Higgins Restaurant and Bar

10/15/2007 Posted by tafoya6

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.

Pros: Great Staff

Cons: Parking in the street

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

09/26/2007 Posted by espnbabe

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 other people because the space is kind of tight. And don't bring children.

Pros: Great Appetizers, Great Desserts

Cons: Not enough main course options

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

09/04/2007 Posted by jezzebel

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 satisfied with their meal. The special was covered in a relish of some sort that was made primarily of vinegar, the taste of which was overwhelming. The duck, which I had, was simply terrible. The duck was tough, the sauce was completely lackluster, the poached peach was drowning in the taste of the wine it was poached in, and the potatoes were so hard after one bite I was afraid I would chip a tooth. Bill: the bill was not outrageous given the "reputation" of the restaurant, but given our experience the bill was very steep. Our server in no way deserved the 18% tip that he automatically received. In conclusion, we will not be returning.

Pros: Great dessert

Cons: Terrible food and service

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/14/2007 Posted by pintogal

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 cake at home taking up entirely too much real estate in my refrigerator we we had to decline. He was gracious and had just the right amount of wit and smile. We would recommend Higgins to anyone looking for the type of cuisine and experience Higgins offers consistently.

Pros: Fresh, Local, Innovative and Simply Presented (no passe' vertical food)

Cons: Martini could have been chilled more

07/11/2007 Posted by jlh7777

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.

06/20/2007 Posted by secretnatasha

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 definitely be back.

05/02/2007 Posted by crumit

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.

Pros: soup great, and nice atmosphere in bar

Cons: expensive, not great food

03/23/2007 Posted by oregonamy

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.

Pros: Extensive beer selection, location, great service

Cons: possible long waits

03/18/2007 Posted by musicrulestheworld

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 restaurant. Boring! The only plus to this place was the wine and port we had. So, they have a good sommelier, but if he/she reads this - I advise you to get out fast to go work at a decent restaurant where your talents will be paired with delicious cuisine!

Pros: wine list

Cons: bad service, bad food

03/05/2007 Posted by skc711

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 thinking....Huh????