Nicholas Restaurant - NE Broadway Reviews

Do not pay attention to the exterior decor of this tiny Lebanese restaurant. The food is very good but if it were not rated highly by TripAdvisor I wouldn't have stopped by. We ate the pita bread with delicious humus. We shared falafel and we enjoyed lamb shawarma. It was very fresh and very tasty. Only the rice was regular. Local draft beer was also a success. A good address and people know it since the restaurant was almost full at two pm.

One of the best restaurants when it comes to taste. We ordered Chicken Kabab which came with rice and salad on a skewer. Chicken Shawarma was delicious and was served with Jasmine rice, tomatoes, salad and tahziki. We ordered Baklava as well which is a dessert. You can try Baklava if you want to have something sweet. Food is great and quantity is enormous. Any 1 dish is enough for 1 person.

Have eaten here for a while throughout the years and every time it is great. Pita bread to start off the meal. Can get a bit crowded and parking isn't the best albeit well worth it!

On a cold night we had appetizers including the lentil soup, Baba ganoush and endless flat bread. The smalls, the flavors and sounds make this a special place

This place, while very small, is so delightful you'll visit over and over again (I've been 3 times in the last 3 weeks!). The acoustics are a little stressful, but the service and food make up for it 10 times over. I've never had a server who was less than extremely pleasant, and the food is just perfect. There are a lot of really good Lebanese restaurants to choose from in Portland (even a few owned by family members of the owner of Nicholas), but this one is really the best. The prices are really palatable and the portions are quite sufficient. Give it a try - if you like authentic Lebanese cuisine, you'll love Nicholas!

I love this place! The staff are great, the food is wonderful. I wish I lived close by, I'd go every week. Very authentic. Your are served a fresh, out of the brick oven giant naan bread while you wait for the rest of your meal to arrive. We shared a plate that had chunks of lamb, best tasting rice ever, and green Lebanese salad. Plus we ordered the tabouli salad which was a surprise to me. It had parsley, hint of mint, lemon, garlic....it was wonderful!

My husband, a friend visiting from Chicago and myself decided to dine at Nicholas'. I have eaten at this restaurant many times from when it first opened its doors (called Arabian Breeze then) and have generally had a very nice experience. Tonight's meal reminded me why I used to frequent Nicholas', the food and service were amazing! Our server was witty and appropriately attentive. The food was so incredibly aromatic (I had the chicken Meshwi), savory and perfectly tender and the portions were generous. I will be back sooner rather than later.

I have been a customer since the early 90s and they have excellent food. Also vegetarian friendly too. Sometimes it is crowded and the space is small but I have never been disappointed.

Reasonable price, Authentic, Good service, Lebanon pulls you out of the USA for a hour and your magic carpet paints your soul, You become as strong as the ancient cry that called you in in the first place. Youll wish all your life was so cool as a kebab! -Syntaxsinner@wordpress.com Says: You come back, beautifully addicted.

The Greek cuisine at Nicholas is exceptionally good. The lamb, chicken, vegetarian and specialty "pizzas" are all very well prepared and reasonably priced. I did not see any desserts. The setting is in an older building with crowded seating. Depending on the day of the week, it takes a while to be seated. If really crowded, you may have to wait outside the door to be called. There is a reason that this happens; the food is worth the wait!

My sister-in-law and brother lived in Portland for a few years, so when we visited the city we were told we HAD to eat at Nicholas' Lebanese. Their Shawarma bowl packed a punch of all the incredible flavors you'd hope for when ordering at a Lebanese restaurant. So so good, you guys. So good. While we only tried two meals during their lunch hour I feel as though I can recommend this place highly, cause it was dang delicious.

Don't judge this place by the exterior, the food is phenomenal! The pita is amazing, fluffy, and huge. We had the hummus (delicious), chicken kabob plate (addicting), falafel (also delicious), and lamb platter (so good!). This place is totally worth a try!

Sahtein is what the Lebanese say when they offer you food. Having grown up eating my mother's and all my aunties Lebanese food, I can say without any hesitation that Nicholas Restaurant has some of the best Lebanese food I've ever tasted...hands down. The menu is extensive and offered so many wonderful items that I literally had a very difficult time choosing. Highly recommend

We've always enjoyed meals here (have probably eaten here 20 times). Tues. Oct. 31 we were disappointed. The signature pita bread, which we always look forward to, was underbaked and not as flavorful as in the past. ????? Breast-meat kabob was very chewy this time. Tabouli and rice were delicious as always. We packed leftovers in our Tupperware to take home. We had a good lunch the next day, but not as good a lunch as we usually have with these leftovers.

