23 Hoyt

This place is great. Check it out. We had the best\r time. All the food was excellent and the drinks were special This one is easy to recommend. Pros: Food, cocktails Cons: Parking more

I had no idea what to expect for my birthday this December, but I was taken to this new place I hadn't even heard about. From the fine cocktails to the special desert, everything was flawless. The staff was so nice and careful to see that I was treated like a birthday girl. But never mind that. It's maybe not YOUR birthday. The food was a delight. I have never had anything like the soup for flavor and lightness and the main course ( I had the lamb) was perfectly prepared to my liking. I definitely want to come back and test more of the wine list next time I have a chance. I eat out a lot and get a little bored sometimes with what is available, but everything I had here was prepared with a special flair that made it just different enough to make me want more. Pros: ambience Cons: stairs to upper level more

The pasta is the best I have had anywhere. They do know what al dente means and it is wonderful. The calamari was so fresh and succulent. It is one of my favorite things. This is such a beautiful place and the bar service is so good that I want to go back again and again. The service was thoughtful and prompt. A friend recommended that we try it and we were not dissapointed. Our friends were raving about the lamb, but we are saving that for a special visit Pros: ambience more

I went to 23Hoyt New Year's Eve with some friends to celebrate and we were very impressed. We took a chance on a and discovered this is our new favorite place! The menu is great and versatile. \r \r The nice sommelier helped us pick out a fabulous bottle of bubbly to celebrate while respecting our resolution in 2007 to be more froogle. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable. We had the decadent seafood plateau, shared some ravioli called Gnudi and I had the roasted rack-of-lamb all of which was sublime. There are suprisingly options for vegans and veggies and kiddies. Can't wait to try the bar menu on one of these weeknights. You would be sorry not to try 23Hoy. I am sorry we didn't sooner. Pros: Free Valet, upstairs seating, Cons: I didn't go sooner. more

With the closing of (the awful) Balvo, we were hoping for a positive transformation. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. We have been to 23 Hoyt on two occasions now. The first was rather decent and encouraged us to return, but after the horrible experience on the second visit, this place is permanently off the list of places to go. Our reservation was questioned (although made weeks in advance), the appetizers all arrived at different times (and one not at all), and the calamari smelled incredibly fishy. The waiter informed us after our order was placed that they were ""no longer offering"" three of the entrees on the menu. When our entrees arrived, five out of the six were so salty that it burned the inside of our mouths. Upon ordering a second bottle of (a different) wine we were told we would have to use our dirty glasses because the kitchen was short on clean ones. As the evening progressed so did the obvious drunkenness of our waiter. We had to ask a second wait staff member to have our waiter come back to the table so we could ask about ordering dessert. When we requested dessert menus, the waiter said he would have to first check with the kitchen to see if there were any left. \r The service was mediocre. One shouldn't have any expectations if planning to visit 23Hoyt. Maybe it will close and Israel can try again... third time is a charm, right? Pros: atmosphere Cons: service, food. more

the food was mediocre, the pasta i had was preapred with breadcrumbs, a traditional pasta dish from italy but it tasted like sawdust Pros: ok location and look Cons: my friend had oysters that made him sick the whole night more

Being invited to a party at 23 Hoyt was the highlight of my holiday dinners. The fact that they were able accommodate our group and treat us so well was a real eye opener: it is possible to have great service, as well as great food for a group of more than happy people. The appetizers and drinks were outstanding and the entrees were just delicious. I really enjoyed the wine list. It's a ""must go again"" on our own. Pros: ambience Cons: parking more

Lots of new places open everyday. None of them in Portland compare to 23 Hoyt! It is very stylish and arty. But what is better than the unique and interesting decor is the FOOD! That's right - the food is actually good here. Unlike lots of other places that have just opened. I found the service to be excellent too! I guess the word is out because the other night I tried to go for dinner and they were booked to the brim so we just hung out in the bar. Everyone is really nice and professional. Thanks 23! It is nice to eat well, be served well and feel well after a meal. Pros: Holy cow! Free Valet parking. Thank god! Cons: It was booked when i wanted dinner. more

\r I had never heard of this place and just wandered in with friends after shopping in the area. They were so nice to three hungry shoppers and we had a wonderful meal with a very good house wine. We each had a salad and they were all good--and the bread is so good. My friends enjoyed the rice croquettes filled with porcini mushrooms and a pasta dish while I had a bowl of a very tasty but light soup. Our server said the soup was discovered in Italy by the chef and I can certainly see why he decided to adopt it. We agreed we would be sure to come in for a complete dinner next time. The menu is seasonal and I really want to see what they do for each season of the year. I will report on dinner when I have a chance to go back.\r Pros: service and food Cons: parking more

Visiting PDX from SF last week I was taken by friends to 23 Hoyt and had a great dinner. I obviously couldn't order everything, but I wanted to. The Mediterranean menu was mouthwatering and reasonably priced. The soup was delicious as well as healthy. Love that! If you don't know about ravioli gnudi, you have to go try it. It was good to see rabbit on the menu and the service and decor were both great. The fabric mural on the upper level is really an intriguing sight. I look forward to trying more of the menu next time I am in town. This place kind of reminds me of one of my favorite restaurants back home called Zuni. Pros: The food, ambience and service. Cons: They don't have one in SF. more