St Jack
1610 NW 23rd St, Portland, OR, 97210
St Jack Menu
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Address :
1610 NW 23rd St
Portland, OR, 97210 - Phone (503) 360-1281
- Website https://www.stjackpdx.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Kiana P.
My GF's and I were supposed to eat at Ataula but they were closed. They kindly posted a not on their door recommending to alternatively dine at St. Jack or Le Vieux. We chose St. Jack - and how fortuitous! The staff provided warm, friendly, and such prompt service. Manager Kate, was amazing and gracious. Now the food..DELICIOUS!! We ordered appetizers: Cervelle de Canut, Poutine, and Oreilles de Crisses. Cervelle de Canut was the creamiest herbed goat cheese w/garlic and shallots. Oreilles de Crisses was my first taste of crispy pork rind and St. Jack set the bar very high. So crispy with a tangy red pepper espelette seasoning complemented with a warm maple syrup. Our dinner entrees: Braised Escargots and Marinated Baby Octopus. AMAZING FLAVORS in both dishes. Escargots were richly flavored and Baby Octopus was perfectly seasoned and unexpectedly tender. The perfect ending to this meal was an order of the petite Madeleines, served warm in a porcelain bowl. We LOVED this dining experience so much that we made reservations for Oct and Dec!
(5)Lori C.
Had dinner with two friends. I ordered the lettuce salad and the duck. The food was good, but a little salty. However, I won't be going back. The noise level was unbearable. In addition to not being able to have a conversation with my friends, we could only hear the server if she was standing on the side of the table where seated.
(3)Mary R.
Happy hour burger is killer good. Served with a "Deshler" coctail, the perfect early evening dinner. Though it is in a new building in NW (vs. the prior old building location in SE), we felt it had the same welcoming vibe... even for the window-frame draft on a cold afternoon ;-)
(4)Stephanie C.
I would do 4.5 stars if I could. 5 stars is close to impossible so take this for the compliment it is meant to be. My husband and I ate here the other night just because we had a night out without the kids. The hubs had a hankering for bone marrow. And neither of us were disappointed with the meal. We had booked on open table since it was a Friday night. There was a little confusion at first but ultimately we had a nice window seat thanks to an attentive manager. The atmosphere is very French bistro restaurant with a relative small dining room and a good amount of ambient noise (though not so much you can't have an easy conversation). Our server was attentive without being obtrusive and seemed pleasantly earnest in his descriptions of the specials. We ordered a bottle of red (Chateauneuf du pape) that was very nice. We started with 1/2 dozen oysters (shigoku - dee-licious) with a red onion mignonette. If there weren't so many other things we wanted to try we would've had a dozen. That was followed by the steak tartare appetizer. This was good but a little heavy on the capers so that the steak flavour was a little masked. Also the toast points, which were toasted slices of baguette had large holes in them so it was a little trickier to eat. The we shared a butter lettuce salad. Delicious tart vinaigrette with a herbaceous freshness. It was a tad on the salty side and a little overdressed but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Then the marrow bones. I would've liked a softer or less holy bread to spread the marrow on but it was grilled perfectly and so tasty. For entrees my husband had the lamb shank with fresh peas and I had the special which was braised ox tail on a bed of potato purée with Madison de place veggies and lardons. Soooo incredibly flavourful and comforting. I would've picked up the bowl and licked it if I could. The meat just fell off the bone. The veggies were so flavourful and the lardons not overpowering. The lamb was tasty and well cooked, and the peas were crisp and fresh but I definitely think I had the more scrumptious of the two dishes. Finally our meal finished up with an order of freshly baked mini madelines and a cup of nicely roasted decaf coffee for me. Such a great end to a great meal. The madelines were warm, lightly carmelized on the outside and warm and buttery on the inside. In short this meal made the list of great meals we have had in Portland and we will definitely be back. I'm thinking of trying the duck next time...unless that ox tail special makes a reappearance of course! Bon appetit!
(4)Rahima C.
What does 3 stars mean to me? Means its only 2 days after I ate there and I forgot what I ordered. I'm a classic foodie. My hobby is dining out. I like it when a place blows me away for a single item. Could be the bread and butter, could be the olive oil, the wine, could be the cheese selection..but I can't remember what I ordered at St. jacks and all that tells me is...Houston we have a problem. Not a quiet romantic place, definitely staff are hustling and bustling around you. In fact soon after we sat down (after waiting in the bar 30 minutes past our reservation) we were prompted to order quickly, our waitress wanted to make sure we got our order in before some other tables ordered. Felt like they were rushing us and when you spend $$$$ on a dinner out, that's the last way you want to feel. Could have been so beautiful, could have been so right. I hope on my next visit, I change my mind. And we will be back...My husband loved his rib eye!
(3)Brenda C.
Two words...bone marrow. outstanding!
(5)Stanley T.
Three stars is generous. We've only been once and I normally don't review based on once, but it might be a while before I return - so, here goes. We have so looked forward to this addition to our neighborhood. We sat at a table in the bar area. Initially we were given what I guess was a bar food menu. When we saw others with a larger menu, we asked and received a dinner menu as well. I ordered a Manhattan. Ronda tried a sip and ordered one as well. Mine was very good - not sure $12 good but... Ronda's came 3 minutes after mine and was not so good - way over sweet. We mentioned this to the server and got a "Well maybe it was a different bartender". I only saw one. No offer to make it right. We each ordered a Butter Lettuce Salad. These were nothing special. I ordered the Roasted Bone Marrow - once again "OK". Ronda had the Oxtail Bourguignon - very tasty but far from outstanding. It was so dark that we literally had to hold a tea light candle over our respective plates to see to stab something with a fork. We spent WAY more money than this experience was worth. I suspect I'll give them another try eventually and I promise to update my review if warranted.
(3)Meredith K.
Honestly, 3 stars seems too low but 4 seems too high. I'll explain... We had a reservation for 4 people at 8pm on a Friday. We got to the bar and weren't seated for nearly an hour. Kate, who I assume is the manager, was very apologetic about this and took care of all of our drinks, as well as had appetizers sent out. The bread and goat cheese was great. None of us were fans of the pork grinds with maple syrup, but ya know, it's hard to be too picky about free food. Once we were seated, our server was great. He was very attentive and could answer any question we had-- they obviously make sure everyone working is familiar with the menu. We ordered and then the wait began. It was another 45+ minutes before we got our food. Somewhere in there, Kate came back to apologize and explained that the pork takes a long time, which the server should've told us. Had we known that, it wouldn't have been ordered. We were starving, as we expected to eat dinner around 8 and it was now 9:30 or later. Kate was wonderful and really wanted to make it right. We were ready to leave and go down the street to pick up pizza, just as our good came out. The food's great. Onglet steak was perfect, as was the duck and pork. Kate brought over a $50 gift card to make things right which was very appreciated. Here's one last breakdown of what we ordered: -6 drinks -2 appetizers -Onglet Steak -Duck a'lorange -Cote de porc -Clam special Here's what we paid for: -Roughly 2 of the entrees. Stars for food: 4.5 Stars for time: 1 Stars for Kate: 5+
(3)Neriman M.
This use to be our favourite place when it was in the Southeast. My young daughter would beg us to eat at St. Jacks everyday, we would eat there sometimes once a week at least. Since they have moved to the new location on Northwest 23rrd, the service and the food has gone downhill. We have tried it twice and each time we were VERY disappointed. Too expensive for mediocre food and service. My young daughter refuses to go to St. Jack and she will not recommend it to anyone any more. She is back to liking Paley`s in the Nortwest on 21st.
(2)Amy L.
I fell in love with the first St. JACK on 5 corners. I have been to the new space 5-10 times in the last year. The ambience is warm. I miss the mac and cheese on the menu. But the chicken liver mousse is exceptional. The desserts are also very good.
(4)Laila S.
