Higgins Restaurant and Bar

An old Portland staple that was here before Portland got hip. It has that older, classic look and feel to it, with a solid menu; good seafood options and shellfish apps, great desserts and coffee/tea. Also nine beers on draft which appealed to my friends. In the two times I've been here the service was outstanding.

this place is well famous. so I went this place with my folks. it was very busy weekend after dinner time. still we could not get a seat, so we got a spot in bar side. that was totally fine because we still can order same dinner menu from bar table. but the waiter who serve our table, he doesn't have any class or manner to respect out folks. I don't know waht is wrong with him, but we got very bad treated.(pu the plate very hard, no water until we asked 3 times,hard to hold him to order to get silverwares) we are not there for free food. we are there enjoy classy dinner, but waiter was so rude and discriminated us. by the way, every single plates we ordered, that was so fantastic. great food, but terreble service! so I am not going back there.

I have eaten at Higgins numerous times (lunch and dinner) and believe it is one of the best restaurants in Portland. They always seem to use the freshest ingredients and come up with innovative, tasty food. The dining atmosphere is very nice and the servers friendly and professional.

Went in for a quick pint but was surprised buy how great the bar menu was, ended up staying much longer and don't regret a thing. Great beer even greater place, will be returning.

We had dinner here last night before going to Wicked. The service was wonderful, the spinach salad with bleu cheese and squash was to die for! Nice quiet place to enjoy some delicious food and conversation before a show.

Higgins is an institution, it doesn't really need my further support with an online review, but I can't help but mention how amazing dining here is. I've come to rely on a wonderful ambiance, knowledgeable staff, and excellent service every time. The food is universally exquisite and the menu rotates a bit, so I recommend repeat visits. I would specifically recommend (if they have it) the Whole Pig Plate, or really any special (fish especially.) Additionally, the bar/bistro has a terrific menu that is less expensive, but includes an awesome open-faced pastrami and a tasty sirloin burger. Dessert is always a pleasure. If you're looking for a more specific dish recommendations, just ask the wait staff, they have never let me down. Finally, the drink list (wine, beer, liquor) is lengthy and diverse - one of the best selections in town without a question. I am so glad Higgins exists, just thinking about the meals I've had there makes me happy.

Waiter snotty, condescending, overbearing, had to be called every time to get service. Go elsewhere for service. I for one do not believe in paying to be insulted. . Meat was good but side dishes were lacking.

Hot date or important business, I have never been disappointed. My guests thank me every time for going to this place. The service is as excellent as the food. If you give them a heads up on the nature of your occasion you will always have a successful experience!

It would be Higgins. This food is AMAZING, some of the best I've had in Portland. Perfect for a long leisurely lunch, over a bottle of wine, with food meant to savor and share with people you enjoy. The perfect day, and the perfect meal.

The food here was amazing. The ambience is very upper class (at least for me), with white tablecloths and multiple levels. The servers wer...

When we first moved to Portland, Papa Hadyn was THE place to go. Everything was prepared with care and was delicious. However, it's just not the same anymore, and I would go as far as to say that Papa is now Poopoo! The same with Portland City Grill! What happened to these once essential Portland establishments? But have no fear, because Higgins is here! Higgins is the new place that you just HAVE to go! I went there with my sister and both of our meals and desserts were mind boggling! The ingredients are fresh and obviously prepared with care. The flavors are amazing, the technique is phenomenal! I have seen fish prepared so perfectly only once or twice before. The restaurant is lively, but quiet enough to have a normal volume conversation without having noise intrude. The staff is wonderfully pleasant, attentive (but not overly so), and graceful in their manner. The whole experience was very comfortable, and elegant at the same time. If you have out of town guests, someone you want... Read more

A great place to go for a business lunch. It's centrally located on Broadway in downtown Portland. They have a little bit of everything on...

It's best to make reservations, it's a small place with a great ambience. It's work casual to a romantic dinner. It's pricey but well worth it for great hospitality and a full tummy!

I highly recommend Higgins for a special evening out or a business lunch. The menu boasts an excellent selection of pacific northwest fare ...

We went out for our anniversary and I was not dissappointed. The staff was very friendly and personable; we were treated as if we dined there frequently when it was only our first visit there. The menu is limited but the choices are exceptional. My husband had the duck, which is an item he orders often, and said it was the Best he'd ever had. Also the portions are not small as you might expect with fine dining; my husband was very full and he is hard to fill. I enjoyed the sturgeon which was very flavorful and served with roasted root vegetables. The vegetables were roasted to perfection, very sweet. The sturgeon was cook perfectly; it was juicy and well seasoned. They also offer a decent wine and beer selection. There are plenty of local wines to choose from as well, which I always enjoy.