The Arabian Breeze Mezza (GF, Vegan) is amazing!! I look forward to eating here every time I visit Portland. It’s hard for me to find a dish that I can’t recreate at home. The combination of flavors is super unique and delicious. It’s a dreamy dish. The environment is warm and staff are all super friendly!

I was disappointed with some of the dishes at Nicholas' and other dishes were very good. Good: hummus, tabouli, bread, chicken kabob. Disappointing: cauliflower, garbanzo mush, falafel, rice. The dining room in is a basement and it is dark and not inviting. It feels dirty. Tables are very close together. Service is ok. The bread is served hot and it is outstanding.

we met friends here for dinner. my partner and i had the almaza lager, and it was refreshing on this hot day. ...next i had the falafel plate and my partner had many of the veggie offerings on the menu...our friends were very happy with their food....the pita bread was warm and melted in your mouth...all the food was amazing..the staff were very friendly and warm...they were very quick too...the ambiance is relaxing...thx

The Food was incredible and authentic, very reasonably priced, and stellar service! This is a must for food lovers, order the platters and share.

We went for dinner on a Friday after they had reopened for indoor dining (they have tables outside as well). They bring hot pita and olive oil with Za’atar spice to your table. It’s delicious and hard not to fill up on. We shared a ribeye kabob, which came with two kabobs, a salad and rice. We also shared the Za’atar French fries, which came with ketchup and a very spicy sauce. Service was friendly, fast and good and we had leftovers for lunch.

I will eat myself stupid here. Give them as much business as you can. No, you don't need that Google Offer. Or that Groupon. You'll never be able to eat that much food. You can tell newbies at Nicholas' by those who order appetizers and each get an entree. You'll always get a gigantic pita served to you as part of your dining experience at the restaurant. It's the size of a very large pizza. I'm not exaggerating. You can each order an entree if you like. I recommend any of the mezzas. They are sort of a mix of different items. I am not vegan but highly recommend the vegan mezza. It's everything you'll love about mediterranean food on one plate. My husband loves the meat mezza. Sometimes we'll each order one and go halfsies. But you'll always need a to-go box. Otherwise you'll eat yourself sick! Plates are $6-$10. Service is always great. Both locations on the eastside are awesome and consistent. They got busy one night and had sat my husband and I at a larger table. They asked if they could scoot us to a two-top once it opened up, and they gave us a free dessert for the trouble! We really didn't care about moving. And my hips didn't need that dessert. But the server was proactive in making sure we were happy the whole time. We have only lived in Portland since September. We haven't tried any food carts in town thanks to Nicholas. Everytime we want to go out to eat, we're too tempted to eat here. It's just so good.

The food was fantastic, especially the fresh, warm pita bread. I will definitely return to this restaurant on future visits.

I'm not an expert on Lebanese or Mediterranean food but this place is awesome! The service is fast and the food is yummy! The owner pops in every once and a while and is so welcoming and warm! Can still take a bigger party there even though it is a small venue.

There are a number of Middle Eastern restaurants and we have tried several of the best known. Nicholas is our favorite. There is a huge menu. Each of us was very happy with her/his entree. The atmosphere is pleasant and the service was excellent.

It took a good while for each of the three in our party to decide what to get. The menu is huge and there are many dishes that one does not usually find in Greek or Middle East restaurants. As a vegan, I was particularly happy with the number of choices. Each of us ordered different dishes and we all enjoyed them. Two of us had mezzas--one vegetarian, one Arabian vegan--and we could not come close to finishing them. There was a lot of food! The atmosphere is friendly and the service was excellent. I would not go here for a romantic evening -- quiet is not the theme. But for friendly staff, well presented delicious food, I highly recommend Nicholas Broadway.

Nicholas is a funky restaurant with wonderful food and service. They had a squash hummus that was to die for! The pita bread is a foot in diameter and served piping hot. A favorite place to meet friends.

I have been going to this place for years and it's one of the best values for Lebanese/Middle Eastern food in Portland! Perfect place to hang out with a few friends and try out a few different dishes. Can really suck if you're there during the busy hours. Best time to go is during the slower times, like 2:00-5:00 PM.

I've been fortunate enough to enjoy Nicholas on several occasions when out-of-town family is visiting. They happen to love Mediterranean food and we try as many as we can when we are touring the city. We were not disappointed by our visit to Nicholas. We sampled the vegan mezza, kabob mezza, chicken swarma, beef swarma, and chicken kabob with rice. Everyone was satisfied with their meals and we left with two to-go boxes of leftover swarma and kabob so the portions were large. The complimentary pita bread and dipping sauce was much appreciated and we felt as though we could have asked for more if we needed it. Baklava pieces are large and worth ordering with a great flavor but the pastry dough was just a bit soft and lacking the crisp, flaky pop I like when cutting into a piece. Service was friendly and fast operating in a small space on the start of their Friday night. I would recommend anyone looking for a nicer Lebanese dining experience to give this a try.

