Best Fun Restaurants in South Waterfront

106 restaurants available nearby

A photo of King Tide Fish & Shell restaurant

1. King Tide Fish & Shell

4.3

Price: Moderate

• Contemporary American • Downtown

Booked 7 times today

King Tide Fish & Shell, led by Executive Chef Alexander Diestra, is a riverfront seafood restaurant and bar inspired by the laid-back fishing lodges of family vacations gone by. With sparkling waterfront views of the Willamette, a welcoming energy and a menu that ranges from no-fuss to fancy, here at King Tide we serve fresh, inventive seafood dishes with local ingredients that are uniquely Portland.There aren't many places that command the vantage point we enjoy here at King Tide, so we like to make sure it lives up to Portland. We do that with a blend of the traditional and the non, the comfortable and the slightly twisted, the satisfying food and the swinging drink.As we like to say, King Tide is where food & drink & people always complement each other, and everything goes with the view.

A photo of The Melting Pot - Portland restaurant

2. The Melting Pot - Portland

4.4

Awesome(2582)

Price: Expensive

• Fondue • Downtown

Booked 40 times today

You could just eat dinner ... or ... you can fondue at The Melting Pot! We are a Portland institution since 1989 and we invite you to dine with us today.* We are unlike any other restaurant in town. We offer a truly unique dining experience that is not only fun and interactive, but delicious! * We specialize in celebrations, whether it's a birthday, date night or you're just celebrating life!* We offer special packages for your big night out, including balloons, roses and teddy bears that are ready for you when you arrive.* Proudly offering, and setting the trend in, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan dining options.

3. Nostrana

4.7

Exceptional(5625)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • SE Portland

Booked 17 times today

Nostrana—literally ours—invokes local. Simple food from honest ingredients. Pure, regional, Italian. Opened in 2005, Nostrana is Chef/Owner Cathy Whims’ love letter to Italy. This is a restaurant built on relationships: with our amazing farmers and purveyors, our dedicated staff, and of course with you, our guest.We hope to offer something timeless and authentic in a beautiful space, the regional specialties of Italy deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest. We strive to be better every day. We're currently reserving indoor tables and bar seating. When available, outdoor patio reservations may be subject to weather disruptions.A Service Charge of 22% is applied to all checks at Nostrana, providing a professional and equitable wage for all team members.

4. L'Orange

4.9

Exceptional(105)

Price: Very Expensive

• Mediterranean • SE Portland

Booked 12 times today

Named one of the New York Times America's Best Restaurants 2024! Tucked away upstairs in a charming old storefront and voted one of Portland's 'Best New Restaurants' in 2023, L'Orange features an intimate dining space that beckons you to immerse yourself in a different era. Chef Joel Stocks and his talented team will guide your palate through adventurous dishes that blend European culinary traditions with the finest local ingredients. Experience the taste of "Old Portland" with every bite. Enhance your dining experience with a thoughtfully curated selection of wines, personally chosen by Owner/Winemaker Jeff Vejr and his team. While our wine list boasts a European focus, we also showcase a variety of local wines, including the exceptional offerings from Jeff's own Golden Cluster label. Join us at L'Orange for a taste of history, innovation, and the vibrant flavors of the Pacific Northwest!

5. LeChon

4.8

Exceptional(3538)

Price: Moderate

• South American • SW Portland

Booked 22 times today

Lechon is a South American dining experience that seamlessly combines the fiery cooking of Argentina, Chile and Patagonia, along with creative inspiration of the chef. Enjoy perfectly charred 28-day dry-aged ribeye, grilled octopus with chorizo, housemade piquillo pepper and pork empanadas, slow roasted lechon, refreshing ceviches and smoked bone marrow.Executive Chef Jaco Smith consistently pushes the boundaries on traditional Latin fare by incorporating wood-fired flavors into his cuisine while boasting a view of the Willamette River that few Portland restaurants can offer. Smith comes from a large family of cattle, sheep and grain farmers. He started cooking at a young age in his mother’s kitchen. His favorite childhood memories include the tastes of dulce de leche, flan and grilled breads, reminiscent of South American flavors and commonly found on South African kitchen tables.

A photo of Screen Door - Pearl District restaurant

6. Screen Door - Pearl District

4.7

Exceptional(727)

Price: Moderate

• Regional American (Southern) • Pearl District

Booked 9 times today

Walk-in's always welcome! Screen Door is a restaurant that presents itself as a love letter to the American South and the revival of regional cooking. Each day, the restaurant receives natural, local organic meats and produce from nearby vendors. The inclusion of regional Pacific Northwest ingredients into a menu of dishes developed in the south has created a unique flavor profile in Screen Door's menu. Many of Screen Doors dishes draw their inspiration from Louisiana and the Cajun cooking that's found there. These include our world-famous fried chicken, Lowcountry shrimp and grits, smoked andouille chicken gumbo and fried okra. Other items, like the house-smoked beef brisket and braised pork shoulder, come straight from the state of Texas. The rest of the South is well represented as well with a Carolina pulled pork sandwich, chicken and waffles, crispy fried oysters and a pimiento cheese & sausage biscuit sandwich with a fried egg and cheddar grits.