The ambiance was lovely . . . multi-levels give the very small space a larger feel. But when the waiter sets down an item entree menu the place suddenly gets even smaller. This is not a place for finicky eaters. I'll try pretty much anything and even I was having trouble finding something on the menu. Luckily there were three specials that offered more normal choices: a salmon, a flat iron steak (too much salt), and a lamb shank (mine are better). The presentation of the food was gorgeous. The beef steak tomatoes with fresh mozzerella for an appetizer was fantastic; a stack of yellow, green, red, sun-dried, and cherry tomaoes, topped with with fresh mozzerella and drizzled with balsamic vinegar was good to the last bite. So I guess I could say the bookends were the highlights of my meal, because the homemade ice cream and sorbet for dessert were fantastic: real chocolate ice cream and a crisp fresh sorbet. I would return for appetizers and dessert, but only with one or two oth... Read more

I will first of all say that the desserts were really outstanding. Unfortunately that's not enough to get me to ever return to this restaurant. My husband and I tried it the first time about 7 years ago and were extremely disappointed. At a friend?s urging we returned last weekend and were again disappointed. Service: the service was dreadful. We were with a very large group and I believe our server had decided that since he was getting his tip no matter what he would just barely serve us. My husband had to call him back so that he could order. We told him that we did not need him to explain the "big words", as he put it, on the menu, but he carried on with a demeaning explanation anyway. He came back to check on our food, um..Oh that's right, never. Food: the appetizers were quite good, though I felt the caprese was a little overloaded with olive oil. The bread was outstanding, though I understand it comes from Ken's. Of the 13 people at our table, 1 person was satisfie... Read more

My husband and I dined at Higgins last night after a great deal of hesitation. I had read mixed reviews on line and came close to making another establishment our choice for the evening as we had not been to Higgins for a year or so. Finally we thought, damn the reviews, lets decide for ourselves. And are we ever glad we did. Everything was as we had recalled only better because we were enjoying it in the now. The service was excellent and food, fresh, innovative and beautifully presented. One reviewer talked of the proximity of the tables to one another. I can see where the 4 tops might seem a bit tightly spaced but for couples there are a number of 2 tops that offer a great deal more intimacy than most restaurants these days. The dining room was full and the acoustics were fine....we did not think it was overly loud. Portions were plentiful and the salad and beet soup were wonderful starters. We did feel guily turning down dessert but I told the waiter I had a huge birthday... Read more

It was my boyfriend's birthday and we chose to eat at Higgins. We were sat at the tiniest table possible! Also we noticed that there were two areas to be seated, one had a casual bistro feel and the other was meant for regulars and/or other weathy people because it was clearly more fancy. Besudes feeling like second class citizens and sitting at a really small table, out appetizer was dissappointing. For the entrees I had duck and he had steak which were good. The service was great too but after spending over $100 dollars on dinner for two, we felt ripped off. For dessert we walked a block down the street and enjoyed the Heathman lounge. We soon realized that Heathman was worth every penny and would be our choice for the next special event.

My husband and I went here for my birthday dinner last weekend--and wow, what a gift! One of the best meals of my life. Everything was note-perfect, from the relaxing and elegant atmosphere, to the attentive service, to the indescribably delicious meal. The spinach salad with French lentils and blue cheese toasts was a standout--I didn't know salads could be so good!--as was my husband's deceptively simple seafood stew with halibut, clams and salmon sausage, all perfectly cooked. For me, I appreciated that each course offered ample vegetarian options, clearly executed with attention and care equal to that given the meat dishes. The desserts were tantalizing, especially the cheese and fruit plate with its meticulously balanced flavors and textures. When we asked our server for help narrowing down our wine choices, she steered us towards one that complemented our meal perfectly. Well worth the price tag--in MANY cities, you'd be paying far more for food of this caliber--and we'll definit... Read more

The food here is a letdown. The soups are generally great, but the salads are average, and one entree was so bad (some sort of curried vegetable concoction) that I stopped eating after a bite. That's another thing: They don't care if you enjoy your meal or not.

