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Zaytoon
Rating Details »
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Alberta Arts District, Northeast Portland2236 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 284-1168
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
16 reviews for Zaytoon
We happen to find this place on a whim (sort of), by looking it up on google via cellphone while driving around. I was so glad that I did! Zaytoon's offers a Sunday special that includes a beer, burger (organic beef with garlic and spices), and pool for $6. The burger was off the hook! I will have to go as far and say that it was the tastiest burger I have ever had. I even forced my friend to take a bite, who was not hungry but was willing to experience my enthusiasm in this succulent burger.
The restaurant had a nice setup that displayed art and a trendy interior; yet, did not come off pretentious. Kudos to the bartender! She was sooo nice like everyone else in Portland, OR (miss you already) and made me feel like I was at a neighborhood bar. I ended up giving 3 stars because I really didn't get to finish my beer nor did I have time to try another drink, so I can't comment on the drinks.
Three stars for great food and great service in a lgbt friendly establishment! Something hard to find in Phoenix, AZ (sometimes :).
The way I see it, Zaytoon registers right between unabashedly confident and calculatedly safe.
Do you like cocktails? Have one! They're pretty good, and at $4 for a well drink or $1 for a PBR at happy hour, you can't knock it. But no? you prefer fancy juice drinks? Well they've got those too. And do you enjoy contemporary art? There's plenty of that on the walls. But prefer something more cinematic? You're in luck, as movie posters adorn the balcony rails above... Oh and how do you feel about dark and cozy candle lit tables? They're pretty swank, right? Of course hanging out around sidewalk tables or in a living room lounge is pretty fun as well.
So you feel me? It's really your call. Zaytoon's has all their bases covered, and for that it's kind of hard to figure out who exactly they're catering to. But with a motto like "A distinctively upscale, yet casual urban haven" maybe that's alright. We certainly didn't mind stopping in for happy hour after work on a Friday night. It was busy, but not packed, and the waitress / bartender was pretty efficient in running the show. From young artsy Alberta types to older clean cut couples it's apparent that this spot in the neighborhood is solid and hip.
While there you'll totally have a good time, perhaps even a great time. But when it's all said and done, you're kind of left with a "oh, so that's it, I guess." feeling. So I'm A-Ok with Zaytoon. I figure I'll give 'em another whirl next time I'm in the area, if anything just so I can wrap my head around the atmosphere a little bit more.
It's a bummer when the food is actually better than the drinks. At a bar. I love this place in the summers though with the open layout, so they're acceptable, but with the Bye & Bye nearby it's hard to compete. Chambord kamikaze? Fruit punch. Blueberry lemon drop? Fruit punch. Mediterranean wrap & salad? Kick ass. Service? Pretty fair. Interesting thing I noticed - there is room upstairs for seating but there is a big note telling those who go upstairs that they'll have to come downstairs to order drinks (even though they do wait the bar tables on the main floor). Interesting. Will I be back? Eh. Probably. But not making a beeline for it.
Not bad. I was looking for a sports bar to watch the Ms v the Angels, but of course there is none on Alberta. But the owner at Zaytoons took the time to find the game for me. Beer prices weren't bad, $4 for a real 16 oz draft and $2 PBR tall boys. And the atmosphere was pretty inoffensive - not too trendy/fancy, nor too divey/sports barish. She had the walls decorated with posters of movies from the late 90s/early 2000s, reminded me of my bedroom when I was 12. The all day specials on Sunday and Monday sound amazing! $1 PBR tall boys from 5-7 and 11-12 every weekday too. I'll definately be back.
This place definitely looks better from the outside, but once you're in, it's not as special. The bar area is cool, and there was ample seating on a Saturday night, but the service could have been better considering they were not that busy. Great drinks though!
Also, it's either a lesbian bar or Saturday nights are lesbian nights. Something to keep in mind if that's not what you're looking for.
Eh...
The Money Mojito was fantasic. An already better-than-average mojito infused with the never-go-wrong fruit, the pomegranate, was a match made in heaven. Or at Zaytoon.