Your Review: Beautiful location in a nice neighborhood. Big windows that look out at Victorians and craftsman homes. The server was nice but you could tell he was weighing what he thought would produce the highest tip, although he tried show that he was treating all equal. I had the octopus appetzers, which was good, just like straight off the wharf. My friend had the mixed salad and believe or not she found it way too spicy to finish...yes a salad. The hubs had pork rinds (very French?) he was in love with the combo of maple syrup. I did not care for it. I had the onglet steak, it was ok. I had this cut for the first time last year and it melted in my mouth. I had high expectations but it tasted like top round. The frites were over salted and inedible. My hubs had the $40 steak frites and he was disappointed...said it tasted like a chain restaurant steak. My friend did like her pork dish, but it to was just a tad too dry. After tip we were out the door at $185. That's with 1 cf of house red, 2 Mexican cokes and no dessert or coffee. comme ci comme ça.
(3)Steven B.
I must share the fact that St. Jack's management responded almost immediately to my initial review. They were apologetic and offered either a full refund or gift card in that amount. I decided on the gift card so I might return and reassess my evaluation. I was requested to make a reservation and to at that point indicate that I/we are returning with the gift card. We decided to get a reservation, but make no such declaration. We dined last Friday night. Upon our arrival there was no evidence that the staff knew about our past issues. From start to finish the meal was a real treat with none of problems (salt, fat, lack of flavour, etc.) that we suffered with during our previous visit. My wife had seared foie gras appetizer and the halibut main. Both were fantastic. She was delighted. I had the heirloom tomato appetizer and the duck breast main. Again both were great. The service was top notch, with our "water person" especially attentive...the best I have ever enjoyed! Dessert was their madeleines with and extra, a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A perfect ending. At the conclusion of our meal I spoke with the floor manager and came clean about our "sneaking back in." She said she would have done the same thing! We are glad we returned and we will again.
(5)Sharin A.
My husband and I came here with a group of seven that included his mother and grandmother. We had read great reviews around town and decided this would be perfect. First, the food was amazing. I have a wheat allergy and they were extremely helpful and accommodating. Everything that came out was beautiful and, most importantly, delicious. Between all of us we had an assortment of cheeses, olives, chicken liver mousse (divine), butter lettuce salad, beet salad, rib eye, onglet steak, oxtail, and trout, along with wines and cocktails. Everything was fantastic. Why is it not 5 stars if the food was so good, Greeky? I'm sorry to say it is one of the loudest restaurants I've ever been to in all of my travels in all of my life. We could hardly hear the person next to us over the din. Not a place to go if you want a quiet evening. Also, the kitchen is very open air. The idea is nice, but they don't really try to hide any of the kitchen business that goes on. Nothing gross, but just odd. Go for the food. It's worth the yelling.
(4)Deborah N.
Meh. THE DIN! It was so incredibly loud in here, we could not hear each other. I expect at least a little quiet for these prices. I'm just really tired of places who give you a tiny amount of artfully designed food on a pretty plate for extreme prices. My husband's pork tasted okay...there just wasn't much of it and we left hungry. 3 tiny pieces of cheese on a pretty plate is not worth $15. I've eaten in a lot of spendy restaurants but I do think St. Jack is overrated. I have to say the service was excellent.
(2)Nadia B.
Great soup! And the cookies! Oh my!!!!!!! those madelines! Ps make resevations if you dont wanna sit at the bar. Yes even on a WEDSDAY NIGHT!
(5)Cristen S.
We had a fabulous dinner at St Jack. The escargots were so unusual with such complex flavors. The chicken for two was moist and tasty served with a half lemon to squeeze on. Our waiter was attentive and fun even though he was busy. We are looking forward to our next meal there.
(5)Bear F.
Dined last night at the chef's bar. We were very happy with the ambience and were able to see the dishes prepared and set out to be served. I will say that the crew last night was on top of things, our service was excellent and very attentive. For appetizers we shared the bone marrow and the seared foie gras. Both had excellent flavor and were prepared and presented professionally. No complaints. For entrees we shared the Sweetbreads and the Ribeye Frites. Again both excellent. Ribeye was fatty and delicious while cooked perfectly, the frites were light and crispy and together a very flavorful combo. Sweetbreads were delish and perfectly cooked as well. We had a great time watching the action in the kitchen, and most everything that was set out to be served we wanted to try. Cannot wait to go back and try more!
(5)Marisa D.
Best steak frites EVER. And don't forget the octopus salad and butter lettuce salad...so flavorful and amazing. The atmosphere is divine, makes you feel like you are in an exquisite French restaurant but yet it's a casual fancy. Their house red wine is really good too and reasonably priced. If you're not into waiting for a table or sitting in the dining area, take a seat at the bar and enjoy a drink. With tons of windows on that side of the restaurant, its an even more relaxed experience (and good for people watching!).
(4)Don S.
Sadly I re-review one of my Wife's absolute favorites St. jacks. The move from Clinton St. To NW 23rd has caused it to lose any magic it had. It is now, not even pedestrian. The ambience was all we went for and the food was okay, if overpriced. The drinks are and were good, but way overpriced. Even she said she has no desire to ever go back, because on 23rd it is anything but quaint or intimate. (Not to mention the joy of parking near the new location!) You cannot hear yourself much less those with whom you want to converse. There are too many great restaurants to waste time at St. Jacks anymore.
(1)William G.
I went here with my girlfriend after a long day hiking through Forest Park and NW Portland, as we often like to do. We were looking for a place with good drinks and some tasty appetizers, and this place blew us away. We sat in the bar section, which was very bright and tastefully decorated. I ordered a Pilsner, and my companion ordered a cocktail. They water was great, which I've really come to judge a restaurant by. My girlfriend reported that the cocktails were strong and well made. She ordered the steak tartare, and I ordered the king salmon tartare. We've been on a raw food kick for a while, and this place impressed us. Their entire menu sounds amazing, and we can't wait to go back to try more. I had an IPA which was served warm, but the waiter quickly replaced it with an ice cold one. My girlfriend saw the waiter ringing us up, but we were looking for another round. He hid the check behind his back, and asked us if we would like anything else. I thought that was very professional. Excellent food, great menu, stiff cocktails, awesome service!
(5)Karen C.
Our very favorite French spot in Portland. Bone marrow and foie gras on the menu and both are just so delicious. One of the very few restaurants that we've visited twice. Just an absolute gem.
(5)Seth B.
Bone Marrow! Pork Rinds! Salad I cannot pronounce! Oysters! Baby Octopus! Le Hamburger! Duck Poutine! Goat cheese! Apple tart! Mussels! Madelines! Crème puffs! 2 Negronis! 4 Heater Allen Pilsners! 2 coffees! Best meal of our lives! $201 + 30% tip = $260 (worth it @ twice the price!) Thanks St. Jack!
(5)Julia M.
The location and vibe is what drew me to this place, especially during the summertime. BUT THE MADELINE'S ARE WHAT KEPT ME COMING BACK FOR MORE! Just thinking about them makes me drool!
(4)Kim K.
This is the second time I've been to St. Jack for drinks and appetizers. Great ambience. When the weather is nice, the window/walls open up to the street. The service was excellent and their house Chardonney was yummy. I ordered the fries, not shoestring ones but delicate and well seasoned. Perfect portion for sharing...even got one shaped like a cross. I'm sure they thought I was nuts but I wanted to keep it and they obliged with a take out container. Thank you St. Jack!
(5)Grant K.
The new location definitely has that upscale, NW Portland vibe to it, which might be a turnoff to anyone who wants a quiet dining experience. Personally, I love the energy of a place like that. I can have quiet at home. ;-) The food and service are great. They make a gin martini with vermouth and bitters that probably beats any martini I've ever had. The butter lettuce salad (apparently their most popular item) is fresh and flavorful, and the lamb provincial was perfectly done. We left the wine selection up to our server and he found one that pared perfectly with both the lamb and my wife's seafood bouillabaisse. With so many restaurants in Portland, there are not many we will go back to a second time. But, I'd have to say we'd go back to St. Jack in a heartbeat.