Though I've only eaten lunch in the dining room, I've been to the bar at least a dozen times and always receive good, prompt service. The bistro (bar) menu changes frequently, and has never disappointed. The smoked seafood platter and cheese platter are reliably satisfying, but the chili hazelnuts are addictive. I tend to go for the beer selection, as it is phenomenal for a bar downtown. Extensive Belgian selection and a notable German selection. They also tend to have some good exports on draught, such as Chimay, a Paulaner, a few local craft brews (Ninkasi has been a recent favorite). This is an excellent place for happy hour if you are looking for good beer, food, and service, but get there as early as you can - it's usually packed by 5:30. Not a good happy hour bar if you're looking for foo-foo drinks or $1.50 wings etc.

In Short Business diners, visiting dignitaries and gourmands enjoy this restaurant's innovative cuisine and relaxed atmosphere.The cozy decor of small tables, wood floors, an open kitchen and window seating accentuate the casual bistro-like ambience. The seasonal menu emphasizes local harvest, putting intriguing specials alongside venerable favorites. Entrees include the mouthwateringly tender duck entree that's sprinkled with sweet brandy-macerated berries, and the roasted pork loin entree layered with rosemary and garlic.

This restaurant doesn't try very hard. I believe they are relying on a very old reputation. To begin with, the menu choices weren't very exciting. We chose from the regular menu and the specials. The appetizer salads were boring, uninspired, something you could easily throw together in your own kitchen - nothing special. at all. even the presentation. Our main courses brought more of the same. Unapppealing plates, no new tastes, bland flavor...very uneventful. They even managed to screw up dessert. No choices that sounded too great, but we settled for hazlenut ice cream and cookies. The ice cream and cookies seemed packaged. Not homemade or unique. In fact, the entire meal felt as though they may have microwaved the ingredients from frozen packaging and just thrown it on the plate without much thought. And to top it off, the service was barely acceptable. Our waiter neglected us, barely spoke at a level we could hear and honestly - I felt like I was a kid in a old folks r... Read more

We ate at Higgins last night and when we left we were both wondering.....what's the big deal? The space itself needs a facelift....it seems a bit dated. The service was not fantastic, as we expected. In fact, our waiter seemed pretty bored. For an appetizer we ate the house charcuterie platter, and I had high hopes. However, the entire plate was boring and flavorless. Nothing was outstanding. For entrees, we each ate one of the specials. My date ate beef daube, which was overcooked and dry, and it tasted like it was in bottled barbecue sauce. I ate a sturgeon dish, that was rubbery, and topped with blanched leeks that completely overpowered the dish. Neither of us ate half of our dishes. When the waiter asked how everything was, neither of us said anything. He said "OKay great! Well, I'll bring the check!" Clearly, he did not want to have a discussion. We left hungry! I wanted so badly to love this restaurant after everything I have read about Greg Higgins. Unfortunately, we were left... Read more

My husband and I took a weekend retreat to Portland. We read the reviews on various restaurants, made a list of which we'd visit and Higgins was on the list. We took a risk, after reading some of the reviews and that's what I would also say to you, "It's a risk". I don't think the expense ($98.00, including tip) was worth the experience. My husband was dressed in a suit and later realized it wasn't necessary. Nice slacks and dress shirt would be fine. We were wanting traditional elegance, ambiance, romance and it fell short. The tables were covered with white cloth, wine glasses, dinner plates, etc. We were seated in a middle-aisle table, which may have made a difference on the experience. I'd recommend window seating or the booths against the wall. The food was good....I had Cod and my husband had a Ham dish. Here's our recommendation....go for a late night dessert (if that's not too tacky for this "upscale" restaurant). The desserts were FABULOUS! I had the brownie with ... Read more

I've been to many so-called 5 star restaurants throughout the world, yet, I still enjoy food and service from Higgins. Yes, there are few menu items, which are not perfect for everyone's taste buds. If you are not custom to creative cooking, you should stick to restaurants in Hotels such as Heathman or Jakes. Higgins is not a typical one taste fit all ? American restaurant, the chef utilizes and incorporate different type of local fresh ingredients to create very unique yet satisfying (for those who can appreciate) dishes. My favorites are their duck dish, salmon dish, and fall only ?mushroom dinner special?. Regarding price, I think Higgins pricing is very reasonable.

As a fellow fine dining line-cook in Portland, I decided to have dinner with 10 friends at Higgins on my birthday. Considering it is always challenging to fire a big top during service, the Higgins crew came through with flawless service and well-executed food. We were all impressed.

