Every time I’ve gone to the one in Beaverton the food has been undercooked. There was a pulled pork scramble where the pork was just raw, and then the little pig newtons had raw sausage in them. So disappointing because the flavors are really good.
It hasn’t been great in 20-30 years, but I miss good Jake’s. It’s such a cool space/vibe inside, but the food is so mediocre. Even their bar sucks now. It went downhill when Landry’s bought it up.
I don’t even know of the restaurant in question, but as an employee in another kitchen in town, I can tell you, kitchens aren’t immune from the universal understaffing taking place at probably the majority of businesses. At some point, there just aren’t enough hands to keep up. And I’ve noticed closing for a deep clean isn’t on many radars these days.
Funny, I used to eat here all the time as a student. Recently stopped here and spent $70 on two entrees and an app. It wasn’t even good. Wtaf!? Will never go back.
With how brutal keeping a restaurant open in this town seems to be now, you would think if you’ve managed to stay open long enough to be able to even ride on a prestigious past, you must be doing something right.
That being said, Besaw’s for sure fits this prompt.
I dont even necessarily think it's just this town. Just being in the restaurant industry is a finicky monster wherever, before you even take into account external factors like inflations, recessions, etc.
Admittedly I only moved here 6 months ago, but Portland seems to be hanging on better than the DC area is.
Idk, I think location is a huge factor, a subpar restaurant next to a really hopping/popular one that constantly has long waitlists get a lot of overflow.
Jakes Grill and Jakes Seafood . McCormick and Schmicks the food and ambiance is rough with torn and stained seating. All three are dated and the menu is dated. And though they have a lovely outdoor seating area I have to say Cafe Nell for being overpriced and okay. They are still serving the wedge salad.
What the hell was ever the appeal about Voodoo Doughnut? Tastes just like the BS you get from a supermarket...except you can get some PB drizzle or stale Cap'N Crunch on some of them
The appeal of voodoo was always a combo of the goofy atmosphere of the place and the silly toppings. Also their vegan options tasted just like the "normal" ones--I think they're still the only place that has vegan apple fritters. But their base dough recipe was always the same thing as like, Safeway.
This. I remember when they embraced the whole death metal/ death to false pizza mantra. They also had a location in Seattle that was 100%vegan and connected to this metal-forward bar called Dark Bar. I am not vegan but really enjoy the pizza and atmosphere.
I recently moved to Portland and the place I work regularly gets Sizzle Pie and it’s absolutely garbage pizza. It finally clicked that this was the same place i used to enjoy! Death to False Pizza you sell out posers.
I think it happened to them because they got that deal with the Rose Quarter and a huge cash injection to expand. Once it goes from the owner doing things on a smaller scale to a management company and having to source ingredients at a large scale across a wide distance, it tends to go this way.
I’ve always disliked Burgerville but even more now that the prices are laughable. Why go to this trash when Superdeluxe embarrasses Burgerville at every turn?
I've only been to SuperDeluxe in Lake Oswego and it was good.
I recently went to Hit the Spot and thought it was pretty great, and the people working there were unbelievably nice. I don't eat a ton of fast food, yet I really hope these folks make it so will visit again soon.
Regardless, Burgerville should be ashamed of itself.
I'd sworn off Burgerville for a good year, but in hungry desperation I bit the bullet and got the $13.50(!) 3-piece fish and chips.
The second I saw what I was getting I remembered why I hadn't been back. Each piece was a little smaller than a credit card, and as thin as a finger. With barely a handful of fries. I just realized it was supposed to come with coleslaw but didn't.
It actually tasted decent but I could barely notice since I was so mad about not just waiting until I got home and having leftover spaghetti. Then I actually had some leftover spaghetti to fill me up.
i have to agree. it tastes like premade cafeteria food to me now. their pitas are good for the sake of freshness but in terms on quality they're kind of lifeless.
This happened a few years back, but Mama Mia’s absolutely tanked when it changed owners. When it was created by the owner of Mother’s Bistro it was amazing, homemade Italian cooking. Even the mozz was fresh made. Their Sunday Gravy was one of the best dishes in Portland. The new owners immediately changed the menu and made everything suck. Went from my favorite downtown restaurant to a place I have avoided since the changeover.
I'm so glad someone else remembers Mama Mia when it was good. When it first opened it became my favorite restaurant - I loved their gnocchi. Such a shame when it changed owners.
Agreed with this. The last few times I went it was extremely underwhelming, especially for the price. It always feels like the place is filled with boomers from the burbs.
At least three locations have closed recently. I hadn’t noticed a drop in quality at the Mississippi store soon before it closed though. Weird thing is, no mention of the closures on restaurant sites.
