Personally, I’m not a big fan of leaving reviews after dining at a restaurant, but I’m going to make an exception for this place. The food I had here could easily rank in the top 10 meals I’ve ever had at a restaurant. Everything was so flavorful, fresh, and well-made, yet fairly priced. The only downside is that I live too far away from Portland; otherwise, I would visit this place very often. I want to say thank you to the owner and staff for such a wonderful experience. I’ll do my best to plan another trip to Portland just to come back.
F V
One word: AMAZING. My husband and I ordered the raw scallops with grapefruit, mint and olive oil and we loved it, it really is a MUST TRY. Then, we ordered the frois grass which was also delicious, the chicory salad (simple but with well achieved flavors) and the mussels. For dessert, a chocolate mouss with hazelnut, salt and olive oil that we also loved. Really 10/10. Very good food and service. I would recommend it to anyone ✨
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Rainey
Came all the way from Florida and Madeline made us feel so welcomed she had so many great recommendations and went above and beyond with her service. The food was amazing, everything was so unique and tasted so fresh and delicious! Thank you Wayside for such a warm welcome and Madeline thank you for everything ! ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Burk
One of the best spots in Portland. Food is perfectly curated, cocktails are spot on and the staff is unbelievably friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cod Cheek
Paula Jeannet
An exceptional restaurant and one of the best dinners we've ever had (and we're big foodies!). The chef is inventive and knows how to expertly balance the flavors of the dishes, using outstanding fresh ingredients. The menu, which changes seasonally, is amazing. Be prepared for a big bill, but every bite or sip is worth it, as are the surroundings. We had fresh oysters, the halibut with roasted mushrooms, perfectly cooked, in an exquisite madeira sauce, and the asparagus with crab, also super good. The wine and drinks list is interesting and diverse - instead of dessert we selected a lovely Italian bitter digestive, Averna, from a list of a dozen or so. The setting is a 19th century home with lots of wood and stained glass, with romantic interior dining rooms and a variety of seating. The staff were kind and accommodating to a limited-mobility family member. We felt welcomed and well-cared for. After your meal, enjoy a stroll and the fabulous historical homes in this West End neighborhood. This is a special-occasion restaurant - don't miss it if you're visiting Portland!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Broiled Oysters
Ashlae W
My husband and I had a lovely dinner here while visiting Portland. They were able to accommodate dietary restrictions for our baby (no honey or added sugar), which was unexpected but so appreciated. The space itself is cozy and gorgeous. And the food is divine.. generous portions and bursting with flavor. Our server Travis was lovely. 11/10!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jessica Ponte
Truly the best meal I’ve had in recent memory. I didn’t want to stop eating because everything was so delicious. There was not one single item ordered that was not delicious! (Oysters, clams, foie gras , asparagus, caviar scallop, steak, halibut, schnitzel, pasta 🤤) And between the 5 of us we ordered A LOT. I can’t wait to go back. Also I have to mention that our service was absolutely wonderful from the moment we walked in the door. I wish I remembered our waiters name (tall, slender young man with a mustache and dark hair). We were your 8pm table of 5 on 10-10-24…. You were fantastic! Thank you for putting up with us and giving such wonderful service. Truly cannot say enough good things. 🔥🔥🔥
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Emma Huntoon
My favorite restaurant in Portland and probably the world (bold but!). Not only have I never had a miss on anything I’ve ordered, the consistency between visits is unmatched. Drinks are fire, food is incredible, staff is super nice and helpful.
Had a fantastic time here while visiting Portland! The food is thoughtful and truly delicious, the vibe is cozy and fun and the service was friendly and genuine. Great wine list and probably the best tiramisu I’ve ever had! Can’t wait to come back!
Favorite restaurant in America, period. Portland is a destination for us bc of how much we love Wayside! Best staff, best atmosphere, mortadella for days.
Wow, what an excellent meal! Everything was delicious. I had the special which was a pork sausage ragu with homemade fettuccine noodle. He had steak and puréed potatoes. Also I had a scallop and a piece of beer battered cod—best ever! Then we got chocolate hazelnut mousse for dessert. Luckily the server warned us not to get two. It was HUGE! We struggled to split it, but it was so delicious we pushed through. To drink, I had a lovely Old Fashioned.
