Ken's Artisan Pizza

I hope there was a choice no star. We had a horrible service tonight. We waited for an hour even though they told us we had to wait for half an hour when we got there. I don't know what's their waitress problem. If you want get some attitudes, this is the place to go. You will definitely get some. They also served burnt pizza. I believe pizza place should have known what's burnt or not. The pizza was definitely burnt. We have been going there for 3 years, but the quality of food and service are going down. Anyway, if you want to get burnt pizza or horrible service, you should stop by Ken's. After waiting for a while, you will get either one of them for sure. more

I think Ken's must've changed their staff. We visited tonight after numerous recommendations from friends. We expected the wait (30-45 mns), but thought we'd try getting take-out. The hostess recommended waiting for bar seating - first come first serve - since there's nothing like trying the pizza right out of the oven. We agreed and ordered drinks. To make a long story short, there was a fellow customer (as part of a couple) who put a lot of effort into being a complete jerk to us and the staff because he didn't want to wait longer than anyone else. After we got bumped from the bar for this pleasant guy, we were treated exceptionally by the entire staff. The hostess paid for our drinks, the bartender gave us an extra one, and our food came first. We ordered: Greens Salad, Margherita, Fennel Sausage & Onions, and Lemon Tart w/Marionberry Sauce. And it was all excellent! But I just wanted to express our appreciation for the graciousness that we experienced and give kudos for giving respect to someone who wasn't doing it in return. more

Sad, sad service. Good pizza. Bad/HORRIBLE wait Staff and Manager staff (Specifically April and some unnamed waitress who wouldn't give us her name). Maybe for a reason... My husband and I went to Ken's Artisan Pizza tonight to celebrate my Birthday. I read about it in the Portland Monthly and was excited to go. We got there walked in the waitress looked at my husband with out saying a word. We said ""table for two""... this might sound petty at the moment but wait for it... it ADDS up! We were seated at a nice table by the window with out a word said to us. Call me crazy but I think a greeting was in order. When the waitress came back to the table to take our order there was no smile or greeting just asked us what we wanted. My husband asked what she recommended and she told us even keel w/ no enthusiasm. Ok... fine. Not a problem so far but noticeable. She came back to our table with pizza in record time. Not bad if you want to rip off the burnt edges from your crust but maybe that is ARTISAN. She never came back to the table to check on our food ordered or perhaps a drink order. By the end of the meal we had our card set out on the table still with out a word said. When she finally came to check on our table we had been waiting to pay and done with no check up. Call me crazy but you would think that is standard service anywhere expecting a tip other than buffet style. There was no horrible interaction. But I was def not feeling good about the service. I asked the waitress her name and she asked me why and told me she doesn't give it out. Annoyed at this point I told her so I could reference it when I wrote my review. She said no and walked away. We didn't leave a tip two minutes later completely disappointed I called to speak to a manager. She, April was equally as rude. I was put on hold obviously while she was being updated by the unnamed waitress. I told her about our lack of interaction and that I was terribly disappointed in the service especially since it was recommended by the Portland Monthly. She asked me what happened and I explained hoping to have a better interaction. She responded to and said ""didn't she recommend pizza's to you""? Ummmm yeah..... because my husband asked and it would have been even more rude to not answer that question as part of the wait staff. She said ""well, I am just trying to get both sides of the story"". She only defended the waitress and didn't even apologize for any bad service instead she was just ""trying to get both sides of the story"" WHAT?! Disappointed yet again. Hmmmmmmm.... too bad. Was really looking forward to a good time with some good pizza with at least adequate service. This was less than adequate service. We will never go back, nor recommend this place. We will also tell all of our friends how awful our experience was. I have had better service at all ""known"" bad service places in portland for years. Pros: Pizza... but not worth the staff's bad customer sevice Cons: STAFF more

good food shouldn't be served by bad people. I won't return to this place despite it's convenience to my location. Cons: service more

The food here is generally really nice, and worth queuing for. However, living nearby, I often notice the staff outside the restaurant smoking and it is very off-putting - makes me think, do I really want to be served food by people who have just been putting cigarettes in and out of their mouths? It isn't a good advert for a food place! Pros: Pizzas are usually very delicious Cons: Some of the staff are not respectful of customers more

