Ken's Artisan Pizza Reviews

Three adults had nice dinner at 8pm on Sunday in January. No wait to be seated. Nice ambiance and wood fires oven front and center. Excellent waitress let us sample 4 wines prior to choosing a bottle. Had the roasted vegetables, pesto pizza, and bacon pizza. Dinner was great, cooks explained details of oven to me. We were last people there but not rushed out at all. Would definitely return again.

I love fancy pizza and this was so good. So fresh. So delicious. Our serve was really great, too. It was rather busy but it was worth the wait. Great atmosphere, too.

Outstanding pizza, best crust in town and compares favorably with pizzas I had in italy. Ceasar salad is large and shareable. Always have the Margarita ,simple and shows the quality of the crust.

I have generally been disappointed with pizza in other areas of the country that are not in the New York - New England region. This pizza was excellent in the thin crust category. Very fresh ingredients, a nice thin crust that didn't get soggy and very good combinations of toppings. The wood grilled vegetable appetizer was outstanding. Expect to wait a little bit, especially on the weekend, but worth it.

I had never tired wood-fired pizza until eating at Ken's. I already love pizza but I did not realize it could be elevated to this level.

There isn't really any place to wait here...and there is always a wait! If it's raining, take your umbrella. The pizza was very good. The meat was spicy and a real surprise. It was a very cozy atmosphere and while it was crowded it was quite pleasant.

We were at the restaurant with our baby tonight. The restaurant had a wonderful atmosphere: lively but not loud enough to make us feel uncomfortable. The staff were friendly and efficient - they accommodate us and our baby well and made us feel very welcomed. Everyone seemed to know one another and people were hugging and shaking hands all over the place. We also enjoyed the food: The pizza was not exactly like the ones we had in Italy but still very good, especially for this price.

My son and his wife insisted we make this our first meal while visiting Portland. They were absolutely right. Farm fresh, straight from the oven and delicious the pizzas are made with love in a wood fired oven. The salads are a great mix of greens, garbanzos with just the right amount of dressing. Heartily recommend.

Kens is always consistently Good. Pizza wine and a Caesar salad for New Year's Eve was perfect. The restaurant was somewhat busy atmosphere was very beautiful and the waiter great.

Like some fellow trip advisors said, if you are on a tight schedule, it may end badly. This place is busy, busy,busy. You can have a drink while waiting for a table. The hot salad is a great starting point. They have a great selection of personal pizza . They are all fresh tasting and cater to all tastes and persuasions. Trust me, good things come to those who wait.

My husband and I eat pizza only on rare occasions, and only when we can find it made in an authentic way. Ken's certainly does that. They have a wood-fired oven in the middle of the restaurant and you can watch as the wonderful thin crusts are made by hand as the pizzas are ordered. The toppings were delicious and a single order of caesar salad was enough for two to accompany the pizza. Service was very good, but we came around 5:30 and it wasn't too crowded yet. By the time we finished our meal, the place was full with people waiting.

I am from Portland but now living in Arizona. Every time my husband and I visit Portland we go to Ken's Pizza on SE 28th. They have great thin crust pizza. We had the fennel and sausage with chilies which was delicious.

I seriously just go here for the macaroons. I've had a lot of macaroons in my day, and these are always my favorite. They're packed with flavor, and fresh fruit. Grab as many as you can! But eat them fresh. Mmmmmmm.... I'm already dreaming of my next visit. Thanks guys! For more tips of cool stuff to do in PDX, check out my blog post: “What to do in Portland if you only have one weekend” you’ll love it. >> http://itsalisa.com/2014/03/07/things-to-do-in-portland/ :)

This artisian pizza is worth the wait. One in our group swore there's "no pizza like Chicago pizza." Well, he was blown away by the Bacon Pizza. The sauce wass zesty and the bacon made in-house. Yum! The service staff was great - they clearly enjoy their work and the pizza masters smiled and waived when we thanked them. The desserts looked great: the Stumptown coffee over honey vanilla gellato looked amazimg but we were too full to order. Oh, they have a limited but impressive wine list.

Being from Atlanta and having purchased Ken's book, we were looking forward to eating at his restaurant. We were not disappointed! To our surprise Ken delivered our pizzas to our table which was exciting. My mushroom and leek pizza was perfection. Two other pizzas were good too. The crust was crispy, chewy and delicious. Desserts were also very good. Be prepared to wait but it's worth it.

We ate here ourselves about a year and a half ago and went away feeling that the pizza was OK, but not great! Then we went again this past week only because our friends REALLY wanted to try their food! Ken's had been named one of the best pizza restaurants in the USA, so they wanted to also try it. Our pizza crusts were badly burned, so the crust, one of my favorite parts, couldn't even be eaten. I checked out other pizzas being delivered around us, and noted they were also burned from a small amount to a larger amount on the crust edges. My husband's pizza had even larger black spots than mine on the outer crust that he had to throw away. There was also only a few small pieces of sausage on my pizza and very little else, and for a $24.00 pizza, there should have been a LOT more topping on it. We found a pizza place in Colorado this past summer that FAR and away outdid Ken's, and it was called "Antonio's Real New York Pizza". It has blown every other pizza place away into nothing, and we have eaten at a number of pizza joints! It would almost be worth a trip there JUST for that pizza! We will probably NOT be back to Ken's due to how burned it was and also how little toppings there were for the money. Have to say that the side dishes were pretty good, however, such as the salads.

Ken's is a hot spot! The food is wonderful. We had the mushroom pizza (to die for!), the burrata pizza (very good) and the citrus salad. We loved it all!! Be mindful that at this time the restaurant does NOT take reservations. That said, we had a 45 minute wait for a table. The host seated us in the back near the kitchen ONLY for our wait time. Drink orders were taken quickly. The host checked back to update on our wait. Once moved to a table up in the front, service was still quick. The staff was friendly and helpful. The wait was well worth it! Next time we're in Portland we will definitely go back!!

Ken makes the best bread and pizza in the USA. His artisan bread is to die for and his pizza is second to only the pizza from Italy I've tasted. A must place to eat if in Portland

Service was great. Pizza was great. Atmosphere was great. Would come back. Popular so you might have a wait at peak hours

Wanted to place an order to pick-up on my way to the airport. I called at 8:40pm. The women was unprofessional and even when I silenced for a minute, hoping she may realize how unreasonable she was being, she acted as if my request to pick up as late as possible was a burden. She didn't give me an okay and any idea of time I could set pick up. So I obviously didn't place and order and won't be giving my business.

We been wanting to try this pizza since we moved here! We will be back! It was absolutely delicious, not just the pizza but the brussels sprouts and the roasted beets were like nothing we’ve ever tasted. Highly recommend- although the place is very small and gets really packed so be prepared to wait & or get there before they open! Service was great too, especially considering how busy it was! “Italy's 50 Top Pizza, ranking highly in both U.S. and global lists, including being named the 8th best in the U.S. in 2025 and a top global spot, plus earning special awards like the Best Dessert List Award. They are a consistent fixture on these prestigious lists, recognizing their exceptional wood-fired pizzas” https://kensartisan.com/pizza

The place is not that huge and can seem smaller on a crowded night. Our pizza was fresh, hot, and a nice fresh crust. I Had a Caesar salad that was fresh and crisp on target with my stomach. Excellent cold beers and we had good service for as crowded as it was. I recommend!

The atmosphere is very nice: great food aroma, clean environment, busy happening place, very friendly staff, a music beat softly playing in the background. The wood fired pizza is good. I had the prosciutto and olive and as a pizza connoisseur, I'd say it was above average for good pizza. They have a very large wine selection, but a very small beer selection. What impressed me the most was the work ethic and friendliness of the bartender: she was a blur of activity between pouring beverages, cleaning and checking on costumers. What impressed me the least, and explains my low score, is I watched a server preparing a desert item and use her bare, off hand to slide the food item off the serving utensil. I'm she folks wash their hands, but this is a party goal in my book. Once she completed preparing the item it looked scrumptious, but I could not get past the bare handed maneuver.