Nicholas has long been one of our go-to stops when we are in Portland. We like this new location even better: Roomier & more comfortable; the same delicious & inexpensive food; the hot, freshly made pitas can't be beat ANYWHERE; the mezzas, the baba. The mdjara rice: probably the best single vegan dish we have ever eaten (We are omnivores, & we didn't miss a thing with this dish.) And we like the addition of the inexpensive & drinkable house wines.

Loved the menu and service. The food was great and I tried some unique items but they still had all the favorites like hummus and naan. VERY reasonably priced too.

A little bit of a wait for a Saturday night.....Tight seating, but OK. Freshly baked bread to start....delicious. Food was great. Was a little surprised that the restaurant could not make a bloody Mary or martini...I would definitely go back..Staff was very nice.

This is the best middle eastern food you can get. I have been their dozens of times, always good food. Reminds me of my hometown Damascus, Syria. Don't order the tzatiki...that is not middle eastern. Large portions inexpensive. Love that place. The meat mezza is great. I always go there when I'm in Portland.

This place is delicious! We come every time friends and family get together. The best Lebanese in town. The owner is very friendly. Today our food was great as always but the service was terrible. Kelly our server acted put out to serve us then at the end of the meal over charged us. Then charged us double and said he couldn't fix it. After leaving and coming back to get it fixed it was finally taken care of. This place is always amazing but this one time the service was awful. I still based the review on the majority of times we've been there.

If you like schwarma, this is your place. It's delicious!! Also they give you freshly made lavosh with every order and the hummus is delicious. The service was just ok but the food More than makes up for it. Go go go 😊

3 of us ordered a variety of items and all shared. All were great. The pita bread is very delicious and fun! I'd love to learn how to make it so "puffy". You may be a "picky" eater, but try this place and it's sure to please.

Nicholas has several restaurants in the Portland area. This location one is my favorite. Kim and I went there for an early dinner and walked away commenting how good it was. We started with the babakanouch (SP?) and they serve you a huge warm pita bread with it, We then has the meza meat sampler and a chicken dish. We shared it all and were over-stuffed when we finished. My best choice for this type of food in Portland.

Came in starving..... came out needing a wheel barrow to roll me out! The fresh huge pita was delivered with a dip. Could have just had that! We ordered grape leaves that were warm over yogurt. Again could of just ate that! Yum! Then we ordered meat mezza and a manakish zaatar. If you didn't find it tasty there is something wrong! The staff ( Emerson) was very friendly and accommodating. The restaurant was totally hoping. I only started eating Lebanese food not really thinking it was something I would like. We will be back! Tried a couple of other places in Portland, but I recommend this Lebanese restaurant over others!

Love the chicken kabob plate and the fresh bread. Smells so good when you walk in the door. Wednesday the chicken is discounted too!!!!

As soon as you walk in you get greeted by friendly staff and a big fresh house made Pita bread! Yumm. The Turkish coffee was perfect. We split a Meze Platter and a Lamb Kabob platter between 3 of us and there was so much food. I would not only go here again but I will for sure go here again. I am glad that I have found Nicholas.

My Uber driver recommended this place to me and I am so glad I took his advice! I liked the ambiance of the restaurant, it was cozy downstairs. The food I had was amazing and I ate my leftovers for breakfast--still fantastic!

Sister of Nicholas Restaurant on Grand Avenue with same food but has actual parking and a patio (open weekends). Not as crowded as the other one. Lunch Bowls a good value with sliced lamb, jasmine rice, toum, tzatziki, salad. Just the perfect amount. Wine, beer, Turkish coffee, lassi, everything. Yummm.

Ate lunch at the location on Grand in June. Really enjoyed it. Thought we would try this one for dinner. Very disappointing. We ordered the mezze plate. They brought the spreads, hummus, etc, but forgot the pies. We had to ask three or four times over 15 minutes or so before they did. Then had the chicken with hummus, feta, olives and wine. Chicken was undercooked and not very good. Such a disappointment.

I like food. And this place made my taste buds dance! My friends and I happened to see it while walking around in Gresham and decided to stop in. The friendly waitresses/waiters were refreshing. The atmosphere prompted actual conversation, I barely took my phone out! And the food was delicious. The fact that they have unlimited peeta bread is just one of many reasons to stop by this place while you're in Gresham.

