Higgins Restaurant and Bar Reviews

Higgins delivers exceptional quality of food and service in an intimate environment that's not too loud. I give great kudos to the waitstaff for being very friendly and helpful. The wine list is exceptional, especially if you like Burgundy and Oregon pinot noir. Pricing is probably a bit on the high side but it's definitely for those looking for a meal as an event.

We all enjoyed our food, and had a nice bottle of local wine. The Tomato gazpacho with Oregon Bay shrimp, cucumbers, olive oil and croutons was spectacular, with just the right spiciness. The Greek fisherman’s stew was great, as was the salmon special. A nice place for a special meal.

We visited Higgins before a show and were pleased with the high quality food and good service. The restaurant is a great blend of white table cloth service without being pretentious. My wife has food allergies and they were able to make recommendations for her without compromising quality.

Higgins was not what we expected....... it was better! Amazing service, atmosphere, and food. We highly recommend for that special downtown Portland evening!

This is a small restaurant centrally located in downtown Portland. The service, food & beverages were very good. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Higgins lived up to its great reputation Excellent food and service Pricey but worth it Went with a group but would be equally nice for a couple

I asked a business associate for a restaurant recommendation in Portland the other day. Portland is certainly a "foodie" city and there are many excellent choices. Higgins is a rather "old school" place to eat both in atmosphere and menu but you cant go wrong. The service was excellent and the nightly special list was almost as long as the printed menu. I will certainly go back, fits well for business meal or a cozy night out with someone your close to!

We were in Portland recently and had a marvelous dinner. The food is superb and the service was outstanding. After a busy weekend attending a wedding, we wanted to relax, savor our wine and talk. The waiter was a true professional and his timing was impeccable. The restaurant has a great ambiance, an old world feel, elegant without being stuffy. We loved the oysters, shared a wonderful salad and split an entree and dessert. Treat yourself if you are in Portland.

This is my favorite place in Portland. For the top quality though affordable burger and sometimes for more elaborated dishes. Staff is just amazingly kind.

Still one of the best for fresh, delicious food with excellent service. One thing to consider is eating in the bar/bistro, where you can get the things on the regular menu but also order from the bistro menu, which is cheaper but still great food. We did this and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also laid back atmosphere in the bar room, and easy to get seats.

I enjoy being there for a relax diner in their bar area. It looks pretty much like a Paris bistro and in the plate, you get best quality local products cooked in the French style. Excellent wine list.

Nice quiet dining room with competent attentive service, Higgins has an old fashioned feel about it with linen tablecloths and lots of woodwork. The lunch menu is balanced and has a good selection of choices from soup, salads, sandwiches to larger mains. Our party of 3 split a starter of bruschetta with a puree of mushrooms and white bean with a walnut vinaigrette. Be cautious when ordering apps here as they are fairly costly, the dish was good but I feel overpriced at $16.50. For mains, a turkey & cheddar sandwich served with a side salad, an open faced pastrami sandwich and a special of the day of schnitzel with homemade spaetzle and brussel sprouts. The winner was the pastrami. The turkey was just passable and the schnitzel was fine but the potatoes described as spaetzle were inedible. Dedicated foodies may wish to consider another venue for a more adventurous menu but this would definitely be a good spot for a business lunch.

We used to meet friends at Higgins several times a year starting in the mid-90s & continued to do so for decades. We hadn’t been there since before Covid until meeting friends there last night. Previously, groups of 5 or more were seated in the upstairs booths, no longer. They had set up a 4 person table downstairs for 5. Mixed drinks used to be epic. No longer. My Manhattan (my daily drink) had way too much vermouth, the others at our table were also a bit disappointing. One of us ordered a $70 filet medium rare, which came out well done & was sent back. An appetizer mussel order had several punky & 1 unopened shell - something that would never have occurred in years past. The other dinner orders were OK, but nothing special & the accompanying sides were good but not standouts like in years past. The service was disorganized for the 1st time ever. A bowl for empty mussel shells was finally delivered when only 1-2 mussels were left. An order for another table was delivered to ours, etc. We were told by 2 of the service staff that given the kitchen’s error on the filet that it’d be on the house - which was reflected on the final bill but not deducted from the total owed. After dinner while walking to the show that drew us downtown, we all agreed Higgins had lost the qualities we had come to both enjoy & expect. Sadly, we can neither recommend Higgins to others nor are terribly motivated to return ourselves. It was a great place, but that ship has sailed.

Once in a while you have to move upmarket and we did just that in Portland. The food, drink, and service were all excellent

Love to take the month of March while Portland has its annual dining month to re-visit places we have not been in awhile. Three of us had different things from the menu. None of them were memorable in any good way. The service was obtrusive, the dining room cramped, the food bland. For the prices, and its reputation, I did expect something more.

Unassuming place nestled in the heart of downtown on the corners of Broadway and Jefferson. Stopped in here for a date night prior to seeing The Sound of Music at Keller Auditorium, and was pleasantly surprised! Service - 5 stars. Attentive but not overbearing. Always there when you needed refills on drinks, more bread, etc. Food - 4 stars. Started with a potato puree soup - meh. NO flavor or seasoning. Mains: me - 8 oz grass fed filet, purple potato cake, sauteed radishes and greens. EXCELLENT. Hubby - Cod, beets, greens. Also excellent. Dessert - pear and almond tart. Pretty good - not a showstopper. Very good food overall though. Ambience - The place is quaint. I love that the tables are not shoved super close to each other. Perfect temperature inside. Soft lighting.

The server was exceptionally lovely; he had worked there for decades. The food was fine, but not exceptional, given all the other options

We returned for the third or fourth visit because it is such a dependable offering. The service is always top notch and the food inspiring and mouthwatering. There is ambiance and together with the feeling that they are very happy that you chose to eat with them, gives that feeling of coming to see an old friend.

I visited Higgins for lunch while on a business trip to Portland (and it was recommended as a top place to go). The experience did not dissappoint. The atmosphere was upscale but comfortable. And, the dishes were delicious--both the main entree and wonderful desserts. This is a must-try if you are in the area.

Higgins is one of "the" restaurants in Portland, with a decent history and lots of admirers. We came here tased on its reputation and liked it, with one (and maybe a half) provisos. Higgins has the vibe right where it wants it. The setting is understated and tasteful, but just a little worn to reflect time. The staff is attentive and confident, yet easy-going at the same time.When you are here you just know that the clientele is cool. The food matches the vibe. Everything is very well prepared, spiced so you know it's just a little bit different, but never too outrageous. Our primary quibble was with the noise level, and it may have been unique to our evening. We were seated next to a table of seven who were very loud to the point where we could not hear each other's conversation. Our waiter made a polite joke about it, but after a time going 20-30 minutes without hearing each other kind of weighed down on the evening. I think this was specific to this group and evening, and would hope you would have a different experience. Putting that issue aside, this is an excellent restaurant, but please note that it is also an expensive one. It's very good for a splurge meal.

They kept the kitchen open for entrees when the bartender found out I had travelled from FL to eat there. It is one of my favorites and it didn’t disappoint. They went above and beyond the call Of duty! Thank you, Higgins!

Had an amazing dinner in this quaint restaurant on a recent trip to Portland. The ambience was lovely, quiet and relaxing. The service was on point yet never interfering. The food was phenomenal, every sense was used in the meal. Well worth the time, I’ll definitely be back!

My husband found this restaurant our first night in Portland and we couldn’t have been luckier to have Ben as our waiter...his wine and beer recommendation was perfect for us. He recommended the fish and steak special and again, we loved the choices. What we also appreciated was his recommendation for a Japanese restaurant for one of our nights visiting Portland. We ended up driving to the winery if the glass he recommended (Shae Winery) and going to dinner for another perfect meal at his restaurant recommendation (Afuri). All home runs. We stopped by the restaurant our last night to thank him but he wasn’t working. So much of a restaurant experience is a good meal but great staff like Ben leave you with so much more!

