4. Restaurants

Red Star Tavern

503 SW Alder St, Portland, OR, 97204
  • (503) 222-0005
  • Store is closed

Red Star Tavern Menu

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  • Cassandra C.

    I've been here a few times for HH. The fingerlings are to die for. And their $6 hh cocktails are pretty okay. The wings are drumsticks and those are delicious too. Also had the tacos and the toasted crostini with whatever on top. It's a classy joint but I've also seen hobos be expelled from the bar so there's entertainment value too. It's kind of a no brainer when I'm downtown and want a snack/bevvie.

    (5)

  • Ramie M.

    Service in terms of speed and communication can be a bit spotty, but I waved my hand at it since they seemed busy and when they did come by they were friendly and professional. It did kind of irk me that I had to wait so long between refills and I almost just wandered up to the bar and ordered it myself. That said, the menu is great. It is small, simple, and everything I tried (Smoked Chicken Thighs, Tacos, Curried Chicken, Texas Toast, and Chicken Drumsticks) were very, very tasty. The price and quantity of food for Happy Hour dishes was perfect. The prices for other things seemed a smidge on the high-side to me, but it was still very good. The mixed drinks are premium and very well done. While I am not a huge mixed drink fan, the four I tried seemed to be prepared and executed nicely. The wine and beer selection is also quite good. The ambiance isn't too noisy even when busy and the lighting is just fine. It was a little too warm inside for my friend's and my taste (on the verge of sweating), but no big deal. As you can see, despite my qualms and little annoyances, I give this place 5 stars. I will definitely return!

    (5)

  • Patti F.

    This is one of those times where I'm going to review for the majority. I'm not into pork belly lardon or whatever they are calling bacon nowadays. I also don't care to see how much meat I can sneak into a dish. But if you are, drop by. They smoke their own meats and have what looks like a great selection, thought out creatively. But happy hour everyday until 8? This alone should make you drop in. I had smoked fingerling potatoes on poblano cheese fondue and the grilled romaine salad. HH portions, which is fine by me. House wine was decent for the HH price. Service was great considering they were packed in a Friday night.

    (4)

  • Rebecca L.

    Found this gem on a business trip. Was eating solo so I grabbed a table in the tavern area and ordered a Strawberry Blonde and a burger. The burger was AMAZING (and very messy, so I was glad to be eating alone). Blue cheese, caramelized onions, pickles made in house, and a sauce that drew it all together. Great service and a daily happy hour (4-8). Would definitely recommend!

    (5)

  • Ryan A.

    This was a wonderful restaurant! Our waiter Rusty was a knowledgable professional that gave us five star service, despite coming in sweating in the 4th of July in a He-Man tank top. Jason the manager showed us to a private room they rent out set in true Speakeasy fashion...a large book case hidden turn style door! Great ambience and excellent food! For you Gluten Free foodies, this is a great find that will also-if you call ahead-make sure they have GF bread and special menu items just for you! As a gourmet Chef, I recommend the Coconut Milk Custard (without the hazelnut honeycomb!) I will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Chris B.

    Seriously, the best place ever!!! Had our wedding reception and came here to celebrate our anniversary. The food has somehow only gotten better. We have eaten other places in Portland but this place is the best. Hopefully you get Evan as your server. Evan is straight forward and will give you the best advice on what to order. He knows his stuff. He even remembered us a year later! Wish we lived in Oregon just to be regulars here. You won't go wrong with anything you order. Stop reading and go eat at Red Star Tavern!!

    (5)

  • Estefany B.

    meeeeeh..... only came here for a drink because it was in front of my bus stop. The drinks we ordered were just okay, and they were definitively overpriced. Service left a lot to be desired... the server seemed to be annoyed at all of her tables in her section. From what I gathered from the menu, it seemed to have quite a bit of options ranging from salmon to basic pasta dishes. I would recommend coming here to catch the happy hour deals, since they do offer some pretty good options. Other than that....I'd only come here if there was no other option.

    (2)

  • Tamara C.

    Do you know where to find an incredible happy hour that goes late even on weekends? Red Star Tavern, that's where. That's right, Red Star's happy hour goes from 4PM to 8PM, every single day. Everything on their superb menu is only $5.00 or, you can get 3 items for $14.00. Do not miss the Brisket Tacos, they are tender and the "no no" sauce is zippy and tangy. Another favorite of mine are the "Dirty Birds" (wings) don't question, just do it and I can't not get the Balsamic Glazed Bar Nuts. I can't eat just one, they are totally addicting. There are several other terrific selections on the happy hour menu, including some for vegetarians, but the above-mentioned are my favorites. As far as drinks go, the house wine and well cocktails are only $5.00 also. So you can get by without spending too much. Despite Red Star's obvious awesomeness, it is never so busy that I have to wait for a table. Clearly, I'm a big fan and I think you will be too if you give it a try. Cheers ya'll! 2014 - Review # 79

    (5)

  • Gladys B.

    Disappointed with the lack of service. Nobody was at the entrance and we were not greeted. We waited for 15 mins without being acknowledged. Even after trying to get the waitress' attention, we were ignored. Not sure that the liquor commissioner that was not being served would be happy with the type of service.

    (1)

  • Karen B.

    Red Star was right next to our hotel. We originally visited in the afternoon to simply have a beer. Place was practically empty. Sat at the bar and in a nutshell it took the bartender 15 minutes to produce 2 beers on tap. I felt like we were bothering him or something. We ordered and he kept himself busy making a couple of drinks for another party and then proceeded to wash some glasses. Hello? How long does it take for two beers on tap? This is Portland! Next night we were too tired to journey to dinner so we gave Red Star another try. Big mistake. Again, place was not that busy. The buns on our hamburgers were almost burnt so we just removed the buns ate the burgers with a fork. Two crappy burgers and three glasses of wine = minus $60 later. Goodbye Red Star. I won't be seeing you again.

    (1)

  • Vladimir G.

    Pretty great place. I stayed at the hotel and it's connected right to it. The atmosphere is pretty nice, very clean place. I had a nice cucumber salad and Seafood Stew, which was one of the best stews I've had...ever. Good service and pretty good location if you're staying in the hotels around the city center.

    (4)

  • Tami M.

    Breakfast was delicious. Chorizo hash and the Bloody Mary was one of the best I have bee had. Smokey jalapeño flavor. So good!

    (5)

  • Vivek R.

    Stopped in here while walking through the surrounding area, so that we could watch the Belmont Stakes. Great result (to see a Triple Crown win) and very solid bar bites and cocktails. Chicken wings were delicious, but the marinated beets were a bit bland. Both cocktails -- Spanish Harlem and Midnight Stroll -- were great, if perhaps overpriced relative to our experience in Portland so far.

    (4)

  • Laura C.

    I honestly loved everything about my apps and drinks at Yelp's event today at the Red Star Tavern. From the incredibly warm and hospitable bartenders and wait staff to the outstanding food to their awesome version of the French 75 (Gin, St. Germain elderberry flower liquor and champagne) and Whiskey sour (made with a dab of maple - making it my favorite). The WS was also garnished with some berries, infused with bourbon. Deeee-lish!! For today's event, they served 2 different salads (the one with blue cheese and pear was my favorite), barbecued chicken legs, ceviche with baked pita bread, home made barbecue chips, pulled pork sandwiches & brisket tacos. All were great, but when our host asked the crowd which new menu was everyone's favorite food item - by and large it was the chicken legs. I am in agreement and it's what I shouted, but both the brisket taco's and pulled pork sandwiches were a close runner up. As for the facility, it's lovely. We were put in a "banquet room" which was handsomely decorated. The actual restaurant is very large and airy - like a steak house that doesn't have your traditional dim setting. The restaurant is in the heart of downtown, so it's great for travelers who are staying at nearby hotels - or people like me, who come into town for happy hour.

    (5)

  • Allison P.

    Ended up here after having a bad experience at another restaurant nearby. Was warmly greeted by the host, quickly sat, and server showed up quickly. The menu was nice had a great wine list! Had the small plate roasted chicken thigh. It was super good but like I had assumed the serving was small. The small veal plate is really small just FYI. The burger was yummy and love the shoestring fries. Service was great, the red star drink was yummy. Overall great dinner experience!!

    (4)

  • Darrin J.

    Been awhile since I have been here (and to Portland) and I am really glad I came back. Food was fabulous especially the black cod (and brick chicken was very good too). Great selection of food (entrees, appetizers, deserts) and drink (beer, spirits, wine, etc.). Service was superior (Especially Evan)! Only criticism is liberal use of salt was a bit to much. Much better food and value than Higgins.

    (5)

  • Camden H.

    I would have to say that this is the worst service ever. We have been waiting for almost an hour and we still are waiting. The atmosphere is nice and the waiters are friendly, we ordered our food and we have yet to get it. [UPDATE] We got our food and it is delicious. The burger is amazing.

    (3)

  • Jamee H.

    Popped in here as I was staying at the adjacent Hotel Monaco. It was late and I only needed a couple small plates, not a full meal. It suited my plans perfectly. The menu was diverse in a way you knew it would be well-crafted and taste delicious. The marinated gulf shrimp plate reminded me of a more structured ceviche. It was a wonderful combination of chilled shrimp and citrus with a crunch. The warm squash and drunken cherry salad was delightfully sweet without being overly so. Attentive but not overbearing service. Nice ambiance. Quieter on a Sunday at 9pm but you can tell this is an awesome social gathering over worthwhile food.

    (4)

  • Michael B.

    Red Star Tavern is less a tavern and more of a nice elegant place to grab a bite. The staff are amazing and very helpful, even the staff filling up waters or hosts walking around made us feel like we were part of the Red Star family. Special kudos to the pastry chef who made some fantastic beignets! All in all a great experience and I know I will be back!

    (5)

  • Brian R.

    Back after a while and the bar is as I remember it, deep in great product, is the star of Red Star, but then it's a tavern, so you would hope for good spirits. Food? The deviled eggs had good flavor but were mushy, and plated a la Denny's. The bourbon pork was well plated, and seared nicely, but the meat was not top grade, and hadn't been brined well, so it was a bit dry and way too thick for the way it was prepped if they're not going for more tender pork loin or better prep of less exceptional meat. Perhaps they need a new supplier. The chefs don't rock here since none were seen working with their line cooks, who cook in the public space with all of the passion of an overseas telephone customer service operator and clearly don't give a damn. Service on the front was excellent, and the place is huge with a very nice ambience that has held up well over the years even though they haven't done a ton to refresh it. All of which would put the restaurant about three stars, but the BAR is so freakin good they get the extra star for the excellence there. They have a huge huge collection of whiskies, bourbons, and top shelf tequilas, gins and vodkas that are curated by one of the best bartenders in the city who makes even the most exotic fare with ease. They might also look at a little extension of the bar in their big space to include a few more of those exceptionally comfortable seats and create a little more chemistry space found at other night watering holes in the area these days. The cluster tables are nice but they get less attention from the wait staff and their knowledge base of the inventory behind the counter is near-zero. When they repeatedly say "let me see if we have that" this is not a good thing. Perhaps a waitress or two tasked to the bar who can be trained by the counter staff in their ways and deep inventory is a good investment. If you're not drinking here, Portland, WHY? Answer may be that it closes too early... Management?

    (4)

  • Ben F.

    I visited this place and just had the drinks. They make a great whisky sour! Nice that it's attached to the hotel Monaco. Staff was all very friendly and hospitable.

    (4)

  • Kelly S.

    I may be biased because this is where I met my husband 18 years ago on a blind date :) We have come here for dinner almost every year since then to celebrate and every year we are treated like royalty from comp'd desserts or appetizers, to hand written cards. Our servers are always attentive. The food is always fresh and local. They have great fire roasted chicken according to my hubby. This year I had the ribeye and wished I had ordered it medium instead of medium well. It was cooked as I ordered, but I could have had a little more pink. My fault. The dessert (chocolate cake) was to die for. The bar is great for happy hour as well.

    (5)

  • Cimmone F.

    This place is great. Was here once before for breakfast, now this time for lunch. Their food is really stellar. Today I'm having the pumpkin soup and tavern burger. Both are excellent. Also, they have a decent beer on tap selection, 5 star service, etc. I'd come here all this time if I lived in Portland. The atmosphere here is laid back, comfortable, and sort of upscale. It's also a large place so thete is a lot of sitting available, lots of space.

    (5)

  • Chris L.

    Go and see DANNY !!!!!!! We came in close to close but we still had great service and the food was amazing.

    (5)

  • Meghan R.

    My chicken sandwich came with a big raw spot in the middle of it. I showed it to the waitress and she took it away with no apology or comment. When the bill came, the chicken sandwich was still on there! I had taken two bites before sending it back, an had to ask for it to be taken off the bill. Sometimes mistakes happen in the kitchen, but it's how front of house handles it that makes the difference. Red Star didn't care at all. I had eaten there several times previously over the last couple of months, and now I will not be back. The fries were good, though.

    (2)

  • DJ B.

    They have a decent happy hour menu with a good selection of cocktails. For some reason I always leave this place feeling like something is missing and I'm not quite sure what that something is. Perhaps it's the lack of ambience. The space is large and not intimate. The service is not bad but it's not great either. There are just so many other places in downtown Portland to choose from that I think Red Star gets lost in the shuffle.

    (3)

  • Catherine S.

    Excellent. Very subtle flavors in the food and great sweet vermouth and whisky options.

    (5)

  • Carolyn C.

    Great happy hour - the roasted beets are delicious with a large portion. Diverse selection of beer (included in HH). The fondue is a little disappointing in that you don't get much cheese at all. I prefer my ratio of cheese-to-dipping-items at least 2:1. Their "The %1" cocktail is quite good if you don't mind a little sweetness and a bourbon kick at the end. Manhattans are also well-made. You must try the brownie and ice cream dessert. What they don't mention is that there is a layer of chocolate mousse (ganache maybe?) in the middle and it is incredible. Service is very, very good.

    (4)

  • Scott H.

    Good food, great service, cool setting. I recently came to Red Star with my wife for the Dine out for AIDS benefit. Big ups to you all for doing that. I had been to the secret room before and came when I was in Jr. High, but it's been a while. The wedge salads were very good. Nice house made dressing and lots of yummy bacon. The bread was not very good. It looked good but was very dry and kind of reminded me of those Mexican pastries that look really tasty, but end up just being a bunch of stale bread. I love the butter with the fancy salt though. I got the shortribs. Excellent hash of root vegetables. The sunchokes really made it interesting and it had a delicious jus with it. The rib dried out a little bit, which is the danger of short ribs, so a thicker Jus might have helped, but it was plenty tasty. My wife got the tuna. The description on the menu looked great, but when it arrived she was bamboozled and the sunchokes had been replaced with potatoes. She brought this up to the waitress and she explained that the sunchokes were going out of season so they replaced it with potatoes. She brought us some roasted sunchokes that were amazing. However, my wife crunched down on a rock. She's pretty sure her tooth is ok, but we'll see. It's really not anyones fault. I was just remarking right before she did it, "Man, these things must be a ***** to clean." The dessert menu looked amazing, but we were pretty full. Price point was a hair high, but I've seen and done much worse. Bravo to our waitress for taking such good care of us and to Red Star for their participation in dining for Life.

    (4)

  • April C.

    Huge fan of the happy hour, as others have mentioned. Their drink and food menus are very fairly priced and the food is amazing. I had a bruschetta that had peppers, hummus, and arugula on top that wasn't tradition but it was damn tasty. The bread was thick and hearty with some sort of cheese baked into the crust. My date and I also had the pork shoulder (tender and juicy), hamburger slider (solid burger with traditional toppings and good fries) and the brown butter-ginger popcorn (Mmmm). Bonus: longer happy hour than most places make this the perfect spot for those working downtown

    (4)

  • Mac M.

    I have been coming to Portland for years, staying in the same district, and never looked to the end of my nose! Atmosphere is great, with welcoming smiles when you come in from the cold outside. Made me feel right at home. Service-wow! I think they delivered what I call customer Wow! Really easy going, personal attention, and they listen and care! Drinks? I was on business, but the Argentina Malbec is a staple food source for me, and it didn't disappoint. Dinner? I only wanted something quick, but I gotta say, try the mussels in the curry broth! Coming back here again? You better believe it!

    (5)

  • Travis J.

    We found this place while walking downtown Portland after a show. The food and drinks were excellent. Our server was very attentive without being overbearing. The peanut butter bar with raspberry sorbet was one of the best desserts we have ever had!

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    Went with a group of people for lunch because it was the only place that was not booked up when we called ahead. They were not at all busy. A few of us (including me) ordered a burger ranging from med well, to well done. All of them were VERY undercooked. Not pink - bright red. I would have sent mine back, but I never saw the server again. I have felt ill all afternoon. Will not be back.

    (1)

  • Tiffany E.

    Amazing food and great service. Didn't know a meal could have so much flavor. Great place to bring a date.

    (5)

  • Marsha A.

    Decent food but very slow bar service. My cocktail came after my meal. Long after. The food was good but in a town like Portland, I have high expectations. I probably wouldn't eat there again, given all the other amazing places in the same neighborhood but if I had to eat there, it wouldn't ruin my day.

    (3)

  • Marty M.

    I could have rated this 2 stars or 3 or 4 depending on what you ate. I decided to get the pork loin and it was TERRIBLE. Others with me got the ribeye and the halibut which were well liked but not loved. The problem with the pork was that it was undercooked and extremely fatty. The service was very good but it wasn't too crowded when I went there. Had the watermelon cucumber sorbet which was very unique but was only one scoop. Can't say I would go back.

    (2)

  • Cindu M.

    Lamb meatballs were the BEST, so fresh and full of flavor! Our server didn't seem very helpful, but was polite nonetheless. For appetizers, we ordered the roasted cauliflower soup and the warm squash salad. Both were good, the salad was a bit sweeter than I had hoped, there wasn't bacon as I had hoped. For entree, we ordered the brisket and the pork chop. The pork chop arrived extremely salty and had to send it back. Instead, my husband and I shared the brisket, which was enough for the both of us. Our server had told my husband that once I returned from the powder room, she would talk tour about the dessert chef, but it didn't happen. So for dessert, we shared the lemon cream tart, which was very light and sweet, a good ending for our meal.

    (3)

  • Craig L.

    Review for happy hour in the bar. Attractive bar and restaurant. Liked the atmosphere. We enjoyed the signature drinks on Happy Hour menu. The Red Star was sweet but not overly so and had nice citrus touch. Wife enjoyed the Willamette Weak Sauce, thought the spice showed up in aftertaste. Found our food choices average, wife liked the Marinated Beets. The grilled romaine was bland and lacking any distinct tastes. Dirty Bird chicken legs were fine, but needed bit more of the chile caramel supposedly part of recipe. Biggest disappointment was our server. Maybe it was a long day, or maybe she was filling in on a night she was supposed to be off but not enjoyable as a paying customer to be waited on by staff who are disinterested and bored.

    (3)

  • Amy T.

    Service was exceptional. We went ahead and ordered a bunch of small plates for the table. Everything was fabulous!

    (4)

  • Ralph P.

    I eat at The Red Star often....it is a great place to meet business associates. The food is always very good - always different and creative. The service is courteous and prompt, and drinks are great. I was disappointed when they discontinued their wonderful ceviche, but I have accepted this. Their fish tacos are certainly an acceptable replacement. The menu ranges from small plates to humongous ones, great salads and both vegetarian and omnivorian fare. Always a good set of specialties of the day. (Is omnivorian a word?) I definitely recommend this place for its ambiance, service, drinks and food. Lunch is best.

    (4)

  • Charla B.

    9th time I have been here! Every time we are in Portland we come here. I had the brick chicken and the beet sauvie salad. Great flavored! I am not a whiskey fan but I had the curious Scotsman cocktail and I was very impressed.

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    This place has all the nuances of a fancy downtown Portland tavern, including a nice old-style bar, classic dining space, and a relaxing living room dining area near the back for a more quiet experience. The service I received here was exceptional. Very attentive and friendly staff here make the experience worth while. They are also very prompt and came back to the table to check on things and refill waters numerous times. I wasn't impressed with the food portion sizes, however. I had ordered a dry aged ribeye steak that came with potatoes, my friend ordered the pork loin. I have to say the ribeye was average to small in size and lacked thickness. My friend said the pork loin resembled more of a pork chop. For a $32 ribeye, I usually expect to be served a nice sized steak. Other than the portion size, the food had good flavor and was served in a manner that pleases the eyes. I could come back here again.

    (3)

  • William D.

    Read the Yelp review and decided to give it a try. I sat for 20 min never being welcomed. Finally went to the bar to get a premium rye. Waited another 10 min. Finally left. Too bad, I wanted to like this place.

    (1)

  • Stanley M.

    Fantastic food. I had a pot roast dinner which was cooked perfectly. Also, the server was very knowledgable and made it a very fun outing.

    (5)

  • Teresa J.

    Happy hour on Friday was pretty tasty! I had a perfectly decent glass of house white wine for $5 and a pork stew (Caldo) with potatoes and kale for $6. This made a meal for me. My gf ordered the crispy fries, which I snacked on and found toothsome. I wasn't too crazy about the giant TVs in the bar, but that's life I suppose--it's hard to find a bar without them these days. The restaurant was also strangely smokey, as in grease smoke, and the service was kind of random, but Red Star Tavern was okay in the overall, and I thought the food and drink were bargains.

    (3)

  • Martin J.

    Dang good brunch. Super friendly and attentive staff. My only complaint was that my brunch Benedict was on the small side. But my sons $13 buckwheat pancakes were huge and delicious. So, a little pricy, but not crazy. Most portions were good for our table, just not mine. Very nice atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Rebekah T.

    I like to find new places when we travel, so when we had a lunch break near the downtown area, I chose the Red Star Tavern. We sat at the bar and studied the menus. My guy wanted a beer flight (as he calls them) and although they do not have one on the menu, he let him have 4 small beers as a sampler. Very cool guy. He made me a pina de agave, which is a spicy tequila cocktail, it was sooo good. He brought out the Focaccia Bread, which is so beautiful and fresh. Served with a chilled butter topped in a red sea salt, similar to a red hawaiian salt I have at home. We ordered two appetizers, the Mussels and the Ceviche. Both were amazing, the mussels were so fresh and plump. The Ceviche was delicate with a variety of flavor, served with good crackers. We were very impressed by both dishes and I have to say I am somewhat of an expert at making and eating these dishes. ;) If that wasn't enough, we decided on the Waygu Brisket. It was very delicious and a huge plate, splitting it helped. It was tender, but very fatty and heavy. I stuck to the tender pieces of meat, but in the end I think I will stick to rare Waygu. At the end of the bar, I couldn't help but notice that they were making their own infused vodka with jalapeños. I adore spicy cocktails and ordered the Bloody Mary - it was delicious and will go down in my Bloody Mary Hall of Fame. I'm glad I picked this spot, despite some of the reviews. Sometimes it's good to just take a chance and you'll be completely surprised with the turn out..

    (4)

  • Kelli S.

    Good place for happy hour. The bar area always seems to be the most crowded area of the restaurant.

    (3)

  • Kathy B.

    Friends and I stopped here for Happy Hour. The service was excellent. They asked us for refills on our drinks and often refilled water. The food was delivered quickly. The beer and wine selection was good. I had the tacos and the toast off the happy hour menu. The tacos were bland, tortillas with little cubes of meat. However, the toast had goat cheese and kalamata olives and was quite yummy. A friend ordered the curry and the chicken pieces and was happy with his meal. Another friend orders the romaine salad and some potatoes. The salad was grilled, which was weird for her and had sneak ingredients that weren't listed and she picked off. The desserts were amazing. I had a chocolate mousse cake which I would be tempted to sell my first born child for a piece...if I actually had children. I'd go back.

    (4)

  • Janna S.

    LOVE this place! My Boyfriend and I make an effort to have date night 1-2 times a month so that we can have alone time since it doesn't happen much with a 3 year old We usually go to a movie and then end up here for drinks and dinner I've been here 4 times now and every visit is better than the last Brandon, who is the head bartender makes AMAZING drinks, knows us by name now and is also awesome when it comes to food and drink suggestions Finally tried their tavern burger that he recommended and it was full of flavor and hit the spot Definitely my go to spot downtown

    (5)

  • Omar T.

    Cool place!

    (4)

  • Jim U.

    Really good advice from the bartenders. Nice happy hour that runs till 8pm. I highly recommend the beets and the tacos ($5 each).

    (4)

  • Michelle S.

    For the most part, this bar was what I expect for happy hour. I'm just always hoping for a little more. The drinks were alright, well prepared. The food was quite delicious. The problem started with the waitress. She came to the table and acted like it was a big problem to take care of us. She wasn't really rude, she just seemed lazy. With so many places to spend your money, that kind of thing doesn't fly with me. It certainly did not match the service level that I received as a customer of the hotel that the bar is attached to. All in all you will get decent food and a decent drink, but you might not get the best service.

    (3)

  • Monique B.

    We had a couple of free cocktail vouchers from our stay at the adjoining Hotel Monaco and decided to make the restaurant bar our last stop of the evening in Portland. After seating ourselves near the bar at the rear of the lounge area we perused the cocktail menu to find some very tasty sounding drinks available. We quickly settled on our choices but then waited AGES for someone to come and take our drink order - an unfortunate turn of events. Once we were finally able to place our orders, our drinks took another few minutes to arrive and were worth the wait. Our server seemed a bit out of sorts and was not terribly chatty or prompt so perhaps it was the end of a long night? Or perhaps hotel guests with free drink vouchers don't normally leave decent tips? Either way, the service was a bit lacking, but the drinks were delicious. I would return to try the food, as the menu looks really yummy.

    (3)

  • James F.

    Traveling on business and wanted early dinner for one before redeye flight. Chose Red Star Tavern attached to Monaco Hotel where I was staying. Good move. Warm, dark wood interior. Attractive bar. Great beer and wine selection. Farm to table menu--great pride in this. Appetizer was variety of fresh tomatoes with vinegar etc. Outstanding. Main was fresh chinook salmon on diced cooked vegetables. Awesome. Waiter was pleasant and efficient. Other menu items sounded equally enticing. Would return--comfortable and relaxed with good food.