The food selection was slim, and I'm probably over-judgemental because I really wanted nachos and this was not a nacho type place. There was hummus, laban, and some other Mediterranean foods, as well as some burgers. We settled on the veggie pizza with was a vegan pita topped with an incredible spread (which I cannot remember for the life of me the name of) and loaded with fresh giant artichokes, tomatos, onions, and spinach.
I would definitely go back. Preferably during happy hour next time.
This oh-so-chic building went up shortly after I moved into the Alberta neighborhood. And to be frank, I've always found it a little bit creepy. You see, as a first-wave gentrifier, it's part of the script that I fly into an all-out panic when I see evidence of the second wave. You know, the folks with lots of money who ride freaking scooters everywhere. And I've always indulged a little bit of shadenfreude when walking past this place in the direction of tasty cheap burritos, upon discovering that it's nearly empty. The pretentious Eurotrash decor and lighting of the place just did not speak to me.
Then last week, my housemate and I were wandering down the street in search of dinner and thought we'd give Zaytoons a shot. When we walked in, the waitress informed us that we had seven more minutes of happy hour left, so we said, "OK, we'll order fast!" After giving us our menus, she disappeared for several minutes. Um. We each ordered a promising-looking in-house cocktail and an appetizer plate. These were decent, though not as tasty as other Mediterranean options in the city (the hummus was a bit flavorless, for instance, I thought). The drinks were also decent, albeit a bit weak.
Then came the punchline: we got our check. It appears we were charged happy hour prices for our drinks, but not for our food. Why in God's name did the waitress even tell us it was happy hour, I wonder? (I should note that the happy hour prices? Not especially cheap for the area.)
Hippest of neighborhood joints
Zaytoon emulates the whole Alberta scene with it's two-story loft, complete with a diverse crowd and an distinctively inviting atmosphere. People meet downstairs for drinks and good eats, nuzzled in dark booths and tables, surrounded by the hippest, colored walls. Then the gaming types head upstairs to play pool.
The best part here, though, is the creative food. It's one of the best Lebanese places I've tried. Although they offer a spicy, funky burger, which is a hit and paninni, order their tasty mezza plates, which include hummus, tapenade, tabbouleh and meatballs. You'll feel like you're at a partying, nibbling on gourmet appetizers.
Tip: Who says there's nothing to do on Monday nights? Every Monday is movie night --- a free double feature.
i walked by here a few hours ago and saw a waitress bussing tables and i asked her what is the meaning of Zaytoon and she gave me the most fucked up look and said "it's an olive!!". What the FUCK did i do to deserve that? being a man? because she was definately butch! How the hell hell are you gonna attract new biz with that attitude? I kept it movin.......
what is this place?
a doctors office?
are we seriously drinking
in the waiting room
of a doctors office?
no thanks.
next!
Not a bad little bar, kinda fancy looking. Not a lot of personality. You can play pool upstairs and awkwardly stare at the cooks while they prepare your food. The food was pretty good, and the drink prices got really cheap after 11pm or so. Just don't expect a very exciting or unique place...
Excellent cocktails - they use fresh lemons to make one of the best lemondrops I've ever tasted! The service was friendly and prompt and food tasted fresh and yummy.
Superb drinks. Really, one of the best lemondrops I've tasted. The "fusion" food needs a little work, but the price is right. Our waitress was nice and called me "love" all night. I'm not quite sure, but it seemed there were only women who dined here.
I always enjoy Zaytoons. The food is good and the drinks are better. The decor is sleek but nice. The waitstaff is great although a bit slow when it is busy. They need some more workers on their busy nites.
The owner is sweet, and the prices are good. The burger tastes like a spicy meatball and is unique and delicious. The veggie burger is similar to a crispy falafal and is one of the best in town. My girlfriend likes it because it doesn't fall apart like most home-made veggie burgers.
great drinks and a pretty good happy hour menu. i especially enjoyed that they had a sampler plate as i was by myself and wanted to try lots of goodies. it was yummy. now i've got to go again with friends!