I chose to have a Caesar salad on this visit, but the pizza looked and smelled wonderful, as did the calamari. The four others in our party kept saying over and over how good the food was. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to tomatoes so I wasn't able to taste theirs as they all chose pizza with tomato sauce. Oh well, I will go back sometime and get my very own no tomato sauce pizza! My salad was awesome and had a wonderful creamy, garlic dressing. Yum!

My nephew and I had the "Soppressata" pizza, which has a spicy salami on it. Yum yum yum! We ordered a second one just so that we could take some home. I am so glad I looked it up (on Tripadvisor, of course) and read the other reviews. It was truly one of the best pizzas I've ever had and I'll be returning to Ken's next time I am in Portland!

Tried to go here with 3 people. Had to wait for over an hour and 15 minutes before we just gave up and went to a different (high quality) pizza place. They were seating parties of 2 in 25 minutes, but since they didn't put any tables together in the restaurant, they totally screw larger groups as they have to wait over 3x as long. I've been here before and their pizza is great, but not so much better than other options to justify how poorly they treat larger (as in 3 or more people) groups. Better options that treat you better in this city.

Wow! This place is amazing! Thin crust pizza that is fired to perfection. When that 12" pie was set down in front me I was so impressed and then I tasted it and I was blown away.

We were seated after a wait at the bar right across from the pizza oven. We noticed all the pizzas were very burned so when we placed our order we asked it they could make it lightly done by just taking it out a little sooner. The bartender told us we needed to go find another place to eat because that was just the way they made their pizzas.

My daughter was in town so I wanted to take her to the number one pizza place in Portland....couldn't get a reservation. So, reading Ken's Artisan Pizza reviews we gave this restaurant a try. Cute restaurant! We walked in and the staff was really friendly. Liked the wood burning oven in plain view. Got a seat without a reservation...which they don't take. We tried 3 pizzas the Greek-Sausage-Margherita. As it was good, I find the flavors were not developed. Either they don't put enough spice-sauce or cheese or the toppings were not plentiful... not sure. The crust was really crispy because of the wood oven. I did like the bread they put on the table in the beginning! Hard and crunchy dipped in olive oil! What's not to like! We had 3 people in our party, two pizza would have been enough so ordering three, we had lots of left overs for lunch the next day. Not sure if the pizza for me is a draw back to eat here again but, I definitely want to go to Ken's Artisan Bakery!

Got into a huge pizza discussion with a fellow Connecticutter while waiting for a table. We were hoping that Ken's was going to be as good as all of the places back home that we spent the better part of 1/2 hr reminiscing about: Pepe's, Sally's, Modern... I was not disappointed! Had the Sopresatta pie and man was it good. Crispy thin crust, not too much sauce but plenty of bufala mozzarella and sausage. Definitely worth the wait.

Very busy but they have a system that seems to work well. Get in line before they open. We had the Delicata squash with whipped ricotta with lemon and pumpkin seeds which was very tasty. The pizza was amazing. Thin, chewy crust. They call it "fermented dough." I asked if it was sourdough and they told me it wasn't quite sourdough. It was delicious. The crust was not soggy. Service was very good. Staff friendly. Will definitely be back but will get in line a little earlier.

This is second review for Ken's. Ate here a couple years ago, and were so impressed we've been back a couple times since. It's still one of our favorite in PDX. The smell when you enter just sends you to heaven, and makes you want to eat wood-fired pizza three meals per day! Sat at bar at early dinner hour just after place opened. Bartender was attentive but not overly, and just let us hang for a while. Started with Calamari and then each had our own Arrabbiata (husband) and Handmade with added chiles (me) pies. As expected, authentic, flavorful, perfectly cooked, lovingly presented, and more than needed for a meal after an appetizer (i.e., pizza for breakfast). Wine list is always fantastic, and never in my experience has typical restaurant suspects. Have always ordered something I've been unfamiliar with, and have always been pleased with recommendation and selection. Total ticket $94.00 with tip, and included 4 glasses of wine. Will continue to visit when in town.

This is a very popular place and recommended by many acquaintances so I finally gave it a try. It can be very crowded but I was able to avoid having to wait by arriving early, before the main dinner crowds. I found the pizza to be okay but not nearly as good as the raves of Portlanders make it sound. Thin crust, crisp. Not my favorite type of pizza but I'm okay with it. In particular, another Portland pizza favorite, Apizza Scholls, also has thin crust pizza and actually does live up to the raves and long lines. What I really care about is not the crust but the toppings and that's where Ken's disappointed: sparse and uninspiring. It was okay pizza but did not live up to the hype.

We all really enjoyed our pizza & the whole experience! Bravi! Friendly staff, warm atmosphere, authentic pizza, dough prepared perfectly.

Thin, chewy pizza with just the right burn/smokiness. This location is in a neighborhood. A number of families with kids when we had dinner. Busy. We arrived at 5.30p and had to wait for a table.

We went for dinner at around 5:45 and discovered the wait would be an hour. Not knowing what to do, the hostess was very gracious and said she would find us a place to sit while we waited, and we could order a drink. All the staff was very kind and friendly. We waited every bit of an hour, but I was impressed that they turned tables immediately when they were vacated. Also, orders came out very fast. We shared the market salad, with Caesar dressing instead of the vinaigrette. It was large enough to share and was delicious with thinly sliced fennel, radishes, roasted onions, tomatoes, cheese, herbs and spring mix. We also shared the prosciutto pizza, which was perfect. There is some outdoor seating, which would have been nice (and a little quieter), as well as a lot of tables inside and seating at the bar. Parking is on the street, which is in a neighborhood, and tight like all Portland neighborhoods. Despite our hour long wait, Ken’s was worth the wait.

Go, enjoy the pizza, enjoy the neighborhood, but then do what is right and don't move there... you will ruin it. We enjoyed a casual dinner by the big open windows. Dog after dog after dog was being walked by their families. We love the people and dog watch so we got the best of both. The busy restaurant put out pizza after pizza and we saw lots of happy eaters.

Just next to Bamboo shushi. This place serves great Pizz with a great stone oven. Whatever comes out of that oven is great. The vegetables are very tasty

This is an edit of our dinner at Ken's from Nov. 2023 as the original post had to be deleted and re-done! We wanted to try Ken's as it had been rated so highly for pizza! Other people also must have wanted to eat there on a Tuesday evening because we had to wait to be seated for around 45 minutes! We wondered what it would have been like on a weekend evening!! We ended up eating at the bar which was fine, and our pizzas were pretty good, although not like our normal choices we've had in the past at other pizza restaurants. These were fire baked in an oven which was interesting. We had the fennel sausage as well as the soppressata pizzas after being told the size of the pizzas was enough for only one person each. They were not bad in taste although pretty light on the toppings for a $24.00 pizza! Probably not good enough to bring us back here, however!

You will wait forever as they don't take reservations...but IT IS WORTH IT! Also, go next door to the sushi bar for drinks before as you wait

We ordered several of the tasty pizzas, during our visit to Ken's Artisan Pizza, to share between a group of us; they were all super delicious. However, this was after queuing for a long time - this is a popular place so turn up early and be prepared to wait. The wait did not disappoint though - the food, the atmosphere and the service were all very good and it is definitely worth a visit.

Among the best pizza anywhere in the world. Traditional yet creative, each bite is irresistible as the quality and flavors are a 15 on a scale of 10.

We often pass by this restaurant and notice the booming crowd, so this week we decided to visit. We ordered drinks, a salad and pizza to share. We were not disappointed. While the caesar salad was slightly fishy (slightly, not offensive), the crust was absolutely fantastic. The food menu is limited, drink menu substantial. The tables are close together, so we felt we were sitting with another couple, but they were pleasant folk. We will be back.

A wonderful place to dine, great open window experience on a nice day, phenomenal pizza, bread and salads! We had 4 pizzas between 6 of us, and that was the perfect amount. As a bonus, our server was fun, energetic, and an all around wonderful addition to the evening. Delicious pizza, crispy, cheesy and flavorful, I wholly enjoyed the experience!