    (4)

  • Shaelyn M.

    Rude servers, mediocre food/not a lot to choose from, high prices. Too many other great places in Portland to try this again!

    (1)

  • aim f.

    Amazing service! We had the best waiter ever (didn't catch his name though)! Had 4 small plates, soup and dessert. The food was good but the service would be what we come back for. Also was our anniversary & got our dessert free!

    (5)

  • Ray A.

    Review for the bar only. Very good selection of bourbon and whiskey. The atmosphere was pretty lively as well too. The reason for my 2 star review is that I was greeted with very rude service from the bartender for absolutely no reason. Possibly he was having a bad night? Regardless, there is no need to be treated that way. Unfortunately, his attitude will make me take my business elsewhere next time.

    (2)

  • John L.

    Super impressed with the food and drinks here. They have a great happy hour as well!

    (5)

  • S E.

    Good food, slow service. Exactly what I expected from a restaurant connected to a hotel. Usually, hotel restaurants have either good food or good service--not both. This one has good food. Maybe it's my fault for going in late on a weeknight, but my plane didn't get in in time for the regular dinner hour. I came in around 830 and by around 900, there were no servers on the floor, despite the fact that the closing hour is listed as 10pm. As I said, the food was good--chicken sausage was good, as were the potatoes and burger. Nice selection of cocktails and the bar seemed hopping. But it took forever for dessert, when it finally arrived, my ice cream was partly melted, which means that it sat on the counter waiting for the server to pick it up and I had to ask for the check twice. I waited tables and it seems to me that if you want to encourage people to leave, you pay attention to body language so that the minute they start looking around, you are right there with the check so they can get out quickly. In any case, it left me with a sour taste. There are lots of places in Portland--if I'm back in this hotel, I'll. return but I wouldn't make a special trip for this place.

    (3)

  • Amy K.

    Rusty is a great server with a great personality. The Albacore Tuna along with the presentation of grilled corn, cherry tomatoes and sauce was 'The Bomb'. Not one morsel left on my plate. I am eagerly awaiting my grilled pound cake! Awesome!

    (5)

  • John M.

    Met the need, is the best way to sum this up. I like the Red Star's ambiance; is is casual but dressy. The food was pretty good. Had the Rib Eye which was a reasonable cut of meat Not the best in the world and not horrible. The Grilled Chicories salad is to be avoided - very bitter, and not tasty. The beers were good and sticky toffee desert were pretty good as well. On balance middle of the road.

    (3)

  • Katie S.

    My parents and I stayed at the Monaco which is part of the Red Star so of course we had to try the restaurant. The bar tenders are amazing, especially Matt and Brandon. The drinks that they come up with are incredible. The food is really good and the fact that it is attached to the hotel is an added bonus

    (5)

  • R. A. M.

    great for breakfast, though limited in offerings. would try again

    (3)

  • John T.

    Had dinner for 6 last evening. This was not an enjoyable meal. Ordered split pea and ham soup. The split peas were not completely cooked and required chewing plus you had to chase the ham around the plate. Pâté was spread thinly in toast like bricks . Chick pea patties were indistinguishable from any chick pea pattie ever consumed anywhere else in the world . Perfectly ruined by trying to be adventurous.

    (1)

  • Ron S.

    I recently ate at Red Star - the food was decent and my meal did not take long to prepare. I had salmon... it was a bit dry but the portion size was alright. My experience would have been average if it were not for my waiter. An older man named "Rusty" was at first very friendly, but as soon as he seated us, he turned and I think he called me a stupid ****. When he came back to the table, I asked him why he called me the name and smiling he said to me, "I would never say anything like that to a guest." I felt like he was lying, but didn't feel the need to press the issue. However, moments later, I caught him calling another man a son of a ***** as he followed him while seating. For the meal I watched "Rusty" storm around and do the same to others. I don't know how this man is still employed - maybe he is a relative of the owner or has been there forever. Regardless, the food is not nearly good enough to humor a man that appears to have emotional or mental issues. But maybe it's good enough to drop by and see for yourself.

    (2)

  • Lauren S.

    Ate here a couple times while staying at the Hotel Monaco. The breakfast menu has some creative combinations of ingredients as well as a bunch of healthy options. However the execution was not great. I ordered the "To Be Frank" and was excited about the combo of ingredients - wilted greens, caramelized onions, tomatoes, quinoa, etc. unfortunately, the dish was mostly egg whites with a little bit of this and that. I liked the generous slices of avocado on top but the diced tomatoes (which were supposed to be cherry) in the mix watered down the flavor down of the other stuff. I had to season it with a lot of salt and pepper to really taste anything. The potatoes that came on the side were ok and the English muffin was a little soggy. I did really like the veggie mushroom burger that's on the room service menu. Big hunk of mushroom-brown rice goodness on bun with yummy salad. The house made pickles were also pretty good.

    (3)

  • Jen R.

    We stumbled upon this place while searching for brunch. The tavern Benedict was beyond amazing and the bloody mary has a perfect amount of spice!! The staff was so kind and accommodating and our server was a riot! Thanks for making our morning perfect!!

    (5)

  • Natalya L.

    Food - great! Drinks - perfect! Seating - needs a little more space.

    (4)

  • Allie W.

    Great sliders and French 75 twist (the standard with some elderberry liquor) - delicious! The French 75 is great for a warm day - refreshing, light, not too sweet. The restaurant itself is well-located and looks like it would be easy to accommodate larger groups. The decor is nice, nothing particularly noteworthy but creates a nice and relaxing ambiance.

    (4)

  • Wendy M.

    The atmosphere is great and will even make you think there's a reason so many people are there...like maybe good food. But....aside from maybe a canine friend or a starving PCT hiker...my food was inedible. Overcooked oversauced, congealed and disgusting. My two friends ate, but regretted it. I sent my food back. I will never step foot in this place again.

    (1)

  • Chris M.

    So there we were - trapped in a small few block radius because of a starlight parade. Most places were closed, or we were unable to get them until we found this shining beacon of food in a desert of closed restaurants. I'll admit, I was being a little dramatic as I had too much alcohol and not enough food, and I was getting cranky. The menu was small, which was great for my mood at the time. The less choices the better. I settled on a burger with bacon marmalade... whaaaaaat? Let that sink in: Bacon. Marmalade. This was probably the best burger I have ever had, and not just because of a beer addled brain. My wife tried it as well and almost didn't give it back. We also had the deviled eggs with candied bacon. The only thing stopping me from giving this a 5 star review is that the service was a bit slow, and there were awkwardly long wait times between our server checking in, and there maybe 4 other tables of people.

    (4)

  • Renee C.

    We went there for lunch on Saturday. Very dissapointed because the lunch menu was so small. Had been there on a weekday and there was a full menu. Not even any soup on a Saturday? We also felt as a group of 8, that we were inconveniencing the whole crew. The food was good, but the choices were so limited.

    (3)

  • Scott C.

    Awesome drinks...awesome appetizer...awesome dinner!! We were walking around downtown and stumbled upon this wonderful restaurant. Everything about this place was a great experience. The dry aged ribeye is completely worth the price. This has to be one of the best steaks in town, which is saying a lot since our beautiful town is a foodie's heaven. What a great find!!

    (5)

  • Scott L.

    In Portland on business for one night that happens to be the same night as the college football championship game that Oregon Ducks are playing in. Needless to say every bar and restaurant was packed. I went to two places and couldn't get service even though I was a single. The Red Star was near my hotel and wasn't too busy. I have to admit this made me a little worried but I was starving so I went in. The atmosphere was fine, lighting was good, and the food was excellent!! I got the burger which was huge and cooked to perfection. The shoe string fries are great too. The bartender was VERY busy and not the most attentive but I can't blame him as he was alone and making drinks for the entire restaurant. He was a very good bartender and made some serious mixed drinks. I recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Sheila E.

    Had business lunch here as well as appetizers the next night, and was impressed with the service, food and ambiance. For lunch, I had the chicken salad, and it was good, but nothing to write home about, and my colleague had the fish of the day, which was swordfish. He really liked it and the small salad that accompanied the fish. The appetizers we ordered were also pretty good (tuna tartare, beets and roasted butternut squash) and the presentation was nice. Overall, a nice restaurant. I'd probably go back, but there are so many good places to choose from downtown, it may be a while.

    (4)

  • David T.

    I gave it a three to be neutral as we walked out before we ordered anything. $14 for a burger!!! NO!!

    (3)

  • Jo-jo H.

    Thought we'd walk around Downtown Portland on our second night and this was the first stop. We were looking for some good brew but got hungry in the process so we ordered a couple entrees. The bf had a chicken sandwich and said it was just meh. Said it was enough to satisfy his hunger but nothing spectacular. I had the seafood stew w/ sausage I think. There were four mussel shells but really only one good sized mussel was found the other three were the size of my pinky nail. I'm not sure what happened to the other seafood and the sausage was pretty non-existent. The taste was bland as well. I think this place was a little more upscale than other bars around and looking around at the patrons that's what it seemed. The service was okay but we sat at the bar so we got served pretty quickly. It took a while for the food to come though and considering it was a Tuesday night and there wasn't a lot of people there I felt it should've come out faster. Hopefully this place reads their yelp reviews. They can be rated better with a few changes.

    (2)

  • Brian S.

    I arrived just after 10pm on a Saturday night looking to get some food and a drink in the bar. Though the place wasn't busy, it seemed like the staff was more into their closing duties than providing service. It took at least 10-15 minutes before we got drinks. My Spanish Coffee was ok. The food choice were very limited and unappealing. At 10pm they go to a bar menu which had almost no options for a vegetarian. Besides that, the bar menu seemed like a weird collection of items to offer your late night crowd. We ended up ordering some nuts before finishing our drink and leaving.

    (2)

  • Cheryl R.

    As a single mom who works full time (crazy hours) for a game company, getting time and $$$ for a mini-break is not an easy task. But my daughter was turning 7 this week, and I wanted to do something special for us BOTH. We arrived late on Friday night, as it took almost 6 hours to drive from Seattle to Portland. I ordered a quesadilla & shoestring fries from the kids menu for my daughter right away, as well as one of my favorite cocktails (a Sidecar!). The restaurant was inviting, not too noisy or crowded, but still very lively. The hostess was super friendly and got us seated right away. Our server was GREAT, and having worked in the service industry myself, I was so appreciative of her obvious experience and expertise. After I ordered a few appetizers for my "dinner" (a crab/watermelon salad and the salmon belly crudo); I then took some time to peruse the drink menu. OMGOSH! They make Whiskey Sours and Gimlets? Two of my most favorite drinks! I'm old school and just love a well-crafted cocktail with premium booze. What can I say? I was sooooo happy! I had a Park City Sour after polishing off my tasty Sidecar. Both drinks were delicious, as was the food. As well, because I checked into the restaurant on 4Square, I received one of the apps gratis. And my daughter's birthday candle be-decked malted ice cream was also on the house. Nice surprise! I never have an expectation for "freebies" but that was just more icing on an already great cake. We ordered room service a few times during our stay at the Monaco as well (the Red Star Tavern is their in-house provider for room service). Breakfast on Sat and Sun mornings, and night-cap for me and more ice cream for my kid on Saturday night. All were excellent! Thank you for making my hard-earned vacation & dining experience at the Monaco so memorable and special. We'll definitely be back next time we're in PDX, and I'd definitely recommend to friends and family.

    (5)

  • Tiffany M.

    Came back with my ladies for another HH rendezvous. The service was a bit slower this time around, and the bar gets pretty packed on a Friday night. I distinctly remember getting three $5 martinis when I was last here, and was disappointed to see that they are now going for $6 a pop. I wasn't looking to get plastered this time around anyway, so I opted for their house white at $5. It was a nice, crisp pinot grigio that was served at the right temp. I got the "bruschetta," which is toasted and topped with a thin layer of hummus and piled high with arugula. It was tasty. I had also ordered a wedge salad, but it never came out of the kitchen. I was okay with that considering the bruschetta was more filling than I had anticipated. My friend had to send back her teeny tiny burger because it was pretty raw in the middle, and way under the standard medium. It was a fine experience, although I had to get the salad I never received taken off of the bill. I'll likely be back, the ambiance is nice and the HH is daily from 4-8 which is tough to find downtown.

    (3)

  • Brittany H.

    Love that you can you can just go straight to the bar area for Happy hour without having to wait forever for a table. The poppers and shoestring fries were yummy!

    (4)

  • Gina L.

    I do not understand how this place can be so inefficient when only about half of the restaurant is full. We arrived at around 9:30 and had to wait for almost an hour to get our food. Our waiter completely ignored us and when asked how long we had to wait for our food, we were simply told that they were too busy and we will have to wait. I really think the only reason why this place is still open is because they are getting all these poor tourists wasting their time and money on them. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.

    (1)

  • Darren B.

    Good home made bread, nice atmosphere, but nothing unique. My server was great and very friendly as seems to be the norm, or at least my experience, dining in Portland. I got the brisket small plate which was really good, though some parts were a bit dry. I also got the yam and eggs side which was tasty with the added bacon I did not know would be included. Not sure anything was spectacular enough for me to return, though the cocktails did look good.

    (3)

  • Man E.

    Inconsistent product. We were recently in Portland wondering around downtown sampling the downtown eateries. We stopped in RST late Saturday afternoon. Not too crowded but understaffed for the service or maybe the service wasn't efficient. The pinot gris had a rough finish. We asked about the wine and were told that was it. If had other gris from the Willamette valley and was always impressed. I would have paid for something better but was told that was all they had. Food was ok. Not the same experience I had on my previous visit which was quite positive. For that reason I wanted to come back. Going forward there are so many great food places in Portland I think Ill shop around rather than return.

    (2)

  • Niki S.

    When I'm stressed and suffering from PMS, I can always go to... RED STAR! When life's corny and I'm hung over in the morning, it's thanks to... RED STAR! Red, Star, where Happy Hour's waiting for you! RED STAR! My wonderful friend Patrick and I joined us for a happy hour at 6ish- which, for a party of 3 on a Thursday, turned into a 645ish happy hour by the time a table for 3 people opened up, FYI. We had to turn down 2 tables for 2, but there are maybe 4-5 tables in the bar that seat more than 2. We enjoyed some 5 dollar red stars, which made getting a speeding ticket that Monday so much easier to... dare I say, Swallow? Although, I could have sworn last fall when I visited, the drinks were stronger? Small detail. The menu still includes the ham and brie sliders, and some good-sized salads, I would highly recommend the romaine salad, IF- dressing is on the side- it's a very rich, creamy dressing, and they do tend to over-saturate the leaves. Our server was attentive with a good order memory, and even did a custom slider for us and swapped out one spare rib for 2 jalepeno-bacon-cream cheese popper (um, yes please?!) because we got the last 1/2 ribs. Good drinks, good atmosphere, good prices, good service. When all else fails, you can come here and know the yummy redstar, with it's vanilla and raspberry love, will ease the troubles of the week.

    (4)

  • J S.

    Good atmosphere, late happy hour till 8pm. Good good food at a reasonable price. Conveniently located downtown, large windows are great for people watching and enjoying the downtown vibe. Friendly staff.

    (5)

  • Maxine B.

    Great drinks, love their lemon drops. Wait was long for a burger, which was more bang for your buck than other menu items. Amosphere was pleasant. Limited menu. Glad we experienced it, probable not coming back though.

    (2)

  • Dallas K.

    Poor service. Expensive. Food poisoning. Had to ask for wifi twice. Took 10 minutes. Boyfriend's burger was tasty. Until it exited his body 20 minutes later for the next three hours. Food poisoning - joy!! Limited menu, I found nothing to eat. My lemonade was forgotten about, then later remembered by our "server". It cost $3.50. I hail from an expensive city and this was certainly much more expensive than Vancouver, Canada.

    (1)

  • Alex C.

    Whenever I think of tavern, I think place with cheap(er) drinks and food. Well, red star tavern is certainly not cheap. +: - Good service. Waiter was very attentive. - The actual food was good. I really liked the pork caldo. - Nice and quiet, meaning you can have an actual conversation with others without screaming at each other. -: - The portion sizes were pretty small. If I wasn't on my diet, I definitely would have needed to eat another meal. - Fairly expensive. Small plates were 10-15 (take them seriously when they say small) and the larger plates were 20-25, cheaper for a burger. They also had roasts for 2 people, 40-70 dollars. I don't expect to be stuffed from dinner, but I definitely don't anticipate having to eat again, especially after dropping 20 ish bucks.

    (3)

  • Chelle A.

    We were staying at Hotel Monaco, so had breakfast and had late night dessert. The time we went for breakfast their chicken apple sausage was delicious and the other time we went for just dessert our server told us about the chefs special. The way she explained it sounded good so we order it, best decision we made thanks for the great details about the special! A great to place to eat with a very nice environment.

    (5)

  • Tony S.

    Hey, what are ya gonna do? You are in downtown portland, and looking for a bite to eat, well this place is pretty decent. Found some interesting appetizers here that were not your typical dishes. Nothing here seemed to be the frozen variety and all were tasty! Bartender was nice and funny helpful guy. Worth visiting if you are downtown!

    (4)

  • Mike F.

    Good place for dinner within walking distance of my hotel. I had the rib eye with a side of brussels sprouts. The rib eye preparation was very nice with jam, Worcestershire, and blue cheese. All of the flavors blended well together and didn't overpower the steak. The brussels sprouts had bacon. Need I say more. Everything was good. Nothing amazing. I'll be back to try more of the menu.

    (3)

  • Rebecca B.

    Willamette weak sauce = enough said! So delicious. We also enjoyed the happy hour board of tacos, toast and fingerlings

    (5)

  • McKenzie R.

    Nice lunch spot, they also have happy hour until 8! Not the biggest vegetarian menu, but one of the best veggie burgers in town.

    (4)

  • Fatos B.

    Went into the bar to have a Soda. I am an international student and did not have the passport with me. I tried to explain to the lady bartender that by Oregon Law (which I studied) if you have more than two ID cards with identical info you can get into a bar. She just told me that not in this bar law or no law. I was discriminated. Terrible service

    (1)

  • Jessica M.

    Best steak I have ever had in my entire life. Not kidding. Absolutely divine. For the price, hands down deliciousness.

    (4)

  • Claudine V.

    Came here for happy hour on a Sunday and we enjoyed our tasty bites. They have happy hour everyday from 4-6 pm. Their pork caldo and braised pork shoulder is amazing. The house wine is great and only $5. Their Raspberry martini was great as well. Will definitely stop by here when I'm back in Portland.

    (4)

  • Joe G.

    Came to the restaurant for brunch. [-] The location of the restaurant was a little difficult to find, the sign outside was a little small. I still could not find the hotel parking garage which Red Star said they validated. [+] When entering into the restaurant, you are greeted with a bar on the left, host desk in front and restaurant to the ride side. And A LOT of wood, it is beautiful! There were only about 10 tables in the restaurant, so reservations were not necessary when we went. [-] When my party was taken back to the table, I noticed we were sat far from the other guests who managed to have window booths. It would have been nice to have one but not a total deal-breaker. (I guess each section needs to have customers, right.) [+/-] This was our first time in and we were kind of hoping to be impressed. Reservations were made through OpenTable so the hostess could have noticed we have never been there before and could have taken information for reference in our dining notes. [+/-] The waiter promptly came to the table and offered orange juice and coffee. We both got orange juice and it was fresh squeezed. Good thing I was thristy or I would have not ordered it, but knowing it was "fresh squeezed" would make it an easy sell. (Honestly I cannot definately say it was fresh squeezed, but it tasted better than the Sunny-D I have every morning.) [-] Someone in my party had a hard time deciding, so help from waiter would have been appreciated. He should have picked up my friend could not make up her mind because he approached the table several times to see if we were ready. [+] After waiting 15 minutes, this is how MY food tasted (unfortunately I do not remember what everyone else had because the orange juice was so damn good!): grilled bavette steak, eggs any, spinach, house made worcestershire - steak was tender and presented beautifully, spinach sauteed perfectly I should have had them add garlic) the worchestershire was sweet (?), egg poached perfectly. chicken sausage - phenomenal!! After that our ticket was closed promptly, because there were probably only 6 table at 12:30 pm, we were able to go about our day. This is a place I would like to visit again, I'll be sure to use OpenTable and see if the host knows this is my second visit.

    (4)

  • Todd C.

    Awesome Happy Hour here that lasts until 8pm. Try the Red Star martini and get the bacon-wrapped jalapeno appetizers. I was a little disappointed in the lack of options on the dinner menu but we split the rib eye steak (which was cooked perfectly) and also enjoyed the amazing warm pumpkin bread they set on the table to start the meal.

    (4)

  • Annie C.

    We went here for lunch this past week with a couple friends and our baby. In my opinion (and also of the opinion of present company), this place was WAY over priced for what it was... $20 for fish n chips, $15 for burgers, etc... for lunch. However, the service was pleasant. No complaints there.

    (3)

  • Jerusha B.

    We stayed at the hotel here (which was 5 stars) and came here for happy hour. The service was good but the drinks were a dissapointment ecspecially in Portland where the libations at most bars are out of this world. Then came the appetizers and those really did dissapoint. We were starving when we got here so its hard to believe we left half the food on the plate. We did come here for breakfast in October and the breakfast was better than the happy hour-3 stars.

    (2)

  • K.J. N.

    Red Star Tavern? Red Star Bar & Roast House? Whatever...went for happy hour and was pleasantly surprised. You can't always judge an eatery by the yelp star rating, and we were glad that we wandered in, albeit the 3 1/2 star average rating. Husband enjoyed the Hood River Pilsner and Pacific Cream Ale. Our waitress recommended the Roasted Heirloom Beets with sunflower seeds, goat cheese and shallots and that WOWED me, as I've never had them! They came out hot and the delicate sweet flavor was just what I needed. We also ordered the grilled pork shoulder with pickled peppers and espresso glaze (yum!), mussels with crostini, (yum yum!), and mini burger with french fries. The sauce for the mussels was so euphoric, you will need to ask for more crostini because the crostini is teeny! Our waitress brought more with no problem. Everything else made for a solid happy hour. I'd be here every week for those Roasted Heirloom Beets if I lived in Portland.

    (4)

  • Toni H.

    Stopped in here with my friend it was amazing. Bloody Mary's where great and we got the got burger it was amazing. We split the burger it was more then enough for both of us. Service was great as well

    (4)

  • Heather D.

    Dark cozy decor, but super under-staffed during our visit. Our waiter was definitely running too many tables and barely had the time to take our order. We had to hunt down our own utensils and he never came back to check on us. The food was okay, but nothing spectacular. It seems like a great place to catch a drink with friends, but wouldn't go for the Happy Hour. There are better options. We will definitely be back for a 2nd try. Everyone has an off night sometimes!

    (3)

  • Courtney K.

    Red Star Tavern is A-OK but not some place that I would intentionally seek out for a meal. I wound up here because I was staying at Hotel Monaco and of course it was convenient. The atmosphere was good, the staff was nice and the food and drinks were good but not worthy of four-stars. Some Kimpton restaurants definitely get four and five stars from me, but this just isn't one of them.

    (3)

  • Dorothy T.

    The fish stew was extremely good. The sauce was flavorful and the seafood was perfectly cooked; however it cost $24 for a very small portion. The reason why I am giving them only three stars is because their tacos and sandwiches lacked flavor and were mediocre.

    (3)

  • J C.

    We happened to be looking for breakfast and stopped in to Red Star Tavern. Excellent breakfast and friendly service. I had the asparagus and poached egg dish, my daughter tried the chorizo & eggs, husband had oatmeal and fruit dish. All were fresh and tasty. We also liked the green juice - apple, ginger, & carrot.

    (4)

  • Robert M.

    On a recent trip I managed to have breakfast and lunch here. Both were excellent. The staff was and friendly as the food was photo worthy. Tasted great.

    (5)

  • Jeff G.

    Was in town on business and my client suggested this place for lunch. The burger looked great, but wasnt that hungry. Ended up getting the steak salad. It was really good, although it wasnt really a salad, hardly any greens. There was sa small amount of warm spinach underneath the steak and some shallots on top. There was some type of sauce, that was really good. Overall didnt see it as a salad, but it hit the spot. The steak was cooked perfectly. My clients had the salmon salad, which was good. The service was solid, definitely a good spot

    (4)

  • Curt H.

    Awesome food, great drinks and the staff was helpful, friendly and excellent with their service !! Next visit to Portland will definitely include another happy hour at Red Star!!

    (5)

  • glen z.

    Totally bummed at my lunch at Red Star. Talked up the burger and they were less than excellent which is one thing if you are paying up to 8 bucks. Their burger is 13 and for 13 bucks, it better shut the front door!!! The main issue was two fold. Bland taste overall and completely mediocre buns. If you are serving a burger, the bread has to be top shelf at 13 bucks. Anyhow, it was not awful, but not up to what i have experienced there in the past. I'll be back for something else for sure because the service was and always is great and their soups are very good ; )

    (3)

  • Melina H.

    This review is specific to HH - solid 3 1/2 stars with 4 stars for food and 3 stars for service. Cocktails were amazing and unique as was the HH food, but unfortunately the service fell short. My mantra is if you are not too busy to chat amongst yourselves then you are not too busy to take my food order - so frustrating to the point where when our drinks/food finally came, we were putting in an order for another immediately. The HH food was just delish - hubs had some Portuguese soup, I had their version of jalapeno poppers and friends had a shrimp dish with no complaints to be had. the food is enough to give Red Star a second chance, but there are too many great places to sup if services continued to be lacking.

    (3)

  • Stephen R.

