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23 Hoyt
Categories: Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Gastropubs Wine Bars, American (New), Gastropubs [Edit]
529 NW 23rd AvePortland, OR 97210
Neighborhoods: Alphabet District, Northwest
(503) 445-7400
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 4 pm - 10 pm
Sun 10 am - 2 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
114 reviews for 23 Hoyt
Review Highlights
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"This is hands-down an all out foodie Happy Hour spot." In 50 reviews -
"Battered Fried Green Beans & Spicy Mayo." In 5 reviews -
"Roasted Beets & Goat Cheese." In 3 reviews
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114 reviews in English
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Review from Megan M.
4/25/2012
Ok, the first time my partner and I went here I was so underwhelmed but only based on service. This guy was having issues, seriously. It was during a weird happy hour event.
Today though, oh today, was different. After hiking through Washington Park, we arrived with our little pup in tow and the amazing host put another table outside for us so we didn't have to wait. Such a nice gesture. Our waitress was friendly too.
The 2 dollar mimosa's ($2!!!!) were not only cheap, but they were gooood. I could knock those back for a while, but I didn't. For brunch I got the eggs benedict that came with these really good, seasoned potatoes. As far as eggs benedict go, it was good. The only ones I've had better were in the keys in Florida.
Go here, but if you have the host/waiter with the bad 'tude just give him the stank eye, hold your mimosa up by the steam and say "your reputation precedes you (preferably in a Sean Connery accent)." -
Review from Holly G.
5/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome food, lackluster service.
While on a recent trip to Portland, my hubs & I stopped here for dinner on our last night in town. It was a lovely evening so we chose to sit outside on the patio. We were certainly enjoying the nice weather and people watching but where was our server? Finally he showed up and then disappeared again for a while, this pattern continued throughout the whole meal.
The food on the other hand was great. The bread came out with ricotta cheese instead of butter, a delicious idea that I would have never thought of. Then we received an amuse-bouche course of gaspatcho soup sip, also delicious and well balanced with plenty of flavor. Next, our dinners came - I got the roasted chicken with truffles & watercress, the hubs got fried chicken. I sampled his and he sampled mine - we were both satisfied very much with our meals. I just wish we could have been more thrilled with the service.Listed in: 100 for 2012, Out of Town Adventures
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Review from F. P.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012
We came across 23 Hoyt after walking down NW 23rd from our hotel. It was great timing too b/c apparently after 9pm, they have a late happy hour with drink and appetizer specials. Whoo hoo!
Turned out that the HH snacks were excellent and even more so for their amazing price. We got the following
$1 Pickled Asparagus - unique twist ... and irresistable
$2 Bacon, Egg & Cheese Deviled Eggs (3) - creamy and delicious
$3 Roasted Beets, Pistacchios and Ricotta - while I love all these ingredients, I thought this was somewhat of a miss as the beets tasted a little sour/pickled to me.
$4 Tempura Fried Green Beans with Spicy Aioi - delicately fried; gone in seconds
Unfortunately, after the high of those appetizers, the main dish fell flat. I had the lamb burger with bacon, which was rather dry. Also, way too many onions. Not worth it. The roasted chicken breast was all right but again, not as spectacular as the HH dishes.
Service kinda blows here. It's friendly and all but takes frickin' forever to place your order, get your drinks, wait for you check.
I'd recommend this place just for the HH bites and drinks (then it'd be four stars b/c of the bang for your buck). -
Review from Ace C.
3/20/2012
I did a search on Yelp for cheap Mimosas and this place came in on the top of my list. Let me first say that there is nothing that feels cheap about this place.
Not too many places here in Portland offer deals for brunch like $2 Mimosas and the ability to seat me within 2-5 minutes of me arriving for brunch.
The decor alone is another reason to swing by this place. It has a rustic feel without making you feel like you are in a country cabin in the middle of the woods and your annoying little brother won't give you your space. The wait staff is really friendly and inviting. It seems that all the wait staff work as one unit. And food speaks for itself though it might come off as a little pricey.