We had the best service, the best meal and a great time. Arrived in PDX, our hotel was nearby and we had heard how great Higgins is...made a Res - were advised we would be seated in the Bar - and it was great! Both the waiter and his "back up" were delightful and so accommodating. The Mussels were beyond comparison with the many San Francisco places I have tried. Divine. The Steak - A+. Dessert - great a sublime tart. We cannot wait to return.

Enjoyed John’s sense of humor & attentiveness. Halibut & tenderloin both delicious. Split a salad & plenty for both.

The bar area is open after 2:00 with a limited menu. We had the pasta and burger. Both were good but not amazing. The bread, now that was really good. The bar is sort of old school pub style..which is sort of refeshing. Will need to go back for full menu.

Couldn't fault the service last night until I made a comment that I hadn't enjoyed the collards and mash - chefs choice with the aged sirloin dish of the day - we were told the chef ignores any such comments.The oysters we had were disappointing nothing like others we've been enjoying at other places over the past 2 weeks travelling between Vancouver and Oregon. The rockfish cervish special was almost inedible watery & overpowered by chilli- the saving grace was my husbands whole pig dish which included a great pork sausage and was a lovely dish .Bit tired was the impression I got of this menu .

Cozy restaurant in the middle of the city. Friendly welcome. Unfortunately our waiter was a bit overwhelmed, but the drinks and food were very, very tasty. Everything was prepared to perfection and very attractively presented. We had the best bread there on our entire trip. Be sure to order it.

Diner at Higgins is a must if you travel near Portland! Does casual fine dinning sound like an oxymoron? Our family group of seven felt right at home eating in a very comfortable setting. The food was exceptional. Service was friendly, efficient and correct. Come for the food and fall in love with the atmosphere. Don’t miss a chance to experience this restaurant.

Our first restaurant meal in Portland, and it was a fine place to start. The restaurant has a cosy feel, brought about by nice décor and friendly, efficient staff. The food was a very good mix of what felt like local cuisine, with a waft of French classical background. The wine list champions local produce, much like the rest of the menu. I'd be happy to return.

Just classic excellence. Came here for a work dinner, so a group of about 10. Service was excellent and on point. Drinks were good, but the food was the star. Everything we ate was wonderful.from the mussels to the charcuterie (which I usually don't like) salad and oysters (I don't do oysters, but those in my crew that do said they could have made a meal out of these) were wonderful. My entree was the pan seared halibut over smashed potatoes with rapini and fiddlehead ferns. The fish was cooked to perfection, the vegetables tender crisp and not overly bitter. Others also commented that their entrees we're equally good, rockfish, steak and several "whole hog" dishes were nearly completely devoured. We shared an assortment of desserts all of which were good. I loved the atmosphere, very old school, cross between a supper club and bistro. Yes, it is spendy, but in my opinion well worth it

I love to go here before seeing a show at Keller. The food is fresh and tasty, good cocktails, service is very friendly.

Great local food, excellent service. This spot has been a classic for decades. Higgins uses local ingredients cooked perfectly. The service is always spot on.

Higgins has such a great legacy and well-earned reputation. My wife and I recently returned after a year and a half with much anticipation. Menu items were very appealing. Unfortunately we were let down in a big way. Dungeoness crab risotto arrived as a lone pile (plop) of risotto in the middle of a bare plate. Black Cod arrived as two small over-cooked pieces. Halibut filet was dried out, over cooked, placed on a very simple bed of black lentils and a little tomato sauce. Each entre cost roughly $45 and maybe at $15 to $20 I’d have felt OK about it. Service was fine but ambiance is below average and a bit stark. Nothing in this experience would motivate a return or by any means, a recommendation.

We recently celebrated our 43rd anniversary. We have always loved lunch at Higgins but this time we sprang for dinner. The difficulty is choosing because everything is delicious. And we could not resist their wonderful bread either. We started with gazpacho with Ahi Tuna, which may sound odd but tastes delicious. Then we split their Cretan Tomato Zucchini fritters. They were out of this world. Even though we are not vegan, we always enjoy trying whatever the chef has come up with for vegans. We had to take home the peach cobbler. I don't usually have a cocktail but tried their Aperol Spritz, which was so festive and delicious.

This restaurant has been operating for some 25 years, and it is obvious why. The food is excellent, prepared with locally grown ingredients. And the service matches it in quality and creativity. Wonderful place to treat yourself!

This was quite the experience - everything was quite delicious. We just sat at the bar and tried different things. Bartenders were awesome! We even brought some special wines - small corkage and gave the guys a taste!

I like the restaurant, but I love the atmosphere of the bar. I like that when I come here, they have a lot of the same staff, which creates an even nicer atmosphere. The duck is great!

Good mushroom potatoe curry soup Parking is a little tight, restricted hours on street parking, not free Pastrami sandwich is delicious and large open faced, with micro green salad and pickled vegetables sprinkled with hazelnuts, like something from iron chefs. The staff was polite and helpful The bar was full of baby boomers getting loud and interested in themselves.

Higgins was recommended by one of my colleagues, who comes from Portland. We were not disappointed, and the variety of food was excellent. We decided to keep it simple and go with their green salad and grilled aged ribeye steak. The waiter was friendly and offered the young children burger from their bistro menu. I love the Chocolate Apricot Tart. It was an excellent venue for large party.

Higgins offers classical and more modern menu options. We were pleased by the quality of the food and the service. The restaurant isn't exactly cheap, prices are correct in my opinion.

I generally enjoy Higgins very much. We arrived early for our dinner reservations to get a drink in the bar. Unfortunately two rude snubs from the servers at the bar led us to El Gaucho for our pre-dinner cocktails. We were tempted to cancel our dinner reservations due to the bar experience, but knowing the food is so good led us back. Glad we returned for dinner- my sisters steak was delicious as was the cod. Would recommend a little customer service retraining at the bar.

We placed reservations for a very special night; my son's high school graduation. Upon arrival we were told to present our proof of vaccination. We were absolutely not told ahead of time that we needed this and this information is not even on their website or posted anywhere we could see. We are all vaccinated but because we didn't happen to have our cards with us and couldn't pull up appointment confirmations on our email for 2 of our party we were denied entry. I do understand the importance of their policy but I was APPALLED by how matter-of-fact the the employee's attitude was and how COMPLETELY unapologetic he was about THEIR screw up which ruined an important evening. You are very lucky we were able to actually walk in to a nearby restaurant who actually valued our business or I would be absolutely livid. I will never come to Higgins again. A place that I had a wonderful time at for a night out with my wife before the pandemic and had great food will never again have my business. Not to mention their warm cozy decor they used to have feels like a "noodle's and company" now in their interior, so not impressed with the generic remodel which brought a place of character and class down to franchise chain restaurant level.

We followed the cry for help from Higgins to save the restaurant. We have dined there many times before and really enjoyed it, but this time we were quite disappointed. My Non alcoholic Moscow Mule was basically just a glass of lemonade with no trace of ginger beer. Same with the artichoke appetizer, there was no recognizable trace of artichoke in the dumplings which could have been crispier, however the presentation and tzatziki was quite nice. The corn risotto had half raw onions in it but the flavor was ok. The duck dish had 2 slices of unrecognizable sausages on it…. ( why???), the polenta and the duck itself was great. All in all, considering the high price for a mediocre dinner we will not return.

If you do only one thing in Portland go to Higgins for dinner. One of the best restaurants I’ve been to period. We were there, again, on Sunday after the Seattle to Portland bike ride and again just a fantastic dining experience. One thing not to miss is the gazpacho starter. One of the ten best things I’ve ever eaten. Great food. Exceptional service. I can’t say enough.

