Higgins Restaurant and Bar

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1239 SW Broadway (at Southwest Jefferson Street)
Portland, OR 97205

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(503) 222-9070
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Higgins Restaurant and Bar - Portland, OR
Higgins Restaurant and Bar - Portland, OR
Higgins Restaurant and Bar - Portland, OR
Reviews
( 42 )
( 31 )
( 8 )
( 10 )
( 4 )

Best

I gather that this restaurant has a well-established reputation, but we weren't aware of it. We've walked past the place many times on our way to nearby concerts and always said,...

Worst

I've been to Higgins twice, both times on special occasions,and both times have been very disappointed. The food has been good, but we have been ignored by the waitstaff both time...

Very Impressed!! 5/27/2006

My first glance through the menu made my mouth water! You could almost taste the food just by reading the menu. A well constructed menu description of the dishes that this restaurant has to offer is easy, but what about the execution from the kitchen to table?In this restaurant's case, it was very good. My wife and I enjoyed a beautiful salad, a venison terrine, and a GREAT charcuterie platter with Greg's pickles (you HAVE to order this or you're missing out). The service is very professional and attentive. Pros: Service, Charcuterie Platter, Ambience Cons: Parking more
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Go locally grown 4/24/2006

I love higgins not for my expectation of the food but their willingness to persue locally grown food. Support these guys even if each dish isn't perfect (it usually is great though). Pros: locally owned, locally grown, good food Cons: waiting for table, parking more
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Overrated -- What's All the Hype About? 12/31/2005

I was very excited to try Higgins. When you ask for a recommendation in Portland, Higgins always comes up, and as a foodie, there's nothing better to me than a consistently postivie recommendation. Imagine my dismay when I saw the menu and found it to be generally unappealing. No dishes really seemed to stand out. Everyone at the table ordered different plates and shared, and the general consensus was that the actual food met the expectations the menu had created -- it was bland, bland, bland, with one plate generally undistinguishable from the next. The only bright spot in the entire meal was the appetizer of cured meats, which I understand is one of Higgins' specialties. SUPERB, but you'd better love cured (i.e., pretty darned salty) meats. Aside from that, even the bread and the service was mediocre. Overrated at any price. I won't return. Pros: Ambience, Charcuterie appetizer Cons: Mediocre everything, Overrated more
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Warm and Inviting 12/30/2005

As you walk into this inviting restaurant, there are smiling faces ready to help us with our coats. The atmosphere was extremely charming and very warm. It was comfortable to cozy up in. Food was delivered extremely prompt and the service was well above average. The wait staff mingled with us and made sure that all was going well. The featured northwest cuisine was wonderful and it's great to have a restaurant support local famers. We will be back to enjoy the warm and inviting atmosphere along with the apple turnover. YUM! Pros: atmosphere, friendliness, prompt service Cons: street parking more
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Brilliant food and service. 11/28/2005

I have been there dozens of times over the past couple years and it has never been short of excellent. Highly recommended. Pros: Food, Service, No Smoking in bar Cons: Snooty looks from, other patrons, (my clothes=cheap) more
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Wonderful 11/19/2005

The Staff and the service is always excellent. Great food, great staff! Pros: Food, Desserts, Staff more
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Consistently Excellent 9/26/2005

I have eaten at Higgins numerous times over the past 10 years. It is currently as good if not better than it was when I first went. A really good restaurant is one in which you taste the food and can't help saying, ""wow"", because the flavours blend to form something unique and wonderful. Higgins consistently delivers that experience. And, they do it with excellent service and perfect surroundings for dining and conversation. Pros: food, ambiance, service more
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The condecension is palpable 9/17/2005

