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- Hours:
Mon, Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
60 reviews for Fish Grotto
Review Highlights
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"And the Hazlenut Crusted Halibut (Incredible flavor, and..." In 4 reviews -
"Love love love the cheese fondue." In 4 reviews -
"Happy Hour prices and choices are very good too." In 7 reviews
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60 reviews in English
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Review from Mandy R.
5/2/2012
Can't lie - I genuinely hoped that this place would be as grotty as the name and exterior implies.
It's not, it's actually completely gorgeous inside; I felt like I was in the private quarters of the captain of an elegant international seafaring ship. I had a Manhattan and the smoked cheese fondue; both were excellent, and the service was great. My only complaint is that the bar stools are SO UGLY. The rest of the bar is rich burgundy mahogany and plush booths, but the bar stools are ugly cast iron stools... c'mon. You can do better than that.
FIVE STARS FOR THE SIGN!!! -
Review from Gillian W.
Portland, OR
This was my first time here. Had a very vintage feel to it. Like an old time bar- complete with finished wood. I was for sure thinking that after seeing the outside it was going to be gross inside- what a suprise it wasn't.
We had one of those living social right now coupons and this was quite the bargain getting the two entrees for 20 and then that leaves plenty for booze.. lol. I had the scallops but didn't know it had bacon on it.I am not a bacon eater. DH had the salmon which was a little on the sweet side but dang if it was delicious!
I thought it tasted soo good, with the little bite I had. It was cooked well. My vodka on the rocks had a big ol piece of ice in it- that was wierd. Was very delightful.. wouldn't mind going back some time.. -
Review from Diane K.
2/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was in Portland for the first time visiting a friend. We wanted to enjoy seafood at a central Portland location. I was skeptical of this place's 3.5 star rating at the time, but we went for it anyways.
What luck! This place is totally underrated. The ambiance is exactly what we were looking for: warm, hip, charming. We went on a weekday, relatively early evening. Even though we made a reservation, it looked like there was plenty of space available at the time. We were seated promptly.
Admittedly, it was a one man show. The host was the bartender was the waiter, but he did a superb job. We were there to catch up and enjoy the scenery so the pace of service was perfect. Each of us enjoyed our food and were filled to the brim by leave. The clam chowder was the best we had the entire trip. I LOVED the lobster mac n cheese. It also made for amazing leftovers.
The bill was very reasonable, including our beers. It's a no-brainer. -
Review from Chelsea B.
Portland, OR
5/10/2012
The Fish grotto
This was the worst date night! The calamari was good but getting food poisoning for the muscle made the whole experience awful. Went on a Saturday night, 1st date night after baby and 5 hours late food poisoning kicked in. I called left a message didn't get a call back for 2 days then they Spoke with my fiancé and offered gift card (sorry I cannot go back after that awful feeling) Not to mention had to go to the Doctors the next day so I missed works and had to pay for a doctor's appointment and threw up my expensive meal and more. Do not eat there all I wanted was to be refunded for the expired fish they sold us. It is a big waste of money. Fun to try new places but they make me love Olive Garden at least there you know you wont get food poisoned. -
Review from Nikee W.
3/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went here for my Birthday and had a fantastic cioppino, some excellent calamari with a garlic aioli and my husband scarfed down some of the best fish and chips ever. The high point was the clam chowder, which per tradition included the clams in shell.
This place is small and very intimate. It's was a weeknight so it wasn't packed and our waiter paid us plenty of attention. For the quality that your getting, the prices are very fair. To top it off we used a deal from scoutmob and got 50% off. All in all we now have a new favorite seafood place. Can't wait to find an excuse to go back! -
Review from Ophelia Y.
Portland, OR
Updated - 1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
After visiting Fish Grotto last night, this place reminded me that it is quite possibly my favorite restaurant in Portland. My friends wanted to meet for happy hour on a Friday and suggested Jake's, only to realize they only do the late night happy hour on Fridays. Seeing as how they seemed to be in the mood for a seafood happy hour, I suggested we go to Fish Grotto since it's only a couple blocks from Jake's. Where Jake's was packed, Fish Grotto was perfect. A hidden gem. My friends were so happy that we could actually hear each other talk, that it was happy hour, and that the place had a nice, relaxing ambiance. They were shocked they had never been to this place and were so happy after the meal.