I've wanted to go to this restaurant for years. I've always admired the ambiance of the lamps over each table that give the space a warm, intimate vibe. We arrived early at 6:15 pm for a 6:45 pm reservation ... and we were seated at once ... but not in the best location. There are a couple tables near the door and kitchen area where there is a lot of traffic and noise. We thought about asking to be moved, but decided to live with it ... although in retrospect, I got tired of asking my friend to repeat herself. Our waiter and all the servers were efficient and charming. Nothing to fault there. We had cocktails, wine, a salad, main courses and dessert. My vegan entry was mediocre in taste, and as is often the case with these types of restaurants, the meat dishes far excel the veggie options. Such is life. The wine pairing with dinner (the waiter's suggestion) was excellent, and the dessert looked better than it actually tasted, I thought. My cocktail at the beginning was quite good and I could have had more. In the end, the food struck me as uneven in quality, but you can't beat this place for service and decor. I will be back!

Although Higgins is a fine dining restaurant, they serve a limited range of very good value sandwiches at lunchtime. For $10.50, we had soup and sandwich - served in a very nice environment. You won't find a nicer place.

I visited for a very early dinner at 5.15pm. I arrived a little early about 5.05pm. I had the specials, a vegan soup, pork schnitzel (with beets & squash) and the cottage cheese cake wth quince. The food was too notch, however as a solo diner I felt rushed and I was finished all 3 courses in less than 1 hour even though I deliberately ate as slowly as possible. Annoying!! The restaurant was still only half full when I was leaving, so unnecessary!!! The service was good otherwise, he needed to manage the time much better... The food was a 5*, marked down for the rushing..

A return visit for lunch was made perfect by a very delicious Higgins Burger topped with blue cheese and caramelized onions and a lightly butter and toasted brioche bun. Served with an incredibly fresh salad on the side. Service was excellent. The last time I had been to Higgins and had their burger I was disappointed but I was very happy with the results on this visit!

It's hard to cook razor clams without turning them into rubber, but the chef at Higgins has apparently mastered the technique. Lightly breaded with Panko crumbs, then sauteed in butter ( at least that's what it tasted like). I hadn't had clams this good since Mom made them on the wood burning stove in our beach house. These were so tasty I kind of wish I hadn't just gotten them as an appetizer. Of course, my burger was superb, but I'll be dreaming about those clams forever. Also, honorable mention for the chocolate raspberry cake for dessert. We ate in the bar side of the restaurant, and the noise level was acceptable.

The hotel concierge recommended this place and called it the quintessential Portland restaurant. We were not disappointed at all. The service was great and the meal was even better. I had the shrimp and crab cakes. They were amazing and had this delicious lemon sauce. I practically licked the plate. Definitely recommend them and the restaurant.

I stopped in early, without a reservation. The hostess offered me several tables and I chose the one next to the open kitchen. I am on a vegan diet and the knowledgeable waiter offered me several options. Many of the dishes were vegetarian and a few were vegan. The waiter told me thee was always a vegan soup and at least one vegan entre. The food was excellent and the overall experience was elegant and refined.

Dont get me wrong the food was good, the dessert was excellent but the vibe of the place was kind of blah

Disappointing meal. Hadn't eaten here in several years since moving from Portland several years ago. Rating is based on the $$$$ assessment by Trip Advisor. Food was good 4/5, but a bit too salty, Appreciated the amuse bouche, Service was average 3/5. For the price, would rate the experience 3/5. Would choose a different restaurant on next visit to Portland.

I enjoyed the Salmon with a Fava bean purée, smashed potatoes and broccoli along with charcuterie plate. Both were delicious and the fish was fresh. They also had friendly attentive staff, and a nice wine selection, however the food was very pricey and the place didn't look much like a fine dining establishment.

Enjoyed dinner here prior to a lecture. The entrees included the Sweet Corn, chili and tofu fritters with black beans, rice and squash, and the Pappardelle Pasta with beef. Both were delicious! The service was efficient and the waiter very helpful. It is always a treat to eat at Higgins.

We had a nice dinner at Higgins. Staff was friendly and responsive to our needs. Not much of a selection but what they do have on the menu is very good. Be prepared to pay exorbitant prices for each dish. $17.00 for a salad is just a bit much. You can get food that is just as good with a great staff elsewhere and at realistic prices.

Fresh razor clams on the menu as well as Petrale sole which is hard to come by. Lovely cocktails and perfect service,

After my first visit to Higgins a month back, the meal was such a disaster and my gastro track in such distress, I drafted a “review” the following morning. My sweet husband convinced me to hold off on the posting after he received an apologetic email from Higgin’s management asking us to please give them another chance. A gift certificate to entice us arrived a few days later, so we made plans to return with some discriminating friends a few weeks following. Rather than be woken at night with intestinal distress, this time I awoke flat out HUNGRY. Shame on you Higgins. Shame on you TWICE. I was looking forward to dining at Higgins Restaurant upon returning to Portland after many years living in the Bay Area. A gift card from a relative added to the incentive as well as a chance to get to know some new neighbors who we wanted to thank for helping out with a funny mishap related to our dog. I’ve never written a bad on-line review. But our meals at Higgins were such disappointments and caused me such bodily distress, I felt I had no choice. I’m not a food snob but I can discern the difference between a delicious meal and a disaster. Shame on you. Let’s get the service and atmosphere out of the way: Impersonal, dated and lackluster. The furnishings reminded me of a roadside dive bar, worn and inelegant. Wobbly, dog-eared, undersized wood chairs, thin cloth napkins and a small table “lamp” where a lit candle should have been. The bulb went out mid-meal our first visit. Not that I wanted to see the food since the presentation was so undistinguished. Both visits, we were seated in the interior dining room- a noisy, uninviting space. And, on both visits, the wait service was pompous and hollow. The waiter on the latter visit delivered exceptionally insincere and superficial exclamations of canned hospitality. Shame on you. To the food. Upfront disclosure: I’m quite adverse to peppery, spicy food. Not unflavored food: just spicy. Not finding many choices on the written menu, nor from amongst the tersely recited specials of the evening, I made it clear to our first night server that I needed un-spicy/peppery selections. At his recommendation, I ordered an appetizer billed as an eggplant salad. After two bites of a blah looking spread of mushy eggplant and, perhaps?, tomatoes, my mouth was burning. I tried one more bite on a different edge of the plate – NOPE. Our server was nowhere in site. One of my gracious and accommodating seatmates ended switched his more simple mixed green salad with blue cheese ($2.00 extra for the cheese) with my appetizer. Said seatmate confirmed that my dish, indeed, had a red “kick.” When the waiter finally returned and I shared my distress regarding the dish, he was dubious. Eventually, he returned to inform me that there was no pepper in the dish, just ginger. Um, no. Shame on you. The remaining food offerings at both visits were pitiful, especially given the outrageously high prices. My first night pasta entrée included undercooked ziti smothered in oily tomato sauce whereas my dining friend’s pasta on the second visit was dry and lifeless. The high priced salmon dish was unrecognizable as salmon so much so my husband was surprised to see it included on the bill. On the second visit, my $10 starter salad consisted of a handful of bitter mixed greens, with 4 barely toasted hazelnuts and a small drip of flavorless vinaigrette. I guess it would have tasted better had I ordered the $2.00 cheese add-on. Upon requesting additional dressing, the server just brought out a side order of said blah vinaigrette, rather than taking my salad back to remix. My funghi risotto entrée at $28.00, minus the posted peppers, was a dry, sour pile of Arborio with a few cooked, flavorless mushrooms ringing the pile a top some thin green, cilantro (?) infused liquid squirt. What? Are you kidding me? Shame on you. Flavorless white bread was served on a plain white plate. At our first visit, we got a tiny piece of palatable whole grain variety, yet when we requested more, were told they had run out. It was not even 7:00 pm. The table was a mess, no mid-meal crumb clean up and snail paced service. On our second visit, the sad bread took 30 minutes to arrive after our 7:00 PM seating, well after our drink order. Our appetizers had still not materialized at 7:55 PM and we were still waiting for our entrees at 8:30 as the cacophony in the room escalated. One positive note: the evening’s Rock Fish special with roasted vegetables was well prepared though no promised purple potatoes materialized on the plate. Shame on you. We were in no mood for dessert. Given Portland’s amazing food options, in a range of prices, it’s unimaginable why Higgins still exists. Okay, now I feel better. I hope I never have to write another review like that again. Shame on them!

