Portrait House

This place is inconsistent. I keep coming back because I love Ethiopian. I end up eating here 2 to 3 times a month, not often enough to be a regular but often enough to be able to agree with the good and bad reviews here. When it’s good, it’s really good and it’s never so bad that I give up. I appreciate that their injera doesn’t contain wheat. The vegan duo is awesome (most of the time) nice and spicy! The servers are usually nice and attentive (but not always) and the food can take no time or it can take a while. For reference, it definitely takes less time than when it was Nile down at VCU. I will totally keep going and recommend it with the caveat that they might have an off night (or morning if you go for brunch).

Wow, I can’t believe this place has any reviews that are less than stellar! My boyfriend and I love coming here. He likes the amazing beer selection and I like that there’s good healthy vegetarian food. We usually split the 5 piece veggie plate and even the meat eater approves. Misir Wat is my favorite. The Gomen and Fasolia are really good veggies. I think the other two things we get are Aterkik Alicha and Shiro. The veggie plate is a pretty light meal for two so we usually split an appetizer of Katena or Sambusa. Stay away from the Ayib Tikel unless you are into pimento cheese. It’s the only thing I’ve had there that I didn’t like.
The only reason I give four stars is because of the bathroom situation. One guys room and one ladies room. Not enough for a bar full of people especially when one is having issues.
OH and did I mention they have a big patio which is great for Carytown people watching and they allow dogs. Great place to chill during nice weather days.

YO, this place.
First can I say Dave is adorable? A-​DORABLE. Dave is so cute. And friendly. And helpful. And sooooo cute.
The bar has a Twin Peak-​ish vibe that I liked, wasn’t at any point too crowded, and the service was fast and on point. I had the salmon wrap which was pretty baller, minus I had to eat it with a fork, which is maybe just my own American ignorance or misuse of the word «wrap». Or both. Either way, it was good, and not that expensive.
I had the Devils Backbone something and Alpine something beers. Both delicious; and sweet, cute, amazing Dave let me taste a whole bunch. He looks like Agent Dale Cooper, he really does. Anyways, I met some cool people while I was there, ranging from age 26 – 61. I’m having donuts with the 61 year old tomorrow. The music was really great and just generally a cool, chill vibe in a cool area of town. I don’t know why this place doesn’t have better reviews because obviously my experience is the only one that matters and I highly recommend it. I might go back tomorrow! YOU SHOULD COME!

Just enjoyed a few beers here with a friend one Tuesday night. When we walked in around 8pm the place had only a few people but by 10:00 it was pretty busy with over 20 people and it was a rainy night. The bartenders were friendly and always noticed if our cups were empty. They offered samples and advice to help us make a decision. I have not eaten here so I cannot speak to the food but the atmosphere was nice for a few drinks. The bathroom was clean, looked like they had recently replaced the bathroom stall door and it was very sturdy. Nothing like a flimsy bathroom door to keep you nervously wondering if someone will accidentally bust in on you when your cheeks are in the seat. No worries about that at Portrait House. I will definitely be returning to try their food

The Ethiopian food here is not very good. Specifically, I take issue with the Misir Wot, which as everyone should know, is the anchor of any veggie combo at any Ethiopian restaurant anywhere. Maybe we caught them on a bad day, but the Misir was disgusting. It was completely bland — no berbere, no onion, nothing. It was like eating dry raw unseasoned lentils out of a bag (or how I would imagine that to be — I don’t do that of course).
The rest of the items were not bad, but like I said Misir Wot is the anchor and if you mess that up it is game over.

Great front patio, perfect for people watching in Carytown. Dark interior with portion currently under construction. Friendly bartenders. Good beer list.
Interesting that the food is Ethiopian. Seems an odd mix for an American bar setting.

I went last night for date night and was pleasantly surprised by the food! I’ve been before the re-​branding and I love that they have brought Ethiopian to Cary Town! We went for their date night special and it was such a good deal! We were offered an app, dinner, a dessert and two tickets to the Byrd for $ 25 or we could add a bottle of house wine for another $ 10. We decided to go with the non-​alcoholic option and it was amazing. We started with the sambusas, which were a fantastic choice with the well seasoned meat and two unique sauces. For our entrée we went with two meat and three veg options (mushrooms, peas and split peas). The beef and mushroom options were outrageously delicious. The flavors were amazing and we are still talking about them. The others were all good, but not amazing. The injera was definitely made in house! For our dessert we selected the cheesecake which was pretty standard but still great.
The service was really the standout here. Our server was super sweet and even allowed my table (and another) move to another quieter section because of a terribly noisy group of woooooo girls.
I would absolutely come back for their date night special. It’s an amazing deal for good food and amazing service.

Just so-​so. The wine and beer list is extensive; definitely a great restaurant for good libations as well. However, the food was pretty bland and unexciting. Not spicy, not tangy, and none of the usual complex flavors to be found in Ethiopian food. If you’re looking for good Ethiopian food, look elsewhere.

Food is OK, nothing special. Unusual for bar food. Beer selection is generally pretty good. However, the bartender decided to add $ 4 to the tip that I gave (on an $ 8 tab). Tried to give the benefit of the doubt, and went down there (I still had the copy of my receipt). Was told a manager would contact me. Still waiting. Not worth my $ 4 to pursue, but plenty of other places with better food and beer that will charge you what you authorized. I won’t be back.

