Carina Lounge Reviews

The menu is diverse and there are many small plates and appetizers if you want a tasting meal. We tried 5 things from these first two menu types for 3 people and we declined dessert because we were full. The wine selection is excellent, too!

Great list of "featured" drinks... I had the G&T Carina and my spouse had a white wine. We had mussels, fried cauliflower and piri-piri shrimps. The mussels came with two pieces of delicious crusty bread. All the small plates were great (especially since we were there before 6 and had "happy hour" prices). The service was excellent - attentive but not obtrusive.

We were there on a Thursday for Happy Hour, a business meeting of sorts. By the time we left a group of twenty middle school kids were there, all ordering pizza. We sat in the bar area, which of the two spaces (restaurant or bar) is the more interesting of the two. This is the location of where Bastas used to be for many a year, but they finally left, and this place opened up around March 2017. The portions of the "small plates" were small. Indeed, too small. I left starved, and I was trying to make the business meeting a drinks and dinner kind of event, which I can successfully do at other Happy Hours in town. The server was gracious and dealt with us as best as she could. (We were an unpredictable foursome, each with our own oddities.) Would I go again? Yes, but just for the drinks. They were beautiful and tasty and worth visiting in and of themselves.

We were actually looking for another spot nearby but stumbled across Carina's and saw the late night happy hour advertised. We ended up walking to the other place to check it out but decided to go back to Carina's - so glad we did! They sat us right away and made sure our dog had a fresh owl of water. We ordered drinks (I got the Paper Plane - yum!) and checked out the menu. The starters were $4 each on happy hour so we decided on a bunch of those and sharing the local sea bass main dish. The pork tenderloin with crispy polenta was the huge winner - such amazing flavor! My husband raved about the grilled green beans wrapped in speck - he hates green beans. We also had the goat cheese ravioli (sauce was amazing even if the raviolis were a bit cold), and the little grilled peppers - a bit like shishitos but really tiny. The sea bass was done to perfection. Drinks were great. They have a nice wine selection, I think, too. We decided not to have dessert, but I'm sure everything would have been yummy. Our server was wonderful and that topped off the whole experience. Try it!

I usualy don’t go to Happy Hour but if you love small tastings this is the place to visit. All plates are $4.50 and the variety is wonderful. I would have liked to try all of them but limited it to four. The Wild Prawns, Gremolata Steak Bites, Goat Chees Ravioli and Stuffed Dates that were amazing. The house red and white wines were also very good.

Carina Lounge seems very popular, and, given the quality of the food, I can understand why. The atmosphere is casual, and the service is quick, but not hurried. Suggested dishes? The Gremolata Steak Bites and the salad of Roasted Beets & Shaved Fennel (and I don't even like fennel!). The Goat Cheese Ravioli was sort of a deconstructed ravioli, but it was executed very nicely, and the fried shallots atop made the dish. The Tiramisu came in a massive portion, but it was properly creamy and flavorful without being too sweet. There were a couple of missteps (the Roasted Brussels Sprouts were simply overdone, the noise level in the place was very loud on a Friday night, and there was neither salt nor pepper on the table), but I would certainly eat here again.

This was my first time to Carina’s Lounge. We did Happy Hour. The choice were extensive and everything was very tasty. We had steak bites(so tasty),mussels, Brussels sprouts and pickled vegetables. The service was so friendly from the moment we walked in the door until we left. I will be back. It made for a very relaxing fun atmosphere

Great food, staff, space and atmosphere. We were visiting from the UK and wanted a proper taste of what Portland could offer for dinner. We weren't disappointed! I had halibut and my husband had a bavette steak. Both so well cooked and perfectly presented. We choose a local Oregon wine to go with it - from a very good wine list. The staff and beautifully designed space made us feel really welcome as tourists and we were happy to linger and enjoy our time there. If we had a restaurant like this nearby at home we'd be there every week! Check it out.

This is an underlooked happy hour spot right in the mix of NW Portland. It is in an Aframe house but the inside is nicely done, like a lounge. Food is good to very good, but skip the chicken at happy hour, it was dry. Also, skip the wine by the glass and just get a bottle for less than 30. They have a great burger and fries for $10. Service is warm and welcoming.