Was a party of 6 for an informal business dinner, service was as you’d expect as in prompt and knowledgeable, food however was far from expected, salmon was the chef’s seafood choice, it was cooked correctly but was as bland as salmon can be, and at $49 was hugely disappointing, 3 colleagues had steak, only 1 was cooked as ordered, overall presentation of the food wasn’t of the calibre you’d expect at that price point, my plate wasn’t even warmed prior to serving ... not a good first impression

I met a friend at Higgins for a drink and appetizers. Both were good as was the service. I found it a bit on the pricy side but it fit our needs. Their whiskey selection is incredible!

This was an average restaurant. My daughters meal was actually quite good. Mine was flavorless but will cooked. What was truly irritating was we were given the worst table in the house. Despite the fact they were open tables they sat us right by the servers station. We were also basically ignored when it came to service. I’m sure of my dinner date and then another adult instead of a teenager we would’ve been treated better.

Had read a lot about this place on the Oregonian website about the top Portland restaurants and were not disappointed. The food, atmosphere and service were top notch without being stuffy and we enjoyed our experience here tremendously. The fish and seafood were incredible and what we liked the most was not being in a rushed situation. Truly a shining star on the Portland restaurant scene. You won't be disappointed if you choose to dine here. Will recommend to our friends who are living there and hope to return next year.

Higgins was suggested to us by our hotel for our first dinner - the food and service was so outstanding we came back two weeks later. If Australian John is there he is the best waiter ever and friendly to boot! Excellent wine list and the farm to table fare cannot be beat!

Had a fantastic meal and experience at Higgins last night. Great food, great cocktails and great service. Excellent charcuterie, we had the salami plate and the special terrine, then the gazpacho and fisherman’s stew. We sat in the bar and had a great conversation with the bartender about the excellent cocktails. We had just dropped off a kid at college and will definitely go back to Higgins next time we are here to visit. Next time I’m ordering everything on the charcuterie menu with the Jasmine cocktail. Highly recommend!!

Higgins Restaurant and Bar is a lovely spot for a romantic night out in Portland. We happened to be in town to see An American in Paris at Keller Auditorium and finally got to experience dinner at Higgins. I had been wanting to dine here for ages and was not disappointed. Bordering on true fine dining, this farm to table meal was a wonderful experience in local food and wine, well prepared and beautiful. The ambiance is cozy and upscale casual. The interior is full of warm wood and white linen and the servers are knowledgeable and attentive without hovering. I had the fresh fish and my husband had braised lamb shank. Needless to say, everything was delicious! The chefs at Higgins have a passion for organic locally grown ingredients and it really shows in their fresh and artistic presentation. If you are looking for a romantic place to hang out before or after dinner, the bar looked very comfortable and inviting too. We had a musical we wanted to get to so we ordered an Uber and headed over to the Keller Auditorium. If the weather is good and you have plenty of time, Higgins is within walking distance of the theater.

We visited Higgins for the second time this summer. The staff are truly professionals with knowledge of their food and wine menu. They were so helpful to us when we were making our selections. Every single thing we ordered was delicious and of such high quality. And, on top of that the food was presented beautifully. It’s not a trendy, cutting edge place but delivers immense quality and service that is hard to find. I highly recommend!

Could be a god choice for pre-theatre at keller but service is slow...tell them when you wanna be out. Professional servers and bus staff. Nicely spaced tables. Usual farm to table and locally sourced food spin. Upscale but has a casual vibe. Menu is unimaginative but the food was good. Tomatoes and burrata—fresh Whole pig plate— good. Average experience

Two nights ago, I went to Higgins and had a wonderful experience. The food was delightful, but it was my server Andy who made the experience wonderful. A brief discussion enabled Andy to understand my palette and he was able to pair my food with wine to my taste. And it was good! Especially when I travel solo, it’s this kind of engaging and genuine attention, attuned to me, that turns a good experience into something that is memorable. Thank you Higgins and thank you Andy!

Great place, combination of tradition and more modern areas. I had a wonderful burger and the potato ordered on the side were just fantastic. Service a little overdoing in spite of busy evening which lack authenticity to my taste.

Higgins has always been a favorite “go to “restaurant. We were happy to have them open again for indoor dining. Post pandemic many restaurants have been short staffed. Not so, with Higgins. There were plenty of servers and other staff to fill water glasses, take plates, serve food etc. We ordered the dinner specials of salmon and lingcod. The fish portions were adequate however the dollop of rice was pretty minuscule. Overall the food was tasty, albeit a bit salty. Libations included the house margarita, Manhattan, and Mojitos. Dinner was topped off with house made buttermilk ice cream which was interesting and surprisingly flavorful. Welcome back Greg and Company.

Dinner visit on last night in Portland, made it in time for happy hour in bistro. Red wine was very nice and a bargain at $7 per glass. We shared special chili rubbed ribs and slaw, and an order of mussels. Rids were very tender and tasty, mussels some of the best we've ever had, perfectly cooked and served in excellent spicy broth. This should definitely be on your restaurant list if in the Portland area.

We went for an early show dinner (4:45 reservations) and while our reservations were in the main restaurant, I wanted the Bistro Burger that is only available in the bar... no problem... first come, first served. Unfortunately all the bar tables (except for the bar itself) were covered with "Reserved" signs. What ??? We were forced back into the main restaurant which at least doubles the price of dinner. Now at this point in time I have to give the highest kudos to our waiter who advised me that in 20+ years he had never served the Bistro Burger in the main restaurant, but would do so as I was pretty unhappy. He was really a "class act" as he was helpful, knowledgeable and professional. After looking at the menu, I decided that to have an "off menu" item brought into the main dining room would create nothing but grief for the waiter, I opted for the calamari appetizer special, chanterelle risotto and their butterscotch pudding (which I really think is close to heaven). We were pleased with all the food (my companion had the petrale sole) however that while the risotto was cooked to perfection, it was very "leek heavy". Chanterelle mushrooms are delicate and easily overwhelmed... half the leeks would have offered a 5 star plate. "Just saying"! We would absolutely go back... it is a perfect restaurant for a pre-theater dinner and ALL the staff were attentive and lovely.

Andy was excellent. His wine and food suggestions were perfect. The mussels were cooked to perfection with a unique and great sauce.

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of all of the new restaurants in Portland, and deservedly so. But the fact is, Higgins has been and remains a reliably outstanding choice. My wife and I recently returned and once again were treated to outstanding service and an excellent meal!! Fresh and locally sourced, it was a treat!! When was the last time you raved about a dinner salad?? It was so delightful, my wife is meeting her daughter there for dinner tomorrow night! Kudos for their commitment to excellent!! Bon Appetit!

Passed this place one afternoon. Looked really atmospheric. All wood panelling like a Rennie Mackintosh tea room. Came back for a truly excellent supper, served by the highly professional Kami. Loved every moment.

I found this restaurant online as we were staying at a hotel around the corner, then valet highly recommended it. Upon his advice, we got a much coveted table in the bar area and were not disappointed. The food choices many, the food delicious, the service professional and friendly, and the vibe great fun! A Portland classic.