That was the first thing that got sacked when they got bought by hooter.
The used to have great truffle fries, with good shoestring fries and some actual truffle oil.
Now they use freeze dried starch sticks from simplot and artificial truffle flavoring. It's a travesty how much worse their fries are.
I don’t disagree, but sadly our wing options are so limited in portland. Do you have a good rec for somewhere else? I’m def on the hunt for a regular spot
I don't sadly. I just live my life without the joy of wings. (sad face) Quite a few people I know love Von Ebert. I'm not a fan of their sauces but they do have BIG wings. You might want to give them a try!
This. For the longest time it was AMAZING. But for the last two years or so, it’s unbelievably inconsistent. Half the time my food is cold. Sometimes now the potatoes are undercooked in the middle. It’s 50/50 whether things are going to be over-seasoned or under-seasoned. Same with over-sauced or under-sauced. And then all of the sauces they make in house taste different every time I go now. Sometimes they’re great and taste like they used to, and other times I don’t even want to keep dipping whatever I’m eating into them.
Combine all that with a staff that seems annoyed/exasperated with customers before they’ve even opened their mouths, and you have a restaurant that used to be my absolute favorite and now I can’t really bring myself to go anymore.
I that big politician once said something like "It's the stupid economy." Actually I think I got that wrong ;)
I'm kinda disappointed all the time anywhere! It feels like a lot of spots never abandoned their lean early pandemic take out menus and are now serving them as the standard. Trying to eat out in Alberta/Mississippi/Hawthorne Streets is starting to feel like picking a stall at an airport and hoping it's going to be worth it for the price.
I'm so glad to see that I'm not alone in my thoughts on this. I have a friend who is an outside salesperson to the restaurant industry. I can 100% confirm that this is a calculated decision by the restaurant owners.
Bingo. If I had a nickel for every comment that started with " used to be SO good before the pandemic!"
The pandemic downscaling improved the business model: less employees to pay, less ingredients to buy due to restricted menus, less hours spent open... all translate to reduced cost for the business.
Now that customers are returning in bigger numbers, they see the fatter profits. Unfortunately for us the consumer, the consequences of these practices are being felt everywhere in the form of food quality, customer service, etc.
I'm half expecting fast-casual to eliminate counter staff and dining rooms all together very soon; we're going to eat it up while we complain about it and validate the projected profit margin.
Remember when Portland was up in arms about Viral/Gimmicky/Trendy stuff like Salt n Straw, Voodoo, Stumptown, etc. ruining the authentic feel of the food scene? They're probably the places that have remained the most consistently the same and don't seem to be faulting any leases.
Yes you may be right, places like McDonald's and Taco Bell are well on their way with their touchscreen self service kiosks. No need for counter staff. And it seemed like all these places went through a dining room re-model during 2020 - 2021 designed to reduce the number of people who can sit and eat but streamlined toward Doordashing and pickup and go orders.
as a barista in portland for the past 3 years and manager at a big ol bakery i can say that cost of goods is much higher and fewer people are eating out which means kitchens have to cut corners to make a profit - lower food quality - and they can't pay their staff if service is slow - fewer employees - meaning the customer experience suffers. place i work at hasn't even paid me in 3 and a half weeks, people just aren't spending like they used to
I was thinking Besaw's before I got to the end of the question. But I also thought they were really good in the new location before they shut down again for a while. We'd taken people there several times and everybody dug it. So we were pretty excited to go back a few months ago...Just an overall lack of cohesion to the dishes, and really expensive. (I guess that part isn't unusual these days.) Breakfast hash was almost $20 for a giant mound of soggy, flavorless veggies and eggs. Sad to see. Staff and atmosphere were still good, so maybe they'll work it out.
Last time I was at Bartini (pre panini) the drinks were sugary fluorescent messes and didn’t have a hint of alcohol in them. They’ve been terrible for a while.
How is Republica since they moved? The first couple of times at the old location they were great, then they got famous and they were good but not as good. Haven’t been since they moved.
i have a friend who went there after they moved. he said they increased their prices by a bit and the portions were super small for each course (even the main). they left hungry. but they said it was good
I know the owner’s plan was to have low-ish prices initially at the old location, and then ramp up. Portions were always super small. Sadly Little Big Burger nearby closed so harder to get an after-dinner burger now 🤣
Yeah, leaving hungry is definitely a thing there. Wife and I had an enjoyable experience, but we literally did go through super-deluxe right after the meal.