After hearing so much about Higgins, I finally went and had lunch there. The environment is very rustic and cute. The food had it's own unique flavor and was very tasty. Would definitely like to try Higgins for dinner.

OK - Higgins is a favorite of mine in Eugene. Amazing food but I am writing this review for one reason only - to let everyone know about one item that they have to add to their list of things to do before you die THE FOIE GRAS MOUSSE in the bar. Just do it...

Taste is a key reason to buy a top quality meal. I had a memorable , great tasting meal at this restaurant. The seared Moroccan spiced halibut/cous cous was unbelievable. This meal put all the hype of Vegas to shame.

From the outside, Higgins looked adorable. Once inside, walk-in wait was >2 hours, so we sat in the bar area. Full menu was available, yet there was still much to be desired from the menu. No many dishes available, and the ones we tried were so-so. Goat cheese appetizer with great cheese. Vegan soup was bland. Romaine salad was full of full arms of romaine salad, over citrus-y dressing and untasty croutans. Steak sandwich was also not exciting. Not much experience with the full menu but the snippet of the bar menu was not impressive.

great appetizers and lovely dessert, but our entrees were mediocre at best. I had a vegetarian lasagna which was dry and overcooked. My Dad had a risotto that was so overwhelmed by other ingredients that coming across a grain of arborio was a special occasion. Also the service was poor. It felt like we had Chris Farley as a waiter. Now that may be funny in a SNL skit, but at what is considered to be one of Portland's finest restaurants it is entirely humorless. At one point I thought the guy was going to push over our table while he was leaning on it. If you're reading this and you want better tips dude, don't lean on the table while you're taking an order. Maybe I will give it another try because i have met so many people who have had good food here, but in the meantime there are so many other places to try.

My husband and I went there for dinner with high expectations and was very disappointed. The service was good, but the food was lacking, my husbands steak for $30.00 was not that great, ate it because he was hungry. The dinner I ordered, a cobination of mussles,clams and salmon, was sent back total lack of taste. I think for the price we paid for the dinner it should have been better. I will not return to Higgins.

We started with the baked oysters; they were well done with a creamy sauce and a mixture of finely chopped peppers. We followed with the heirloom tomato and fresh mozzarella salad. It was a great combination of flavors. For entrees we had the crusted halibut which was flavorful and fresh and the flat iron steak that was a daily special. The steak was tasty and moist and served atop a polenta cake. For desert we had the Chocolate Pote of cream. It was rich and creamy with a nice blend of milk and bittersweet chocolate. It was a very good dinner, but not as good as our visit last year. It could be that after waiting a year to get the flourless chocolate tort that was not on the menu this year my wifes heart was broken.

Friendly, Knowledgable Server. Prompt seating but 10 minutes to get a cocktail although we were early and place was empty. Charcuterie Plate was wonderful. Healthy chunks of great artisan bread accompanied. My wife's Risotto w/asparagus was delicious, creamy, lemony and a good choice. However, my Bucatini w/Fennel Sausage was smothered with way too much (about a cup) of bitter, bitter, bitter sauteed greens and almost no fennel sausage in sight. It all came swimming in olive oil. Do not order this, you'll be disappointed. Especially at $19.50. Great selection of nice wines but prices 10-20% too high. We've dined at the finest in NYC and LA and there is nothing about Higgins that merits the wine prices higher than in those cities. e.g., a probable over-the-hill Chalk Hill 2002 Chardonnay at $70. So order wine by the glass and moderate. FINAL VERDICT: Higgins was worth trying but I wouldn't return. There are too many other great retaurants in Portland.

Recently, I was looking for a spot to take a friend out to a special dinner and was surprised that so many notable Portland restaurants are closed on Sunday nights! Higgins was an exception, and we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and atmosphere. The menu was filled with regional and seasonal items as well as some fresh takes on old favorites. The spinach salad with spicy walnuts was superb, as was the warm asparagus salad. I wasn't as impressed by the roast pork which was just so-so, but my companions loved their salmon entrees. The wine list is exceptional, and reflects their commitment to supporting local and regional suppliers.

My first glance through the menu made my mouth water! You could almost taste the food just by reading the menu. A well constructed menu description of the dishes that this restaurant has to offer is easy, but what about the execution from the kitchen to table?In this restaurant's case, it was very good. My wife and I enjoyed a beautiful salad, a venison terrine, and a GREAT charcuterie platter with Greg's pickles (you HAVE to order this or you're missing out). The service is very professional and attentive.

