Love the experience here! We came here about 9 months ago, and I was obsessed with the squash toast. They didn’t have that on the menu this time but the jalapeño popper burger was amazing!!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Squash Toast
Justin Gross
Impeccable & inventive. Excellent on every level.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Shawn Stender
What an experience! Don’t listen to all the reviews from folks saying it’s “overpriced” as this trend is just ridiculous—Xiao Ye is the definition of you get what you pay for. The service and ambiance is top tier; the restaurant is staffed extremely well and every person was super attentive and nice. Our server also had great food and drink recommendations.As for the food/drinks: I thought everything was stellar. Standouts were the mini Madeleines (I could eat about 50 of these) and the truffle Mac n cheese (so worth the up charge for fresh shaved truffle). The salads and cocktails were also all amazing and complex. My only gripe was the “Jolyn’s favorite noodles” lacked some flavor/spice for somebody that eats a lot of Asian noodles, but they were still a textural triumph imo.I definitely will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Squash Toast
Benjamin Amundson
The best dining experience I have ever had. The food was incredible. Every bite felt like a dream but the service made the whole experience magical. The ambience, the setting, everything was beautifully experiential but not in a way that made you feel out of place or was pretentious. That is such a rarity and this place is a gem. Im ready to go back today!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Half Fried Chicken N Slaw, Dungeness Crab
Arjav Ezekiel
Great addition to the Portland food scene!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mia T.
Wanted to love... but mostly felt like this place was just "decent" and nothing wowed us, especially given the price. I don't like to complain about price usually, I work in the industry and I know how much care and labor it takes to have a scratch kitchen, and why food prices are so high. However, I think if they are high the food should be pretty damn good. Jolyn's noodles are $23 - for literally plain noodles and sesame sauce. No veg, meat, toppings... it's almost insulting once you taste them and realize how underwhelming they are. They definitely needed something - either chili oil, lime or vinegar. This felt like something I could have made at home, and maybe that's the point? But it's not the experience I want when I go out. The crab arroz was definitely good. Confit albacore was also underwhelming and a bit boring to me. Fried half chicken was good. Overall, most of what we ate was good, nothing was bad, but again, at that price point... I kinda of want to walk away feeling like I had an incredible meal when I spent $100. Also, side note... my friend who I went out with got food poisoning. The only thing he ate that I didn't was the butter basted chicken hearts. Service was great, however I do think their team could use some training on explaining the service style to their tables. Would have been great to have some guidance around how many dishes to order etc. without having to ask. Just adds to the fine dining "atmosphere" they are so clearly trying to create. Same with the check, closing out on a handheld feels really casual and they also didn't print a bill for me. Very casual vibe at a "fine dining" price point.
Zoe
Always thought it’s unfair to check the one star reviews before trying a new restaurant. So I didn’t, but I wish I did. So you’re reading this review, please take this and other low rating reviews to heart.
Jean H.
Food was well prepared and seasoned, interesting and very tasty. We loved the madeleines and albacore appetizer and will be back for the radicchio salad and rigatoni. Both truly memorable. Great service from warm people. Overall a lovely experience.
Kim L.
Xiao Ye describes their menu as First Generation American Food. As a First Gen American myself, their menu did hit the nail on the head on the confusing and never-ending identity crisis we first gens experience in America. Xiao Ye had me eating Mexican tostada, French chicken hearts and Madeleine's for appetizers and Italian pasta and salad with Chinese XO sauce as mains. It was a melting pot of dishes and didn't really feel like a cohesive meal tbh but I did enjoy some of the dishes on their own. The chicken hearts were bathed in a herby rosemary oil which tasted really good with the bread they served it with(4/5). The mini madeleine's were reminiscent of the crunchy parts of freshly baked muffins(5/5). The macaroni al tartufo tasted like an elevated Mac & cheese(3/5). Confit albacore was a refreshing palette cleanser but not that interesting so I would pass(2/5). Radicchio & winter citrus salad was overly salty and saucy(2/5). Anything fried is good so the tempura fried sardines wasn't that unique(3/5). Of the ice creams I liked the navel orange sorbet and black sesame gelato best. Parsnip ice cream had an odd taste so wouldn't get it. This hodgepodge of a menu was served in a pretty cozy and homey feeling space with Scandinavian style interiors. I left this meal feeling a little confused but somewhat satisfied.