Went with friends who had eaten there many times before going to a musical at Keller Auditorium. Very efficient staff, wine was good, appetizer of oysters on the half shell were a briny treat, lentil soup was hearty but needed a little seasoning. I had the shrimp and crab cakes as an entree that were cooked perfectly. A friend had pan-fried oysters with bacon hash which were great. We shared a hazelnut ice cream and delicious cookies for desert

Our last visit to Higgins was about 10 years ago. We remembered how fabulous it was, so wanted to return. It's been a staple of the Portland food scene for 23 years and it is still a leader. Delightful ambiance and music, soft in background, encourages leisurely dining and conversation with friends and near tablemates. The menu is also old school. Hubby and I split the Grilled Rockfish, fresh and crisp, on a bed of beans with a red sauce, broccoli and carrots. Our friends split the Halibut and loved it. We ordered the Porterhouse steak with fries for the table. The portion large enough to feed us all and leave some for later. Can't wait to return.

I don't go to Higgens very often. I rarely find something that is good and in a price range i think is good...

Very impressive in many ways. We had a group with many tastes and needs, but they covered us all easily. The waiter was perfect. The drinks were good. I will definitely visit this place again.

If the prices were comparable to the online menu, I would have given it a 4, but in fact they are significantly higher. The restaurant is quiet and comfortable. Service was attentive, though the waiter's spiel about daily specials could have been a parody, and they were out of one of them, not all that late into the evening. The hors-d'oeuvres were tasty but not good value. The charcuterie plate has 20 razor-thin slices of salami varieties, 3 different pates, slices of two hams, plus pickles, but only about 6 small crackers (wafers would have been better), so you have to order bread as well, which came in ridiculously fat slices. Main courses were all good in principle, none of them quite as expert as they should have been. I had the fish soup--a nice idea, but nothing tasted really fresh, all a little dried out. The wine list was expensive as well. With two hors-d'oeuvres (one of them not especially large), one moderate-priced bottle of wine for 5 people, and no dessert, it came with tip to something over $60 a person.

Little Bird is our favorite restaurant in Portland (so far!) but Higgins is not far behind. Like Little Bird, Higgins is also French inspired cuisine. We had a fabulous experience here. Our waiter was one of the best we have ever had anywhere - knowledgeable, charming, attentive, and helpful. We thought the bistro menu looked more interesting than the one in the main dining room, but it is only served in the bar area. So, that is where we sat. The booth was comfortable and the ambience warm. My wife had the mussels (steamed in white wine, gingered plum sauce & chilies), which were unique and delicious. We have had mussels all over the world, but these were the best. I had a house speciality - charcuterie board of artisanal cured meats and pickles. It is all made in house and served on a large marble slab. It was really incredible. My one quibble was that you have to pay extra for a serving of bread and some olive oil - but the bread was a homemade nut bread, and it was great, so I guess it was worth it! I couldn't eat all of the meats, so we brought the leftovers back to the hotel (which had a refrigerator) and had them for brunch the next morning. I highly recommend this place in downtown Portland.

Higgin’s has been around for some time and is deservedly a bastion of not only good taste, but of comfort and peace. Downtown may not be as bustling as other metrops, but it is rare to find an Eden in any corner of the world. Welcome to Eden.

We sat in the friendly and lively bar, enjoy good drinks, and an outstanding meal. My wife loved her Bistro pasta, and my Hamma Hamma oyster gratin was just decadent. The service (Pauly) was outstanding. We want to come back soon.

Had an amazing meal on my last trip to Portland here. Really amazing wine list with a knowledgeable staff. Lovely waitstaff. I had some amazing Oregon beef and my mother had zucchini cakes so we really ran the gamut of food styles. Great experience and would recommend to all

Had a wonderful dinner at Higgins. The cocktails were yummy too! I had the Casarecci pasta with a ragôut of braised beef & root vegetablesand Parmigiano Reggiano cheese . Would recommend it highly!

Went here in Mar 2019. Ate on the bar-side of the place, but sitting down at a booth. Way-above average service. Great menu selections. We ordered a glass of wine, a Negroni, and a Manhattan and I swear the drinks were delivered in 3 min. Lively atmosphere, chill clientele. Food was good but not great. Pros: ribeye, scallops, and unique bruschetta. Cons: the truffle risotto was in some bites too bland, and other bites too savory.

The dinner here was delicious. Fresh fish and vegetables beautifully prepared and presented. The service was attentive and friendly. Would go back again.

I've enjoyed several things from the menu. Never been disappointed with the food or the service. Both are superb! This is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland.

Went to this lovely restaurant with excellent service and a terrific server. The ribeye steak was disappointingly tough with more silver skin than one would expect for the price. Interesting and delicious desserts.

My first visit to Higgins. Met a friend for lunch. He ordered the open face Reuben ($18) and I ordered the Pork Loin plate ($22). When the meals arrived, our server Brandon, brought the wrong meal for me. I am not sure how he messed up the order, as it was the ONLY item on the menu he and I discussed. Even though he said the replacement "won't take long" it took over 15 minutes to arrive. Maybe I miss the point of Higgins, but my Pork Loin was more like a 1/4 inch thick slice of ham, not very big with little flavor, and the sausage was nothing special. Perhaps had Brandon brought the accompanying mustard to the table, my experience would have been better. The price of the meal was $22--exorbitant for what you got. My meal was comped, but the experience was TOTALLY unsatisfying. I will not be back.

I’m staying at The Heathman and asked where to go for lunch. The receptionist lit up and immediately suggested Higgins. After seeing the reviews I thought I had to try it. I ordered the burger; medium with cheddar cheese. Not only did I not get or at least see any cheese, my burger was charred. So gross! 6 hours later and my stomach still hurts.

We dine out quite frequently at various kinds of places. My husband treated me to Higgins for an early Valentine's dinner. We were very pleasantly surprised in all aspects! The atmosphere was very nice for a romantic evening out. Service was just right. And dinner was delightful! The charcuterie tray was amazing. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the whole pig plate. And I savored every bite of the Morracan lamb dish. It is a rare thing for both of us to give a 5-star rating. So don't hesitate, go make your reservation now!

My husband chose this place while we were walking in a beautiful sunny afternoon in downtown Portland. We were greeted as soon we enter at the door. We send to a bar section, we both Ordered Burger! OMG! One of the best burger we taste and eaten so far. It is super juicy and it fills you up quickly. Definitely will coming back and try their different menu.

Celebrated birthdays here. Had great champagne and wine. Appetizers were wonderful - spinach salad with forbidden rice and bruschetta. For entrees, we shared the penne, fisherman’s stew and risotto. The risotto was just ok. Not much flavor. Everything else was delicious. Dave was our server and we definitely enjoyed our evening with him.

I never thought clams could taste so angelic but I took a gamble on them at Higgins and they did NOT disappoint! Great job, Team Higgins 😍

We had a delightful lunch in the middle of our day in the Portland Art Museum. Higgins does French cuisine well, and my wife and I both had very tasty Alsatian onion tarts paired with an Alsatian pinot blanc. The dessert coffee-walnut ice cream was extremely good, and my wife ate every molecule of her cheesecake (because she liked it...). Service was friendly. Although we’re out-of-Townes, we’d be delighted to go back to Higgins. Highly recommended!

I am glad a ducked into this establishment. I thought I had been transported to a place in London, with exceptional service and well done food. The environment was fantastic for drinking a few pints and relaxing. Just don't go back to the Art museum across the street after drinking too much. The stuffy museum cops despise drunkenness.

This is an oldtime great restaurant. The service was excellent and the food was great. We went on the recommendation of a local restaurant owner who told us of several downtown restaurants that he liked. Higgins was his top choice. With a recommendation like that we had to go. If we are ever in Portland again we'll make a special effort to return to Higgins for dinner.

This place is a joke. The 'special sausage' tastes like SPAM and the house salad is basically 1/4 of a bag of mixed greens, 2 hazelnuts and a quarter of a teaspoon of dressing. Everything is overpriced and the food is well below average. I really wonder why this place is so highly rated.

The food and service was excellent, with something for everyone on the menu. My wife, adult son and I shared muscles, a vegetarian dish, a special sausage appetizer, a special halibut entree and a pasta dish. All were very good, with special kudos to the halibut special. From reading other reviews, it seems like they really prepare fish well - and that was certainly our experience.