I, my wife and several friends have eaten here on several occasions. The food is wonderful, the wines are excellent and the ambience is lovely. But the service is arrogant and not at all up to the standard of the food. Sure, I recommend it. I always tell people that you must put up with a rather ungrateful staff. They will lower themselves to seat you, to serve you and to tell you what is on the menu. Pros: Excellent Food, Lovely facility, Fine Wines Cons: Arrogant, Condescending, Unfriendly staff more
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I'll be back for Dinner 8/26/2005

Although I have only been to Higgins for lunch, I'll return for dinner when I'm back in Portland. The decor is very pleasant and elegant without being pretentious. This contrasts well with so many over the top treatments. The service for lunch was spotless, another nice contrast to numerous other experiences in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver (not including Vancouver Island). I had the tuna carpacchio and a RARE freshly ground hamburger (Not described as a burger on the menu). What a treat. I had hard cider with both courses and it was a slice of heaven. I'll be back. Pros: A Real Burger, Pleasant decor, Great Service more
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Everything is Good here 6/9/2005

The service is always excelent. The food is never anything less than fantastic. I always have a hard time deciding what I want here, the manue changes constantly, it is made up of what ever is fresh. Everything on whatever menue they have is sure to please, if you have any special requests, allergies, they are always very accomodating. The beer selection is as thorough as any in Portland and the staff is highly knoledgable about the food, beer and wine selection. I would say this is a must if you are a local as most already know. If you are from out of town and want a true taste of Oregon this is the place. Reservations a must especialy on weekends. Pros: service, food, beer/wine more
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OVERrated!!!! 3/10/2005

With a 9.7 rating, Higgins leaves MUCH to be desired. We had heard good reviews so we went. Always open to new fine dining experiences, we were both looking forward to Higgins. Well, it was substandard from beginning to end. When you go to a ""nice"" restaurant, you can usually partake of atleast 2 items that you enjoy. Each item we ordered was unenjoyable and we both ordered different selections and tried eachothers. The appetizer was very unappetizing, the salad tasted like weeds, and finally the 2 main entrees were horrible. The rissotto was salty enough to gag on. The bucatini pasta tasted only like oil. Even the free dessert we were offered was tasteless. We won't go back to Higgins. We used to frequent the Heathman and Bleu, but then discovered Paley's Place! Cons: everything more
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Higgins is a San Franciscan's fave. 1/13/2005

This is my favorite restaurant, and I've eaten at the best (e.g., Chez Panisse, The French Laundry). The atmophere is unpretentious, the service phenomenal, and the food outstanding. The sommelier is the best I've met - his expertise ranges from vintage beer to extraordinary wine. I highly recommend this. Pros: Service, Food/Wine/Beer, Ambiance more
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Wonderful Experience! 12/10/2004

Higgin's is the place for a romantic dinning experience. With one of the best Beer selections on the West Coast ( better than most San Francisco establishments ), and with more than 90% organic menu, Higgin's represents the true NorthWestern form service and delicious food. Some Americans may find the service stuffy and slow, however we found the service European and amiable, this is an environment of slow dining at its best. This is not a place for a fast dinner before the show or a quick lunch, for like most working establishments in our culture, the employer has kept paired down the staff to the absolute minimum. I have eaten in many restaurants in New York, Europe and San Francisco for and Higgins is of similar quality. Pros: Environment, Food, Beer more
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Rude Waiter & Manager! 11/18/2004

Group went for a special occasion and it was awful! Rude waiter, acted like we were a bother, despite the fact that our group was quite subdued and polite. AND we spent a ton of money there. The manager was completely unaccomodating to our group. When a few extra people arrived that had not RSVPd, they made us feel like crap and did not make room for them until we asked about 5 times. At first, they said they would not make room at all! We should have just left at that point. The manager could have made this bad situation good, but his poor attitude just made everything worse. Manager followed us out the door and cussed us out after our dinner for showing up with extra folks. Lost 14 customers - most of us eat out at nice dining establishments a lot. We will not return to Higgens! Pros: OK Food Cons: , Overpriced more
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wonderful experience 11/18/2004