(4)Asher J.
Whoa. The trout is absolutely incredible. Probably the best trout I've ever had. My meal was fantastic overall. One of the best meals I've had in Portland. Can't wait to go back.
(5)J.c. B.
I can't comment on the food since we just came in for drinks and an appetizers. I'll start off with the positive. The bar tender was very nice and very skilled at his job. He made a quality Last Word. The prices are high but on on par with some of the more high end bars so nothing here unexpected. The bar tender is the only thing keeping this place from getting a 1 star. Where it failed. The manager was not dressed appropriately and was a complete jerk with a bad attitude. He should be wearing a button up shirt tucked in. Not a red polo un-tucked and baggy black pants. When asked for ketchup for the fries the response was. This is a French restaurant, you get Aioli for dipping. One guest couldn't take it and went next door to Lompoc to borrow some ketchup. This was very quickly confiscated by the manager, citing "no outside food or drink". I understand this type of policy but it doesn't mean you get to be an a hole about it. Last, they didn't want to offer limes with drinks. Saying the drought in California means you get lemons instead of limes. Ok, i get the "trying to be Portland" conserve attitude. But if your gonna pull that card then why isn't your toilet duel flush in the restrooms. When limes cost 70 cents each, it appears more likely they are just trying to be cheap. Also, the waitress was nice, but not as attentive as generally needed for this type of place. Sad to say this place will not get a second chance from me.
(2)j b.
We enjoyed the Valentines Day Prix Fix, even though our choices were limited and it was quite pricey. The service was lovely, and not too over the top for formal dining. 4 stars! The cauliflower soup was incredible! I'll hopefully be going back for it, someday. 5 stars!! The rib eye was also very delicious, but there was a small 1" piece of bone that shouldn't have been there. Also, the salmon tartare amuse bouche had a couple scales in it. Even with these technical mishaps, the flavors were good. Unfortunately, the lamb, while incredibly tender, was very fatty and too salty for me. It was just a bit much. Also, slightly missing the mark was dessert. It was a squat rectangle of ice cream, and a soft thin cake layer top and bottom, coated with marshmallow meringue. The problem for me was that it was doused with flaming alcohol. Parts of the marshmallow were over charring (to our taste) so we blew out the flame, but because we did this some alcohol remained, and the taste was dreadful...really, really bad. In hindsight, it would have been better to let it all burn off and then scrape off the unwanted burnt marshmallow, but we didn't know- and I wish our server would have given us a suggestion before walking away. I wish everything was as perfect as that soup. omg, it's good.
(3)Katie D.
Obsessed with the atmosphere -- not anything unique, but comfortable and chic. The food though...pre-shucked oysters (and measly ones, at that) and heavy-handed/ overly-indulgent bone marrow were not what I'd expect. The beet salad was tasty and quite filling, and steak frites cooked well (if not a little too salty), though. Overall just too pricey for a meal that wasn't refined or balanced enough to dazzle me.
(3)Jessica N.
I'm not sure what all of the bad reviews are about... St Jack is amazing. We had reservations this past Friday for our anniversary. I was concerned after the negative reviews on here but decided to give it a shot anyway, and I am so glad we did. The place was packed, the weather was gorgeous so the windows were open which was nice. We had impeccable service, both at the bar and from our server (Jeff). The food was to die for... direct quote from my husband regarding his entree: 'This is without a doubt the best meal I have ever had at a restaurant, anywhere.' He had escargot and I had the Salad Lyonnaise to start. Both amazing. The salad is a heavier one with the bacon, poached egg and bacon fat croutons, but so insanely good. For entrees, my husband got the stuffed Duck neck (special of the day) and I had the onion tart. I am somewhat picky when it comes to meat and would normally be pretty grossed out by the thought of a stuffed Duck neck, but it was amazing. So flavorful, perfectly cooked, gorgeously presented. My onion tart was amazing, with the goat cheese and perfectly cooked crust and kale that came with it. We had the madelines for dessert. Next time I may just order 3 sets of those and eat every single one - unreal. I'd be leaving something key out if I didnt at least mention the cocktails. Wow. We had the lemon/vodka one and the whiskey sour one (cant remember the names) and both were ridiculously good. They are pricey, as is the restaurant in general, but that's no secret and dont go if you want a cheap meal. All in all, this place kills it. Don't be swayed by the negative reviews, they had to be growing pains due to their recent location change. Everything was great and we will definitely be back.
(5)James P.
Two stars is being generous, and that is only because of the cool space and caring and attentive service. The food was so salty it made my date sick... we sent back the Coquilles St. Jack as it was so salty it was not edible. The papardelle was very salty as well, as were the french fries - which were perfectly cooked and then killed. Even the butter pats for the bread had salt crystals on them! When we overheard the next table talking about sodium intake we knew it wasn't just us. When the kitchen addresses this issue, St. Jack will be a great addition in my 23rd Avenue restaurant rotation.
(2)Plumeria P.
Top notch customer service, absolutely delicious food, beautiful atmosphere, loved it! Previous reviewers have griped about the noise level but I did not find it any louder than any other typical popular restaurant on a Saturday night and cannot wait to go back. The table shared oysters, and I had the heirloom tomato salad and the steak frites, all of which were superb. We shared our desserts, the Baba au Rhum (which was nothing special and the only negative thing I can report about the experience), and the Madeleines, which were freshly baked and tasty. Thank you St. Jack for a terrific evening and for restoring my faith that a PDX restaurant can provide impeccable service with no hint of hipster attitude.
(5)Joo Y.
It was awful service..Not returning.
(1)Cola V.
I stopped in for a delightful pitcher of bitters & booze & some light eats - pom frites + Butter Lettuce salad. "Fries" were really delicious, parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. I loved the bar ambiance and open feel. Service was pleasant and not too pretentious considering the first impression. Reminds me a Cafe Nell and we welcome them to our NW area! Come enjoy wine, the open kitchen feel and some great french cuisine.
(4)Campbell C.
Update: the restaurant refunded our entire meal to apologize for the experience we had below. My girlfriend ordered the 23$ clam dish and all the clams had sand in them, and there was a giant rock in the bowl as well. When we told the girl who cleared our plates she just laughed like it was a joke and then no one came back to apologize. Overpriced and shoddy service. Cocktails however are excellent!
(4)Jake L.
Very cool I wonder if the performance put on by the bartenders here that inspired the classic character Andy Samberg rolled out here: youtube.com/watch?v=VNKN… They literally chop the blocks of ice right there for your cocktail. With that alone...the drinks could totally suck and it would be worth four stars. But, the drinks don't suck
(4)Frank B.
We walked up on a Saturday at 6 and had to wait 45 minutes, not bad. Four of us ate in the bar area. The first thing that hit us is that this place is very loud. It doesn't matter if you are in the dining room or the bar, there is nothing to absorb the noise. The space is quite nice, lots of windows that will open up to the street when the weather gets warm. The cocktails are well made, and the house wine was good. We ate mussels, escargots, fisherman's stew and a green salad. All the food was quite good and the sauces for the stew and mussels were excellent. We shared the madeleines and a chocolate mousse and they were delicious. Service was professional and reasonably attentive considering how busy it was. As good as the food was it was too loud for us to enjoy any conversation. I must confess I am getting older and complaining more but if you are young and hip and trendy you will probably love it. For me, I will seek a quieter dining experience somewhere else. (When we mentioned this to a passing waiter, we were told someone was coming to address the noise situation on Monday. I hope so.)
(4)Michele S.
I started with the poached sea snails and they were so good! I had never had them before and loved the presentation, too. Then for my meal I had the butter lettuce salad and the bone marrow. Of all the items on our table at dinner, that marrow was thee best! I never would have ordered that but I think everyone should try it!
(4)Stacey N.
