11/08/09

New Ownership?

by RedXC2006

Holden's Bistro was a local favorite. A great hidden gem in the crowded pearl. Unfortunately a new menu and what I am guessing is new ownership has changed all of that. Aside from the tomb like atmosphere the food was terrible. Very bland... The salad was like something bought from a bag, the burger had a bun all to familiar to wonder bread and the fries seemed fresh out of the freezer. Its too bad as this use to be such a great spot.

• Pros: Good Memories...
• Cons: New Memories...

06/01/09

Great Spot in the Pearl!!

by JnMk

What a fun night!!We went there on Sat. night, GREAT atmosphere, GREAT service! They had a party that night with DJs, GREAT house music! Well, what else could I say..we had a FABULOUS time there!! We'll definitely go back!!

PS#1:I heard that they will have a DJ on every first Thursday.. worth checking it out!!

PS#2:Have to try their famous kabobs next time.

• Pros: Open Garage Doors. Great for Summer Evening.
• Cons: Didn't Get to Try Their Food:(

05/24/09

Great food, location and prices

by Cecile7

What a great find in the Pearl! Some great food, friendly attitude and great price. BLT is delicious. So glad they now are open for lunch!

• Pros: Best BLT
• Cons: None

02/23/09

New Menu--> Bad Idea

by AJTS

Holden's has a great atmosphere. The service is extremely slow so don't eat there if you are hungry or have anything else to do that evening. My husband and I frequently ate at Holden's for their great happy hour and overall menu. The menu has changed and it is no longer the great place it once was. If you love bacon this is your kind of place. Bacon is in EVERYTHING. The menu change was not a good one and the food is just marginal. The cost seems expensive for what you get and for the poor, new menu. We will not be coming back.

02/15/09

New Ownership; not so good-

by poco22

When My husband and I called to make reservations for Holdens for Valentines day they did not tell us it was under new ownership with a new menu. This would have been helpful if they would have told us that because we probably would not have chosen Holdens for our Valentines dinner. The only reason we were going back was because we loved the previous ownership and previous menu.

We arrived there to a not-so-welcoming environment; the new owner took our drink order and then after 15 mins. of waiting for our drinks the waitress realized he forgot to put the order in. When our food finally got to the table my dinner was completely cold and my husbands was scalding hot, guessing they probably forgot to make his until the last minute. I could just go on and on in regards to how unorganized and unapologetic the staff including the new owner were. Needless to say, we won't be going back and miss the old menu and old ownership:(

• Pros: Most the of the pricing is reasonable
• Cons: new ownership, new menu and lack of customer service

11/19/08

Absolutely Fabulous!

by Biz120

Hands down...Holden's Bistro is our favorite restaurant in the Pearl (and we've tried all of them!). The food is an amazing culinary experience but is not "foofy" or unfamiliar. The ambiance is fun, relaxed and not at all "stuffy." The staff...friendly, personable and never "over the top." They are the kind of folk you would choose to hang out with on any day of the week. Holden's is so consistently great, here are some of the many ways we have enjoyed the Pearl's best kept secret: romantic date night, casual dinner with friends, entertaining out-of-town coworkers, pre-Blazer game bite to eat, girls-night happy hour, private staff party. We love Holden's Bistro and give it our highest recommendation. We know you will love it too!

08/21/08

Best Restaurant I've Ever Been To

by CEH47

Holden's is absolutely amazing. The food is fabulous and well-portioned. The service is great. I love the atmosphere.

As a vegetarian, I was disappointed when there was nothing on the menu for me the second time I went. I asked the waitress to have the chef whip something up. The chef sent out three different dishes, each of which was tasty beyond belief and beautifully presented. I have never been so impressed by a restaurant in my life.

Bottom Line: Go as soon as you can!

• Pros: Everything!

12/09/07

A great, hidden space in the NW Pearl District

by marcuspdx

I've enjoyed Holden's before, but last Friday when I was in, I found my new favorite appetizer: mussels and fries! They were so good and I wanted to write a review dedicated just to them, but I figured mussels aren't everyone's choice, so I'll elaborate on some other things, I guess. Despite the great appetizer, I had a really tasty grilled Mahi-mahi and my date had some braised lamb dish that was also excellent. Music is usually cool, but tonights selection wasn't my first choice... think it was Ella... and I like jazz, but I miss the more alt/college radio type stuff they used to play. Same cool, sexy-lit atmosphere though that is always great for a relaxing dinner. I'll definitely keep coming back.

• Pros: Food is amazing, price unspeakable in the Pearl

04/14/07

Gem in the Pearl

by mgalaxy

When I visit Portland, I always eat at Holdens. Great food and fantastic atmosphere. Such the Silverlake coolness with a SoHo Vibe tucked away slightly off the beaten Pearl path away from the other pretentious and stuffy eats in the downtown lower N.W. The background music itself is worth the visit. Mew to Muse...Coldplay to Cold War Kids. The food rocks as steady as the music. Absolutely 5 star in my book. You must try the Fried Chicken plate or their fresh made vegetarian burger with sweet potato fries. Oh, and when it?s nice out, the modern glass garage doors are rolled up offering an open airy feel.

Trust me, you will love it.

• Pros: Atmosphere, service, music
• Cons: I only wish they had specials

03/21/07

A hidden treasure in the Pearl

by pollywog123

I love this place. No really, I love this place. It?s a breath of fresh air from the

Usual snotty wanna be restaurants in the Pearl. The drink menu is great, and the food is excellent. I just wish they had a little more vegitarian options.

The new owner seems to be working very hard to make this a fun place to be. A huge band new crystal chandelier hangs close to the entry way to warm the room up, and the best rock and roll music being played in the back ground. In one night I heard A Tribe Called Quest, The Specials, Marvin Gaye, and Fugazi! Are you kidding me?!!!

This is the best place to go in the Pearl to get a fine dining experience without a pretentious feel.

• Pros: The owner is a cutie and the employees seem to be have a lot of fun
• Cons: closes too early