The temps were freezing in Portland, but this Phoenix native had a warm welcome with excellent service! The food was unique. The bacon pizza with a side of arugula was amazing. (The server recommended the side which was spot on!). My husband loved the calamari, and the extra taster of the gelato was very thoughtful. Thanks for an amazing experience!

We went on a Friday night and it was packed. Expect hour plus wait, and no good place to wait (we got lucky and shared a chair in an alcove). But the wine list is very intelligently chosen with unique selections, including by the glass. Salads are master pieces, fresh greens, not over dressed with complimentary ingredients (pickled asparagus, radicchio, snap peas in the green salad we got). Pizza is good, one pie will feed two hungry people. It is good. Did not wow me, but crust was flavorful. Sauce could use more zip, and different cheese options would liven things up. Note vegan selections would make sense too. But it was fun, busy but still felt intimate, and service was attentive.

Nice fresh ingredients and it's great to be able to see the food being prepared. Service was swift (necessary to get people through the door) so not somewhere you could sit and linger after your meal. I don't really get the hype or understand why anyone would bother to queue for pizza when there is such a huge selection of eateries in Portland (I am amazed and overwhelmed by the choice). But if you are going to eat here make sure you get there early as it fills up quickly.

Cool place with an open kitchen. We ordered Roasted Vegetable Plate (highly recommended), Arrabiatta and Pesto pizzas. Loved them.

I ate at a couple of different pizza places while visiting Portland. I wasn't disappointed either time!! Ken's Artisan Pizza was a great pizza and just different enough that it caught my attention. I had the Fennel Sausage & Onion pizza. Very, very good! I will be heading back the next trip to Portland.

Traveled seven weeks in the central Pacific - my sister and brother-in-law picked us up at PDX and took us to the best pizza we have ever had. Maybe we were just glad to be back on home soil - but the wait (45 minutes) was well worth it. We got the mushroom with white sauce - unbelievable - the bacon pizza was great also. The fire baked pizza is quick once ordered - the crust is a crunchy and awesome treat. Do not pass on the salad or dessert - just as awesome.

This is the best pizza--overall--that I've ever eaten. You can judge so many aspects about a good pizza pie and I can't say that out of 100 possible nuances Ken's wins in every category, but overall the balance is the best I've had. This is not thick, greasy pizza covered in 1/4" of delivery-truck bagged cheese. The toppings are sparse and few, and the pizza quite thin. The flavor is top notch, the quality of the ingredients is high, and the craftsmanship expert. The simplicity of this pizza is genius. The seating is limited, but the servers are very quick to clear a table and usher the next waiting customer to their table. I've had to wait several times, but the wait time was always less than I was told. I'd recommend coming when the sun is getting ready to set and you can sit outside.

Went to Ken's Artisan Pizza on a Sunday in August on recommendation with a friend while in town for a wedding. There was a slight wait, but the place was packed so that was expected. The service was prompt and the pizza was amazing! They had a nice selection of beer and wine available. Definitely on the list for my next trip back to PDX!

We were really excited to be going to Kens Artisan for a Great Experience- well..... just average without any taste!!!! Red sauce was without flavor!! Hardly any cheese, tiny pieces of pineapple ( we ordered Hawaiian),ham was barely making a showing....crust was okay- We were disappointed!!! Staff was very good!! I don’t think we will give it a second go!! There is so much food in this cool city, well explore down the road,,,, screen door, paa Dee, por que no, le pigeon.... etc etc We also ordered the roasted vegetables.... mehhhh ( oily messy potatoes, onions were burned outside - very uncooked inside, Asparagus tasted good but something was thrown on top- unidentifiable little white pieces of...... tofu?!!

I had read all of the glowing reviews of Ken's and was in Portland with the extended family so we thought we would stop by for dinner. The service was initially aloof and quickly graduated to basically hostile. "Is the caesar salad chopped?" "No." "Can you have it chopped for me?" "No." The night ended with our server handing our table off to someone else and then going to eat her dinner and drink a beer at the bar while the restaurant was still open. As for the pizza, the dough looked solid and the ingredient list was impressive, but the pies came out significantly overcooked and 1 was basically inedible. Maybe we caught them on an off night or maybe they figured out we were from CA and got what we deserved, but this was an experience to forget from start to finish.

Striking a balance between public transport and Best pizza isn't easy in many place; not so in Portland. Ken's is definitely one of the best. Super friendly staff; very accommodating and attentive. Great oven and delightful pizza dough spinners! The caesar was loaded with parm; the oven-cooked broccoli with peppers was super and the pizza precisely as it should be - charred crust, just the right amount of sauce and cheese. Great start on our Portland trip.

The greeting at the door was friendly and the atmosphere just feels good. Lightly smoky from the wood and a good sound. Still able to talk quietly without to too much restaurant clatter. We had a group of 8 outside on the shady side. We went at 5. I noticed when we left at 7 there was people waiting for tables. Our food was quick. Had we not been waiting for people we would have been in and out in under an hour. Roasted veggie platter for starter was so good. 3 really well put together medleys each with their own amazing flavor. Oh the Italian rose' by the glass was super. We got the anchovy pizza, fennel and sausage and arugula and then the prosciutto. All three pizzas were really great. The sausage was the best with the side of Calabria peppers and fresh arugula on top. It really was a great meal. Blackberry crisp comes with blueberry sorbet. Great sweets. Peaches and cream with blueberries and an almond crumble. Great. Also I forget the name but a coffee desert. Basically a Stumptown cold brew float with biscotti. Super. Service good. Not too much. Just right. Great neighborhood vibe. Lots of other eateries on the block and lots of good people watching.

Yes, I know that’s not so unusual these days, but these pizzas are really good, both crusts and toppings, and very well-balanced. We were thrilled with both the bacon (guanciale) and mushroom pizzas. Plus if even has an extensive wine list (including locally made options) as well as cocktails and beers. I also heard people raving about some non-pizza dishes. Plus we (2 people) arrived right at 7 and got seated immediately. Looked busiest around 7:30-8pm, and we did have a longer wait for the second pizza.

During COVID, I bought Ken Forkish's book. After two years I have managed to finally come across the pond and try his pizza. I have to be honest, I came with my expectations under control. I was ready to come and and find a regular, maybe even bland, overrated pizza. And it would have been fine, I came as an act of gratitude for all the fun his book has taken me through. But, man, was I in for a surprise. Food: I imagine that there are lots of people who don't know who Ken Forkish is or the contents of his books. With that, they evaluate the place as a regular pizza place. This is not it. The bread produced here is a celebration of bread. The pizza dough is bubbly, yet chewy all the way through. It's cooked to perfection. You can see the crisp on the same level on the bottom of the pie and in the outside crust and you can taste the olive oil. The ingredients are precisely balanced. I had a New Yorker with pepperoni. I like pepperoni, it's my favorite, but I had numerous pizzas that were too acidic, too oily or too salty to the point you'd feel it hurt your mouth. Ken Artisan Pizza found the perfect balance. So good that it even makes me sad going back to Europe and knowing they won't deliver there. I asked for the free bread from Ken's bakery as an entry. I can't describe it. Literally. If you are reading this, go to the pizzeria, dip a slice of bread on the olive oil and sprinkle a couple of salt crystals of salt on top of it. Then, you'll know the feeling. Service: Our waiter Jonathan, or Johnny was very friendly, polite and professional. The bread and the pizzas arrived in a very reasonable time. The whole staff provided us with an unforgettable experience. If there was one small detail I would change about this experience would be noise. The volume of the music and the proximity to the table next to ours, where a very chatty couple of ladies sat, mounted up to a night slightly noisier than I would have preferred, but nothing too disruptive. We spent around 30 dollars each, generous tip included, for all our experience. My experience is based on a Sunday evening, we arrived around 6PM and had to wait for a few minutes, maybe 20, while having a drink on the waiting area. For us it was great because we took our time to decide. Plus, we had called the day before and we were told that, at times, there could be a waiting line of even more than an hour. So positive surprise. Overall Absolutely recommended. This pizza is fantastic. On my personal experience it is only rivaled by pizzas I had in Napoli. It stands at the very top of the list, unless I discover something ground breaking in the future, it doesn't get any better than this. Five ou of five strong.