Try the Belgian Waffle, it's like butter. Also try the 23Hoyt Lamb Burger for a brunch alternative.Listed in: Sunday Brunch
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Review from Randy S.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 4/7/2012
Arrived on a Sunday, evening, hungry, thirsty, and tired. vert glamorous stunning floral disp provided with cauliflower soup courtesy of the chef we were seated immediately and most customers were dressed nicely except for us jeans and sweat shirts. The was delisous served cold and without ice just the way we like it. My lovely wife a flatbread with goatcheese, pore Ella mush room and caramelizes onios melt in your mouth and the onions melt in your mouth. Yummy!
Then I had the deluxe Hoyt burger with avocado, Hoyt special sauce, tomatoes, pickles and cucumbers, yes, cucumbers. It was great and cooked just the way I asked. Well done. My only complaint were the peas because they arrived with sliced raw onions which I specifically asked the waitress not to bring.
My lovely wife ordered the roasted chicken with a puree of navy beans. Outstanding! Her only complaint was the butterknife she used to cut up the tender golden chicken. it would have been better to have a sharper knife.
We passes on the dessert. We were too full. Our servers name was GWEN. She was very nice and pleasant. I would come her again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/12/2011
Arrived on a Sunday, evening, hungry, thirsty, and tired. We walked into 23 Hoyt and discovered a… Read more »
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Review from Loon E.
Seattle, WA
5/8/2012 4 photos
2.75 to 3, service was insanely slow here on a busy night, but still, it was ridiculous. Took over 20 minutes to get a Sapphire and Tonic. Food was ok, quite overpriced in my opinion though.
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Review from Andy H.
Alphabet District, Portland, OR
5/4/2012
We went in for Sunday brunch. The food was original and tasty, and the service was good. I had Hoyt Hash and my wife had eggs with bacon and house potatoes. There were little touches that set each item off. We also tried the donut holes (served with a chocolate sauce on the side); they were great after you tapped the extra sugar off.
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Review from Melvin M.
Portland, OR
Updated - 4/23/2012 21 Check-ins Here
Best bartenders and servers, excellent customer service -- always on their toes to ensure that each and every guest is provided with what they want-- truly exceptional and friendly staff. Erin, Allison, Matt and others (which I don't remember all their names) are absolutely great at their job, happy hour and brunch are amazing. Its the very welcoming atmosphere that makes this place so popular.
1 Previous Review:
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2/22/2012
Good cocktails and happy hour. Two dollar Mimosas for brunch!
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Review from kevin c.
Portland, OR
Updated - 11/23/2011
Last time I went, my out-of-town guests and I were seated and then waited and waited for 15 minutes, and still no one came and took an order. Meanwhile, one guy was running crazy trying to take and serve order, while the manager and another waiter walked around looking as if they were bored senseless and looking for something to do. Bored? Well, how 'bout you take my order.
It was one of the few times I up and walked out of a restaurant before even placing an order.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/15/2011
Drinks are very good and balanced. And the bartender was very nice and talented. Snacks very good.… Read more »
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Review from Lester M.
Beaverton, OR
4/1/2012
My wife and I had an early dinner on 3/31/12. Service was great, wine was great, as were the mussels as an appetizer. Uh oh......, dinner was very disappointing. My wife had the rock fish that was painfully bland...as were the potatoes. I was really looking forward to the fried chicken and mashers. Yum :). Mashed potatoes were really good, I hate spinach so I left the sauteed greens alone, but worse was the fried chicken: it was terrible :(. It didn't look or taste fried. baked is my guess; or worse, it's a piece of already breaded frozen chicken from a 60 pound bag straight from the service guy.
Needless to say is that we won't be back anytime soon..... -
Review from Travis S.
Colorado Springs, CO
10/23/2011
Loved this place! Won us over with the little things that make a place unique and successful - welcoming staff, good music, complementary bread and soup (if you order dinner), and our server was incredibly friendly and helpful in trying to find the right food to satisfy our palate. My lady and I ended up sharing the Ground Round Deluxe (Hoyt's signature burger with homemade pickles, tomato, avocado, egg, bacon, cheese - we'll worry about calories later!) and it was delicious. The french fries were yummy too!
Great service, cool atmosphere, super tasty food - this place gets it. -
Review from Rachael W.
Portland, OR
11/13/2011
We ended up at 23 Hoyt after trying to stop in for a post-dinner drink at an establishment across the street. After getting no service, we walked out and across here. We were pleasantly surprised.
We'd never been here and were late enough in the evening for their late night happy hour. This is a nicer restaurant, so happy hour was a good way to sample a few things inexpensively and get a drink, which is all we really wanted.