We ended up with fish tacos, fried clams, and the duo dip. I agree with someone else's review where the crab dip was to die for, but the other dip was just all right. The fried clams were good, and fish tacos? Amazing. The best part of the meal was the clam chowder in a bread bowl. Still my favorite in Portland. I even got one to go for a friend who works nearby and they were impressed. You get whole clams with it! It's 10 times better than the chowder at Jake's. Just try it. You won't regret it. Unless you hate clams.
The happy hour cocktail is only $3, and whatever it was yesterday, my friends obviously loved because they managed to throw them back just fine.
Overall a great meal--I do love that not many people know about it...I've never had to wait for a table.
Can't say enough great things about this place. I can't wait to go back. Once it hits your lips...Listed in: Hot Date Spots
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/5/2010
One word: OBSESSED.
Every time I have eaten here (I'm thinking...it's been 3-4 times now), I become… Read more »
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Review from Mike P.
Portland, OR
3/31/2012
Best Clam Chowder! My son ordered the Bread Bowl version. When it came to the table it was overwhelming-- a very large sourdough round with the top sliced off (and toasted), and the rest was hollowed out and filled with a huge portion of creamy, chunky goodness. Even though there was plenty of clam meat in the soup, they top the whole thing off with steamed clams in the shell. That one bowl was a meal in itself. We have had chowder in some of the best restaurants at San Francisco Fisherman's wharf, as well as in Seattle, and Fish Grotto's was better than them all! I had the filet mignon with Crab, which was cooked perfectly. I noticed their very reasonable happy hour offerings. I will be coming back. Highly recommended.
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Review from Tom M.
Updated - 12/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Well, this was the 2nd trip back and I feel like I have to take away a star. There are several reasons and here they are.
I called ahead to see if there were any tables available because I neglected to make a reservation on a Friday night. The person who answered the phone was the same that would be our server. She said if we came now we'd be good because there were tables available. When we got there not 10 minutes later, one of the servers said it would be a 45 minute wait. I informed him that I just called and was told we would have a table and eventually she came to our rescue. I was just a little puzzled by how the only 2 people waiting tables could have such different stories on table availability and wait time. At any rate, we were seated in the booth we had the first time we were there: a cozy little out of the way booth, or as far out of the way as you can get in this place, in the corner.
We started with a glass of wine each, mine being the Pinot Gris, which I seem to enjoy oh so much. The Pinot Gris and Pino Grigio have without question, become my favorite white wine.
The server was very helpful with the menu as she so eloquently rattled off the night's special, true cod elegantly adorned with all the usual extras, including what I think was a horseradish sauce. I had the wild Alaskan Coho salmon which could have been excellent had it not been overcooked. My mate complained about the same thing with the true cod and for that reason we were both disappointed. Somehow, I don't think I should have to ask for my salmon, or any other kind of fish, to be undercooked. I would complain even more and louder if not for the 50% off ScoutMob. We ended up with a really good deal with only a marginal value.
I guess one of the most disappointing aspects of the evening was that the server, nice as she was, did not come back to the table to check on us. Would I have complained? Probably not. Being the passive-aggressive type, I came home and did this instead. Keeping in mind when you are considering the world of professional restaurant serving, this is the greatest faux pas that anyone could ever commit. This is one of those intances where I think it would be appropriate to tip on the discounted rate. Alas, we did not and she was well taken care of anyway.
After 2 chances I'm going to have to say it's not likely we'll go back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/9/2011
Great atmosphere. I think this place used to be a part of a larger establishment but now there isn't… Read more »
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Review from Robert H.
Portland, OR
10/15/2011
For the "2nd oldest restaurant in Portland" , Fish Grotto is anything but stuffy.
It is solid as a rock. Good food from a diverse menu that is well priced. Happy Hour prices and choices are very good too. Staff is friendly and VERY knowledgeable about their options......And music! Listen to the music playing in the background; it sounds familiar but you've probably never heard it before; really great stuff.
The shrimp skewers are excellent. Fish & Chips are very good
Don't be put off by the drab exterior; the interior is warm and cozy. You will not be disappointed if you go here for either drinks or dinner. -
Review from Michelle F.
Updated - 3/21/2012
I agree with my wife (this is her husband) the food and drink were great and the barkeep is a star!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/17/2012
Wow! I have found my new hangout! Just need to move to Portland first...