    I spend about a week a month in Portland for business. I never miss the chance to eat at the Red Star Tavern. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The wait staff have become like old friends, always chatting with me, helping me to feel at home. They have a nice selection of wines with knowledgeable staff. The menu is varied and creative, changing with the seasons. You cannot go wrong with whatever brisket recipe they are serving. Although they have a variety of desserts, I most often have their sorbet, which changes weekly. For breakfast, the chorizo hash is fantastic. Overall, don't miss this place.

    (5)

  • Ember D.

    I was here with some coworkers a couple weeks ago, with the assurance of cheap shots. The staff was very friendly and great but I expected it to be cheaper than buffalo, and was disappointed. I may change my rating if I go in for something other than drinks one day.

    (3)

  • Maly S.

    Happy hour is over at 8PM here. I thought the cocktails and food was great. Love the fries. I also ordered a burger and pickles were so good. Bartender got us extra pickles and olives to share.

    (4)

  • Anthony P.

    Long story short, could not find a place to eat. Glad to have found this place. Evan, the server, made this an amazing visit - his beer recommendation was absolutely spot on - and the meat fell of the bone it was so tender. Now this is on my "must stop at" place next time I'm in Portland.

    (5)

  • Jose M.

    I got here just after 7pm for an event which happened in the back room. The place was busy, but not packed. Probably about of the tables were empty. I was trying to get a drink, but it seems like they were under-staffed. So I went to the bar to order a drink from the bartender. I met a couple of my friends at the bar too to order their drinks. I guess they're really under-staffed. I asked the bartender for a cider which I thought it's part of the happy hour menu (he said they have cider on tap). But I guess it's not. I paid my tab + tip, grab my cider, then walked back to the room to see my other friends. After about five minutes, one of the staff member approached us. He was complaining to the host about us ordering drinks from the bar. I know that maintaining that pretentious vibe in the restaurant over customer service is probably their no.1 motto. But I really don't think that's cool at all. We were there to have fun and give them business. So three advice for you: 1. Add more bartender 2. Add more staff (in general) 3. Make a better happy hour menu. If you see my profile, I don't give that many 1 star, so this is not just for the irony. (One) yellow star for you, Red Star.

    (1)

  • Derek W.

    Ehhhhhh...... Honestly if you want good happy hour check out Rock Bottom or Clark Lewis. Service and food is OK

    (2)

  • Cassie S.

    Gah! Visiting Portland and saw "tavern" so we stopped in. Didn't expect outrageous prices! Also didn't notice it was attached to a very expensive hotel. Our mistake on that one. Ordered one drink each (2 total) for $25 and left! Excellent service cool sports bar atmosphere but too expensive for what we were looking for.

    (3)

  • Dan H.

    It didn't take me too long to get back here to try the food. I hope to dive in a bit more the next time I come back. Had the House Ground Chuck Burger with fries ($5). More a slider and less of a burger. We came for happy hour so I wasn't expecting a huge plate. Burger was good. Had a nice char on it. Fries were shoe-string which is never a bad thing. Next time instead of just dipping a toe, we will get all the way in to this killer HH menu.

    (4)

  • Lin J.

    Slow and POOR service at bar THEN indifferent management response to the incident. Waited waited and waited for even acknowledgement of my presence while bartender looked like he was in slow motion. FINALLY when I ordered a well drink made tall it was delivered short. Objecting, it was then "abruptly" (w the bartender being sure to demonstrate irritation) poured into a taller glass spill in 2/3. It was then topped totally w just tonic making it a $5 glass of tonic. This "customer" will NOT be back.

    (1)

  • Jenni B.

    I met my parents here for dinner. Whenever my parents visit, they stay at the Hotel Monaco and eat frequently at Red Star. We started with beer, gin & tonic, and an appetizer of mussels. I normally do not like mussels. These ones? Fantastic. The sauce was sublime. Luckily, there is none wasted, as they brought baskets of pimento bread to soak up the dregs. Awesome! I ordered the double cut pork chops, served with buttermilk ranch-potato puree. Can't speak highly enough about the food. It was comfort food done right. Also enjoyed at the table: Brick Chicken and the 12 oz steak complete with homemade Worcestershire sauce. Only compliments and chewing were heard for the duration. We splurged and went for dessert. My parents informed me that the dessert menu changes frequently, so I won't go into detail of what we had- just know that it was the perfect end to a great meal. Service: wonderful. I mentioned earlier how my parents frequent the Red Star often. Two times during the course of our dinner, other waiters popped over to offer a cordial hello, saying it was nice to see them again. My mom said their breakfast server always remembers their names. To me, that is great service. I would absolutely recommend dinner at the Red Star Tavern. PS- not sure if this is advertised within the hotel, but guests of Hotel Monaco can charge their restaurant bill to their room. Nice feature!

    (5)

  • SGT S.

    Not worth the money for drinks. The Saint 75 ($11) was like having a mouthful of Lemonhead candy while drinking a ole shoe flavored Fresca. The bar stools were very comfy. Waitress was a lil disconnected from us. ($2) tip!

    (3)

  • M C.

    EAT AT THIS RESTAURANT. Food is farm to table and amazing. The dry aged ribeye is a must try if you like red meat. Our server Evan was super engaging and knowledgable. We will definitely be coming back to this gem!

    (5)

  • Mitch N.

    Located near the Kimpton Monaco hotel where I often stay for business, this is a great place to dine at. Much better than the typical hotel fare. This has no association with the hotel, other than the hotel having it's own entrance into the place from the rear. I really enjoy the kobe brisket for lunch or dinner. But have at times had steak and eggs for breakfast and thats also pretty well executed. There's a full bar too, though I gave up drinking recently.

    (4)

  • Adam L.

    Wouldn't accept my Canadian driver's license as valid ID. Who carries around their passport? I refuse to give my patronage because of the sheer stupidity, even though I had a $10 credit here from staying at the adjoining Hotel Monaco. I'm 24, by the way, and I don't look or dress like a minor.

    (2)

  • Tom M.

    I've been wanting to try this place for a long time and finally the opportunity arose. Very nice atmosphere with lots of wood everywhere. The dark rich type of wood. Well, it's probably been stained but it's cool anyway. The greeting was friendly and the hostess was very accommodating with a comfortable out-of-the-way table. There was a little noise upfront with a group of boisterous youngsters who just might have had a few too many. I needed peace and since the place is huge it wasn't a problem. My server was one of those rare types that is absolutely suited for this work. Genuinely friendly and... are you ready for this? A smile. After the standard amount of time, she actually came back and checked on me. Wow! We talked for awhile and she informed me that when possible, the food is locally grown and organic. I also like the fact that they are willing to accommodate the gluten-free vegetarian type if you ask them. I had the Roasted Veggies and it was absolutely delicious and the portion was generous. Along with the harissa, micro greens, carrots, cauliflower, and yams, there was a lightly fried chickpea cake that was very good. All of this rested delectably on a flavorful red sauce that was offered in larger quantity if I wanted it. I'd like to go back here on date night sometime and I recommend you do the same.

    (4)

  • Vi S.

    My boyfriend and I decided to go do Happy hour at Red Star Tavern today based on the reviews we read from Yelp. The drinks were mentioned to be very good. We sat ourselves at the bar around 5:15pm. The service was pretty quick. Our waitress was very prompt. We ordered our first round of drinks with 15min and food orders minutes later. I was satisfied with our drink orders but not completely satisfied with the HH food menu portions. We just ordered three food items of the HH list. We got the grilled focaccia, bacon wrapped jalepeno poppers and the smoked pork Caldo. Honestly, we were not impress with the taste or portion sizes. We got two bacon poppers for $5 and two small pieces of focaccia bread for $7 and a small bowl of stew for $6. I wanted to order more but decided not to based on what we already got. The stew was small and tasted bland. The focaccia bread was cold/not grilled. The bacon wrapped Jalepeno poppers was a big disappointment with just two pieces! Overall the experience was decent though at the end we were rushed out of our seats because some older ladies were thirsty for some drinks. We paid a total of $54.50 for 4 drinks and three food items! Not very happy about that!

    (3)

  • Matthew K.

    The drinks and food were good. I enjoyed bacon wrapped jalapenos, burger sliders---very distinct and enjoyable flavors brought together. The food really was wonderful. I bought these during happy hour, so the prices were fair. My biggest problem was that the restaurant and bar were not packed--I would say 3/4 filled, yet they either did not have enough waiters or bartenders. It took FOREVER to get waited on, and once drinks were ordered took FOREVER to ever receive them. Good luck getting a second drink ordered before happy hour ended, because the waitress took FOREVER to come by again, but was happy to bring me a full-priced drink if I wanted. The quality of the food and atmosphere is good, and I am tempted to try it one more time, hoping that the atrocious service I received was just a fluke (but if that is how they staff for Friday night at 7pm... I am not expecting much better...)

    (2)

  • Chris M.

    Been coming to the Red Star for years with various levels of satisfaction. However the last 2 daily seafood specials have been Heathman or Higgins quality. If they keep this up I may have a new favorite client lunch spot in downtown.

    (4)

  • Scott V.

    I've eaten here twice in my travels to Portland, and I've always been delightfully impressed with the quality of the food and service. We decided to hit it up for Valentine's Day this time around, and despite the crowds, I was amazed how the hostesses found a table for us immediately, without a reservation (and with smiles on their faces!) I was lured in by the pork shoulder, so I was happy to give it a try. I was expecting something along the lines of a whole roasted hunk of pork, but what came out looked like a giant hockey puck topped with some sort of gremolata. Undeterred, I cut into the meat and found layers of pork cuts and fat rolled together, baked to crispy perfection on the outside. It was moist and tender and caramelized on the edges. It was wonderful. For sides, we went with the roasted carrots and turnips and the chard. Both were well seasoned and cooked to a nice consistency, not mushy, but not too crisp either. My wife ordered some ice cream for dessert, and she said it was icy. (This downgraded my rating from 5 to 4 stars.) This was all downed with a few glasses of the Mt. Hood Brewing Co. MultoPorter, Government Camp, on tap. It was a great meal, and the servers were kind, attentive, and did not hurry us. We were there for over two hours.

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    Here again for dinner always love the food however the service sucks the big one! I would also point out the food is always cold!

    (1)

  • Jenny H.

    They offer a standard, higher priced entree menu but also a great menu of small dishes. I got a trio of dishes to try here which I think was a good choice. Their roasted butternut squash and cauliflower dish was fantastic!! Soft, flavorful in this light buttery , salty sauce- YUM!!! Their slider was just OK, nothing special and their house salad was pretty good. I had a bite of their hangar steak which seemed a bit tough, but my coworker loved it! I also heard great reviews about their roasted chicken.

    (4)

  • Tamara K.

    I seem to only be able to review the bars of restaurants around town because if it has a decent bar, that is where I eat! The service here can be slow at times because it gets very busy. Killer lemon drops but I ask for mine with 1/2 the sugar and no sugar on the rim. I suggest you do the same if you prefer tart to sweet. They have happy hour until 8:00, even on Friday night! Kudos to them for that!

    (4)

  • Bryan O.

    I recently visited Red Star Tavern with some family from out of town, and was very pleased with the service. It was a great culinary introduction to Portland, with a large menu impressively devoted to providing food that is grown locally and of the highest quality, as well as a decor and staff that offered both comfort and class. There was absolutely no wait, as the hostess, Amber, greeted and seated us immediately. She was quick to supply our party with several recommendations (I highly recommend the pan-fried tempeh) and made us feel welcome. Our server was quick and attentive, but never to the extent where we felt rushed, simply taken care of. 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Lauren G.

    I like this place. I've been coming off and on for years - first with family to eat a great meal and more recently with friends to sit in the bar and enjoy a nice cocktail. The service is good and food is consistent. A bit overpriced - but it's also downtown and attached to a hotel so what do you expect.

    (4)

  • Brandon C.

    I don't know what took longer: for me to decide to finally write a review after going here a couple weeks ago, or for the server to get around to offering to take our order. On the positive side, it's at a convenient location (love the area), the HH is open til 8 (that's a major plus - you never know what traffic will be like on the 26 heading back into Downtown after work), and there's a lot of different types of food to choose from off the HH menu. Upon closer look, maybe there aren't as many options as it seems. That is, unless you're into things like Truffled Popcorn and Citrus Cured Olives. I have little clue what those are, but maybe that's just me. So, we went with Whole Leaf Romaine, Shoestring fries, and 2 other things I can't exactly recall. They were pretty good, but not entirely memorable. We went on a Wednesday night, around 6, and managed to grab an open table in the bar area. The server did take our drink order shortly after we sat down, but he must have joined the witness protection program after that. We made it pretty clear we were going to order food too once we looked over the menu. We held the menu, talked about the food, and looked around to order, but that did little. If there was an "order online" option I guess it would've been quicker. After about 45 minutes, my friend literally stopped the server as he rushed by, so we could get our order in. I sat there thinking, don't they want us to order more? Larger tab = larger tip, or usually at least. After walking by often and reading the reviews, I had higher expectations. Generally I liked it enough, but it was a slight disappointment. I would go back for drinks for sure, but can't rely on this place satisfying my appetite promptly. I guess I could always snag something from a nearby food cart before I go in.

    (3)

  • Josh B.

    OMG! The bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers were the best I've ever had. The Kobe brisket fell apart with a fork it was so tender and the sweet BBQ sauce was to die for. I polished it off with the coconut Carmel cream dealio. It was out if this world. The chefs here know to bring out and create flavor! Bravo!

    (5)

  • Patrick K.

    To start off this review, I'll let you know that I'm one of the Red Star's most loyal customers, and have most likely eaten there well over 100 times, so I may be slightly biased. My love of the Red Star first started when I was working across the street, and wanted to get a burger for lunch. Like most places that I go to, I sat at the bar. From my first time there Tommy, the afternoon bartender, and I quickly hit it off, and I started to come in more often. This eventually escalated into me having dinner there about once a week after work. I fell in love with the perfectly cooked steaks, and the mouth-watering desserts. The wait staff has always been warm, welcoming, and professional. I've taken family, friends, and romantic interests out to the Red Star, and not one of them has had any complaints. And to the people complaining about how long service takes: This is a sit-down restaurant for all meals of the day. Yeah, your burger at lunch might not come out as fast as you'd like, but it'll always come out delicious! The Red Star Tavern & Roast House is always my first recommendation to anyone looking for a restaurant downtown, and I don't think that'll change any time soon!

    (5)

  • Heather H.

    Downtown happy hour that goes until 8pm! Need I say more? Probably.... The pork caldo, oh mama. The drinks? yes, please! The atmosphere, loud as hell...just keep drinking and soon you'll be screaming too.

    (4)

  • Jack H.

    The Red Star Tavern and Roast House has been great to my wife and I. We had our first day there over happy hour. Happy hour was a bit overpriced for little amounts of food, but it drinks were good and we had a good time. Then we decided we wanted to have our wedding reception here. This was the way to go. We bought out a Sunday night and had a 125 guests. The food was great. The staff was great. Every meeting that we had they took good care of us. Our reception was perfect! And they did a great job. OVERALL: Food here is really, really good. Their drink selection is really good too! The service is great every time we go. The atmosphere is classy and intimate. I highly recommend the Red Star as a place for dinner!

    (5)

  • Lindsey B.

    YUM!!! Came here for lunch at around 1:30pm. Ordered: - Mussels: they were small mussels but the sauce was so yummy! And dipping the crusty bread that came with it- I died! - Potato Cheese Soup: this was the soup of the day. No chunks in this soup- all puréed but the flavor from the bacon & cheese was good. - Fish & Chips: told the waitress that we were going to split this & it came out split up for us! How nice!! A total of 4 pieces of fish, with perfect crispy fries and delicious red cabbage coleslaw. I would go here for lunch or dinner if I was a local- for sure! The service was great and the food was delicious!

    (5)

  • Christina B.

    The Happy Hour menu here is amazing! The food on HH is, in my opinion, better than the dinner menu in taste and price. Cocktails are great- their ruby gimlet is my favorite. This is a great place to go on a date or enjoy a quiet, cozy meal with a good friend. The seats in the bar are super comfortable and service has always been good.

    (4)

  • Ursula M.

    The Red Star Tavern is located in the Hotel Monaco in downtown Portland. The hotel is a boutique hotel, and the reception area and public rooms are very attractive and the staff very helpful and friendly. The Red Star is a fairly large facility with an open hearth visible from the dining area. There are high ceilings and large windows looking out towards the street making for an airy open feeling. The staff is wonderful! They're eager to help and know the menu. The food is varied, well-thought out and delicious! The chefs have something to please everyone: meat-eaters, vegetarians, etc. They have stated specials for each night of the week, and those are featured with a 3-course menu. Last night's was delicious fried chicken. You can choose starter and the dessert is a divine home-made "S'more"! Beats the old summer-camp variety hands down! A number of fish and seafood options are offered, as well as steaks. The roasted root vegetable platter is wonderful! We returned for lunch late on a weekday. The restaurant was very quiet, but the waitress, Diane, was a bundle of energy and very friendly--a real sweetheart! I had the mac and cheese which was pricey for what you got, and a little too mild. It needed a cheddar infusion or, perhaps, some English mustard to jazz it up. My companion's HUGE burger was divine and interestingly, less expensive than the mac and cheese. WHY? We asked for the bill quickly as I had a doctor's appointment to get to. Diane was very obliging, and told me she hoped everything went well, which was just the right thing to say as I was nervous. Maybe she was my Fairy Godmother, because everything DID go well!

    (4)

  • Amber T.

    Good food on happy hour and it's a late one too! Can get crowded so show early....or late.

    (5)

  • Evelyn S.

    I wanted to give them 4 stars upon walking through the doors, however after much thought I've stuck to 3. This place is a solid A-OK kinda place. Good decor, good service, good HH menu, good food, nothing especially great. I enjoyed a Bailey's Coffee accompanied by a HH salad, HH mini burger served with shoe string fries. Everything was good and served in a timely manner by an efficient server. I wouldn't hurry back, but I'd be fine with a friend suggesting this place for HH, but not for dinner, I perused the regular menu and didn't find anything that really floated my boat, and the prices are fairly steep.

    (3)

  • Marcia K.

    Fantastic food, superb service. We were staying at the Monaco Hotel, and naturally just ate there for lunch after checking in. The service was fantastic, the food was amazing. I had entre envy - my husband had a chicken sandwich special that was out of this world. Crunch chicken with the perfect seasoning. Highly recommend this place! PS if you park in the hotel garage, and eat at Red Star, you get free parking!

    (5)

  • Cara W.

    We had Rusty as a server and he was nothing but delightful to our table. Attentive without being intrusive and gave us an amazing Pinot Noir recommendation for a delicious bottle. Food was good and the atmosphere was right if you're searching for a high end bar/grill.

    (4)

  • Kendra C.

    This has to be one of the best HH spots. The food is great and the signature drink is to die for. Their happy hour is daily from 4pm - 8pm. They have a pork soup call Caldo Verde that is great. It has a tiny bit of a kick so if you don't like a little jalapeño spice, stay away. The bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers (you only get 2) are very good also. They do have a lot of heat so beware. Mini grilled cheese with ham is good. The burger is good, but it's pretty small, almost the size of a slider. They used to have a banana pudding in small individual skillets. It was the best. I'll look for that one to come back. Regarding drinks: I've only had 2. Their signature red star and their lemon drop. Both served martini style. The Red Star keeps me coming back for more. Ask for Matt or Danny to take care of you. They are both amazing!

    (4)

  • Valerie L.

    During my week trip to Portland, there were only a few restaurants that I visited more than once....Red Star, I love you! Their happy hour menu was good, but I didn't order much from it. Recommendations: Clams and Harissa- this item was the REASON why I came back to Red Star. I got two of these both times I came! Happy Hour: 4-8pm Everyday Smoked BBQ Beef Shoulder Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers House Ground Chuck Burger The service was amazing! Our servers, Danny and Sean were great! I'm so SAD I didn't get to try their roasted goat, because eating a whole goat would be too much for just my boyfriend and I. Lol.

    (5)

  • Samantha E.

    Stopped by on a friends recommendation and was not disappointed. The happy hour menu was very well priced and had a few things to choose from. The Red Star signature cocktail and lemon drop were delicious in the sugar rimmed martini glasses. Sweet with a good kick of liquor. We also got the house ground chuck burger and fries which were very tasty. The fries seem to be the happy hour food of choice since every table had an order. The regular menu looked a bit pricey but I happy hour was great!

    (4)

  • Tamz O.

    Although this wasn't on out list of places to eat, our awesome hotel Monaco gave use some vouchers to redeem here- it's connected to the hotel. The food is great and the beers are delicious. It's also nice that we can take our food and beers back to the room. Having that option made it a great late night spot.

    (3)

  • Sam O.

    I had lunch at Red Star yesterday and ordered the dry aged ribeye medium rare. On the menu it said that it came with leek jam and blue cheese. It was a really great steak but the leek jam was kind of weird; it tastes good but the flavor is pretty strong and the steak comes with the jam spread in a thick layer over it with blue cheese sprinkled on top of it which I thought sort of overpowered the flavor of the steak so I ended up scraping most of the jam off. Maybe I should have just ordered it on the side. Anyway, good steak overall but I don't know how I feel about putting that much stuff on such an expensive piece of meat. It also came with fingerling potatoes which were delicious. The server was very attentive and helped me pick out a good beer. Also the place is generally very fancy looking and the chairs are really comfortable.

    (4)

  • Anne M.

    PRO's: seemed overstaffed and helpful when we came; seasoned HH shoestring fries were addictive. CON's: pork shoulder had no flavor, mini burger was so dry it was falling apart, HH jalapeño popper order was the smallest we've seen in town--no heat. OVERALL: good service, exceptionally mediocre food, esp. for the price.

    (2)

  • Brian G.

    I second the reviewer who said "Happy Hour Heaven." I walked past this particular location on my way back to my hotel while spending a three-day weekend in Portland. I had no plans to eat or drink here but my partner and I were drawn in by the window looking directly into their bar shelves. Their scotch selection looked tempting and we decided we would have an afternoon libation before returning to our room. The HH menu was pretty large and included a lot of different options. I had some drink that involved champagne and bitters. My partner got his scotch that he wanted, and we both snacked on oysters. The rest of their menu also looked tempting and I was extremely interested in the call-ahead days in advance meu for the slow roasted duck and pig. I'll save five-stars for the next time I return and I trust that they'll earn it.

    (4)

  • David P.

    We had a wonderful dinner at Red Star! Our server, Rusty, was knowledgeable about the menu and very attentive without being intrusive. My rib eye steak was perfectly cooked, and the other people in our party raved about the halibut. We felt well taken care of, and our out-of-town guests couldn't have been happier!

    (4)

  • Tedi D.

    Only went for the drinks but really enjoyed all our choices. The bartender and staff was extremely friendly.

    (4)

  • Melody T.

    Pretty damn good. Slim on the vegan options. I'm an omnivore, so I have no problem here - the meat is always very well-prepared, and the service is always impeccable. It is a problem that my boyfriend, who is vegan, can't find anything to eat on the menu that isn't a salad or a side dish. That having been said, I've never had an issue finding seats or reservations on Friday night, making this a good backup option if you can't find anywhere else for date night or out of town visitors.

    (4)

  • Chris R.

    We were excited to try out something 'new to us' for dinner last night. The person who seated us was really friendly and seemed so warm, I felt sure we'd made a good choice. We also had a really engaging server and the menu had tempting items all over it. On recommendation, we ordered Beef from the 'Wood Fired for two' described as a cured roast beef. It included a side dish for each of us and both the mashed potatoes and the beets were stupendously great. When the Beef came out I was pleased that it was a substantial portion of meat but surprised because one whole face of each of the pieces looked truly and completely raw. As soon as I put my piece on my plate I touched it and it truly was cold with white solid fat in the middle. My first thought was that it was a foodie preparation that I hadn't encountered before and was supposed to be raw in the middle. The outer portions were deeply crusty from the oven and delicious. A manager stopped by unexpectedly to ask how the beef was and I said I was surprised at how raw looking it was. He said that it was sous vide which was exciting for me because it was a technique I'd only seen on Top Chef. As soon as he said it was sous-vide I knew the color and texture were probably not a cause for concern but I don't think the center being cold was a good move. Also, as I understand it, the point of sous-vide cooking is to preserve a delicate texture of a protein by not exposing it to direct heat. This makes a lot of sense for a quail or salmon but who wants to preserve the texture of pot roast? And if that is the goal, why sear it so robustly that the outside is slightly charred? Lastly, I think the menu should have a better description because neither the menu nor our server left us expecting anything more complex or challenging to eat than something mom would serve! I ended up with a chewy, difficult to cut and eat piece of mostly cold beef. The reddest center piece was pretty soft and raw feeling for me even after giving sous-vide a lot of leeway in expectations for what cooked beef should look like so I worked around it. My partners piece was smaller and hence a little less rare/raw in the middle. When the manager was at our table (unrequested), he said he would go ask the chefs what the finished dish should look like because he seemed a little uncertain himself. Oddly, though he floated around the dining room the rest of the time we were there and even picked up some plates from our table, he didn't say one word to us about what, if anything, he learned from the chef. We ended our meal with a piece of lemon curd cheesecake which was beautifully prepared and I thought used good restraint in being pleasingly but not overly tart and the fruit on the side was beautiful and avoided being cloyingly sweet. The experience left us with such a mixed experience. A wonderful dining space, and a friendly welcoming staff but ultimately no follow through on a question or concern about the food. Ultimately, I hope to try it (the Tavern, not the beef) a second time and see if it comes together for us on that visit.

    (2)

  • Eric E.

    Decent food. Brought a friend the following day as we had good service and food the prior day. We discussed how surprised we were that there were a total of 7 customers in the entire establishment. Today we now understand why there were only a handful of customers on a Sunday morning. We have been to Portland several other times and had breakfast elsewhere. At every establishment they allowed us to bring in our craft coffee from a different coffee shop. When we were greeted by the hostess at The Red Star she didn't say a word about our coffee drinks that we had in our hands. We were then seated and were confronted by an employee about our "outside drinks" and that we need to put them on the floor. On the floor?! Granted, looking back we would have been fine had the hostess said something upfront but they waited to make it awkward. I asked our server if I could PAY for a couple of coffees so we could get mugs for our taboo coffees that we're getting cold at our feet. They again made a big deal about how they don't do that kind of thing but would make an exception. Oh, the food was maybe a 2 out of 5 this time too. Our whole table had a sick feeling and we left as quickly as possible. From now on I will tell my friends to avoid the "Two Star Tavern"...oops I mean The Red Star.