Kim G.
Always happy to discover a new neighborhood restaurant. Located in the Hollywood district, Xiao Ye, which means midnight snacks and brands themselves as a 2nd generation family serving food they grew up eating late at night, offers a mix of Asian and Italian Roman dishes. I know, right? We were encouraged to select from various hot and cold appetizers and larger plates, all meant to share, but we found it difficult to find dishes that "worked" together to complete a meal. The options seemed very random - madeleines (small cakes) with a whipped butter, chicken hearts, fried sardines, rigatoni amatriciana, Thai snapper. We decided to forgo small plates and shared an order of rigatoni amatriciana. This is one of the 4 classic pasta dishes of Rome and their version was spot on! I absolutely loved it and could eat it every day! Even passed my compliments on to the chef. The rigatoni had the perfect bite, the simple red sauce punctuated with crisp, rendered guancale was delicious. it was expensive for a pasta dish at $26, especially since the portions are not large. with a 20% tip, this dish alone is $31. We also shared the half fried chicken ($48) that came with celeriac slaw (we didn't care for the overpowering seasonings), pickled veggies (another miss) and a delicious Japanese sweet potato that was over the top good thanks to the miso butter giving it an Unami flavor that perfectly complimented the natural sweetness Of the potato. The chicken was possibly poached and then quickly fried to get the outer, naked skin crisp. While the skin was delicious, the meat was dry. This chicken was served over white rice with a very intense curry sauce that they poured over the chicken table side. We saw this being done at another table And asked to keep ours on the side. This turned out to be a good move since it was too strong for our taste. We shared the orange sorbet for dessert to cleanse our palettes. Again, the price was high ($7.50) for one small scoop. Service was wonderful! Everyone was friendly, full of smiles, and accommodated our requests. Inside is very cozy, several tables, a small bar area, and pan open chefs counter which I always enjoy. Adding to the quaintness and feeling of eating in one's own kitchen, the dishes were mismatched and came in a variety of charming patterns. We each had Cab Franc to go with our meal and the wine was fabulous and reasonably priced. They originally brought tiny, narrow juice glasses for the wine, which are quaint, but not appropriate for a big red which needs room to breathe. They accommodated my request to bring out larger wine glasses, which were still on the small and narrow size. Hopefully, over time, they will get proper wine stemware as it truly makes a difference, affecting the taste of the wine. Overall, I give them a 3.5 - 4 stars, but since I can't give half stars, I'll go with the 4. They are new and still have some kinks to work out. if I go back, I'll make it simple and order the rigatoni and a glass of Cab Franc And know I'll be satisfied. Sgreet parking is available on NE 38th right off Sandy if you are driving. It's the previous Beauty & The Beast pet grooming sight, the old sign still there.
Fantastic little spot in Hollywood PDX - great fusion of flavors from Italian classics with a bit of Asian influence.
Parker Caldwell
What a great dining experience! They don’t pull any punches when it comes to the quality and diversity of their ingredients or the creativity of their dishes. We ate at the chef’s table offering counter seating in view of the open-concept kitchen and it was an awesome added element watching the professionalism, care, and craftsmanship the crew puts into each dish. The wait staff is incredibly friendly and attentive as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Japanese Sweet Potato, Half Fried Chicken N Slaw, Sorbet and Ice Cream Desserts
Laurel W.
Everything was so delicious. The cocktails are also fantastic. Our server was attentive and funny, and timed our dishes to come out perfectly. What a great evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jolyn's Favorite Noodles V 1, Madeleines, Japanese Sweet Potato, Half Fried Chicken N Slaw, Macaroni Al Tartufo
Jocelin Pan
Wow that radicchio salad. Damn! Love the whole snapper, squash toast, and the “risotto” too! I’d skip the noodles personally, but what a delicious meal!
