It was a fabulous dinner, flawless from beginning to end! The cod was one of the best dishes I've had in many years. Cannot wait to go back. Thanks! read more

We have been here several times and I feel like the food was not up to par on our recent visit. Service was friendly as usual and our waiter tried to steer us to things we were likely to enjoy. Two of our dishes are best described as gloppy. The dandelion greens salad had very thick stalks and few leaves and was extremely tough. The dressing was good but there was far too much of it. I know dandelion is a bitter green but I feel it's a chef's job to balance that out, not drown it in goo. We also had a bluefish appetizer that was an off menu special. I thought it was OK, but I have certainly had better bluefish before in spite of the initial hype. Beef cheeks were nice and tender, but again were over-sauced so the effect was gloppy. Highlight of the night was the cod dish. Lovely, balanced flavors, fish was cooked to perfection. Chocolate pot for dessert was yummy. read more

Outstanding recommendation by not one, but 3 different locals! We did not have a reso, and our inn-keeper suggested we try a different night. However We live on the edge and decided to check it out anyway. As luck has it, two spots opened up as we arrived. What a cute little spot - intimate tables, low lighting - great for date night. We were seated on the long table by the bar with another group who was already eating. We aren't shy, so no problem with this. The Spanish G&T was recommended, so we tried it. LOVED it. Need to figure out how to replicate this at home! As for food, seriously seems like a place where you could close your eyes and point, and you wouldn't go wrong. We got 4-5 different things, all of which were better than the next. Inventive, unique dishes and flavors, all of which was fantastic. Loved this place! read more

Delicious and rustic. The food is worth the hike to the west end. It's unique and fun and it'll make you excited. The morcilla is pigs blood sausage in a fluffy puff that'll make anyone a believer in blood sausage. The mojama is surprising as a cured fish and not the raw form. its salty and the nuts add excellent texture. The lamb shank is incredible and succulent and falling apart. The vegetable is very good and interesting but it's a little oily for me and I'd recommend a crusty bread with it. Definitely make a reservation and enjoy a bottle of wine with a selection of a few dishes read more

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Amazing food! Such a special way to spend our anniversary dinner. Staff was so kind, all of them waving and saying thank you as we left.

Had my 50th birthday dinner here! Very cute place with ambiance. Food and drinks were great! And service was terrific.

Ambiance of local restaurant with excellent food. Friendly service, good wine list (for Portland), great food.

The chef is among the most creative in Portland, and there are always unique specials on the menu. Bar staff is fantastic. Wait staff is fantastic. Ambiance is very nice...beautiful and good lighting. Outside patio is nicest and most private for dining in Portland. read more

Always amazing service, food, and drinks! Every time I go it is like going to a very good friend's for dinner. The staff are welcoming and really know the menu. The food is always excellent. I'm never not delighted! read more

Major disappointment overall. We arrived with outsized expectations because we have participated in two Wine Wise zoom dinners prepared by Chef Sansonetti, both of which were five stars. Pluses: Excellent cocktail Superb service by Nicole Top notch fries Minuses: Very noisy; we wanted to be in the front room where the restaurant action is, but we deemed it too loud for conversation The back room is lackluster Uncomfortable chairs Limited & uninspired entree menu Small fish portion lacked flavor Mediocre burger No offer of coffee or drinks at the end of the meal read more

Oh, Chaval. You wonderful mastermind of culinary creations. This has got to be one of my top 5 favorite places in Portland, Maine. I've mostly gone for their brunch on Sunday's, but their dinner is oh so yummy as well. For brunch drinks, I'd highly suggest their agua de Valencia made with vodka, gin, cava, and fresh squeezed orange juice. You can't go wrong with their trocadero pastries or their eggs Benedict, but don't be a rookie; ask what their special is! You won't be disappointed at Chaval. Follow me on insta @aldienteeats read more

