10/01/07

Great beer & service, average food.

by ddnorton

The beer and the service are both very good. Where this place falls down a bit is on the food. The food is not bad, it's just not worth trying to find parking in the Hawthorne area to eat here. With the English style beers, this place cries out for beer batter fish and chips. Apparently they don't have a deep fat fryer. The "chips" they serve are called "crispy heirloom potatoes", they are really Yukon Golds cut in half and sauteed. Not heirloom, not crispy. The hamburger is prepared in the French style, which means the house ground chuck is as tall as it is wide. The problem is there is not enough surface area for a good char, and too narrow for the huge (and dry) bun. Since the hamburger is so narrow, you get a very small amount of cheese and most bites are the bun. Forget about fresh-cut fries with that burger, they are served with Kettle brand potato chips or soup. The French onion soup was pretty good, as was the Caesar salad. This is not a place however to relax and linger over beers, rather a place you drop in for a quick bite. While they are certainly trying by doing most food prep in-house, they still have a ways to go.

10/13/09

Great eats, beers

by mrb65

I stopped in for a late lunch last week and had one of the best French Dip sandwiches I have ever had. Medium-rare, tender roast beef with cheese on a delicate but crunchy bread bun. Dee-lish. And I had the pleasure of washing it down with an ice-cold, super clean IPA. I think they must clean their taps often because thier draft beer always tastes so crisp and clean. I haven't tried their dinner yet but will probably head back the next time I'm here during the evening hours. Thumbs up!

• Pros: Service, atmosphere, food and beer

03/11/09

Worst Steak in Portland

by PdXsneek

My wife and I went here last weekend for some comfort food. Remembering the place from a few years ago when the food was actually good. I ordered the steak and what I got was simply laughable. It was too small tips of a steak. No more than 4 bites. I tried to send it back for a decent cut but was told they were weighed and that was the size. It was so dry due to the size. Really I expected a hearty meal. Maybe they are trying to survive the recession by cutting back on their portions. It really was quite a joke.

• Pros: Nice waitress
• Cons: the food and their portions, their steak

12/06/08

Above average brewpub

by mwfowler72

The alehouse salad is great, hazelnuts and bleu cheese, yum. Had the chicken parmesan special and it came out of the wood fire oven a little on the burned side. They took it back and brought us a new one with no attitude and it was pretty good. Lots of good looking stuff on the menu, looking forward to going back. Atmosphere is nice and comfortable. Service was great.

• Pros: Oregon hazelnuts and bleu cheese
• Cons: Don't have enough money to go more often

02/24/08

A Hawthorne Institution

by Shozbot

It's not like there's a lack of good restaurants or good beer on Hawthorne. It's always fun to try the new places that open too. But I find I keep coming back to the Bridgeport alehouse. I like that it is slightly different than some of the other places around--nothing deep fried (so no fries) but lots of good food. The white bean burger is pretty amazing, and the pumpkin hummus is quite delicious as well. There are options here for both omnivores and vegetarians .

More importantly, the happy hour is amazing. Bridgeport beer is solid, always good. The cask conditioned ales are pretty close to amazing. And at happy hour it's only 2 bucks a pint. The wine selection is decent and for the non-drinkers/ designated drivers they have more options that just diet coke.

There is usually the diverse crowd you would expect at this part of town. I like that the place is classy yet casual. I wish the growlers were a bit cheaper and I'd come here even more often. There are some better restaurants on Hawthorne and maybe some better bars too but there's nothing imo that serves as good a combination. It makes for a good gathering place; I usually go to a movie at Badgad and then skip the watery Mcmenamin's beer and come over here to talk about the flick.

• Pros: Good beer, good prices, good service
• Cons: no fries, sometimes a little too crowded

12/02/07

Prententious prices; bland, underwhelming food

by flaviuspdx

The food, unfortunately, was a couple notches below mediocre. The problems:

1) Old olives on the antipasti. I've spent a few years chef-ing, and I can easily spot an olive that's been around too long. We got at least three with the appetizer: soft, with a distinct off-flavor. My partner literally had to eject one into her napkin.

2) Very bland Caesar. The dressing was sort of lemony, but had virtually no trace of garlic or the hallmark of the Caesar: anchovy. We were able to get past that stumble by requesting extra dressing and anchovies, which our server cheerfully provided. 7 anchovy fillets were a bit excessive, but OK, we used 3 and left the rest.

