Davenport

This place is one of the reasons people talk about Portland’s food scene everywhere. It’s in a perfect location and the atmosphere is good for any occasion you want to enjoy conversation and good food. My favorite part of any good restaurant and service is being able to tell the owner or server what you are in the mood for and they just know. I rarely look at menus and I am not a foodie expert but this is one of those places you can say «i want excellent wine, I had a heavy lunch not super hungry, I only eat seafood» and what arrives at your table is perfect.
I had the scallops and they were by far the best I have ever had. I rarely eat ANY meat but here will be an exception.
The prices are great for the quality and the wine list is extensive. I am not knowledgable on wine and this place will not make you feel stupid they will just bring you good wine.
A must go if you live or travel to Portland.

First, the food is excellent and the wine list extensive. It’s a small plates menu, and everything started off fine with the first couple of plates coming out one at a time. Then, all of a sudden, the remaining plates that we had ordered, three or four, came out all at once. We mentioned to the server that we were feeling rushed by this presentation, but he said *nothing* in response. If the kitchen could learn to pace things a little better, this would be an outstanding restaurant.

**WARNING** DO NOT BRING LARGE GROUPS HERE! No more than 12 I would say.
It will be a DISASTER otherwise.
I had a huge group of friends. Initially booked for 12 and called back a couple times to bring it up to 20. They said that the restaurant seated about 32 and that we would be more than half. I told them if they can’t do that large a group we could go elsewhere.
I was told they would manage.
I read another review before posting this and wish I had read it previous to my holiday party, as the other Unilocal review also said they didn’t do well with large groups. Apparently they didn’t learn from the last large group. They need to limit it and tell people ahead of time that they won’t let you order individually.
QUICK SUM-​UP:
We are SEATED 45 MINUTES AFTER the reservation time.
They didn’t ask what we wanted to drink when we sat. Had to order from the bar or grab the waiter and ask individually.
Had a vegan and a friend with shellfish allergy that they were not willing to accommodate for.
Apology from nice waiter at the end.
Me embarrassed and horrified about the service.
Thankfully I have awesome friends and after some time started to enjoy the company.
Day of I had a couple people cancel. The restaurant called me to confirm for 12!!!
Nope. They panicked but said they’d change some things around. While on the phone I also told them a few people would be late around 6:30. They told me they couldn’t order food that they would have to eat what was on the table. Okay, so I thought we could order food for them ahead of time.
I sensed that the restaurant was a bit difficult thus far and texted my friends (those that were to be on time) to be there 5:30 sharp.
Of course there were some that were late. Yes I get annoyed when this happens so maybe they’ve learned their lesson this time. *cross fingers*
So I walk in and there’s all my friends standing at the bar. I’m wondering why no one is seated yet, especially with NO OTHER CUSTOMERS. I’m then told we will not be seated until all are here as if we don’t have everyone then they may have to reorganize the seating. I get that, however if we book for 20 we should get it. If not all come, they are so popular that they would’ve easily filled the seats.
I am frantically texting those not there yet that they won’t seat us until they’re there. One friend I didn’t hear from, phone was off, I didn’t know what to do. The bartender/​owner said they forfeited their seats. I texted them that. Do you know how shitty that made me feel?!
I’m sorry if my friends phone wasn’t working, but shit happens. They show up 15 minutes after being seated.
I apologized and said we didn’t have seats for them, they said they could take a table that was empty across from us. The owner had to check his reservations to ensure they could take that table. Seriously?
So after being seated 45 minutes later, no one asked my friends if they wanted a drink. It went straight to food. I grabbed the waiter and asked for a drink menu. Other friends went to the bar.
For food: We had the choice of leaving to up to the chef, or LEAVING IT UP TO THE CHEF. Basically they forced our hand. I asked how much that would be person as some people may have had a budget. They never got back to me. I also told them that I had a friend that was vegan and a friend allergic to shellfish. They WERE NOT WILLING TO ACCOMMODATE. My thought was do the trust the chef for everyone else but those 2 people. But nope, they were told they had to choose what was being placed on the table.
They did bring out a plate for my vegan friend which he paid $ 45 for. I owe him a drink!
We got 3 veggie dishes. Lettuce head. That was exciting. Endives, a shit load of them. My vegan friend removed the goat cheese and ate a good number of them.
I have to say, the waiters that served us saved Davenport from me giving them 0 stars.
The horrible attitude we got and initial waiting time for 45 minutes outweighed everything else that night. The food was amazing, best scallops I’ve had in Portland. I don’t eat a lot of seafood, and because we went with the chefs recommendation, I paid $ 45 for a bunch of food I didn’t eat. I left hungry, so much that I wanted to stop at McDonald’s to get some fries!
If they had seated us and got us drinks, they would’ve saved a lot of time and hassle. I think they wanted us out around 8, well we didn’t leave till 9:30.
I told them it was a holiday party when I booked the reservation. We did a gift exchange which also took time.
Next time I need to let them know it will be more than 2 hours. I see some friends a couple times a year and being rushed for a holiday party isn’t cool. With a group that large they should know it’s not going to happen.
I heard they were one of the top rated restaurants, well I think the owner let it go to his head and $$ and filling tables is more important.
I would go back but with 4 people max and order some of the lamb meatballs. Good luck!