My husband surprised me… Read more »
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Review from Leticia M.
San Jose, CA
3/7/2012
Now this place was the best food I had in Portland!! I loved our waiter. We came with our children and he helped so much with catering to them. We had the fondue for an appetizer which was delicious. Also had the petite mignon which was to die for!! My lastnight in Portland was great. Loved the location, I felt real safe to walk around after with my children at night. Loved the old feel. I will definitely suggest and come back to the restaurant.
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Review from Ryan D.
San Francisco, CA
4/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Popped in here on a recent trip, looking for seafood. We assumed this place was either a seafood restaurant or some kind of weird Portland sex shop. Unfortunately, it was the former.
Had an inauspicious start to dinner with the prawn skewers and cilantro martini (snore). Next came a 14 year wait in which I felt the hair growing out of my ears and my balls stretching to the floor. When the entrees finally came, I was given the Seafood Fettuccine instead of the Seafood Risotto that I ordered, and the waiter confirmed with me (twice).
The fettuccine [spelled incorrectly] was bland, boring, and contained almost as much hair as it did noodles. My girlfriend begged me not to make a scene, so I didn't. I didn't want to have to wait another 127 hours and saw my arm off for another entree anyway. (SPOILER ALERT)
I spent the rest of my night drinking away the painful memories of this meal. Every time I almost forget about this place, she tells me to write a yelp review about it and it all comes soaring back. LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?
Post. -
Review from Sarah S.
Portland, OR
Updated - 2/3/2012
I used to love this place...when Melissa was acting as our server. She was fun, friendly, a great saleswoman without being too pushy, and she made their already-good happy hour into an awesome one with her perfectly-mixed drinks. Since I work downtown, I went there semi-often with friends for drinks after work.
Unfortunately, the last time I went there, the server was a man who was incredibly rude--so much so that I'm not sure I'll go back. He disappeared for the last fifteen minutes of happy hour, just when w were thinking of ordering a few last plates. When he reappeared, I grabbed him (he didn't approach us) and told him we wanted a few more things, but he told me that their happy hour was over. As he walked away, I looked at my watch and saw that it was exactly 6:30--the time their HH ends. With such close timing, a good waiter would have already taken a happy hour "last call." As it was, I could only assume he was skulking in the back in the hope that we'd wait out happy hour and end up ordering off the more expensive dinner menu.
Irritated, we decided not to order anything else--and he retaliated by constantly passing by our table and asking what else we needed (where had he been during happy hour?), then bringing us the check without us asking and giving us the fish eye until we left.
If you're thinking of going to Fish Grotto, poke your head in to see if the server is a man or a woman. If it's a man, leave immediately and head across the street to Clyde Common.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/24/2011
I'm shocked to see how many bad reviews this place has gotten! I'm not sure I would come here for… Read more »
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Review from Marc W.
Updated - 8/13/2011
Wanted to post a follow up. We purchased two of those certificates from Travel Zoo, so we had to come back again.
The improvements:
Melissa the server was great! Fun, friendly, really improved our experience from the first guy we had. He was still there, but glad we got Melissa this time.
She recommended some nice wines, several of which were not on the menu. We tried two of them and were pleased.
For starters, we had the calamari (good) and the duo dips. The crab dib was awesome, but the fava bean dip - meh!
For entrees, I had the halibut (done Mediterranean style) and it was fabulous. So light and fluffy, with a nice tangy spicying on the outsdie. Wonderful. My wife had the crab cakes that I ended up eating one of. It was OK. She thought it was too salty.
For dessert, she had the flourless chocolate cake with ice cream and strawberry sauce. It was pretty tasty, but I'm going to brag about mine: I had the lemon cheese cake with cobbler-style crumb on top, with rich whip cream. OMG - this was an amazing piece of dessert. Rich, sweet, tangy... I'll give this dish 5 stars!!
The negatives:
The place is still old and worn out, and the prices are incredibly too expensive. Our dinner ended up being $88 (even though we only paid $55 with the Travel Zoo cert)...
As good as that lemon cheese cake was, that dinner was not worth $88. You can get better tasting dinners, with much better ambiance for less than that elsewhere.