I love higgins not for my expectation of the food but their willingness to persue locally grown food. Support these guys even if each dish isn't perfect (it usually is great though).

I was very excited to try Higgins. When you ask for a recommendation in Portland, Higgins always comes up, and as a foodie, there's nothing better to me than a consistently postivie recommendation. Imagine my dismay when I saw the menu and found it to be generally unappealing. No dishes really seemed to stand out. Everyone at the table ordered different plates and shared, and the general consensus was that the actual food met the expectations the menu had created -- it was bland, bland, bland, with one plate generally undistinguishable from the next. The only bright spot in the entire meal was the appetizer of cured meats, which I understand is one of Higgins' specialties. SUPERB, but you'd better love cured (i.e., pretty darned salty) meats. Aside from that, even the bread and the service was mediocre. Overrated at any price. I won't return.

As you walk into this inviting restaurant, there are smiling faces ready to help us with our coats. The atmosphere was extremely charming and very warm. It was comfortable to cozy up in. Food was delivered extremely prompt and the service was well above average. The wait staff mingled with us and made sure that all was going well. The featured northwest cuisine was wonderful and it's great to have a restaurant support local famers. We will be back to enjoy the warm and inviting atmosphere along with the apple turnover. YUM!

I have been there dozens of times over the past couple years and it has never been short of excellent. Highly recommended.

The Staff and the service is always excellent. Great food, great staff!

I have eaten at Higgins numerous times over the past 10 years. It is currently as good if not better than it was when I first went. A really good restaurant is one in which you taste the food and can't help saying, "wow", because the flavours blend to form something unique and wonderful. Higgins consistently delivers that experience. And, they do it with excellent service and perfect surroundings for dining and conversation.

I, my wife and several friends have eaten here on several occasions. The food is wonderful, the wines are excellent and the ambience is lovely. But the service is arrogant and not at all up to the standard of the food. Sure, I recommend it. I always tell people that you must put up with a rather ungrateful staff. They will lower themselves to seat you, to serve you and to tell you what is on the menu.

Although I have only been to Higgins for lunch, I'll return for dinner when I'm back in Portland. The decor is very pleasant and elegant without being pretentious. This contrasts well with so many over the top treatments. The service for lunch was spotless, another nice contrast to numerous other experiences in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver (not including Vancouver Island). I had the tuna carpacchio and a RARE freshly ground hamburger (Not described as a burger on the menu). What a treat. I had hard cider with both courses and it was a slice of heaven. I'll be back.

The service is always excelent. The food is never anything less than fantastic. I always have a hard time deciding what I want here, the manue changes constantly, it is made up of what ever is fresh. Everything on whatever menue they have is sure to please, if you have any special requests, allergies, they are always very accomodating. The beer selection is as thorough as any in Portland and the staff is highly knoledgable about the food, beer and wine selection. I would say this is a must if you are a local as most already know. If you are from out of town and want a true taste of Oregon this is the place. Reservations a must especialy on weekends.

With a 9.7 rating, Higgins leaves MUCH to be desired. We had heard good reviews so we went. Always open to new fine dining experiences, we were both looking forward to Higgins. Well, it was substandard from beginning to end. When you go to a "nice" restaurant, you can usually partake of atleast 2 items that you enjoy. Each item we ordered was unenjoyable and we both ordered different selections and tried eachothers. The appetizer was very unappetizing, the salad tasted like weeds, and finally the 2 main entrees were horrible. The rissotto was salty enough to gag on. The bucatini pasta tasted only like oil. Even the free dessert we were offered was tasteless. We won't go back to Higgins. We used to frequent the Heathman and Bleu, but then discovered Paley's Place!

This is my favorite restaurant, and I've eaten at the best (e.g., Chez Panisse, The French Laundry). The atmophere is unpretentious, the service phenomenal, and the food outstanding. The sommelier is the best I've met - his expertise ranges from vintage beer to extraordinary wine. I highly recommend this.

Higgin's is the place for a romantic dinning experience. With one of the best Beer selections on the West Coast ( better than most San Francisco establishments ), and with more than 90% organic menu, Higgin's represents the true NorthWestern form service and delicious food. Some Americans may find the service stuffy and slow, however we found the service European and amiable, this is an environment of slow dining at its best. This is not a place for a fast dinner before the show or a quick lunch, for like most working establishments in our culture, the employer has kept paired down the staff to the absolute minimum. I have eaten in many restaurants in New York, Europe and San Francisco for and Higgins is of similar quality.