I live a few blocks from this resturaunt and was surprised to hear from so many people that it was a great place, considering the unassuming exterior. We decided to go there for our second anniversary and had a terrific time. The tomato and mozerella starter was bursting with flavor, the halibut was crisp and tender. Desserts were incredible. I had the molten chocolate cake and my husband the apple struesel with buttermilk ice cream. We practically fought over any remaining crumbs. Our server was wonderfully attentive but not overbearing. The bill was definitely spendy, but well worth it for a special occasion. We also tried the Bistro on a Sunday afternoon. The bloody marys are excellent (they use horseradish) and menu is filling and tasty. Definitely a good place for a quick bite. Pros: excellent food , great service more
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a delighful evening 10/10/2004

Higgins offers an eclectic mix of delicious food in an elegant, yet not overdone atmosphere. The squash pancake appetizer was phenomenal and the halibut with fresh beats was one of the best meals I've ever had. I was completely satisfied following the meal, but could not resist the apple cranberry stresuel with vanilla ice cream. It too was delicious. I highly reccomend this restaurant for dinner with friends, family, or a significant other. A++ Pros: ambience, service, specials more
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One of my favorites 9/19/2004

I recently moved to PDX from NYC and I've got to say this is easily one of my favorite restaurants. I found all of the food to be incredibly fresh and the combination of flavors absolutely amazing. Being relatively new to the city, I love the use and appreciation of local produce and ingredients. The waitstaff are very attentive. I love this restarant because I didn't feel like I was distracted by the trendiness factor, which you find in a lot of other restaurants. Plus, I didn't find this restaurant to be noisy, unlike a lot of other places. I really can't say enough about this place. Wine list... great. Beer list... great. Food... amazing. Good value? I think so! I definitely see myself becoming a regular. Pros: Delicious cuisine, Local ingredients, Low-key more
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Hurt..... 5/7/2004

Cocktails-great. Wine-splendid. Salad-very nice. Entree-questionable. Dessert-average but good. Extremely rude comment made by waiter to the birthday girl-unforgivable! Never will we return. It just wasn't worth it. I hope next May 1st won't involve a bitter waiter. Our dinner party will celebrate elsewhere. Pros: lovely atmosphere, good martini, nice bussers more
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Never Coming Back 4/10/2004

I just came from Higgins with two friends and we all had very disappointing dinners. I had a lamb shank that was tiny and had very little meat on it. The sauce it was swimming in tasted like Campbell's soup--very salty and generic. My friends had the pasta and flat iron steak. Everything was tasteless and overpriced. The spring greens salad with hazelnuts is also terrible. Who messes up salad?? The hummus plate was OK. We skipped dessert. I will say that the service was quite good and attentitve but it took a long time to get our entrées. I should have mentioned it to the manager but I just wanted to get out of there. Pros: let me think, still thinking, service Cons: , food is awful more
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A place to return to again and again! 2/23/2004

A small open kitchen packed with flavors of the NW. A three-tiered dining room with plenty of ambiance. Higgins has a varied menu and offers an extensive wine and beer list. The excellent bartending also leaves many options. The service was exceptional, almost excessive. The presentation was excellent, the food was delicious, although the portions were excessive. A delight to the mid-night snacker. A fun place to people watch and enjoy the luxuries the NW has to offer ones palate. Pros: Great food, Great service, Many choices more
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Menu for Higgins Restaurant and Bar


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Upscale downtown bistro delivers elegantly simple Northwestern fare.

Editorial

  • In Short
    Business diners, visiting dignitaries and gourmands enjoy this restaurant's innovative cuisine and relaxed atmosphere.The cozy decor of small tables, wood floors, an open kitchen...

  • 3/23/2007 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-12am Sat 4pm-2:30am Sun 4pm-12am
  • Payments: Visa, Discover, American Express, Master Card, Diner's Club
  • Neighborhoods: Downtown, Neighbors West - Northwest
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