09/12/09

Really great food and service!

by UltimateFoodLover

Wow, if you like chocolate cake, well be prepared to die of satisfaction. Also, the rest of the food is amazing too. The cheeses are incredible and the drinks, oh my gosh they are amazing!!! Their cocktail list is very sophisticated and the drinks definitely deliver. No fluff here. Just good, solid mixology. But seriously, I have eaten chocolate cake a bajillion times and nothing compares to this! And the service is very friendly and knowledgeable too so that's a big plus!!! Please check it out!

• Pros: BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER MADE
• Cons: None

07/28/09

Fantastic Food

by aleeka

I've been eating at The Heathman for years. It is my go-to place for a special luncheon or dinner or before a show at the Schnitz. It is the place I go to to eat when i want something fancy and don't feel like making it myself!

Miso marinated black cod... now there's a dish that will remain seared in my memory forever. Delicious, melted in my mouth like butter. Or how about seared pork belly? Fabulous!

So if I love this place, why only 4 stars? Because the weekend staff (Thurs-Fri-Sat) rocks! But when I went there for my birthday on April 1st (a Wednesday), my party of TWELVE was served in a slow and dismissive manner by a female server I'd never seen before (it doesn't take 20 minutes to get a cocktail!). Mind you it was 8:30pm on a Wednesday and we were one of only TWO tables in the place with customers (the bar wasn't busy either). Why such bad service? I'd like to believe it wasn't because myself and my party were dressed like hip urbanites in all black clothing and looked a little 'different' from the blonde server. I'd like to believe it was just because she was newer or perhaps poorly trained. She even FORGOT one of my guest's entrees entirely! Point being, hip urbanites in black clothing pay their bill and tip WELL for good service (20%+). While I get that an 18% gratuity was assured, our server could have acted like she cared if we were served.

• Pros: French influenced food with Northwest ingreedients.
• Cons: Can be expensive!

05/28/09

Great Service!

by Cody503

My wife and I attended the Mothersday brunch. The food was great but the service was something to be desired. we contacted the management and they went above and beyond to make up for the not so great service. They sent us a $100 gift card. We took advantage of it this week and the service was great. The staff was curious and helpful. Danial our waitress was very helpful and understanding after ordering a meal that was not to my liking and quickly brought me something else at no charge. The food was wonderful. I can't say enough about the great experience we had. I highly recommend Heathman! 5 stars for a 5 star restaurant!

• Pros: Great Food, great service
• Cons: none!

04/03/09

Disappointing Happy Hour

by Sushiloverpdx

We had heard the Heathman had a great happy hour so my partner and I both went on a Thursday night to check it out. We ordered 5-6 plates between us and only really liked 2. The oysters I had were really overcooked and tough but the sauce on them was great. The pate was by far the worst I have ever had. I also ordered the roasted pear and chevre salad which was absolutely excellent! The cheese plate we got was very very miniscule for 5.95 (even by happy hour standards). the bread they serve you when you sit down is very yummy though.

But beyond the sub par food, the worst part of our experience was the service. We were one of two couples in the lounge for the late night happy hour and our waitress was fine up until half way through our meal. We were waiting for our water to be refilled and order another round of cocktails but she was too busy chatting with the hostess for the next 15 minutes (I kid you not) to check on us. When she finally did come over we asked to order dessert. She gave us the menu and went back to talking with the hostess. We sat again. and waited again for a good 10 minutes trying to get her attention. Finally we got the attention of the bar tender and asked for our check instead. the bartender cashed us out and we tipped her instead of our waitress.

Note to waitresses/waiters= pay attention to the patrons instead of standing around gossiping with your hostess friends. Especially when we were your ONLY table.

For paying almost $60 for a happy hour I expected Portland city grill quality/ Higgins quality. I got neither and we will not be returning. There are so many great happy hours in portland, don't make the mistake of going to this one.