Still, not recommending.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/9/2011
I shouldn't be surprised, but I was disappointed. After reading the reviews here, it was a mixed… Read more »
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Review from Jen W.
Beaverton, OR
3/4/2012
Literally, one of the worst meals ever. Will not go back. Used a http://restaurant.com certificate which was good for $35 worth of food. Place looked divey from the outside, and then you walk in and there's this overwhelming smell of seafood (beyond what one would/should expect). There were maybe 8 people in the whole (or shall I say hole) restaurant. We considered leaving immediately, but opted to at least try it out. Right off the bat the waiter said it was his second day on the job - and it was obvious. He had to ask the manager questions several times...the limitations of the certificate, what the fish of the day was, what the market price was, etc. We both ordered a couple of local brews and two salads - one house salad and one caesar. I had to ask twice for a side of ranch - never came. The marinated vegetables on my salad were sour/stinky, obviously not fresh. The caesar, boring. I ordered the petite filet oscar and my guest ordered the scallop entree. My steak (ordered medium rare) was cold inside, pouring blood, and the bitter crab on top was not fresh. Had to ask for a steak knife - duh. Guest's scallops were excessively raw and bland. At that point, we didn't want to waste our time sending the meals back and waiting for replacements. If I were to give any positive comments about our dishes they would be about the garlic mashed potatoes (decent)...but even then, neither of us asked for a take home box. We left and got "real" scallops at El Gaucho. Bummer of a dining experience.
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Review from Pam O.
4/5/2011
Yum, yum, yum!
Good food, good service, nice atmosphere.
I just ate a fabulous dinner here. The spinach salad was fantastic, it had a nice blend of apples, candied walnuts (really, really, good), spinach, great dressing, and cheese. All of the flavors together were fantastic.
For dinner, I tried the hazelnut Halibut, yum. It was served over mashed potato and asparagus. I don't usually like asparagus, but this one was cooked nicely.
I ate dessert, even though my pants were about to burst, and it was yummy. I had the flour-less chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream.
I had a glass of happy hour Cabernet for $3, a great deal!
My fellow diners were happy with their selections as well. -
Review from Olivia T.
2/17/2011
For the love of seafood. It's not easy to find a delicious seafood restaurant (not a Chinese restaurant) in Portland. I was in the mood for something fishy (you are allowed to insert a dirty joke here..perv minds) and was kinda broke. I went to Restaurant dot com and ooohhh they had $25 off $35 total bill even for dinner. Score!
My dining companion and I started with steamed clams for appetizer. It was delicious and the broth was so good. For my entree, I had a crusted Halibut with pasta which was ok. The Halibut was fresh but lacked in flavors. It was under seasoned and my dining companion got the seafood fettucini. Her meal was over seasoned with salt. Somehow I wondered if the cook forgot that he already seasoned hers and not mind then he seasoned hers twice.
Service was nice and pleasant. Our server checked with us if we needed anything like five times during the whole dinner which was kinda over do it for me, but he's just doing his job.
I will continue my search for delicious seafood in Portland. I might stop by here again and hopefully next time I will get my meal seasoned just right. -
Review from Christa A.
Portland, OR
12/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
Don't judge a Fish Grotto by the outside of the building. The minute you step foot in the place you will be magically whisked away into a nautical seafood adventure.
This place is old, quaint and makes you feel like you are dining with the captain himself who caught your fish.
The bread was perfect. Our cocktails were exceptional and it gets even better, our sourdough bread bowl filled with clam chowder rivals San Francisco's finest.Listed in: Top Restaurants, Stumptown Stuff
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Review from sarah y.
2/28/2012
dirt cheap happy hour, if you have $5, be prepared to walk out stuffed. clam chowder is beyond fulfilling, sweet and fresh manila clams still in-shell placed right into the soup. atmosphere is dark and vintage-y, one of the oldest restaurants in portland from what i hear. small though, so it may be difficult to get a seat during busy weekends or dinner times.
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Review from Noa L.
Mililani, HI
11/16/2011
Love the clams in wine sauce!
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Review from Ben G.
Nashville, TN
10/9/2010 1 photo
This place is amazing.
We walked in off the street without knowing a thing about.
The bartender (who apparently works every tuesday night) greeted us, seated us, and served us while running the entire restaurant. She was extremely friendly and prompt.