The place is very casual as pizzeria but the atmosphere is great,the variety of pizza is wide,the taste is awesome,prices reasonable,service is friendly and helpful.

I had always heard that Ken's had the best pizza in Portland but I never had the opportunity to dine there. Well in May I had a late afternoon meeting a couple of blocks from Ken's. After the meeting we went there. We started with a salad and shared a pizza. It was a thin crust pizza that was fresh from the pizza oven. It was fantastic. What I heard about Ken's was true.

You only need one word to describe the pizza at Ken's - "OUTSTANDING". The crust was thin and crispy, but not overdone, FLAVOURFUL (when was the last time you had pizza crust that had a delicate subtle-sweet flavor???). The toppings were doled out in proper proportions; the beer was cold, the ambiance of Ken's was eclectic, hub-bubby (i.e., tolerable noise level). The service was attentive, engaging, and everyone had smiles and a cheerful attitude. If you want to sample Portland suburbia try Ken's.

Arrived 5 minutes before opening time and the line was already around the corner. No matter, we were seated quickly after the doors were opened. We shared a generous and delicious Caesar salad -- more than enough for two. Great bottle of aged Chianti. Pizzas were perfect -- burned around the edges from the wood fired oven. AND, we met the genius behind this wonderful place. Nice, soft spoken person. The energy in this place, from the friendly staff to the pleased customers makes for a great evening.

We came here right after opening on a Saturday night (5:15) and had about a 20 minutes wait in front of us. Because we are over 21 we were able to seated at the bar which got us to the pizza quicker then waiting for a table. I had the soppressata and my wife had the pesto which she raved about and said it was the best meal on the entire trip. The pies seemed to be in the 12-20 dollar range for a personal sized pizza. I ate three of the four slices that night and my wife had two of hers. The meal was good the staff was friendly - Ken even made an appearance the night we were there.

Hour wait but fun people watching and weather was great. Pizza (Margarita) and seasonal salad were outstanding. Three of us loved it. Have been to Ken’s several times. One of the best pizzas ever and have eaten at many great NY pizza restaurants. Like the vibe and service was primo!

Put your name in and head down to Cheese and Crack and snack on a biscuit with jam. The Oven fired pizza is delicious-any flavor. Caesar salad easily feeds 2-3 people to start.

Before visiting my friend in Portland, he spent 2 weeks telling me this place rivaled pizza in the northeast. Um, no, it doesn't. It's not NYC Pizza, or NJ pizza for that matter, though it's not supposed to be in fairness....so let's compare it to it's natural competitor, New Haven Pizza. Sals in New Haven destroys this place. Pepe is better too, as is every New Haven Pizza I have had, and frankly, I don't think New Haven Pizza compares to NY or Chicago pizza. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad at all, it's pretty good. My wife had the pesto and liked it, I had the Soppresata and it was good. They don't offer pepperoni, mushroom, sausage,meatball, etc...the wait was long...I can deal with that if the service is great and the pizza is superb, neither were true. Our waiter forgot appetizers, forgot drinks, and the host was so over polite in a Parisian way he actually gave off a condescending snobbish Parisian vibe. All that said, we still over tipped as we had a party of 9. I never trash anyone on here, I just try to be honest. Pizza is a weak 4, service was a 2, so I gave them a 3. My suggestion would be get there early, and perhaps you will give them a stronger review. Also, it is definitely over priced.

I had the fennel sausage and onion pizza. I liked pizza itself, however I felt the toppings were spread kind of thin. Quality was top notch however.

I have been baking bread and pizza using Ken Folkish's book "Flour, Water, Yeast and Salt" for three years now and was very excited to visit both his bakery and pizza restaurant in Portland. I went to the bakery twice and was thoroughly impressed with the breads and the patisserie items--first-rate French-style baking. The New Yorker Pizza at Ken's Artisan Pizza was the best pizza I have ever had. The dough, sauce, and cheeses were excellent and the custom wood-fired oven produced the best-prepared pizza I could ever imagine. I have a wood-burning oven and have figured out how to produce very good pizzas using Ken's recipes; but his pizza was truly excellent. The crust was perfect: a little bit of char and crispness surrounding a light, bubbly, soft interior. In addition, I enjoyed Ken's Old Fashioned which is the best whiskey cocktail I have ever had. We went to the pizza restaurant on a cold Wednesday evening in mid-December and the place was packed (comfortably!) with happy diners.

A new level of pizza! This was the last meal of a week long trip to the area and what a great way to wrap it up! The appetizer of roasted veggies was so flavorful. The pizza menu seemed limited at first glance, maybe 8 pies to choose from with limited toppings but don't be fooled everything is so thoughtfully prepared that anything more would be too much. I am afraid all my future pizzas will pale in comparison.

We had a group of four at 6 p.m. and it was a 45 minute wait. The restaurant is very small and there is not very much room to wait for your table. And be prepared to sit with other people at your table. There were not a lot of vegetarian pizza options. We ordered the Margherita and Arugula pizza and the garden salad. The salad was very good, with beets and a yogurt dressing. It was very fresh and the tastes complimented each other. The pizza was very good too. It was different than I thought it would be. The arugula was served on top of the pizza uncooked in a pile like a salad. It tastes great together. And the crust was very flavorful. Parking is a challenge. We parked about four blocks away in the neighborhood behind the restaurant.

Absolutely incredible pizza and very reasonable prices. Not greasy or oily at all. The ambience is lovely and great for families. I would go here again and again even though I'm only in town for a week!

All if have to say is that I am not much of a meat eater and I loved the sausage and fennel pizza. Fantastic! Can't wait to go again!

By giving it an excellent review, my future wait time will increase. Nevertheless, I came for the pizza only and was pleased. I did see waiters (females and makes) dealing with lots of half eaten pizzas to go. The pizza is better eaten after being made in the restaurants. For those who actually came to get a table and eat an entire pizza, please get yours to go next time. You ordered a pizza and took half of it home.

The title great pizza goes without being said since this is already one of the two top places in Portland, the crust was chewy, not too bready, well cooked, both the pizzas we had were really good but the mushroom broccollini pizza was excellent. The service was good. Would recommend.

Suggestion is to get there early to assure a limited wait. The staff certainly keep tables moving but it you have other plans, it could be difficult. From the tables you can see the brick ovens and the chefs loading and unloading the pizzas. We had two different kinds, and one pizza easily accommodates two people, we had three adults. Outdoor seating, parking a bit of a challenge but available. Noted families with children dining.

We knew exactly where we wanted to start our Portland trip! We headed straight to Ken's Artisan Pizza for dinner. We enjoyed our "individual" pizzas and had a great first meal in Portland!! We first heard about Ken's from the Right at the Fork Podcast and we are so happy we did. Highly recommended!

We've been to Ken's two times in the past three years. Tonight's visit was a flat line. The vegetable plate was soaked in oil and vegetables were mush. ..overcooked. Salads were very good but please list all ingredients for vegans-sake. Cheese was sprinkled into the garden salad but not included in the menu description. Finally. ..I've been a big Fan Of the Pizza but it was charred and red sauce was just too sweet...server was great but I hope the staff and cooks don't get too comfortable with their great ratings...I'm just not impressed by tonight's meal.

The pizza was delicious, especially the thin crispy crusts. Toppings ranged from classic to more adventurous choices. I would recommend getting the vegetable plate to start, it's interesting and delicious. Service was laid back, helpful, and great. The atmosphere was relaxed, casual, and effortlessly cool. The only thing I might change was the seating, my party of 3 was seated at the same table as another larger party (at a long large table). It was uncomfortable to be seated so close to another group. On the other hand, we did not have to wait to be seated, even on a busy night. Would love to return.

Ken's pizza is, without a doubt in my mind, the overall best pizza in Portland. Along with the pizza, there is always some sort of other wood fired dish that is inventive and delicious. I will definitely be back.