    (2)

  • Scott N.

    Awesome food! Tommy is great. I highly recommend sitting at the bar as tommy is a true pro and takes great care of his customers. Churizzo Hash was amazing!

    (4)

  • Rachel A.

    Breakfast! It's basic breakfast food (eggs, potatoes) kicked up a notch with interesting northwest ingredients (kale, chanterelles, lobster mushrooms, chicken sausage, rosemary).

    (4)

  • Bill K.

    Enjoyed a nice meal for New Year's Eve at Red Star. The place was very busy, so naturally service was a little slow, but no big deal. The starters were nice, but my venison was underseasoned and my date's tuna was way over salted. The desert was very nice. Nothing spectacular, but overall a nice place.

    (3)

  • Karin W.

    Bland expensive popcorn and so-so expensive drinks. The "brown butter and caramel" popcorn is probably good sometimes, but apparently if you order it near closing time and get the bottom of the barrel, you might miss out on the flavorings. Our group got 3 orders, $5 each, for a total of $15 wasted on about a dollar worth of popcorn. We should have sent it back but I guess we were too polite - I mentioned it to the waitress on the way out and she was apologetic, so that's worth something. In general the service was good. My husband's drink (called "the 1%") cost $13, a bit pricey, and too bad he thought it tasted like cough syrup. Other people liked it well enough but not $13 worth. The old-fashioned was delicious, as it should be. Others at our table seemed happy enough with their drinks. The best thing about this place was that they were able to immediately seat our party of 10 after a show at the Schnitz (it's a reasonable walk from there, and not as slammed as the Heathman bar after a show).

    (2)

  • Andrew M.

    We signed in at Mothers just a few blocks away and the wait was 45 minutes (actually not that bad for that place), but we decided to saunter up to the Red Star Tavern anyway. It was just ok, nothing worth writing home about. I had the Red Star Benny which has pork belly instead of ham, and although delicious, there wasn't that much of it. Everyone in our party thought the place was cute and very "Portland" but the small portions and lack of creativity left a bit to be desired. Three is all you get...

    (3)

  • Keith A.

    Red star was a nice and quick intermezzo while trying to decide where to go next. My friend and I stopped in here to have a beer or two while our other friends were having dinner on the way other side of town. The decor was real nice and there was a warm and old school sort of feel to it. It didn't feel like it was stuffy, but something a bit higher end at the same time. It looked like the drinks were more focused on the cocktails and liquor was more their speed rather than beer. Still, the beer selection was more than fine for what i wanted. I ordered myself some deschutes and my friends got a beer for each of them as well. The service was good and always there when we needed something. We weren't staying for long, so this review may be a bit of an injustice, but it was a good place to stop in before they closed

    (3)

  • Shane S.

    Overall good recommendation on food but dry atmosphere. Soup was great but service is marginal. More interested in socializing with co-workers then tending to customers. Maybe this different if your a local or regular but not for first timers for sure.

    (3)

  • Tara G.

    Red Star Signature Cocktail is a must have! Food was good, not outstanding but fast and tasty. Service was fast but a little absent (not a lot, just a little). You can pass on the desserts there. I had the s'more and it was just ok.

    (4)

  • Delilah K.

    Great Happy Hour. And the fact it lasts until 8, is just this side of fantastic. The decor has a classy, old school vibe that doesn't come off as snobby. The drinks were good and food is tasty. The service staff was quick to take care of us and didn't hover. Our server Matt was very professional and tolerated the gaggle of us girls and one outnumbered man with ease. Will be back again soon.

    (4)

  • Barclay B.

    Wow not sure where to start. Incredibly delicious food, very good service nice atmosphere.....just a really fun evening! Easy parking for free at the Monaco Hotel. Try the lamb shoulder for sure, black cod, the octopus all were top notch. Must check this place out.

    (5)

  • Lori A.

    Bar menu boring. Ordered wedge it lacked presentation and portion was dismal. Asked for bread (tasted like day old potato bread) no flavor. Place was buzzing, but for me it was hard to figure out why. Service was just okay. I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Sean And McKinze F.

    Went there for the first time last week for happy hour. Turned out to be a great time in an upscale-but-not-snobby urban environment. Very busy; we managed to grab a couple of chairs at the bar after standing for awhile, but I saw other people standing by the door for 15-20 minutes, waiting for a spot to open up. All these comments are about happy hour: Good beer selection; small cocktail selection, but they were tasty. Nice food selection; sizable portions. Grilled cheese was very good; spiced fries are definitely on the spicy side; ceviche was cool and crisp, but accompanying crackers left us wanting something different; braised pork shoulder was a little overcooked and slightly dry, athough at times it had that melt-in-your-mouth quality you're looking for in the dish. I think we spent around 50 bucks, including tip, and each got three drinks and split four dishes. Can't beat that value. Overall, a really positive experience and we'll likely be back. If the food was a touch better and the cocktail selection a drink or two longer, this would be five stars.

    (4)

  • Dolores G.

    We stopped in here for lunch. And while I did not particularly enjoy the choice I made for lunch (crab cakes) they were just ok. I could tell that the other stuff on the menu was good as 2 of the guys at my table raved about their burgers. Their collard greens and mac and cheese were rather good too (as i sampled from my neighbors plate, we all like to share). My crab cakes were tiny, mushy and not enough crab for what I consider a true crab cake. At $14 I expect better. Damn it, I should have gotten a burger. Had it not been raining as much as it was I would have done the mobile food court again.

    (3)

  • Laura N.

    Sorry -- two yellow stars is all I can muster up after my recent un-happy hour experience. It just, well....it was just an off day. I could tell. (At least I sure hope it was, based on all of these glowing reviews...) Being a server myself during college, I had those days -- days where no matter what you told the kitchen to prepare, what special instructions you gave to the runner, what you reminded the hostess time and time again about quadruple seating you, they all seemed to serendipitously fail. At the same time. That being said, blaming them? Reminding me that this is "so not your fault?" Just doesn't bode well with me. I'll give red star a try for dinner and perhaps a drink or two (they were indeed spendy, but from the quality of liquor and size of the portions, I'd say you get your money's worth.) But happy hour? Me thinks not.

    (2)

  • Julie M.

    Very good food. It is a little deceptive that this is classified as a $$ place when most of the entries are $25-$30. Just be aware of that. The duck breast was very good. The spaetzle was a little on the salty side but I like salty for the most part. The fried chicken 3 course meal was the best value and the dinner was large enough to share. The steak was good a little more cooked then my carnivore likes even though share asked for it cooked more to the rare side of medium rare. The ceviche appetizer was tasty along with the mussels that were huge. The sauce on the mussels were outstanding. Would return again to eat here. It is a good location for us when we stay at the Nines.

    (4)

  • Stephanie H.

    I was only in here for a drink on our way to another bar. Keeping it classy I know. its a rough life for a Vegas native who is no longer aloud to take her drink with her. The bar keep was pretty shy considering he worked at the bar but none the less was very attentive to me and my friends need for drinks and our game of 21 questions we seemed to force on him and the other bar staff working. We were able to acquire several fun facts about Portland and I look forward to coming here again.

    (4)

  • Jack C.

    Good happy hour, nice bartender and I've also had a great breakfast here. I like mojitos... a LOT. Tommy makes a good one and it's for pretty cheap during HH, a realy good deal. He's always careful to use nice fresh mint and he strains it nicely so you are not feeling like you are trying to drink a salad (can you hear me saying that, Henry's? though... you make a nice one too, just too... leafy...). Tommy is the perfect bartender... there to chat when you want, non-intrusive when you are not in the mood, great instincts for people that way. Recently, I also got to try the breakfast there. I had the chorizo hash browns with english muffin. The chorizo is house-made, as it should be for $13, but I'm not grousing, it was really worth it. The dish was really flavorful and filling. If it had been dull, flavorless, or skimpy, I'd have been none too happy, but it was none of these things and really surprised me with its tastiness. Service that morning was prompt and friendly and nobody complained that I was in the middle of my bike ride (wearing full biking gear, including bike shoes with cleats, so I walked very carefully on the wood floors, but nobody even said a single thing... nice). And then there is this one thing... something that makes this just the perfect bar for me right now... it's right by the Trimet stop. If I'm on my way to meet my wife in Beaverton (54 line), I can stop in for my "adult lemonade" with only 15 minutes before the next bus, have plenty of time for my drink and a quick chat with Tommy. Perfect. Tommy tells me they have a great wood-fired grill and that the steaks are awesome. It sure does smell enticing, I can say that for sure. I will have to try that soon and check back in.

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    I'm giving these guys stars simply because they were really nice and even though they had cashed out the register around 1am, they were nice enough to open it again for a couple of drinks for me and my friends. Thanks Red Star :))

    (4)

  • Noah R.

    Rusty (our server) is the man! He let us order sorta off menu based on some comments and pictures we found here on yelp, so ask for him if you come around :)

    (5)

  • Chris R.

    We had lunch the other day and really enjoyed it. I had the halibut fish and chips, which were awesome! The location is great as it is very near Pioneer Square and shopping. The hostess, (Amber, I think her name was) was very helpful with tips about other places in Portland to visit. Will definitely go back when I hit downtown again!

    (4)

  • Gary W.

    Happy hour is good. Nice beers. But no substitutions on food even my salad dressing. Em....dressing not hard to change.

    (4)

  • Allyson M.

    We went here on 2 separate occasions - for breakfast and dinner. Since it's attached to the Hotel Monaco, it was the most convenient place to eat. Breakfast was OK. It was overpriced for a similar meal you could get at IHOP or any roadside diner for less than the $11 they charge. Dinner was only slightly better. We were there on a Thursday night, and it was a little busy but not packed. I'm sure most patrons were there for Happy Hour and not the food. I started off with a couple of Nectar Margaritas. Oh yes... They hit the spot. As I mentioned before, it was a little busy but not packed. Therefore, I'm unsure of why it took 30 minutes for one of our friends to get her drink after she ordered it. When our meals finally came out (another 30 minutes later), mine was room temperature. Yum. Room temperature steak just hits the spot. They did get my request right - it was medium, just as I ordered it. Usually, my steak comes out well-done, so I applaud Red Star for getting that right. I read that the meal had roasted garlic, and I imagined the garlic would be perhaps sliced or diced and sprinkled on my steak. Instead, I found half of a whole roasted garlic clove on my plate. I wasn't sure if I should eat it or if it was just garnish. The potatoes I ordered on the side were OK. Nothing memorable. One of our friends we were having dinner with mentioned that the mayor of Portland was sitting right behind us. I wasn't sure if he was a local celebrity or not. Upon checking out of the hotel, my bf mentioned this to the valet. He said he was not a big fan of the mayor, and he even snickered to the other valet guy, "The mayor ate here last night." I've heard Portland is a Foodie's Paradise. I'm pretty sure this is not on the Foodie's List.

    (3)

  • Stephanie A.

    I informed the General Manager of Red Star about my experiance and I'm very pleased that he did respond and is taking action to make sure these types of experiances do not happen in the future. I will be returning to Red Star for a "fathers day" dinner re-do on July 7th and hope to write a positive review. Stay tuned.

    (3)

  • Ben J.

    Another classyish hotel bar/restaurant. Far as I can tell there are many of them and they all have about the same feel/ambiance, plus often similar food/prices. The red star isn't too much different for me. The only thing that bumps it from 3 stars to 4 for me is that it's right downtown, has a pretty good happy hour, and for those of us who don't get off in time to usually hit the many many happy hours from 4-6ish, this one runs until 8, so it allows more time to get there and enjoy, though often quite crowded especially during this time.

    (4)

  • Nick N.

    Don't expect friendly service. Attitude comes free, drinks are extremely over priced.

    (1)

  • Phil F.

    Went there for Happy Hour. Food was better than expected. I had a lettuce wedge salad and the pork shoulder. Salad was good and crisp and the dressing had just the right amount of spiciness. My wife had the Happy Hour green salad and Pork Caldo Verde, which was described as a stew but my thought it should have been described as a soup. Still she liked the Caldo. Drinks were also good - I had a stout beer (draft) and she had a gin martini. I'd say it's definitely worth going back. Service was prompt and cheerful.

    (4)

  • Joe C.

    Stopped in for a pint and a bite. I talked with the bartender for a bit- his name was Tommy, and he's really, really good at his job. Makes his own pickles, infused vodkas and bloody mary mix. We talked food for a bit too, and he suggested I try the beet salad, since it's vegan-friendly. I took him up on the offer, thinking that would be a tasty meal. Here's where things went wrong. I paid $9 for 4 slices of roasted beet, covered in a Green Goddess sauce (still have no clue what it was) and crushed pistachios. Cutesy micro green garnish. Don't get me wrong, the salad was tasty- though it definitely left me hungry. And I know this is downtown Portland, and things are pricey here- and the place looks the part (the restaurant is gorgeous). But I still think 9 bucks for a few slices of beet is ridiculous. I can go down the way to any number of places and get a better value for my dollar. With that said, I didn't try anything else. 1 beer and this salad thing, and I paid almost 17 bucks, before tip. I'll go back and try their veggie burger- still on the hunt for a really good one here in town- but my first impression was really great bartender, good selection of local beers, but pretentious food and overpriced to boot.

    (2)

  • T F.

    We were walking downtown looking for a place to eat. Went in when we saw that they had tennis on the TV. The food was delicious and the service was superb. So you may be wondering why only 3 stars... Well the switched the TV to football due to popular demand. I understand that, no problem. What I don't understand is the second TV that was turned off and could have had the Federer - Nadal match playing on it. I will try again and see the second TV is turned on.

    (3)

  • Abigail R.

    The grilled octopus is amazing, beets and greens are awesome but I guess someone got a little bit excited with salt for the steak.

    (4)

  • Bill W.

    Burger was great as was the service! Brendan is an awesome bartender and Portland has great bear!!!

    (4)

  • Albert H.

    Had a really good experience stopping in for happy hour while staying at the hotel next door. In a town of good beer, they had a nice selection from all over the west coast on tap. Cocktail list is extensive, though I get the impression that it's so extensive that some of them don't see a lot of orders. The examples we had were well made and clearly flavored. Some impressive bottles of bourbon behind the bar, too. Poutine fries were good, though not a stellar example of the dish. At least the fries were excellent and fresh. We came back later that night for dessert - the Red Star S'more, though far from traditional, was the best interpretation of that dessert I've seen anywhere. All this was at the bar - I can't speak for the rest of the place, but based on our experience, it's solid.

    (4)

  • Lynn C.

    Recommended by friends during trip to Portland, raved about Draper Chicken as the tastiest ever. Delish! Shared and still left overs. Sides of whipped potatoes and Beets & Goat Cheese. Different and scrumptious. Evan quite a attentive waiter, Aloha~

    (4)

  • Darlene A.

    I was in Portland for business when my colleague and I had dinner here, based upon a recommendation from a local resident. While I can't speak entirely for my colleague we both thought the food was fantastic. I had the Summer Vegetables...polenta and quinoa cakes served on a bed of chard and shallots, topped with smokey asparagus. The polenta cakes were the best I've ever had. I didn't expect to eat the whole thing, but it was so good I didn't bother to save room for desert. Our server was Melissa and she was fantastic. She helped with our selections and right there if we needed anything. I will definitely be back when I visit Portland next. Melissa explained that their menu changes seasonally, so I'm looking forward to seeing new vegetarian options.

    (5)

  • DeAnne E.

    I've visited better restaurants in Portland to know what it's like to feel welcome. This Seattleite will not return to this place. My friends were still sleeping and I wanted to get out of my hotel room. I wandered the streets of downtown Portland. No traffic. Sunny morning. I didn't feel like eating at a coffee shop so I walked into this restaurant. I was brought to the far back corner near the wait-staff's register. It was unsettling. I noticed plenty of customers were seated near the front of the restaurant with plenty of open seating beyond them. I sat near nobody. It felt wrong and awkward. I should have asked why I was brought to that part of the restaurant but I kept quiet. I sat down. I ordered my food. I read the local paper (Portland's equivalent to Seattle Weekly). I barely saw my server. I left disappointed. Local or not, customers should be treated the same.

    (1)

  • Jason L.

    This place was really good. My wife and I came to Portland for our honeymoon and stayed in Hotel Monaco which is affiliated with Red Star. Luckily, we were willing to spend the money for our honeymoon, otherwise I don't think we would have gone to a place that costs so much ($97 for two people). I had a pork chop which was really good. Diana had the veal which was also really good. Really what set this place apart was the service. Our server was Evan who was amazing. He was very personable and really knew everything about the food, beer, and wine he was bringing to our table. I had a pulled pork soup which was amazing and he knew which beer to pair with it to help cut the heat (hint: do not eat the Serrano pepper....). Overall, we really liked this place a lot and would definitely come again for a nice occasion if we are back in Portland. For a typical night on the town kind of dinner, I'm not sure I would be willing to spend that kind of money on a dinner.

    (4)

  • J. P.

    Food and drink at a table with service! Forget food trucks, I'm eating happy hours and Red Star was about as good as it gets. We were staying at the awesome Monaco Hotel and stopped by here twice. $5 for a small burger and fries that were delicious, $4 for pork shoulder with espresso glaze were amazing. Red Star martini was good but sweet. A nice little break if you're walking around downtown or at the riverfront!

    (4)

  • Andrew G.

    Happy Hour prices are unbeatable. Friendly bartenders and a cool atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Cris G.

    I'll start all my Portland reviews with this: I am not from Portland. Red Star was recommended by the valet at the hotel. He's a nice guy, but must make a boat load in tips because this place was expensive, at least in my book. That said, the food was worth it. I had the 14 oz ribeye and it was insane. My kid had the chicken soup, and I'd dare say that was the best chicken soup I've ever tasted. My wife had the gumbo, and it was excellent as well. The service was pleasant, and the food came out quicker than any place of this caliber that I'd ever been to. The only thing that would have made it better was not having to drop just under $100 for the three of us to have what was expected to be a casual dinner (we did have two drinks and a pint). Welcome to staying downtown.

    (4)

  • Pamela M.

    very satisfying food, i'm glad that there are veggie options a plenty

    (4)

  • Chris S.

    This is becoming one of my favorite places to visit when I'm in PDX. I think I had some steak dish the first time I was there and a really awesome braised pork shoulder the second time. It's the kind of dinner I want to have when I'm on my vacation diet. Know what I mean? Meat, and meat done right. The cocktails are up to snuff, and the service was good. Also, it has never been crowded, unlike many of the hyped places in PDX.

    (4)

  • Amy S.

    Ooookay.... Who puts 3 adults and a 6 month old baby at a TALL-ass table that seats 7 in the bar area... with nothing but bar stools to sit on... while the rest of the restaurant with tables and booths is virtually empty! Never mind not asking if we needed a high chair. I've been a hostess many times before - If you see a baby or kid, you're supposed to ASK if the customer needs a highchair! Uhmmmm where do you think a baby's supposed to sit??? oh, right! On the FLOOR!? Gimme a break. This place is attached to the hotel. It's got a nice grown-up ambiance and sleek vibe. Our waiter was nice, amicable and quick with the service - almost too damn quick. He dropped items at our table and then disappeared before asking if we needed anything else. 1. The espresso was brought with no sugar or milk. By the time I finally grabbed him, it was cold. 2. The fries (I couldn't order them until we were pretty much done with the rest of our food --- because we could never find the server!) My friends who had already eaten their food had to wait for me to GET my fries and then wait for me to EAT them. I felt like a schmuck. 3. The HIGH CHAIR! After 20 minutes, I had to flag someone down for the high chair for my friends and their baby. I will post a picture in here so you can see how ridiculous this looks with 3 grown ass adults at a tall table (we didn't ask for the bar!) on bar stools and the poor baby (who was perfectly well behaved (5 stars for baby!) was waaaay down there, on the floor, out of reach from his mommy. Dad ended up just having to hold him the entire time. The Pork Sliders - Okay. No frills. Just pork and Buns. The Burger - Okay. No frills but good. The Fries - Salty and skinny short fries - just the way I like them. The Overcast Espresso Stout is probably the only reason I would ever come back here. It was damn delicious. WORTH IT. Train your pretentious and clueless day-hostess a bit better. Thank you.

    (3)

  • Nicole F.

    Service was perfect. Waitress recommended many of our dishes and all were great - starting with a unique clams & chorizo appetizer. Enough to share with 3 people. We also tried the scallops - delicious but a bit on the small side. This restaurant does seem pricy but then there is no sales tax so that's a nice surprise at the end of the meal. (we pay 10% at restaurants in san diego) As we stayed at the Hotel Monaco which is attached, we ate our free continental breakfast here too. Not as impressed with the somewhat stale muffin, but would return for lunch or dinner.

    (4)

  • Jordan C.

    The waitress told me that she was going to bring me two desserts. I think she was calling me fat :( I JUST JOINED LA FITNESS OK?!?!?!

    (4)

  • Dave R.

    Undoubtedly the rudest, most officious staff of any establishment in the Portland area. Consider it more of an Unhappy Hour kind of place. Clearly they have enough business that they really don't care if you come back and they make it perfectly clear. Frankly, I don't care about the quality of the food and drink. Nothing there is good enough to be worth the abuse. There are literally hundreds of excellent restaurants in Portland where the waiters won't treat you like something they scraped off the bottom of their shoe in a dog park.

    (1)

  • Dave D.

    I still think that Red Star is one of the best options for downtown happy hour. It goes later than some others, and has very tasty and good portion appetizers. The place has a nice ambience, and is close to everything in the downtown business district. I also recently went there for lunch on a weekday, which was good -- it was not to busy, and the service was good for a team lunch.

    (4)

  • Honest-a-bliss R.

    We had a group of 10+ for dinner and every single comment re the staff and food were positive and an all around good dining experience (From great steaks to fantastic seafood). And, from those of you that know my germ freak-i-ness, know that the bathrooms were clean and the menus were handed to us (and not placed on our dishes). The only negative was that there wasn't enough of the chilled white wine that we had ordered (to go around) so we had to change bottles. I really should have this as a five star-er but was feeling conservative....

    (4)

  • Jessica R.

    The duck is outstanding!!!! Delicious with a capital D! My nutty woodford drink was very strong to the nose so breathing is best when finished with the sip, but a great sipping drink for sure! Loved my stay at hotel Monaco Portland!

    (5)

  • Erin L.

    Only reason I came for breakfast was for the chorizo hash and at 9am they're out??? The reason...they were really busy yesterday. Well I'm sorry but you offer 8 items on your breakfast menu & 1 hour after opening you're out of what is your signature dish?? Incredibly disappointing...I'd come back to try again but heck, they may be out so how am I to know when to return?

    (2)

  • Bartek K.

    One of the best happy hours in Portland. Food and booze included. Also one of the latest running afternoon happy hours in downtown. That being said....there's something wrong with the restaurant. I've never been able to enjoy a meal in it.. It's also way overpriced but I suppose that's common for a hotel restaurant.

    (3)

  • Tiffany H.

    Red Star Tavern and Hotel Monaco are not created equal. Service - Great Food - Not so great Chicken sandwich had a weird taste, although french fries were good

    (1)

  • Kate D.

    Went here on a Sunday for happy hour. I can't believe how many weekend happy hours there are to choose from here in Portland. At first I was unimpressed with the HH selection, but I got the Red Star martini and it was very tasty; I may be biased with my love of raspberries and the amply sugar rimmed glass. I got the...greens salad. Forgot what its called exactly, but it had cabbage and hazelnuts in it. We got sweet potato fries as well which are always a hit. Nice ambiance, not too noisy and we had a pretty hidden private table for two. It was perfect seating. I'll upgrade to 5 stars after I sample the lunch or dinner menu and service. If it meets my expectations I am looking forward to doing so. Great job Red Star!

    (5)

  • Sara G.

    Do you have one of those favorite places to go, although you never really plan on going there? And then you browse through your Yelp reviews, and realize you haven't reviewed it? That's Red Star for me. This place has skyrocketed in my opinion since they recently revamped their happy hour menu. It's from 4pm - 8pm... yes that's right, 4 hours long... and the food is really good. For $3 you get two yummy tacos, or two yummy sliders, or for $2 they have truffled popcorn, oysters, plus other tasty tidbits. They always have a daily draft microbrew for $3, and wine for $5, and a few cocktails/well drinks for $5. You can have a super classy HH for like $15, and be pleasantly tipsy at the end. The decor is fine, the clientele is always different because it's a hotel bar, but I'd say the servers are pretty damn good. You can go as casual as you want, too. Red Star is definitely one of the BF and my go-to places for happy hour. He loves, for some reason, hotel bars. And now that they've revamped the food menu, I love THIS hotel bar :-)

    (4)

  • Opal D.

    Limited menu. Mediocre food. Feels like a dressed up more expensive version of Applebees.

    (3)

  • Ben H.

    Had dinner here for a work trip after wandering the area and avoiding the bums on the street. This is one of those casual, but yet upscale-ish. The rib eye was small(10oz) but cost 26 bucks... which is a bit steep. However, the taste was good .. local beers served and service was attentive.

    (4)

  • Dave C.