Great happy hour. I enjoy the burger (the best!), truffle fries, mussels & butter lettuce salad. The SE location had a great neighborhood feel, the NW location is larger and bit more formal. Good service, but parking in NW can be a chore.
(4)Anna C.
French inspired food. Had an excellent dinner in their new location. Accommodating to vegetarians even though most of their menu features seafood.
(3)Jeanette H.
I brought my mom here for her first wedding anniversary since my father had passed. I asked them to make it special for her and they did a great job. We were seated immediately upon arrival and while we were looking at the menu we were brought sparkling wine as a "present for our occasion". It was perfect. We toasted my father, and future happy occasions. I could not have thought of a better way to remember him. Everything was beautifully presented and delicious. The mussels were amazing, the salmon my daughter had was great. I had the tomato tarte tartin and it was wonderful. My mom ordered a steak and while it was very good, it was the least interesting entrée. We had dessert and everyone enjoyed their selections. They made sure we had water and anything we needed by checking in frequently but unobtrusively. Getting more bread to sop up the mussel broth was easy. I will be going back,
(5)May C.
The service was amazing and the wait staff was very attentive and friendly! The food was delicious and I wanted to order everything off of the hors d'oeuvres menu but we settled with the crispy pork rinds - yum, beet salad, and escargot - packed with flavor and lots of garlic, just how I like it. For the main dishes we had the oxtail - really good flavor and lamb shoulder confit - delicious. The Kohlrabi was really good with the lamb and I would've loved more of it on my dish. Overall, great dinner and I'll definitely be coming back to try more dishes!
(4)Thom K.
My family and friends dined at St. Jack last Sunday. Quite honestly I think they are the only restaurant that serves truly authentic French food. The service is great and the food is fantastic. One thing I might suggest though is pulling back on the salt a bit. Other than that I love this place.
(4)S R.
Went here for Portland dining month and absolutely loved it! I had the blood sausage for my main course and it was divine. The fresh madelines were the best way to end the meal as well. Highly recommend! We got a reservation, which seems necessary, because it was pretty busy when we were there. Seems to be on the pricy side, but with the Portland dining month special it was perfect.
(5)Destry W.
My first time here and I thought it was great. They definatly nailed the French vibe. Nice cocktails and good service. I only had the pommes frites but the bartender recommended the duck gravy and it was wonderful.
(5)Dilini S.
We dined at St.Jack for the first time and we went in with a reservation. From the moment we entered till we left everything was fabulous. Food, service, and we spent about 2 and a half hours. We had an excellent server, she was very knowledgeable, helped us along and gave us time to make our decisions. we had Steak tartare and a marinated mackerel for Hors D'oeuvre which was excellent. The high light for me was the Mussels dijonnaise!! The ginger, garlic chili broth was so rich and flavorful. The best mussels i have had in a long time. For dessert we had ice-cream- three different flavors with a waffle- right amount- and a great ending for our dinner. I would highly recommend this place, and will definitely go back.
(5)Amber S.
I don't know how anyone can rate this less than 5 stars. The food is always amazing. You can't go wrong ordering but our absolute favorites are the cervelle de canut, the veal, the lamb, the oxtail, the burger, the madeleines...I could go on and on! Their new location is absolutely beautiful and I don't think they lost any of the charm from their old Clinton location. We love the bar area and go more often now than we did before, especially now that they have a great happy hour. I'm more surprised to see poor reviews of the service. We have gone at least once every three months, more as of late, for probably the last two years. We have never had a server who wasn't kind and helpful. We ask questions about the menu, ask for help pairing wine with our dish, ask for recommendations on dishes and translations from French and we have always had a great experience. My boyfriend and I have always shared an entree and they have never acted annoyed or rude about it. If you can't tell already, this is our favorite restaurant in Portland. Absolutely love it every time we go!
(5)Kevin K.
My wife and I chose to dine at stjack on a whim. We just happened to be in the NW walking around, and stumbled upon this amazing bar/restaurant! We started off with a couple drinks at this gorgeous bar... Then decided why not eat some dinner in the dining room. We waited for a little bit, nothing to outrageous for the NW, and I'm sure glad we waited!! We started with the chicken liver mousse and some mussels.. Best mussels I have ever had!!! We then decided to get some mains, my wife had the onglet on recommendation, and I got the lamb. We ended up getting a gorgeous bottle of Gamay Noir with dinner, that our server Jeff recommended. Everything was prepared perfectly and service was smooth. All in all a great dinner!!
(5)Edward M.
Went to the new location for happy hour. Me and the GF split the happy hour burger. It was pretty good. I wish the bread was just a little lighter. Also had the poutine fries. Very interesting with the duck gravy and little bits of meat. Cocktails were great and service was good.
(4)Melissa P.
Butter salad was very good- a bit salty, but it worked. Delicious. The steak/frites were so salty it was nearly inedible. Why so much salt? Service was perfect! I must have gone through 6 glasses of water...
(3)Seth H.
Wife and I went a couple nights ago (Friday night). Very busy in both the restaurant and bar. Restaurant wait was 3 hours but it's a new place on a Friday night. Bar wait only turned out to be 15 min. All in all, it's in a good location with a nice vibe (be aware, bar is loud). However, I thought my food was sub par and over priced. I played it safe with a burger and did not care for their "St. Jack" sauce at all. So maybe it's just me. My wife got the mussels, which I didn't care for, either.
(2)Tara G.
Drinks: amazing. Food: amazing. I'm sure there is something to dislike about this place, but I haven't discovered it yet.
(5)Marilyn H.
Visited with a group of six. Food was good but the exceptionally small portions were definitely not worth the price. I know the French serve small portions but prices should be proportional. Service was ok but nothing special. Probably won't go back.
(3)Blake E.
We were excited to pop down to St. Jack for a summer meal this evening. We made a 7:30pm reservation, and showed up early. When we ordered our drinks, we ordered our appetizers as well as our entrees at the same time. About an hour later, our entrees still hadn't arrived, and no one had bothered to pop over to the table to say "hey, sorry, the kitchen is moving a little slow tonight." Instead, our table was completely ignored.. Finally, almost an hour after our drinks arrived, we got up and asked to close out the check. Food still hadn't arrived. A few minutes later, the manager showed up and explained that typically it's about 20 minutes from appetizers to entrees. We reminded her that we'd been waiting 50. We asked that they pack up our meal so we could take it home.. Waited longer. Still never arrived.. So, we left with no food, feeling totally upset, and super let down. Pretty sad customer service. Probably not worth your time, unless you'd like to sit and watch the clock for an hour as you wait at your empty table.
(1)S E.
Food isn't worth the wait. Prompt initial service but ignored since they know it's taking too long. Not the correct way to deal with an issue. We can see you. You're as upset as we are. Don't ignore us.
(2)Megan T.
Great service, atmosphere and drinks! Great addition to the NW neighborhood!
(5)B. A.
I liked the east side one. The food was good and I didn't take the servers' lack of interest personally. I like this one, too. The staff seemed nice, from the greeter to the waiter to the water-bearer. OK - but gin and tonics for $11 each? That's just silly. We ordered "Spring Salad," super clean, crisp, fresh flavors. Then my friend had lamb and I had salmon. We had coffee and shared a rhubarb-berry dessert. The bill came to somewhere around $125. Add on a 25% tip and this was one of the most crazy-expensive average-good meals I've had in Portland - in a long time. It was a Wed. night and not noisy. Points for not having to yell and for the warmth and pleasantness of the servers.
(4)Horace H.
Called in an they were great on the phone with options ... decided to hit the bar for small bites. Service was good and attentive ...food was actually really nice for the bar menu. Great selections ~ Prices reasonable too ~! The one downside to the evening was the bar was too loud based on the fact that you have added music at a level that competes with talking with the others at your table. I believe this is a super easy fix and they need to just turn down the tunes. It killed talking with others based on the fact you had to yell. All in all definitely going to give St. Jack another try with a dinner reservation on the other side ~! !