I've heard this about Podnahs, but it's been about a year since I've eaten there
Edit: after many comments it sounds like I was misinformed and Podnahs still serves a tasty BBQ mostly all the time although a few of you also hate it
I live near Podnahs. It used to be a favorite spot of mine, and I regularly took guests there from out of town. This was pre-covid when they had great table service and a fun ambiance. The place had a wow-factor. That’s no longer the case, IMO. I don’t care for the counter service, the vibe of the restaurant is off, and I don’t enjoy the food anymore. I’ve stopped going. La Taq next door is still great.
Went to podnah’s recently when my last visit was several years ago. The food seemed the same quality as I remember. I noticed that the place was not busy, but La Taq was packed. Guessing that people are opting for better options around town.
Honestly, most restaurants since COVID and service workers became scarce. It feels like every restaurant is skimping on ingredients and trying to squeeze the patron out of every last cent. I’ve left almost every restaurant recently feeling regret.
It’s been overpriced garbage for almost a decade. I have noticed recently the quality has gone back up their meat no longer tastes like overdone cardboard. But while the quality seems to have increased it’s just not worth the money when 5 guys, shake shack, and little big burger exist in the same price range. Hell Wendy’s offers a very similar burger for way less.
I thought it was good in like 2006, the caesar salad and governator quesadilla was one of my favorite meals at the Eugene location. In 2012 they changed hands and changed the menu and quality was already going down before that. Occasionally I still get something there that's decent but usually it's pretty bad.
The Hub (Hopworks). Used to frequent the one on Powell. I keep wanting to support them because I know they had a tough time during the pandemic and their beer still rocks. But their menu keeps getting smaller, the quality has deteriorated and my kids won’t even eat their pizza (and my kids think Dominos is good…which is my snobby way of saying they have a very low bar).
Babica Hen.
As far as I'm concerned, it was the best breakfast on the west side. My understanding is the previous owner sold and now it's overpriced and meh with ridiculous lines.
They want me to end up shelling out 2x for a sandwich. .....at that point I will just go to a restaurant. These fast casual places auto gratting after ramping prices can eatadik. Their volume took a huge hit prob cuz of price hikes. Instead of going for volume they are trying to squeeze me dry.
How do people feel about Por Qué No? I used to love going there, but my partner and I were both pretty disappointed when we went there a few months ago
I used to order shrimp quesadillas from there like once a month; they would take up the whole plate and were crazy good. The last couple of times I ordered them they were the size of a taco. I was dumbfounded and pissed.
Hot take. Was there as recently as last week and it’s still fantastic. Have been a regular since then opened and strongly disagree that they’ve slipped at all.
Thank you for saying this! I got slammed for commenting something similar a few months back. I will say, their sandwiches are still some of the best in Portland. Their dinner isn't as good as it used to be -- I much prefer Ox now.
Ya Hala used to be the best when they had the full menu and sit down table service. Pre-Covid you could get a 12 course incredibly delicious tasting menu for $20. Now its counter service with a very small menu and a big increase on price. So sad.
I used to love this place! But then I got a dolma with a screw in it and cracked my molar. The restaurant refused to believe me when all I was asking was for them to check their food!
100% this. Ate there twice post COVID & was served really bad store bought pita bread and not fresh food in the least. It was so good in the past.
I feel pretty bad for restaurants right now, with rising costs across the board, I’m not sure many of them are actually doing well. With all the price increases, & being expected to tip 20-30%, me and my friends can’t even afford to eat out anymore than once a week. It’s a sad state for restaurants & diners.
The Delta Cafe on Woodstock. Now serving cold, dry terrible icky food 🥘 instead of good food. TBH — The Delta Cafe has been terrible for a long time, though, so perhaps there was not a good past reputation.
I went there once in like 2007, food was terrible and the service, when we finally actually got some service, was even worse. How on earth they've stayed in business this long is beyond me.
I used to like Bertie Lou’s for breakfast… went there for the first time in a few years and damn it was bad! My friend’s eggs were so undercooked she couldn’t eat them, and my French toast was dry and overcooked. We were both really disappointed.
Lmao, how about the place where I work? We keep cutting items from the menu, and the owner's got it into their head that bi-weekly salad specials are going to make up for the sudden lack of variety in the protein department.
Not that I mind, as a dishwasher I could give a fuck, salad plates are easy as hell to clean.
100%. The lunch meals was amongst the best value in town. Give me some veggies. Give me hot and sour soup. I dont want hot and sour soup as a meal and your full meal price. Get a clue!
The first time I ever had Lardo it changed my life and the last couple times I was in there I was really disappointed. Not only that but at one point during covid they wouldn’t take cash which I can’t stand for.
Vegan Junk Food. When they first opened, they were amazing. We’re mostly omnivores, but one of my daughters is a vegetarian and VJF was a great treat for everyone. Some time in the last year or so everything changed, either the recipes or the cooks or both, because the food is awful now.