We went here to celebrate some family birthdays with a group of ten. They don't take reservations but will get you a table ready if you call 30 minutes in advance. There's a middle row along the length of the restaurant where we fit our group just fine. The bread was much smaller than usual this time, and we went through it faster with such a big group, of course we ordered some hummus and tadziki, which is just divine. Everyone loved their food. We had a gyros sandwich, meat mezza platters, kebabs and a few of the mango Lhassi's. Service was good although we did have to ask for more flatbread often because the group was so large and the bread was smaller. All in all a wonderful and delicious time. Prices are good and not too high. They have changed a few things-the kebab order now come with the salad on the main plate, a smaller serving of rice and the kebabs on the side with a tiny scoop of toum (garlic puree, my favorite!) on the side, it's plenty of food (and I'm not complaining) but definitely less than it used to be. The kafta kebabs are my favorite. Parking is on the street but we have always found a spot relatively close if not right out front. I keep hoping the patio will be open because it looks so cool out there but so far it never has been when I'm there.

The food itself was really good. We ordered a chicken sandwich, gyro, chicken kabob and the fabulous kibbah snack as our appetizer. Trying to eat in the very cramped area and having to disturb the patrons on either side to get in and out was a little annoying. We waited about 40 minutes, but we had never been before, so would not have known. Take out orders waited longer than expected too. We plan to go back, but maybe take out food in the future.

Me and my friend just had lunch here and it was fantastic! Try the lentil soup, it is fresh and flavorful. Huge pitas, excellent service and just a really nice dining experience.

This tiny spot on Portland's NE quarter has been one of our favorites for many years. It's crowded as hell at lunch, a good indication of quality. No reservations taken. The food is very high quality, served quickly and with no nonsense. Come for the food, not the intimate atmosphere! I always end up bringing at least half my meal home for "the dog" Prices are excellent to!

Great Lebanese food, generous portions for great prices. We especially love the variety in their meat mezza platter; the Shawarma chicken, felafel, and fruity smoothie drinks - but really, everything is great. You also get a giant pita bread served on the wire stand in the middle of your table. Service always prompt and attentive, but for dinner you may want to go a bit on the early side - like 5:30pm - because the place gets packed later. Great for dates as well as families - a nice atmosphere for both.

The food is here is excellent. We dine here often as the food is always delicious and so affordable. The pita bread is alway hot and fresh. The upstairs room is kitchy and comfortable. The service is always fast and the staff courteous. The servings are large, so always end up having enough for lunch the next day! The mjadra is wonderful. Excellent menu selection for vegan/vegeterians. I always take out of town guests here for a meal. Love it!

we love coming here with friends...i began with a corona, my partner had a lebanese whiskey, and our friends had the almaza beer, and a alcoholic specialty coffee...the complimentary pita bread is superb...i could observe him making each one from where i sat...sweet.....i had the veggie falafel with a salad and hummus, and they had the veggie mezza, with baba ghanouj, chicken kebob, beef kabob, and rice pudding and baklava...the drinks/food were amazing as usual...the staff is so friendly and quick...love it, thx

We have eaten Lebanese food before so wanted to try a place in Portland that was new to us. We haven't eaten thus kind of food back home in California The place looks nice and the menu selection is good. The large pita bread they served is excellent. However the rest of the food was average or below. The tabouli was mostly tomatoes I've never had rice at a Lebanese restaurant before but it came with the special chicken dish I ordered The rice was mushy and not very tasty. The chicken was not as good as the chicken I can get at Smashburger. We asked for extra dipping oil for the excellent pita, but had to pay another $1.50. Not a good idea to charge for this.

It was a busy Friday evening, and we waited on a comfy bench. But the host checked back with us and kept us informed. The meal was worth the wait- ample and delicious. Servers were efficient and helpful despite the busy environment.

Never any doubts as the quality of the food and service when we go here. The food is enough that three of us share a Lebanese salad and a Vegetarian mezza platter and leave stuffed. The freshly made pita bread is the size if a garage pizza and served on a pizza stand at the table. This trip was a birthday celebration and our server (who is very good) sent us home with two pieces of baklava as her treat. Will continue coming here when in Portland. Love this place!

First off: If you don't like waiting in line for a tiny place, then try their newer spot on Broadway, eastside--you have to park on nearby streets there (just like this Grand location) but the restaurant is much larger and feels higher-class inside, and you get the same great, low-priced food. This original location: yes it has cramped tables and uneven floor, but it is a treasure. Friendly, efficient staff/owner, and you can watch the giant discs of bread puff up in the oven and be carried out for your gustatory pleasure. The little Lebanese pizzas are just OK, but the hummus and babaganoush (sp?) are fabulous. The gyro is only average--don't get it--but so many other dishes are wonderful, such as the mezza platters, the falafel, the tabouli, etc. Wonderful place! And prices are quite reasonable.