Max Davidson
Amazing new spot in the neighborhood - inventive food in a cute space with good people.
Love the experience here! We came here about 9 months ago, and I was obsessed with the squash toast. They didn’t have that on the menu this time but the jalapeño popper burger was amazing!!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Squash Toast
Impeccable & inventive. Excellent on every level.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What an experience! Don’t listen to all the reviews from folks saying it’s “overpriced” as this trend is just ridiculous—Xiao Ye is the definition of you get what you pay for. The service and ambiance is top tier; the restaurant is staffed extremely well and every person was super attentive and nice. Our server also had great food and drink recommendations.As for the food/drinks: I thought everything was stellar. Standouts were the mini Madeleines (I could eat about 50 of these) and the truffle Mac n cheese (so worth the up charge for fresh shaved truffle). The salads and cocktails were also all amazing and complex. My only gripe was the “Jolyn’s favorite noodles” lacked some flavor/spice for somebody that eats a lot of Asian noodles, but they were still a textural triumph imo.I definitely will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Squash Toast
The best dining experience I have ever had. The food was incredible. Every bite felt like a dream but the service made the whole experience magical. The ambience, the setting, everything was beautifully experiential but not in a way that made you feel out of place or was pretentious. That is such a rarity and this place is a gem. Im ready to go back today!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Half Fried Chicken N Slaw, Dungeness Crab
Great addition to the Portland food scene!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wanted to love... but mostly felt like this place was just "decent" and nothing wowed us, especially given the price. I don't like to complain about price usually, I work in the industry and I know how much care and labor it takes to have a scratch kitchen, and why food prices are so high. However, I think if they are high the food should be pretty damn good. Jolyn's noodles are $23 - for literally plain noodles and sesame sauce. No veg, meat, toppings... it's almost insulting once you taste them and realize how underwhelming they are. They definitely needed something - either chili oil, lime or vinegar. This felt like something I could have made at home, and maybe that's the point? But it's not the experience I want when I go out. The crab arroz was definitely good. Confit albacore was also underwhelming and a bit boring to me. Fried half chicken was good. Overall, most of what we ate was good, nothing was bad, but again, at that price point... I kinda of want to walk away feeling like I had an incredible meal when I spent $100. Also, side note... my friend who I went out with got food poisoning. The only thing he ate that I didn't was the butter basted chicken hearts. Service was great, however I do think their team could use some training on explaining the service style to their tables. Would have been great to have some guidance around how many dishes to order etc. without having to ask. Just adds to the fine dining "atmosphere" they are so clearly trying to create. Same with the check, closing out on a handheld feels really casual and they also didn't print a bill for me. Very casual vibe at a "fine dining" price point.
Always thought it’s unfair to check the one star reviews before trying a new restaurant. So I didn’t, but I wish I did. So you’re reading this review, please take this and other low rating reviews to heart.
Food was well prepared and seasoned, interesting and very tasty. We loved the madeleines and albacore appetizer and will be back for the radicchio salad and rigatoni. Both truly memorable. Great service from warm people. Overall a lovely experience.
Xiao Ye describes their menu as First Generation American Food. As a First Gen American myself, their menu did hit the nail on the head on the confusing and never-ending identity crisis we first gens experience in America. Xiao Ye had me eating Mexican tostada, French chicken hearts and Madeleine's for appetizers and Italian pasta and salad with Chinese XO sauce as mains. It was a melting pot of dishes and didn't really feel like a cohesive meal tbh but I did enjoy some of the dishes on their own. The chicken hearts were bathed in a herby rosemary oil which tasted really good with the bread they served it with(4/5). The mini madeleine's were reminiscent of the crunchy parts of freshly baked muffins(5/5). The macaroni al tartufo tasted like an elevated Mac & cheese(3/5). Confit albacore was a refreshing palette cleanser but not that interesting so I would pass(2/5). Radicchio & winter citrus salad was overly salty and saucy(2/5). Anything fried is good so the tempura fried sardines wasn't that unique(3/5). Of the ice creams I liked the navel orange sorbet and black sesame gelato best. Parsnip ice cream had an odd taste so wouldn't get it. This hodgepodge of a menu was served in a pretty cozy and homey feeling space with Scandinavian style interiors. I left this meal feeling a little confused but somewhat satisfied.