There is an amazing happy hour menu as well so stop there after work!
We sampled the Prawn Skewers (large and tasty)
And the Hazlenut Crusted Halibut (Incredible flavor, and awesome sides of mashed potatoes and sprouts)
The highlight was the fish tacos. A huge plate full of fish and toppings with freshly grilled flour tortillas to load up.
The mixture of cilantro and parmesean cheese was unique and delicious. Some of the best fish tacos I've ever had.
Great location, great atmousphere and great service. -
Review from Kel D.
3/22/2011
A friend recommended it to me and, craving something seafood-y while near the coast, I wandered into the dark (intimidatingly so) space. The bartender/server was extremely friendly, helpful, and efficient, making excellent recommendations (I had the marionberry salmon - I'd never had marionberries before, nor do I really have any idea what they are, but I'm a fan). She also passed with flying colors the "water glass never empty" test.
Check it out! It's worth your time. -
Review from Connie A.
3/20/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Fantastic food! Love love love the Marion berry salmon! Love love love the cheese fondue! The bottles of water are nice touch on the tables as is the little fresh flowers- thank you!. Love the cocktails although spendy unless you hit happy hour. The hanging lamps are so gorgous im trying to buy us a few from Seattle but they are very pricey.
The background music is trendy and rock like-not like you'd expect in such a intimate setting- a bit strange to say the least, but do-able. Would love to hear soft piano or guitar music more .
The resturant is very small and dark but very intimate. -
Review from Kristina C.
Lombard, IL
10/17/2008
Something about the whole operation was fishy and I should have known better. But against my better judgement, I dismissed these thoughts
and ended up having the worst birthday dinner ever.
I wanted to make reservations for Saturday night but when I called on Thursday night, the phone kept ringing busy. Strange, right? My suspicions were such that I thought the restaurant had closed down. When I called again on Friday to see if they were in business and make
a reservation, the woman told me she needed to check with the manager about my reservation.
At some point on Friday the reservation was finally made. When we arrived at the restaurant Saturday night, a server met us and sat us
immediately. With 10 people we got three small tables smooshed together - it was a tight fit. As we started ordering drinks, we informed our server that we would need to split checks to which he responded "I'll try".
In the interest of full disclosure over half of the individuals sitting at the table have worked or currently work in the hospitality industry, so we A) know good service and B) know good food. That said,we were not a high maintenance table - in fact, anything but.
The drinks arrived very slowly. It was when the appetizers were served when hell broke loose. Two people at our table got their appetizers
AFTER their entrees arrived. The quality of the food slowly diminished. My soup lacked taste and was not warm, the salmon cakes sucked. The AMAZING (i'm using the word per other yelp-ers) calamari was fine, but the three sauces were disgusting.
Service continued to be slow - to the point where someone in my party got up and talked to the waiter. This eventually became the person who's entree they forgot to prepare. More on that later.
The server tried his best. Unfortunately, his confidence was shot and promised us that the items that came slow were comp'd and he apologized for the service. (I hate when people offer me free food in exchange for crappy service. This tends to be a white flag of surrender in restuarant with bad service. I would prefer to pay full price and tip well for good service then get a free, bad meal) This is the point when I would have expected a manager to come in and check in on us. But I never saw a manager ever which surprised me a bit. And for clarification purposes - this restaurant seats about 40. We were 20% of the entire restaurant.
Our entrees came sporadically - but they were consistent. Consistently cold. My wilted spinach salad, that I asked for chicken to be added
came with a warm vinaigrette. Neither the chicken nor the vinaigrette was above room temperature. My dad's chicken dish was cold. My friend,
who's entree was forgotten, a cioppino, was the only meal that was presented warm. Except as the server sat it down, he spilled a good
portion of hot tomato broth on my friend (and he still charged him for it).
Speaking of cioppino, two individuals ordered cioppino and amongst the two plates - only one mussel was open.
At this point in the evening, we just wanted to get the heck out of there, there was just no point in complaining. Unfortunately, the restaurant had other plans for us - it took over 45 minutes to get our bill. At the end of the day, our server comp'd all our drinks and even a few of the appetizers that made it to our table late. But what he couldnt take back or discount was the fact that the group that came in to celebrate was drained from the experience.