The best Lebanese food around. The huge oven baked pita bread with tahini is delightful and comes with the meal. I always have the falafel with their homemade tahziki is so delicious. Try the lamb kabob or just a traditional lamb gyro and don't forget to add feta. I can't say enough about how good the food is. Now the service is not the best if they are busy, the servers are really trying but I get the feeling they are understaffed. Our waiter was pleasant enough and I could tell he had too many tables to take care of but he forgot an appetizer and it took forever to get water, more tahini for the bread which we never received and we were not the only ones that were unhappy. If you want to be ignored sit upstairs. They also need to tell their staff to not bathe in cologne before their shift. I will always go back because of how fantastic there food is but I can only give 4 stars due to the shoddy service.

We tried a sampler platter and really enjoyed it. Service was fast and attentive. We had much to bring home including freshly made pita bread and dipping sauce.

Our special occasion was NOT special with this poor quality, high priced food. We love the other Portland location and were shocked at the food we were served. We were early and I wonder if my Arabian Breeze mezza plate was left over from the day before. It had a leaf and tomato salad with tasteless dry falafel balls - plus a smear of thick, dry pasty stuff next to something as thin as soup (it was supposed to have eggplant, ha!), that was to be eaten with "bread" that was so paper thin it crumbled into tiny particles when broken off. Impossible to spread on or dip into and flavorless. The cauliflower was just OK. My son had a beef shawarma that was just not good. My grandson had a chicken shawarma plate that was OK. He's the one who couldn't wait to go to Nicholas so we saved it for his goodbye meal. So sad.

Recently we went to Nicholas Restaurant on Broadway with my son in law and his lovely wife. For me it was a trip down memory lane. Sort of. You see, I used to live in this neighborhood, half way down Schuyler above 33rd. This was in the very early 80s, when a poor intern and his young nursey wife could afford a house on that street. We paid 35K for that house on Schuyler, sold it for 80 three years later and now it would cost $500,000. Holy cow! For old time sake, we parked across from my old house and made the two block walk to Nicholas on Broadway at 32nd. We got there just before six and were seated in about ten minutes. On a Saturday night, this is a very popular place. The restaurant is on the main floor. One has the impression that he is dining in the basement of a warehouse. Low ceiling with exposed beams. A long tiled table runs down the middle with booths on the side. All the furnishings appear old and shabby. I would guess that this is on purpose, as it really works well together. This establishment looks like it has been here for ever, but it opened in 1985, four years after I departed the Hollywood District for that gastronomic desert, Salem, Oregon. The waiter was extremely pleasant and lots of food appeared promptly. Between the four of us we ordered a wide variety of the offerings, including a vegetarian dinner as an appetizer. I had the lamb kibbah, a slice of meatloaf made from lamb and bulgar, something I had never even heard of before. Overall, the food was OK. This is not a glowing recommendation. Nothing tasted bad in any way, but it was not as flavorful as many Middle Eastern cuisines I have enjoyed. The babaganoush, however, was a toothsome delight. If you look at other reviews of Nicholas, you will see that my experience was atypical. Great service, average tasting food. As we were leaving, a large group was queuing up for a seven o'clock seating on the long tiled table. They were excited to be there and I'm sure they had a fine time. jeff

This place has a great Lebanese food. However the service needs to be improved. We waited too long for a water. No one checked on us for the entire dinner. But a good food. We might come back.

This place is awesome! I tried food that I have never seen, much less eaten. I have no idea what I was eating! HA! But the food was fantastic! I love rice and this place had the best rice ever! Amazing food for this southerner! Great place!

I went here about one year ago for dinner when I was visiting pdx and I remember I fell in love with this place. However, this year we called ahead to let them know we'll come as a group of 9 people (they don't take reservations) and they set up a table for us in the heated patio area. Unfortunately, despite the cool flames on the table we were all very cold. Service was ok, food tasted alright but I couldn't help but feel that my starter (fried cauliflower) felt cold too. All in all an ok experience but not as great as I had remembered it.