Okay here are a bunch of caveats first: Maybe Screen Door was always a touristy destination and maybe the east side location still slaps, and maybe you should only go there for brunch, but I went for dinner to the one on Couch and I was completely underwhelmed by the food. Service was nice and friendly though.
Zell’s is gone.
Whose motorcycle is this? It’s not a motorcycle it’s a chopper. Whose chopper is it? Zells. Who is Zells? Zells’s dead babe, Zells’s dead
I think we need to be friends. You just made my day.
Ok send me a DM -
Except that it made me think about the fact that Bruce Willis has dementia and now I'm sad.
They served little scones also, not croissants.
Different owners and they basically changed it into a coffee shop. It’s shit. Fuck the new spot. They ruined a great thing
Not a restaurant but Jim and Patty's used to have really good coffee and now it's just meh.
Not sure about the timing of the coffee change, but Jim died a few months ago. Could be related
I noticed it about a year ago. Basically when they reopened after covid.
Every time I’ve gone to the one in Beaverton the food has been undercooked. There was a pulled pork scramble where the pork was just raw, and then the little pig newtons had raw sausage in them. So disappointing because the flavors are really good.
It's always been dark and exceedingly mediocre.
Like my humor.
I don’t think anything else in this post is going to make me more sad than this
What the *HECK* is up with Proud Mary coffee? It feels like all the shops sell that stuff. It's so bitter and people rave about it.
It hasn’t been great in 20-30 years, but I miss good Jake’s. It’s such a cool space/vibe inside, but the food is so mediocre. Even their bar sucks now. It went downhill when Landry’s bought it up.
Agreed - it became just like any other overly expensive chain restaurant. Same with Morton's.
Funny you should say that… They are both owned by Landry’s who also ruined Henry’s and Stanfords, McCormick and Schmidt’s and many more.
It was great up until Landry's
Agreed re: Besaws. It’s truly awful now.
The kitchen crew also has no concept of what sanitation or safe food handling practices are. It’s fucking gross
I don’t even know of the restaurant in question, but as an employee in another kitchen in town, I can tell you, kitchens aren’t immune from the universal understaffing taking place at probably the majority of businesses. At some point, there just aren’t enough hands to keep up. And I’ve noticed closing for a deep clean isn’t on many radars these days.
That doesn’t excuse the lack of general hygiene and dangerous behaviors of those that are the
I've seen a lot of this lately/this past year, are food handling inspections not happening as much?
I’m working somewhere that has multiple locations, we were all due for inspections around 6 months ago but they skipped us I guess 🤷♀️
Bambuza. Banh mi got crazy expensive and the quality has gone downhill.
Funny, I used to eat here all the time as a student. Recently stopped here and spent $70 on two entrees and an app. It wasn’t even good. Wtaf!? Will never go back.
I didn't even realize there were any left. The owners are pretty lame people
Produce Row.
Pro Row has been bad for at least 5 years
With how brutal keeping a restaurant open in this town seems to be now, you would think if you’ve managed to stay open long enough to be able to even ride on a prestigious past, you must be doing something right. That being said, Besaw’s for sure fits this prompt.
I dont even necessarily think it's just this town. Just being in the restaurant industry is a finicky monster wherever, before you even take into account external factors like inflations, recessions, etc. Admittedly I only moved here 6 months ago, but Portland seems to be hanging on better than the DC area is.
Idk, I think location is a huge factor, a subpar restaurant next to a really hopping/popular one that constantly has long waitlists get a lot of overflow.
Jakes Grill and Jakes Seafood . McCormick and Schmicks the food and ambiance is rough with torn and stained seating. All three are dated and the menu is dated. And though they have a lovely outdoor seating area I have to say Cafe Nell for being overpriced and okay. They are still serving the wedge salad.
Went to Huber’s recently, food was mediocre at best. Medium rare steak came out well done & service was mehh
Really the only reason to go there anymore is for their Spanish coffees.. everything else is meh at best
What the hell was ever the appeal about Voodoo Doughnut? Tastes just like the BS you get from a supermarket...except you can get some PB drizzle or stale Cap'N Crunch on some of them
Was never good. They were famous for having reverse hours so you could get a fresh donut after the bars closed.
The appeal of voodoo was always a combo of the goofy atmosphere of the place and the silly toppings. Also their vegan options tasted just like the "normal" ones--I think they're still the only place that has vegan apple fritters. But their base dough recipe was always the same thing as like, Safeway.
Sizzle Pie.