There are fun things about Ken's. The ingredients are wholesome, and the pies are made from scratch and baked in a big oven you can watch. There are lots of folks here, and the vibe is friendly and lively. But after two visits here while in town to see family, we give it only a mid-range rating. For one thing, it's super noisy. Happy noise, but noise just the same. We had real difficulty hearing, and it was hard to relax. Also, this is not a place to save money. Everything costs quite a bit, and portions are not exactly large. And the vibe (although positive) is super-hip in the Portland way. Every server seems to have multiple tattoos, and the clientele is skewed toward the hippest end of the spectrum. Given all this, we found it hard to relax.

I am a Pizza Aficionado and travel the World for pizza with my family! We came out to Portland, Oregon in 2021 to try Ken's Artisan Pizza and were not disappointed with his pie! Thin with a great tasting olive oil, fresh basil and a flavorful sauce that was a bit on the tangy side, we all enjoyed our experience. Beats out most NY/NJ pies for sure!

We met friends at Ken’s last night for dinner. Our friends rave about Ken’s so we thought we’d give it a try. The salads - Caesar and mixed greens - were a delicious start to our dinner. We ordered the sausage, hand-thrown, margherita, and the mushroom pizza. Hands down, the mushroom pizza was the best on the table. As a mushroom fanatic, the flavor was amazing. A must have for sure! We also shared some desserts, which were also quite yummy... but the mushroom pizza earned the highest marks for us. Enjoy!

This was worth the effort to find. Amazing wood fired oven right in the dining room. Watched the process from start to finish and then ate everything tasty morsel! The best pizza I’ve eaten anywhere I think and I’ve eaten a lot of pizza.

My husband and I alway's have to have our weekly Pizza fix and have gone to just about every pizza location we can find...Ken's is by far the best. Because the restaurant is so popular and there is always a waiting line, we typically have our fix on Sunday afternoons when you can get in at 4:00 with all of the other "early birds". The atmosphere is great, pizza is outstanding and the service is impeccable. Highly recommend this place to everyone.

amazing pizza! Neapolitan style thin crust,wood fired pizza in Portland. we had a mushroom sausage pie with a caesar salad. The salad was fresh with great homemade croutons & a light homemade caesar dressing. the pizza was over the top- thin, crisp & great flavors. I hate to say it but the crust flavor is better than Brooklyn/ New Haven. Sit at the bar as the bartender has very good resturant & winery suggestions. Worth a visit!

We have tried this twice recently and I still am trying to figure out why the hype? There variety is pretty basic and its a wood fired pizza. The prices for what you get seem a bit steep. The beer selection seems weak for a pizza joint as well. I did really enjoy the Caesar salad and found it to be fresh and tasty. If you love thin crust wood fired pizza with minimal toppings this might be your place. If you like a wider selection and more meat you should keep looking.

I was excited to visit Ken's and try his take on pizza. I have been to Starita's, Da Michele's and other famous places in Naples and about 40 VPN places in the states including Two Amy's in DC and Marco's in Denver. I would place Ken's in the top ten given the entire experience, but not solely on the pizza. They toss the pizza! Nay, nay, that causes the crust to alter a bit so the soft chew is affected. Ken - go to Two Amy's or a surprise place - Cavalli in Irving Texas - 10 minutes from DFW (no atmosphere but great pizza) I have Ken's first book (a gift from a good friend) and I bought the second book "The elements of Pizza." I hope there is a recipe in there for my little pizza oven. Go back to Naples and have the Don cook you up a pizza at Starita's! The restaurant served great fresh salads, very good pizzas and had great service. This should be 5 circles, but the pizza was not perfect. M

The experience of walking down a narrow brick alley and into an old family run pizzeria where no one speaks English, is something this restaurant will never be able to deliver... But when it comes to taste, the pizza at Ken's is very similar to the best pizza we had in Italy.

We went to this place 10 ministers before closing because we were starving and craving good pizza. It's on a corner in this cute neighborhood, they make wonderful wood fired pizza, amazing Caesar salad and other items. I have to say their music selection rocks as well! They were so sweet to offer us free ciabatta bread to take home because they had some left over at end of night. Thank you again!

Worth the wait! Really good wood cooked pizza. It is a very small place and packed. For the size the food availability abd customer service were excellent. We had the potatoes &leek, and a spicy pepperoni. It was really good, crust was nice and crunchy. They also have an excellent drink menu. Everything is made fresh.

Let me preface this by saying that because I have two young children, my enjoyment of pizza had all but disappeared. There's no child's birthday party ever attended that does not have bland pizza as it's main offering and as such, my taste buds have become numb to its possible pleasures. I'm one of those people that finds New York pizza grossly overrated and had resigned myself to pizza as necessary evil for the world of children's parties and not as a gastronomical delight. You can imagine my surprise while in Portland again this year to revisit Ken's Artisian pizza. Don't let the hour-plus wait dissuade dissuade you. Ken's offerings from the wood-burning oven are without a doubt the greatest pizza experience of my life. Amazing dough, charred and blistered and chewy with locally sourced toppings like hand-pulled mozzarella and spicy fennel sausage. Simple preparation but absolutely outstanding. The huge Caesar salad, easily shared amongst three people, is a cut above the rest and was quickly consumed down to the last crumbs of delicious croutons. 4 Highly recommended pizza options: Margherita, Arugula, Soppressata and Fennel Sausage & Onions Truly worth a visit.

The crust is perfect. They know how to use a wood fired oven. The topping is excellent but does not distract from the world class crust. The salads, wine, and beer are good. The atmosphere is friendly festive. Go just before opening or at times when the seating changes if you do not like long lines. Since they serve Portland’s most popular pizza there will always be a line.

I'm a pizza snob...I even have my own wood fired pizza oven at home...and this ranks up there with one of the best I've ever eaten. The crust is thin and crisp with a good "bite", and baked to perfection. The topping were interesting, of good quality and of the right ratio...not too heavy or light. Bonus: the oven (with a nice wood fire going inside) was visible for the seating area and added a nice ambiance to the restaurant.

Amazing once in a lifetime pizza. There is a wait though so if you go make sure you take that into account. I have a thing for crunchy crust so I may have a little bias!

Pizza was delicious. The crust is light and thin and the sauce was very flavorful. The cesar salad was crisp and fresh and worth it. Service was attentive but not pushy and we didn't feel rushed. Although food did take awhile it was well worth the wait. My husband and I were kicking ourselves later on that evening both agreeing that we should have ordered more!

Sat at bar, as tables were full at about 7:00p on Wednesday night and had no reservation. Actually don't think they take reservations. This is compact place - maybe 1200 sq ft - but area used efficiently. Space has almost no decor, but it didn't need it. I think there was one sketch or painting on wall toward rear. Space is old, original and edgy with exposed brick and ductwork. Entry ramp takes you right past minuscule kitchen where everything is cooked in pizza oven. We were sold with sight of dishes and smell of fresh ingredients before were were even seated. Menu is limited, so if you're not interested in thin crust wood-fired pizza, don't eat here. As usual, started with drink - $6 Reisling for me, Pino Noir for husband. They only serve beer and wine, and lists are interesting - not typical grocery store selection. Think I might have insulted bartender/sommelier when I asked why my wine was so inexpensive. Wasn't meant as insult. Just don't often get glass of wine for $6 that I'd want to drink again, but this was very good, and, thank you, I did have another. I think I was forgiven, because she lightened up. Ordered 2 pizzas; one wouldn't have been enough for two of us. Husband had Fennel Sausage & Onions and I had Arrabbiata. Of my goodness - there's reason Ken's consistently has best pizza in PDX. And tab was only $55 w/o tax & tip. Absolutely no complaints. Would we go again? You bet! May have been best pizza I've ever eaten. Meant to pick up "Flour Water Salt Yeast' book on way out but completely forgot. Will locate from home. Note that take-out is not offered during all business hours. I assume kitchen is just too small to handle that and in-house dining.

