15 Best Southern Restaurants in Portland

“Overall good food, excellent presentation and atmosphere. The bananas foster french toast was definitely a bit of a let down. It looked fantastic but it was more like "french bread" than french toast. there was no crispiness in any of the edges and was so thick cut it was just like eating a loaf of bread covered in syrup. I also got the lavender spritzer (tasted like lemonade, and only lemonade). Deep fried okra was pretty good. I've never had okra before, so I can't really compare it, but the cornmeal batter was great and it wasnt separating from the vegetable at all. the crispy little pieces were the best. Sawmill breakfast was pretty small for twelve dollars, and we found the sausage gravy a little lacking. it was very rich, and i suppose this could be due to personal preference but neither of us could get behind a sausage gravy without pepper. We also got the orange creamsicle, and there's no complaints here. delicious and creamy. We sat on the patio, which was lovely, and our server was awesome.“

“First time here. Everything was delicious! But especially the downtown shrimp and grits. I can't wait to come back and try the uptown version. Our server was wonderful and the entire experience was *chef's kiss *! We live an hour and a half away, but I will make the special trip to come back. What a gem!“

“Good lord this was delicious food. Shut the screen door on their fried chicken, waffles, and cinnamon rolls. The BEST I've ever eaten anywhere hands down. The seasoning on the chicken was incredible. A moist tender meaty chicken breast encased in exactly the right amount of batter. Incredible. The cinnamon rolls were so flavorful hit gooey crispy, with a barest hint of citrus in the decadent frosting - heavenly. The sweet potato waffles were like a crispy chai flavor and texture. Light fluffy everything you want in a waffle would eat this style over a buttermilk waffle 10/10 times. The service was great very friendly, the ambiance indoors and out is charming and instagram worthy. If only I could eat here every week!“

“Absolute best place for vegan food in Portland. My I live 55 mi away from this restaurant but when the urge hits for dirty lettuce, there is no substitute. From ribs to wings to fruit pies, putting together your meal from their menu is a task in itself. I cannot recommend enough the cornbread which blows away anything you can find from any other restaurant on the I-5 corridor. I am happy to have you prove me wrong, but I don't think it can be done.Kid-friendliness: Laid back atmosphere with outdoor eating available. Small indoors but nice for a quick stop for a bite.“

“I tried the Reggie Deluxe and my only regret is not trying more. This was a fantastic biscuit sandwich. I have no complaints. The biscuit itself was delicious. I arrived around 12:30 on a Saturday and waited for about 20 minutes in line to order. There is a good amount of seating here and I didn't have an issue getting a table. There is free street parking.“

“We LOVE this place! The oysters are fresh, the clams are flavorful and everything in between has been great! The staff is knowledgeable about where the oysters come from and what to expect on your flavor pallet. Service is quick and when they are busy, they set proper expectations. The space is rustic but really cool, especially walking off of a city street, it's definitely not what you expect!! We have gone as far as eating here twice in one day!“

“We ordered the chicken fried chicken, spare ribs, collards, mashed potatoes and gravy, friend green tomatoes and cornbread.The highs: collards, ribs and chicken.The collard greens were so tender, and while I found myself wanting some bacon in them, they were so good that I didn’t care. The ribs were tender but not mush. The breading on the chicken was crispy and flavorful.The lows:mashers, fried green tomatoesThe mashed potatoes were smothered with gravy but it didn’t hide the weak flavor and seasoning. I personally didn’t like the breading on the tomatoes. It seemed to be a corn breading. It was dense and a little over hard. However, they had good flavor.Being from Florida I’d had a hard time finding southern food that tastes right to me. This has been the closest by far.And they have boiled peanuts!“

“This was my second visit and was a much better experience than the first. Food seemed more flavorful and biscuit was better tasting and fluffier. Atmosphere was the same chill and relaxing. The service and people were friendly and efficient.“

“Stopped on the way home from work for southern comfort food. The chicken po boy is on point and very tasty, so much so that I wish I ordered two. Chicken is cooked to a golden crisp. If you are looking for authentic Louisiana cuisine, this is the best you will get. Matt & Memere’s is giving brick and mortar restaurants a run for their money. Great customer service and very friendly staff.“

“The Chicken and Waffles are fenominal. My husband and I stopped in by chance and I ordered their side of mini sweet potato waffles and they were so good I was chomping at the bit to have them again.We had another flight and we got the chicken and the same amazing waffles. The chicken was fantastic. It was so tender and juicy with incredible flavor. Just the right amount of spice.10 out of 10 highly recommend and I can't wait to eat there again.“

“If you want a dimly lit dive bar, with great music, great shows and friendly service - this is the spot for you. The Fixin To is a true gem that is so underappreciated it almost makes me sick - but that's part of the charm. Come see for yourself. Catch a show, order some food and escape the insanity of the 2023 world. Half of the time I come in the Silver Jews or Sebadoh are playing and I instantly forget my worries and know I'm in a magical place - if only for a little while. That's why bars exist, to serve as an escape from the pressures we feel. Thank you, Fixin To.“

“I really love this bar, locally ownedMy bar tender was Ella.She made my husband the best long island ice tea , since we been together here in Portland Oregon anyways , we been together going on 13years this coming up September 1st .I had the best lemon drop on the ne side of Portland.Also I ordered breakfast biggest portions of food especially for a bar.I ordered chicken fried steak with gravy and a biscuits and gravy came with it as well as homemade breakfast potatoes and 2 over easy eggs and a order of jalapeno poppers and those were the hugest jalapeno poppers I ever seen in Portland and were delicious. Stop in here if you're looking for a friendly non judgemental non racial bar. You won't regret it. Believe me“

“Free 2 hour street parking. Small restaurant, order first with self seating and self serve water, utensils, and hot sauce. You also clean your spot when you're done. Can be on the heavier side and is super filling. There is a choice between sausage or mushroom gravy. I got the sausage gravy with my Reggie Deluxe sandwich. Overall good flavor and had a good chicken portion. I'd come again if I was craving something heavy for breakfast.“

“I'm a few months late writing this review, so it looks like this particular location which was in a cluster of food carts has closed down since. There were some outdoors and indoors tables/benches there if you want to eat at the location.I ordered a gumbo regular with red beans, veg andouille (seemed to be made of baked beans), and Brandon's Nana Pudd'n (banana pudding). I was given an estimate of 5-10 minutes wait but it turned out to be closer to 30, but it seemed like one person was having to take orders and cook at the same time for most of the time before an additional worker showed up and there were some other people ordering around the same time as me since we were all on our lunch break from a conference.Unfortunately, while the food portion was generous for just $10, I found the gumbo to be too salty. I liked the vegetarian andouille, though; the texture actually did taste pretty meat-like, but I think the workers said it was made out of baked beans.The banana pudding was also a very generous portion, and I would recommend it if you have a sweet tooth and like whipped cream and nilla wafers.“

“Hands down, my brother's crawfish joint is a hidden gem for seafood lovers! The $1 oysters are a steal, offering fresh, briny goodness that's hard to beat. Pair them with their flavorful wings, and you've got a winning combo that satisfies every craving. The atmosphere is laid-back, perfect for enjoying a casual meal with friends or family. Plus, the attentive service makes the dining experience even more enjoyable. Whether you're a local or just passing through, don't miss out on this culinary delight!“