Holden's Bistro

08/21/2008 Posted 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!

12/09/2007 Posted 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

04/14/2007 Posted 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

03/21/2007 Posted 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

03/21/2007 Posted by maxine999

This place was bought a while back, and at first it was great. The new owner brought in a fantastic bartender and cute friendly servers. The ambiance went through a couple of changes to give the place a lighter feel (lighting, and some cool music) to take away from the dark cave it was before. The food was good, not great, but pretty good and priced right. The service was splendid, and the drinks were top notch. But as of late, an updated menu, new servers, and a newer bartender, has helped launch Holden’s into the “nothing special” category in my book. The service has been prompt, but cold. The drinks have become so-so at best, and the food is nothing special. It seems like in the last month or so they have lost it’s lust for life, and the passion has dropped off. The energy Holden’s had when it was first taken over by the new owner was terrific and we had high hopes for this little bistro. Bring back the passion!

01/29/2007 Posted by vlcgoddess

I went to Holden's to celebrate my birthday. I had a large party (7 people) so I made a reservation; I would not recommend going with a group without a reservation. They had a nice table all set up for us. Our orders were taken promptly, and the appetizers arrived within 10 minutes. However, after the appetizers, we did not see our dinner for a good 30-40 minutes. I had to inquire as to the whereabouts of our dishes. Some people really liked their food; others were apathetic about their dishes. My pasta, for example, had obviously been sitting under a warmer for some time--the top layer of noodles was crunchy. The calamari was overcooked, and the catfish was so-so. The prawn quesadilla, I'm told, was excellent, however, as was the fried chicken. The mashed potatoes were creamy and flavorful. And the cream of asparagus soup was some of the best soup I've ever had. So, in summary, Holden's is a really nice space. It was a nice place to celebrate my birthday. However, the service and food was hit-and-miss, which detracted from the experience significantly.

Pros: Ambiance, diverse menu

Cons: Lack of consistency in service and food

09/24/2006 Posted by davidxanatos

Apparently the restaurant changed their Saturday closing time from 11 pm to 10 pm because when I made the reservations for 9:30 pm, I had assumed it was the former. No matter, I sauntered in at nigh unto 10 pm and was kindly told that they close at 10 pm but that they would accommodate my date and I nonetheless. Any place that will do that gets in A+ in my book. Not surprisingly we had the place to ourselves and were outnumbered by the bartender and the staff but despite our tardiness our server Rebecca was gracious and I didn't feel rushed in any way. Needless to say our food came out quickly which may or may not be indicative of their true service but I certainly appreciated it. I had the mushroom cream soup du jour and the fish tacos. Both were flavorful and best of all the prices here are reasonable which is why I came in the first place. Overall a wonderful dining experience even for late-comers like myself. It goes without saying that I shall return.

Pros: Cheerful servers. Tasty dishes. Romantic ambience.

Cons: Closes too early on Saturday

03/12/2006 Posted by kara4725

I really liked this place. We stopped in (3 of us) on a Saturday night around 8pm, and were greeted at the door and led directly to a comfortable, huge booth. All the other places in the area were packed with people, so this was great. The ambience was awesome, and the food and service were excellent. Our water glasses were never empty! The drink menu had all kinds of drinks, which would great for many people but I prefer vodka so there were fewer choices than I am used to. Overall, we really liked it, and will go back. Oh, and try the sweet potato fries.

Pros: Service, Food, Atmosphere

Cons: None.

02/14/2006 Posted by evsta20

I walked into Holden's and was amazed by the ambience. I sat down with my date and ordered from a very professional and nice waitress. Soon the best meal I've eaten in a long time arrived. The restaurant was one of the best I've been to, and that's saying a lot. The only thing was that when the door opened, it sent a huge breeze through the place, to the point that people were requesting to be moved... however, this was a great place for a romantic or fun outing.

Pros: great food, great setting

Cons: too breezy

11/15/2005 Posted by ckang

Enjoyed the candlelight dinner atmosphere. Very ambient. You dont feel crowded even though the table next to you is within arms reach. Service was good Food was good. But my girlfriend and I ordered two completely different dishes, and they both had a simlar taste. To me, its a light fresh dinner. Desert was good. Excellent dinner for the price

Pros: enjoyful food, ambience, romantic

Cons: not much