I've been here a few times, and have an always really enjoyed myself. The pizzas are served on extremely thin bread, with a minimum of toppings, but if you order right they can be quite delicious. In true Portland style, the quality of the ingredients is excellent. But the portions are not very filling, and much worse is the inevitable crowd to get seated in the accompanying noise. The service is not particularly attentive. If someone else was paying the bill, and I was guaranteed the table without a 25 minute wait on a quiet day, I would definitely go here. But for old fogeys like me, I think there are better choices. The owner is a nice guy, and he makes some of the best bread in Portland.'s bakery on the other side of the river is also a worthy destination.

I've eaten a lot of good pizza. I'm such a nut that I have a wood-burning oven at home and make my own pizza about every weekend. However, eating Ken's this week almost left me depressed. First off, I had a good feeling when my daughter and I walked into the place and saw a huge stack of wood and a large wood-burning oven. The restaurant is simple and unpretentious. I ordered the spicy Soppressata and my daughter the Arugula. Both were incredible. The crust was a delightful balance of crunchy exterior and chewy interior, expertly cooked in the way only a wood-burning oven can. The sauce and toppings were delectable, and plentiful. My pizza was accompanied by a very nice draft IPA. Neither of us could finish and we took out nearly a whole pizza most of which vanished before the night was over. If you're looking for great pizza - or just great food - in Portland, I heartily recommend Ken's Artisan Pizza.

My wife and I were at a loss for what our last dinner in Portland should be. We both like a good pizza, and were in the neighborhood. We did a lap around the block, and found street parking less than a block away. We ordered the veggie appetizer, and it was delicious. We then split a Caesar salad based on the server's recommendation. We were glad we listened to him, because the salad is comprised of approximately 2 heads of romaine lettuce. It was a generous serving for 2. It was dressed wonderfully, and the house-made croutons were nice and crunchy. The pizza came next. We ordered the Margherita, because it's something we can always agree on. It was cooked to perfection, the tomatoes were sweet, and no overly tinkered with, and the fresh mozz was gooey and wonderful. We had our 7 month old with us, and the noise floor is high enough, so the couple times he cried no one really noticed.

My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Italy where we experienced one of the best Neapolitan margarita pizzas I have ever tasted. Upon returning home and doing some research on line to find the best pizza joint in Portland, Oregon we thought we might be able to relive that afternoon lunch experience that we had in Naples, Italy by patronizing Ken’s Artisan Pizza. Don’t get me wrong, the pizza at Ken’s Artisan Pizza was delicious but still came in second place compared to the pizza that we had in Italy. Although the dough was similar, the pizza in Italy had more mozzarella cheese and the tomato sauce had more flavor.

For my wife and I, Ken’s is the best. The pizza is fantastic. The menu is very well thought out and executed. Service was great. Love his bakery too.

Well, my favorite pie at Ken's is the Fennel Sausage and Onion. Not that I won't order the subtle Margherita or the spicy Arrabiata, but when I'm in a meat-eating mood, I opt for the Fennel Sausage. Just the right amount of flavor and peppery spice, without becoming overbearing. Also, very light on oil, sauce, and cheese. Thin crust with that delicious, partially scorched puffy crust on the edge that comes from the best wood-fired pizza ovens. Hard to beat Ken's. Several good beers on tap. Like many small places with a more modern (aka, hard surfaces) design, Ken's can get noisy. But generally, it hasn't been a problem for us. It's a casual place with a bar (where you can also sit and order dinner). Often there is a wait if you come at 7:30--Ken's doesn't take reservations. Some takeout between Monday and Thursday, but it all depends on how busy they are, so best to call first before running over there to order. Oh, the Affogatto dessert is excellent! Outdoor seating in good weather, kid-friendly inside and out.

Another super neighborhood spot, complete with thin, crispy and/ or doughy pizzas ( the handmade) with great service and the best starters in town. You got to try the three veggie plate complete with spicycalliflower, Brussels sprouts and potatoes. The bar is fun ( with a very snappy server) and drink choices for everyone. The pizzas are made in a very visible wood oven and the salads very tasty. Be prepared to wait to get in but it is worth it. Now if they would just add Guinness.......

Amazing what one can do to create a pizza!! Very delicious and such variety if you are looking for something different in pizza.... And... Love how they combine the herbs and veggies. The Caesar Salad is a must try and to die for...... It is Amazing!!

Apizza Scholls serves my favorite pizza but Ken's ranks a solid second. The soppressata, a spicy Italian cured dry salami, is my favorite. It takes only a few minutes for the pizzas to cook in Ken's wood-burning oven. Service is great and I like how the restaurant is located in a neighborhood. Like Apizza Scholls, a line usually forms outside before the doors open, so plan accordingly. Owner Ken Forkish's book, The Elements of Pizza, gives great instruction on making pizzeria-style pizza with a home oven. Secret: steel baking sheet.

We are all great pizza fans and this place takes the cake (pie)! OK it's Portland, so it isn't like a plain pepperoni pie, and it ain't cheap. But I seriously think it is the best ever pizza. The crust was just right. Not too thick, not too thick and cooked to what I call perfection. Firm throughout and slightly crispy on the edge. Toppings were tasty without being overpowering. All in all - Best Ever!

We have been 4 times as this was our go to pizza place. Most recently, we arrived at 7pm and sat immediately at the bar. We ordered a drink and salad and the veg platter as well as one pizza. Our salad came and the appetizer as well. Two other couples came in and sat on either side of us and ordered. Their salads came. We were ready for our pizza but instead their pizzas came out. I asked the bar server about our pizza and he said rather rudely that tickets get mixed up and food comes out in different order. What? Our ticket obviously got lost as our pizza didn't come out and we could see them making it. This happened once before as well, s aszme scenario, and we asked then as well, the server was quit rude about it. Since a wood fired only takes 5-10 minutes to bake there is some kind of issue. I would remind the servers that treating their customers with a degree of respect as nd not arguing with about how tickets get lost and food comes out is not recommended. They screwed up twice, just admit it but don't put the blame on us.

Excellent pizza. Fresh, quality cheeses, toppings, and sauce. Crust is amazing. You will want to eat all of it. Based on amount of food, 2 could share one, but based on taste, you will want a whole pizza to yourself. We tried the Brooklyn (sweet), Sausage and onion (spicy), Sorpressata (pepperoni), and Burratta (mild cheese, tangy sauce). All were outstanding. The style of pizza is very similar to what you find in Rome. Loved it. Highly recommend.

The pizza is excellent, and priced that way but a better deal than Apizza Shoales. Good liquor/wine selections and very fast and sophisticated service. Think of this place as a pizza joint with the atmosphere of a high end restaurant.

Got there at 6pm on a Friday night and expected a wait (which we got) but they where good enough to "hold" us at a table where we were offered drinks while we waited. 5 of us enjoyed pizza and appies. Classic Neapolitan pizza, with elevated toppings and a authentic wood fire oven.

The line was out the door, and there's a good reason for it. They have a seating area outside with drink service while you wait. Opted for their manhattan - really tasty! We were seated at the bar. Ordered the burrata and the Mexican corn truffle pizzas. Both were absolutely amazing!

We travelled through the whole city to get to the pizzeria which is located in a nice neighborhood. The weather was nice so we sat outside. We had two New York style pizzas which were just so good. The crust was crispy and evenly formed. The tomato sauce was slightly spice which gave it a nice punch. If you order with arugula, you get a good portion of arugula not just a few leafs. The visit was definitely worth the travel through whole town and we look forward to the next visit. Until then we prepare the pizza dough from ken’s pizza cookbook.

In a town known for great food and many high-end pizza restaurants, Ken's Artisan rises above the others. First the crust. Ken's has thin crust tinged on the outer edges with a lovely crisp brown. Their toppings are light and very flavorful. They know how to make a Margarita pizza perfectly. Add paper thin prosciutto or order the delicately flavored lamb sausage and you will not be disappointed. Pair a pizza with the roasted vegetable plate, a trio of local vegetable melanges with a glass of wine and for around $45.00 you will feel as satisfied as if you spent $100. Not surprising Ken is a James Beard Award winner.

We shared a giant, Caesar salad to start. I normally don't eat the croutons, but they were delicious! I had a perfect Margarita pizza, which is my fave. My husband loved his pizza with prosciutto and caramelized onions. They have a nice wine selection. We were too full for the desserts, but we'll be back!