Best seat in the house is at the end of the bar near the kitchen pass. My partner and I were mesmerized by the detail and attention to each dish and ended up asking the chef questions which he graciously answered. For dinner, we started with warm olives and sweet slices of a house-cured ham that was out of this world. My only wish was for a few more pieces of nicely charred bread to round out the first-course experience. For dinner, of all things, we had the house burger. Totally enjoyed the meal and the burger was well cooked, tasty and enveloped by a light bun that melted in your mouth. Although full, we opted to order the churros, which were amazingly light and tasty. The chef sent us a complimentary dessert as well so we ended up totally enjoying that too! This quaint and busy place is a gem, great food and we TOTALLY recommend the two seats at the end of the bar. Awesome! read more

Excellent food and service. Cool, lively atmosphere. After sharing some delicious appetizers, I opted for the burger and fries. They were superb. We were celebrating an anniversary with out-of-town family and couldn't have picked a better spot. read more

Food was delicious. Our server was polite and patient, took her time answering all our questions about food and drink. Recommended a great wine to pair with everything. Even dealt with my mom giving "notes" on the food with grace! Ambiance was great, very friendly and open vibe. STRONGLY SUGGEST VISITING! And get the duck!! read more

My friend and I had a really great experience at the bar last night. Amazing service, amazing food and super accommodating and knowledgeable about food allergies. Also, very creative dishes. Carrot tartare?! I love when restaurants can make veggie dishes fun and satisfying. We came up from Boston and so happy we made a point to go here for dinner. Thank you! read more

Yellow chain by front door was the Welcome mat. Masks to walk outside to the back door and inside then put in a room with tables next to each other un masked. Weird! Tuna app was way over salted, and tasted like dirt. The steak was mediocre & disappointing to say the least, green beans (the verts) were covered/smothered in lime. Atmosphere was bizarre. Definitely cut corners on the sangria ingredients and the carafe did not serve 4 as was stated. Sangria out of box maybe. No bubbles as stated. Maybe it's a regional local flavor. Will not make that mistake again. $370 all in-went to get another dinner after leaving. read more

Went to Chaval on a Wednesday night, and it was packed. I loved the atmosphere and wished it wasn't raining so that we could have sat outside because the patio looked very nice. I love tapas-style restaurants, so I was really excited to try Chaval. I was a little disappointed in how small the tapas section of the menu was and that they didn't really have many protein options. You could get anchovies, which a lot of people do not like, or steak tartar, which a lot of people do not like, or a pork dish, which the waitress described as a type of pork that a lot of people don't like. Luckily, I like steak tartar, so we got that, and it was very good. We also got the brie toast, patatas bravas, and the beets. All were good but not The wine list also was a little disappointing. We ended up with a bottle that was just ok, but I would expect there to be more options in the $40-60 price range. read more

I've been to Chaval 6-7 times now for brunch, and dinner. My girlfriend and I live in Boston, we're major foodies and we dream about going here, because everything is always perfect! This time has been the first time we've been disappointed by some of the items. The croquets were not good, they were heavy and had a strange yellow cheese. Almost like something you'd put on nachos. The fries had a lot of flavor, but not as crunchy as they usually are. They were almost a bit soggy. The mains were the star, we got the pork special and the duck. Both were amazing, perfectly executed. We've always been amazed by the desserts. The Serrano ham ice cream has been our favorite along with the peaches and cream. Some of the best and most original desserts we've ever had. We were told the ice cream was infused with Serrano ham bones like it usually is, but it just tasted like vanilla ice cream, that light salty taste is like nothing else you've ever had. It seemed like you cared more about the way the dessert looked than the taste this time. Dear Chaval, everything you do is always perfectly executed and has been the reason you're one of the best restaurants we've ever been to. Please don't change the good things, and be the best you can be. read more

We love this place! Every time we visit Portland from NY, we make sure we come here! A must try in Portland for sure.

