Orenco Station Grill

09/04/07

Good first experience!

by kuhnsmith

We bought a house in Orenco Gardens late last November. Two of our reasons for buying here were the proximity to the Max line and the stores and restaurants within walking distance. I've been dismayed to read some of the very negative remarks about this place because it's located so close to us.

Just last week we had our first opportunity to visit the Orenco Station Grill. We sat outside on the patio rather than on the street side that also has table and chairs on the sidewalk because it was quieter. The weather was beautiful and it was very pleasant.

This first visit was fine. We were out shopping, so we only had items off of the bar and happy hour menu. These were priced very reasonably similar to what Stanfords charges for their happy hour items, although the selection is more limited at Orenco. Happy hour drink prices were low, also, and the glass of wine we had was definately not a "short pour".

I'd say the only negative was that the bartender was also the waiter and he was very busy. However, he was a very nice guy from New Orleans and we enjoyed talking with him.

My son and daughter in law are going to meet over there in an hour or so from now, so this will be experience #2 for me. We'll see how it goes this time. Maybe not tonight, but sometime soon I plan to talk with someone at the restaurant about some of the negative feedback that's on this site (especially the alleged lack of cleanliness and uncooked food) to see how they respond. I'll include that in my next message.

Until next time....

07/26/09

Price inconsistent with food quality

by CAM2007

My husband and I were both dissapointed by our first experience at Orenco Station Grill, which we tried because of the close proximity to our home. For the pricepoint of OSG's menu, one would expect the restaurant to use better quality ingredients. The food wasn't terrible, but definitely not impressive. In the future, we'll either drive a bit farther for a better sit-down meal, or go the Orenco New Seasons deli for a convenient, lower-cost option. Either way, the quality will be better and more in line with what we would expect to pay. Portland has too many other restaurants to settle.

• Pros: Close proximity to home, prompt service
• Cons: Overpriced menu, poor quality ingredients

03/10/09

Loved it!!

by CSMobileUser

Everytime my friends and I go we are welcomed with great smiles and and prompt service. Bars always pact and all the regulars are so cool. Bottom line, absolutly loved it! If u havn't been u have to try their Chinese chicken salad.

01/17/09

Too Many Chances

by sloth07

I am sad to say that I agree with most of the negative experiences shared by others. I am sad to say I have been a frequent visitor, enjoying the French Dip (however overpriced) for a few months. I don't know what day of the week the bread for the sandwich arrives, but I can tell that sometimes it is stale when served. A few days ago my bread was masacred. I have no idea why it was missing the top layer of the loaf. Now I wonder whether it was foul play. Whether or not there are extra fries sitting around, you may wish to make a fresh batch; customers expect fresh food.

The service is generally poor, long wait times after being seated and often far too long to present the bill.

I will not be going back. But Orenco Management, if you are listening (I don't think you are since you have had a good amount of feedback to respond to) I gave you a really fair shot.

• Pros: Close to home
• Cons: Service, food, prices

12/06/08

The server and bartender was Great!

by FLAKA24

I went there last week and My server was a girl with accent i think her name was Rita or something like that she is the sweetest thing that i ever meet. very friendly and she made us feel like we are VIP... The food was great . Little to expensive but hey for something like that i dont care to pay even more! We moved to the bar and this Girl Sara was just another great experience. Funny, cute and this girl was knowing what she was doing!

11/26/08

Ehhh....

by kimmer383

We had just arrived for the dinner hours for our first time at Orenco Station Grill. We were seated promptly, but it took our server over 10 min. to arrive (that was after we both used the restroom, and it was not crowded at all). Our server was nice when he finally arrived, nothing special.

The wine list was mediocre- their descriptions didn't quite suit my tastes in wine. I don't want to just "house wine", etc.

The food was decent. Their french onion soup is amazing!! It is probably the only thing that will draw us back there. Their steaks were good, done to perfection (my husband and I find it very hard to find a good, medium rare/rare steak), however, their reduction was odd-tasting.

Not completely worth the price, didn't see much of the bar or it's patrons. Would likely go back for the french onion soup and drinks.

• Pros: French onion soup, ambience
• Cons: price

09/12/08

Avoid

by reviewer4673

Very unimpressive food and characters that visit the location. Last time I was there, I met an x-convict who was a bar-fly with a frontal labotomy named "Gino" (wouldn't give last name), but he visits from out of state, Denver, and this is his hangout. Also, when I've been in the restaurant, the owner is always having an open bottle of wine with a buddy and drinking it in his restaurant during business hours....not a real good impression.

There are other much better choices on the same block or across the street, Merchant of Venice and Swaggarts, that I would highly recommend over this mediocre criminal hangout. By the way, the owner states that not only is there video recording, but audio as well...huh, why is he the only restaurant here with that?

08/28/08

Fix these problems!!!

by truthbearer

I can't believe the owner could care less about what people really think of his establishment. These are the same problems he has had since he's opened several years ago. I would be soooo embarassed if I were him. he uses the cheapest ingredents. Spending a little more money for better ingredents goes along way.

A lot of these reviews I read have to be from people that frequent this place or don't know good food if it pooped on their face.

It's to bad most of these so called great reviews are from friends (which I can appreciate) and not from real reviewers, but you'll have to sort those out for yourslves.

07/08/08

Ick!

by nhonzel1

Plastic flowers on the tables, paper napkins, "scratch recipe" sauces from a bottle, bland food and cheap decor? I'm not sure but most Portlanders I know enjoy very good food and you definitely won't find it here. These folks saying it's outstanding don't get out of Hillsboro much.

06/12/08

Adequate, but just barely

by five10b

Our experience at Orenco Grill was unexceptional. The service, which I would give a "B" rating, was efficient and courteous. The atmosphere is like most newish bar & grill estabilishments with mid grade finish work, canned artwork, piped in DMX for background sound, and painted a color that was popular in the last few years. The food was definitely the low light. The pricing would suggest a mid-level quality kitchen, but the reality was I've had equivalent fair at Applebees or Marie Callander (sp?). The "reduction" put on the steak was definitely straight out of a bottle. The mashed potatos tasted like boxed potatos (all be it with flecks of skin in them), the wines by the glass were pretty marginal (still charged $9-$12 per though) and the salad was 95% iceberg lettuce with all of your dressing choices being from a bottle as well. There was nothing about the eveing that I would complain to managment about, but when comparing the experience to one that I had one week prior at Beesaw's on 23rd for the exact same price point I was left underwhelmed.

• Pros: Pleasant servers
• Cons: Food

04/14/08

continue

by nohardfeelingsjusttruth

As for service during happy hour it is usually just the bartender which she does beautifully. Luch can get crazy at times, but usually the only problem you will have is the during the day you will have the new servers that are cluless, and will be like that for a very long time, night time you will have the the more experience but greedy servers that will charger for everything.

Like I said before I love working at osg but only because of a select few coworkers and a few of my regulars that I just absolutly adored, but I left osg not olny for personal reasons but also the way they run the restaurant, its just not perfessional , and unfare to you the cutomers.

I would very much recommend you steer clear of osg for dinning, if you want a drink then its the perfect place(at the bar).

Oh yea almost for got when gywane was fiddling with the books he ending up messing with something that made it to where at least 4 (that i know of) employees, got there paycheck had at the minimum 50% taxes taken out and for me at one point 82%, isn't it a nice place.

If this is how they treat there employees imagine how they will treat you!

I hoped I helped you.