• Pros: The pear and chevre salad/ martini
• Cons: almost everything else

03/07/09

Great For Breaskfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour, Drinks...

by emusic2

The Heathman's menu is always exceptional, regardless of the meal. Between the dining room, the lounge and the marble lobby, there are plenty of seating options. The wait staff are helpful and courteous, and service is excellent. I would especially recommend weekend brunch, which includes some of my favorite dishes the Heathman has to offer like the Smoked Salmon Hash, Pork Loin Benedict, and delicious omelets. The happy hour/small plate menu is very good. The Heathman keeps better hours than many restaurants in town - serving the same awesome food and drinks during the recent snowstorm that seemed to paralyze the rest of the city...

• Pros: Food, drinks, service, atmosphere.
• Cons: Sometimes busy.

02/16/09

Don't go on a holiday..

by sher32

On any other night I believe I would be able to give a better score, but being that we went on Valentine's, they had chosen to seat to overflowing capacity. We were seated in the center of the room in a row of seven two person tables stuck right together, pretty much bumping elbows, so there was absolutely no privacy...we could hear everything the couples on either side of us were saying and vice versa. I don't think these tables are usually there, they just brought extras in to accomodate the masses. It was terribly uncomfortable and awkward, like being in a fishbowl. Plates of Foie Gras, compliments of the chef, were sent out to all the couples subjected to this close proximity which was a nice gesture, but really didn't make us feel any better especially since we both hate liver. The food and drinks were pleasing and the service outstanding inspite of the overcrowding. I made the reservation only a week out so I understand I was late and should take what I get, but I would rather they have chosen to limit the number of reservations and told us there was nothing available so we could enjoy a more intimate dining experience elsewhere instead of turning us into sardines on one of the most romantic nights of the year. From what I've read it seems on most holidays you receive similar treatment. We'll try again on a non-holiday evening and hopefully we'll have better luck.

• Pros: Excellent service, good food
• Cons: overcrowding

12/11/08

A consistently great place for a nice dinner in Portland

by amyfchurch

There are not many restaurants in Portland where my partner and I can go and expect what I would call "professional service." You know what I'm talking about...this is a town where you can expect the server to nonchalantly show up at your table with a cool head nod and say, "Hey, how's it going?" When he feels like it. And that's totally fine and chill most of the time, but there are times when you want to go out and enjoy a dinner and have it feel "special." A lot of the time, we choose Heathman for that. It is not at all stuffy, but the serving staff there is a cut above, and we enjoy it. The food is consistently good French-NW, nothing crazy, just delicious quality food prepared well. The wine list is excellent, we've have wonderful recommendations for reasonably priced bottles (under $40) from our server. A consistently good dining experience.

• Pros: Quality, consistent food and excellent, professional service
• Cons: Parking, may need reservations

10/25/08

Great service, sub par fare.

by ldgage

We were all set for the crab bisque but were told it "wasn't up to the chef's expectations". It must have been bad, because our meals were far below our expectations. My duck a l'orange was the worst, the breast so tough I couldn't finish it. My wife enjoyed the halibut, but it was nothing unique. Our desserts was uninspired. I chose a familiar wine and even that was weak.

No we will not be back. I resolve never again to pay for over-priced, overblown "fine" dining.

• Pros: service
• Cons: food, price, parking

09/15/08

Excellent

by IndigoFenix

I've dined at the Heathman for a few years now. The food is always excellent. Seating is always prompt (with reservation of course). Service always attentive.

A restaurant won't get my business for years unless they:

1. Have great service

2. Prepare food as well or better than I do at home

3. Have pricing which adequately reflects what they're serving

• Pros: fantastic food, drinks and service
• Cons: pricy depending on how much you drink!

06/05/08

great brunch

by kigetsu

I have visited this restaurant several times. The food is always good. service is sometimes too busy and get things mixed up but I would return just for the menu choice and quality of food.

• Pros: great food, valet parking