There are several great options for Pizza in Portland; Ken's is a very good choice in my opinion. The crust is fantastic and the restaurant keeps the toppings simple. Appetizer of calamari is very good--very fresh tasting. Sometimes there can be a wait so plan accordingly.

This place is awesome!! The food was so fresh and so tasteful. We had margarita pizza and a house salad. The pizza dough is so light and crunchy!! I loved the fresh cheese on top just the right amount!! The salad was wonderful with fresh beets! We would come back again!!

You can people watch and find street parking. Pizza was out of control good but too bad we were too full for the tempting desserts.

Every year we come back to Portland for summer break from Dubai, as soon as we arrive the city, the first place my daughter wants to go is Ken's. It's our family reunion place and almost everyone loves this place. Pizza is so fresh and tasty; service is also very good and quick.

We had a birthday dinner on a Sunday evening for 10. The service was good, the food was good, but it took 30 minutes for them to figure out our bill. They would not divide it up for us, asked that we write all or our names and what we ate so they could match it up to our card, and they for got to add in the 18% gratuity so we had to scrounge up some loose ends. When one of the gals realized she was over charged, they blew her off and told her to settle it up with the party. It cost them 30 minutes of time and they had many people waiting to be seated. The food definitely wasn't worth the hassle!

Without a car, it is hard to find this neighborhood pizza place on the east side of Portland. And hope you get a seat when you arrive since they don't take reservations, and only open for dinner. If you are a baker, it is more than worth the trip. The crust is superb...chewy, crisp, flavorful. We had the Sausage/fennel, the Mushroom pizza, and beer. Watch them shape and bake in the front room.

Arrived at 7 on a Friday night and got seated at the bar. We shared the vegetable appetizer trio and a Margherita pizza. Pizza was large enough for two. Restaurant was full so the pizza did take awhile but was worth the wait. Blackberry crumble and chocolate cookie puddin for dessert. Definitely worth saving room for.

I think the pizza here is just okay. I do love the atmosphere and the pizza baking right in eye's sight but out pizzas didnt really come out perfect. The crust was cooked perfectly but the inside of the pizza was soft, mushy, kinda gross. For some reason it didn't really cook to the center. I think we might go back and try it again, since maybe it was just where our pizzas were placed in the stove at the time. I prefer Roman Candle pizza and choc chip cookies!!

Fresh everything and hand made dough make this a great place for pizza snobs. Ken spent years getting pizza a bread right and you can taste the love here. Deep dish? Nope... just keep walking. Just a great thin pizza should be eaten at Ken's.

Very thin crust pizza with many combination topping options. Very good. We also enjoyed the grilled veggies. Street parking was a little challenging but we lucked out, as it was a Sunday and about 5pm.

Set aside your typical American expectations for pizza. These are made carefully, and you watch every step. The dough is tossed, the toppings (more on these later) are put on, and the pie is put into the wood oven. The result is good (although, in my opinion, not stellar). Our group had one with just tomato sauce, cheese and a few basil leaves. Another with Italian sausage (ground, and spread). And yet another with a huge pile of arugula on it. We liked the first two pies. The third was too much (too much arugula, that is). The crusts are very thin, but nicely baked and tasty. The sauces are subtle, not at all greasy. The toppings are (except for the arugula) restrained and enjoyable. We felt good after eating. All ingredients are wholesome. We also ordered a plate of roast vegetables (squashes, etc). They were okay, but nothing outstanding. The ambience is Portland Hipster (a little stark). The noise level (from lots of happy people conversing) was uncomfortably high, and we had difficulty carrying on a conversation. Parking is not easy: we had to park a block away on a side street. Service was attentive but not overly friendly or courteous.

Oh my gosh, was this ever good. We’re Italian and we know pizza. It was amazing and worth the wait. There’s a good reason why this place is packed. Had the atom bomb and it blew us away. Tender crust, tasty sauce, perfect amount of cheese. This is what pizza should be.

I had an anchovy pizza. Don't go yuk until tou taste it. The best! Fantastic flavor, great crust. Margarita pizza is phenomenal. Caesar salad is stacked with lots of fresh greens and Parmesan cheese. Wonderful servers and cooks. You gotta go here. I searched this company because of Food Network.... And I agree. Two thumbs up!

It's difficult to criticise a place that makes fresh pizza well and serves a good Chanti. That's why this isn't going to be a critical review. My visit was a quite unique one as it was in a blind date and I was supposed to be going next door, but it was closed, so that was my good fortune. Blind dates are scary enough, so when the restaurant serves great freshly made pizza and good Chianti delivered by a hassle free and polite waiter, well, that makes for a much less scary and easier night. Maybe I'll visit again, maybe...

My quest for the perfect pizza has taken me all over the world and found some extremely good examples. Ken's Artisan Pizza has now enlarged my gold standard group to three. It was about as perfect as pizza can be. Service was excellent, the pizza makers were real showmen with their tossing. It gets a 9.9/10 which actually is as high as I go as I hope for perfection someday.

Without a doubt, the best pizza in Portland. Try the other things that are wood fired as well, you won’t regret it.

The pizza is very good, but would like more meat. Staff works very hard yet remains very friendly. Very popular spot so expect a 30 minute wait. Limited ambiance because of high turnover and noise.

There are plenty of great pizza places in town. NO need to wait. Nothing that special. Just Yelp wherever you are.

I was so looking forward to eating here after hearing about what great pizza they had. Four of us bought 3 pizzas and all of them had an unpleasant aftertaste. The sauce they use is spicy and I wasn't expecting that either. My husband had the vegetable plate and liked it but noted the serving was pretty small. On the other hand, we watched some Cesar salads going by and they looked amazing.

This place a local secret. Ken has done a great job in keeping this place constantly awesome and delicious. Wood fired artisan pizza with award winning dough. If you like Italian inspired pizza, and a home town atmosphere you will not be disappointed. Get there early, unless you like waiting in line with the locals! Highly recommend.

The pizza was thin crust, sparse on toppings and pretty greasy but it tasted good, very good quality toppings and nice service and atmosphere. Price was a little high though.

Good service, good pizza. Highly rated limited menu wood fired pizza that earned it good reputation. The competition has caught up with the concept though and this is a good choice if you are in the area, but not sure it is a destination spot. The crusts are great, light charing and good sauces. Toppings seem to be gourmet and not loaded on top. For example a single inch or two inch piece of bacon per slice..

This beautiful restaurant beckons you in when you look through it's giant picture window. You can see the wood stoked pizza oven and the flames inside. It's a warm welcoming, and you can watch the whole pizza process while waiting to be seated. The pizza choices are interesting, we had a chanterelle mushroom, goat cheese and garlic pizza and a fennel sausage and onion pizza with arugula. Fantastic! The Caesar salad was traditionally served in whole romaine leaves.They have an excellent wine and beer selection to go with your meal and the crew there couldn't be happier and more helpful.

Ken's vies for Portland's best pizza with Apizza Scholls. They feature around 15 pizzas (and I've tried them all, most more than once), plus good salads and a popular cooked vegetable plate. I've eaten pizza for nearly 60 years all over the US, and this is as good as it gets. There are often long lines (as at so many outstanding Portland restaurants), so I advise getting there early, when they open, or late, around 9.

The over roasted veggie appetizer was a fabbie start to the meal. There were 4 of us, two pizzas is more than enough. THEN we ordered dessert. Great gastro experience for sure.

Excellent pizza. Period. We eat here every time we visit family in the area. Make this a dinner stop. Make sure your entire party is present or you won't get a table to wait.

HONESTLY I don't have any favorable comments. THE pizza is expensive. We ordered the fennel, sausage &onion. THE sausage was fine grind, which we didn't like> there was hardly any cheese or onions on the pizza> the tomato sauce was flavorless> overall a really lousy and disappointing dinning experience. Not to mention how quickly the pizza gets soggy... First time customers were expecting a quality product and didn't get one. Wil not be returning....

