Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Portland / Oregon

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Portland / Oregon? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Libre

5.0

5 (11)

$50 and over

Dessert

Southeast Portland

About the restaurant

Where Freedom Meets Flavor

Libre is a dessert bar and cocktail lounge in Portland, Oregon, where freedom bleeds from mezcal cocktails to mole desserts. Walk in and leave your troubles at the door, and experience a world of dreams coming true.

Our pastry chef, Gabriella Martinez, creates fantastical desserts with components ranging from corn husk meringue to bone marrow caramel. Meanwhile, our bar director, "Nan" Chaison, crafts innovative cocktails, including a mezcal-based mole milk punch.

The moodily lit, flower-adorned space with purple velvet banquettes provides the perfect setting for an unforgettable evening.

Come to Libre and experience a taste of freedom.

Top review

Diana

Dined on Dec 8, 2024

The drinks, desserts, food, ambiance, and service were absolutely amazing. This was my third time in Libre, and every time it’s been just this great. I will be back!

Gado Gado

4.9

4.9 (143)

$31 to $50

Indonesian / Malaysian

Northeast Portland

About the restaurant

Nominated for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef in the James Beard Awards, Gado Gado is an Indonesian-focused restaurant in Portland’s Hollywood neighborhood serving an eclectic menu that derives flavors from owners Thomas and Mariah Pisha-Duffly’s cultural heritage, travels, and culinary backgrounds.

In addition to an extensive à la carte food and drink menu, groups are invited to indulge in a bountiful family-style, chef’s choice Rice Table dinner — Gado Gado’s interpretation of the Dutch-Indonesian “Rijsttafel” feast.

Top review

Caitlin

Dined 6 days ago

Can’t recommend enough for service and good food. Every time we come we leave happy.

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Singaporean Chili Crab

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Omnivore Rice Table

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Yalla

4.9

4.9 (133)

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Southwest Portland

About the restaurant

Yalla is a neighborhood Mediterranean smokehouse from the Sesame Collective restaurant group. Opened in summer of 2020, Yalla brings a Mediterranean smokehouse to the heart of the Multnomah Village neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. With a menu of smoked meats, seasonal vegetables, and comfort dishes, Yalla is currently open for delivery, take out, and full service dining. Yalla is helmed by Chef/Owner Kasey Mills and Chef de Cuisine Daniel Valley.

Top review

Susan

Dined 4 days ago

Loved it. A bit pricey, but fully enjoyed my dinner experience. Many choices on the menu and staff was outstanding.

República

4.8

4.8 (891)

$50 and over

Mexican

Pearl District

About the restaurant

James Beard-nominated, Chef's Prix Fixe Tasting Experience by Executive Chef Jose Camarena, recontextualizes Mexican cuisine and culture through Storytelling.

We exclusively offer a prix fixe tasting menu experience, with 7-Course and a 10-Course options. Both experiences are meant to honor the complex history that created each dish, as well as leave a lasting impact on all those who taste this beautiful food and listen to our stories.

República is a tasting menu-only restaurant.
We offer a 7-course menu at $128 or a 10-course menu at $150 per person.

We kindly require all guests to disclose all dietary restrictions and allergies prior to their reservation. We are unable to accommodate allergies to nightshades, chile, allium, rice . Additionally we are not a gluten free kitchen and are unable to provide nut and seed free diners.

Please note our menu offerings change daily.
What you see below, is NOT our current menu.

Top review

JVIP

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Absolutely brilliant experience from the cocktails and wine, to the outstanding 10-course meal, and the educational and fun storytelling from the staff. HIGHLY recommend.

Yoli

4.8

4.8 (393)

$30 and under

Korean

Bend

About the restaurant

Modern Korean Cuisine.

Top review

Holly

Dined 5 days ago

Caught up with long time friends. Perfect atmosphere and fantastic food - that we all shared. Cocktails great as well

Lilia Comedor

4.8

4.8 (347)

$50 and over

Farm-to-table

Southwest Portland

About the restaurant

Award-winning Chef Juan Gomez, who helped República garner best new restaurant nods from Bon Appétit and James Beard, is taking a more personal approach to PNW cuisine. Recently nominated one of the Top 50 Restaurants in the Country by the New York Times, Lilia offers dishes like Pork Collar Confit and fresh Aguachile, leaning on Chef Juan's Mexican-American roots while showcasing hyper-seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. The airy, unpretentious space and breezy patio befit the South Waterfront vibe.

