North Light

I was scouring Unilocal for a special restaurant choice to dine with new friends and North Light did not disappoint! First of all, they take a reservation with very little effort through this site. It’s located in a hot spot area of North Portland where most restaurants do not. The atmosphere hints at a more fine dining yet comfortable vibe. The cocktails are a must start and the IPA is good, too. Between the four of us we ordered a rib plate, two chaos chicken plates and I had the wedge salad with steak. All were delicious and left just enough room to share the wonderful desserts. The service was perfect and made the night a great one! We will be back for brunch next time.

We went for an early dinner/​happy hour. The service was AMAZING, but the food was just okay. We got the advertised catfish sliders and they were missing a sauce that would tie the dish together. The veggie sliders were ok, but the patty was pretty mushy and didn’t make for the best burger. The buns seemed like they may have made them there and they were really tasty. The happy hour prices were fair.

Five stars all around. I enjoy this place so much. From the food & atmosphere to the staff, it’s great. I usually go in for happy hour after work (4 – 7) and it’s always top notch. The burger is easily one of the best burgers I’ve ever tasted and it’s really quite big for 6 dollars! My other favorite is the kale Caesar salad, and the daily soup has never failed to disappoint. If you’re in the are, or not, it’s definitely worth hitting up. Also, haven’t had the chance to try the brunch myself but I’ve heard amazing things!

I’ve gotta say, this is one of the better burgers I have had. Cooked perfectly medium rare — simple, but damn delicious.
We came here for brunch on New Years Day and they were obviously busier than they normally are, but they totally killed it on service. They comp’ed our first round of drinks since they took a year to come (classy) and when someone’s food came out cold he comp’ed that too and brought a new version out really quickly. We all appreciated the way they handled and made the best out of the situation! And I mean, I really can’t complain since my burger was perfect. The bloody mary was solid as well — spicy and delicious.
I’ve been here a few other times for drinks and came during Burger Week last year as well. This place has a cool sort of modern, clean vibe and doesn’t feel like the hipster Portland we’re used to (which, let’s be honest, is refreshing). I’m sure I’ll be back here again!

We had their Happy Hour for the first time last night. Amazing service! The burgers were cooked to perfection. My friend wasn’t sure which red wine to try so they offered her 2 different sample tastes. The ambiance– music, lighting, cleanliness, décor was everything I expect in a restaurant. The waitstaff was friendly, helpful, and attentive. Prices are very reasonable! I will definitely be returning for their dinner soon!

Ok so first off the place was off the charts cute and very inviting. We had the fried cheese curds all I can say is wow! I chose the General Tso chicken and he had the pork BBQ plate both were amazing. If that wasn’t good enough the beignets and coffee ice cream were THE best I’ve ever had. The chef came out and visited our table, she was just as wonderful as the food she prepared!!!
We cannot wait to come back!!!

Love this place and theirs apply hour burger! Cocktails are delicious, atmosphere is relaxed but upscale… something this neighborhood was seriously lacking before North Light showed up.
The staff is seriously warm, welcoming and friendly — a nice departure from the «you should be so lucky to eat here» attitude that plagues so many of Portland’s local eateries.
I have not been here for brunch yet, but I can’t wait to try it! Will update my review when I do.

Nice atmosphere, friendly service. Definitely worthwhile to check their specials board. The bacon, mushroom, gouda burger was good, big, juicy. Yummy! The Cubano was good, if a little dry. Good fries, I wouldn’t bother with the blue cheese stuffed tator tots again. They were fine but not addictive.
We have added this to our list of dinner spots.

I wanted to like it; the space is so cute and I love the neighborhood.
The menu was much different than what was on the Website. Many of the ingredients just seemed random. A house salad in «beer» dressing was so bitter as to be inedible. Fish sandwich was ok, but the pesto pasta was very oily and had a strange vinegary taste.

A small group of friends and I had dinner there on Halloween in celebration of a birthday. It is a nice space and the cocktail menu is pretty solid.
I started with the beet soup. The texture was perfect but it was way too spicy and I am not averse to spice. My main dish was the Pork BBQ plate and the meat was overcooked and dry — not in that long smoked loving way — in the Griswold turkey way. I liked the greens a lot.
Several at the table had the spicy queso mac and it was flavorful but the pasta was pretty obliterated even for baked mac.
Overall the food is not up to par for Portland and there are much better choices to be made in the same price range and the same neighborhood. If you want a cocktail in a nice hip space it might be worth a stop.

I’ve been here twice for happy hour. It’s always pretty quiet but I like it here. The staff is friendly and the menu is pretty good. I love their $ 5 Moscow during happy hour. Their kale salad is also yummy, and I’m obsessed with the Maple Balsamic, which I always order on the side. It’s a great flavor combo with just the perfect amount of sweetness. A great burger for a great price also!

Went to North Light last night as part of Portland’s Burger Week. North Light was participating which meant that the Smokey Joe burger was only $ 5!
We had a party of five and sat right down and our food came very quickly. The cream cheese on this burger was a game-​changer. I don’t know why we as a society aren’t putting cream cheese on more things. The fries were also very delicious; crispy to perfection. The bun was a little bread-​y, but was delicious nonetheless. The Cock and Bull ginger beer is a must have!