A very nice restaurant with good food and great service. Adequate choices on the menu, friendly staff, and never rushed.

A colleague recommended Higgins for a last-minute business dinner on a Sunday night. It was packed, so we had to sit next to the kitchen- with a direct breeze coming in from the front door. It was uncomfortably cold. But despite that, the food was very good. We decided to split a mixed seafood bowl and a cod fish . Both were very tasty. No veggies that came with the dishes, however, which was disappointing. But the excellent service made up for it. Two mains (no drinks or sides) cost $76.

The "old school" mentions in some of the reviews turned me off, but this place is old school in the best of ways. The food is of very high quality with traditional French preparations. I had a gorgeous duck confit salad for lunch and a companion had cassoulet. It was all fabulous, and service was attentive. All in all it was a fabulous experience. I'll have to travel back to Portland to have dinner another time.

Had dinner here with my wife and an out of town friend, and it was a pleasant dining experience. Two of us had the squash pakoras and they were delicious. Another had the sturgeon special and enjoyed it. Had the salad with autumn greens plus blue cheese for an additional $2. The salad was OK, but the blue cheese was so scant it was a joke! Our friend had the rabbit terrine and liked it a lot. We brought a bottle of wine, and were charged a $25 corkage fee - very excessive!

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Higgins. We had 7:15 reservations on a Saturday night and, while the restaurant was busy, the service was excellent and we never felt rushed. Our waiter was friendly and engaging, and took the time to discuss the menu with us. Service was prompt and efficient. I had one of the evening's specials, sauteed scallops, and my husband had the cassoulet. Both dishes were delicious. The wine list features a number of Oregon wines - I had a glass of the NEXT pinot gris that was very good, and reasonably priced.

I have been eating here for over 20 years, and each visit is a treat in terms of lovely service, beautifully presented plates, and delicious foods. I love that Higgins in unpretentious, but in fact it is one of the earliest farm to table restaurants in Portland.

Always look for the best when our friends come to town, so were looking forward to this well known restaurant. It’s very expensive and that would be fine if the restaurant food were at least excellent if not transcendent. This was not the case. The Basque seafood stew is fine but not really much better than your average cioppino. The fish of the day was Alaska ling cod-at $39 this is not really a special fish. The desserts (Sicilian ricotta cake and chocolate tahini brownie) are not very good. The Alsatian terrine as a starter and the mussels were good. Overall, a no return.

It was our anniversary and we were looking for a great meal that was not a pre planned, four course menu, like some restaurant do on a holiday night. The selections gave us a good choice between beef, fish, chicken and a vegetarian meal. My husband and I chose the vegetarian meal even thought we are not vegetarians, because the ingredients were over the top, and sounded very interesting, ( we even took a picture of the meal). The presentation was amazing, the tast was an array of flavors and spices. We would gladly go back again. That said because it was NYE, it was expected to be crowded, there for service was slow, we were there with another couple and had much to visit about,so we were not in a hurry and didn’t mind a bit. I had ordered a drink, but wasn’t sure I liked it, the waiter went out of his way, by asking, it it too sweet, or not sweet enough, so when I answered not sweet enough, he promptly took it back and had them bring me a new drink, ( I thought that was real service). Yes this restaurant is fine dining and you can look at the prices on line before you go, so there should be no complaints when the bill come, about how much it cost. I’m sorry I don’t have too much patients when someone complains about the cost , because if they did their research, they wouldn’t be surprised when the bill came!

My first visit to Portland and I chose Higgins based on descriptions and location. I was not disappointed. The place was comfortable and welcoming. The food was special and delicious. The service was terrific. Sure, its pricey but what isn't these days? I recommend Higgins!

We have been here each time we visit Portland and it never disappoints. This restaurant has a well deserved wonderful reputation.

Have always had a good experience at Higgins. Went there Saturday night before the “Big Night” at the Portland Opera with friends from Germany and Denver. I had a delicious meal of locally sourced rock fish. Others had the pasta, seafood and steak. All the meals were delicious with great service. Highly recommend this restaurant.

We were a group of 8 and Higgins was able to accommodate our reservation. (Another popular restaurant couldn't guarantee that we'd be able to sit together.) We were seated right away on a Friday night at 7:30. There are 2 dining rooms and a large bar/lounge area in the back. Appetizers (bruschetta, tomato gazpacho, mussels, heirloom tomatoes and burrata - all delicious) were served rather quickly; then we waited a very long time to get our mains. The mains were seafood stew, duck, "pig plate" which was fantastic, steak and veggie fritters. Desserts are standard ice cream and sorbet - nothing special. We left the restaurant a little after 10PM, 2 1/2 hours after arriving! The noise level is decent enough that 8 people could hear each other.

May 17, 2017 7:20 PM Server Jason, Check sequence # 0000091. Stopped in about 6:15 - 6:30 for a quick light bite before seeing American in Paris at the at the Keller. Sat in the bar area, no tables for 2 available on a Wednesday night at 6:15 - 6:30 PM. Should have gotten there earlier. I had the deluxe burger and a pint of Laurelwood Red. Good beer, good burger with great roll / bun. Sally had a couple of appetizer plates, the foccacia and the roasted potatoes and veggies. I shared a bit of both.. Both quite good. Sally reports that the Tanqueray and tonics were good, too. Really did a job on my blood sugars, but that's why I have extra glipizide and sometimes take more insulin than usual. Really good carbs are worth it. Decore is typical high end restaurant dark wood paneling. Looks good. No obvious cleanliness issues. Service was fine.

We were in Portland for a few days with friends to visit local wineries and asked our hotel bartender to recommend a very nice restaurant. His recommendation for Higgins was perfect! Food and service were outstanding.

What a shame. Last time we dined at this restaurant I raved about how fabulous it was. But what on earth has happened since then? Firstly we couldn't understand a word of the mumbled and rushed "specials" dialogue by the waiter who was so obviously racing through his rehearsed list of dishes. We asked him to repeat a few but felt we were being a pain in doing so. My main course, a risotto, was over cooked and the waitress when told seemed disinterested in her reply of " I'll mention it to the chef" which didn't take into account that I hadn't eaten most of, or enjoyed my meal. We were extremely disappointed and won't be returning. Unlike our last visit when everything was perfect. When we dine out we expect to be treated like valued customers. Not people to be raced in and out with very little interest as to whether we genuinely enjoyed our food or not. Disappointing!

Great food and even though it is well known for beef, pork, fish & seafood there were a couple of items that this vegetarian could enjoy.

Always love going to Higgins when we're in Portland. Superb food and service is always excellent. They make a great martini too!

Great ambiance combined with outstanding service and beautifully prepared dishes. Highly recommended. The mussels as a appetizer were seasoned perfectly, not to spicy and just delicious. The salmon special was excellent, cooked to between medium rare and medium. The bourride (seafood stew) with clams, shrimp and calamari was wonderfully executed and a very satisfying preparation. Great local beer and ale menu.

Absolutely delicious niçoise salad and a mind-blowing tomato-mozzarella salad. The tomatoes are the most delicious I have ever tasted - herby and clearly so natural. In beautiful colors too. Bravo to the chef and the owner! Very rustic and low-key interior.

Excellent service and food. We did not order the Portland Dining Month special. We shared an appetizer, salad and entree. All were excellent and plate was split for us. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Higgins is one of the original locally-sourced, farm-to-table, seasonal restaurants in the area, opening 24 years ago and Greg Higgins is a James Beard award winner. I eat lunch in their bar a few times a year, but hadn't been back to the main dining room for a long time. My wife and I had a date dinner here; to be truthful we had a late lunch so did not explore the menu very deeply. My wife had a vegan leek & potato chowder that was very good, and a spinach salad for entree. I had a green salad with toasted hazelnuts & blue cheese and a New York strip steak. The salads were excellent with very fresh ingredients. My steak was fine but not great considering the price; there was a lot of gristle in it I had to cut out. The gratis bread was very good. I brought my own special wine which was properly served. Higgins has many veteran servers as there is not much turnover there and it shows in the quality and consistency of service. As an architect I would say the dining rooms (there are two connected) could use a little spiffing up; Their fairly classic but I don't think they've changed since the opening.