Came for the first time on Friday before going on to a show. It was the perfect start to our evening. The service was excellent without being intrusive. Knowledge of the menu and wines was extensive and recommendations were spot on. Food was delicious! We enjoyed the atmosphere and decor and the house level allowed for conversation. Our server reminded us about our time constraint and made sure we could make our show time. We'll be back to try more dishes! read more

Went here twice in less than one week! That should tell you how good the food is. Both times the staff was EXTREMELY attentive and enjoyable. When my party was exiting the restaurant I kid you not every single staff member wished us a great night! It was the best! The food is also so delicious and creative. The puffs are a MUST and there was also a great drink list. Can't wait to go again read more

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My partner and I went here for dinner last night after reading about all the hype surrounding this restaurant. We started with the brie toast and patatas, and then got the burger and beet salad. Patatas ($6) were small and fine (how can fried potatoes not be?). The brie toast ($6) was delicious, but did not "wow" us. The beet salad was also fine, but VERY small ($12). Burger was fine ($16). Overall verdict: the food was good. But it was not good enough for the high prices. That being said, with all the other Portland options nearby that are just as good but for less price, we probably won't be back. read more

Decided to do a night out (with a good friend joining us) at Chaval. This was our first experience there and it was simply exquisite. We started with a mixed bag of small plates - deviled eggs, chorizo bread and Brie toast. All awesome. Seriously. I could die and go to heaven on a slab of that Brie toast. Next course we ventured into tartare and bone marrow, octopus and stuffed peppers. The marrow and tartare was simply amazing. The octopus exquisite. Can't believe how amazing the flavors coming out of the kitchen were. For the main, we all did steak frites. PERFECT. There's simply no room to improve on this. It was French bistro quality good. We were pretty full by then but the staff suggested that we try some dessert. The churros and Madelines that they brought were simply awesome. An amazing finish to an incredible meal. My only negative - and this does not detract from the five stars I give Chaval - is that the cocktails were a little too edgy and actually not up to the flavor perfection achieved by the food. Stick with traditional martinis and their incredible wine list and avoid the overwrought cocktail menu and you'll be happy as we were. Thank you, Chaval. You're a class act that we'll be repeating. read more

Our experience here was fine, nothing to write home about. Appetizers were ok, most of the sauces tasted like mayonnaise or ketchup, for the price and vibe they gave off I was a bit disappointed. Vibe was very cool, service ok, and food was unimpressive. read more

Came in here expecting high end service and food. staff was rude. The plates were bland and small. seems to me the owners hype themselves up and the high scores come from people who are influenced before coming here. read more

Salty.,,, noticeably on couple of appetizer dishes. There definitely is no need. Ease up

Cheval is the poster child for how Portland is trying to become Brooklyn. Good food, expensive, hip, hard-edged, noisy, small, too many tables, uncomfortable. Chaval would fit right in in Williamsburg or Park Slope. The design of this place is reminiscent of a laundromat without the washing machines, and almost as noisy. Why is it so hard for trendy, upscale restaurants to provide comfortable chairs, mood lighting, softening features to reduce the racket, maybe a tiny romantic vibe somewhere? On to the food. There were five of us, so we shared a bunch of the small plates and a couple of entrées. The fried cauliflower was probably the best (but seriously, $7 for a couple of little heads?) The Patatas Bravas was a few pieces of very soft potato in a nice tomato sauce. Meh. The Serrano ham was absolutely sublime. Just get a few orders and call it a night. The duck confit in a cocktail glass was remarkably bland and like eating a fat-laden savory pudding. A $15 dish with a few small hunks of octopus arms was also bland, though the octopus wasn't too chewy. The salad was nice. The mussels were exceptionally good, plump and creamy, and with chunks of ham, in a garlicky buttery sauce. Served with some good charred toast: $22. I would like to point out what we didn't get, because we were all baffled. They were serving that night a chicken breast. With lovage and olives. That's it. For $22. Good lord. Chicken breast for $22. What is Portland coming to? read more

