn't feeling it there. As I left everyone was pleasant and said goododbye, but I guess my initial reception i felt wasn't as pleasant or welcoming.
(2)Tiffany N.
Irving Street has an awesome selection of charcuterie and I was lucky enough to sample almost all of their offerings. I say I was lucky because it was all so very delightful. Besides the smorgasbord of meat Don B and I shared Oysters on Horseback (bacon-wrapped oysters), an edamame puree with radishes and cucumbers (this was the consistency of something like hummus and you could dip the veggies into the puree), a mind-blowingly delicious Shrimp Etouffe, and a Jambalaya that was too sweet for me (I prefer it super spicy.) I love all their draft wines and the cocktail list is amazing. Speaking of amazing, that's a great word to describe the space and the service as well. While the space is rather on the largish size it doesn't seem cold or cavernous, but warm and cozy. And never for a moment was I at a want for attention when necessary - empty glasses became full again quickly, courses were ordered leisurely and food was delivered promptly. All in all it was a most pleasant experience.
(5)Jeff T.
So I've had a couple of days to think about our recent dinner at Irving St. Kitchen. I'd seen some good buzz and review here on Yelp and other sites. There were some real high points to the meal, but then there were some real disconnect. We had two of the starters, the sweet potato/fennel soup was exceptional and they kindly split it into two smaller bowls for us to share. The beet salad was pretty good and not made with prickled beets that you come to expect. After this great start, we waited for over 20 minutes for our entrees after our starter service was cleared. We'd ordered the rabbit chorizo, the trout and a side order of the pickled okra that the waitress said was great. I enjoyed the rabbit, but didn't really find it very spicy as you'd expect with chorizo. My wife liked the trout, it didn't wow her, but she liked it. However, we never did get the okra. I'm pretty sure I saw it sitting on the kitchen window for about 10 minutes under a heat lamp until it was taken away. I would have said something to our server, but she didn't make it by our table until it was gone and we'd finished our entrees. I asked her about it and she was sorry and I could tell she meant it. After our exchange I'd expected her to return with the dessert menu but we had to wait another 10-15 minutes for that. We did go for the butterscotch pudding which was really good, but very very rich. I won't recommend trying to eat this alone, it's just that rich, but very good. I did find our server to be very nice and friendly, but it looked like she was either covering too many tables, or a little overwhelmed on a Friday night. And I think the waits between courses were more of a kitchen timing issues than on the wait staff. We liked the ambience of the restaurant, and I particularly enjoyed the Freya Prowe art installation over the bar. I would say that it was extremely warm in the restaurant and there needs to be some ceiling fans or something to keep the air moving. So the final question, would I go back? Yes, but with so many great restaurants here in Portland, it's not going to make it to the top of the list right now. I think it will curse of that space on 13th and I'll give it a shot again in the future, just not the near future.
(3)Chris C.
The space is large and really neatly decorated. The wait staff was really nice and the food was good. Its not the most amazing meal, but it was tasty and Id go back.
(4)Tiffany P.
Ok, I admit that I was hooked after reading the article about them in Thursday's Oregonian. A new restaurant in the Pearl,,,Southern type cooking...my mind was reeling, plus we haven't been downtown in about a year, ready for a restaurant trip. I made reservations online for 545 this evening. We arrived and anxiously awaited outside with the other patrons, eager for our first glimpse inside this new restaurant. Inside, the decor is awesome! A cross between a butcher shop and a very stylish barn, they have milk bottles for lights! We were the second couple seated and ended up waiting for 15-20 minutes with no one noticing us. All of the tables seated after us had drinks and were giving food orders while we sat and questioned how long we would wait before we walked out. On the flip side, it was their second night in business, I was willing to forgive, (the reason I took away a star). We finally flagged down a waiter who took our drink order and it was perfect from there. He apologized and explained the menu to us, which is made up of "firsts" and "seconds". We made a meal out of the firsts. Our drinks arrived via a different waitress who advised us that there was a mix up and there was not a waiter scheduled for our area till later, why we were seated there, I cannot tell you. We started with the BBQ shrimp, which comes with 4 large shrimps, a chive drop biscuit and the best sauce I have ever tasted, a cross between a tomato and bbq sauce=DIVINE!!Next, we had the bib salad with blue cheese dressing, the piquillo peppers stuffed with a chicken ragout and the meatballs with smashed potatoes and gravy....one of the best dishes ever! They specialize in wines but since we had been to a few wineries earlier in the afternoon, we partook in a few draft beers, they have some amazing local, different beers (ie Hopworks, Laurelhurst, etc). We were there to celebrate, so we had to have dessert. Our waitress recommended the "sugar and spice donuts" which was SPOT ON!! There was 3 donut holes with a Stumptown coffee ice cream type thing that was "One of the best desserts we ever had", says my husband who is a connoisseur of all things sweet! We will definately be back soon!!!
(4)Tamara M.
Loved everything here. Inventive drinks, a rich veggie entree and amazing butterscotch pudding/custard.
(5)R R.
I have loved the cocktails at Irving Street Kitchen, and think they are the best around. Based on the cocktails and happy hour, I would have rated this place four stars. But man oh man was New Year's Brunch HORRIBLE. My boyfriend and I ordered the waffles and an order of lox benedict. The waffles were cold and hard and the "pork belly" was a chunk of greasy fat, upon which sat a brownish egg. ($15) The eggs benedict was cold. The eggs were underdone, the whites running everywhere. The escarole weirdly paired with the watery, congealing hollandaise sauce. ($15) The orange juice was the size of a shot. And then, we were both ill all day, after a $42 tab. So, two stars for you, Irving Street Kitchen. I'm sad to say that we won't be back.
(1)Richard H.
My wife and I bailed-out on another function and stopped in here on a whim. We were SO happy we did. The staff what friendly and the food was great. When they heard us in a serious debate on what desert to get, they made it easy and sent us home with a complimentary jar of the Butterscotch pudding (a MUST have). Though they forgot to put in my order my second visit, I forgave them when they brought me some grilled banana bread and jam.
(4)David N.
Ate there this evening for the 1st time. I had the steak/rib entree and my wife had the snapper. Food, service, drinks and ambiance were good. The entree portions were not exactly generous. The server did a great job with our large party, including breaking out separate checks.
(4)Dave D.
Awesome! Came here for a Nike dinner and they did it right. Delicious food and wine list. The atmosphere reminded me of a fancy estate style house, complete with bookshelves. Cheers~
(4)Becky F.
I took some clients here in Feb 2011 and it was a great place. It was easy to find, not super busy, where we could still have conversations and the ambience was perfect. We started with the meat/cheese samplers that were perfect.. very fresh, very unique tasting and paired well with the Sav I was drinking. The menu is a bit on the ecclectic side and after careful reading, decided to opt for the blackened salmon and it was delicious.. very fresh. The bisquits are a treat.. and a must try as well.
(4)Melissa R.
We went here for brunch. OMG I had the shrimp and grits and they were so delicious. My husband was soo jealous, he got the burger which was pretty darn tasty as well, but they forgot to put bacon on it, so he was disappointed and the server was nowhere to be found after we got our food that he couldn't tell him that they forgot it. But I loved my breakfast. We also got the fries with the truffle mayo, which was sooo tasty as well. Next time we are Portland we will try this place for dinner.
(4)Kyle K.
Great ambience, Meatball and mash app. was decent. Drinks were average as was the cheese plate. I'll give this place a second try as I did not have a true dinner plate on my first visit.
(3)