Came here for a lovely meal after a matinee concert at Schnitzer Hall. The food and service were excellent. Lots of drink choices and creative food dishes. Somewhat expensive but worth it.

I love this place because of its authenticity. No fake, no marketing. Only great products, genuine people and good atmosphere. Had my traditional burger along with oven potatoes. Just perfect !

Higgins Restaurant is located walking distance from Portland’s symphony and play house giving patrons a very good choice for meeting up after a show. The atmosphere has two spacious large rooms with a hint of class and a mishap of substituting brown butcher paper for tablecloths. The drink menu is remarkable for its variety. The menu is fixed yet many specials are available. The staff are very attentive and friendly. We enjoyed liver moussette, mushroom samosas, 8 oz tenderloin, a glass of Va Piano wine and Virgin Moscow Mule. The meat and liver were too salty. The cost was a whopping $140. So, it is a good choice when one has the ability to cover the expenses.

Made a reservation at Higgins based on the other excellent reviews here on TripAdvisor. We weren't disappointed. I was with a business colleague, and they sat us as soon as we arrived. The restaurant was busy, but not jam-packed on this Friday night. I opted for a Burrata appetizer, my friend had some gazpacho. I ordered the duck dish as a main and my friend had a pork dish. All the food was prepared well and was extremely tasty. The water glasses were refilled without us having to search around for someone to do it. They do not have an exceedingly large menu here, but there is plenty to choose from. This was not a cheap meal, but I guess, as they say, 'you get what you pay for.' I left satisfied, but not overly stuffed. Might have had room for a little desert but we opted out. I would recommend Higgins for some tasty farm-to-table food.

A classy little spot that is slightly intimate, rustic sort of decor and stellar service. I think the most impressive thing about Higgins Restaurant is the level of knowledge the staff had about everything on the menu. A superior locale with service to match. The table ordered a local wine that was paired with our charcuterie board. The wine was excellent however, the charcuterie board was the best I've ever experience. My main coarse was the Halibut, it was in season, which comes highly recommended. I echo those recommendations.

I read about this place on various sites as one of the best farmyard to table spots in Portland. It was decent, nothing to write home about. We did lunch - burger and salad. People were nice but wouldn’t need to hunt it out again.

Recently, we were treated to dinner at Higgins. It was a wonderful experience as we enjoyed good food and service with great friends.

A dozen or so friends met to celebrate a birthday. The service was great....food excellent.....we all had a memorable time.

We stopped in for lunch shortly after our arrival in Portland. It was between lunch and dinner, so only the bar area was open, but it was perfect for us. We shared a few dishes, including the charcuterie board (excellent!) and the burger. Everything was very freshly prepared and delicious. The service was also very attentive and caring. I highly recommend a visit.

Five of us went to Higgins Restaurant for dinner the other night in Portland. The menu is limited, dinners are overpriced, and portions small. Would not return for those reasons.

This restaurant is highly receommend from a number of people - both friends and hotel staff. However, I found the menu to be unappealing and nothing for a vegetarian.

We wanted to treat our son to a special dinner while visiting him in Portland. We’d been to Higgins before and loved it, but it was 3 years ago. I found it to be nothing special with prices that were quite outrageous. On top of it, my son waited at least 10 extra minutes for his meal beyond ours. They did comp our appetizer, but still a bit frustrating for the price. And we got pasta and risotto...seriously not special.

My wife and I went here for the first this past Saturday (5pm reservation in the bar). Service was fast, friendly, knowledgeable. Food was very good. We started with mussels. My wife had a duck dish, and I had their pork pot. We had several glasses of wine, dessert, and a shared glass of port for dessert. With tip we spent $200. You can eat there for far cheaper; and I'd bet the quality would not diminish.

The service at the Higgins Bar is excellent and the food selections very good. The Happy Hour choices are less significant than the regular bar menu hence 4 stars rather than 5.

Lovely quiet restaurant. Pleasant competent service. Wonderful, creative food. Great vegetarian options. Good wine list.

The food and the service were impeccable. From the bar tender while we waited for our table to the gentleman filling the water, service was top notch. Dinner was exceptional. I will agree with some of the other comments it’s on the high end price point, but everything was great.

Good, rapid service on white linen tablecloths with large paper covers so could doodle. We had a good soup followed by rockfish. All pretty perfect.

I had heard of Higgins and its reputation. I finally had a chance to visit for lunch and it was terrific. They offered a lunch special of a cut of free-range pork called "grilled secreto." As the waiter described, the meat was dark and it was wonderful. It was paired excellently with a glass of Adelsheim Pinot Blanc.

Finally I had the much talked about Higgens Burger and I was underwhelmed. For $16? I don't think there was any mayonnaise or 'special sauce'...if there was it was not noticeable. Not even a slice of tomato? The server explained we were in the middle of winter..thus no tomatoes...but then I had a salad and where do we get lettuce in the 'middle of winter?'....the same place we would get tomatoes I imagine. I'm sure the other main dishes are delicious. The service is good and the ambiance is traditional Portland just don't come here expecting a great Hamburger, in my opinion.

This is my favorite restaurant in Portland Oregon. I've seen so many new restaurants come and go in last 20 years in Portland. In last 20 plus years living and dinning in Pacific Northwest, I have not yet encountered the restaurant which is better than Higgins in food quality, service, and environment. I prefer bistro side where you can order from both bar menu and full menu.

I went there with a group that included vegan and Japanese owner of soba restaurants. The vegan option was excellent and waiter was well-informed about it. Soba restaurant owner said steak was best he had ever had (he thinks Japanese wagyu is too lean). Tuna I had (on special menu for that night) was great. Person in our group who likes pork enjoyed the "Whole Pig Plate." Waiter is best I have encountered in Portland -- attentive, humorous, friendly.... A few years ago I was there with friends from New York. Waiter immediately chamed them with New York humor. Reasonable parking (for downtown PDX) on street or in parking building across the street.

Higgins is old school- Italian/French inspired menu and a smart wine list. Fine dining with casual, friendly atmosphere as you’ve been here many time before. Our server was Tony was the best, ask for him. The reason I didn’t give it a 5 is that some of the dishes didn’t love up to their reputation. They certainly have set the bar high with a long track record. Def worth checking out.

We arrived early and were given a very nice table even though our reservation had been misplaced. This was definitely a white tablecloth venue, and the attention from the service staff was clearly up to the challenge of supporting its elegance with focus and attention. We enjoyed our dinner very much, and selected a wine to match from a very comprehensive wine list. All in all, a great beginning for us in Portland.

Outstanding service in a traditional way. You get the feeling the wait staff has earned their stripes! Wine list is well stocked & very reasonably priced. I had the off-the-menu special of pork 3 ways. Ample portions & sausage was seasoned just right. Couldn’t eat all of it so shared half of the meat with my husband. He ordered the risotto with truffle, mushroom & carrot fries. Oregon truffles lack the punch of French or Italian ones, but risotto was still good. Started with an appetizer of mussels which we loved with cubes of celeriac. Split the very well dressed (definitely not overdressed!) green salad with blue cheese & Oregon hazelnuts. Excellent Manhattans. Menu is not adventurous but everything we’ve eaten here has been well executed.

We had a bottle of great wine, tomato mozzarella salad (best in Portland) & a ribeye (very good but I wish smaller) Raymond and Jordan were fabulous. Great attitudes even when place was jammed!!!!