We sat downstairs, near the front door in the window. Very good people watching with those huge windows. We had no trouble getting a table for 7, but there were quite a few other patrons there. Both in the bar area and the upstairs dining room. Conversation was fairly easy, it wasn't too noisy.
We ordered cocktails, I had the punch drink on the menu, something with house punch mix and brandy. It was SMALL, but very tasty. I'd order it again. Just wish it was a bit more generous.
For snacks, we just ordered pickles ($1 for a ramekin of freshly made pickles, pretty mild and crisp, just the right amount of dill and vinegar), onion rings (thick cut, super crispy and not overly breaded that comes with a mayo-based red pepper-ish sauce) and shoestring fries (very crispy, lightly cooked, plenty of salt). They had a large beer/wine list, but we stuck to cocktails.
Bathrooms were large and clean. A bit back out of the way, but nice. (hey, when you've had a few drinks, it's important!) I probably wouldn't bring my kids here, didn't seem very kid friendly.
The service was great. Very attentive, we always had water refilled, our server checked on us but didn't pester. They didn't even say anything when it was 20 minutes after closing time and we were unaware and still chatting away. We only realized they were closed when they turned away people trying to come in.
All in all, it was a great friday evening stop. My only complaint is that they call themselves a restaurant/tavern, but are only open until 10:30. What kind of tavern closes at 10:30? Especially on the weekend. We plan to come back again for supper sometime. -
Review from Olivia Y.
Clackamas, OR
12/3/2011
Try the happy hour caesar salad (and really anything else for happy hour!)
Some fancy places (and fancy is a word with lots of interpretation, but I consider 23 Hoyt to be on the fancier side) are not worth the money even with cheaper happy hour prices, but 23 Hoyt is. Yay! -
Review from Eric S.
Seattle, WA
1/18/2012
Took the family to 23 Hoyt and had a great meal. My kids are picky and they loved it here. Really good Happy Hour menu that was available in the main dining area too. Some of the highlights were the bacon, egg and cheese deviled eggs, the seared steak bites, and the tempura fried green beans with spicy aioli. We also had the artisan cheese sampler, delish!
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Review from Angela K.
Portland, OR
9/30/2011
I've been here a couple of times now and have been more than happy with the overall dining experience on both occasions.
I stumbled on this place after the long wait at Papa Haydn sent me looking for another dining option in the same area. We were seated right away and a nice table on the lower level of the restaurant, with a nice view of the street. The menu looked interesting enough and we decided to start our meal out with the cheese and ale fondue which turned out be very tasty (a little too thin compared to the traditional kind, but it tasted great and we finished off the whole thing!). We were then given a complimentary amuse bouche (always a nice gesture) and then received our entrees. I had the Summer Vegetables, wanting to be healthy after the copious amounts of cheese I'd just ingested. It was fabulous - light and exactly the right amount of food. My fiancee had the salmon which was excellent. The second time we went we had the roasted hen and the grilled pork chop (also excellent).
Both times i've been here the food has been great, the prices reasonable, and the ambiance relaxing after a long day of work. When they're busy the service could use some improvement but it certainly isn't enough to keep me from going back. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxed night out with some good food and wine :) -
Review from Samantha S.
Portland, OR
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Let me start with saying that I've never eaten dinner at 23 Hoyt, so this is a Happy Hour-only review.
That being said- Happy Hour is very happy at 23 Hoyt! They are positioned on a great section of NW 23rd and if you nab a table outside you get both amazing food and a great view for people watching. Happy Hour starts at 3pm everyday so now there is more time to get happy.
I love that they section the menu by price point because you can quickly get an idea of what you want and how much you want to spend. And don't fear the $1 items- there are some that are totally delicious and filling.
This was my second trip to 23 Hoyt for Happy Hour and at this rate, I'll just keep going. The food is great, the service is good, and it's a total steal. If it is a beautiful day, head over there and grab a table. -
Review from Alex L.
Portland, OR
9/27/2011
Hey! I love this place.
I come whenever possible. Their price point happy menu is fabulous. There's always new stuff on there, plus some great stand-by items as well. My favorite is usually the fried greenbeans and any of their flatbreads are tasty. On Sunday they had a new item on the menu which were meatballs over some polenta. So good!! Plus they have great wines for their HH menu which is awesome. I have never had a bad experience here. Plus they have HH on Sunday. What's not to love about that? -
Review from Michael J.