(4)Jeff T.
Very good French resturant with excellent wine atmosphere and service. Very ahoy an would recommend.
(4)Amber B.
I absolutely love this place. Four of us went on Saturday and got a table immediately as some others left. The service and cocktails were excellent and I particularly enjoyed the French wine list. But the real reason I cannot wait to go back? The poutine and the coquille St. Jack (cute, right?). The gravy on the poutine was outstanding. I could not stop eating it and I woke up thinking about it the next day. The sauce on the scallops was ridiculously good. We cleaned the shell with bread. Our friend's sister and brother-in-law wandered in as we were nearing the end of our meal and I made them get these dishes. The other dishes we tried were very good versions of French classics. I will go back for sure the next time I am in Portland.
(4)Phil L.
Ate several times at the old lactation on Clinton Street, enjoyed the meal, decor, service and wine list, wondered why? they decided to move to the high rent district on 23rd with no parking. Last night we decided to give it a try, drove around for 10 mins trying to find a place to park, settled in at the bar to have a drink and a couple of items off the bar menu, very attentive bar tender, ordered Special Manhatten, good, but $12 a little pricey, noise level so high could barely talk, ordered chicken liver pâté, mussels, Lentil salad, and a glass of house Bordeau, very short pour on young tart wine, small portions, $84 plus $16 tip $100 total, confirms my thoughts on moving to 23rd, wish them well on new location.
(1)terry r.
My overall experience--hip and know's it's hip, lots of brown food and very expensive. I love good food, eat out at all kinds of places and usually avoid the ones that have just been written up but... was crowded, sat at the bar. Had the fois gras asking that the "tobacco juice" be left out as I don't find tobacco juice a food group. Was told it was very good pipe tobacco that's soaked then the essence used for the sauce. Sorry, not buying that....other ways to make things taste smokey. Very good fois gras however. Then had the duck a l'orange. Delicious duck, but should have been called Pepper duck--no discernable orange in the juice, not sauce, and extremely peppery. The meat was cooked perfectly, a few green beans and a few potatoes. Also had the butter lettuce salad which was not dressed, no discernable vinegar and way too much tarragon--a little bit goes a long way and for the price should have been much better. I think for $101.00 for 2 people, this was not worth it to me. The service was good. Would I go there again? Probably not.
(3)Quanian W.
Love this place. Worth every penny. Ambiance - check. Drinks - check. Classy bartenders - check. Young, hip crowd to tinkle your swanky fancy. The perfect spot for a first date or a special anniversary. Or if your just teeing up for the next green.
(5)Mike B.
As we sit here one hour into our experience we are consistently asking for refills on water and ice tea. Our waiter is not terribly attentive. Give the prices on the menu I would expect more. We had finally received our cheese plate. We will be lucky to leave by 9pm! I cannot comment on the food. We don't have it yet. Very disappointed in the lack of attention and the severe lack of speed. Won't be recommending and won't be returning.
(1)jean s.
We used to be loyal customers at the SE Clinton location but were very disappointed with the new-ish NW location. First, our waiter came around to take our food order and then a couple times to ask if we wanted more drinks. He never checked to ask about our food and because we were tucked into a corner with a floor-to-celing wall and concrete buttress we couldn't call anyone over. I didn't have any complaints about the very private corner space but it was a problem when we got our mains, which were completely undercooked. My husband had duck and it was almost rare in the center sections. My onglet, ordered medium rare, came severely undercooked with most of it rare except for one end of the steak. When the runner came to clear our plates, he also didn't ask how anything was even though half of the purple-in-color (because it was so undercooked) duck was left on the plate. I told him the duck was rare and he didn't seem to care and only wanted to clear our table. The waiter was quick to drop dessert menus, interestingly, but never asked how anything was. I asked for the check and then had to give him some unsolicited advice our meal. I told him that both mains were undercooked, to which he asked us if we had had enough to eat. What?! We settled up and left without wanting to deal with this complete dolt of a server any further.
(1)Dan C.
I was super-excited to finally try the new location in Nob Hill. I went there last Friday on a date with my girlfriend (2/28/14). We went to the bar location to get food and drinks. The bartender had initially served us drinks. We asked for a food menu, which he got us and then he proceeded to completely ignore us for the next 45 minutes. The couple next to us were getting full service from him so we're not sure why we were being ignored. We were dressed fine for the decor. In fact maybe even overdressed. He never made eye contact with us for the rest of the time. Never asked if we had questions. Never asked to take our order. We had trouble getting his attention. This was later at night maybe at about 8:30 and they were NOT busy. Not sure if he was just having a bad night, thought he could get more money from the couple next to us, or if it was something else. Either way, we decided to not stay for the food. I can't remember the last time I've had such bad service. Even in dive bars. I was extremely excited for the new location to open as I live in Nob Hill and have a lot of friends and family there. I will not be recommending this to them after this experience though.
(1)Geet M.
How can you go wrong when Happy Hours are everyday 4-6pm and poutine is on there (wines for 5, drinks for 8, food from 5-12ish). Oysters are light and delicious, coming from Puget Sound. It's a fantastic spot on 23rd to stop by for a quick bite/drink or an entire meal, the large windows bring in lots of natural light. The service has always been stellar and the drinks precise and just as good as they look. Servers are always well informed and very nice making the entire experience superb. Asparagus and gruyere crepe = yum
(4)Kathleen C.
Not the biggest space. It was 100 degrees on the day we decided to have dinner here. Broken A/C. They had a fan going. I was almost close by the windows, in which it slides open. I was still DYING from the heat. It was extremely uncomfortable. I hope that the A/C thing was only an issue that day and not a normal thing for them. Food: Overall was good. We had a half a dozen oysters ($15). They were yummy. King Salmon Tartare ($9). It wasn't bad, but just not particularly special. It didn't come with anything to eat it with. So we just had chopped up pieces of salmon that was tossed in some sauce/other not so memorable ingredients. Maybe some taro chips would've been a nice accompaniment. Lamb (~$25). It was good. Not too gamey. Though had a lot of fat in it. Thus, not a lot of edible parts. Mussels (~$25). I love mussels, so these were good. The broth it came in had a bit of a kick, which was ok for me too (for not eating very spicy normally). I also got the "Scenic Route" - which was good! I don't remember what's in it besides grapefruit, but it was very delicious. Lots of ice though. Price: Pretty normal/reasonable. Our bill before tip was $100. Crazy how things add up, but I guess it was like two appetizers, two entrees, and two drinks.
(4)Kevin K.
One of my favorite restaurants we tried on our visit here. It's located in the "Alphabet" district which was walking distance from our hotel in the pearl district. The food was fantastic. Unfortunately one of the dishes was "off" or else this would have been a perfect rating. Started off with the butter lettuce salad. Simple but executed well. It had croutons, avocado, radishes dressed with a Dijon vinaigrette. Next was my favorite, the roasted bone marrow. I'm kind of a bone marrow freak so maybe my opinion is biased but it was delicious. Bones were substantial size too. Last, for our entrées, my girlfriend had the mussels and I had the sweetbreads. The mussels was the "off" dish. The mussels had way too much ginger in it -too the point where it was almost unpalatable. It's too bad because the rest of the dishes were perfect. My entrée was unbelievable. The sweetbreads were cooked perfectly. They were pan roasted to perfection, moist and tender. It also came with a pommes purée and almost a gravy like au jus sauce. Lastly, make sure you get one of their craft cocktails. Pick any of them. You can't go wrong.
(4)Susan J.