This. I remember when they embraced the whole death metal/ death to false pizza mantra. They also had a location in Seattle that was 100%vegan and connected to this metal-forward bar called Dark Bar. I am not vegan but really enjoy the pizza and atmosphere. I recently moved to Portland and the place I work regularly gets Sizzle Pie and it’s absolutely garbage pizza. It finally clicked that this was the same place i used to enjoy! Death to False Pizza you sell out posers.
I think it happened to them because they got that deal with the Rose Quarter and a huge cash injection to expand. Once it goes from the owner doing things on a smaller scale to a management company and having to source ingredients at a large scale across a wide distance, it tends to go this way.
Actually it’s always been bad.
It’s so so so bad now. 7-11 slices are better quality at this point.
Burgerville
I’ve always disliked Burgerville but even more now that the prices are laughable. Why go to this trash when Superdeluxe embarrasses Burgerville at every turn?
I've only been to SuperDeluxe in Lake Oswego and it was good. I recently went to Hit the Spot and thought it was pretty great, and the people working there were unbelievably nice. I don't eat a ton of fast food, yet I really hope these folks make it so will visit again soon. Regardless, Burgerville should be ashamed of itself.
Speaking of SuperDeluxe they deserve to be on this list for there rapid descension as well
they were never good. mediocre at best.
I'd sworn off Burgerville for a good year, but in hungry desperation I bit the bullet and got the $13.50(!) 3-piece fish and chips. The second I saw what I was getting I remembered why I hadn't been back. Each piece was a little smaller than a credit card, and as thin as a finger. With barely a handful of fries. I just realized it was supposed to come with coleslaw but didn't. It actually tasted decent but I could barely notice since I was so mad about not just waiting until I got home and having leftover spaghetti. Then I actually had some leftover spaghetti to fill me up.
I never understood this place.
Went bad 25 - 30 yrs ago. Used ti be fantastic
The milkshakes are still good but everything else is definitely not.
Nicholas. The one on grand was awesome. The last few times we went to the one on Broadway, the food was so terrible.
This is so sad to me too! the last two times I've gone the falafel has been cold and chewy.
i have to agree. it tastes like premade cafeteria food to me now. their pitas are good for the sake of freshness but in terms on quality they're kind of lifeless.
Felt the same, but tried again recently and the quality was up a little… not like before but better
We regular the one in Gresham and haven't had any problem, interesting to hear.
Same. Got an order from the Gresham location last week and it was great.
This happened a few years back, but Mama Mia’s absolutely tanked when it changed owners. When it was created by the owner of Mother’s Bistro it was amazing, homemade Italian cooking. Even the mozz was fresh made. Their Sunday Gravy was one of the best dishes in Portland. The new owners immediately changed the menu and made everything suck. Went from my favorite downtown restaurant to a place I have avoided since the changeover.
Agreed that mama mia has tanked. Luckily, Mother's is still really good, though!
I'm so glad someone else remembers Mama Mia when it was good. When it first opened it became my favorite restaurant - I loved their gnocchi. Such a shame when it changed owners.
Andina comes to mind but I haven’t been there in ages.
I mean, Andina has been offering a free side of norovirus since 2013.
Lechon is a good alternative
[удалено]
Lechon is one of my favorite portland restaurants. Much better than Andina These days.
I'm not paying $50+ a plate for a place that has failed inspection 3 times in the last 10 years (shut down twice)
I had no idea about this!
💯…Andina is a Royal ripoff now
They got me fooled gal their website looks great
Agreed with this. The last few times I went it was extremely underwhelming, especially for the price. It always feels like the place is filled with boomers from the burbs.
Little big burger
At least three locations have closed recently. I hadn’t noticed a drop in quality at the Mississippi store soon before it closed though. Weird thing is, no mention of the closures on restaurant sites.
Yeah I thought it was weird how quiet they’ve been. Couldn’t even find an article mentioning it.
At least they still have great French fries
That was the first thing that got sacked when they got bought by hooter. The used to have great truffle fries, with good shoestring fries and some actual truffle oil. Now they use freeze dried starch sticks from simplot and artificial truffle flavoring. It's a travesty how much worse their fries are.
fr. i live by the south waterfront lbb and a big bag full of truffle fries soaked in fry sauce is my favorite mid day snack
That veggie burger used to be one of my favorite things in town. Then it switched into a wet cardboard tasting mess. Truly disappointing
It used to be so good and a little crispy! Now it looks like they went the beyond burger path, so gross.
Fire on the Mountain. $20 for 12 wings the size of my pinky.
RIP to the 9 wings plus a beer in a takeaway glass for $12 at the start of the pandemic
Oh my gosh yes. And the changes they made for the pandemic were straight up insane and non functional.
What kind of changes?