Were I affluent enough to think it reasonable to drop $ 12 (plus $ 1 for greens, which chafes) on a basic burger, I would likely become a frequent patron of North Light. Being instead a 20-​something stuck somewhere between nostalgic reflections for the structured hedonism of college complete with nightly ramen and natty, and daydreams of a professional existence that affordably allows twice-​daily sampling of the myriad gastrointestinal delights of Portland, I relegate this restaurant to the ever-​growing «happy hour only» section of my personal eatery index. This isn’t all bad though, because their happy hour is damn good.
$ 4 drafts and $ 1 off cocktails are nothing special, but their short list of happy hour food options is varied enough to appeal to most and the prices are great. Slice that $ 12 burger price in half and slap on some smoked gouda and greens for free and you’ve got yourself a filling a la carte dinner. Want something on the side? I suggest the $ 4 corn fritters with spiced honey, equal parts fried, savory, and doughnut.
The space is nice – high ceilings and walls made of windows give it a very open, fresh feel, but watch out for errant sunbeams as they tend to blind if you get unlucky in your seating angle. The staff tightropes perfectly between attentive-​but-​not-​pushy and relaxed-​but-​not-​informal, skills I wish I could export to my dating life – kidding, I don’t have a dating life, but if I did, I would be comfortable taking prospective partners to happy hour at North Light.

How hard is it for good to be great? Hard. Hoped for great (brunch) at this hip-​vibe neutral-​décor restaurant but it didn’t rise to it and fought hard to be good enough. The benedict of day (mushroom/​spinach with hollandaise sauce) had everything going for it except serving temperature (lukewarm would be generous). Service was slightly off and not excusable because it was Mother’s day, no (plenty of open tables). First, they forgot to offer kid’s menu for my 9-​yr old (check for having one, uncheck for not even mentioning it), then water came 15 mins into being seated, and finally lukewarm brunch plates after 25 minutes tells me our server was late to the kitchen train. Ugh, promise unfulfilled.

Potato puffs, SO GOOD
Braised seared parsnips, ehhh SKIP
Polenta, BOMB
Rainbow trout, DIVINE!
Their drinks are out of this world. I had a spicy drink with habaneros (don’t remember the name) that was one of the most creative and tastiest cocktails I’ve ever had.
Will definitely be back– especially since it’s right down the street!

Consistently good food at a very fair price where you don’t know to break the bank to receive a quality meal. I went today intending to just order a couple apps and a salad but after looking at their Restaurant Month selection, I was easily away to participate and I am happy I did! I ordered the beet salad, seared duck in cherry glaze (fall off bone tender), and the cheesecake. Everything was delicious. The décor is nice with a big patio and there’s also a good drink selection of wines, beers, and cocktails. This was my second visit and it’s been 2 for 2!

I was deeply impressed by North Light is past Saturday evening. While I did not have a martini (my key metric but since I had two large bourbons prior to arriving at North Light common sense for once took hold) but absent that all other aspect of the experience were terrific.
Service: Awesome; given some of the reviews I was surprised how prompt it was for us. A+
Atmosphere: Nice and bright with high ceilings but good acoustics so you can have a conversation. A
Food: Excellent. I was surprised by the considerable portions that were served. The main meals are generous. The steak salad was top flight. A
Price: Awesome; I did not pay. A+ (Prices are more than fair)
Parking: A challenge since the area was buzzing on the beautiful evening in February.
N/A…they do not control the parking.

I had a nice time here — I was treated well and the food and drink where yummy.
I had an ale and a glass of wine the first visit and their happy hour Potato Puffs. I highly recommend the Potato Puffs — it’s a fantastic, $ 3 snack that pairs perfectly with beverage. The second visit — the bartender fixed me a Shandy — -light beer some ginger beer, and lemonadge. Delish, although a little too refreshing for the cold, windy weather. Ha. It was well crafted. They recently updated their menu and I enjoyed some Buffalo Chili Fries-​the portion was perfect for a single person. It could have had more heat.
The inside décor is upscale, mod-​Standard Hotel style. It did lack a bit of character, but the lines are clean and the patio is very sleek.
Their restrooms are very fancy.
I think their music is turned up too loud for being vacant inside. I love music, but there’s a time and a place — for higher volumes. I could barely hear the bartender, the place was not filled, so it seemed the staff had it up for their preferences.

Another gem on Mississipi, this street just keeps getting better and better. Went here with a group of friends on a thursday night around 830, and there was plenty of seating available. They have an amazing outdoor patio which is perfect for summer evenings with the cool breeze. The service is impeccable. Its a new-​american fusion kind of place and they have an interesting menu. I got the roasted chicken breast which was excellent, slow cooked to perfection over 30 mins. They have an excellent number of beers on tap as well, I had the espresso stout which went well with my dinner.
Will definitely be back here, its a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy some great food.

Our poor server James had to man the restaurant solo for brunch Sunday, while another person inside did the cooking and bartending… and we had a group of 15 (the rest of the patio was full as well).
Although meals came before drinks, and some people were done eating before others got their food, everything tasted wonderful and we happily sat in the sun, not really caring what came when. I’ve worked in the industry and know how incredibly hard it is to work a crowd when you are short staffed and our guy remained calm and friendly and didn’t make any mistakes in our orders.
The best part of this place is the outdoor seating area. That and that they reserved a table for us and let us all pay separately. Again, James got all 15 tabs correct. The 2^nd best is their really good breakfast menu. It’s my favorite meal of the day and the biscuits and gravy I ordered made the cut!
My final compliment is that we were not forced to give the standard 18% tip on a large group, which earned James 20% from us.