My friend and I stumbled into this place on a 100 degree day just hoping to cool off and have a few drinks with light, classy hors d'oeuvres. I expected yet another overrated attempt at French cuisine, and I couldn't have been more wrong. The next day we are still fawning over this place, and drooling over photos of menu items we want to try next time. I ordered the beef tartare, which was freshened up with a plentiful kick of capers and Dijon, a quail egg oozing its rich yolk over all the boldness. My crustini were over toasted so I ended up using the chewy baguette served at every table to place my meat on, not the best texture combination. The elk tartare I enjoyed at the Multnomah Whiskey Library did upstage this one in terms of tenderness, however the seasoning and presentation of the St. Jack's tartare makes picking a winner difficult. I recommend pairing the beef tartare with the Deshler, a red-blooded yet refined rye whiskey and dubonnet cocktail. I'm new to this drink and it, too, I can't stop talking about. Drinks are served fast and strong. Our waiter could not have been more on point. Studying photos of other dishes, I am struck with how balanced and beautiful the plates are, such a faithful offering of French bistro food. I'm just blown away that this gem is in Portland.
(5)Crystal A.
Outstanding meal on a warm Thirsty Thursday. As always, I must acknowledge the wealth of food/wine knowledge that the staff here takes so seriously. Our waitstaff was prompt, intelligent and so, so passionate about what Chef Barnett envoys in his restaurant. Duck...moist, orange infused perfection. Chicken...stuffed with sweetbreads and bacon...need I say more? Finally the tartare....salty, rich, savory... twisted with flavors of classic Dijon and capers...this will always be my go too at any great French establishment. I do give this meal 5 stars. With the fresh quality of ingredients and the warm service we received , why would we think of owing this lovely bistro less?
(5)Jere W.
We watched executive chef, Aaron Barnett, on Chopped a while ago. We were taken with Aaron's approach to his culinary creations. We finally made our way east to west Portland. From the service to the food we experienced the best.
(5)Monica S.
We came here to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary, and we had an amazing experience. We shared a butter lettuce salad to start and had the lamb and trout for our entres. Everything was delicious, and the dishes very well thought-out. The salad was fresh, crisp and cold with a touch of creaminess from the avocado - perfect. The peas and potatoes were a great accompaniment to the lamb, which was just delicious, and tender, cooked perfectly. The trout was flaky and tasted divine. Very well done! The staff was warm, welcoming, and friendly on a busy Saturday night. We will be back again and again! Thank you for a great night!
(5)Lauren T.
Perfect for what it is - well priced french delicacies. Great service and a really nice bar area. I had duck and my date had the steak frites. We also had the cheese plate which was really tasty.
(5)Christine S.
My boyfriend and I have now been here twice. The first time we went, it was just the two of us and we sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen. We enjoyed our experience so much that we decided to bring our parents about six weeks later, and the experience was even better. We arrived a few minutes prior to our reservation and sat on the bar side until our table was ready and everyone arrived. We were so well taken care of the entire evening service-wise, and the food impressed everyone. The drink list has enough variety for anyone to find anything they like. I've tried two different cocktails and both were good. I also enjoyed the wine, but the food menu, in particular, has yet to disappoint. To share, we've ordered the octopus (so refreshing with the pepper and cucumber it's paired with), a cheese plate (I'm not a cheese person and really enjoyed the selection), and the butter lettuce salad (there is a reason why this was ranked one of the best salads in Portland). I tried the duck l'orange the first time and didn't think it was anything special, but my boyfriend's lamb was very good. I chose the trout the second time we went and loved everything about it, and my boyfriend ordered the special, which was a huge piece of pork that he loved. Finally, we ordered the apple tarte tatin, which came with this amazing bourbon ice cream. Get this when you go. Like I said, the entire experience was memorable and I know we'll be back. The atmosphere is perfect for a date night for two or for a double or triple date, but reservations might be necessary.
(5)James D.
Good food? Check. Good service? Check. Nice ambience? Check. Good location? Check. That's four checks for you score keepers. There are very few PDX restaurants that hit on all levels. So, food. We had pork rinds with maple syrup & espellette, the delicious Basque condiment. Mussels in Dijon sauce. Lamb confit with spring vegetables. Each dish was balanced in each spectrum. Salinity, acidity, umami, sour, & tart all came into play at good levels. Service was prompt, friendly, & when asked highly knowledgable, even when pushed for details & alternate suggestions. The only drawback potential is a resonant environment which could make a relaxed casual conversation difficult at times.
(5)Adrienne F.
We happened by on a warm Friday afternoon and, after reading the menu board, decided to check this place out. With no reservations we ended up on the bar side which was a small disappointment since the food service was limited. We enjoyed both the raw oysters and salmon rillettes and then skipped mains and went straight for the profiteroles on the dessert menu. The atmosphere was on point and our waitress was great.
(5)Stephanie H.
I was a little concerned with the recent negative reviews, but I am so happy we decided to eat here. We sat at the Chiefs counter and it was a great experience! If you are going with a few people or by yourself this is a must! We got to ask the chief questions about the menu and got some great recommendations. We started off with liver mouse and pork rinds (chief recommendation ). This was probably my favorite part of the meal and for those of you judging right now don't knock it till you try it! Then we moved on to their green bean salad and foie gras. Green bean salad was AMAZING! I was not a fan of the foie gras, but that is more of my taste buds then fault of the kitchen. Before our final course we also shared their special which was a tenderloin carpaccio. All I have to say is it melted in my mouth. Our final course was twice baked potato and the duck. Again it was delicious and I have absolutely no complaints. For drinks we got the senic route, Manhatten and we shared the champagne punch. For all of that we were well under $200. This is a must have restaurant that not only has amazing food, but incredible service. Alot of other comments talk about the noise level we did not have a problem with it, but if you are looking for a quite dinner this might not be your spot. If you are looking for delicious food, great service and a fun atmosphere this is your place.
(5)Ryan U.
I sat at the Chef's table and had a great experience watching what was happening in the kitchen. I ordered the duck neck and it was fantastic. The food and service here were both excellent and next time I'm in Portland I will definitely return.
(5)Deanna N.
If someone were to ask me out on a date, they would win my heart w this gem. Clean cut naturally lit bar, subway tiles and minimalistic simplicity w dripping statement candles I want for my own home. Until then, great happy hour until 6, 7 nights a week. Includes mussels, blood sausage and death by duck fat Cremini poutine.
(5)kristina c.
This place is easily one of my most favorite restaurants anywhere. It's upscale without being fussy. The food is consistently great. The ambience is always so inviting. But most of all, the staff is so kind, friendly, professional and helpful. I live in the neighborhood, but they never act like they take my business for granted. It's a perfect date night, friend night or even solo place. If you want to try it and not break the bank, go at happy hour and try the food. Be sure to sit at the bar and hopefully you'll be lucky enough to have Alex as your bartender. He's awesome. He found the perfect twist on a traditional Plymouth Martini so that I loved it even more and remembered it even when I went in a month later. Try the butter lettuce and avocado salad. You'll be hooked. But anything on the menu is great. Especially the burger or the steamed clams. can't forget the fresh made crispy pork rinds...so decadent and delish dipped in maple syrup....if oysters are in season, they always have the best. They added a late night happy hour with a late night poutine that changes with chef choice and is mind blowing. Totally worth eating the calories late night. Anyway, if you're a total foodie or if you've been intimidated to try French food before this place will make you feel right at home. I put "dressy" on the survey question, because it's a great place to dress up but I've popped in after a workout and never felt awkward.
(5)Barry F.
Solid 4 stars. Excellent Steak Frites. The sauces were spot on. Desserts were professionally done. Watched the kitchen work in harmony as the CdC Amanda carefully reviewed everything as it went out, making tiny adjustments as necessary. Service was above average, very friendly, allow time however. Food comes out fairly quickly, but service appears to use the French model of Let the customers take all the time they want, and if they need anything they will ask for it. Worked for us. Very well done.
(4)Ben T.
Great cocktails. Went well with the tapas from down the street. Both before and after.
(5)Leslie W.