Wow! If you’re looking for a lively yet ambient setting for a refined menu and extensive wine list (the cocktails were excellent too), then this is the place! I recommend the garlic clams, cod cheek, and salt cod mantecato to start. For entrées, go for the roast chicken on focaccia - this was amazing. They also had some exciting specials, including a fennel sausage ragu that I ended up ordering. My one critique would be for the desserts. They seemed to be thrown together without the same care that was shown with the appetizers and mains. Overall, great service, energy, and food. Thank you!
This place was recommended to me by a friend and we shared a steak, fish as well as some dessert. Having lived for a very long time in Europe, I tend to be snobbish about my food. I have been to Lyon, France and other locations where I have experienced top notch cuisine, but this has been a once in a lifetime experience (which I'm looking forward to repeating). Food was prepared a point, looked great and tasted finestkind. The sauces served with them were great and walked exactly along that fine edge of acidic, sweet and subtle enhancement you want to give your culinary adventure that extra kick. The waiters knew what they were talking about and the ambience was cosy and private. All in all my best experience so far. It is pricey, but from my pov very much worth the money. Thanx to all of you people for this experience.
It doesn’t get much better for a cozy upscale restaurant. The perfect color palette and greenery paired with fantastic service and food that melts in the mouth, no matter what you order. Highly suggest for any occasion but always lovely for a birthday or get together.
I was initially skeptical because the Tavern had a number of reservations available on a long-weekend Saturday night.
Dumb, right?
What a great experience. I recommend the Sazerac, if you're into that kind of thing. The clams Casino, oysters, and crudo were all excellent, and the scallops are a dish I won't soon forget.
The asparagus was also extremely tasty, as was the steak au poivre.
Whomever does the sauces really, really knows what they're doing.
Overall, a wonderful dinner. Service was relaxed, attentive, knowledgable and personable. And the atmosphere was calm and fun, without being overly loud.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of leaving reviews after dining at a restaurant, but I’m going to make an exception for this place. The food I had here could easily rank in the top 10 meals I’ve ever had at a restaurant. Everything was so flavorful, fresh, and well-made, yet fairly priced. The only downside is that I live too far away from Portland; otherwise, I would visit this place very often. I want to say thank you to the owner and staff for such a wonderful experience. I’ll do my best to plan another trip to Portland just to come back.
One word: AMAZING. My husband and I ordered the raw scallops with grapefruit, mint and olive oil and we loved it, it really is a MUST TRY. Then, we ordered the frois grass which was also delicious, the chicory salad (simple but with well achieved flavors) and the mussels. For dessert, a chocolate mouss with hazelnut, salt and olive oil that we also loved. Really 10/10. Very good food and service. I would recommend it to anyone ✨
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came all the way from Florida and Madeline made us feel so welcomed she had so many great recommendations and went above and beyond with her service. The food was amazing, everything was so unique and tasted so fresh and delicious! Thank you Wayside for such a warm welcome and Madeline thank you for everything ! ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best spots in Portland. Food is perfectly curated, cocktails are spot on and the staff is unbelievably friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cod Cheek
An exceptional restaurant and one of the best dinners we've ever had (and we're big foodies!). The chef is inventive and knows how to expertly balance the flavors of the dishes, using outstanding fresh ingredients. The menu, which changes seasonally, is amazing. Be prepared for a big bill, but every bite or sip is worth it, as are the surroundings.
We had fresh oysters, the halibut with roasted mushrooms, perfectly cooked, in an exquisite madeira sauce, and the asparagus with crab, also super good. The wine and drinks list is interesting and diverse - instead of dessert we selected a lovely Italian bitter digestive, Averna, from a list of a dozen or so.
The setting is a 19th century home with lots of wood and stained glass, with romantic interior dining rooms and a variety of seating. The staff were kind and accommodating to a limited-mobility family member. We felt welcomed and well-cared for. After your meal, enjoy a stroll and the fabulous historical homes in this West End neighborhood.