Hiigins was once a great place to grab a bite in the Bistro or have a celebratory dinner in their dining room. Last nights experience changed all that. Four of us met for dinner prior to the theatre. Four meals arrived, all cold and when I say cold I mean cooked and left to go cold. We spoke with the waiter and let him know, he removed all 4 meals took them away and had them reheated under the grill. I don't know if you have ever reheated fish but the term rubbery comes to mind. How shocked was I that at Higgins my meal was taken away put under the grill and the dinner I had taken 2 bites of was served to me At the very least I expected that a fresh dinner would be served not a warmed up plate of partially eaten food, shame on Higgins' poor practice!

Service:Amazing Atmosphere: Warm, little bit old fashioned, I loved it Food: incredible. Couldn’t have asked for a better dinner. Amazing. Will return. Thanks Higgins

The Higgins pop up outdoor dining experience in the lush tree lined open-air courtyard at Portland downtown’s Oregon Historical Society a relaxing and convivial setting. The food is always some of the best in the Pacific Northwest. The friendly and knowledge wait staff always welcoming. Superb!

My partner and I had lunch today at Higgins. We give it mixed reviews for reasons below, but we may try it again as this was our first time. In terms of interesting cooking we give it 5 stars. The nettle pasta was intriguing and a good portion. It was unusual and did grow on my partner though he never quite came to terms with it. The artichoke dish was disappointing. The marinade in the artichoke was just odd. I questioned our server about it, and I think it must have been the fermented red pepper that for me didn't quite work. The dish was composed of 3 parts: The artichoke as the centerpiece and then on one side a bit of carrot with tzatziki (wonderful but a teeny scoop) and potatoes skoradalia on the other, which was ok. The plate came with olives and some crostini. We had another starter that was the most delicious dish, a plate of 8 perfectly cooked asparagus spears sitting on a little flavored oil surrounded by several endive and radicchio leaves. It was excellent. The iced tea (Numi) was the best black iced tea I have ever had. Our server was great. He remained good humored about our questions and comments and got answers for us even when he had to consult the kitchen.. Because of him, a generally good atmosphere, and because we do like adventurous chefs, even if dishes don't always work perfectly, we may well return. The restaurant was full, and we did not feel generally rushed, but we would have preferred if our main dish had not arrived while we were still eating our appetizer. In this case we were able easily to put our asparagus to the side and not sacrifice the perfect temperature of the main pasta dish. Higgins is a little expensive in light of the portions, but the price of food is hitting the restaurant industry, too, so we may have to get used to higher bills even for lunch.

Hagans has a very nice environment and amazing food. A little on the high end of cost but you have to try it at least once.

We were going to the museum of art and needed lunch. We stumbled across Higgins, and what a find! Fine food in a bistro environment, and great service. Only a few blocks from the museum.

I had been wanting to eat at Higgins Restaurant for many years, I was not disappointed! The service is beyond excellent! You won't have to ask for a thing, yet the servers are not hovering either! We started with the Charcuterie plate, all items extremely tasty. We chose the two specials for the evening, a grilled rock fish served over lentils and other good stuff, a locally purveyed rib-eye steak served over a bed of chard, roasted potatoes and beets with a demi glace. We finished the dinner with a pecan tart and coffee! I would return ! Great food and service!

Gregory Higgins is a genius. His food is creative, charming and delicious. It is not pretentious yet extremely elegant with generous portions that do not leave to craving a second meal like many fine dining experiences. He is a localist, most of the food is grown in Oregon or Washington same with the seafood. The quality is fantastic and if you can get a window table you can truly just watch life happen in Portland while chilling at a gem. This is one of Portland’s longest standing fine dining restaurants, this is not an accident. Even though Gregory Higgins has the skills he could easily in my estimation have a chain of fine dining restaurants all around he northwest we has chosen to focus on this great location and create something truly special. I have been to many Michelin star restaurants. Greg has not “earned” a Michelin star yet, this is a disgusting oversight, it is not a blemish on his fantastic restaurant. I would much rather eat here than Joel Robuchon’s pretentious junk or Thomas Keller’s chemistry kit stuff. This place is also an EXTREMELY good value. Food of this quality in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or even Seattle would easily cost twice as much. I cannot reccomend this place more highly.

Have always enjoyed Higgins since it opened. On our most recent visit the “pepper” salsa overpowered the pork. Our most frustrating experience was the lack of attention to service. Our waiter pour the first glass of sparkling water and red wine. The rest of the evening we had to pour every glass. If this is the new norm for this restaurant it does not speak well. We also had to ask for an ice bucket for our champagne. No one is on top of it all of the time. This is not now we remember all of our prior trips to this Portland icon.

And other times too! This visit we sat in the bar, had great burgers and wine. Higginscan be as upscale as you like. Delicious food and great ambiance.

We moved from Portland over 15 years ago to the East Coast. Our favorite restaurants during our years there listed Zatanya as #1, with Higgins & Castana tied for 2nd, & the Sauce Box as our favorite quick bite & cocktail. Higgins definitely has maintained their dedication to excellence especially in their ability to handle different Pacific Northwest fish species. Nice to grow older with grace.

Dined at Higgins for our anniversary. Have not been here for many years, but remember it as awesome. This time, not so much. Great ambiance. I had ribeye, cheesy potatoes, and beans. I know that ribeye is a farrier cut, but my steak had so much fat and I spent a long time cutting it off. The steak was difficult to cut with a sharp knife as there was a lot of gristle. The potatoes were greasy and tasteless, beans were just OK. Surprised that we had to pay for a small order of bread. The carrot cake with cream cheese ice cream was only OK, cake was quite dry. Will not be returning...very disappointed.

Decided to try Higgins before a symphony concert as my "go to" restaurant is closed on Mondays. Hadn't eaten at Higgins in several years as the last experience was disappointing . So too was this meal. My wife and i both had the Autumn greens salad which either had no dressing or was underdressed. If we hadn't both had the blue cheese addition(a $2 upcharge) I would have sent it back . The pork shoulder in my cassoulet was so dry as to be inedible and the advertised Toulouse sausage was a whole sausage, skin on, plopped inthe middle of the cassoulet which was difficult to eat and unappealing in presentation. My wife's Oregon truffle risotto was disappointing as the root vegetables were sour and totally overwhelmed the truffles. Greg Higgins is an accomplished chef but is resting on his James Beard recipient credentials. He needs to pay more attention to food combinations. Our server was excellent and the desserts were good but overall I would rate the experience a C- .Menu prices are also very expensive by Portland standards.

Food-outstanding, if a bit expensive. Locally sourced tasty and beautifully plated. Service-probably the best most consistent service in Portland Wine-Some hidden gems on the menu and if Andy is around he can expertly guide you through the wine list that has a bottle or two in the 20's, some in the thirties and forties. So food is alittle bit much and but the wine has some steals and the charcuterie plate is a real winner at $24. 10 different samples of meat.

We had a great lunch. Ambience is nice and relaxed. Even a little informal. Service is very warm and food is superb. We had the vegetables soup, a turkey schnitzel sandwich and a Penne with some beef and a great white sauce. I had a local beer and then we tasted the local coffee which is great. Super experience. We will back for sure.

Went for lunch based on both a favorable recommendation and more specifically on their website menu. Was disappointed to learn from our waiter that their website menu was woefully out of date and my dish not available. As an alternative I ordered the mussels which were fresh, large and meaty. The broth,however, was a saffron based concoction that didn’t measure up to the traditional white wine broth. Followed up lunch with cappuccino which totally failed to meet aeuropean standards. It was extremely frothy with the underlying coffee being very weak. Finally, the level of service was extremely casual and lackadaisical not fitting either the restaurants reputation or prices. I frankly would not bother to go back next time I’m in Portland.

Using sustainable food practices, the chef has come up with some interesting menu choices. Ultimately we went with the specials; a salmon dish, and fried clam dish. Both were excellent and certainly would order again. The fried clam dish was not like what you’d normally see at a fried fish seafood restaurant. These were huge razor clams, served whole. Not sure how they got it so tender, but boy it sure was Casual high end dining