Oakland, CA
2/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
While we only had drinks, other guests seemed to really enjoy their meals. I liked the initial energy I felt there, and I vowed to go back to dine.
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Review from Lily J.
Awesome HH here!
The ravioli was awesome! I only wish the order was bigger... next time I am ordering 3 orders of this to eat myself!
My fave burger here is the HH Burger wih fried eggs
Their mac & Cheese was good.
I love all of their different flat bread. -
Review from browse n.
Gresham, OR
9/29/2011
For the price and location, I expected something pretty nice. Instead I found the dishes to be overpriced (even on the happy hour menu), rather small plates, food that was just okay, and service that was stupidly slow when the place was only half full.
As one example, we ordered a drink, waiter left. Waiter walked by later and we ordered some food. Some time later, food arrived. Some time later, after we finished the food, we flagged a passing waiter and asked about that drink we ordered (remember that?). Ahh, finally it showed. Of course, by this time we were done and ready to pay. Sigh. We had multiple experiences like that. What a drag!
And to top it all off, it turns out the menu on their web site is six months out of date.
Next time, I'll settle for New Old Lompoc rather than come back here. -
Review from Lindsay L.
Portland, OR
Happy hours have changed and now end at 6:30pm.
I go to a pilates studio in the neighborhood and wanted to get a quick happy hour bite afterward. 23 Hoyt has been on my list to try out so I raced 6 blocks to get there before the 7pm (thanks Cocktail Compass) deadline. Bad news: happy hour had just ended before I got there. Good news: the manager extended happy hour for me (thanks Cocktail Compass!)
I sat at the bar and quickly ordered a glass of their house white wine (French blend), ceasar salad and crispy green beans with spicy aioli. The white wine was delicious and a great value at $5/glass for happy hour. Next, a complimentary soup from their happy hour menu appears... mushroom soup with slices of baguette and a ramicken of butter. The ceasar salad was a nice size and had big croutons. The hit big though was the quick fried green beans with spicy aioli. I would go back again and again for that dish!
Thank you again to the manager for letting me into happy hour late. I had a wonderful dinner and will be back soon. -
Review from Mark S.
Claremont, CA
8/18/2011
The family and I were in portland looking at colleges for the boy. We happened into 23 Hoyt and I have to say it was delish! The appetizers, the entrees, the drinks were wonderful. The wait staff is attentive and friendly.
We left satisfied and pleased. It will become a "usual" if the boy decides on Portland .... -
Review from Christopher B.
Portland, OR
12/12/2011
This place is AWEFUL!! I'd give it 0 stars if I could. Service is nonexistent, the staff is completely inattentive, and the food is horrible & completely inedible. The food is way overpriced, especially for the quality, quantity & options. We sat down and I ordered a beer. You'd think a place that looks decent would be able to bring you, let's say, a simple glass for that beer. Well looks can be deceiving. The server came & dropped a can of beer on the table & walked away. Yes, a can. Seriously!? Furthermore, we ordered food and literally EVERYTHING was deep fried & dripping in grease. If I wanted that I would've gone to McDonalds & paid 1/4 the price. Don't waste your time or money here, there are plenty other, more delicious places in NW to eat/drink/have a good time.
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Review from Ellen E.
Portland, OR
2/20/2012
The fried chicken here rivals any that I have had. I hope they keep it on the menu, because I am going back. Crispy skin, moist meat, great smashed, buttery potatoes. One of the best.
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Review from Josh R.
Portland, OR
6/14/2011
Had dinner here the first weekend in June and am behind with my postings - meant to get this up sooner! Anyway, met up with one my best friends for dinner here and was stoked to check the place out after many times walking by it and hearing good things.
First off, the decor is great. It's a mix between contemporary minimalism and country chic. It's the right blend of cool NW 23rd and hip fanciness, but doesn't go so far as to make a typical Portlander (in shorts on a hot day) feel out of place.
Taking a peek at the drink menu, the variety of options was just right - not too much, not too little. I opted for a couple of local beers, which our waiter, Beau, helped me pick. I wanted something "cold" (that's about all I told him!) given the temperature, and based on just a couple questions from me, he was able to pinpoint exactly what I was looking for. Genius! When my friend showed up saying she needed a drink STAT (thanks to the Portland traffic), he again knew exactly what she needed. Double genius. Bonus points because he didn't make us feel idiotic for not knowing every type of craft beer on the planet.