A bit disappointed after our first experience. Portland has a varied selection of dining places and after experiencing a brunch at Chaval a few months back we decided at the last minute to check out Chaval for dinner. We came away underwhelmed. We asked the attentive bartender to suggest items not to be missed. She suggested the devil eggs, the S'rooms, scallops and the squid ink vermicelli dishes. Of the four, the eggs were the best but for six bucks to get two half's I don't think so. Presentation alone calls for three half eggs. The mushroom dish was quite weak and not flavorful. Not at all sure what the chef is trying to achieve. The squid ink vermicelli was salty and served in a pottery type 6-7 inch dish that seems lost on our table with my partner's scallop dish. If only the presentation of the squid ink dish was improved with an under plate added we might have felt better at least. The squid dish was a major disappointment. We had this dish in Spain while walking the Camino, perhaps that comparison is unfair. The scallop dish to its credit had some flavor layers but we both came away unimpressed. We called it a night, it will be difficult to give Chaval another try with all the other opportunities in Portland. read more

Just phenomenal. Exquisite food and delightful service. You won't regret it. Service was casual but appropriate- no rush but quick enough for a Sunday morning. Great ambiance. We sat in the back room which was more private but still fun and well lit. Dying to see what the back patio would be like. Also so excited for them to jar and sell their onion jam. Delish. read more

Wonderful tapas option in Portland! Here are some noteworthy dishes I tried 1. Pan Con Tomate- Sounds basic. Get it. Absolutely fantastic and we reordered. 2. Patatas Bravas- Not memorable but I don't remember them being bad. A classic tapas dish so if you want it then do it, but there are better dishes here. 3. Deviled Eggs- Super unique. The shrimp doesn't come through very much but it's still a nice small bite 4. Jamon Serano- Need I say more? Always good. 5. Roasted Beets- Fresh! Fun! Yummy! Get it! 6. Duck Rillette- Very bad. Nothing Spanish about it. Very gelatinous and one-note. Skip it. Actually...take it off the menu. I was very disappointed. 7. Madeline's- Usually love these soft cookies, but Chaval's were not exciting...instead, get the... 8. Spanish Sundae- Amazing!! A highlight. Comes with a delicious and moist chocolate cake as well. read more

The good and the bad of Chaval. Chaval, a cute residentially tucked away restaurant with kind and friendly staff and understated decor, is a nice date spot which is heavy on the technical presentation of each dish. They have some work to be done on the execution and taste, but I'm optimistic they can get there. The good was this: Muscles al sidra Maybe the best muscles I've ever had. A cider broth and fresh plump muscles with tasty (although somewhat unnecessary) chunks of baked ham within the dish. Perfect dipping bread on the side for the broth. Fabulous simple dish. Spanish gin and tonic (G&T) ...which if you've been to Spain, you would have to agree they got this one right. A nice touch is the frozen grapefruit ice purée which is interesting although not tremendously effective addition. "North spore shrooms" ...a tasty giant duck egg with chorizo and sherry vinegar. Classic and well done. Looks good. Tastes good. The bad was this: Octopus "a la plancha" If you have a tapas based menu, you need octopus or people might incite a riot. It doesn't have to be great, but in this case, it was underwhelming. A nicely plated and tasty dish with chickpeas and pimenton aioli, the loser here is the octopus. Overcooked and bland come to mind. Throw a $15 price tag on it, and I'm left scratching my head. Swordfish I love swordfish and it's pretty flexible in terms of preparation. My mindset is "just don't overcook it and you'll be ok." At Chaval, it's not overcooked, but I found it awfully dull and had about as much flavor as firm tofu. The accompanying eggplant, romesco, and spring onion do little to help this dish. Again, $24 for this easily $17 at MOST is a lot to pay for this dish which needs some more taste love. The restaurant no doubt has the ability to make fabulous dishes. Right now, I think it's a work in progress that has all the foundation there for a success. They do simple very well, and everything else we tried was a toss up. For two of us with one cocktail each and a $160 bill with tip, it's just not quite ready to be considered a top player YET in a bustling food scene like Portland. With that said, my girlfriend flat out said she loved it. read more