There's more to great pizza than just having a wood fired oven. I love a good thin crust pizza, and expect some char to present on a good pie. But this place is putting out enough carbon on the crust that they could be used at the Mt Tabor crits as wheels. Something is wrong when the crust is burnt and the cheese isn't melted. They also need tone down the sauce on the calamari, it overpowers the subtle flavors. Actually just don't serve any calamari with the dish because the flavor is lost, the sauce and crostini alone would be fine. It is a shame to see such great ingredients so poorly handled. Pros: Great Crust Cons: Too bad it's incinerated more

After reading the last few reviews on here, I feel I must defend one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. Pros: Chewy, simple, delicious pizza. Accommodating staff. Caesar to die for. yay. Cons: Parking can be hard. Wait seems long when you're hungry for Kens!!! more

The pizza is good, but don't expect to be treated like a human. If I want to look up a hostesses upturned nose and looked down on like the proletariat I am, I can go to a REALLY nice restaurant in New York, where at least I'll expect it. Pros: Pizza is good Cons: Snobbish more

We live in the neighborhood and have always enjoyed Ken's Pizza. Since it is so popular (and for good reason) a wait is expected even during the week. But, the last few times we have gone the person taking the names has been less than friendly. We tried going during the holiday season and they were packed. We expected that, but what we didn't expect was to be brushed off and given attitude when we were trying to get questions answered. This won't stop us from going, but I hope they realize that being friendly to the people waiting or asking questions is just as important as taking care of those already seated. Pros: Great food Cons: sometimes attitude comes across when they are busy- which they are most of the time more

been the world over, read many of the reviews. those who do comparisons to italy still don't know good pizza. more

amazing delicious, but pricey for what you get. Don't go hungry if you aren't looking to drop major bucks. I agree that the waiter could have been much more pleasant, but he wasn't outright rude to us either. Glad I went once, but I would only go again if I wasn't picking up the bill. Pros: delicious Cons: kinda lame and expensive more

I am surprised that this restaurant has lasted so long when the waitstaff treat customers as annoying guests that must be given their pizza and scurried out of the restaurant. Family and business collegues have all been treated disrespectfully on various occasions to which we have come to the conlcusion - this pizza just isn't worth putting up with poorly trained and self righteous staff. To me, dining out should be about both the meal and dining experience. Unless you want to be hassled and rushed out so they can make a buck on the next customer, don't bother. It doesn't even help if you buy a $70 bottle of wine. Try Nostrana or Appiza Scholls for wood fired pizza. This place has waitstaff as smart as ""Joe the Plumber."" I pass. Cons: Waitstaff and Hostess more

Was in town for a meeting and wanted good pizza. New York thin style seems to be the popular wave. I was staying at the airport, and did not want to go way over to Escape from NY, and read too much negative (long waits, poor service, running out of dough), about another popular SE pizza place. Well Ken did not disappoint! Hidden in the neighborhood off SE Burnside, it's a small casual place. We got there about 6:15 on a Tuesday , and it was already full, except the bar, and that did just fine. Though very busy service was good. We had green salad and the prosciutto pizza. The pizza is thin, light , crisp and flavorful. Don't expect it smothered in pizza sauce and cheese, unless you request? With a great microbrew it was a nice light meal. We left before 7:30 and the line was heading out the door, so go early. Pros: Great pizza Cons: a little crowded more

Ken's is my favorite pizza restaurant on the west coast, maybe even anywhere. Ken prepares the pizza in a wood-fired oven, cooked directly on the stone. The crust is thin and crispy with a smoky flavor. The ingredients are fresh and high quality, the appetizers are nothing short of fantastic, and their seasonal desserts are always a must have. For fall, they have an amazing pumpkin custard with ginger snaps. The custard has a unique texture, like nothing I've ever had before, and it might be one of the best desserts I've tasted in recent years. The pizzas are simple and unique, made to bring out the flavor of each individual ingredient., not your typical American pizza slathered with sauce and covered with toppings from a bag. If that's what you're looking for, go to a chain restaurant. If you want something fresh and flavorful, go to Ken's. There's a reason the line is long, and it's not because it's a buzz restaurant, it's because it's just that good. Try the spicy soppresata pizza with arugula, and sprinkle a bit of the coarse salt and red pepper on it... my favorite! Pros: Pizza. =) Cons: Long wait at times... get there early! Not open on Sunday or Monday. more