Stopped in after seeing a movie @ Cinema 21. A friendly hostess sat us immediately as we walked in, no waiting. We dined on small plates. The ambience is hip and fun. The food was very delicious.

Nice meal. We had no reservation but that was not a problem - we sat at the bar. Rather than a main course, I had a double portion of the starter piri piri prawns (5 prawns per portion. My husband had the cannelloni. A starter portion of the pork tenderloin came out in error initially instead of the cannelloni - so they told him enjoy it and we were not charged for it. Nice beers and drinks.

It's in the middle of NW Portland hot spot, easy access from work, the staff's friendly, and some on site parking.

I love the delicious and creative food served in candlelight. The alternative serving sizes offered are thoughtfully proportioned: small plates (appetizers) or small courses (entrees). The happy hour (4:30-6pm Sun & Tues-Sat) is a good value and also features a specialty cocktails among others. The service is attentive and friendly. A bonus in NW Portland is that they have a parking lot, however, if full, street parking is available. Treat yourself and enjoy time at Carina's Lounge. Closed Mondays. They take reservations. Note: Name is actually Carina Lounge (not Carina's Lounge).

We enjoy the food and the service here. They have a parking lot with an open tent and heaters that are cozy, even when outdoor distancing. It's fun to order off of their small plates menu.

Portland is a tavern town, but sometimes you want a dark and quiet place to eat great appetizers and entrees and enjoy superb cocktails with good quality liquor. That's open nice and late. Oh Carina's will do it for you. Food was outstanding, and location? Just one block from our lodging at Portland International Guesthouse. I had had a 2.5 hour massage at Blue Star Wellness across town, rode transit back, grabbed the spouse, and walked one block to this fabulous eatery. All around 10pm. Nestled in the neighborhood, with cool music playing. Heaven.

The best meal we've had so far during a month-long cross-country trip. Great service at a pleasant outdoor table. The ravioli is one of the finest pasta dishes I've ever had; everything else was first-rate.

Where can you get a seabass for less than $20 and a bottle of Stoller Rose for $30-well at the Carina's lounge. More of a restaurant than a lounge, but the food is excellent. Great happy hour also with everything at $4 and a very good margarita pizza for $7. The prosciutto wrapped haricot vert. This place is very good and I will be back.

Always a great experience at this restaurant! Affordable wine list, superb food options (goat cheese ravioli is the staple & once you have it you WILL be back), lots of traditional dishes, GREAT happy hour selections/late night options. Have tried many of the menu options & ha e never been disappointed. The staff is very friendly, accommodating.... Just a great all around experience. Can be very busy so reservations are recommended.

I love this place and it has become a favorite since it opened. There are so many different small plates to share and the portions are generous enough you and a friend can share them and feel you both had enough. Each one is more delicious than the next. The service is attentive without being intrusive. They also know how to make a great cocktail. The ragu is spectacular!

We went here with friends. First time. Cool space and exciting menu though for us the overall experience felt overpriced relative to quality/quantity of food and candidly service. My babe and I each had a salad. The house salad was so acidic and over-dressed neither of us could finish it. We sent a good 50% back which the waiter noted with, •Couldn’t finish it, huh?” I responded that my stomach was already upset, off the unfinished salad left and on the bill it remained. The beet salad was generous on the beets so props there. We split the lasagne - $21.40 - and it felt like a half-spatula of a serving obscured by an ofd bowl-vessel. We both looked at esch other and rolled our eyes. It is lasagna — a luscious dish that begs to go on. And yet here ours felt truncated unnecessarily. The service felt strong at the onset but as time went on we felt less visible. One of us asked for a beer and that got lost even though later the waiter apologized so that helped. Still our friend was waving her hand in the air and we all were feeling the pain so apologies cannot rewrite time recorded. While the desserts were nice candidly they also felt stunted given the prices in play. For our part we felt underwhelmed and a bit lacking in “oh my tummy be full” after we paid the bill. And yes even if we had not split the lasagne the outcome would have been the same. We just have felt and experienced a lot more elsewhere either in PDX or beyond. XO

Even though the service was excellent and the ambiance was really good for eight of us to enjoy our evening, it was the truly stellar dishes that were the standout. Recommended with no hesitation.

What a great experience we had here. Great waiter, nice cool place, but most of all phenomenal food. I'd go back every weekend!