Please note, our prices vary each week according to market price of local ingredients.

Top review

CarolFVIP

Dined 1 day ago

I rarely give a rating of 10 for a restaurant and they are consistently a 10!

De Noche

4.7

4.7 (170)

$50 and over

Mexican

Pearl District

About the restaurant

Brought to you by the team at República comes our newest concept, De Noche, in the heart of the Pearl.

Serving traditional Mexican cuisine using modern techniques and seasonal ingredients, Executive Chef Dani Morales and her team are creating Mexican dishes like you've never tasted before. Enjoy our Entire Menu for Two, or order a la carte in our intimate dining room.

We welcome reservations as well as walk-ins, Wednesday - Sunday.

Top review

Gibby

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

We shared the whole menu with wine pairing. Outstanding

Hayward

4.7

4.7 (44)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

McMinnville

About the restaurant

Specializing in “new northwest” cuisine, Hayward offers a delightful fusion of flavors rooted in local farming and purveying, incorporating fermentation, whole animal butchery, and artisanal sourdough techniques. Best enjoyed when shared with friends and family over a table full of plates and beverages. Our menu is ever-evolving, reflecting the changing seasons and our spirit of exploration. We are a curious and playful team, dedicated to taking our guests on a delicious journey where new flavors become familiar favorites. Experience the best of “new northwest” cuisine at Hayward, where each dish tells a story and every meal is an adventure. Visit us at Mac Market and embark on a culinary journey that celebrates local ingredients, innovative techniques, and the joy of sharing food with loved ones. Please note that we unable to control the temperature of the restaurant due to being located inside of Mac Market which is a warehouse type building.

Top review

Alan

Dined 1 day ago

The best food in McMinnville. Hands down. Excellent service, one of the great additions in the past few years.

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Large Party Kickback

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Nostalgia Dinner Series- Dinner At Grandma's House

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Nostalgia Dinner Series- Summer Camp

The Joel Palmer House

4.4

4.4 (2010)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Dayton

About the restaurant

Mushrooms are the heart of what we do at the Joel Palmer House. We have always endeavored to obtain seasonal and local ingredients and we use many locally produced greens, herbs, and vegetables, some of which come from our own culinary garden. We are frequently inspired by ingredients found in the cuisines of France, China, Thailand, Poland and India, so we call our cooking "freestyle." Our dishes pair well the celebrated wines of Oregon, especially Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Our extensive, Oregon-focused wine list has been awarded the Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. Of special note, The Joel Palmer House ranks as one of Oregon's finest historic homes and is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Oregon Historic Register. Built in 1857, the house is Dayton's oldest standing structure. When weather permits, guests can enjoy their dinner on our outdoor patio, soaking in the last rays of sunshine in the heart of Oregon Wine Country.

Top review

Pamela

Dined 4 days ago

The best food we have ever had anywhere in the world. Prepare to spend more money than you expect. It was worth every penny.

Warsugai

3.6

3.6 (8)

$30 and under

Chinese

Southeast Portland

About the restaurant

Warsugai is a nostalgic Asian-American restaurant located in Portland, Oregon. We are a reflection of the diversity of different Asian foods chef Kyo Koo experienced dining out with friends and family growing up in Portland as a native Oregonian. The concept is a evocative journey, encapsulating the vibrant ambiance of old Hong Kong neon and an edgy, hip hangout vibe.

Top review

Mike

Dined on Nov 10, 2024

Inventive & creative dishes in all courses. Price points are good value. Energetic room w/o being interruptive. And for having all "hard surfaces" not too loud, which happens with those settings. All people involved in our service are friendly and knowledgeable. We could enjoy our friend & the great food & the ladies enjoyed their wine selection. Sabrina & Mike M. made our experience very enjoyable. We / I'll be back.

Discover more

Experience

Happy Hour

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