    Couldnt find much decent eats in Portland, not really the culinary destination people from Portland would like you to believe, Seattle/Vancouver BC is miles beyond what Portland can boast. Food carts are drab and most restaurants have quite poor quality fare. So definitely wasnt expecting much when I stumbled here. Didn't realized they had happy hr deals goin on here that runs til 8pm til we ordered off the dinner menu. Good draft selection, while decent wines were nowhere to be found. Had a baby back rib special as well as a king salmon feature. Ribs werent pressure cooked til mush but actually slow roasted til a tender, bbq sauce was smoky and sweet, one dimensional but good. Came with a herbed creamed corn and apple fennel salad, quite good again. King salmon was seared well and had a very crispy skin, fish was done proper.. medium and a little pink, great caramalization from the roasting and not overseasoned. The natural flavours of the chinook stood out, fish came with fingerling potatoes and very crisp and garlicky wax/chinese bean mix. Appetizer crab salad was forgettable, and desert was a nice and light raspberry cake. Worth stopping by next time I'm in town.

    (4)

  • Jessi S.

    The Red Star is very popular for happy hour. We were lucky enough to find a seat. The food was very well prepared and the beer selection was great. They also have a full bar. This place is super classy and I would not have been able to eat here unless it was happy hour.

    (3)

  • Joshua S.

    Came here after staying at the Hotel Monaco for Sunday breakfast since the Brunchbox was closed (really? no brunch on Sunday? WTF?!?!). I was dressed down as per my usual and got a dirty look from an old lady in a booth but whatever it is Portland. We had to wait for them to set a table for us even though there was plently of empty tables an booths which I found awkward. The service staff was very friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. I tried the cornmeal bacon waffles which while tasty I'd probably skip on next time. I love things like cornbread but cornmeal is probably best kept out of waffles and bacon doesn't seem to make an ideal waffle topping either. Seemed weird we couldn't charge our meal to our room despite it being connected to the hotel but overall didn't really make a difference.

    (3)

  • Liz L.

    Great food and location, but our waiter was surly and inattentive. The poor service ruined the experience for us. Good food though.

    (3)

  • Caroline A.

    I have been here a few times, as when my Dad is in town its convenient for him. The rasberry cocktail is my favourite, they also have a few decent wines and micro brews. Most of the times that I have eaten here I have not been disapointed. The service is great. I would not recommend the fondue or chicken wings - neither were great. I do like their onion ring buckets though - scrumy.

    (5)

  • Patrick S.

    It's all about that Happy Hour Baby. The rest is all crap. Yeah I pretend to be professional in many of my reviews but with some places the best word to use is often one not used in a professional sounding review. A word like, CRAP, for example is most commonly associated with fecal matter, defecation, stool samples and in this case the Fancy Hotel Restaurant known as Red Star Tavern. I know what you're thinking, What could be so terrible to call this place crap?! Well first let's talk about what is good about this place and then we'll discuss the crap end of the stick after. If this place were only a bar held in a constant time of a wormhole loop repeating for the hours of Happy only then it would be the Five star Bar of the Universe. Five different fabulous $5 Martini's (or a $5 Margarita) flowing freely for four hours daily each and every day. OMG I just wet myself a little thinking about the awesomeness of that bold statement! Five Bucks for a Cosmo, Lemon Drop, Manhattan, Margarita, or the Fabuloso Red Star Signature! All made by skilled professional bartenders with quality ingredients. Served with those drinks are $3 Wine, wells and draft or bottled beers - KIRSNAPP! that was my head exploding at the extra added awesomeness of the extended cheap prices for the non hooch booze drinkers out there. Hold onto your seats folks because there are more exciting HH food items than you can swing a dead cat at! Such as spicy honey roasted nuts, truffled popcorn, crispy french fries, organic greens, romaine salad, sweet corn fritters, baked spicy crab dip, crostini jalapeño popper, french fry "nachos" AND Sliders, Tacos and Taquitos! All delicious and priced right at $3 each plate. One more bonus about this place that should be mentioned is it's Downtown locality. It's in the heart of the city at a vibrant and bustling area which is very accessible to all things Portland (well all things SW downtown Portland anyway). Now the bad part, or as earlier mentioned, the crap part of Red Star Tavern. I'm going to make this short and to the point. Service in the restaurant is an atrocity and prices are astronomical for the crap service they are offering. If I'm eating steak I want steak service. If I'm eating a hamburger then I can do with less. Sorry I'm just a cry baby when I feel cheated out of good service especially when the 18% gratuity is forced out of my pocket. It's still a great place and all, just stick with the Happy Hour and move on to your next destination for dinner. Cheers!

    (3)

  • Fatty M.

    Good staff, the food is very good. I travel to downtown Portland 6-8 times a year and I always gravitate to this establishment

    (4)

  • Maximillian M.

    Don't be fooled by it being attached to a hotel. This place is a pretty good standalone restaurant. Friendly service, good food, good local brews on tap. The blackened catfish is pretty nice. The mac n cheese was okay, but was definitely enhanced by the andouille sausage (which is very spicy, by the way). NIce, fancy, yet not too pretentious. Oh, warm bread and cloth napkins--two marks of a decent restaurant.

    (4)

  • Drunk M.

    *Update* 2/10/12 I left my original review below because I think it shows why I'm so dissapointed with them now. They have been in steady decline since sometime in early 2011. They dropped the most amazing happy hour food item in all of PDX along with most of the other good items such as the soft tacos. Their replacements are blah at best. Last week I had shortribs that were 90% fat. Still reeling from the shock of losing my Nacho Fries, soon afterward they dropped my fav beer, Laurelwood Red, and replaced it with who cares what. They're always super packed, and it used to be worth waiting for a table... not even close anymore. Oh, the crappier menu went up in price too-- $5 and $6 now, so not really that great anymore. And hell, I haven't seen Sarah in a year. At least I guess they still run happy hour to 8pm. Drunk Monkey is saddened, and not at all pleased. 6/2010: If you're looking for a great happy hour after work (or any other time, these people do happy hour 7 days a week!) then Red Star will quickly become a favorite. Not only does HH go until 8pm, but they have $3 beer and wine, a few $5 cocktails, and some tasty food items for $3. The Nacho Fries must contain crack. It may not sound that good, but it's thin fries (which I normally detest) covered in shredded pork, fresh salsa, and gravy. Classy atmosphere, uncommon HH food menu, and the most awesome server in all of Portland (Sarah). Yes, I'm biased, and yes it's still true. Only downside is sometimes it's hard to get a table in the bar area, but it's worth waiting for. I've been going here for about a year and for my money (literally!) it's the best, most comprehensive HH in downtown. Drunk Monkey is pleased!

    (2)

  • Jenny K.

    This is one of those great drink places you can rely on. I'm in love with the Red Star Signature Cocktail, a sweet fruity blend which comes with a good alcoholic kick. If there is a chance, you ought to try out all the beverages on their happy hour menu (4-8pm daily). Food-wise speaking, I really don't have any complaints either. Something as simple as the shoestring fries actually shape skinny like strings and come in a basketful, seasoned to just the right amount. They have many healthy options too such as organic salads and fresh whole leaf romaine that are tossed (or on the side) with a nice dressing . The sliders and house rolls are a bit dry, but their meat dishes like BBQ beef shoulder aren't bad. I have yet to try the seafood items on menu. Also I heard that the Mac&Cheese is very "hommie kinda good". Red Star HH is priced more expensively compared to other happy hours. It's at a convenient location a block from the Pioneer Square, associated with a hotel, and it's got a nice atmosphere for a classy date after work.

    (4)

  • Philip S.

    Quick dinner with colleague on 28 July. Great atmosphere and good food. nice Rob Roy.

    (4)

  • Jey R.

    Best happy hour in a nice, comfortable setting. 5 dollar Cosmo's YAY the happy hour food is pretty good too but I love the drinks Edit: 3/18/12 They have since removed the 5$ cosmo from happy hour :(

    (4)

  • Jen H.

    If it weren't for the fact that this was the hotel resto, I wouldn't come here. Sat at the bar, where ironically, the food came quickly and the drinks were painfully slow (I sat with an empty for 15 mins before my server asked if I wanted something else); and despite it being pretty dead that Mon night. Burger was ok, not better than that, and the wine selection was surprisingly anemic. I would definitely have expected more from a restaurant in Oregon, casual notwithstanding. Came for dinner while staying at the Monaco, and mostly because I didn't want to venture out alone into Sketchville Scarytown, which is effectively what downtown Portland turns into at night. Between being assaulted by the street crazies on my walk back from Pioneer Square just 1 hour prior, depressed by the omnipresent teenage angst that comes out at dusk, and witnessing more than one pregnant hippie chick smoking (uh, really?), I found myself wishing I had stayed at a hotel with a good restaurant. At least they had ESPN on all the TVs in the bar area.

    (3)

  • Alisa S.

    Two words: Happy Hour First, their happy hour ends late. Where in downtown Portland can you find a happy hour that lasts all the way until 7pm? Perfect if you've got a show at the Schnitz at 7pm and want to eat cheap beforehand. Second, their food menu. They've got enough on their food menu to please even the most choosy of guests. Their crab dip is delish, they offer three different kinds of sliders, and my personal favorite: the bacon-wrapped roasted jalepeno poppers. These are DESTINATION POPPERS, my friends. Third, their drink menu. Now I have to say that most places offer happy hour food and regular priced alcohol, or happy hour alcohol and regular priced food. Not so at the Red Star! Cheap lemon drops, cosmos, beer, you name it, they've got it. Awesome!! Now the one thing to WARN YOU about: the wait. This happy hour is no secret to most folks, so you have to either get there early or be mentally prepared to stand around and wait for a table. It's too bad that they don't have a little area for people to stand and do so, so people tend to congregate anywhere they can to wait, even stand inches from you sitting at your table waiting for you to finish. It's not the establishment's fault by any means that people CAN get pushy and downright rude when it means a mad dash to a table that's getting up. I would, however, scold the wait staff who become testy at the number of patrons in the place. The staff take your order, and a runner brings you your food, typically. You're lucky to get a bead on your server sometimes because it's just that busy. Still, so four stars for Red Star for being just about the best happy hour around. Thanks!!

    (4)

  • Rebecca N.

    I was there on a Saturday night and the staff was very unfriendly. That put a damper on the evening. But it's a nice place. And the prices are decent.

    (2)

  • Katie H.

    So the fries here are as good as everyone says...they do the double fry on the shoestring fries that works wonders for flavor and crispness. The happy hour here is good. They have several good sliders as well as some salad and other appetizers. My other big like of this place is that they have happy hour drinks as well as food. Yay for the $3.00 well drinks. They also let their happy hour go a little longer than a lot of other places and that is nice as well. However, the regular menu is overpriced and underwhelming. I can go to a million other Portland restaurants and get mind blowing cuisine for those prices. Think that this place is a happy hour only place for me.

    (3)

  • Megan L.

    We stayed at Hotel Monaco and ate breakfast in the lobby, which is where Red Star Tavern is located. I loved the stone mugs and hearty breakfast portions served here-- the bacon is absolutely incredible! It was quiet around 9:30am on a Saturday morning when we ate, so I'm not sure if we were early or late! But the service was quick and we loved people watching out the windows. I have heard dinner isn't as good, but I really enjoyed the breakfast. The coffee was definitely worth it!

    (4)

  • Vanessa G.

    Located in the bottom of the Kimpton Hotel this place is great! I absolutely loved the maple brined Idaho trout and my husband's steak was delicious along with the best mashed potatoes I've tasted in a restaurant. The atmosphere is nice and reminded me of a Montana lodge.

    (5)

  • Leon A.

    Well after countless (at least with my measly fingers and toes) visits to Red Star for happy hour, I finally got the chance to sit down and have a proper, I'll be it full priced, meal. Any meal that starts with roasted bone marrow has got to be good, and this meal didn't disappoint. The marrow was excellent with the pickled radishes. Spicy, sweet, savory, and bitter swimming and dancing like "Snorks" on my tongue. This was followed by a half BBQ chicken that perched on my plate along with a few cippolini onions. Said poultry was overcooked and a bit dry (anyone with a good BBQ Chicken source, please let me know), however entree time was slightly redeemed by the lovely pan sauce coating the plate. Fortunately dessert fully redeemed the meal, the apple tart was, well just that, an apple tart, and it wasn't ashamed to be extraordinary in its simplicity. While this may not sound like a four star meal, and indeed it was not (3 stars yes, 4 no). The fourth star comes due to the awesome, and late going happy hour, which i will return for week in and week out.

    (4)

  • Jefferson C.

    Stopped here on our way to check into the Nines. The Herban Farmer just felt a little complicated for a late breakfast. So, we rolled into the Red Star for late breakfast (me) and an early lunch (my husband). I had the biscuit with gravy and scrambled eggs. Tasty, but the biscuit could have been a little moister and more buttery. The saving grace was my husbands burger, perfectly cooked, fragrant and delicious. Perfectly respectable.

    (3)

  • Mike K.

    Happy Hour Heaven. This place not only has a longer-than-normal happy hour (4-8 pm), there is a better-than-normal selection, and both the food and drinks are better than what you'd expect at your run of the mill pub. Just FYI, you have to sit at the bar to get the HH menu. If you get a table in the dining area it's dinner menu only. I started with the smoked beef shoulder and a gin martini. Both were outstanding and well worth the combined price ($9). These people know how to cook and to pour. Also, the service is excellent and fast. I had to have more so I followed up with the chickpea fritters and Ninkasi IPA. These were also excellent, fast, and cheap. Great bar service...I'll be back here often.

    (5)

  • Stephanie W.

    Great happy hour menu until 8pm. We had the hushpuppies, two tacos, and sliders. All were good. I wouldn't say the best, but good enough for happy hour dining. Our waitress was very attentive, which you don't find everywhere in Portland.

    (4)

  • Paula K.

    I stay at the Hotel Monaco when I am in Portland, the Red Star is connected so I eat there often. For a hotel restaurant it's not too bad. My last visit I had a nice breakfast - Steel Cut Oats and a nice latte, the service is good and the ambiance is nice. They also have room service for the hotel and my experience has always been good.

    (3)

  • Travis O.

    Great place. I loved my steak. It was cooked perfectly. The service was perfect & friendly. Little on the pricey side. The deviled eggs are to die for.

    (4)

  • Daniel H.

    We had brunch here. It was really good. We had the short rib hash and the eggs benedict. Both were pretty good. The service was good too, although it was empty. We also had drinks here the same night. The tequila shots were huge and the happy hour food was good.

    (4)

  • Christian C.

    Red Star's happy hour is awesome and many people must agree because of the crowd that comes along with it. Dont mind the crowd though because the turn over is pretty quick. The drink list is pretty good for happy hour and all of the prices are good. When it comes to the food on the happy hour menu dont be sucked in by the sliders or tacos. Now, I am not saying that the sliders or tacos are bad, in fact they are pretty good. However, the appetizers on the happy hour menu are where it is at. The "nacho fries" are amazing and are a must for anyone. Another item I got that does not show up on the happy hour menu online was some sort of crab dip. Another must have for any attendee. I would certainly recommend Red Star to anyone.

    (4)

  • Nathan B.

    Ended up here Sunday AM when the wait for several other downtown Sunday Brunch places prooved to be just too much. Should have realized the error of my ways when we walked in to find two tables out of like, 50 occupied. The sunday brunch menu was short, selection was very limited, and prices were simply insane! $15 for hashbowns and eggs! I just couldn't do it. So my better half and I both went for the cheapst item on the menu - a $13 hamburger (!) (ordered medium). Like I said, the place was empty, but it took 30 minutes to get our food. My $4.50 orange juice was long gone by then. Coffee was never offered, and it wasn't clear that any was availalbe. Anyway, the (tiny for the price) burgers finally arrive. The GF asked for mustard, which came 15 minutes later. I must say, the fries (battered) were wonderful! However, the burgers were a disaster. Both were well done, and the meat was dry, dry, dry. The buns were cold and stale, and so tall (but no more than 3.5 inches wide) I couldn't get the damn thing in my mouth, and they crumbled to bits when I tried to squeeze the thing down to a managable height. The killer though was the fact that both were so freaking salty we couldn't eat them. We both took two bites, and that was it. Like dumping a salt shaker into your mouth! The waitress, who hadn't actually served our food, came by 10 seconds after the plates hit the table to ask how we liked the burgers. I hadn't had a chance to touch mine yet. Some time later, some other person I'd not seen yet came by as asked how we liked the burgers. So I told him. He seemed surprised, but walked away with just a "Hmmm". 5 minutes later the waitress came back and said there was a new cook, and she informed us they were not charging us for the burgers. Nice of them. But we declined the offer to order something else, because of the insane prices, because we didn't want to wait another half hour for food, and because our appetites were ruined from choking on salt. So, even though this was Sunday brunch, not dinner, and their food may usually be perfectly good, I won't be back. I did look over their regular lunch and dinner menu, but the prices were so crazy I just couldn't see ever bothering.

    (1)

  • Kathy P.

    Red Star was my induction into the land of the mighty brew pub, and I can't really say that it felt any different than sitting in a Chicago brew pub. Where is the Portland, people? My friend and I were one of three tables in the cavernous restaurant at 1:30 on a Friday afternoon, which I thought was a little strange considering the restaurant's central downtown location. I had the prixe fix lunch -- burger, fries, a dreamy cream stout, and a dense chocolate brownie -- which was delicious. The menu seemed a little pricey overall, but service was friendly and consistent.

    (3)

  • Erik M.

    Great little bites of gourmet on the happy hour menu.

    (4)

  • Gitai B.

    My husband and I came to Portland for a visit and this place was recommended by the concierge. I was really disappointed. I had mac and cheese and ahi tuna (I know, weird combination). The mac and cheese was fantastic. It was tasty and at $5.00, it was really a bargain. The portion was generous and it was cooked just right. The ahi, on the other hand, was terrible. I'm a huge fan of ahi tuna and order it at just about any opportunity. There were two small pieces, and two tiny pieces. The two tiny pieces were breaded and fried. This eliminated all the complex flavors that I love in ahi, and I might as well have been eating Chicken of the Sea. The larger pieces were lightly seared. Well, I think that was the intent. In reality, one piece was lightly seared on the outside and the other had been cooked too long. The sauce they were sitting on was also not tasty and very strong. It was like it was meant to overwhelm the flavor of the tuna. I was not happy. My husband got the cornbread and the veal. He really liked the cornbread, which was done well and served with a vinaigrette he liked. The veal was dry and oversalted, definitely not worth the high price. To summarize, stick to the appetizers. The high priced entrees are just not worth it.

    (2)

  • J T.

    I am a strong supporter of using locally-sourced organic ingredients, but I learned last night that "farm-fresh" can be taken too far... Imagine my horror when I nudged a suspicious-looking bit of something in my butter leaf lettuce wedge, only to have it unfurl its antennae and start crawling across my plate!! Yes, A SLUG CRAWLED ACROSS MY SALAD PLATE! The server was apologetic and asked me if I wanted another salad. "Uhm, no, not really!" The chef offered to put together a salad with (loose) organic greens "that can actually be washed properly" the server said. I'm no culinary genius, but I do know a simple salt water and/or vinegar rinse can get rid of any critters in my produce. If they're skipping such simple measures, it makes me wonder where else this restaurant is cutting corners. I took the proffered salad, because it was late and we were all hungry, but I carefully inspected every bite. It was a business meal, so I didn't pay, but I'm pretty certain they didn't even comp the second, critter-free, salad. I would not recommend this place!

    (1)

  • Whitney P.

    Great bar and unique menu and the grill is right between the bar and the restaurant. A warm inviting environment when coming in out of the rain. They have some good private label wine that will allow you to enjoy it rather than just have a few sips. The pork chop or whatever it's called is one of the best.

    (4)

  • Devon D.

    If you have cash to burn, Red Star has a great whiskey/scotch cocktail menu. The servers are friendly and enthusiastic, and I really dug the atmosphere. I would, however, suggest eating dinner elsewhere and wandering here for drinks.

    (4)

  • L G.

    Popcorn will never be the same. Not after trying the truffled popcorn, (not sure if it's on the regular menu)-I think of it daily. Match it with a perfectly concocted semi-dirty martini, your bestie on your right, and the buzzy streets of downtown Portland on a sunny Sunday in Autumn and you get-the stuff dreams are made of.

    (4)

  • Jessica R.

    Every year my college roommate and I meet in Portland for Christmas shopping and catching up. This past year, we met at Red Star for Sunday brunch. She appreciated the vegetarian options, and I liked the location and general ambiance of the place. It was nicer than I was expecting. Our meals (I had a scramble dish with amazing potatoes--rare, since I'm not normally a fan of potatoes with breakfast) were both excellent and satisfying. We split a creme brulee--delicious, but its presentation made it difficult to share. I'd love to come here for dinner the next time I'm downtown with a friend.

    (4)

  • Eduardo O.

    Nasty. Disappointing. Slow. The only reason I give this place 2 stars is because when I have ordered room service, the food has been good. My visit today, though, determined that this is a stupid, irresponsible and vapid restaurant. Went there for brunch and found the place to be energetic. Sat down and waited. Looked at the menu and decided to order deviled eggs and eggs benedict (the cholesterol was not worth it). It took forever! I had reached senility by the time the eggs arrived. Now, it has been the case before that I forgive a restaurant because the food is simply great. This was not the case; in fact, it was not even edible. The eggs on the tavern benedict tasted like eggs that have been sitting outside for too long and in the cold. The bottom part was even worse. IT WAS FROZEN. Yes, FROZEN. That is a joke! It took them seven decades to bring the food, and the food was FROZEN! You might as well serve me dung! At least it would be warm.... So I returned it, with a faux apology from the waiter. Next came the deviled eggs (yes, out of order. Apparently neither "fresh" nor "common sense" are things used in this joint). They were okay. Then came the newly cooked benedicts. Bland. Now, the manager delivered it, apologizing with better acting, though still not convincing, and giving us the OJ for free. Really? The OJ? So not even the eggs for free, which even Chilli's would do? What a lack of professionalism! Not to mention that the plates looked messy our first round. It had that look of when a plate with sauce goes into the microwave, and it leaves that dry halo of evaporated and exploded sauce. Nasty. It was awful. But do not let this discourage you from staying at the Monaco, The Monaco is a great hotel.

    (2)

  • Kate P.

    We had a wonderful experience! The food was fantastic and the service was oustanding. We are already looking forward to going back!

    (5)

  • kate m.

    I am sitting here darn near a food coma. My inlaws are visiting for the weekend and Red Star Tavern is connected to their hotel, so we stopped there for dinner tonight. We had a great waitress, very helpful and willing to give us lots of feedback on the menu. And we ate so well! The pork chop with the sweet potato tart and collard greens was amazing. The duck and roast chicken were also really good, especially the creamed corn that came with the duck. We also had some great deserts, flourless chocolate cake, apple creme brulee with cinamon pistachio brittle and tempura pears with goats milk sherbet and sweet basil pesto (it was good, really!) There were lots of other things that looked good on the menu, so we'll definitely make a trip back!

    (5)

  • I K.

    First time in Portland - and learned that much remains closed early Sunday morning. Lucky for us, we found Red Star open for breakfast. A little pricey, but the food is good. One tip - definitely ask for something (within reason) that's not on the menu. For example, egg whites were not listed, and they have it. Veggie fritatta was also a surprise not on the menu item. Overall, good way to start the day. Friendly staff and good coffee.

    (4)

  • Maureen K.

    hmm. well..... this location is walking distance from many hotels - this is the restaurant for Hotel Monaco, adjacent. Seems like a friendly sort of place to drop in when on a business trip.........when you don't know the city, you want to walk and you're too tired to do the research for a Great Spot. The happy hour menu is respectable, plenty of selections and cheap! Although when the food arrived it was not as tasty as the description. The chicken tacos are bland, the fritters - don't bother. The mixed drinks were mixed well. The bar waitress was surly and slow. Won't be back, ever. Kimpton Hotels is the Hotel Management company - I have been a fan for 14 years - something has gone haywire here.

    (2)

  • Dr B.

    the food here is inconsistent. They served me old, stinky fish once (in the form of fish 'n chips). I've never had a meal I loved here, so I stopped trying. I'm not sure why my boyfriend likes this place.

    (2)

  • K L.

    Spent my last night in Portland shopping until I dropped taking advantage of the NO SALES tax thing. This place is super close to Pioneer Square and is adjacent to a boutique hotel (wish I stayed here in Portland). I ate the prix fix three course meal for $40.00 which is right up my alley for my per diem while I am on business travel (cheap company - huh?). I had the king crab salad - very tasty with grapefruit segments - perfect combination of citrus with the crab, also had the beef and barley soup which was also delicious - very rich beefy broth with tender pieces of beef and barley and finished it with a Sea Bass with perfectly crispy skin it was paired with potatoes and artichokes that were very, very good. I was pleasantly surprised as I am not a huge fan of artichokes. The wines by the glass list was little pricey at around $9 and up per glass, my choice of wine for $13 was very good.

    (4)

  • Abe I.

    The food is all pretty good, but I come here specifically for the extras. The french fries, the chocolate cake and the cocktails. The french fries alone warrant a visit. If you are downtown it is nice to get a booth in the bar where drinks and appetizers will be sufficiently satisfying for the price.

    (3)

  • Seamus M.

    Great food, so-so service. Had an early dinner and while the food great the service was very scattered, not enough to scare anyone off and the wait staff was perfectly nice and polite, it was just really amatuerish for this nice of a place. Try the buffalo carpaccio, trust me on this, I am not stearing you wrong.

    (4)

  • Russell L.

    My friend just started working here as a sous chef and he gave us the royal treatment. This place is nice and classy, great decor and atmosphere. I HIGHLY recommend getting the rotisserie dry-aged american BISON steak dish. It is SIMPLY TO DIE FOR! So moist and tender.... and the flavor....joyous. I still reminisce. My friend's forte is desserts and boy can he deliver.

    (5)

  • Vanessa G.