Ruined Ethiopian food for me!!!
I love Ethiopian food and go to Addis all the time. I was so excited to hear we would have that food right here in Cartown. So it took a little while but finally got an opportunity to take my whole family. There were 7 of us all soon to be disappointed customers. So bad I don’t know where to start… Took forever to be served tiny portions of lukewarm food, bland food. It all tasted like the same 3 spices but had no salt.oh. There were only three tables with customers. Did I say it’s not cheep? Great bar but eat someplace else

I love Cary street and trying new things so when I saw this cool restaurant offering Ethiopian food I had to stop in. Really different experience for me to eat my food using this type of spongy flat bread rather than a fork. Food was really good, loved my salad. Service was really friendly. They walked me through my first Ethiopian food experience.

My friend and I had dinner in the Ethiopian restaurant portion of Portrait House. Many items on their menu were vegetarian/​vegan friendly, which we both appreciated. We had salad, soup of the day, and a crêpe-​like cheese app. Everything was decent, but had an overwhelming taste of ginger… which could be a great thing if you are a big fan of ginger. The meal was decent, but not great, however, the ingredients tasted fresh.

Cool and genuinely nice staff, delicious savory Ethiopian food, spacious yet cozy bar, and a large variety of craft beers that will blow your mind. They also serve spirits and mixed drinks as well. Love the place, people, food, and beer! Also, the music that’s generally played – whether it’s just coming from the bar or from the various Djs that come through there– is decidedly not any of that top 40s crap.

We travel all the way from Virginia beach to eat amazing Ethiopian food! Been visiting these guys for the past 5 years! Every time my son visits from San Diego he insists we make the trip! So worth the trip. Great cultural experience to eat without silverware and the owners are super cool! A must visit spot!

I’ve only been for drinks so that’s all this review is based on. As for this, though I was satisfied with my experience. They have a very solid draft list with very reasonable prices. Several bottle and can options as well and a full bar. The place is quirky and fun and the workers were all very friendly. My only wish would be that they had non-​single bathrooms but you can’t have everything! Stop by for drinks with friends.

The new food is a disappointing change. The American fare was exceptional and the Ethiopian is a let down. I always loved the environment, but the food change has changed the crowd and the servers. The service isn’t what it used to be and I feel that I won’t miss not coming here anymore.

I came here for a International Supper Club dinner, since we heard that Portrait House was now serving Ethiopian fare from the former Nile restaurant.
It was a little strange eating Ethiopian food in the atmosphere of an American bar, but perhaps they will renovate?
The food itself was good, but the wait was a bit long, and the portions were only modest, especially given the price.
Our waitress was very friendly and attentive though, so service is okay.
I will give Portrait House a little time to work through its transition, but for Ethiopian food, I think I will stick to Addis for the time being.

I hate to be a bummer, but I’m sitting here right now and feeling mad neglected. I’ve seen servers come and go on the patio and none of them have stopped to ask if I would like anything. In fact, everything we’ve ordered at my table of 6 has had us all walking inside to order it. My friend wanted pizza and was told that there pizza oven is down?! We will be going to mellow mushroom down the street to get what we want. Terrible, terrible service. Some people get waitresses and some don’t. So weird. Beautiful bar, beautiful fun location. Please get nicer more attentive waitstaff.
My friend had tofu buffalo nuggets that she said were good, but when tried them they looked and tasted frozen. I hope to return and get better service. :(

I ordered the pizza and it was pretty good.
It was packed the night I went, which is nice to see a restaurant surviving this location.
The service was okay.

Portrait House is great for a quick bite when Belmont Pizzeria is closed. It replaces Blow Toad (which just «blew»).
The pizza is descent enough, but nothing spectacular. The crust is really thin and feels like it will fall apart. The sauce is tangy and nice, and the cheese is ample. If you get a pizza for takeout, they will stack the slices a bit, and that’s disappointing.
Overall, the service and venue are pretty nice. It can get crowded when the drinking crowds start coming out. My preference is for non-​peak hours.

My go-​to spot for a casual beer in Carytown! I only know Portrait House for their beers and small plates, but I am definitely a fan! I try to snag a spot at one of the picnic tables on the outdoor patio (smoking is allowed on the patio, FYI); the outdoor patio is a great way to meet people since everyone is scrunched next to each other. If you end up sitting outside, you need to order inside but they’ll bring out the food for you.
Love me some Allagash White, Hardywood Singel, and Bold Rock cider (all on tap but they might rotate beers seasonally); they have roughly 10 beers total on tap so I’m sure everyone can find something that suits their fancy. I’ve only ordered the curly fries and onion rings food-​wise but portions are quite generous and they totally hit the spot! Onion rings are some of the best I’ve had around — not heavily breaded so you can still taste the onion AND the onion doesn’t slide out of the breading so you get a perfect, clean bite. They do charge $ 1 for specialty sauces which is somewhat annoying but they’re worth it. I highly recommend the bourbon-​mustard sauce — addicting!
If you’re looking for a casual night in Carytown or need a spot to chill at before hitting the Byrd Theatre, then stop by Portrait House!