From there we enjoyed some amazing cauliflower soup, compliments of the chef. What a surprise! Free and fantastic! That made me want to try all the soups in the place. My friend said the same.
Flash forward to ordering our entree. Now, Beau had it down as far as letting my friend and I gab and chat - no pressure to order now (typical of so many places). Loved it! After telling us the specials and answering some of our random questions, Beau helped us decide. I went with the house specialty burger. The fries were fantastic, although the burger's size made it a little interesting (and entertaining to my friend no doubt) to eat;) My friend went with a pasta dish and, while she didn't love it, she continued to rave about how well Beau was at recommending drinks. We both said we wanted to hire him to bartend (or at least consult!) for our next party.
Next up was dessert. Now, I don't typically order dessert when eating out, but Beau charmed his way into getting us to order more! That and the donuts he described sounded amazing (btw, we also loved our appetizer, the fondue with apple and ale). The dessert was yummy and just the right size - not too much, but just enough.
All in all, a great night. Dinner went long, but I didn't mind a bit since I can talk a lot and enjoy the nice change in getting to enjoy my food and company - which many places don't seem to let you do! Plus, my friends and I just talk a lot - so we're always a little slow (and love when our wait staff understands!). Whoever trained Beau at 23Hoyt should get an Olympic gold for his blend of charm, presence and consulting skill, not to mention the other staff members we encountered while dining - all professional, super nice and just pleasant.
Cheers! -
Review from kelly s.
Portland, OR
7/14/2011
I'm a little surprised at 23 Hoyt's marginal ratings. Their happy hour burgers are out of this world in terms of value.
I have come here so many times. I guess it could be true that portland is getting tired of some of these places that brought high end cuisine here, after all the foodscape is rapidly evolving here. But I feel like I have to give credit where credit is due with 23 Hoyt. The location is great, unlike some reviewers, I've always thought the environment was pretty solid.
Their presentation is always nice, maybe not the rarest thing you've ever seen, but always good. The seafood offerings are always well done, soups have been a strong point in the past. And I suppose I can't testify for the current bartender, as I haven't had a cocktail here in a little while, but for the course of a few years prior to this one, I was a semi regular on their martinis and spanish coffee- they definitely can't be faulted!Listed in: Ecstatic Hour
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Review from Dan C.
5/16/2011
A decidedly average happy hour. We had a group of five and we all agreed that the mixed drinks were sub par (the flavors were just "off"), the food was average but certainly not great, and everything felt a bit on the pricey side considering the quality and portion.
Regarding atmosphere, the interior decor was somewhat odd; it was half trendy/classy and half tavern/bar like. On one hand you have modern furniture and a classy bar, and on the other hand you have a poorly decorated and cluttered wall and a neon bar sign hanging over the entrance. It was as if two opposing decorators got in an argument and decided to compromise and go with two styles.
23 Hoyt is by no means BAD but certainly difficult to recommend given the ample alternative options in the area. -
Review from D M.
Austin, TX
5/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
We arrived for dinner just as the HH crowd was leaving. It appears that makes this place pretty busy!
The Plateau 23 appetizer was great. Fried yummy goodness along side lighter beets and olives.
The complimentary taste of the cauliflower soup was excellent!
The Beer Braised Beef Cheeks were done excellent and the Polenta was terrific. The Ground Round Deluxe burger was tasty, and big enough but not just so ridiculously big it isn't even eatable. One of the others at the table had the salmon and said it was tasty, but kinda dry. Medium is a bit too cooked for pan seared IMHO.
Our server did a fine job until it came to split up the meal and then she transposed the checks with the 2 cards we provided and showed her which couple belonged to which card. :(
It was decently priced and we enjoyed the food and would probably come back. -
Review from Arun K.
Beaverton, OR
12/18/2011
House Red wine was great. Burger had less flavor. For the price I paid I could have gotten a better deal somewhere else. My friend had the vegetarian entree option, he enjoyed it. Again all it had was lentil and some gravy. There were no vegetables in his dish as the menu called for. Overall value for the price is not justified.
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Review from Vi B.