Always happy to discover a new neighborhood restaurant. Located in the Hollywood district, Xiao Ye, which means midnight snacks and brands themselves as a 2nd generation family serving food they grew up eating late at night, offers a mix of Asian and Italian Roman dishes. I know, right? We were encouraged to select from various hot and cold appetizers and larger plates, all meant to share, but we found it difficult to find dishes that "worked" together to complete a meal. The options seemed very random - madeleines (small cakes) with a whipped butter, chicken hearts, fried sardines, rigatoni amatriciana, Thai snapper. We decided to forgo small plates and shared an order of rigatoni amatriciana. This is one of the 4 classic pasta dishes of Rome and their version was spot on! I absolutely loved it and could eat it every day! Even passed my compliments on to the chef. The rigatoni had the perfect bite, the simple red sauce punctuated with crisp, rendered guancale was delicious. it was expensive for a pasta dish at $26, especially since the portions are not large. with a 20% tip, this dish alone is $31. We also shared the half fried chicken ($48) that came with celeriac slaw (we didn't care for the overpowering seasonings), pickled veggies (another miss) and a delicious Japanese sweet potato that was over the top good thanks to the miso butter giving it an Unami flavor that perfectly complimented the natural sweetness Of the potato. The chicken was possibly poached and then quickly fried to get the outer, naked skin crisp. While the skin was delicious, the meat was dry. This chicken was served over white rice with a very intense curry sauce that they poured over the chicken table side. We saw this being done at another table And asked to keep ours on the side. This turned out to be a good move since it was too strong for our taste. We shared the orange sorbet for dessert to cleanse our palettes. Again, the price was high ($7.50) for one small scoop. Service was wonderful! Everyone was friendly, full of smiles, and accommodated our requests. Inside is very cozy, several tables, a small bar area, and pan open chefs counter which I always enjoy. Adding to the quaintness and feeling of eating in one's own kitchen, the dishes were mismatched and came in a variety of charming patterns. We each had Cab Franc to go with our meal and the wine was fabulous and reasonably priced. They originally brought tiny, narrow juice glasses for the wine, which are quaint, but not appropriate for a big red which needs room to breathe. They accommodated my request to bring out larger wine glasses, which were still on the small and narrow size. Hopefully, over time, they will get proper wine stemware as it truly makes a difference, affecting the taste of the wine. Overall, I give them a 3.5 - 4 stars, but since I can't give half stars, I'll go with the 4. They are new and still have some kinks to work out. if I go back, I'll make it simple and order the rigatoni and a glass of Cab Franc And know I'll be satisfied. Sgreet parking is available on NE 38th right off Sandy if you are driving. It's the previous Beauty & The Beast pet grooming sight, the old sign still there.
Restaurantji Recommends
Fantastic little spot in Hollywood PDX - great fusion of flavors from Italian classics with a bit of Asian influence.
What a great dining experience! They don’t pull any punches when it comes to the quality and diversity of their ingredients or the creativity of their dishes. We ate at the chef’s table offering counter seating in view of the open-concept kitchen and it was an awesome added element watching the professionalism, care, and craftsmanship the crew puts into each dish. The wait staff is incredibly friendly and attentive as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Madeleines, Japanese Sweet Potato, Half Fried Chicken N Slaw, Sorbet and Ice Cream Desserts
Everything was so delicious. The cocktails are also fantastic. Our server was attentive and funny, and timed our dishes to come out perfectly. What a great evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jolyn's Favorite Noodles V 1, Madeleines, Japanese Sweet Potato, Half Fried Chicken N Slaw, Macaroni Al Tartufo
Wow that radicchio salad. Damn! Love the whole snapper, squash toast, and the “risotto” too! I’d skip the noodles personally, but what a delicious meal!
Amazing new spot in the neighborhood - inventive food in a cute space with good people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5