We came here last with my sister-​in-​law and her husband. The interior is small and cozy, the bar area very unique and crowded. We had some questions about food and wine, however our server didn’t seem to be able to answer very much; we assumed she must be new. Also, since we arrived at the end of the shift, they were already out of the duck and the lamb. Also out of the soup and one of the salads. We understood, but we were still disappointed.
The bartender/​manager guy came over and was able to recommend an excellent bottle of white, and recommendations for red. We ordered 8 items, and they were coursed out… Maybe not necessarily in the order I would have chosen, but there was no lag between courses.
The food was delicious, and yes, the portions on some of the plates were small. You could tell everything was fresh, and prepared with care. My only real criticism would be with service… We had a broth-​y pasta dish followed by a light acid-​based scallop dish, and we were not given new share plates and flatware. For the price point, I would have liked to have our mise replaced between contrasting courses, especially the cheese plate at the end.
All in all, great date night destination, as long as there are no dietary restrictions, allergies, or picky eaters, as this menu deserves to be enjoyed as-​is and is meant to be shared.

Lovely dinner for a rate date night. Cozy and perfectly sized, we felt immediately welcomed in the space. Our table and server were great. The food was amazing from the simply fresh and pure Arugula Salad, the scallops with Fennel and Porchini, Lamb Meat Balls and the braised pork. Each dish was well prepared, portioned and presented. The ingredients highlighted and accentuated the dish each dish as a whole. The wines we had were top notch and reasonable too, an excellent list with a lot to chose from no matter your price point. We loved this and only wish the dishes had come out a little slower so we could enjoy them even longer. We’ll just have to go again and soon!

Chef Kevin Gibson makes beautiful, simple dishes. The restaurant is laid back and comfortable. Our server was a little pushy about ordering more food and we’re glad we didn’t, but the meal was magnificent. We started with Seafood Stew and sopped up the broth with the crunchy bread. Then we ordered the Octopus salad. The octopus needed a little salt and was a little overdone, but otherwise nice. The lamb meatballs were heaven. We wanted to lick the red sauce off the plate. I loved the food here, but not sure it lives up to all the hype. Atmosphere wise, it’s just a little restaurant in Portland. Nothing stands out. I’d go again, but it’s not at the top of my list.

Really great service. Kinda spendy but worth it for super delicious and beautifully plated food. I will definitely go back.

Great food! So fresh and satisfying. We started with the little gems salad, which was perfect. Followed by the best ceviche I’ve ever had. And ended with braised pork! The service was great and the music selection created a great atmosphere.
We will be back!