Carina Lounge resides in an old Tastee Freeze building (should be a historical landmark building by the way) and has turned it into a quintessential Portland restaurant. Great bar, friendly service, and very exceptional food. This restaurant brings me back to the Portland of the 1990's when restaurants weren't vying to see who could be the most 'trendy'. Carina Lounge does that naturally and effortlessly. We had a great time there and I think you will too. (Roman Holiday cocktail! and consider the Calamari, Beef Carpaccio, and Goat Cheese ravioli small plates.... )

We always are made to feel very welcome at Carina Lounge. The atmosphere is very lively and the service is excellent! The food is delicious but we wish the menu could be updated from time to include to include some new adventures. Very solid bartenders and wine list. I recommend Carina Lounge for a fun date night and evening with good friends!

We went for a pre-concert Happy Hour, and were totally impressed! It is a "small plates" restaurant. The variety was amazing - from steak to pork tenderloin, from haricots vert to muscles - and ever dish we sampled was superb! We were also impressed with the drinks...lots of variety. My biggest thrill was a Hendrick's Gin gin and tonic as a discounted HH drink. We were rushing and it was our first visit - but Carina's impressed our party!

The burger with harissa ailoli was delicious and fresh for $8 and $1 for fries. Service outside was pleasant and pert. $2 off cocktails but $4 beers. FINOCCHIONA SALAMI & ASPARAGUS GRILLED, HERBED RICOTTA CHEESE was also excellent.

It's a really nice restaurant with an awesome menu, really original. The Chef is great. The cocktails are ok.

Formerly Basta, this spot was transformed into a sexy hotspot full of sophisticated cuisine of small and large plates! The bar in the middle always has a very friendly bartender to serve up a very well made cocktail or glass/bottle if one of their carefully selected wines from all around the world, including our own wines from beautiful Oregon, like Abacela! From the oxtail soup to the goat cheese raviolis to the variety of salads to the black cod & variety of tapas, you will never be at a loss for something delicious to enjoy on your tastebuds!

Excellent food in lounge. We split four plates with a variety of flavors and enjoyed each one individually and altogether as a meal that was not too little and not too much. The location is a block from Cinema 21 and this was just the right place for a pre-movie meal. We plan to return not only for other meals but for cocktails in the lounge.

We were looking for some place we hadn’t been to before to spend a Thursday evening with our good friends. The place had great happy hour food and $4.50 draft beer. Service was also good and there was even salsa music. We will definitely come back.

First time visit. Group of friends head out to a different March dine out month restaurant each week. It was unanimous that is a return to spot. Excellent generous portions, deliciously fresh, and excellent wine pairings. Definitely a solid choice.

We were tired and ducked into this place just after 6pm. Had a cocktail and a Breakside ale. Very nice. We then split a burger (7.00) and a happy hour asparagus (4.50). Pleasant staff, relaxing atmosphere and they kept the music turned down low. What's not to like?

We fell in love with this newer spot during our 3 night Portland visit. Quirky A-Frame. Wonderfully decorated inside & very comfortable. Gracious welcome. Great service. Highly recommend. We were going to have dinner & the appetizer menu was extensive & impressive that we ordered 4 appetizers & ate tapas style instead. I ordered the nightly cocktail special which, unnamed but was divine. A mix of mescal, Cynar & orange. A lovely complex mix. We ordered: calamari that came with lentils, beet salad (that really had beets in it!) with toasted hazelnuts, stuffed dates, (best ever) & one more that eludes me. Plenty of food. The portions were generous, left happy & we were thrilled with the entire experience of Carinas Lounge. You must try.

Popular restaurant with good indoor and outdoor spaces! Food is way above average, excellent sauces with grilled meats and seafood. Grilled flatbread with roasted garlic and homemade pesto and marinara excellent! Great pours on wine :)

Mother’s Day 14 of my 3 family dinner. When we arrived our tables were all set. We ordered salad, piri piri shrimp, steak bites, steak, roasted chicken, pasta and wine and soft drinks and a burger and Ken’s Artisan bread. Everyone really enjoyed as the dishes kept coming. The wait staff was very friendly and overall it was a great family experience. Michel the owner chef came out and chatted with us. Carina is a great place to hang out. Thank you Carina.