I think Gordon Ramsey might have a shot at making this restaurant decent, if not good. Until then, I'd recommend going elsewhere.
NOTE: In fairness to the Fish Grotto, I did email the Manager about this review. When I send the email to the address listed on the website it got kicked back, so I called and got a correct email address. Upon reading the email, I did receive a call from the Chef and a follow up email from the GM. Both have extended offers to have my guests and I back when we are in PDX next time. -
Review from Michelle H.
Portland, OR
6/10/2009
After having a pleasant dining experience a few years back at this rather obscure restaurant, I often thought of returning to Fish Grotto, but never did until this past weekend.
Apparently, Fish Grotto has been around for over 100 years, although it has changed names. The age of the restaurant is a fact that I appreciate because in my opinion, older restaurants can be just as good as newer, trendy ones.
The current name suits the establishment well, as the restaurant is rather small, dark and cavelike...in a good way, and the atmosphere promotes a very intimate dining experience. There is lots of dark wood in the interior, reminiscent of a ship's galley.
Because this restaurant is an extension of the bar next door, it tends to be less crowded than the bar itself, and that was fine with me, because I generally hate shouting to my dining companions over the din in the dining rooms of the newer, more popular restaurants here in Portland.
While the atmosphere was nice, dark and interesting, the food was rather so-so. We started off with a Grey Goose martini for the DH, and some sort of vodka lemonade for myself, both of which were very good.
The sweet potato "sticky chips" they provided were yummy, and a nice addition to the bread and butter. We ordered the crab-stuffed mushrooms as our appetizer, and they were very good.
DH clearly enjoyed his panko-breaded, deep fried razor clam entree, and after sampling it, I could see why. It was pretty good. My hazelnut crusted halibut was lacking in flavor and slightly overcooked, however.
On the other hand, the garlic whipped mashed taters that came with my halibut were creamy and yummy, and the asparagus was cooked very nicely.
Much to my surprise, there were only two options for dessert. Since I am not a dessert person, DH took the liberty of ordering a very nice brownie with ice cream for himself, which I tasted and determined was actually very good.
Overall, the experience was not super wonderful. Hubby thought it was a good dining experience, but my halibut entree was just so bland that I cannot rate this place more than three stars, based on our combined opinions.
My dining experience at Fish Grotto a few years ago was much better. I ordered the seafood jambalaya, and it was memorable enough at that time to cause me to want to return this past weekend. -
Review from Christine D.
Portland, OR
6/11/2008
I selected this place because it was in the Entertainment Book and it was highly rated here on Yelp.
It was a very nice quaint place. It encouraged on the website to make reservations. When we walked in at 6:40 for our 7:00pm reservation we were the only ones there. It was a Wednesday night so I can understand things might be a bit slow.
We sat down and as we were sitting the waitress proceeded to fill us in on all the food items she was out of. One appetizer and one main course.
Ok, so then we both love pinot noir so there was an Oregon version and a California version. So, we opt for the Oregon version the waitress leaves to obtain it and returns only to tell us. She's out of that too.
We get the California pinot which is good but left us both wondering about the Oregon pinot.
We ordered the Swiss cheese fondue. It was very tasty but we weren't quite through with that when the main courses showed up.
So, we started eating. It was very good. The thing I didn't care for was the waitress would remove one plate if you were finished but maybe your dinner partner was not done so you sit there with no plate and the dining partner is still eating. I think that is lop sided and somewhat 'not done' typically speaking.
She then listed verbally all the desserts. I said "do you have all of those" she agreed that she did.
We settled on the chocolate fondue. Having dripped most of the cheese from the aforementioned Swiss cheese fondue in my lap. I figured what the heck. Let's go for the chocolate. :)
It was tasty they served it up with apples, vanilla wafers (straight from the box-I chuckled) and lady fingers. It was tasty and I managed to drip chocolate in my lap to go with the cheese. Heehee...
It was a good time and good atmosphere. I rated it down because they were out of everything and the pacing of the meals, etc., needed work.
They do not punch your Entertainment card so that you can come back and use it. So, that's a bonus if you carry the Entertainment card.
I would probably try it again. It wouldn't be the first thing on my list. I liked the atmosphere of the Southpark Grill much better. -
Review from Toby R.
