La Moule

4.5 stars
Mussels, mussels, mussels with a side of mussels? Sign me up!
This mussel bar is delightful. The décor is adorable, the menu selections are lovely and the mussels are oh-​so-​yum!
I came in here with 2 friends. We started with drinks and a cold mussel appetizer dish that no longer appears to be on the menu and a butter lettuce salad. I loved the cold mussels!
For entrees, we ordered 3 mussel dishes:
–Marinere: the classic garlic, white wine combo
–Thai green curry
–Moroccan flavored with sausage
First off, these portions are huge! For $ 17 in Seattle, you’d maybe get a dozen but these came in bowls of 20+ mussels each! We probably would have been fine with 2 entrees! What a deal!
We loved the Marinere and Thai Green Curry. Both were perfectly seasoned with the right amount of garlic, curry etc. However, none of us liked the Moroccan one. The sausage flavor was overpowering and left a weird scent on the dish.
The mussels were all cooked well and there were few dead ones in the bowl. Each bowl also comes with bread so by the end we were full, but not gross feeling full. Mussels, after all, are not exactly like eating a bowl of buttery carbs.
We left La Moule with our stomachs happy and for a very good price. I would definitely come back!

Would’ve been five stars with a sensible waiting system. Upon arrival you’re to pass the time (directly in front of the door you just entered) shoulder to shoulder with others waiting, getting jostled by other patrons attempting to join the Belgium delights. I wore a jacket and was afraid it would fall into the plates of diners who were unfortunate enough to draw the door straw. My last gripe about the wait, they asked if we wanted to get started on our drinks as we milled around. I didn’t come to SE to drink in a doorway. I do that at home.
But for the stars that aren’t lacking in this review; the ambiance was better once my partner and I sat down. The small focused menu was a boost of confidence in the kitchens ability to execute the dishes, and we weren’t let down. We started with a fun and unique pickled herring. But this place is known for the mussels. The Korean flavored dish was honest and true to its origin, served with kimchi and subtle miso notes it was a tantalizing taste I’d recommend to all Asian food enthusiasts. The mussels were cooked with care that definitely kept the integrity and quality well above par. We didn’t get there early enough to get any Bread Pudding for dessert, but it thrilled me to know it was prepped and ready for a handful of ‘first come first serve’ and not massed produced with some left over to be served the next day or thrown away.
The only thing we didn’t get from our server, was her name. She was fantastic! On my hunt for Portland Pub Perfection, I found it in the service I received. I can’t speak for the other waiters, but ours was five stars. We asked about the Biere (Beer) list and she didn’t highlight a few favorites in a full house bar, she described each of them in fantastic detail and in terms the average (me) consumer would understand.
An outstanding four stars.
NE

Thoroughly enjoyed our date night here. Loved the blue cheese croquettes and Normandy mussels. The fries were addictive. Had a great Ghost Rider cocktail. Many more options to try for cocktails and mussels, so we will be back! Must compliment the staff (we ate at the bar) for being incredibly friendly and making us feel very well-​taken care of on a busy Saturday night. Also enjoyed the music, décor, and lighting. Great place!

I can’t get enough of this place, particularly the mussels & frites paired with one of my fave organic sparkling wines! These are easily some of the freshest & tastiest mussels in town, and I love that they always have a creative selection of broths to choose from (not to mention very fair portions & prices). This place feels like it truly belongs in the Clinton neighborhood, especially when comparing to the former St. Jack (which we had multiple bad experiences at & honestly always felt like it should be a snooty/​yuppie Pearl district establishment). When I saw this restaurant was related to St. Jack, I almost didn’t even give it a chance… I’m SO glad I did though. The owners truly got this one right!

Love this place. Great staff, open kitchen, food was fantastic and really affordable. Had thai mussels and the sauce was awesome — light and fresh and mussels were well cooked. Will come back again and again.

I have been to La Moule several times since it opened and I love it more each time I go. I am sort of obsessed with their Backwards Bicycle cocktail, so refreshing especially for a bourbon drink! The frites are addictive (not surprising if you have had the fries at St. Jack!) and I keep ordering the burger which is always perfect. Brie, bacon and a brioche bun?! Yes please! My husband is working his way down the mussels menu and hasn’t had a bad one yet. The atmosphere is romantic and it makes a charming date night spot. I’m so pleased to have this place in the neighborhood!