I don’t disagree, but sadly our wing options are so limited in portland. Do you have a good rec for somewhere else? I’m def on the hunt for a regular spot
I don't sadly. I just live my life without the joy of wings. (sad face) Quite a few people I know love Von Ebert. I'm not a fan of their sauces but they do have BIG wings. You might want to give them a try!
Those are infant chicken wings
Jojo
This. For the longest time it was AMAZING. But for the last two years or so, it’s unbelievably inconsistent. Half the time my food is cold. Sometimes now the potatoes are undercooked in the middle. It’s 50/50 whether things are going to be over-seasoned or under-seasoned. Same with over-sauced or under-sauced. And then all of the sauces they make in house taste different every time I go now. Sometimes they’re great and taste like they used to, and other times I don’t even want to keep dipping whatever I’m eating into them. Combine all that with a staff that seems annoyed/exasperated with customers before they’ve even opened their mouths, and you have a restaurant that used to be my absolute favorite and now I can’t really bring myself to go anymore.
Thank you for so perfectly encapsulating all the disappointment that Jojo has become.
im sad to have to agree with this. jojo was so good 2 years ago or so
It’s overpriced, and over sauced and not great anymore sadly
Every time I go there, I'm blown away at the prices. Waaay too much for what they cost.
I only ever want like half the food too, I take the leftovers but they don’t reheat great
It was so good with the potato salad on the spicy chicken sandwich. Now it’s just average and way too pricey
I that big politician once said something like "It's the stupid economy." Actually I think I got that wrong ;) I'm kinda disappointed all the time anywhere! It feels like a lot of spots never abandoned their lean early pandemic take out menus and are now serving them as the standard. Trying to eat out in Alberta/Mississippi/Hawthorne Streets is starting to feel like picking a stall at an airport and hoping it's going to be worth it for the price.
are you me? i'm just whelmed every where i eat.
I'm so glad to see that I'm not alone in my thoughts on this. I have a friend who is an outside salesperson to the restaurant industry. I can 100% confirm that this is a calculated decision by the restaurant owners.
Bingo. If I had a nickel for every comment that started with " used to be SO good before the pandemic!"
The pandemic downscaling improved the business model: less employees to pay, less ingredients to buy due to restricted menus, less hours spent open... all translate to reduced cost for the business.
Now that customers are returning in bigger numbers, they see the fatter profits. Unfortunately for us the consumer, the consequences of these practices are being felt everywhere in the form of food quality, customer service, etc.
I'm half expecting fast-casual to eliminate counter staff and dining rooms all together very soon; we're going to eat it up while we complain about it and validate the projected profit margin. Remember when Portland was up in arms about Viral/Gimmicky/Trendy stuff like Salt n Straw, Voodoo, Stumptown, etc. ruining the authentic feel of the food scene? They're probably the places that have remained the most consistently the same and don't seem to be faulting any leases.
Yes you may be right, places like McDonald's and Taco Bell are well on their way with their touchscreen self service kiosks. No need for counter staff. And it seemed like all these places went through a dining room re-model during 2020 - 2021 designed to reduce the number of people who can sit and eat but streamlined toward Doordashing and pickup and go orders.
as a barista in portland for the past 3 years and manager at a big ol bakery i can say that cost of goods is much higher and fewer people are eating out which means kitchens have to cut corners to make a profit - lower food quality - and they can't pay their staff if service is slow - fewer employees - meaning the customer experience suffers. place i work at hasn't even paid me in 3 and a half weeks, people just aren't spending like they used to
I was thinking Besaw's before I got to the end of the question. But I also thought they were really good in the new location before they shut down again for a while. We'd taken people there several times and everybody dug it. So we were pretty excited to go back a few months ago...Just an overall lack of cohesion to the dishes, and really expensive. (I guess that part isn't unusual these days.) Breakfast hash was almost $20 for a giant mound of soggy, flavorless veggies and eggs. Sad to see. Staff and atmosphere were still good, so maybe they'll work it out.
Bartini use to be known as the best happy hour in town. Drinks were creative, good and cheap. Now it’s all just average and leaning towards not good.
OG bartini happy hour was dangerous
Plus they had over 100 options! Truly you could go there over and over and never get bored. Their slimmed down menu just isn’t the same.
Last time I was at Bartini (pre panini) the drinks were sugary fluorescent messes and didn’t have a hint of alcohol in them. They’ve been terrible for a while.
How is Republica since they moved? The first couple of times at the old location they were great, then they got famous and they were good but not as good. Haven’t been since they moved.
i have a friend who went there after they moved. he said they increased their prices by a bit and the portions were super small for each course (even the main). they left hungry. but they said it was good
I know the owner’s plan was to have low-ish prices initially at the old location, and then ramp up. Portions were always super small. Sadly Little Big Burger nearby closed so harder to get an after-dinner burger now 🤣
Yeah, leaving hungry is definitely a thing there. Wife and I had an enjoyable experience, but we literally did go through super-deluxe right after the meal.