    I hate to bring down the average on such a highly regarded yelped restaurant, but we did not have a great experience here. We didn't have reservations on a Friday night so we went in and were told it would be a 25 minute wait, which was perfect, we fortunately snagged a seat at the bar and promptly ordered gin and tonics. They were over-iced and under-ginned. Yes I just made those words up. For the next act, a little bird told us that they served flights of bourbon and we confirmed that with the bartender and he explained you get to taste four bourbons for $14. Baker's, which I have never heard of, a little heavy for my taste. Knob Creek, one of the finest mid-range whiskeys one can ever have. Basil Hayden's, I liked very much. And Booker's, my all time favorite bourbon, EVER. We were seated mid-flight, fairly quickly and packed up our cups and headed to the table. Water and bread were brought, a ton of sourdough walnut bread I was tempted to fill up on. We ordered the skillet cornbread with jalapeno pepper jelly to start, a mixed green salad and crab cakes for me, and a rotisserie sweet chicken with buttermilk "smashers" and root vegetables. First off, don't say smashers. And secondly, why is my waiter wearing a red vest, along with the other waiters? And also, why is the restaurant's name flared across the plate? I really thought this restaurant was a little too gimmicky. We took one look at the wine list and could see the mark up was beyond acceptable and decided to stick with hard alcohol. The cornbread arrived and the pepper jelly was more along the lines of jello consistency, which was very unappetizing. We scooped it off and what lay underneath was close to a corn pudding. Very disappointed with this dish, as cornbread can be heavenly if done right. My salad arrived and it was a nice mix and plenty of it, but was drowning in dressing. Next came the entrees, the crab cakes were great, nice consistency but the lemon sauce they were served in was thin and tasted so much like lemon rind, very bitter, that it ruined the crab cake completely. The only plate that was passable was the chicken, it was moist, sweet and salty, and you got an entire half chicken. The potatoes were okay and the vegetables were a tad overcooked. We ordered more drinks and took a look at the dessert menu. We opted for the tart Washington apple pie with chai ice cream. I ordered a Kentucky coffee as well. The pie was fine, wish it had been heated up a little, and the ice cream was bland. The coffee started off well but at the bottom there were a ton of coffee grinds that ruined the end of the drink for me. Overall, I kinda felt like I was just going through the motions with this one. Nothing stood out and I felt that reading over most of their dishes, there were so many elements to all of the dishes that most of the elegance was lost.

    (2)

  • Stephen C.

    I've been going to Red Star with my family since it opened, and I must say that the quality of food has gone down hill. They used to have a lot of great options and great service, but recently every time that I have been I've been disappointed with the food and annoyed by the lackluster service. I keep going because I keep hoping they will improve and regain their classic form. Hopefully they can, soon.

    (3)

  • Bren L.

    been here a couple times in the past and they are definitely consistently good. i would definitely make this a must stop for any future portland visits. we had fresh oysters, mac/cheese, shrimp cake. they were all yummy. it's more on the noisy side but still be able to chat with friends and colleagues!

    (4)

  • Cosmolicious L.

    Loved the cocktails, the service and the Happy Hour appetizers! Plus we felt all fancy pants even though we were not. The truffled fries made my mouth happy. The buffalo carpaccio and sliders made my tummy happy. The raspberry and vanilla signature Red Star martini made my head happy. Till the next morning that is...

    (5)

  • Tory M.

    Yummy! Great menu, not too loud. I want to go back!

    (5)

  • Anthro Food E.

    when you walk in, you might feel like youre walking into a four star restaurant because it seems rather pretentious, but the food is actually not that expensive...their food is so good here, the salads are satisfying just by itself! maybe not filling since its not a large portion, but it will quench your taste buds! this was the place that converted to beets and fried goat cheese salad! the entrees are scrumptious as well! the cuisine was basic, but the flavors of every dish were beyond spectacular!

    (5)

  • Anna W.

    I came here once during a date-day with my sweetie - he likes a cider they serve. We were pleasantly surprised that it was still happy hour, and we both tried their house cocktail, a fruity, vanilla confection with a sugared rim and just enough citrus to keep it refreshing and not cloying. The service was great - the waitress was absolutely lovely and struck a great balance of attentiveness and considerate privacy. (My beau and I sat on the same side in a booth, and were obviously having a particularly special night.) It was not particularly busy on a Saturday night around 8, and was softly lit, and not too loud. I found the food menu to be a bit uninspiring, but I have a number of food restrictions that can make it difficult to enjoy anything I'd like - perhaps I would have been more enthusiastic if I could have had more. I settled on the smoked fingerling potatoes with fondue sauce. It was a generous portion certainly suitable for two to share, and so irritatingly good, I could not stop eating them. The potatoes were perfectly cooked and the sauce was delicious and did not overwhelm with flavor. I can only give four stars because I feel unfamiliar with their regular menu and other drinks, but since my boyfriend is such a fan, I know we will be back. I can't wait to try their whiskey selection.

    (4)

  • Binx J.

    This place is a reminder to check places out for myself. We had a party of 15 and had a great experience. Food was fantastic. We ordered for adults and kids and everyone was beyond happy with their meals. Great cocktails and excellent beer and wine selections. And service was some of the best I've ever had. Our server was attentive but not overbearing allowing us to relax and have a great meal (shocking with 9 kids age 3-13 in tow!). Comments in reviews about food being slow seems exaggerated. If I wanted fast food (which I didn't) then don't come her. Delicious food like this should take time to prepare and it was in no way excessive. A very good evening and we would go back and recommend to all.

    (5)

  • Shawnee N.

    Great little whisky bar with a great lookin crowd. Definitely over 30, upscale Portlandnites, who want to grab a cocktail and a bite to eat. Traditional bar food, so gluten free vegetarians stay home or eat somewhere else and have a nightcap here. Nice vibe, friendly and a great pit stop before a night on the town.

    (4)

  • Matt J.

    Meh, this place was okay. I had the tavern burger, which was very good but like many of the reviews I've seen the service was lacking. Our Waiter was nice enough but he seemed to favor parts or tables in the restaurant and was barely around. I'm Not very hard to please - keep my glass full and just make sure things are alright. I probably won't come here agin. Also I noticed every table was given bread and he couldn't be bothered to drop some off for us. This whole encounter was a little more annoying because it was my wife and mines anniversary and so I hoped it'd go a little smoother and be a special evening. It was just another day at a restaurant.

    (2)

  • Josh L.

    Great place to grab a bite. I always stay in the Hotel that is attached to this restaurant so it is natural to want to come to a close restaurant that is convenient to my hotel. The food here is always pretty good and the bar area is set up to be a social place to grab a drink. I always get the brick chicken. It is very moist and flavorful. Typically it comes with squash, but I think they just changed the side to something new. I am sure it is equally delicious. I have also had the cauliflower soup. It has a very warm flavor. Good for rainy days or fall nights. It is pureed so if you like your soup thick and with more texture, you may want to go with something else. I have also had the date bread dessert, which is also delicious. I have eaten here several times for breakfast, lunch, dinner and just to have some drinks while I relax by the bar. The Red Star Tavern fits all of these needs.

    (4)

  • Chally K.

    I've been coming to this restaurant for years, but tonight they just knocked it out of the ballpark. The halibut was heavenly, as was the wine they suggested to go with it! Dessert was outstanding also. This place just never, ever disappoints. It's always on our 'must eat here' when visiting Portland. The service is excellent!

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    Never disappoints. Been going here for years and I love everything they've ever served me. Great service, fun atmosphere. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Susan C.

    Talk about a classy place to have the best burger I have ever had in Portland. Yep, The Red Star Tavern is the place to be. The atmosphere isn't bad either. I love the polished wood decor of this place. Makes it nice and cozy! Today The Tavern Burger spoke to me at lunch today. The toppings and freshly made ingredients including a freshly baked sesame seed bun caught my fancy. One of the toppings really added a zesty flavor-smokey tomato conserva. Yum and yummy! Delicious shoestring fries accompanying the burger were fantastic! Perfectly cooked and tasty!

    (5)

  • Jennifer L.

    This was the most convenient place for Sunday brunch because we were staying at the Monaco, right upstairs. There was no wait. Actually, we stood a while before being seated because no one was at the front to seat us. We weren't acknowledged until about 10 minutes later when a waiter noticed us and went to the kitchen to get the hostess. The restaurant is spacious and has a bar, so it would be a good place to come if you don't want to wait anywhere else. We ordered the brioche french toast, house made granola, chorizo hash, and a side of potatoes. The french toast had a lemon taste that's different and very good. The chorizo hash was also good. I would recommend those 2 plates. The greek yogurt for the house made granola was too warm. The fruits that came with it were refreshing though. Not bad for an on-the-whim brunch, worth a try!

    (4)

  • Fudge B.

    We first visited this place in Jan 2014. Loved it, and so did enough of Portland to make it packed with folks enjoying the food and bar. Now, well, it was empty. I made reservations for an empty restaurant in July on a Saturday night - one of the hottest days in the month too at an air conditioned restuarant! Portland gave up on this place as there was no one on Saturday night, and Sunday morning was a dead too. Yes, we went to this place on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Mainly because the meals are tasty. But....they are not worth the wait, or the $3 over the price they should be. The servers were great, but they were slowed down by a horribly slow kitchen. In addition, the menu is so pared down its embarrassing but I am sure the Chef and Owner are too aloof to recognize this problem. I don't want to be told what to eat, and that's what we got. It was a turn off. Quality-Yes, price for that quality, no way. Too bad, this is a restaurant that is taking a nose dive and clearly doesn't realize it.

    (2)

  • Rho L.

    3.5 stars for Red Star. Incidentally this was stop number 2 on our first night in portland. We had a very unimpressive with the karaoke bar (it was inside the mall) so we were hoping this might be a better experience. I wasn't impressed with their cocktails however the small bites, specifically the lamb meatballs were pretty damn good -- and I'm not a lamb fan. The vibe was a little odd that evening, extremely quiet considering it was a Thursday night. We stayed about half an hour and moved on to the next spot.

    (3)

  • Mish M.

    Oh Red Star - you really should be better than a 3-star review. Your food is good, happy hour is generous, but your service is just way too slow. Don't let the name fool you - this is no down and dirty tavern! On my most recent trip, we shared the pork wings and the gulf shrimp to start. The latter was surprisingly amazing (and wasn't actual little shrimps like I had pictured - more like a civiche-type dish). The fisherman's stew was good, husband said his burger was a little chewy (he never comments about these kinds of things, so that was odd). I went all out and ordered the panna cotta for dessert, because I'd never actually had it before. Creamy, delish! I had ordered the Salted Caramel Stout, and thought it tasted a bit off, then realized when the check came that I was given a different stout; not a huge deal, mistakes happen. But the speed of the service was unusally slow. It took about 45 minutes to get our beers, and an hour or so for the starters to come out. Perhaps they were short staffed? It wasn't full and I didn't understand what was taking so long. The whole experience took over 3 hours, which I'm usually down for, but I had an early morning the next day and needed to get home, so I ended to taking dessert to go. I'll definitely try them again and see if I hit them on an off-night, or if it's the new normal.

    (3)

  • Joe P.

    This review kicks off my series of PDX reviews after a recent trip. Let me start by saying, idk what kind of Yelp town Portland is. For example, I was looking at recent local reviews, and I saw them dominated by Daniel S. in Portland, OR. He has written 3,000 reviews, has no friends, and all his reviews are exactly the same (verbatim & 5 Stars) for every place: Close his account!!! In any case, we stopped by here after arriving at the airport, and taking the Red Line to DT Portland. Unfortunately, we couldn't figure out where the NS Line was initially. However, we were glad we stumbled upon Red Star at SW 5th Ave and Alder (adjacent to the Hotel Monaco). Red Star offers basic American fare. We ordered the split pea soup w/ ham hocks ($2 w/ sandwich, 3 cheese grilled sandwich w/ chorizo ($12), and a blue cheese bacon burger w/ fries ($13). To drink, we had a ginger dragon ($4; non-alcoholic), and a Ninsai Brewery local lager ($6). The split pea soup was excellent. It was nice and creamy, and there was plenty of ham. It was way better than Pea Soup Andersons, and was a bargain at $2 w/ the sandwich: 5 Stars. On the other hand, the grilled cheese was just OK. The crumbled chorizo did not go well w/ the sandwich. Nonetheless, the grilled cheese portion of the sandwich was good: 3 Stars. My burger was really good. There was plenty of blue cheese and bacon. In addition, it remained juicy while cooked to medium: 5 Stars. The only downside was the fries were too short. I hate eating shoestring fries one at a time: 3 Stars on the fries. Lastly, drinks were also really good. The ginger dragon (a version of ginger ale), had good ginger flavor. It was refreshing on a hot day. Likewise, the beer was nice & light, and not overfilling w/ a heavy dish like the burger and fries: Both 4 Stars. The ambiance was very nice. It had kind of a classy, Western feel to it: 4 Stars. On the other hand, the service was excellent. Our waiter (last name Lindsey) was from Waimea, on the Big Island of Hawai'i. As an aside, its funny how locals can tell one another apart. I didn't speak w/ a pidgin accent, and neither did he. However, we could both tell we were local. In any case, he was very attentive, gave us a map of the city, and showed us how to get to our hotel: 5 Stars. If I ever make it back to PDX, I will definitely drop by here to eat some good food, have a cold local beer and enjoy top notch service at this place in DTP.

    (4)

  • Stephen S.

    Brandon the bartender is fabulous. If you don't see anything on the hand-crafted cocktail menu that strikes your fancy, let him know what strikes your fancy and I'm confident that he can whip up something to delight your tastebuds. He made a mezcal cocktail for me that was perfectly balanced; outstanding. The beet salad was A-OK along with the tacos (and the price was certainly right at $5 for happy hour). Both of those items made a solid meal for me. However, the Smoked Pork Caldo left a lot to be desired. No "smoky" nor cilantro flavor to be found and the texture was just all wrong. It was mushy pulled pork in a thimble of fairly flavorless broth with overcooked potatoes. Not good (so bad I sent it back). It needs some texture ... perhaps add flash-fried kale on top for some crunch or serve with a kale cracker ... something is desperately needed to amp up that dish. I was impressed that they actually served my Willamette Valley Pinot in a real Pinot noir glass; that was showing some style and panache rarely seen. :)

    (3)

  • Conor K.

    I have only gotten happy hour in the bar, but the Dirty Birds are really freaking good. That is all.

    (4)

  • Jori M.

    I could not believe that this restaurant had a 3.5 star overall rating when I checked yelp after we went. Wayyyy underrated yelpers! The concierge at the embassy suites highly recommend it for our party of 15 (including 9 kids). We tried everything from the corn chowder (amazing) and IPA braised brisket (so delicious) to the fisherman's stew and burgers. All plates were empty at the end of the night and all plates/drinks were served by our server Evan in a timely manner. Beautiful restaurant, great food and even better service. Will certainly be back for and recommend to all.

    (5)

  • Ali L.

    I got the healthy eggs Benedict which came with roasted tomatoes (instead of English muffin), two poached eggs, and salsa verde. It also came with roasted potatoes and I asked for fruit as well. All of the fruit was fresh, and the berries tasted and appeared as if they had just been locally picked. Red Star is a pretty large place with a bar and booths as well as at least one TV. Portland has a lot of interesting, new food trends, and this happens to fit into that. They serve different coffees and teas as well.

    (4)

  • galiano s.

    I am From La ! I never been in a Place that have this chorizo the way is cook ! Tasty ! U will love it

    (5)

  • James W.

    What ever they are serving, it's a really poor substitute. I've been drinking Makers Mark for 25 years. That's not Makers.

    (1)

  • Emily H.

    Was a little salty but delicious. Excellent service.

    (4)

  • Ronald A.

    Having a good lunch. Service is a bit slow. Burger and fries looked great; my friend enjoyed it. My shrimp salad was fine; the shrimp were a bit over-cooked, but the greens were good. The smoked chicken salad looked good. Expensive. Here for a birthday; still paid for dessert. The cake was a bit dry. The ice cream was fabulous.

    (3)

  • Christine B.

    The service is great. Happy hour looks decent minus it's a lot of pork. I think it's 4-6. Bloody Mary is good.

    (3)

  • Tahlia M.

    Exceptional food and service! We sat at the bar and enjoyed the happy hour menu. We had the tacos, chicken drumsticks, beets and a rose city sour cocktail. All was perfection, our bar tender Brianna was talented and informative and provided great customer service. We will be back!!

    (5)

  • Daniel B.

    I had my first experience with red star tavern, and it was a pretty positive first visit. First the mixed drinks were very well made with lots of complex flavors working together. I tried several with friends and each one was creative and unique. The food was for happy hour was also very good, the curry chicken was very good, as well as the tavern toast. The flavors combinations created in their dishes is impressive and I found nothing I did not like. The service was good, there was a bit of confusion as in the first few minutes at least three different people came to our table to check what we wanted to drink. Which is better than nobody but was a little awkward none the less. I did like that the head bartender came to our table as well as just regular serve staff. It gave a certain special attention that was very well received. My only real complaint was the temperature around my table. I was in a corner booth against two walls and under a TV, and it was very warm. Warm to the point I feel it necessary to mention it. There was no air flow and while enjoying great food and great drinks I was uncomfortable. Lastly it's worth mentioning they were very on top of refilling the water on the table, and checking in. I was very pleased with the serve staff.

    (4)

  • Kristy F.

    Wow. The Tavern burger my husband and I split was fantastic. The smokey aioli sauce was a nice and flavorful addition that really made the burger. We ordered medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. The shoestring fries were crispy and well salted (not overly!). Our waiter was on top of everything too. We just popped in for a "lunch snack" but would definitely like to try some of the other items on the menu.

    (4)

  • Olivia T.

    Ummm... Ummmmmm.... Happy Hour at Red Star Tavern is just a big BLAH. The $3 Pork tacos were bland. The Jalapeno wrapped in Bacon was just meh...$3 for 1 piece is not a bargain. The happy hour Lemon Drop was weak and not very refreshing. I think to sum it up nicely, this place is good for happy hour if you are visiting from other cities or countries and happen to stay at hotels around the area. Unfortunately, Red Star is just not for me...there are many good happy hours in this lovely city of ours...where the food is tasty and not bland...

    (2)

  • Tres B.

    Red Star has a great vibe, its Portland style dark wood comfort. The bar is excellent and the happy hour is very solid. But having eaten here for breakfast many times as I often stay at the attached Kimpton Hotel Monaco, I am typically disappointed. The eggs are bland, the toast airy and the sausage, to me, is repugnant. And the portions are very small given the prices. The big disappoitment is this place could be so good and so busy!

    (3)

  • Sarah M.

    the only reason why i give this two stars was because it has a nice ambiance and the crab dip was good. i went with my family and we almost eat dinner cause the food looks good but EVERYTHING ELSE (besides the crab dip) WAS HORRIBLE. My sister got the sliders with cheese and tomatoes, it smelled like play dough and did not taste much better. even the bar nuts were bad. their cocktails are horrible. for the food culture Portland has, this restaurant is a depressing disappointment.

    (2)

  • Connie C.

    I was super hesitant to try this place because of 1) the reviews & 2) it was attached to my hotel - Hotel Monaco, but then I was a complete tourist and was sold from the little blurb in the elevator that spoke of their infamous skillet cornbread and wildflower honey whipped butter & root beer floats with homemade ice cream. What can I say. Thoughts of wildflower honey whipped butter & anything "homemade" make my legs grow weak. I relied on the recs of the waitress, who was very robotic and emotionless in all her motions and consistently used the phrase "Are you enjoying your _fill in the blank_?" She did give good recs though. Bread: Cutest pretzel like sourdough with fennel, corn muffin, & whipped butter sprinkled with pink granules of salt - sourdough was warm, chewy, & good. Muffin was average. Butter was really great. Salt granules added textural complexity to fluffy butter. Beer: Ran out of the blonde, so order another. I forget the name & it's not on the site. It was a light Oregon beer on tap. Good. App: Local manila clams, white wine, chorizo, cilantro - The description says it all, but that's not a bad thing. It was very solid. Can't really go wrong with any pork spiked dish. The broth was salty & spicy & perfect with the crusty bread that came with. Entree: 10oz prime beef filet medium rare, blue cheese glaze, beer battered onion rings, house made Worcestershire sauce - This is WAY better than I imagined. The waitress said it was the best steak on their menu. Crispy on the outside & melt in my mouth on the inside. The blue cheese glaze did not overpower the meat. It was a nice background flavor. I would buy that Worcestershire sauce if they bottled it. It made the whole thing complex. Only complaint was the onion ring batter was too funnel cake like for my tastes. I'd prefer a light batter if it's pairing with a steak. The sweetness of the onion worked well though. Dessert: House made pretzels in pretzel bread pudding, sweet basil whole grain mustard sauce, pale ale ice cream & coffee - I had to order the "different" thing though I've heard their choc cake is amazing. But how can you say no to pretzels, mustard, & beer! Props for creativity, but I'm not sure I would order it again nor could I eat the whole thing (partially because I already stuffed my face). The sauce was surprisingly good & the ice cream was the best part. Bottom line: I would go there again, but maybe not on my own budget...Food was very solid, service was good (though my waitress was emotionless).

    (4)

  • Jon E.

    My service has always been beyond expectations. Laid back atmosphere with knowledgeable, motivated staff. The Bartender Brianna W. was the best bartender I've ever had!

    (5)

  • Knox K.

    We took our client to dinner here one evening (party of 14) and made it an event. We ordered ahead of time (a requirement if you want the roasted pig or goat). The presentation, service and quality of food was outstanding. The wait staff was very attentive as everyone was drinking something different and no one had to wait to have their drinks refilled (water included). I love it when a wait staff is so attentive to your needs that 1) you never have to ask to have your water refilled (a pet-peeve of mine) and 2) you have to wait long periods of time between drinks (Hello, Bluehour! -- I know you're listening!). Red Star also has an excellent selection of scotch and vodka. On multiple occasions, we returned to Red Star and enjoyed a late dinner at the bar. Each time the service was of high quality (not limited to large client dinners) as well as the food. I think you will enjoy Red Star!

    (4)

  • Dawn G.

    I'm a bit late on this review as I went there back in July but was just talking about it again last week and remembered I hadn't reviewed yet. I was in Portland for 3 weeks for work and went here 3 different times... yes, that is how much I enjoyed it. I'm actually wavering between 4 or 5 I liked it that much. Anyway, so 2 of the 3 times I was there, I ordered the same thing - a filet mignon with an egg on top. Looking at the menu now, I don't see that exact same thing so now I can't remember if it was a quail egg or something special like that but I am a sucker for a fried egg on top of a piece of meat - I can't get enough protein!!! And it was delish! The first time I got it, it was perfect - cooked perfectly, so delicious. The 2nd time I got it, I think they got my plate mixed up with my friend's who ordered his medium. I'm a medium rare girl and it was definitely a little overcooked for me but still good. My friend enjoyed the medium rare though!! :) Also, their asparagus and bacon side dish is out of this world. Yummy, yummy, yummy!! The 3rd time I went there, fully prepared to get the filet again, I was tempted away by a fish special. Of course now I don't remember exactly what it was but I think it was mahi mahi with an avocado sauce or something like that. It was really great as well. Looking forward to another trip to Portland so I can go get the filet again though and that yummy asparagus and bacon side!!!

    (4)

  • Peter D.

    This is a star that has stopped shining forever. I have tried going back 2 times in 6 months. The last was the final straw. I dont know when they ceased to cook, but this was just bad. The steaks were all under or over cooked, and not just slightly. i asked for Med Well I got carbonated and black charcoal instead. My friend asked for Med Rare and he got it totally raw even after sending it back. So I think, 6 people, 5 steaks, surely one was right. Nope. Ok so maybe a bad night. i go back around thanks giving and go with my gf. We go to the restaurant and I order the filet mignon and she orders chicken. My dish was chewy and cold not to mention bland. Her chicken was so over salted to be inedible. I have never tasted anything so bad. i think that this restaurant sucks. End of discussion. no more chances. Go somewhere else where they can cook. I dont know what changed, but something did and it changed in a really bad way. Donkey!

    (1)

  • Luna P.

    Drinks, disappointing. Food, little and average. Service, don't wanna talk about it. Maybe I should try their breakfast next time and see if it's as bad.

    (2)

  • Sara S.

    By far the worst dining experience I had in Portland. I was served steel cut oatmeal that wasn't even CLOSE to being close to cooked. Instead of walnuts and dried cherries like they said it would be served with it, I was served pistachios and dried apricots (didn't say anything until they brought it out). Ummm. I then asked for mixed fruit to top my oatmeal since I was displeased with the alternative toppings. Rather than regular "oatmeal fruit" like bananas or berries, which they had on the menu, I was given melon! Finally, the rosemary potatoes were room temperature and just not good. Do NOT come here for breakfast. Bijou down the street is the best bet. I cant' even believe the Hotel Monaco would have such a disastrous restaurant in their hotel. The only redeemable quality is a nice atmosphere and good service, hence two stars.

    (2)

  • Nicole E.

    This place is much nicer than it looks from the outside - or what the name implies. I had a fresh tuna dish and my colleague a fresh scallop dish. We were both extremely impressed with our dishes. In addition, the service was great, we were never left without water and the waitress was never far away or hard to find. I'd highly recommend this place for a nice dinner out with friends or family.

    (5)

  • Kendall W.

    This is the best bar in Portland in my opinion. The bartender is awesome; great service, prompt, and helpful with food and drink choices. I took my best friend there when we were downtown, she was skeptical at first because of how fancy it looks when you walk in. First sip of the red star cocktail and I had to guard mine so she would not steal it!! Go during happy hour for good deals, but to be honest it is worth the price during non happy hour times.

    (5)

  • Jen K.

    Went to Red Star for the first time last night. Large group having drinks and appetizers at the bar to start our night out in the city. Great central location to meet and it had a large bar area. We were able to grab one of the booths in the back and then extend it out with additional tables for our group. I had the Red Star Martini (Stoli Vanil and raspberry liquer), my husband had the cucumber Martini and I sampled the Pear-fect (Grey Goose and pear puree). High marks all around. We had a couple of cute boys serve our group and they were attentive with a sense of fun. The best appetizer was the tower of perfectly seasoned fries with dipping sauce. I can't comment on dining there and I have a such a long list of other restaurants in Portland I'm dying to try, but this was a nice way to start our evening.