5/5/2011
I came here for happy hour one night during a late night food attack.
As soon as I walked in I was greeted by a waiter and brought the menu.
There were a handful of people there, but it wasn't full or overly busy, which kept the ambiance intimate. I most recall the decor, which was pretty wicked cool- sitting there, it looks like you're outside! Complete with overhead patio, trees and giant nuts, this place definitely has a "theme," and it works for them.
Though the food was quite good, it wasn't OVERLY memorable or breathtaking. I should note it's a bit spendy (for those who may be planning to go here for a romantic dinner, it's definitely worth it). -
Review from karen g.
Portland, OR
1/23/2011
This is my favorite restaurant in town to go to by myself and splurge just a little bit. :)
The food is excellent, staff are friendly and they have a decent happy hour. The last time I ate there I had an excellent roast chicken (the skin was delicious and crisp) served with tiny dumplings and vegetables along with an excellent red wine recommended by the knowledgeable bartender.
I felt very comfortable sitting at the bar and taking my time to enjoy my meal. It is a little expensive for me. Dinner, 2 glasses of wine, dessert and coffee set me back about $50 before tip. But that's not out of the realm of reasonable but it is a splurge for me. -
Review from Martin P.
Washington, OR
7/30/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Pasta is excellent and meats are cooked to perfection. Other fare is very fresh. I like bringing friends and family to this place as the food is predictably great, decent wine list and the sound level is relatively low....no shouting at each other to be heard. We're not big foodies, but have been around enough to know a good thing. 23 Hoyt is a good thing.
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Review from Mei Mei S.
Happy Valley, OR
I came here for happy hour with the girls. We barley make it. We had 5 minutes to order food before it was over. We got all three burgers, mac n cheese and Flat bread wi/Sausage. As well as several other little things. The food was quite good. The highlight was the burger with an egg. I am a sucker for eggs! The service was great and a fun atmosphere as well as a great location.
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Review from Scot N.
Portland, OR
Updated - 2/24/2011
I wrote a review of 23Hoyt's Sunday brunch recently. I found the food less than satisfying and the service a bit absent. I posted it to this site and, within a few days, the customer service manager contacted me and offered to make it up to me!
Now that's what I call good customer service. Rarely is a business so responsive and so willing to hear criticism and react appropriately. I've always had great experiences at Bruce Carey restaurants, ever since the days of Zefiro. I'm glad to see that my one bad experience at 23Hoyt is not indicative of a general degradation of their usually high standard.
Five stars for great customer service.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/16/2011
Had Sunday brunch recently at 23 Hoyt and in spite of all the hype, left disappointed. The menu was… Read more »
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Review from Amelie L.
Portland, OR
11/13/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I went to 23Hoyt about three years ago and was sorely disappointed. I will pay any amount of money for well thought out, happily prepared, beautifully presented food that tastes good. So, I was very upset about having spent $90 for a seriously boring dinner on a "let's grab a bite" kinda night.
This leads me to say I AM SO GLAD they changed their whole direction and improved just about everything: decor, food, music, service even and the "new tavern" concept they adopted. It's really lovely in there, and as far as I've seen everything else has fallen into place in a good way.
Tonight, we went just for a quick happy hour. I was excited to be there again. Their happy hour menu is quite expansive--there are about two dozen items from small (marinated olives, fried green beans), medium (beet salad, mussels) and large (spaghetti, burgers). It's all organized by price and quite generous! Happy hours with 4 or 5 items can get old, so you probably won't get tired of this HH menu unless you literally go there everyday (and that would still take some time). One thing that I enjoy about HH is the quickie-aspect of the meal, and they do a good job of satisfying this need as well.
Our quickie date/meal began with the marinated olives--an assortment of big and small that I cannot name but tasty. Bread & butter--which actually came with olive oil, but I love a good olive oil and the bread was delish. Beets & goat cheese--simple, because some of the best things are. The Caesar salad--on the garlicky side but who doesn't love garlic? The romaine is served whole & uncut which I love and the dressing is strong which it should be. The spaghetti w/ bacon (they didn't overcook the bacon to a crisp--yay!) was coated w/ parmesan, olive oil and tossed w/ wilted kale--I liked this a lot. The mussels were in a smoked tomato & [light] cream sauce. I only like the smoked taste w/ heavier meats but this was just divine and slurp-worthy. Sopping up the rest of the broth with the rustic bread was just as good as the mussel--yumzers.