My wife and I visited our son for a week in Portland and he recommended we eat at this restaurant. It was so good that we ate at it again the night before we left for home. We ate at the restaurant at 318 SE Grand, but there are two other locations in the area. The first time we arrived at 5PM and there were just a few tables available. The second time we arrived an hour later and had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. A frequent patron said that long lines are the norm. I had the beef shawarma and lamb kebabs and they were wonderful. My wife had falafel and baba genouj both times and thought they were terrific. The restaurant is in a small store front and they do squeeze in a lot of tables and they do attract families with kids so it isn't a place for intimate conversation or a romantic rendezvous, but the excellent food, the extremely friendly and capable service and the very reasonable prices make this a top choice for eating in Portland, a city with lots of great restaurants.

Had not been here in years and it was as good as I remembered, although portions did seem a bit smaller. I remember a mezza plate could easily feed 2. This time it was a generous portion for 1. We arrived around 6 on a Sunday night and only had to wait a few minutes. Service was very good. Fresh bread arrived quickly after we requested it. Would definitely return. Lots more room at this location than the other downtown Portland one.

This is the second time we have eaten at the Nicholas Restaurant and remember the food the first time was good but this time I had a chicken Kabob salad and was blown away at how good it was. The rest of the family commented the same with their meals but my son's dish was huge and good. Everyone else took a portion of their dinner home but my dinner was so good I had to eat it all. I highly recommend it.

everything is delicious. The gluten free pita is even tastier than the" regular" . The hot sauce was spicy but very flavorful. Hummus = excellent

We are here with a large group of extended family. Service was great and friendly. Food was all very tasty. I’d recommend this place to anyone looking for middle eastern style food. All was authentic.

My family came into town and my sister "Has to.." goto a Nicholas when she is in PDX. There are quite few Mediterranean/ Lebanese places here in PDX. Nicholas is in the top for three reasons. 1. Personality: our waiter was informal but professional. 2. Cost: for four of us to eat and drink it came to 80.00. (20.00 a person). 3. Location: the fact we didn't have to deal with heading into the city center makes this place jump above the rest. Will go back!

Nicholas Restaurant is a popular place, for good reason! Their food is fantastic - you get a huge amount of food for the price, and the quality is great! They are very vegan friendly, too. They bring out an enormous, handmade pita for the entire table to share while you're waiting for the meals - this is my favorite part! There is always lots of left over food to take home at the end - my husband and I usually just share a plate and we both leave full. The restaurant can get very cramped for space, so if you're going for dinner, be prepared to wait outside (bring a coat!), and when you get in, you may be sitting hip-to-hip with a total stranger. For this reason, we don't go here as often as we might otherwise.

Great food with decent prices and a great atmosphere. Very warm and wondeful staff. I loved it and will come back more often.

Huge menu, delightful service. Wonderful, really wonderful warm pita. A can't miss for terrific middle eastern (really Lebanese) food. Was there with a group of 15 and every order was properly cooked and served, s feat in itself. I could be a regular here.

This place is amazing, my first time here!! I’m blown away, I never expected this at all I got the meat mezza Hummus, tzatziki, falafel, beef kafta skewer, chicken kabob Pizza Extra lamb kabob

I went here on a recommendation and I am usually picky about places i eat at. I loved this place. The food was amazing, at least what I got. I decided on the Lamb pizza and was truly happy with that choice. The crust and ingredients were mouth watering. My only drawback about my experience was the olive oil dip came a little late after we received the giant pillow of bread and we had pretty much eaten all the bread, but that is sort of a non issue. I will be back.

Nicholas has been a restaurant I've been going to for 10 or so years. It's where I first fell in love with humus. Honestly, I couldn't find a humus I liked as much ANYWHERE else. This was years ago though. The last 3 times (over the past few years) I've ordered the humus, it wasn't the same--texture or flavor. I didn't finish it and no one in my party wanted to take it home. Baba Ghanoug was another favorite, and has since been removed from my list of things I enjoy here. It used to have a strong smokey flavor and you could see the purple eggplant skin instead of the now processed and more bland version. When it came to my table, I thought the waiter had accidentally brought me humus... So they brought be samples of the humus and I COULD tell a difference, but was sadly disappointed--again, their older recipe was *DIVINE*. One of my family members thinks they've started to put mayo or some other ingredient they didn't used to use. I will not order this dish from them again. The chicken kabob has yet to disappoint. The chicken is always perfectly cooked and never dry. Their toum varies in garlic strength but is always delicious. And the rice seems to have lessened in flavor over the years but is still pretty good. The Gyros is delicious! Always. Pay the extra to add feta cheese, it's worth it! Their Stephen's Beef is pretty good, again, the rice seems to have a little less flavor than it used to, but still good. The Lebanese Cheese pizza is simple perfection, and great for dipping into things. Didn't care for the falafel, but I've never really liked falafel. WHAT?! I know, crazy, right?! My friend from Abu Dhabi thinks their falafel is top notch, if that helps.(: Turkish coffee is pretty good, iced or hot. You can ask for them to make it a tad sweet too.(: The Baklava I've only ordered twice and don't plan on ordering again. As a bit of a baklava connoisseur, my bar of 'good baklava' is pretty hard to meet. Most places don't make very good balkava though... So.. *shrug*. The staff has *always* been nice. ALWAYS. I think that says a lot. And the interior remodel was well done, making it feel more spacious. The menu itself is great because they label items that are Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten Free.