This is a special-occasion restaurant - don't miss it if you're visiting Portland!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Broiled Oysters
My husband and I had a lovely dinner here while visiting Portland. They were able to accommodate dietary restrictions for our baby (no honey or added sugar), which was unexpected but so appreciated. The space itself is cozy and gorgeous. And the food is divine.. generous portions and bursting with flavor. Our server Travis was lovely. 11/10!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Truly the best meal I’ve had in recent memory. I didn’t want to stop eating because everything was so delicious. There was not one single item ordered that was not delicious! (Oysters, clams, foie gras , asparagus, caviar scallop, steak, halibut, schnitzel, pasta 🤤)
And between the 5 of us we ordered A LOT. I can’t wait to go back.
Also I have to mention that our service was absolutely wonderful from the moment we walked in the door. I wish I remembered our waiters name (tall, slender young man with a mustache and dark hair). We were your 8pm table of 5 on 10-10-24…. You were fantastic! Thank you for putting up with us and giving such wonderful service.
Truly cannot say enough good things. 🔥🔥🔥
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My favorite restaurant in Portland and probably the world (bold but!). Not only have I never had a miss on anything I’ve ordered, the consistency between visits is unmatched. Drinks are fire, food is incredible, staff is super nice and helpful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Chicken, Broiled Oysters, Dry Aged Rib Steak, Cod Cheek, Foie Gras Truffles, Chocolate Mousse
Had a fantastic time here while visiting Portland! The food is thoughtful and truly delicious, the vibe is cozy and fun and the service was friendly and genuine. Great wine list and probably the best tiramisu I’ve ever had! Can’t wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Broiled Oysters, Tiramisu, Cod Cheek
Favorite restaurant in America, period. Portland is a destination for us bc of how much we love Wayside! Best staff, best atmosphere, mortadella for days.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Wow, what an excellent meal! Everything was delicious. I had the special which was a pork sausage ragu with homemade fettuccine noodle. He had steak and puréed potatoes. Also I had a scallop and a piece of beer battered cod—best ever! Then we got chocolate hazelnut mousse for dessert. Luckily the server warned us not to get two. It was HUGE! We struggled to split it, but it was so delicious we pushed through. To drink, I had a lovely Old Fashioned.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Broiled Oysters, Cod Cheek, Chocolate Mousse
Wow! If you’re looking for a lively yet ambient setting for a refined menu and extensive wine list (the cocktails were excellent too), then this is the place! I recommend the garlic clams, cod cheek, and salt cod mantecato to start. For entrées, go for the roast chicken on focaccia - this was amazing. They also had some exciting specials, including a fennel sausage ragu that I ended up ordering. My one critique would be for the desserts. They seemed to be thrown together without the same care that was shown with the appetizers and mains. Overall, great service, energy, and food. Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Chicken, Marinated Littleneck Clams, Cod Cheek
This place was recommended to me by a friend and we shared a steak, fish as well as some dessert. Having lived for a very long time in Europe, I tend to be snobbish about my food. I have been to Lyon, France and other locations where I have experienced top notch cuisine, but this has been a once in a lifetime experience (which I'm looking forward to repeating). Food was prepared a point, looked great and tasted finestkind. The sauces served with them were great and walked exactly along that fine edge of acidic, sweet and subtle enhancement you want to give your culinary adventure that extra kick. The waiters knew what they were talking about and the ambience was cosy and private. All in all my best experience so far.
It is pricey, but from my pov very much worth the money.
Thanx to all of you people for this experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Dry Aged Rib Steak, Monkfish Chop, Chocolate Mousse
It doesn’t get much better for a cozy upscale restaurant. The perfect color palette and greenery paired with fantastic service and food that melts in the mouth, no matter what you order. Highly suggest for any occasion but always lovely for a birthday or get together.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Broiled Oysters, Dry Aged Rib Steak, Cod Cheek
I was initially skeptical because the Tavern had a number of reservations available on a long-weekend Saturday night.
Dumb, right?
What a great experience. I recommend the Sazerac, if you're into that kind of thing. The clams Casino, oysters, and crudo were all excellent, and the scallops are a dish I won't soon forget.
The asparagus was also extremely tasty, as was the steak au poivre.
Whomever does the sauces really, really knows what they're doing.
Overall, a wonderful dinner. Service was relaxed, attentive, knowledgable and personable. And the atmosphere was calm and fun, without being overly loud.
Would heartily recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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