    (4)

  • Dusty M.

    The Mrs. and I love doing brunch here; we savor every bite, the relaxed ambiance, the beautiful decor, and superb quality service. We find great pleasure in enjoying our brunch when Tommy is tending bar and serving the lounge; Tommy anticipates our needs and provides us with exceptional customer service every time. The staff is warm and friendly and the food is always top notch.

    (5)

  • Christina C.

    Kelsy was our awesome server who made great suggestions both on food selections as well as drinks! Highly recommend the Red Star, Fall if 1820, Saint 75 and Jalapeño poppers! Delicious!!

    (5)

  • Cy K.

    I stopped in with a friend for a couple steaks. Mine was solid and he was over the moon about his (i heard best steak about 10 times that meal). The highlight for me was the candied bacon they topped by sirloin with - perfectly salty, crunchy, and sugary glazed deliciousness.

    (4)

  • Danielle M.

    We went to Red Star for lunch and hadn't been there a quite a while. The menu was considerably smaller and the prices higher. They took off all of their burgers but one - it happened to be my favorite so I didn't mind. It was a bit harder for my other friends to find something reasonably priced and not too heavy for lunch. My friend wanted a salad but didn't like the two dressings they had available so defaulted to burger- seriously there wasn't too much else. The bread came and had some kind of red crushed pepper (maybe) on it and it was spicy - something I wasn't quite expecting and didn't really care for...but I don't like spicy. We had ordered two burgers well done (no pink). We cut our burgers and both were cooked on the medium rare side. We tried to get tell our waiter but he wasn't around. We decided to eat around the pink - after all we were running out of our lunch hour. I didn't care for the bun either - it was dry and too thick. I was very disappointed as this was my favorite burger. Our waiter did return and ask how the meal was with our plates full of half eaten burger with pink meat left seaping into the bun. I almost had to laugh. Any good service staff wouldn't have had to ask. Needless to say we won't be going back. If I want a nice lunch downtown Portland Prime is the way to go and if I want a burger any food cart on 5th does a way better job by leaps and bounds. Don't go, save your money.

    (1)

  • Neal S.

    We were staying at the Hotel Monaco (a great place conveniently located), and we're too lazy to go out hunting for supper on a very rainy night. We sat at the bar for happy hour, and we're pleasantly surprised by the poutine fries, although they would have been better without the pulled pork, and the barbecue sliders and ham and gruyere sliders were excellent. Accompanied by a light green salad with just the right amount of vinaigrette, and excellent drinks. The ribs were kalbi Korean style and were a bit tough, but overall we enjoyed the ambience and service!

    (4)

  • Brie B.

    The only thing this place has going for it is its atmosphere, which is lovely. Other than that, this place is pretty lame. Happy hour menu is uninspired, bartenders tend to be snooty, and items from the regular menu are way overpriced. And don't even think about ordering a drink at this place if it isn't happy hour. On my birthday, I hit this place during a non-happy hour time and was charged NINE FRIGGIN' DOLLARS for a mimosa that had about 1 tablespoon of champagne in it. Total effin' RIP-OFF. I've never been back.

    (2)

  • Sam O.

    Had some steak here the other night, and it was pretty decent. Cooked perfectly (medium rare...on the rare side...my favorite), and the smoky flavor was pretty good too. My wife had salmon, and it was OK, nothing special. she actually wasn't a fan of the steak either, but oh well. Overall, the meal was pretty good, but for the price you can do much better in Portland.

    (3)

  • Martin P.

    My opinion of Red Star is likely biased due to my irrational love of all hotel bars, but let me start by saying Red Star is anything but your typical hotel bar. Like most Kimpton restaurants I've been to, it's a great restaurant in its own right, and comes across as a place that was designed to be a restaurant first and foremost, not as an afterthought or required amenity for the hotel to which it is attached. I've dined here probably a dozen times in the past five years, from a late Sunday morning brunch to several 'proper' dinners in the dining room with several courses, to many, many, many impromptu happy hours. And by 'impromptu', of course I mean 'secretly planned' so the GF would think it was spontaneous and not another deliberate attempt to feed my hotel bar fix. I've always been a fan of their happy hour, but it's only gotten better in the last year. The truffled popcorn is so good that we've skipped snacks at a movie in anticipation of our visit afterward. Once upon a time we'd order a single helping and come back for another after the booze settled in, but lately we've thrown out any pretense of moderation and order two helpings to start. Other HH favorites include the tacos and sliders, all varieties of which are pretty darn good, and the Manilla Julep is easily one of the top five cocktails I've had in Portland. If I have a 'complaint' about the place, it's that it's happy hour is TOO GOOD! It's too easy to order something delicious, cheap and familiar instead of spending a little extra on a potentially really remarkable meal. Past favorites include: Heirloom tomato salad, jerk-rubbed ribs, sweetbreads, and a lamb dish the details of which I'm struggling to recall right now. Take this as evidence of the tastiness of the Manilla Julep (see above) rather than a reflection of the dish itself. Finally, the atmosphere is perfect for a rainy Portland day. A vibe best-described as 'rustic' with friendly bartenders, a massive wall of whiskey, dim lighting, and the warm glow of a giant wood-fired rotisserie. Is there a more pleasant place to saddle up and have a nice strong cocktail at 5:30 on a Tuesday? In Portland, anyway, I'm really not sure...

    (4)

  • Lejla M.

    One of the rare places in the west where they serve great food, stiff drinks and children (you bring the children:). There are very few great places that figured out how to serve it all. This is one of those places. We went there late at night and enjoyed the happy hour. We sat at the bar table and we able to have great, made from scratch cocktails while a minor was seated across. I had black truffle infused popcorn- amazing. I could have those every day, at least twice a day. They were earthy, salty and fatty, but in a way that eating them left no residue of oil on your fingers. Perfect. Mac and cheese were tasty due to the high quality of Oregonian cheddar, but too runny. It is a simple meal that many places try, but few get it right. The texture is much harder to execute than it seems at first. The signature cocktail was thick, syrupy and sweet. I had the Surfer special and that was amazing. Great balance of vodka and citrus with just enough blue Hypnotic for the ocean effect. Not sure if I would have a dinner here, but would come back for the HH any time.

    (4)

  • Emily H.

    While our brunch there the day after the wedding was satisfying, my main course for my dinner at a wedding (or large group of 20) on a Saturday night was less than what I had expected. We had a selection of three entrees and I ordered the Halibut (there were only two of us of 20 who ordered it) and they were both over cooked. I was sad to discover the over cooked fish because the flavors on the plate all came together so well. I did however mention the overcooked fish to someone who worked there just so for the next time there is a group with an olive oil poached fish the cook pays attention a little more. Regardless, the cocktails were great, as were the hors d'oveurs. I was a big fan of the fried crab cake and the brie melted on toast. I was disappointed that I had an over-cooked fish for my main course because the group was paying a lot of money for this wedding celebration and the dish was not what it should have been for the money. However, it appeared that everyone else greatly enjoyed their dinners. The brunch was good. The coffee and the orange juice both tasted fresh. I had two eggs over-easy and was surprised that my dish was the least complicated and ordered first yet it came out a good 5 minutes after the rest of our groups. Even though I was disappointed at the service of brunch the food tasted fine.

    (2)

  • Holly L.

    Yum! The happy hour in the bar is from 5 to 8 and has great food and drinks for a really reasonable price. We've also eaten in the real restaurant and it was really good too! We usually stay at the Kimpton Hotel and love just wandering down, having a few cocktails and coming back without ever going outside. Clean, nice people, good service.

    (4)

  • Megan C.

    This is a great downtown after work place. Very chill atmosphere with a great bartender and fun food. It can get very busy and be a little elitist, but overall a great spot.

    (3)

  • Nora X.

    The bartender didn't know what a 'sex on the beach' was. Maybe I'm too young for this place. :) We got food as well, stuff seems a bit overpriced for the quality. I had high hopes for the mac and cheese with marscapone, but it was mediocre and disappointing. Same goes for the beet carpaccio salad just because of this overpowering creamy ranch type dressing sauce that was used in excess. Didn't love the dessert sorbet (kiwi/strawberry) either. I guess just overall a mediocre dining experience at prices that I don't think were worth it!

    (2)

  • Jeff W.

    Meh. I came here for breakfast with two of my rugby mates. Service was absolute crap - we felt practically ignored, and at 1130, the place was practically empty. After a perfunctory ordertaking, the food came out after about 20 minutes. The omelette was amazingly huge, but more of a scramble than it was an omelette because there were like 6 eggs in it and they were a little burnt. Not to mention the forgotten english muffin and burnt bacon on the top of the omelette. Disappointing overall. Pretty atmosphere, overstaffed, and poor service.

    (2)

  • Brandy J.

    When we first arrived at Red Star, there weren't too many people in the bar area, so that's where we sat. To our surprise, the place filled up quickly and was standing room only by the time we left. The service was awesome! Our waitress was extremely attentive and offered a lot of insight regarding the items on the menu. We ended up getting a pretty nice spread of food: jalapeno popper (the serving is one large popper), baked oysters (about 5 or 6 large oysters), brussel sprouts and the s'more dessert. We also tried the beer sampler. Everything tasted great and was extremely flavorful. If you have a sweet tooth, I highly recommend the s'more dessert. It's so delicious!

    (4)

  • Ken P.

    We happened into the Red Star after reading their menu from the sidewalk. We were well greeted and the staff just got better as the evening progressed. We tried the bone marrow starter and it was a taste treat. The hanger steak was perfectly cooked but the green beans were a stand out. The Mac and cheese was also well done. I had a glass of Sledge Hammer zinfandel which was second to none. Overall an excellent experience and will go back soon.

    (4)

  • Karen S.

    We had a rare night out downtown and while wandering around, came upon this spot. We were lucky enough to get there for happy hour! Tons to choose from. I had the BBQ pork sliders and was slightly disappointed in the lack of flavor. My fiance had the mac and cheese and it was fantastic! We shared an order of the jalepeno poppers, they are out of this world! Nothing like you've ever had before. The atmosphere is excellent and the service impecable.

    (4)

  • Rain C.

    You know how even when food is free, you still expect it to taste good? Well, I went to an event here and it wasn't good. Yeah, it was free, but even so ... I can make better food at home with ingredients from a box. That's not a good start, my friends.

    (2)

  • Joshua E.

    Great burger! The smokey bacon marmalade was a unique treat. Just the right accent of bleu cheese. Also had the braised short rib hash for sunday brunch. Small portion was perfect and indulgent. We well be back!

    (4)

  • Rob W.

    I'm always on the quest to find good places to throw a few back a few during happy hour. Cheap alcohol, especially in these troubled economic times (or during any economic times), is something that I'm sure we can all get behind. Enter the Red Star Tavern & Road House. It's a fancy hotel bar, or at least it tries to be. The $3 pints during happy hour, combined with a decent selection at the tap make this place a worthwhile destination if you happen to be in a 5 block radius of the place. Beyond the good buys on booze, the happy hour food is so-so: Think sliders, small tacos, french fries. While the food is certainly better than that of a lot bars serving up happy hour food, I don't find it quite as good as what you can find at other such places in the immediate downtown area. The service has generally been spot on, so no complaints there.

    (3)

  • Pam R.

    Although this restaurant is the one associated with the charming Hotel Monaco, it lacks all of the hotel's quirky and warm charm. Searching for the happy hour, we passed by the appealing looking wine tasting set up for the hotel gursts, through the Monaco's glowing, richly colored and lively lobby --- and into a cool, gloomy and dark-wood dominated space which is the Red Star Tavern & Roast House. We were a bit early and we did find some people in a dark corner of the bar near the sports TV. We struggled with the chairs which seemed too large for the space and settled in for drinks and a light meal. The happy hour drinks were the best value we have found. The Margarita was generous in flavor, proportion and size. The green salad was small but delicious with perfectly dressed micro greens and a grinding of toasted filberts. The French fries came in a charming folded waxed-paper tower in a large cup. Crisp, warm and buttery tasting, they were perfectly seasoned. The tacos were a different story. The small and thin corn tortillas were moist and slightly warm, and folded over a mush of unseasoned over-cooked meat. The beef tacos had a fresh salsa that was flavorless in one bite and scorching hot in another. The chicken tacos had a dollop of sour cream. The bad part came when I picked one up and it dripped a mysterious watery liquid over my salad and lap. It seemed that others were appreciating the burger sliders which were as tall as they were wide. We will try these next time. I would have loved to have tried one of their dishes that use the wood-fired oven but I don't think there were any on the Happy Hour menu. As we walked out, it appeared that only one oven was being started. It is a shame that they are not used more often since they impart such great flavor and can really give a restaurant distinction. The service was good and the drinks were a great value so we will overlook the sad tacos and come again.

    (3)

  • Jav V.

    Meh. Nothing special. Went here for breakfast. It's way overpriced for what it is.

    (3)

  • Stanley T.

    Fancy-Schmancy. Hoity-Toity. These terms came to mind while sitting at a booth here for lunch today. Don't get me wrong - it's really nice. Really, really nice. OK, maybe over-the-top nice. Pricey too, though not unexpectedly so. Read $12 burgers. My fried oyster BLT was $14. It was a solid 4 stars - great fries and bread and butter pickles as accompaniments. Service was a bit slow but otherwise OK.

    (4)

  • Eric S.

    I want to love you Red Star. I really do. Your atmosphere inside, service, fried potatoes, and placement next to our favorite Portland hotel - Hotel Monaco - is killer. But, sadly, this just isn't enough. I just can't look past the cold eggs (twice now), the lack of creative presentation, hobbit-sized portions, and way overpriced menu. Note: We've eaten breakfast here three times. Possibly dinner and lunch experiences are still worth exploring.

    (2)

  • M M.

    I will save you the time and energy of reading a paragraph of complaints and keep this short and sweet. There's a reason this place is called "Red Star" and that's because it barely stands up to be considered a one star restaurant. Save yourself from the disappointment and hit up Bartini instead.

    (1)

  • Rachael J.

    Just had my wedding in the Club Room and I couldn't have been happier with the experience. There is a private room in the back of the restaurant which had plenty of light and a separate bar. The space was perfect for us--we didn't want a typical ballroom which is so impersonal and liked the way the space was broken up and was decorated with great colors. I worked with Carole from Hotel Monaco to organize my event and she was great to work with and part of the reason we chose the space. She is very organized and a fun personality which is what I needed to keep me from being stressed. Set up went smoothly and the room looked gorgeous. We had our small ceremony (18 people only) followed by appetizers (we had pork kabobs, crab cakes, grilled veggies and more) and dinner (halibut, prime rib, chicken). I had the halibut which I thought was delicious. I heard the chicken was amazing as well. My mother-in-law complained about the service, but I thought our waiter and bartender did a great job taking care of everyone. After dinner we invited about 20 of our Portland friends to join us for drinks, dessert, and a live jazz duo. Even with about 40 people the room never felt crowded. We also had brunch a few times that weekend as well. Everything tasted great and was fresh, but again over priced for Portland. I guess that is just part of dining at a restaurant that is associated with a hotel? In regards to my previous review--I still feel the regular Red Star menu is limited and overpriced (upholds my previous 2 stars). But for a special event there were many more options. We were also surprised when our final bill showed we were actually under budget for the event!! I highly recommend having a special event in the Club Room for anyone who is looking for a great space with natural light and good food.

    (4)

  • Stephen B.

    I only ate breakfast here, but I ate 2 days in a row. Both were fantastic!!!!! Good coffee, too. For breakfast, I can certainly recommend.

    (3)

  • Kerri K.

    Had the denver omlett with english muffins. Unlike anything I have ever had! The orange juice is seemingly fresh squeezed and $4 glass, and worth it! Ate breakfast here 2 days in a row, so delicious!

    (5)

  • Jennilee B.

    Do not let the name fool you, this restaurant serves items like fondue, flourless chocolate cake, and tempura fried pears. And they are all amazing. This place has awesome appetizers and desserts- try the flourless chocolate cake- it's moist, dense, and ultra chocolatey. Just my kind of dessert. I'm absolutely adamant about eating in the restaurants that I've stayed in, and this one was definitely not going to be an exception. They close late, they have ample seating- and surprise- they're family friendly.

    (4)

  • John S.

    Eatting at the Bar here rocks! I have been coming up to Portland for work since March 2011 each week, and every week I grab dinner at least one night at Red Star! Monday's and Tuesday's are the best because top notch bartender Jessica is running the show! One of the best Bartenders I've ever ran into. The drinks are great and the food is good! They have a killer happy hour for both. Totally recommend this place! You gotta go!

    (5)

  • Chelsea M.

    Yikes. I stayed in the Hotel Monaco, which is a part of Red Star Tavern. Every year I stay here, and every year I eat here. Apparently there has been a change in management. No joke. I arrived on a Friday, and ate breakfast on Saturday morning. Sure, it was busy, but the limited selection and really slow ( I mean slow! ) service didn't help. Usually I'm patient with service, but this was ridiculous. Slow service, and not very good service doesn't help anyone. Ordered toast for sides, those were forgotten about, ordered eggs benedict that came out sans English muffins. When asked if they came with English muffins the answer we got was "I don't know, I think so." REALLY?! Sunday morning breakfast was worse. Apparently half the cooking staff lives in Beaverton and they decided not to show up to work that day. Our amazing waitress told this to us. I honestly felt so bad for her, every table yelling and giving her grief over something she can't control! She was very generous is offering us appetizers like cinnamon rolls, and yogurt granola. Let's just say we got to the restaurant at 10:30, and received our food at 11:40. NO JOKE. We spoke with the manager after the fact, and he comped our meal. I felt bad for him...because he probably comped every meal that breakfast rush. Maybe next time, Red Star...if there it one ;-/

    (2)

  • Scott M.

    Average breakfast and but expensive bill.

    (3)

  • Kerry H.

    Red Star is all about the happy hour. Evening happy hour runs till 8 pm and includes a great drink and food menu. We arrived not long before the end of HH (having just wandered into the place with no pretense) and our waitress informed us of the limited time and that we could order multiple items now and they'd hold the second round as long as we'd like while still getting the HH pricing. Now THAT is service! The food pretty good, from the sliders to the truffled popcorn. Didn't quite dig the hush puppies; they were cooked well, but just weren't really my taste. Tried a few cocktails and really dug on their signature Red Star. Decor is rustic but not kitschy. There is a big open fire pit where they cook which brought a nice feel. It had an overall nice vibe going on, but it seemed to be mostly the over 30 crowd there. I'm a part of that crowd, so it was fine by me. As we were staying at a nearby hotel, we decided to saunter in for HH the following day as well. It was busier and the service suffered a bit, but not bad enough to affect this rating.

    (4)

  • Evan R.

    You know this place was pretty good. I was expecting nothing so maybe the bar wasnt so high to impress me. But since we were having a night away at the Monaco and had just come back from a concert hungry and a little thirsty we popped in. Some tasty sliders and great fries at the bar and a bottle of wine hit the spot. We had great service from the bartender, granted the place was pretty empty. The only gripe is more about the random-ness of Portland Bar time and how early places close and others don't. Last call is just too early here.

    (3)

  • Petra L.

    On a dark, cold, rainy night my roommate and I found ourselves downtown about an hour before our showing of Watchmen began. Not usually ones to drink outside of the east side of the city, we were without any semblance of an idea of where to go for some pre-cinema beverages. It was cold. It was wet. We were unhappy. We picked the closest place - Red Star Tavern. Once inside we were faced with entirely unmemorable red and dark wood decor, much like a soul-less steakhouse I used to spend 70 hours of my week working in. It was an interesting combination of the middle aged white collar crowd, 30-something singles with short skirts or carefully layered button downs, and two bedraggled 23 year old girls in drenched hoodies and ratty jeans. I don't think the wait staff were excited about our presence. We parked ourselves at the bar and looked over the happy hour menu. This is where the three stars come in - the prices were actually perfect. The HH menu on their website is different than the one I'd seen, but I got nice and toasty for about $8. Their pints were $4 (for tasty beers, too! Not just a $4 Bud Light), house cocktails for $5 (a little too sweet for me, but my roommate enjoyed it), and several interesting HH snacks (vegan-friendly!) for $4. Vegetable tacos and truffled popcorn stick out in my mind, although their website also advertises house-made pretzels, balsamic-marinated vegetable kabobs, and beer-battered onion rings. The service was positively bizarre, though. There seemed to be a 15 second lag between telling the bartender something and his reaction to, or acknowledgment of, what we said. Us: "We'd like a house cocktail and a dirty vodka martini, please!" Bartender: ".........." Us: "........." Bartender: ".................." Us: ".........." Bartender: ".......yeah, okay." Whew. We thought we were going to have to offer up a song and dance in order to get served. He lacked the characteristic glassy eyes that I usually associate with such a lag time. Four stars if he'd told me what he was on. I have an angry polar bear I need to sedate.

    (3)

  • Lara G.

    I think this place is awesome! Happy hour goes from 4-8pm--daily! I have not found a place like that anywhere in Portland. The happy hour food is small but pretty filling! I love their carnitas tacos--$3 yum! Very tasty! All of their beer is only 3bucks and great selection. The atmosphere is ok...a little dull but who cares when you have a great hh menu, right? Service is a bit slow but overall, I give it a 4...not a 5 because I do find it hard to find sitting sometimes...they are constantly busy. UPDATE 6/1/11--Giving it a 2 star- I haven't been to this place in over 3 months so my husband and I decided to get some happy hour the other day. The menu has completely changed! They don't have a $3 menu anymore and everything is $4-$7 (small portions and a totally different menu). I probably will not be going back. At least the beer didn't really change, however it's now $3.50 but I wouldn't be surprised if they bump it up to $5.

    (2)

  • Rex B.

    Red Star . . . I would give a 3 1/2 stars if that was an option, but alas it is not. Interesting dining experience. I was initially kind of impressed when I made the reservation and the hostess asked if their were any special dietary considerations and this information was passed on to our server when we ordered. Hmmm that's new. Unfortunately the food was very expensive and only OK. My steak was a great cut of NY and was cooked rare like I like it, but was way, I mean waaaay too salt. That is hard to achieve for someone who salts on nearly everything. We also thought we would try bone marrow served with french bread, which is considered a delicacy by Anthony Bordaine, but seem to be surprisingly bland. Even the cracked crab deviled eggs were mediocre. How do you do you blow that? I told my wife I liked her Mom's regular old deviled eggs better. I love you Momma Carol!

    (3)

  • B. L.

    Highly recommend this place to all. This is one of my favorite places to have lunch and go here at least once a week. Tommy, the bartender is awesome and one of the best bartenders in the downtown area. Highly recommend the Caldo Verde if you like soups....this stuff is AMAZING! Have not joined them for dinner as of yet but its certainly on my bucket list.

    (5)

  • John M.

    Solid beer menu, but nothing overly special. If you're staying at the Monaco, the place is a good entry to what's available in Portland. Breakfast was more than a bit disappointing. Cold eggs and potatoe with my eggs Benedict, leaving very little about which to rave. Fantastic hotel (Monaco) but try to delve a bit deeper for your food/drink experience.

    (2)

  • C L.

    My husband and I went here over the weekend for our anniversary. The bar food was good, the bar staff was fine. Once we moved to the dinning room - I was quite impressed. Our server -( didn't get her name but she's a fellow gluten-free-er like myself) was one of the best servers I've experienced in Portland. She was so friendly, patient, and knowledgable about the menu and my dietary needs. Her recommendations for dishes were spot on. I had the lamb which was superb. The celery root mash was by far the food my taste buds thrived over most. Great place to eat - great service!

    (5)

  • Liz W.

    Highly recommend the quinoa salad. It comes with grilled kale, faro, and pumpkin seeds and is really delicious. It's also huge.

    (4)

  • Elisabeth N.

    I took my daughter here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at the level of great service we received. I ordered a burger that had bacon and blue cheese toppings and it was excellent.

    (4)

  • Courtney D.

    Four stars for Red Star It's ironic that this place is called a tavern and roast house because when you're here, it feels like you're in an upscale, sexy club with great food to boot. I've never ate dinner in the dining room because the bar itself is so hip and inviting. On my first visit, I had a mean chicken salad that was to die for. More recently, I tried their buffalo sliders and truffle fries. I still can't decide what I liked more -- the fries or the onion rings that I kept stealing off my friend's plate. This is a casual place with an upscale feel. That's hard to find, especially in the heart of downtown. Tip: They also serve a great breakfast.

    (4)

  • Jen S.

    Went here for a work happy hour. We pretty much took over half the bar area, and the staff were all just fine with that - everyone was very attentive and friendly. Probably helped that we had a couple of suits represented in our otherwise business casual presence, but whatevs. The h/h drinks were impressively strong and reasonably priced... All of this is fine and good, but the reason I will go back? Two words, people... Hush. Puppies. [Insert Homer drool.] I would venture to say they were better than Screen Door's... and I have not said that, ever. (Hush puppies are surprisingly hard to pull off. Please message me if you know of other good hp joints. They are both my Achilles heel and constant craving all at the same time.) I doubt I will ever return for a "proper" meal or even happy hour anytime soon, since it's a bit out of the way from work and home at this point. Yes, it lacks real charm or that Portland quirk we know and love, but people... Amazing. Hush. Puppies. I'm just sayin'.

    (4)

  • Bryon P.

    Place is elegantly casual and served outstanding but large mussels appetizer. They made an Absolut martini right to boot.

    (4)

  • Mike T.

    Reservations made via the concierge at The Nines. Limited menu. Lucky for us they also brought out the kids menu. I think half of the adults ordered from that. The food took forever to come out. I ordered the prime rib, medium rare. By time it came out, it was medium. I think they must grill the prime rib vs. roasting it. The kid's burger was just that...meat on a bun. No lettuce, tomato, onions, etc. I thought it was expensive for what we got. The interior was nice and clean. Service was OK, but then again, the food took forever to come out when there were only 2-3 other tables. At least they seated us...

    (2)

  • J M.