Portland, OR
8/5/2011
Over the past year, and three visits, the Fish Grotto seems to have consistently degenerated from an easy four stars down to this rating of two. Originally it was an awesome environment with great food and outstanding service. Since then the wait time for entrees was long, but acceptable for a romantic dinner. On the most recent visit, however, the timing between courses was crazy, as our table was overloaded with salads and starters delivered at the same time, only to then wait an extremely long time for the over-salted and mediocre entrees. The wait staff was unresponsive to our requests, and it really bugs me when I have to ask my fellow diners if they would like anything to drink because the server has failed to. I used to love Fish Grotto and I want to again, but things need to go back to the old food and service levels.
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Review from Courtney D.
Portland, OR
1/31/2007 1 photo
Calamari at its best
I love calamari, but it's one of those foods that have to be cooked just right or it tastes chewy and bland. I love it, though, so happily take my chances and order it whenever I can. I had some of the best at the Fish Grotto.
Not only was it cooked just right, but it came with a gorgeous chili lime dipping sauce, which I highly recommend.
I heard prior that the service was terrible, but that was not the case on this night. It was slow, which could have accounted for more personal service, but I thought the waiter was very professional and friendly.
Tip: Pick a few appetizers to mix it up for your main meal. They offer more variety and are fun to share.Listed in: Best spots to fill your belly
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Review from Casey B.
Portland, OR
7/12/2011
The food was amazing, the atmosphere is epic and our waiter was cute! Try the steamers and the stuffed mushrooms! I will go back here again and again!
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Review from Jason S.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2010
Six of us where on a roadtrip from SF to Vancouver for NYE and stopped in Portland on Day 2. We had a bit of trouble finding a spot for dinner but luckily happened on the Grotto.
The place was kind of empty but since it's pretty small that was a good thing. We got great seating and the server was awesome.
We ordered a bunch of the small plates and different entrees and everything I had was great but a friend's Salmon was overcooked and dry. But everything else was good. I second the other reviews in recommending the Calamari. -
Review from Eva J.
Ruston, WA
6/26/2009
The type of food served is modern and engaging. However, the decor doesn't match the aesthetic of the food. For someone who loves the low price for great food, the Fish Grotto was a great buy. The small plates option were exactly that- but appropriate serving sizes, not uber-American sizes. The wine list is bold and at an affordable price point. We were given a small plate of sweet potato chips from the kitchen to start for FREE and a flight of dessert wines for FREE... service was good, not intrusive.
A strong choice for folks who are new to PDX or just coming through. -
Review from TGT D.
Bellevue, WA
1/13/2012
I had the most wonderful cioppino at this restaurant. Excellent ambiance and service was available on a Sunday night when the nearby Powell's bookstore closed early for employee's holiday party. The dish my girlfriend selected was also very good.
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Review from Dr X.
Portland, OR
8/2/2009
I just ate there 2 hours ago. After eating at this restaurant I had to wonder if the chef lost his taste buds in a freak accident, because only a person without taste buds can put these flavor combinations together.
Bland unseasoned fish, with an extremely bitter sauce that must have came from a can that was probably expired. I was in a large group of people and sampled everyone's food and there was nothing least bit edible except the bread if you put enough butter on it.
I am even foregoing the dirty establishment masked by the poor lighting, or the moldy smell that unleashes itself into your nostrils as soon as you walk in. If you were thinking about eating here I suggest you go to the supermarket and buy some frozen tv dinner put it on a nice plate, dim the lights and I think you're better off than eating here. If your still don't beleive me then go and I'll say I told you so.......Comment from Melissa D. of Fish Grotto 8/13/2009
I'm very sorry to hear about your negative experience at the… More » -
Review from Debra B.
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dropped in for Happy Hour before catching a show at Portland Center Stage. At 6pm we were the only customers, but several parties arrived before we left at 7:00. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the $3 cocktail of the day, a refreshing rum punch with a generous amount of rum. We went for the $5 happy hour menu items and we each enjoyed our plates of fish tacos with tasty batter-fried cod and nice condiments. We impulsively split a very yummy lemon-strawberry creme brûlée - spoon fighting to the finish! We will be back!
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Review from Rhea D.