My sweetie and I chose St. Jack to celebrate our 33rd anniversary and we enjoyed a lovely, delicious, satisfying meal. Since they've just moved to the new location and this was only the second night here, the only choices were a four-course Prix fixe. But each course had several options and the portions were large and everything was perfect. Service was swell and we enjoyed the energetic selection of French hip hop . I enjoyed my St. Jack wine much more than my husband ( who had hoped for a Cab but no Cab was available by the glass) enjoyed his Syrah. I look forward to returning. I hope you will serve lunch, especially the French onion soup tureen!
(5)Niland M.
Visiting Portland from San Francisco we took our hosts for dinner and all four of us could not have been happier with our meals. The oysters were superb; lightly battered and fried anchovies excellent; the mains--lamb, duck and steak--all perfectly cooked and delicious. The a/c was fine (per many other posts suggesting otherwise.) The staff pleasantly accommodated our request to lower the shades; then open then again after the sun set. Will definitely return.
(5)Laura P.
We love this place. We were so excited to hear they were moving to the NW. We loved the quaint place over on Clinton, but since we live in NW, well what can I say. We went in a few days after their opening and sat at at the Chef's counter. We were there on a Wednesday night and the place was hopping. The new location has a larger bar area, that has a different menu. You can order off the dinner menu if you ask for it. We started with the Steak Tartar, YUMMY, next moved on to the Bone Marrow, another hit! For our main course, we had the Roasted quail stuffed with local mushrooms served on a bed of lentils with a house made rustic pork sausage. WOW. We always share our food, which allows us to taste many more items. As we ate, we were fixated on the Pastry Chef, watching her melt and fold some chocolaty goodness. Dessert was going to be a must, but which one? We went for two, after all we were sharing! We had the Cassis bavarois, which was amazing and followed up with the Dark chocolate mousse, cocoa genoise, caramel espresso sauce and rum ice cream. Turns out, this is what she was making as we watched her. It was amazing, and I'm not a HUGE chocolate fan. Really good.
(5)Carol M.
I tried to loved this restaurant from my first time there. I have so far only had Happy Hour. Always order mussels and butter lettuce salad (fantastic and consistent always). I only write this review to offer a head's up for the owners/chef. First mussels ordered were perfect, generous amount, plump, pink, juicy- cooked to perfection! Only problem was the broth, which was studded with at least 1/4 cup capers making the dish ridiculously salty and prohibiting dipping the marvelous bread into. Second time ordering was pure perfection- both mussels and broth- with just a teaspoon of capers. Very, very nice dish. Third time - 6-7 puny, gray, chewy, tiny mussels (was not even sure they were good to eat) broth was fine. I wanted St. Jack to be my go to place, but fear going back. Plese work on your consistency.
(3)O L.
What a disappointment. Tried it cause 'twas rated in top 10 best dining in Portland. 1st, the NOISE! Very difficult to have conversation while eating. 2nd, 90 degree weather and if they have A/C, it wasn't turned on. 3rd, mussels, live scallop, and oysters on menu with entire west coast shut down for harvesting shellfish because of toxic algae. Wait staff had no clue about it. 4th, foie gras with pipe tobacco jus - REALLY? So healthy. 5th, heavily salted roasted bone marrow. 6th, asparagus and cheese crepe YUMMY. 7th, duck aux cerises: overcooked duck and haricot verts with soggy pommes anna served luke warm. 8th, overly salted lamb. 9th,a split of Beaux Freres pinot noir came in unmarked carafe, not bottle. So puckery, it couldn't have been in the barrel for more than a week.
(2)Kim P.
I've only ever had drinks at the bar so I can't comment on the food. The bartenders, and staff in general, here are a class act. I own a neighboring bar and have worked in the business for many years so I like to think I know what I'm talking about. The staff is always moving, cleaning, taking care of customers, and working as a team. When one gets busy another helps me out, even if I'm clearly not their customer. The drinks are well made (especially by Alan). My only complaint is that my Sazerac was left sitting in ice while the glass was being prepped, but that's minor in the scheme of things (that wasn't Alan). Well done, folks.
(5)G W.
Local Favorite! Bar side is awesome! We're spoiled here in Portland. The food is excellent. Honestly, the quality of cuisine is why I live here. My GF and I go to St Jack once a week or so: it's our local and the food is fantastic. They've got a good by the glass wine list and very good cocktails. The bar side of St Jack is a relaxed place to get very good food. Its french bistro inspired fresh food with a solid menu. Is it James Beard regional level? No. Is it solid? Yes. From appetizer to desert, you'll be fine. I think they've got one of the best burgers in Portland. The one at Paley's is better, but since St Jack opened on NW 23rd, I keep coming back to St Jack for my weekly burger. They don't have ketchup, they want to put some weird sauce on the burger (I'm a meat/cheese/bun purist) and you have to order the fries separately. That all said, it's a really good burger! The steaks frites is quite good. When the mussels are in, they are awesome. We almost always get the butter lettuce salad as it is a nice size to share and they seem to get some of the nicest lettuce I've seen in Portland. The salad lyonaisse and the mixed greens are both really good, but there is something about that butter lettuce salad that we keep going back to... Its fancy without being pretentious and quality without being ridiculous. I'm comfortable there for a business or social meal and the bar side is an extremely comfortable place to have a meal. The reviews complaining about the quality of the mixed drinks are totally bizarre and almost incomprehensible to me after eating there regularly for over a year.
(5)Dean R.
I was a big fan of St. Jack in its old location. Small but great and mind-blowing food. Indeed, I had one of the best steaks I had ever had there a few years ago. Sorry to say but the new location lacks the charm of the old location and the food seems to have taken a step in the wrong direction. This was one of my favorites -- and it is still pretty good, but when one of the best in town goes from favorite to pretty good, that sucks.
(3)Eli R.
While I was visiting Portland, I went to 4 restaurants that required reservations, and I can confidently say that St. Jack was my favorite. I had the whole trout with capers, and everything about it was delicious and authentic. No moderist frills. It tasted like something I would eat from a French grandmother in 1940. I also really enjoyed the bread and ambiance in general. Everything had a distinctly French vibe, and made me feel like I was actually transported into a different cultural milieu. St. Jack is a pricey restaurant. I expected to pay around 30 dollars per entree, and that's exactly how much it cost. However, you need to be realistic going into a place like this. I didn't want to break the bank, so I didn't order wine or an appetizer. I just had the bread and an entree, and I came out of the restaurant with a 28 dollar bill.
(4)ian j.
Very nice cocktails, great space, knowledgeable servers, good bar snacks. A few things were off in the way that you might expect within normal variations (bone marrow texture was off / undercooked...I'm sure it's great 95% of the time). What I want to echo from other reviews: SALT. Too much salt. I snack on Maldon out of the salt cellar normally. I LOVE salt. I salt everything. Ice cream, butter, salads, martinis, melons. Everything. But check it out...search these reviews for salt and read those. Too much salt on the Coquilles and the frites to the point they almost can't be eaten. Otherwise very nice!
(4)Marissa T.
Meh! One should only come here for the cocktails and ambiance not the food or wine! Service was absolutely five stars! No complaints there! I arrived about 430 pm for Friday Happy Hour. I was early to meet a friend. I was starving and tired after a long week! I'd been before for a glass of wine. The ceiling to floor windows on a corner lot just suck you right in! Then once you're in, the romantic silly French tunes and decor keep you in! My glass of wine was disappointing last time! I'm not so good at ordering wine I don't know! I always ask for a super dark red that's smooth! I almost always like what's brought to me! That wine was not smooth! Very spicy! Sad face! So when I came back the 2nd time I decided to stick with a cocktail! The server was great at helping me decide on the Dubonnet! It was lovely! My friend wasn't there yet and I was starving. So, I ordered without her. I'm slightly on the picky side. I totally dig a lot of stuff too. Their menu just wasn't calling to me. So, I just went with the burger. It was totally BLEH. The bun was super tasty. It was way too salty. I had added bacon to it, which seemed to push it over the top with salt. Their bacon is not in strips, but little fatty bits. They said it would come with the St Jack Sauce. It's Dijon mustard. Not my thing. I was hoping for a phenomenal burger for fourteen bucks! That was SANS fries!!!!! SANS is French for WITHOUT. That might be a better name for their burger. SANS. LOL. Like I said, I'm a picky chick, specially when I'm starving. So, when my friend went ahead and ordered the burger as well, I said nothing. She's a nicer person, and not as picky. She totally hated it, and told me later her stomach didn't like it either. I'm a bad friend. Next time I'll know to trust my opinions. So, If a place makes a crappy burger then the rest of their food must follow suite. It's like the cleanliness of the bathrooms. I'll be back, but only for the killer ambiance and cocktails.