Great food great service warm atmosphere! Will do it again !! .................,....... Not much else to say. Parking is difficult but that's Portland

This used to be one of the best kept secrets. It was a little hidden restaurant with some amazing middle eastern dining. But it was too good to remain a secret. The price is gentle on the wallet. You may have to wait in line but then any good restaurant is going to attract people, but the wait is worth the time spent.

Worst place ever! I went there thinking it is the same one as the one in Grisham or Madison, and was surprised at how run down the restaurant looked and how terrible the food tasted. I ordered the vegetarian mazza. Got three falafel that were like warm, dry, and tastes like eating nothing. I asked for tabular instead of mjadara and it was gritty like they didn’t wash the parsley. The hummus was flavorless, and the plate had something with onions and tahini, I think. This place needs to close and I can’t believe t is open. Save your money and health, don’t go!

We tried the vegetarian plate and a lamb dish. Three of us shared the dishes and took food home. Price was great and our taste buds were exploding with satisfaction! We loved this place and will return when in the area. We did have to wait for a table but it was well worth it. The place is tiny making it a "cozy" dining experience. It didn't bother us and added to the charm.

The chef & culinary team know how to create a multiple noted masterpiece! The food actually sang in my mouth! The atmosphere is romantic, sultry, rich and inviting; The staff is fun and great at what they do! They know how to make someone feel special & well taken care of!

Bland food, overall. One of our party ordered lamb, which reportedly was tasty, but none of the rest of us finished our plates. I will say that you get lots of food with your order, but I would race that for flavor and quality! Also the propane, used to heat the oven, isn't well vented, making the restaurant smell like gas is leaking.

Serving the best middle-eastern/Lebanese food in Pdx, Nicholas is much overlooked because of its hyper casual, even funky decor. But it’s very convenient, located off NE 33rd and offers terrific middle eastern salads and other classic plates. Handmade pita bread hot off the oven meets all new guests.

The hummous was great as was the rice pudding, but was surprised they didn't serve fattoush. Pleasant staff in this out of the way find.

Our regular spot in Portland for Middle eastern food- Lebanese in particular. Salads are great, as is the fresh made breads, shawarma and other tasty items. Restaurants ambience is a bit hectic and space is tight. So, don't come here for a quiet romantic date. But if it's good middle eastern food you're looking for in a casual environment this is your place.

All 3 of the Nicolas restaurants offer the same food. And it is all wonderful! There are great dishes for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. This location has a very low ceiling downstairs. The upstairs has a table or two with gas jets in the middle of the table that they will turn on for a strange line of fire between you and your friends across the table! The time we sat at one of these tables the server turned it up to about 10" tall! It was winter so that was ok but towards the end of the meal I got so hot I had to scoot away a little! But it was quirky fun! Love the food here!

We love ethnic food. We love to explore new taste adventures. We love a small restaurant with a lively waiter who explains everything about the menu items and takes the time to discover our preferences. Nicholas Restaurant is the place to go. His suggestions were definitely “right on.” The menu is vast! The waiter’s guidance was very important. We enjoyed the lamb platters, the kiwi smoothie, the meat mezza, and all the trimmings that come with those menu choices. What a fun place. Gotta go back soon. Best to go early because you can expect a crowd.

We were part of a large party in their upstairs party facility. The platters of food were very good. Choices for most people with food limitations. Everyone enjoyed the selection Service was very accommodating. Room was fine for a group. Very casual funky setting.

First time I went to nicholas it was 1994 I have been going lot food has been very good . I never had bad food . I was there today's a go today I am taking four of my friends for dinner one of the best food in Portland dr, kana

My sister-in-law introduced us to Nicholas in September of 2013. We immediately fell in love. We have been back five times since (it is now April 2014). That is saying a lot for a family that rarely eats out (usually a couple of times per month or less). We love the food, even our four kids love it. The cost pretty much can't be beat, we have fed our family of six for $35 (including a 20% tip) and we all went away full. The management is great and so is the atmosphere. When my SIL took us we were worried that it would be spicy but we were pleasantly surprised. The food is full of flavor. The kids call it the place with the big bread. We spend here about what it would normally cost us to eat fast food but the food is MUCH better.