Atlanta, GA
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
this place was awesome! we had a group of 8 and were greeted at the door by the owner who immediately sat us at a nice booth in the back. the atmosphere was super cute... all wood and had a feeling like you were in a boat.
the owner was also our server and bartender which was sort of weird i thought but she did amazingly well for such a big group.
we had a few apps as a group: the oysters (excellent), calamari (also excellent) and the dip sampler (all good except the beans).
i had the scallops for dinner and couldn't finish... they were excellent. someone else had the lobster mac&cheese which i tried and was good but super rich. everyone else enjoyed what they got.
as for drinks, i had a pomegranate capriana but thought the "sunburn" beer was better so i switched to that.
we also shared some desserts and i tried a bite of the kahlua mousse pie.. omg so good!
overall, we had a great time there. the food was good, atmosphere was quaint, and the service was nice. however, if you're in a hurry, this may not be the best place since the staff is minimal (but still friendly and did the best they could). -
Review from Kira K.
San Francisco, CA
2/26/2010
When the bf and I arrived in PDX after a late evening flight, we were ravenous, and went about our search for some grub. Every place we stopped by was serving only a limited menu (this was at around 9:30 pm on a Friday night), but we wanted a real meal.
As we were reading the menu outside of the Grotto, I thought aloud to myself "I wonder if they're actually still serving all this food here" and someone quickly replied "Yes. I can read you every item off the top of my head that they are serving." He proceed to do as such, until I stopped and thanked him. Tired of wandering the city, we went in.
We went up to the bar and ordered drinks and food straight from the bartender. We ordered the fish n' chips and the fish tacos. Surprisingly good! It may have been because we were delirious from hunger, but we thought it was pretty decent food.
The atmosphere is another issue. Right next to our table was a room where loud techno music was blaring. At one point it became a bit too distracting to eat because there were nearly naked gay men dancing around in the adjacent room. We took it as live entertainment, ate our food, drank some beer, and left, happy as clams.Listed in: 48 Hours in P-town
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Review from Nisha D.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2010
So I'm a pescatarian that hates fish. I'll eat it occasionally, mostly for the Omega-3 fatty acids. When my friends rounded us up to eat at the Fish Grotto, I was skeptical. "Oh well," I thought, "I can always get a salad."
We entered the Fish Grotto, a rather dark, small, and obviously ancient hole of a restaurant. I was intrigued--I have a thing for old restaurants in old buildings that sort of represent the inside of a ship.
I spotted the cheapest specialty--an ahi tuna burger. At $13, it was affordable and would probably last me hours longer than a salad. So tuna burger it was. I held my breath.
When I was served my burger, my hopes lifted. It didn't smell like fish. There were these cool tempura vegetable things that came along as sides. I took a bite of my burger, and was flabbergasted. This wasn't fish, this was fantastic! There was a mysterious yummy sauce that made everything so much better too. Yay, a fish restaurant success!
Oh and there's a gay bar next door and the dancers kind of wander in and out of the Fish Grotto to use the restroom. It's pretty awesome. -
Review from Vincent K.
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
2/4/2011
Dined there 2/3/11. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The food was okay.
Happy hour Cheese Fondue: Not really a fondue more of a cheese dip and rather bland.
Oysters: Not very good quality, seemed a bit old.
Scallops: Very good, cooked perfectly, the sauce was sweet and highlighted the scallops.
Risotto: Very good. Rich and creamy with the right amount of seafood.
A bit expensive for the quality. -
Review from Tim A.
Multnomah, OR
10/27/2009
I love the ambiance of this place. Very small, quaint, and inviting. Moderately lit and fairly up to date, yet it has a feel of an upscale restaurant from 25 years ago.
The food is above average. They have 7 or 8 entrees, but have also introduced weekly specials and small plates as well. Their chowders are always very, very good, but the entree's could use a bit more originality to it. Their cioppino has been a staple at this establishment, however the last time I ate there, the broth lacked flavor and punch and the fish wasn't as fresh as it has been in the past.
Service is always excellent. Very nice, attentive, and friendly wait staff, which is becoming more and more of a rarity these days. -
Review from devon d.
10/12/2010
The atmosphere is impressive and incredibly romantic. Our kind server brought us scrumptious scallops and knock-out moules frites, though the clam chowder was average and the salmon carpaccio oddly presented and not of high quality. The wine list was affordable and we happily split a bottle of one of our favorite chardonnays (Chehalem INOX) which went fabulously with every plate.