My server was rude from the moment I sat down — dismissive and passively condescending.
The cocktails were incredibly good, but I probably won’t be back.
Additionally, we were charged for soda water as a mixer with a whiskey, as if the price wasn’t inflated enough to begin with.

I would like to give this a 4.5, but gave it a 5 since a 4 seems to not do it justice. This was our first time here; what a wonderful experience.
Moule means mussels; stay at home or go somewhere else if you do not like mussels. You have a choice of 6 different sauces. We chose Moroccan; great choice. Good flavor and nice hot spice. The broth was very good and had sausage along with the mussels. We ordered just one order of mussels; we had started the mean with pâté for the first course and blue cheese croquet as our second. it was the best way to do this. The pâté had a great rich flavor. The croquets were warm inside, with enough blue cheese flavor for Rebecca, but not too much for me. All in all, we ate well, but did not over eat.
They have an extensive bar list and a very good wine list. They have great wine for a meal at a very fair price. I was astounded we did not pay more. The food came promptly; the wait staff was attentive and polite. nothing false here; just good service and good food for a fair price. I can see us coming here many times in the future.

I agree with reviewers that the portions for the price are minuscule — we were told that the $ 5 frites would be plenty for 2 folks, and when we had a small boat containing a handful of fries arrive… well I’d beg to differ. I really struggle with paying for everything a la carte and walking away paying $ 17 for a smallish burger and half of a small boat of shoestring fries — maybe it’s my Portland programming of being spoiled by quality food for cheap. No bang for your buck, unless you’re getting their mussels — so my boyfriend lucked out.
I want to point out he did love his bowl of mussels. But I unfortunately had to ask the waiter to return my burger because it was *so salty*, it was difficult to stomach — the mix of bacon, Brie and a salt-​crusted, crunchy burger got me (primarily because the meat was so over-​salted and way beyond medium, it also ended being really dry). The second burger was more juicy, but still too salty for my taste — maybe that’s the way it is naturally?
So I commend the staff for being really nice to me regarding my salty burger and I think if you love straight up mussels like my boyfriend, it seems they are worth it. But it ends up being pretty expensive and they don’t offer the option of a ‘mussels and frites’ dish ($ 20 for mussels and frites if you have it their way).
I don’t really want to go back since there’s not much here for me, but I know my boyfriend wouldn’t mind more La Moule mussels.

What a fantastic experience this was. It was totally worth the 40 minutes wait tonight.
We started with pork rillette and the butter lettuce salad Which were both very nice, then we had the moule Mariniere and the Morocan style moules (mussels), I liked the Mariniere better and next time I’ll order it again. I usually like to eat my mussels and fries at Chez Leon in Paris but this was 5 times better. Service was absolutely top notch and I couldn’t be happier with this whole experience. Dessert was a very nice Liege waffle
With chocolate sauce and freshly made whipped crème, very nice.
I highly recommend this place, you won’t regret dining there.

Service was exceptional!
Walked right in and was seated at the bar immediately
The special punch was black tea, rum, and brandy. Served hot and a perfect start.
Had two orders of mussels the Korean and the white wine garlic, sauce. Both were good but not «must come back» great. Fries were perfect.
We will be back to try other options.

I have been here about 5 times and have shared almost every plate they have. All are delicious and unique, and I didn’t think that mussels could be done in so many ways :)
The cocktails are tasty, and the drink menus represent whatever you are in the mood for! Very diverse. The wallpaper combined with the bar set up give the place a unique ambience. Perfect for a first date, anniversary or a night out with the parents. It will impress anyone your take there!

If Violet Hour (Chicago) had a restaurant… it would be La Moule! They carry high end liquors and pay attention to detail when crafting their cocktails. Bartender Anna makes a mean Mezcal penicillin! But try it with scotch too! Or if you feel like having a cherry cocktail this is the place to have it! Great mussels! Love the ambience!

Very delicious mussels in a variety of broths the Thai and Moroccan being our favorites. The whole vibe is relaxed, friendly, un-​pretentious and simple.
The mussels are perfection!