Best meal we had on our Portland trip.
It’s all about the delicious ingredients here. One dish after another was just fresh wonderful stuff well prepared.
The tomatoes… my god the tomatoes!
Almost went back a second time, during a 4 day stay of trying to try as many places as possible, it was that good!
The chef/​owner/​manager? Was super friendly and wrote out a bunch of recommendations of OTHER restaurants to try while in town. A class act all around.

Excellent service, food, and wine list. Décor is minimalist and quirky.

I took a big group of clients here recently, and although the bill was $ 2000.00 we were treated disrespectfully and with disdain!
Coupla jerks with gages in their ears went so far as to tell us that the chef was annoyed with the amount of noise we were making! Spend a dollar on noise abatement fellahs, this is what happens when you convert an old warehouse and have zero soft surfaces.
The food was pretty good, but nothing amazing, especially at the price point. Everything was built around the convenience of the owners, and everything from cocktails to napkins was served with a heaping helping of attitude.
Spare me.
This might be nice if you haven’t eaten in a week and want to be abused by a bunch of posers.

Wonderful simple dishes with local ingredients served family style… can sample so much more this way. Great wine pairings and really friendly knowledgable staff. Perfect for a quiet date night or a relaxed dinner with friends.

Came here for girls’ night where we shared a couple bottles of wine and tried many things off the ever-​changing menu. They decant the wine — nice touch. The cocktails we had while waiting were nice as well. Service feels upscale but the atmosphere feels comfortable. The highlight meal of the night when I was there was their take on goulash. It was amazing how tender and savory the meat was.

We went back to Portland this year for our girls’ spring break and the only thing I knew for sure I wanted to do was to eat at Davenport again. This time my brother and his wife, locals, were able to join us so we had a party of 8. As always, having three kids under the age of 10 in a place like this can be cause for concern, but the staff was awesome. Also, despite the hard word Kurt has put into his great wine list (especially if you’re a Burg fan), he didn’t bat an eye at the three bottles I brought. (We did buy a fourth from his list, a superb ’06 CdP from Janasse.)
We just started ordering and spent a couple hours stuffing our faces. We had:
Pork Belly (x2)
Lamb Meatballs (x2)
Sardine
Foie gras
Asparagus (with morels!)
Pâté (x2)
Beet Salad (x2)
Braised Leek
Roasted Rapini (and they brought the bread crumbs on the side for my brother who eats GF)
Scallops (special)
Steak Salad (x2)
Tenderloin (special)
Bread (x2)
All the ingredients were very fresh, and the preparations tended to be somewhat «simple» although that does not mean that the chef (Kevin) is not a master in the kitchen. It just means that the beets, the pork belly, the scallops, etc. were all allowed to be the focus rather than putting a million different things on each plate (which rarely works). The foie gras was unbelievably silky and delicious, the beet salad was a hit, the steak salad was awesome, as was the tenderloin (with all the meat cooked perfectly).
We may have over-​ordered by one dish’s worth, since we bailed out without having dessert, but it was awesome and I look forward to returning yet again.

The wine recommendation by the sommelier was perfect so definitely trust his recs. Service was great and the food was perfect! The oysters, dumplings, and beef was dreamy. Scallops and leeks were great as well.
I would try the dessert a few doors down at pix rather than davenport though. But honestly this restaurant is a must visit!