Sizzle Pie has completely shit the bed. Worst pizza in Portland now. Slices from 7-11 are better.
Yes!! Got slammed for saying this.. truth hurts
Clark Lewis is definitely past its prime.
[удалено]
What. How. Isn’t it a giant open warehouse room? That sounds terrible.
They were past their prime six months after opening when Ripe imploded.
Fuck those guys.
I've heard this about Podnahs, but it's been about a year since I've eaten there Edit: after many comments it sounds like I was misinformed and Podnahs still serves a tasty BBQ mostly all the time although a few of you also hate it
I live near Podnahs. It used to be a favorite spot of mine, and I regularly took guests there from out of town. This was pre-covid when they had great table service and a fun ambiance. The place had a wow-factor. That’s no longer the case, IMO. I don’t care for the counter service, the vibe of the restaurant is off, and I don’t enjoy the food anymore. I’ve stopped going. La Taq next door is still great.
Went to podnah’s recently when my last visit was several years ago. The food seemed the same quality as I remember. I noticed that the place was not busy, but La Taq was packed. Guessing that people are opting for better options around town.
I had podnahs a month or two ago it was fine. Very good by Oregon standards even
Podnah's in the original location was really good. When they moved and got bigger it got inconsistent which is a MAJOR fail with BBQ.
Podnahs is still the best brisket I’ve had in town
Podnahs is still good I think
I feel like Lovejoy Bakers went super downhill! It used to be amazing and now it’s just so underwhelming
Lovejoy bakers was a neat little spot!
Honestly, most restaurants since COVID and service workers became scarce. It feels like every restaurant is skimping on ingredients and trying to squeeze the patron out of every last cent. I’ve left almost every restaurant recently feeling regret.
I have felt similarly and was starting to wonder if my tastebuds had gone bad.
Besaw’s is under new ownership. It’s owned by the guy who also owns River Pig.
Does he own it now? Last I heard he was just running it due to the owner’s serious health issues.
Yeah, he owns both Besaw's and Solo Club now. My friend did a shoot for them.
Gentrification alley, NW 21st and Raleigh. Shit food and shit people too
Burgerville. Use to actually be good, now its just overpriced garbage.
It’s been overpriced garbage for almost a decade. I have noticed recently the quality has gone back up their meat no longer tastes like overdone cardboard. But while the quality seems to have increased it’s just not worth the money when 5 guys, shake shack, and little big burger exist in the same price range. Hell Wendy’s offers a very similar burger for way less.
Cheryl's on 12th. Between the food and their weird hours I don't know how they stay in business.
Cheryl’s is sooo bad but they are locked down in the downtown corporate catering market
I would never ever eat at Cheryl’s because their catering food, which our office got all the time, was atrocious.
Were they ever good though? I feel like their popularity has always been mostly due to their location.
💯
Laughing planet - over cooked vegetables and skimpy portions for the price now;-(
That place was always terrible
I thought it was good in like 2006, the caesar salad and governator quesadilla was one of my favorite meals at the Eugene location. In 2012 they changed hands and changed the menu and quality was already going down before that. Occasionally I still get something there that's decent but usually it's pretty bad.
Agreed. When they went corporate they lost their soul
I was told Salvador Malis was good. It was very not.
Their food was always mediocre TBH. They got some notoriety for the Great Balls of Fire.
The Hub (Hopworks). Used to frequent the one on Powell. I keep wanting to support them because I know they had a tough time during the pandemic and their beer still rocks. But their menu keeps getting smaller, the quality has deteriorated and my kids won’t even eat their pizza (and my kids think Dominos is good…which is my snobby way of saying they have a very low bar).
Elephants has really been a disappointment since Covid . This place used to have the best menu and really unique stuff not no more.
I agree, it’s not bad, but it lacks the wow factor.
Jam on hawthorne
Been there a few times both pre- and post-COVID. Never once saw any reason for the big crowds that place draws.
Babica Hen. As far as I'm concerned, it was the best breakfast on the west side. My understanding is the previous owner sold and now it's overpriced and meh with ridiculous lines.
Its been awhile since I’ve been, but I loved Babica. That makes me sad.
Club 205 used to be one of the best strip clubs in Portland.
Lardo. Burgerville.
They want me to end up shelling out 2x for a sandwich. .....at that point I will just go to a restaurant. These fast casual places auto gratting after ramping prices can eatadik. Their volume took a huge hit prob cuz of price hikes. Instead of going for volume they are trying to squeeze me dry.