For drinks we had the No Bull--bourbon w/ Cock N Bull ginger beer and lime juice and the house red wine. First, the bourbon drink was really good! I love sweet-ish bourbon drinks. And as for the house red--"house" wines are getting to be so good these days!
So, that was our experience tonight. In just 45 minutes we decided we really, really like this place this time. It's a new favorite HH spot and I'll be happy to try dinner there again. I'll be back to tell you about that... -
Review from Steve B.
Seattle, WA
8/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fabulous happy hour menu. Don't pass up the deviled eggs. The House Manhattan was top notch.
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Review from Mark G.
San Francisco, CA
12/31/2007
The Keystone Cops Work A Restaurant
In My Top 5 Worst Dining Experiences
7:30 reservation - arrive on time (table not ready -asked to wait at bar)
8:05 I ask where our table is
8:10 Told it was given away to another couple. Would we like bread while we wait? Sure. We'll take bread.
8:25 Need to ask them where the bread is
8:30 Bread arrives
8:35 They tell us we'll have our table in just a minute
9:05 Our table is ready (95 minutes late)
9:20 They give us comped appetizers
9:40 We tell them we don't have room for entrees now after 95 mins of bread, wine and then appetizers
9:45 Here's the clincher - they bring us the bill for the single glass of wine I ordered at the table. They could have redeemed the situation a great deal if they had just said "sorry about everything - we're covering it all" but instead they just go through the motions.
Bottom line: no one at 23 Hoyt really stepped-up and stopped a downward spiraling disaster after they had made a major error with our table. And I'm sure they think they have great service....... I was polite throughout the entire incident and maybe that is why it happened. I guess it pays to yell in some places. -
Review from Laura N.
9/9/2007
Stick with the fantastic happy hour.
Each time I go for dinner, I like 23 Hoyt. But the compliment wagon stops at "like." The atmosphere is beautiful - the "green" feeling inside is much calmer than the "orange" of the prior tenant Balvo. And yes, the waiters know everything about everything, from the origination of the wine, to the art work on the walls. They maintain that enjoyable mix of being unpretentious yet exceptionally knowledgeable.
But when I, or more so, someone else, is going to spend $35+ on one plate of food - not to mention the $8-15 glass of wine, $17 appetizer, and $12 dessert - I expect dang near perfection. And unfortunately, I have not experienced anything close to it during my visits to 23 Hoyt.
The food takes a curiously long time to arrive - I mean, I know it's fresh, but it's not like they have to run out to the coast and fish for my ahi tuna! And while I'm not one to complain about small potions (I eat like a hummingbird), I would warn that even I need an appetizer along with my main course...and whoops...there's $50!
The food, atmosphere, and service at 23 Hoyt is good, not great. Like I mentioned before - take advantage of all this during the Happy Hour for an experience and price that is much more reasonable. -
Review from Evelyn S.
12/18/2010
Great place for Happy Hour! A happy surprise is what I found at 23 Hoyt.
Love the expansive Happy Hour menu. Love that the quality of the food is great. Love that the service is solid and friendly.
Finally, a place to meet for Happy Hour that serves really good food and super reasonable prices and doesn't care if I order a cocktail or not.
Cool, clean, less is more kind of interior awaits. Could easily be an L.A. hot spot but one where everyone is welcome and treated well. -
Review from Joanne D.
Portland, OR
10/26/2010
Went for happy hour last night. The food was legit but the drinks were just ok. We ordered the tempura mushrooms, steak bites, and the special, which was spaghetti in a cream sauce with asparagus and mushrooms. The steak bites were cooked and seasoned just right. The cream sauce was light but flavorful. I would definitely come back for their happy hour food.
Now, let's talk about the drinks. I'm not saying they were bad, I'm just not saying they were great. I had the Mexican Firing Squad but it was mostly ice. The ice was literally sticking out past the rim of the glass. Disappointing, to say the least. To make matters worse, I could barely taste the tequila. I'm not paying 6 bucks for that thing again. Also, I seem to remember only seeing 3 different cocktails on their happy hour menu. 3!?! Really?
Oh ya, the service was great. We were greeted and seated right away, yadda yadda blah blah blah.
I'll be back for the food but the Mexican Firing Squad will have to wait.