    Nice. HH is later then the rest of down town. Fries are excellent.

    (3)

  • Anthony J.

    Let's see...wood-fired brick oven, rotisserie, a smoker and a sizzling grill...I am IN. Cool spot inside the Monaco hotel. Good selection of oysters, apps, etc. Wine list featured some awesome Oregon pinots. My co-worker and I went with the lamb sirloin special, with toasted garbanzos, and a fab cumin-yogurt sauce. The portion was ample, but not coma inducing. Service was attentive and professional. I would definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Jim D.

    Stumbled upon this place while looking for a good organic restaurant in the area. What a find! The inside is really nicely done. The ambiance is warm and inviting with great lighting and a dazzling display of murals on the walls. Their menu has a great variety to please most palates. Nice selection of locally grown ingredients and organic meats. Big plus. Some things are a bit on the pricey side so be prepared. The food itself was outstanding. They cook the meats perfectly here. Good, tasty food, not spectacular, but solid. Service was a bit hit or miss. Our server was very friendly when we did see her but she often seemed to disappear completely at times. Luckily, we weren't in a rush or this review would have been sour. Overall, a good place to grab a bite. From the outside it doesn't look like much, being attached to a hotel and all. But once inside, you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you'll find.

    (4)

  • Kyan H.

    Holy sh*t this was great! I expected to be satisfied but Red Star went above and beyond. Delicious food, perfected cocktails, great service... and their happy hour cannot be beat! Not to mention any Kimpton owned restaurant is usually a treat (also try Pazzo in Portland)

    (5)

  • Lauren L.

    I don't know if it was because it was basically last call that both the bartender and server were nasty, or maybe they just had a bad day, but I would never come back here based on the service alone. I had to literally stare at the bartender as a prompt to pour us our drinks...

    (1)

  • Megan M.

    We hosted our wedding rehearsal dinner and welcome reception at the Club Room in the Red Star Tavern last month. The food was DELICIOUS and they have a good beer selection. The staff was well organized and professional and the director of catering, Carole, was fun to work with.

    (5)

  • Ann B.

    Ever have one of those nights when you feel like a VIP guest everywhere you go? We experienced that feeling in Portland all over the city, especially at this establishment. The bartenders were helpful, friendly, and efficient. The clientele at the bar was awesome; I felt like a local, which is unusual. We ordered the jalapeno poppers. They were so outstanding, we ordered a second batch! We also ordered the short ribs, which were fatty and overcooked. However, as soon as we told the bartenders, they took the order off of our bill, no problem. Loved this spot!

    (4)

  • EJ M.

    I went there after work with some coworkers for happy hour. The food was good and fairly cheap, but the portions were tiny and the service was pretty much nonexistent. The only thing I really liked about it was the length of the happy hour (till 8pm!); most places seem to end it at 6, which sucks when you get off of work at 5:30.

    (2)

  • Jackie K.

    Walking around aimlessly near our hotel looking for a steak place for my man. Didn't really know where we were, and then I saw the sign calling to me like body language from a cheap hooker down a dark alley. Neon stars and shield sign to me mean MEAT. "Shields mean meat," I say. "Let's go there." We did and it was good. We started out with delicious local alcohol. Me, some Willamette Pinot Noir, Dave with some brew. They bring us house made rolls (warm!) and some tomato-y type spread. Loved the idea, but butter would have been fine. Menu said prime rib only until 8pm, but it was about 9:30 when we got there but they still served Dave his. He said it was good, too. I had a halibut with roasted cauliflower that was delicious. We ordered salads before entrees. Those were OK. The Ceasar was way too anchovy-ish. And my little gem salad was supposed to be warm, but it was cold. Maybe there were two little gem salads on the menu? I don't know. I was travel weary and wanted food, so I ate it anyway. I did like the atmosphere there, though. Dark woods, high ceilings, nice looking staff. Had kind of a men's club feel to it. I was digging it.

    (3)

  • Phil B.

    4.5-Star happy hour. Great beers on tap for $3 bucks each is a downtown steal, especially since HH goes until 8pm. HH food is maybe 3 stars, at least it's inexpensive. I liked the jalapeno fritters, a totally white-trash fried food that tastes good with beer. Fries were good too if you're looking to supplement yourself with some additional empty calories. Had a little romaine salad that I liked. I watched the grill chef in the open kitchen for a while, it looked like he knew what he was doing back there, maybe when I have a few bucks I'll come back for some steak.

    (4)

  • Roche H.

    Good atmosphere, stand by service, stiff drinks. The pork shoulder with pickled peppers was superb. Thank you! Just what I needed a few hours after a dinner.

    (5)

  • Scott N.

    Maybe it was because my expectations were set low, but this place flat out rocked my boat! Some of the tastiest, well paired and well presented food I've ever had. Shared the brisket and filet mignon. Cocktails were also very well made. Will be recommending and returning to red star!

    (5)

  • J G.

    Great happy hour prices and menu. I had the BBQ beef sliders and jalepeno poppers. Great Oregon beer selection on draft at 3.50 a pint great deal. One draw back was that the poppers were a bit cold. Cool atmosphere

    (4)

  • Melissa E.

    Ate here for breakfast, and it was alright. I had heard so much about their food, especially the yummy breakfasts, but wasn't hugely impressed with the selection or the quality. I left full and happy, but sorta wanted more out of the experience.

    (3)

  • Kintaro O.

    I wanted to like this place. It's connected to the Kimpton Hotel Monaco and the Kimpton Hotel chain (on top of being a very good client of mine) has some of the finest boutique hotels in the Americas. I try never to judge a restaurant on what might possibly be the worst night of its existance; I always visit a place at least twice (and never in the same day) before writing a review. So, both times I ate at Red Star, I wished I hadn't been so lazy and walked a few blocks to any of the finer restaurants in the area. I was staying in the hotel, so it was convenient. But that convenience comes at a hefty price (both in money and quality). First night, I was put off by how limited their menu was. I tried to see the bright side: They probably buy their supplies fresh and keep limited stocks on hand. I could see the merit in that. I tried their rack of lamb with a side of asparagus. I was rubbing my palms in anticipation. This was going to be awesome, I just knew it... My Bombay Sapphire martini, served dirty and with two olives arrived immediately. That further brought my hopes up. They do know how to make a good, stiff gin martini here. Then the lamb arrived and something wasn't quite right. The solidified blobs of grease on the cold plate didn't bode well. I sliced into the rack and despite having ordered it medium, it was just about as rare as you could get it without having the wooly little creature still dancing about. Sent the dish back to have a little fire thrown under it. The asparagus was decent, and I just about finished it off by the time the lamb made it back. Bollocks. What a transformation. The bones were so scorched that they crumbled into black ash and soot as I held on to them. The meat was blackened and thoroughly nuked into a sizzling mass of leather. A single bite was enough to convince me that there was nothing left on this carcass that was fit for human consumption. That lamb died in vain. A few nights passed and I thought I'd give it another shot before flying back home. I tried the Giant Scallop appetizer at the recommendation of my client. Yes, they were pretty good. But $15 for two dwarf-Giant Scallops (about the size of a half-dollar and less than an inch thick)? It should be more than "pretty good." At $7.50 a bite, they should be phenomenal and make me 6" inches taller and magically bestow me with a wicked jumpshot so I could pursue a career in the NBA. My main course arrived and this must have been the most anemic salmon that ever fought its way up the river to spawn. It was pale, dry and completely flavourless. Strike two. There shall not be a third. There are some redeeming qualities to this place (good drinks, good appetizers, clean and centrally located), but I'd much rather use it as a pub to have a few drinks with me mates instead of looking for a serious meal. Hope you fare better than I did.

    (2)

  • Val I.

    When I saw the sign "Roast House" I was expecting carmelized, melt in your mouth MEAT!!! I ordered the roasted chicken and my BF ordered the flat iron steak, it was not the greatest... the steak tasted like gas..... and the chicken tasted like something you could get at Denny's.... the staff was nice but she kept forgetting to refill our drinks and took forever to check up on us. Not the best place to go when in Portland, Oregon....

    (3)

  • Mishel F.

    This review is for breakfast only. We stayed at the Hotel Monaco recently and decided to check out Red Star for breakfast. Boy, were we ever disappointed. In Portland, where local, organic and quality ingredients are practically a rite of passage - we learned that Red Star can't even afford free-range eggs (the chef explained as they're 3x the cost of conventional they won't use them (?!)... you can get good eggs pretty much anywhere, I was shocked. They serve Caffe Vita but their wait staff needs to be trained on how to pull a proper espresso - Vita are some of the best beans on the planet yet our espresso drinks were bitter and watery. In the middle of summer, with a wealth of local berries to choose from and our fruit plate was an uninspiring, watery canteloupe and honeydew - yuck. Absolutely nothing special about this place, and do yourself a favor and walk 2 blocks to Mother's for an extremely tasty breakfast.

    (1)

  • Kristen W.

    Becky C. and I stopped in for drinks to kill some time on a rainy Portland afternoon, and I just loved the atmosphere here. The bar area is warm and cozy, perfect for a gloomy day. The drinks were strong and we had great, attentive service the whole afternoon, in spite of the fact that we never got around to ordering food (although we probably should have). Even the non-happy hour prices were pretty reasonable (by DC standards at least). I'd definitely come back for dinner next time I'm in town.

    (4)

  • Jacob B.

    We went for brunch - the restaurant looked very nice inside and had quite a few guests, so we thought it woudl be a good experience. First, we noticed he server was too new and didn't know the menu well. I asked for tarter sauce with my fries, and he said that they don't have that out for lunch and the cooks won't get it. So much for customer service right? I ordered my burger extra well done. It came very rare, and it was sent back. My partner ordered a mango-chicken sandwhich, and it came without the mango relish. The server didn't know how the sandwhich should be prepared. The hostess then agreed the sandwhich was made wrong and took it back. My burger than came out again, but it had lettuce and tomato on it, and I ordered it without it, so it went back again. A manager came over - wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and appologized and offered to pay for one sandwhich. We finally got everything right - our lunch dinning experience lasted well over an hour.

    (2)

  • Jason B.

    We swung in here to grab a drink on the way to another bar (I know, I know.) and ordered some of the jalapeno poppers. The waitress asked if we liked hot things, because these were she said, and I said of course! Well, there's hot, and then there's excruciating! Those poppers are vicious and almost unenjoyable. Nice little bar though, I'd return for drinks.

    (3)

  • Jeff W.

    I sat outside, and enjoyed a high level of service plus excellent food. Like the other comments here, the interior inside looked quite intense - but outside it was a little more chill. I enjoyed a small lunch portion beef fillet, cup of soup, and an Oregon pale ale. A nice surprise was some tasty bread. Bring or meet a friend outside on a nice summer day, otherwise you can probably find a better value elsewhere. But the location is great!

    (4)

  • AJ R.

    We went there for an early dinner/happy hour before a concert. At 5:00 there was only one table open in the bar and the bar remained full while the formal dining area remained nearly empty while we were there, until 6:30. We tried several items from the happy hour menu, which is pretty well priced. The house red wine was a pretty nice tasting cabernet from California, only $4.00. We like the items we tried, but none were really standouts, either in a positive or negative way. We also tried a couple starters from the dining menu (mussels and ceviche) and they get passing, but not outstanding grades from us. We last ate here about 5 years ago, and I wouldn't say we were more or less pleased with the food now or then. Some time we'll return outside of happy hour and check out the large plate menu, which looked like it might have a couple items worth trying.

    (3)

  • Jessica H.

    This place has earned the distinction of being the nail in the coffin, convincing me of just how awesome Portland, its food scene, and its happy hours are. Stopping in on a Saturday during the waning minutes of its extended happy hour (until 8?!), we were kind of looking for a meal but ended up going with the happy hour menu, which apparently one must sit in the tavern area to be served from. We ended up ordering a total of 4 plates off the HH menu, plus our drinks. Each item was oh-so-delicious! I couldn't get enough of the incredibly flavorful Cornmeal Papusas, and the Chickpea Fritters and Ham and Brie Sliders were mouthwatering as well. Based on the well-rounded offerings on the somewhat limited happy hour menu, I would absolutely not hesitate to stop in for dinner the next time I'm in town, as I'm sure the selections are equally amazing.

    (4)

  • L H.

    We had a 7:00 reservation. We were seated at 7:20. It is now 7:40 and the staff has not been by to take our order. Not acceptable! We left and found a great dinner served in a timely manner at Pazzo. The better Kimpton restaurant in Portland.

    (1)

  • Tanna P.

    I had Crappy and Rude service in the bar the last two times I was there and we had the same waiter both times. I won't go back because apparently I get the same guy and same crappy service. I'm using the word "crappy" to be nice. The only thing I may have done wrong was go for happy hour, does this make me a mean person? I am a very nice and respectful patron and I tip real well, at least 20% if not more every time. This place used to be one of my favorites but I will not go back. I am giving two stars because I LOVE the food.

    (2)

  • Anne R.

    Repeat visitor! Awesome food. I'm a sucker for Happy Hour since we don't have it in Canada, and Red Star does it well. Always seemed packed, and if you can't find a seat you can't enjoy the specials. Get the Jalepeno Poppers. Great value for every menu item (I think we tried everything on the menu during our 4 night stay!), nice bartenders if you sit at the bar, friendly patrons happy to chat with anyone in elbow distance. Will be back!

    (4)

  • Mary B.

    awesome happy hour and really great service!!! Mussels were amazing

    (5)

  • Gina G.

    We caused quite a scene here, which the memory I will hold fondly forever. Good times! Sure does make a difference when you have great company and alcohol, doesn't it? Didn't eat in the actual restaurant, but certainly ordered room service, which came from the restaurant and was good! But had to ask about the alligator and "thangs" on the menu because it didn't make sense. Turns out the chef is from New Orleans, but we stuck to basics like the cheese plate, which wasn't bad. OK, back to the point. Keep in mind this place is connected to The Hotel Monaco and our room was being cleaned. So we decided to go and have ONE drink at the bar, which turned into maybe 5 and well, we just had a lot of things to talk and laugh and be loud about. Not everyone shared our joyous drinking, which only made the experience that much more fun(ny). The actual restaurant looks lovely and the menu was extensive. Not sure I would go to eat here if I wasn't staying at the hotel, but could perhaps return to the bar for more laughs.

    (4)

  • D D.

    Happen to stumble across this place on a trip to Portland. LOVED the bacon marmalade and blue cheese on the Red Star Burger. Definitely one of the best burgers I've had in a long time!

    (4)

  • Sean K.

    Stopped in for dinner. The Red Star has a nice relaxed upscale style. I had the deviled eggs which were fantastic. However it should have been called the deviled egg, just one egg. Very tasty though. The caesar salad, was a good. I had the chicken as well, and enjoyed it. Service was perfect.

    (3)

  • Myra W.

    The happy hour food and prices are great! It is not a standard tavern, It has a clean, upper class feel.

    (5)

  • Danielle R.

    The group I dined with and I seemed to have missed the patron provided entertainment that others have had the experience of, however, we were pleased the restaurant was so conveniently attached to the hotel we were staying in. The menu presents a seriously hearty perspective on American regional cuisine. I am impressed with places that will include wild boar, buffalo and venison. I thoroughly enjoyed the grilled ahi with oxtail - sounded odd, but I just had to try it. The charred radicchio was interesting - served with a pear sauce of sorts. I think it might be a bit better if the radicchio was between grilled and charred as the char flavor really overwhelms the other great flavors. Another at our table enjoyed the wild board ribs - quite tasty! Lively setting, imaginably a great happy hour spot. Vast cocktail and spirits menu, and a good wine list with ample selections by the glass.

    (4)

  • Dan G.

    After a less than pleasant evening, my hopes were high that the night could yet be saved. But a small menu of overpriced food dashed those hopes. When the "middle course" came out, which I thought would be enough because we'd already snacked elsewhere, I was shocked at how small the serving was. Seriously, the night was not saved and the end was just exceedingly disappointing.

    (1)

  • Matt T.

    A tad UNDERwhelmed for dinner, especially considering this restaurant was recently featured in the New York Times, but was very pleased with brunch. Dinner began with some pretty standard cornbread followed by a tasty salad. Dinner was chicked served over gorgonzola mashed potatoes and glazed vegetables. Good, not oustanding. Friendly service and props for getting out party of 6 sat on a Saturday night with no wait. Brunch rocked. Powdered doughnuts with some sort of jammy red fruit topping, Challah french toast with a pinot-noir based syrup was do die..although I never know why this type of french toast is so often served solo- a bit of fruit would have been a nice addition. The cheese grits were among the best I've ever had. Also, our amazing, hillarious, gracious awesome server brought us out some ginger cotton candy on the house, which was very cotton-candyey and not very gingery, but interesting and FUN nonetheless. Word.

    (4)

  • Tin-Tin M.

    I was a little disappointed with the burger and fries here. Also, the hush puppies were dry and sucked all the moisture from my mouth. I also ordered room service (supposedly from Red Star Tavern) when I stayed at the adjacent hotel and the chocolate fondue they gave me tasted like hot Hershey's syrup. The grilled cheese I got through room service (served on a Red Star plate) was greasy and slightly cold. The food was a little disappointing, but service inside the restaurant was prompt and friendly and they also served me tea with a really cute tea set.

    (2)

  • Zara L.

    I just took my parents here while they were in town for a nice, calm dining experience right near their hotel. We made a reservation online and were greeted promptly at the reception desk where we asked for a window booth. We sat down and resisted the walnut bread, saving our space for dinner. Appetizer was the crab cake, nice and light with good flavor combinations. Dinner was the sweet potato gnocchi with arugula, onions, and goat cheese. The gnocchi were a bit heavy because they were pan-fried, but I enjoyed the ones that had crispy edges. My parents had the pan-seared Halibut with eggplant puree and Meyer lemon gelee. The sauces were a little gelatinous but the fish was fresh and tasty. My husband had the smoked spare ribs which were delicious! We were all a little envious of his choice, but luckily the portion was huge and he was willing to share. We all shared the flourless chocolate cake, which came with a miniature root beer float on the plate. Kind of silly, but the cake was solid on the outside, molten on the inside and very yummy. Our service was excellent (even if the waterboy was a little overzealous) and the wine list was fairly extensive. The bottle prices ranged from twice to three times wholesale, which is reasonable.

    (4)

  • Rick J.

    Excellent value for large town food and drink. The best Happy Hour I have seen 4 to 8 pm everyday. Drinks $5 and these are good drinks as well as really good food choices for $3. Put a fork in me I am done.

    (5)

  • Angela B.

    I have fond feelings for Red Star Tavern, because it's where my fiance' and I went out for drinks on our first date. We just went back recently to reminisce and celebrate our engagement, and we were rather entertained by the funky appetizers at this place. The fish and chips are mashed together and rolled up in a ball and deep fried...And then there's the pork sliders served on a biscuit with pickled watermelon rind...And those lively alligator bits that we weren't adventurous enough to try. And don't get me started about the Jerry Springer episode we observed a few tables down at the bar. Apparently free entertainment is included with the price of admission. So why am I giving it 4 stars? The place has great atmosphere with beautiful lighting and a colorful mural adorning the wall. The service is great, the food gets props for creativity, and how can you knock a place that offers up unexpected entertainment for the evening?

    (4)

  • Charlie P.

    Charging extra at Happy Hour for non-alcoholic beverages seems like a poor practice. Way to penalize the DD even more. Good food though...

    (2)

  • Dan K.

    I've been here a few times, and the food quality has been hit or miss. I got food poisoning from the Bison steak and was quite pissed last time I went, so I probably won't return. The menu is pretty weak, on the whole, but the bbq ribs and beans are very good, though every once in a while they'll run out before the end of the night. Great scotch selection. Small TV's.

    (3)

  • Brad C.

    Just because you're staying at the Hotel Monaco, doesn't mean you need to make a stop here. There are a lot better places to check out for late night drinks and food. I paid $6 for a small bowl of nuts and $4 for olives. Sure the olives were good but the nuts were a rip off. For being in Portland, the selection of beer is kind of limited. Skip it and find another place to wet your whistle downtown.

    (2)

  • Jenny C.

    While enjoying my IPA and Organic Rotisserie Chicken I watched as a gentleman about 60 years old went galloping through the restaurant banging coconut halves together and hollering "onward!" What is it about this place that results in an entertaining atmosphere? I assume he and his group had just been to see Spamalot at the Keller like my family and I had that day, and were out for an evening of fun. The restaurant is a fun casual atmosphere with at a fantastic menu. I do have to dock a point however for the lack of vegetarian options, my sister had a vegetable plate off of the bar menu, which she said was good, but you'd think in Portland there'd be a few more options. Still very good, and an awesome Manhattan-esque atmosphere that I wasn't expecting.

    (4)

  • niwath c.

    Came in here for happy hour and was pleasntly surpised....cheap drinks, appatizers and oysters...I demoted a star because of the pulled pork sandwhich and the ribs....both dry and boring....nice place for happy hour tho, if you just stick to the drinks and appetizers...

    (3)

  • Sammy E.

    I called these guys on a Thursday, planning to spend the weekend at the hotel and wanting to gather friends to celebrate my birthday on Saturday night. They told me they couldn't reserve a space for us unless we planned on a full dinner. OK no problem. Upon checking in to the hotel on Friday I told the front desk that I wanted to give the bar a heads up that we'd be in with a large group on Sat. I know from my own days working in restaurants that even if you can't take a res, it's nice to know there is a group coming in. Got to my room to find a message later that night that that they couldn't accommodate our group. Whaaaa? It's a bar, right? I called down and they connected me to the restaurant and told me that we could come but it would take a really long time for us to get our drinks because it would be crowded and there really isn't room there. Uh...it's a bar, right? I was tempted to call it for somewhere else but it was pretty late notice. Guess what? It was fine (although I did get a scowl when I told them we'd be about a bunch of folks and they realized it was the aforementioned hotel guest.) Oh, food...fine. Drinks...fine. Nothing special, nothing horrible. I'd give a 2.5 stars if I could but as it may be just the person who happened to be at the desk when I called I'll stick with a 3 instead of a 2.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    Fresh squeezed OJ, extra crispy thick cut bacon, eggs made to order, what else could you ask for from a sunday brunch. We stumbled across Red Star while walking around downtown Portland. From the outside it looks like its going to be a dive bar/tavern, but inside its nice and fancy. Dark wood and mood appropriate lighting. Great service and great food.

    (4)

  • Leah S.

    I rarely go for anything other than happy hour. The happy hour has great food, but is like on the portions (not that I expect a lot for $3-5). Compared to the best happy hours (McCormicks, Henry's Tavern, PCG) I would give it a 2 out of five. I lean very vegetarian, eating only seafood or veggies so this place actually offers a lot for me. My very favorite is their roasted nut bowl. It is so good. Friends have really liked the tacos on the happy hour. When I did eat meat, I remember they had the most amazing ribs so I'd say anything with their BBQ sauce on it is going to be good. Also, there are parts of the restaurant that serve happy hour & allow children, which means if I'm downtown with the kids we can run in for a cheap bite .... except it is NEVER cheap. I have eaten happy hour, ordered drinks only on the happy hour & with a group of 3 our bill was $80. Mind you, we did not eat any actual meals and didn't really drink that much. My point? Red Star's happy hour can really add up. The dinners are always excellent. They are pricey and I've seen other's say it's a great place if your parents are paying. I would agree with that. In the end, I don't think you get what you pay for when it comes to serving/portion size. HOWEVER, it's a great place to hang out for extended times. It's very chic and I think "out-of-towners" will love this place. It is a great place to take business associates, especially those traveling to Portland.

    (3)

  • Tito H.

    I met up with some friends at the happy hour on Tues. I ordered a nice Organic amber draft from the decent beer selection. However, the brie and ham appetizer is a joke. Two little bits of bland brie sandwiched in between 2 whitecastle sized buns with ham along with a load of ham on the side. What part of ham on the side did the server/cooks not understand?! It was a crap appetizer but the tacos didn't look bad. I'll stick with neighboring taverns.

    (3)

  • Kyle N.

    On a recent trip to Portland, I was lucky enough to enjoy many of the delicious restaurants close to my hotel and the Red Star Tavern & Roast House was one of them. From the moment a co-worker and I entered, we had great service and enjoyed the atmosphere. I knew I was in for a treat when I was torn between three on the menu too. In the end I embarked on the Rotisserie Suckling Pig Casserole with clams, chorizo (made in house) and fennel kraut. Although this dish sounds a little strange, it was far from a casserole, but not far from delicious! The meat was extremely tender and, well, what's not to love about chorizo? The side of baby turnips I chose was tasty as well. In addition to the food, Red Star is definitely a place you can enjoy yourself, as the bar is well stocked with local brew and spirits.

    (4)

  • Marlayna H.

    I don't even want to give this a full star... I was a guest at the hotel that the restaurant is located in and my boyfriend and I thought we could catch a quick bite to eat before the trail blazers game. We decided to order food from here because why would a very nice hotel like this have unsatisfying food. We had gotten it delivered to our room they said 30 minutes and yes it was 30 minutes but the food was not edible. We ordered the chicken sandwich and the smoked chicken salad. First of all the garnishes on the side of the plate that you are supposed to be able to put on the sandwich were just foul tasting. What looked like pickles of some sort definitely didn't taste like them. The burger was also cold and the lettuce and tomatoes didn't taste fresh and mushy. The French fries were just ok. Now the salad absolutely awful... I'm pretty sure the chicken was some fake package stuff. The dressing was also nothing that the description read . The salad was poorly put together and the onions on top looked like weeks old. Very poor presentation of plates in general. I will not be eating here again.

    (1)

  • Paul W.

    Not bad at all... just nothing to write home about either. We ordered the ahi appetizer (best thing we had). I had the hanger steak which arrived overcooked and the mac & cheese. My wife had the halibut which was poached and seemed bland. The dessert was sublime though, red velvet donuts.... yum.

    (3)

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Opening Hours

  • Mon :6:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Valet, Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Music : Background
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Red Star Tavern

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