3) The cottage pie was a bit small for the cost and not well-seasoned. Again the adjective bland leaps to mind. How about a bit broader assortment of vegetables, say a parsnip perhaps, or at least a couple peas, rather than simply soggy roast bits and a carrot or two?

4) The burger was the worst. I had to ask that it be removed from the bill. I tried, I really did, but after wrestling half of it down, I had to throw in the towel. The better cuts tend to have less fat, and require careful cooking to avoid drying out. As a precaution, I asked the server to have it prepared to medium. When it arrived, it seemed the cook had been leaning on it with his spatula until every possible gram of moisture had been expelled. It was very well-done, but not overly charred. We might have sent it back for another, but our server never stopped by again to check on the food. Additionally, the lettuce leaf on the setup was very small and wilted, while the obviously hand-sawn tomato slice was a wedge big enough to use for a doorstop. When we discussed the overdone burger, our server remarked that the burgers are so nice and thick, the cooks have a "hard time gauging them." I wonder how so many restaurants manage to cook filet mignon?

Overcooked, under seasoned fare below par for Elmer's, at 4-star prices. Won't return.

• Pros: Good beer
• Cons: Terrible food

10/15/07

Where good but last time I went everything was burned.....

by spark35

I used to eat here alot during remodeling my kitchen but the last time I went my take out was all burned and when I called to complain I was offered free dinner coupon . It never came. For the price you can do better anywhere else. Staff is rude and caesar sald has no taste.

• Pros: Close to my house
• Cons: rude staff burned food Very $$$$ not worth the price

10/10/07

horrible service & average food

by franney

my friend & I have eaten here several times over the past few years as it is convenient for us both and we get more disillusioned each time. Today we called it quits -- never again. The service is pretty much always lousy and attitudinal. Today, the oil used on our sandwiches was clearly ra-- d (bad, but this review won't let me use the appropriate word) (I cook, and I KNOW ra--d oil). I mentioned this to our waitress, very nicely, suggesting she might mention it to the chefs, and she looked at me like I had leprosy, said nothing except "okay" and rudely walked away. We had to wait 10 minutes at the end for her to pick up our check (she never did, so we went and stood by cash register). I feel sorry for the people working there -- so unhappy, and food is very average and uninteresting. Hawthorne has many more places to offer, places that care about their food, their service and about their customers....goodbye bridgeport.

10/08/07

Great beer but terrible for children and the rudest service around!!!!!

by tabitha6

I live near this resteraunt and refuse to ever go for a meal again. The last time I was in for lunch which was the second day in a row that I met friends at the resteraunt, the server was so rude I could not believe it. She brought a high chair for my daughter and as we were leaving I apologized to the waitress (the same one we had the day before) that we were leaving her such a mess on the floor from the baby. (All she had to do wash sweep it was not like my daughter spilled soup or anything). She unbelievably told me in the rudest tone possible every that baby stores sell disposable floor mats and that since my child always makes a mess I should probably carry those around with me. I was so shocked that I did not say what instantly came to mind which was that since they offer high chairs and obviously anticipate and welcome children then maybe the resteraunt itself should have those on hand. Not to mention that I left her a 30% tip the day before because I felt gulty about the mess and had already done the same on that visit and was handing her our paid check when she was so rude. I will never go to this resteraunt again and they should teach the wait staff some manners and welcome anyone for lunch since the resteraunt is totally empty on the weekdays during lunch hour. Unreal!!

• Pros: Good food and great beer
• Cons: Bad bad bad service, not kid friendly and rude servers

02/07/07

great place for mellow people

by colby79

The Bridgeport has great food, great beer, great servers. Just don't forget that you're in SE and not on NW 23rd. If you think you can go up to the counter and demand service you'll be sorely disappointed. Waitstaff may kiss your butt in NW Portland but you'll be treated like everyone else here. That's why I love this place. I love watching these snobs, who think they should be served first because they have money, just storm out with disgust when their demands aren't met. Like anywhere else, this place gets busy and they do their best to get to everyone in a timely manner. If you need your food and drink instantaneously, go to McDonald's.

• Pros: great atmosphere
• Cons: parking