A photo of Portland City Grill restaurant

7. Portland City Grill

4.5

Awesome(9453)

Price: Expensive

• Seafood • Downtown

Booked 111 times today

Take in the sweeping city and landscape views. Sip a standout wine or craft cocktail. Dazzle your palate with seafood inspired by Northwest, Island or Asian milieus; an expertly prepared steak; farm-fresh salad; or another memorable dish. Our attentive staff will make you feel at home—in our rarefied air 30 floors above Portland.

8. Janken

4.7

Exceptional(1028)

Price: Very Expensive

• Creative Japanese • Pearl District

Experience a culinary journey through Japanese-Korean Fusion cuisine. Our mission is to spark joy and imagination with every dining experience through fusion cuisine demonstrating that everything is better together. Focused on small plates, hand-crafted cocktails and sharing, Janken provides a nod to the variety of experiences you can have when you dine with us. We embrace a traditional-contemporary blend to create a comfortable upscale dining experience.

9. Han Oak

4.8

Exceptional(53)

Price: Very Expensive

• Korean • NE Portland

Booked 18 times today

Han Oak has brought back hot pot! With 1-week dry aged short rib, hand cut noodles, and a beautiful array of mushroms and greens, all cooked table side in our bone broth supreme. Han Oak is a communal, prix-fixe Korean restaurant emphasizing traditional flavors, seasonal ingredients, and fine technique. From their addictive hot pot to their mouthwatering dumplings, every bite at Han Oak is a taste of pure happiness.Join the fun at Han Oak with their themed set menu, currently all about a Korean Hot Pot and interactive dining, available for reservation from Wednesday to Saturday nights. Get ready to dive into a feast of Korean flavors that will leave you smiling from ear to ear. Book a later reservation and ask about our full-on karaoke setup! Karaoke may or may not happen but if you see the disco lights and the fog machine on, get in the queue!

10. Le Pigeon

4.8

Exceptional(1636)

Price: Very Expensive

• Contemporary American • SE Portland

Booked 8 times today

Le Pigeon serves adventurous French-inspired food, along with a varied selection of wines in an intimate dining room on Portland’s East Burnside Street.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

H
Haley
San Francisco Bay Area •1 review
5.0
Dined today
It was a magical Christmas Eve dinner. My mom and I were so happy to spend time in the beautiful atmosphere. Our server, Chase was friendly and helpful and we were impressed by Madison, the GM.
More info
The Melting Pot - PortlandPrice: Expensive• Fondue• Downtown
•
4.4
M
Monica
San Francisco Bay Area •8 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
We’ve always had a great experience at Nostrana, and love to celebrate special occasions there. Ensalata Nostrana and Pizza with extra fixings are a great standby; last night we got the Papardelle as well, so good! Excellent wine list and the Tiramisu is a perfect way to end the meal.
More info
NostranaPrice: Expensive• Italian• SE Portland
•
4.7
G
GeorgeVIP
Nebraska •10 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
Seriously, one of the best restaurant meals I’ve ever had. We shared apps, small plates, and entrees, (plus a couple desserts) and I can’t tell you what was the best dish, or even the top 2 or 3. All were wonderful. Need a complaint? The wine was so-so and the guys at the next table wore smelly cologne. But the food was imaginative, dynamic and delicious. Star anise in onion soup. A new requirement in my house!
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L'OrangePrice: Very Expensive• Mediterranean• SE Portland
•
4.9
J
Jessica
San Francisco Bay Area •1 review
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
We went the day before Christmas Eve and it was the most amazing and memorable experience of a lifetime! We had just found out that my FIL has a very aggressive form of cancer and this was a memory none of us will ever forget. The six of us ordered about 9 HH apps and two entrees and everything was a 10/10! The food was the out of this world, our server was the most attentive we’d ever had, and the ambiance was quiet, exciting, and amazing the entire time. I highly recommend this tapas-style culinary experience of a lifetime!
More info
LeChonPrice: Moderate• South American• SW Portland
•
4.8
S
Steve
Portland / Oregon •1 review
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
Salmon was out of this world. I NEVER eat salmon skin, but the way this was pan seared and then finished under broil, it left the skin delicately crispy and perfectly seasoned. Soooooo good.
More info
King Tide Fish & ShellPrice: Moderate• Contemporary American• Downtown
•
4.3

Best Fun Restaurants in South Waterfront

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Top Rated

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106 restaurants available nearby

1. King Tide Fish & Shell

2. The Melting Pot - Portland

3. Nostrana

4. L'Orange

5. LeChon

6. Screen Door - Pearl District

7. Portland City Grill

8. Janken

9. Han Oak

10. Le Pigeon

See what locals rave about

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