(3)Emily J.
After reading about St. Jack's on "The Essential 38 Portland Restaurants" for last year and again for 2015, we had to try it. I was very disappointed, especially at that price point. I was excited about the bar reviews and the extensive spirits list. Imagine my shock when I ordered Baileys Irish coffee and the server asked me what was in it. He then brought me a cup of black coffee with a side of Baileys in a creamer container. Mixing my own drink? When I added the cold Baileys to my coffee, it curdled. I then asked for a regular Irish coffee. He brought me a cup of black coffee and a side of Kentucky Bourbon. What???! Dinner was underwhelming. I ordered the ONGLET STEAK FRITES, which was nothing special and the fries tasted like fast food. My husband had the BLOOD SAUSAGE special which was tasty but not a "wow". The CERVELLE de CANUT goat cheese, fromage blanc, shallot & garlic was decent, but the knives were not sharp enough to cut the bread, which was cut halfway so we had to end up ripping it with our hands, which I find less than pleasant. We probably will try another restaurant in the future instead of going back to St. Jack's. Also, I learned my lesson about ordering an Irish drink at a French restaurant.
(2)Hannah L.
St Jack's menu makes me want to go back to France. Not for the bread, nor the wine, nor even the mussels. For the vinaigrette. The unique beauty of French cuisine isn't in its spice, its ability to sexily fuse with another culinary world's offerings, or its novelty. It arises from a particular attitude, one of respect and patience, one that says a food is best made this way and so perfecting this one way is how you cook it. Everything else is only a coaxing complement to whatever essence is at hand. So, the vinaigrette: a humble dressing, basic in composition, and surprisingly difficult to perfect. Yet if somehow you've created the perfect temporary emulsification, elegant restraint is still required - leaves of butter lettuce, subdued accents of creamy avocado, and bright red-edged rounds of radish. St Jack's bar is a small temple to this art of elevation without adulteration. No matter whether you're eating the pommes frites with their perfect dusting of salt and parsley and little sidecup of fresh housemade aioli, sipping on one of the only $13 Manhattans that deserves the title of "a $13 Manhattan," or reveling in an exuberantly bright salmon tartare (roe bursting in each briny bite) served to you on a chilled scallop half-shell atop an ice-filled platter, edification ensues. I'm discussing the bar specifically for two reasons: I haven't eaten in the dining room, and I'm not sure why I'd want to. The bar itself is a big beautiful thing, with the famous wax-covered candelabras imported from the old SE location standing guard. It's a little quieter than the dining room yet every bit as energetic; you can sit anywhere there's space (the bar itself, or one of several tables), and you can order from much of the dinner menu (from the burger to the coquille St. Jack to the steak frites). On my last visit the windows were wide open to the street, allowing a delicious breeze to roll through - bringing late evening life and freshness inside. Cocktails are, without exception, exquisite. Service is attentive without being overly formal. The kitchen's precision is tempered with just the right swirl of insouciance. The cheese list, some dozen or more deep, is true desire-inducing reading. Find me soon at the bar during the fantastic happy hour (an $8 Death in the Afternoon?!), spring breezes streaming about, a glass of house white, some Coulommiers, and delight all around....
(4)Jasmyn M.
Didn't realize my SE St. Jack review didn't carry over to this location but no matter. My feelings about this establishment have not change. In fact, I quite enjoy the new location even more! Cocktails are a standout for me. I seem to always find something interesting but not too funky. The food? Also solid. I guess I'd say few things are memorable but overall I can't remember ever disliking anything. My experience is always a positive one. Good service, food options where I can't go wrong (bone marrow!) and an ambiance that I don't have to whisper or scream in nor do I feel like I'm being gawked at for not dressing up/down enough. This is a go-to place for my husband and I because of its consistency.
(5)Luanne S.
My ladies dinner group went here for my birthday and it was fantastic. The service was a tiny bit slow, but we were really enjoying the experience. However one of our group had to leave for an appointment as her main dish arrived and asked to have it boxed. The manager came out and apologized for not having it delivered sooner. My friend emphasized that it was not the restaurants fault. But the manager still insisted on comping the dinner - a real class act! Needless to say we'll all return! The food was amazing. I can't wait to go again!
(5)Jon Y.
Reading some of the other reviews I'm embarrassed for people's unrealistic expectations... Good food from a popular spot takes time- My wife and I had no issues waiting for the staff to properly prepare our dishes. I would rather enjoy my wait with a craft cocktail than rush the staff to hastily pump out my dinner in a hurry- remember "slow food", right? How about the price? I read the price on the menu before I order a dish. We opted for a mix of higher end and more economical items to keep the tab in our budget. Service was Perfect- Kind helpful staff answered every question without a hitch. We tipped generously! My burger was fantastic, the blood sausage was very rich and unique (tasty!), The cocktails were works of art and the presentation was superb. My wife is still dreaming about the oysters! The ambiance is great, the bar program is clean, concise, and beautifully executed! This was the most romantic date-night we've had in a long time! Thanks St. Jack, (see all the !!!!!!!)
(5)Sonja A.
I've dined on the bar side many times -- and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Consistently delicious and friendly all around. Last night was my first experience on the restaurant side of the new location (had been to the SE spot once), and it's so much less appealing than the bar. The menu is only slightly different, but I didn't love anything we ordered -- the coquilles St. Jacques and duck a l'orange were particularly a mess -- and worst of all is that they charge $7 for a 10oz Collins glass of root beer (with ice, probably more like 4oz of actual soda). Boo! Since of course my son wanted another when the waiter offered, we were charged $14 for two small glasses of root beer. Somehow that really burns me up. Sure, they put a dang mint sprig in it, but jesus christ.
(3)Rebecca N.
Ew. I don't like writing negative reviews, and it's not often that service can so totally overwhelm all other aspects of a dining/drinking experience, but St. Jack absolutely managed to. It's been a while since I've experienced such rude, condescending service at an upscale place like this. Dive bars with surly bartenders? That's part of their charm. Sneering assholes at an expensive fancy restaurant? No. Just no. My friend and I stopped in here for a drink a few days ago. We got a couple of mixed drinks (mine was very good, hers was not good). We also ordered some bar snacks to share. They were okay, but definitely not worth the price. Our poutine fries came out of a freezer. Straight up McDonald's style. The kicker was that the terrible snotty attitude was rather across the board. Usually when something like that happens I chalk it up to my hair being a mess or the fact that I'm not wearing heels - but these 3 male bartenders, the midwestern-looking dark-haired short one, especially, made it clear that each and every patron was a waste of his time, from one end of the bar to the other. He never bothered to enunciate or make eye contact, and strutted away from customers mid-sentence, repeatedly. This kind of BS when paying $9-12 for a drink? Yeah, no thanks. I doubt I'll be back.
(2)Lisa H.
Went in for happy hour (4pm - 6pm daily) in the bar side of the restaurant. We ordered chicken liver mousse, mussels in white wine butter sauce and fries. Everything was quite yummy. They brought crusty french bread and butter to go with the food we ordered. We also had a nice house red by the glass. The space is beautiful with large windows and low lights. Very romantic. I would definitely recommend St Jack's.
(4)