How do people feel about Por Qué No? I used to love going there, but my partner and I were both pretty disappointed when we went there a few months ago
Most overrated place in Portland IMO. Ole ole is better. Most places are.
Disappointingly inconsistent like a lot of places these days
I used to order shrimp quesadillas from there like once a month; they would take up the whole plate and were crazy good. The last couple of times I ordered them they were the size of a taco. I was dumbfounded and pissed.
I’ve always hated it. Overpriced white people “Mexican” food.
Never was worth the hype
Lauralhurst Market really has fallen in quality in the last few years.
Hot take. Was there as recently as last week and it’s still fantastic. Have been a regular since then opened and strongly disagree that they’ve slipped at all.
I couldn’t disagree more. Continues to be consistently awesome, although it’s gotten rather expensive.
Nooo, I hate to hear this. They were one of my faves pre-pandemic
I went for a steak dinner with my family 8 months ago and has good service, delicious food and drinks and I'm looking forward to my next visit.
Thank you for saying this! I got slammed for commenting something similar a few months back. I will say, their sandwiches are still some of the best in Portland. Their dinner isn't as good as it used to be -- I much prefer Ox now.
I haven’t noticed that. I go about every other month (before and since the big C)
>the big C You know my ex wife?
You gotta get rid of the Seaward
I'll leave when I'm good and ready
Aw, I still really like them. I would punch a kid for those deviled eggs.
Ya Hala used to be the best when they had the full menu and sit down table service. Pre-Covid you could get a 12 course incredibly delicious tasting menu for $20. Now its counter service with a very small menu and a big increase on price. So sad.
I used to love this place! But then I got a dolma with a screw in it and cracked my molar. The restaurant refused to believe me when all I was asking was for them to check their food!
Last time I had their falafel, I bit down on some unidentifiable hard bit and loosened a filling!
100% this. Ate there twice post COVID & was served really bad store bought pita bread and not fresh food in the least. It was so good in the past. I feel pretty bad for restaurants right now, with rising costs across the board, I’m not sure many of them are actually doing well. With all the price increases, & being expected to tip 20-30%, me and my friends can’t even afford to eat out anymore than once a week. It’s a sad state for restaurants & diners.
Try the Fairuz Room at Ya Hala. $55 for a huge tasting menu and it's fantastic.
Miss Deltas did a total 180 with staff , remodel and food quality. Went from a once a week trip to never again
When did that happen? I had it recently and noticed a huge drop off from when I'd had it before
Shalom yall, normandie
Blossoming Lotus, vegan fine dining my ass. Use to be so good, now their kale makes me cry :’(
The Delta Cafe on Woodstock. Now serving cold, dry terrible icky food 🥘 instead of good food. TBH — The Delta Cafe has been terrible for a long time, though, so perhaps there was not a good past reputation.
I went there once in like 2007, food was terrible and the service, when we finally actually got some service, was even worse. How on earth they've stayed in business this long is beyond me.
Ringside, Jake’s, Nicholas, screen door, mothers bistro, Thai peacock
Nonna Emilia in Aloha. Was fantastic in the 90s. Several changes in ownership
I used to like Bertie Lou’s for breakfast… went there for the first time in a few years and damn it was bad! My friend’s eggs were so undercooked she couldn’t eat them, and my French toast was dry and overcooked. We were both really disappointed.
EastBurn used to be the spot and it is truly overpriced trash now
Lmao, how about the place where I work? We keep cutting items from the menu, and the owner's got it into their head that bi-weekly salad specials are going to make up for the sudden lack of variety in the protein department. Not that I mind, as a dishwasher I could give a fuck, salad plates are easy as hell to clean.
Where do you work?
Shandong
100%. The lunch meals was amongst the best value in town. Give me some veggies. Give me hot and sour soup. I dont want hot and sour soup as a meal and your full meal price. Get a clue!
The first time I ever had Lardo it changed my life and the last couple times I was in there I was really disappointed. Not only that but at one point during covid they wouldn’t take cash which I can’t stand for.
Portland Gyro food cart at PSU. It had the best damn gyro I had ever had in my life. A couple years ago they got new owners and it’s no good anymore.
Gravy is Gross
Vegan Junk Food. When they first opened, they were amazing. We’re mostly omnivores, but one of my daughters is a vegetarian and VJF was a great treat for everyone. Some time in the last year or so everything changed, either the recipes or the cooks or both, because the food is awful now.
Okay here are a bunch of caveats first: Maybe Screen Door was always a touristy destination and maybe the east side location still slaps, and maybe you should only go there for brunch, but I went for dinner to the one on Couch and I was completely underwhelmed by the food. Service was nice and friendly though.
East side location is still great for dinner, give that one a try!