Shizuku by Chef Naoko Reviews

A wonderful space and dinning experience. The restaurant design, detail and food is authentic and the dishes we ordered were wonderfully prepared. The staff was very helpful with recommendations and letting us try several sake's to find the perfect bottle we enjoyed with our dinner. If you like Japanese food, Shizuko by Chef Naoko is a must try.

We had a memorable lunch here recently. The decor is spare and serene. The food was well prepared and visually beautiful. I would have liked the server to be better informed as to what we were eating as I love to know the story behind why different flavors and textures are paired. I would visit again.

Had lunch at Shizuku, EXCELLENT! Had chicken bowl and for the high quality was very reasonable price. Also wonderful design of the interiors is very relaxing. I walked 10 blocks to get here at friends recommendation and I will be back with friends. Thank you Chef Naoko for such a delightful place!

This is the successor to Naoko's previous restaurant, which was next door. Exceptional Japanese cuisine based on local, fresh ingredients, and the menus vary quite often as a result. The food is a contemporary, regional expression of traditional Japanese cooking; Naoko has been a leader in this since she first opened. Service is exemplary, with fully bilingual staff; many Japanese visitors dine here. Dinner only; very good sake list, limited wine list. This is the most beautiful dining room in Portland, designed for Naoko by the renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who also designed the new expansion of the Portland Japanese Garden. Quiet and elegant, it is easy to converse and the quiet, attentive service always respects the clients. Since everything is made to order, one must be a bit patient, but the wait for your dish will be worthwhile. This restaurant would deserve a Michelin Star, if they were only to come to Portland; it is a national treasure.

We have enjoyed lunch here before but we had our first dinner and really enjoyed the food. Chef Naoko takes great efforts to produce these great flavors and presentations of healthy food in nice small portions to be paired with great sake! We’ll go again. Gochisosama deshita 😊👍

Most amazing Japanese restaurant in Portland, maybe on the west coast. We had the Kaiseki style chef’s choice seafood menu, 6 courses that were outstanding The presentation was superb with everything flowing just right with our bottle of sake. The ambiance was strictly Japanese, minimal and elegant.

We had the great pleasure of dining at Shizuku last week with friends. The meal was incredibly well prepared- favors, choices and visually. Chef Naoko came out with each course to see if she could answer any questions and to make sure we understood the course. Also to make sure we were enjoying it. We did! It was a fixed menu which changes based on what Chef Naoko could find fresh and preferably local. Highly recommended as one of Portland’s finest Japanese restaurants.

We loved the 5 course prefix if seasonal, locally sourced inventive and incredibly delicious offerings. The thought and work that goes into the preparation is amazing. It's lovely to be in a place where I can hear conversations at a normal level. Sake list is over the top great!

Chef Naoko at Shizuku is an extremely talented, thoughtful and nuanced cook. We enjoyed many pre-covid dine in meals there. Now her takeout menu raises the bar. We are especially fans of the omakase bento which offers up a large array of carefully crafted flavorful dishes, each individually delicious and meant to both contrast and compliment each other. This is the most expensive item on her menu, but at $32 with even tip included it is the killer bargain of the takeout world. The other menu choices are naturally also both delicious and bargains. These aren't simple foods jammed into simple plastic containers and bags, they artfully presented composed in a high quality disposable bento box. Grab a bottle of sake or chablis, order up and help keep this Portland jewel healthy through these difficult times.

Chef Naoko dazzles..... I started with the Dungeoness crab croquettes, to die for. My entree was the Miso beef stew, incredible combination of flavors. I ended with the green tea creme brulee, my mouth is still watering. I paired it all with a Premium sake flight, the Dassai was my favorite.

This is a quiet treasure. The 5 courses are delightful, gorgeous and local are well thought. It's so nice to be in a restaurant and be able to hear and converse with people while enjoying amazing food that comes from local sources

We wanted so badly to love this. We had 2 different items that were not memorable. They were healthy, different and just ok. It had been recommended and it wasn't bad. the service was forgettable and the food was average and expensive. It seems they want to have healthy, good Japanese food, but we won't be back. We enjoy Loving Hut next door a LOT more.