We came back to Davenport for Valentine’s day because of the fond memories of our first date here early last year. At that time we had chosen to sit at the bar and the bartender Kurt was welcoming and attentive. He expertly offered us wine selections to pair with our food. Everything was amazing! We were so eager to relive our great experience, we emailed to make reservations before the Valentine’s prefix menu had even been finalized.
When we arrived, Kurt motioned us over to the bar to check our reservation then a hostess seated us at a table. We decided to order both offerings of each prefix course so we could taste everything.
As we sat awaiting our drinks, the diners to our right received their main course. The teres major looked amazing, however the stuffed quail seemed a bit luster lack. The woman who ordered the fowl appeared disappointed as she picked at it and then finished her date’s steak.
The couple to our left were then presented with their plates. Again, the steak took center stage. The woman who ordered the quail verbalized surprise at its fried preparation and at the presentation that seemed to dwarf in comparison to that of her dining partner. She too finished her main course by finishing his. By this time my eagerness for quail had faded and I hastily changed my order to the steak. The staff took my request with a polite grace that is too often overlooked in many establishments.
As I took the first bite I immediately knew I had made a wonderful decision. The steak was so incredibly flavorful and juicy and cooked to perfection: Medium rare with an emphasis on rare. The other courses were all good too. We especially enjoyed the deviled eggs.
Overall we were pleased once again with all aspects of our meal. Thank you to the Davenport staff and owners for continued deliciousness and for all the new memories to come!

First time dining at the Davenport! Dark, warm and cozy interior. The food was top notch!!! We had an Endive salad and the Scallops… WOW!!! Scallops are usually risky to order and if done well it usually is by a skilled hand. Looking forward to a return visit soon. It is right across the street from my current favorite… LUCE!

On a foodie trip from Napa Valley with 5 others, we found this to be among the top restaurants over a 3 day span (the other one was Nostrama). Our group of 6 was seated promptly, we had brought 3 bottles of wine (corkage is $ 25-​fair). Davenport only seats 28, so make a reservation. We did order a very nice bottle (or 2) of Ayres Pinot Blanc, very nice.
Everything we had was really great, no heavy food here, lite and delicately flavored. Well, maybe except the O-​rings, which were huge. Foie gras perfectly prepared torchon with a nice date toast, Beet salad: golden beets as sweet as can be in a perfect dressing; Scallops, yuum; braised leeks with black trumpets, perfect; agnolotti, the hit of the meats; lamb gratin, even this had a light touch to it; and buttermilk fried quail.
I would agree the portions looked a little small, but we walked out satisfied, and total bill worked out to $ 75 a person.
Oh yes, the «other» wine list. If you like French Burgundy. Ask co-​owner Kurt about it, an you will find a Burgundy nut. Great list, and for Burdundies, I found it pretty affordable.
Definitley a go back to place.

I was expecting this restaurant to be overhyped like Maurice, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually deserves it praise! Despite all the good reviews this place gathered in the past year, it’s still relatively easy to find a table on a Friday night (especially if you go early). The atmosphere is quaint and inviting — it doesn’t get crazy loud like other restaurants, and it’s surprisingly not cramped. It’s perfect for a good conversation.
The food itself is solid and delicious. The only con I could see is that the menu itself is not particularly groundbreaking in anyway — it pretty much consists of dishes that are par for the course for this type of restaurant (think: a pork belly dish, fritto misto, some sort of steak dish, scallops, etc).

The food here was surprisingly good. After checking Unilocal & the online menu, none of us were looking forward to dinner. Menu selection is very limited, description very plain and pictures on Unilocal did not help! However this was the only place we can book a reservation for 11 people during the holidays with 1wk out so we had no choice.
We ordered almost everything on the menu to share because there was no way a tiny Asian girl can get full just off of one of their entrée. Everything we ordered was amazing especially the fois gras and pork belly. The only dish that didn’t stand out was the fish, it was a little plain. There was only one option for dessert and that was the star anise pana cotta, that was disgusting. No one wanted a second taste, perh5 it reminded us of phở!
Con: Due to poor signage, the place was hard to find. You wouldn’t see it driving by. Just look for Pix and it’s 2 doors to the west. The place can only accommodate 35 people so large parties is not recommended. Selection is limited, portions small and price is expensive. Menu doesn’t do a good job of explaining what you’re ordering but our waitress did provided us with a description when asked.