Very attentive server, clean tables, great fresh pita/flatbread presented to the table. Lamb and Shawarma platters and chicken pizza, Tahziki and humus very tasty and generous portions. Meat stuffed grape leaves were very good as well. Never got to the upstairs, remodeling must be going on there - downstairs was not disrupted. So many delicious items on the menu, so little time - never got to the Tabouli! We'll return for sure.

Love this place! From the pizza sized pita bread to the olive oil to the tabouli salad to the baklava. Great food at nice prices. We got there before the lunch crowd and were seated quickly. It is a very popular spot and people were lining up outside as we were leaving. Will definitely come back on next trip.

This seems to be a popular place and they have a good menu. Unfortunately my beef shawarma on rice turned out very average, a little too greasy and the rice was soggy/spongey in an unpleasant way. The Baba ghanoush was top notch though. The place itself is on the small side and parking is difficult. It was a disappointing experience, but they may have been having a bad day.

the extra large pizza size Steamin Hot Pita served alone is Worth a visit to Nicholas! As we say in New Orleans, "that's some langnaippe !"

We love Lebanese food and this restaurant is as good as it gets in Portland Oregon. The food was authentic, fresh and very tasty. Magdalena our waitress was also very nice, friendly and attentive. I am not sure if she was the manager, but if not, she should be. The space is tight and there was a wait but that is because the food is good. In any case, it is well worth the wait. If you choose to sit at an outside table the space is even tighter and you get to experience Northeast Portland up close and personal. We will definitely add this restaurant to our list of favorites…

This is the first meal I've rated as one of the best I've ever had in a restaurant. Living in Washington, DC, we are not strangers to Middle Eastern cuisine in general or Lebanese cuisine in particular. We travel extensively and fancy ourselves connoisseurs, but this unassuming place, located in an area that did not suggest haute cuisine to us, provided something better than any fancy establishment catering to gourmets. Words fail me to describe the combination of bold authentic flavors (such as the smokiness of the eggplant in the baba ghanouj), exquisite technique, and simple but beautiful presentations. All meat and vegetarian dishes that the four of us ordered were not only fabulous, but plentiful. Servers were pleasant, informative, humorous, and fast. We'd be regulars here if we lived anywhere near Portland.

My husband and I recently visited Portland. I have a friend who lives there and knows I love Ethnic foods. She suggested we go to Nicholas for dinner together on our first night in town. We went to the Nicholas at 3223 NE Broadway Portland, OR 97232 --. It was very near our hotel, the Residence Inn at the Lloyd Center. It was croweded when we arrived, always a good sign for a restaurant. They have a sign-in sheet in the entrance and we sat in the waiting area absorbing the delicious smells and visiting. There was a large party taking up a good many seats so we had to wait a while. The staff checked in with us a couple of times to let us know they were aware of us waiting. They came to us and said we have a small table which can work for 3 people but it is a little tight, we told them we didn't mind. We had a fun waiter, I wish I could remember his name, he was terrific. The table turned out to be, for me, the best in the house. It was right beside the bread kitched and we could look into the viewing window and watch them making the breads. I got a photo of what turned out to be our flat bread coming out of the oven! Their bread was like a revelation, hot and fabulous! The Nicholas menu is extensive and everything looked good. We were having trouble choosing. We asked the waiter for suggestions and he asked a few questions about what we liked, then he recommended we get one meat mezza and a lamb kabab. It was a cool evening, so we also ordered mint tea. The Meat Mezza comes with humus, falafel balls, tabouli salad and fresh pita bread Choose 2 meat items from: triangle lamb pies, kafta or lamb kabab skewer. The lamb Kababs are served on a platter with special flavored rice and a mesculin mixed salad. The entire meal was a delight! We loved the salads and humus. Their spinach pie is the best I have ever eatten. The lamb was cooked to perfection with a wonderful array of spices. We enjoyed every bite. The mint tea was warming and aromatic. There was so much food for the three of us that we took enough back to the hotel for another meal for two later. Nicholas also gave us samples of their rice pudding to take with our leftovers. I highly recommend getting some to go if you are too full after your meal, it was delicious and had an excellent texture for rice pudding. And all this this magnificent feast for only $28! We were stunned at the value. Thanks Nicholas for such a fabulous meal. I don't have enough superlatives to say how much we enjoyed it!

Service was quick but not pushy. Great atmosphere. Food was very tasty and fresh with great alternatives for vegetarians. Staff was very friendly.