Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Portland / Oregon

OpenTable

Updated March 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems 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!

The Star Portland

4.9

4.9 (305)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Pearl District

About the restaurant

At The Star Pizza, we have take enormous pride in serving our award-winning deep dish and thin crust pizzas. By offering organic salads, appetizers made from scratch, house made dressings and sauces, oven baked sandwiches, and fresh dough tossed daily, our once small pizzerias have blossomed into a dynamic neighborhood restaurants. Beyond dozens of signature dishes, our bar serves artisan cocktails, carefully selected wines and beer in an elegant yet comfortable environment. Our commitment to our employees, community, schools and local nonprofit organizations embodies who we are. We treat our guests like family, invest in our employees, and use responsible and high quality ingredients to continue The Star legacy. Thank you for choosing to dine with us.

Top review

Chester

Dined on Mar 7, 2025

I love The Star since it opened. I rented in NE Portland for years and was within walking distance. Now that I’ve moved to Happy Valley, I dont get there that often. Went last night for my wife’s birthday. The pizza and drinks are perfect. Great ambiance, and the waitstaff was great as always. The longtime staff has always given A+ service.

Cabezon Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (2354)

$30 and under

Seafood

Northeast Portland

About the restaurant

Cabezon is a bustling neighborhood seafood bistro and fish market. Opened in December 2009,
Cabezon is located near both Portland’s Hollywood and Rose City Park neighborhoods. Offering
“Coastal Cuisine with Passion” – elemental seasonal cooking driven by the offerings of the day
from local producers and the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Owners, Chef David Farrell and
wine maven Jackie Speck, look forward to delighting you with their unique menu, and invite you
to stop by for our local wood-fired fish and meats, chef made pates, and seasonal ice creams.
Our diverse wine list features small hands-on producers.

Top review

Carrie

Dined 3 days ago

Live music (sometimes), delicious food and fabulous cocktails!

Avanti

4.8

4.8 (325)

$50 and over

Northwest

West Linn

About the restaurant

Locally owned and operated by long time Portland area chef Mark Carruth, Avanti serves up high quality food featuring unique and delicious taste profiles in an intimate, but lively setting. Cocktails from the craft bar and offerings from the wine list complete the experience.

Top review

Denise

Dined 6 days ago

The food is consistently GREAT, ambiance is great for everything from business happy hour to special anniversary event. Centrally located and abundant off street parking makes it easy to get to, and convenient. We love Avaniti!

Libre

4.8

4.8 (17)

$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

Chloe

Dined on Mar 7, 2025

We had a wonderful girl’s night at Libre with yummy drinks and dessert! Would recommend to others for a fun evening out.

C'est Si Bon! Bistro+Vins

4.7

4.7 (609)

$31 to $50

French

Northeast Portland

About the restaurant

C'est Si Bon! Bistro+Vins is a casual fine dining French restaurant that specializes in thoughtful, modern French bistro cuisine using local, seasonal ingredients.

One of Southeast Portland's Central Eastside's best restaurants, C'est Si Bon! is a cozy, upscale eatery perfect for meeting friends to enjoy quiet conversation, a romantic dinner, or quick bite at the bar. Both indoor and outdoor dining options available.

John and his staff strive to provide a memorable dining experience that will take you back to Paris!
We hope to see you soon! Merci mille fois et a bientôt!

Kev's Best | Best French Cuisine in Portland | #1
2021

Honorable Mention | Portland’s Best Food Neighborhoods | Central Eastside
Eater, 2019

Top review

michelle

Dined on Mar 16, 2025

This is the sweetest place with great lighting, ambiance, service and food. We had a wonderful time celebrating our friends' anniversary. Well crafted cocktails, great wine selection and delicious food- the filo cheese bundles, salmon and creme brulee were fantastic.

Lucca

4.7

4.7 (603)

$31 to $50

Italian

Northeast Portland

About the restaurant

Lucca, a wood fired Italian-inspired restaurant is located in one of Portland's favorite historic neighborhoods. This vibrant eatery serves farm fresh ingredients in a bustling, stylish dining room reminiscent of the trattorias found within the walls of their Italian sister city Lucca, where families and tourists gather to celebrate and enjoy the seasonal bounty.

Top review

Danielle

Dined 6 days ago

Met a few friends for dinner tonight. Delicious food, great setting and outstanding service. Thank you Lucca!

Hickory Restaurant + Bar

4.7

4.7 (349)

$30 and under

American

Camas / Washougal, Washington

About the restaurant

Hickory Restaurant + Bar is a warm gathering place for great food and great company. Join us for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Stop in and savor our desserts. Relax with us during happy hour and enjoy a variety of small plates. Our full-service bar features Pacific Northwest wines, local microbrews, and craft and traditional cocktails. Our wide selection of liquors and spirits include both national and small-batch artisanal brands.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 2 days ago

I was really looking forward to a quiet, slightly romantic birthday dinner with my husband but we were sat at a big table just for the 2 of us when there was other options. And I put on reservation it was for a birthday but nothing was said or anything so we just ate and left, after paying. Food was good but pasta was undercooked still quite hard, sauce and chicken parm was great but noodles were not good. Just though seating was weird and it was a little more like a sports bar then it look like online.

Pine Tavern Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (1708)

$30 and under

American

Bend

About the restaurant

For over 82 years we have been offering steaks broiled to perfection, delicious soups prepared daily, and an array of classics and daily specials using only the freshest, Pacific NW regional ingredients. Come savor the tradition, our warm hospitality, courteous and accommodating service, and unpretentious ambiance.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 1 day ago

Great in all ways! However it was my bday celebration which the hostess acknowledged on greeting us but nothing else happened so not sure why it was even mentioned

Marco's Cafe

4.6

4.6 (150)

$31 to $50

American

Southwest Portland

About the restaurant

Marco’s Café and Espresso Bar, in the heart of Southwest Portland’s charming Multnomah Village, has been serving up consciously-sourced fare since 1983. We hope you’ll join us under the umbrellas, in the historic Nelson Thomas building, next time you’re in need of some nourishment.

Top review

Laurie

Dined on Mar 5, 2025

Love this spot to catch up w friends or family - so delicious and convenient just off I-5. Service is always good and we love the neighborhood!

Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine - Portland Hawthorne

4.5

4.5 (106)

$31 to $50

Thai

Southeast Portland

About the restaurant

Cheers for the New Year together. Please come join us for a FREE EXPERIENCE OF FARMHOUSE STYLE NIGHT MARKET from Fri DEC 29th - Sun DEC 31st for all the reservations.

Not your typical Thai! We are a Thai New Generation restaurant focusing on bringing you adventurous, bold flavors of traditional and non-traditional dishes using the freshest ingredients by Chef-Owner, Kasem “Pop” Saengsawang. Look out for our nightly specials from regional home-cooked dishes to market fried grasshoppers, Panang Neau, Hat Yai Fried Chicken, Basil Bomb, Volcano Cup, and many more. We are consistently voted the "Best Thai Restaurant" in San Francisco by Michelin Bib Gourmand 2016 - 2019. The Best Thai Restaurant. San Francisco, Oakland, Menlo Park, Portland, and Los Angeles

Top review

GatorForLife

Dined 2 days ago

Khao Soi, wings, amazing fried prawns. Loved the cocktails we ordered. It's a bit cramped for space, but some might just call it cozy.

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