This place made it onto the country's best pizza list, so we couldn't wait to try it. Crowded, young wait staff and cooks playing snap the towel with each other. Pizzas were mediocre at best. Bland sauce. Not much cheese (we had a margherita and a New Yorker)...We were very disappointed. Couldn't have a glass of wine with our meal, as their wine prices were so high and we noticed the very scant pours on the table next to ours. We won't be going back.

I recently met a friend here for a quick lunch and we were not disappointed. The lentil soup was hearty and flavorful! My salad was fresh and delicious! The bread was excellent. The staff was a little cold but warmed up after we ordered. I would recommend a visit!

Not too long a wait on a Saturday night. Service is very attentive. Pizza speaks for itself. You will not go wrong with any pizza you order here. Wood fired brings out the best!

Cute space, lots of windows. Nice staff. This place was loud with wild children. Food was just ok, average. We had cocktails for HH, they were well made. We got here a couple min after the place opened and it was already around 80% full. For the price they charge, we expected more ‘oomph’. And it took us 40 min to get our pizza. Honestly a bit disappointing; it wants to be a Neapolitano pizza-esque place but it was either under seasoned or just lacked balance. We had prosciutto pizza and an appetizer. As a whole, everything was just “ok”. Pizza dough lacked flavor (tasteless). Sauce was just sauce but again nothing makes it stand out. All in all not a memorable place (sadly). We have other pizza places to go explore which we haven’t been to yet and I think we’d rather do that…not really enticed back to Ken’s Pizza (now Ken’s Bakery is a different story – it’s amazing).

Stopped here for our last Portland meal before headed back to the East Coast. Loved the seasonal vegetable platter. Sat at the bar, had a beer and pizza with peppers! Nice ending after visiting a hip city!

I've been making pizza from Ken Forkish's book "The Elements of Pizza". My wife thinks they are the best I've made. So, while visiting Portland we had to try Ken's restaurant, Ken's Artisan Pizza". I'm glad we did. First, his wood fired oven makes a significant difference I cannot replicate until I convince my spouse we need to build one. Not the most economical idea I've ever had! We ordered two pizzas. Both excellent. Our server was professional and assisted us with our selections. Later he brought complimentary salami for us to try. Parking can be a challenge. Leave a few minutes early should you have to drive around the block searching for a space. If you've been to Berkeley, California you'll have an idea about what parking is like in an old residential area. The pizzas are uniquely simple and about 12 inches in diameter. Three of us consumed 2 pizzas; it was more than enough. I preferred Ken's Artisan Pizza over his other restaurant, Trifecta. Trifecta is okay as an upscale tavern. Just be prepared to spend more. Service at Trifecta is equally good.

Really wanted to try this pizza while on a trip to Portland Really above the run of the mill pie. Worth the trip. Nice big wood fire oven. 5 of us devoured 4 pizzas Bought kens 2 awesome cookbooks too

Kens reputation preceded our visit. The Caesar salad was perfect, complete with garlic bread croutons. The wood fired pizza is so good, and the crust is flaky and light. Absolutely recommend this spot!

I've eaten at Ken's Pizza several times and love the food. Pizza is great. Salads are amazing. The vibe is nice too. But the wait staff? They spend a lot of time being hip. And if you fit their definition of cool you will probably get good service. I didn't. I won't be back.

In an old paint store, with a wood fired oven to cook the pizzas - great topping combos, great wine list, and beer on tap ( no full bar). Well worth the wait if there is one. ( sometimes quite busy)

This is a very good pizza. Thin crust like I like it, great flavour - plenty of garlic, nice rich sauce. But it's not like I remember New Haven’s Pepe’s from the 1960’s that they claim to like. Sorry, but missed that boat. Pepe's crust is thinner, pie served hotter, cheese is stringier, flavor stronger. Of course I'm recalling Pepe's from the late 1960's and early 1970's so things may have changed since then - including my memory of it. Still, it's a good pizza.

This was the best place I've eaten in Portland so far. We went on a Sunday night, and we got right in, no wait! The pizza was some of the best pizza I've had, very similar to the pizza I ate while in Italy. The service was wonderful. This would certainly be worth the wait, there are tons of shops and things to do nearby if you have to wait.

We had a great meal. The salad and calamari was tasty. We shared 3 pizzas with a group of 5, which was perfect. The desserts were excellent, especially the panna cotta, bread pudding, and the terrine. They have a decent wine selection (although they were out of the wine we wanted). We had to wait an hour to be seated at 6:30 PM on Saturday night, but definitely worth the wait. Service was good.

This restaurant was recommended by a winemaker friend as the "best" pizza in Portland. We haven't tried any other pizza places in Portland so we can't corroborate that statement. However, we enjoyed the pizza. At 5:00 p.m. when the restaurant opened, there were at least 20 people in line. The October weather was beautiful so we sat outside. We started with the garden salad which had beet and sweet potato pieces. One salad was fine to share for two. The Soppressata pizza was very good, but the sausage was really spicy. We liked the beer selections and wine list. Overall, a fun and good place for dinner!

Beautiful restaurant with excellent service and a diverse crowd. The pizza was good, but not the best wood-fired pizza I've ever had.

Great thin crust pizza; the sausage is home made and great. Very busy and noisy; go after 9 and it slows down quite a bit. This place is on the list of great Portland pizza.

My daughter and I were visiting Portland and she wanted good pizza. Well, we found it at Ken's! We had the cheese pizza (no toppings) and it was so fresh and delicious. The crust was cooked perfectly and we devoured the whole pie. We almost ordered two pizzas because we thought they were smaller than they were - glad we didn't because one was plenty. The next time we will try one with toppings. We also enjoyed the Caesar salad. One again, the cheese was so fresh, the dressing was tangy and not too much and the croutons were so good. For dessert we had affogato - their cold brew coffee poured over coffee gelato - awesome way to end the meal!

I'm not kidding; it's been a month since we went and I'm still thinking about that pizza. There were 4 of us and each got our own type. After miserly giving up one slice to each person to sample, we decided that there was no way to get anything less than an incredible pizza! It's located in a cozy neighborhood (we unexpectedly drove past it the first time), the waitstaff is terrific and watching the pizzas cook can't be beat. My only regret was I didn't leave room for dessert. Still looking for excuses to go back to Oregon...their tourism board should thank Ken!

The sopressata and the fennel and sausage pizzas are soooo good. The crust is chewy and flavorful and makes a perfect base for the spicy and savory toppings. Yum! Oh! Don't forget the caesar salad with the freshly made croutons and creamy dressing.

"Artisan" is often a code word for "overpriced and underdelivered" but Ken's wood fired pizza's are, in fact, lovely creations. My daughter lives within walking distance of Ken's (and the Screen Door for that matter) and I've eaten here often. My wife can flat out cook and my biggest criticism of any restaurant is when I say "there's no love in this this food". Well, at Ken's there's plenty of love to go around. Fresh ingredients, great dough, perfect sauce-this is just top shelf pizza. For you east coasters this place takes adjusting to. It's loud, crowded, filled with locals, the servers are very busy and they want to turn the tables over ASAP. My advice is: shut up and eat your pizza.

Somehow our party of 5 rolled in & onto a communal table, no problem , Friday night. The ovens were stacked & enclosed with hard wood & they burned bright. Was impressed with the breadth of the 50 wine list & the Italian & Pacific NW selection..but the rich fresh tomato gravy on the veggies & the calamari took full attention till the pizza arrived. After that nothing matters. Very good thin crust, all smokey & toasted. Perfect toppings. Concerned but not overbearing service. Nice wine glasses. Loved it.

Only opens at 5 p.m. Many selection of pizzas and a very good caesar salad . There is a good wine list as well. Ken's artisan bakery asures a wonderful crust for your pizza. This is a very popular dinner location for families and this well deserved status may result in lining up to get in.

Of our party of about 7 I would say 4 were disappointed, 3 satisfied, none thrilled. We had 3 different pizzas, ranging from poor to good. I won't go again.

The "BEST" Pizza I've had since living in Italy!! Fantastic ingredients and perfect crust make for an Unbelievably Good Pizza!!! It was SO GOOD we had to go back a 2nd night before leaving Portland!!!