I've made two visit's to Ken's and both times had decent service and tasty pizza, however, it was $14 for one pizza of 6 thin slices with minimal toppings. It is tasty, but I feel like I only get 4 bites of toppings and the rest is crust. The sauce is spread extremely thin, as well as the proscuitto, which is how proscuitto should be, but add some more! The proscuitto pizza comes with prosciutto, cheese, and basil. I can't eat dairy, so asked to substitute another topping for the cheese. The server did agree but at first said that they didn't do substitutions, but I could get it without cheese. If I am paying for the cheese but am not getting it, it shouldn't be difficult to throw on something in its place. He did agree but it seemed I needed to convince him. This place would be great if they were more generous with toppings and included a salad for the $14. Pros: tasty Cons: expensive and minimal toppings more

We had seen the lines out front before and I know how good Ken's bread is, so we decided to give it a try. It is very busy, so get there as early as possible for a shorter wait. It is worth waiting for. Once we were seated, the service was very friendly, efficient - and fast! We ordered an appetizer with calamari and garlic crostini. It was phenomenal. Ken's pizzas is not a ""vehicle for cheese"" as many pizzas are. Those can be good too, but this is better. Ken's pizza has a thin, crispy yet chewy crust that is something truly special. The toppings are relatively simple, but high quality...pancetta, mozzarella, arugula. You can also get sides of anchovies, peppers, or parmesan, should you want to embellish. Now I understand the lines outside the restaurant every night. I know when I have a craving for pizza next time, this is where I'll want to go - and the wait will be worth it. Pros: Some of the best pizza I have every had, great service Cons: There is always a wait more

I had high expectations from everything that I've heard but was somewhat disappointed. We ordered two pizzas and a salad. The salad was tasty and the pizza had great quality toppings but I was disappointed that the crust wasn't crispier. Surprisingly I've had crisper crust from California Pizza Kitchen and I rarely go to chain restaurants. I wanted to be wowed for how much we spent. Maybe I'm pickier than most Portlanders. Pros: Quality toppings, open kitchen, warm and cozy Cons: Little noisy, okay not great pizza crust more

My daughter and I have dined at Ken's twice now, and each time it was a delightful experience. We didn't have to wait because we got there fairly early. Oddly enough, we were seated at the same table both times, and one of the waiters dropped by to welcome us back and comment on the deja vu moment. The pizza is just as we like it - thin, nicely browned with little charred spots, and full of flavor. The salads and desserts are exceptional. The service was great. We rarely get bad service - and we dine out a lot. Perhaps it's because we are friendly, polite and appreciative...and we've both been invovled in food service, so we have a lot of patience. Bad things happen to the best servers in the business and sometimes there is just no help for it, so give 'em a break if you can. more

My husband and I love to go to Ken's even though we have to wait. No problem, we just bring something to occupy ourselves. It doesn't take long to get a seat for waiting in if you set your mind to it. We took a trip back east last fall and some how ended up having pizza and a caesar salad at three different restaurants in three different cities - NYC, Washington DC, and in up-state NY. None of them even came close to Ken's. We like the atmosphere so much in Ken's that the wait is no problem. Everyone and everything is so animated, the pizza and salad are fabulous, and the seating person and waitresses are always very nice. But if you don't like waiting, crowds, well lit restaurants, or slightly burnt pizza, don't bother to go. Just leave it for those of us who do like such things. Pros: great atmosphere and food Cons: there is a wait more

After visiting Ken's Artisan Bakery in NW several times (even though it's a drive across town for a loaf of bread), it was time to try their pizza, and we were not dissapointed. Pros: Walnut tart, food, food, food! Cons: Wine list, prep cook that sharpened his knife every three slices he made more