All drinks & food were of supreme quality.
That said, the portions were minuscule & the drinks took 10min+ to arrive, both rounds…
Worth the wait? You decide…

Remember La Cruda? It was my local go-​to back in the day. Then came Savoy — I wanted to embrace Savoy but it was not to be. Enter La Moule…
If ever I have brought unrealistic expectations to a restaurant, this would be it. I LOVE mussels. I grew up eating mussels (in Brussels no less!) I cook mussels… I know mussels. I sat down ready to sling some ‘tude whilst secretly yearning that this would be ‘the’ place. (I am still mourning the loss of Vindahlo’s savory coconut curry mussels.)
Let’s cut to the chase. I had four items… the blue cheese croquettes — flavor bombs of wonderfulness. There is a lightness to them I can’t explain. Nailed it. The frites were very solid but I felt I couldn’t give them their due as the other divas were vying for my adoration… and when the Thai curry moules were set before me — plump, perfectly cooked in as well-​balanced a preparation as I have ever had the pleasure to consume, I knew I was home.
The Upright 7 paired flawlessly with my meal.
Oh, I’ll be back!

Ever fall in love so hard and so fast you lose track of time and cannot think about anything else? It’s distracting. it’s all-​consuming. It’s raw and emotional. Imagine reliving those feelings of elation every time you walk into this neighborhood hot spot, and you’ll begin to understand why I keep coming back night after night.
Seven different preparations of mussels, each more perfect than the last, though I am falling into a hypnotic rhythm with the Thai version. This is a place where you can consume enough food for a full meal, or you can snack and nibble and imbibe bourbon cocktails until midnight like a civilized and proud Portlander.
Never have I been more excited about a late night dining option. Southeast Portland just got that much luckier, that much hipper, that much more chic than all the other quadrants.

Wow, color me impressed. I’ve been excited about this place since I first heard the concept and it did not disappoint.
Atmosphere is great, and we were seated quickly, even though it was extremely busy. Service was fast and friendly. They also brought us more bread to dip in the broth when we ran out.
We ordered:
Salade Liegoise
GREEN BEANS, BACON, BLUE CHEESE, BACON FAT CROUTONS, RED WINE VINAIGRETTE.
⁴⁄₅ Very good, I mean you can’t go wrong with those ingredients.
Mussels Marinière
GARLIC, WHITE WINE, BUTTER, CAPERS & CHILI FLAKE
⁵⁄₅ absolutely incredible, mussels were so plump and tender and I would’ve drank the broth if it wasn’t a faux pas.
Mussels Thai
HOUSE CURRY PASTE, BASIL, LIME, COCONUT MILK & WHITE WINE
4.5÷5 So damn good, not quite as amazing as the marinière but right up there.
Frites with aioli
4.5÷5 VERY good fries, almost as good as they get. Plus they made for excellent «sauce-​soakers» once the mussels were dispatched.
My cocktail was superb (bourbon with some lemon something or other), my buddy’s was decent, but a little too sweet.
All-​in-​all a fantastic experience and I have been craving their mussels every day since, just phenomenal. I will be back soon without a doubt.

Overall a mixed experience. The good news is The Classique was everything I want from mussels. It was tart, rich and just the right mix of flavors. The rest of the meal was decidedly uneven. It’s wonderful to have St. Bernardus in proper glassware, but the cocktail I had afterward (Sunday morning) was unenjoyable. It tasted like cheap gin, for the most part.
The bone marrow under our tartare was perfect, but pouring the tartare on top of it kinda ruined the tartare… it warmed the beef too much and the yolk (quail) was small and impossible to mix into the scattered clumps of tartare around the beef bone. I rely on yolk for that silky tartare feeling! I felt like if yer gonna do bone marrow do bone marrow! If yer gonna do raw beef, leave it to just that!
My wife’s entrée, the Flamiche, was bland… the egg was entirely unseasoned and the puff pastry was tough and rubbery. She was not much impressed. New restaurants deserve (and often get) many a free pass while they work out the kinks. I’m perhaps less forgiving knowing the team and the pedigree behind La Moule… especially with the hype surrounding it. Great mussels are nice, but the rest feels like an unfinished afterthought.

Best mussel bar!!! Yay for La Moule. Just made it in for opening tonight and had fabulous food, great beer and cocktails!
Great atmosphere and 2 bars!
Ordered a butter lettuce salad, the Chicago les moules and flamiche. All were prepared well and delicious. Needless to say we cleaned our plates.