Chaval - Octopus a la plancha. Beautiful looking, but octopus falls short. - Spanish Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Over a ten day trip to Scarborough, ME, I had two dinners out. I spent both of them at Chaval. First thing i want to note is the very friendly service... hostesses, wait staff, bar staff and kitchen. I think this group must really enjoy each other and it shows. The first night we grabbed the two bar seats closest to the kitchen and got to watch the team at work. These are "the hot seats"... literally hot. But when I made reservations to come back two days later I requested them again. It was a treat to watch this kitchen make AMAZING food and the bar staff do their thing. The cauliflower. I could have (possibly did) lick the bowl clean of the delicious purée. The beet combo with cucumber and goat cheese (and citrus I believe) was amazing. Cheese plate delicious. My husband loved the burger and my friend the shrimp. My bar neighbor had the bone marrow and was licking his fingers. Two days after we arrived home, Bon Appetit magazine has named Portland, ME as their Restaurant City of the year and Chaval is on the list. As I reviewed the list, I felt no remorse for not visiting any of the other spots (though I would love to in the future).... right after I go back to Chaval and feast with them first. read more

There's a small parking lot. Like real small. Got there at 630 on a Thursday and it was full. Free street parking you might just have to look for awhile to find a spot. They do take reservations via yelp. Inside was super cute. We walked through the kitchen to sit in the back area. We started with jamon which was very good. The patatas bravas were pretty good. Not as good as Spain but decent. The cauliflower was also good. I got the vegetable dish which had rave reviews. Honestly I wasn't crazy about it. My husband got the chicken which was so moist and delicious. It was pricey but def one of the best things I ate. The dessert menu looked good, but we were full. They do have churros though! read more

Chaval Two thumbs DOWN!! Arrived 15 minutes early (4:45) Damp cold evening. Slush on roadside. Typical winter in Maine. Planned to order a bottle of wine and wait for our two guests to arrive for our 5 PM reservation. Door was locked! Made a call to ask to be let in out of the cold, never expecting to be told "No, sorry, We're busy preparing." Imagine our surprise when three people arrived after we, and were let in with the door unlocked specifically for them while I waited on the phone to be told by a manager that we couldn't be let in early!!!! Outrageous! Treatment of a guest! Typical of so many people and places in society who consider customers as nuisances to be (barely) tolerated. Imagine the gaul of me to be expecting to be welcomed upon arriving early!! When I expressed my concern that another party was welcomed, I received a call from a manager who proceeded to berate me for objecting such poor treatment ! Is it any wonder that businesses are struggling to survive? With attitudes like these?? They basically told me to go away!! As I told them then, cancel my reservation...... I'll ...... N E V E R!! Be back!!! read more

I recently went here for a dinner during Portland's first ever wine week and had both a fantastic time and a very good meal. The wine presentation was excellent, the vintner being from Spain and needing a translator. It doesn't get any more authentic than that! We then proceeded to sample some very good unfiltered natural wines paired with many course of excellent food. Probably my favorite was a a dish containing sweetbreads with roasted broccoli florets and several rich sauces. It didn't photograph well,but the sweetbreads were some of the best I have ever had. Serving the sweet breads in small bite sized pieces made it easy to enjoy this rich treat! Other standouts were a delightful dish with a perfectly poached egg,potatoes and chorizo, a beautiful preparation of white asparagus with Marcona almonds , and of course any dessert produced by pastry Maestro Ilma Lopez is always pure heaven on a plate! Ps. I almost forgot, if you like gin at all you need to order the Spanish G&T it's stunning and delicious!! read more

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Enjoyed our dinner. Even tho we went on a weekday in late Dec it was packed by 6pm. We went early w/out a resv and were lucky to be seated. Started with stuffed peppers and the roasted beet dish. Stuffed peppers were excellent, definitely the star. Beet dish was good, just not outstanding. For entrees we had the mussels which were superb, tender and juicy in a luscious sauce that was creamy yet light. We needed some bread to soak up the sauce, and had to ask two different servers before receiving it. Unfortunately by the time it arrived the sauce was stone cold. Note: ask for bread when ordering the mussels. Surprised they don't serve bread without having to be asked. The scallops were well cooked, fresh and tender, but the accompaniments did not enhance the dish. Chopped parsnips in same shape and size of scallops were too sweet and overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the scallops. And kumquats were sour. Ended dinner with churros, which were delicious. Would return, but would not order scallops again. Found prices to be reasonable. read more

When the wife wants dessert at 8 oclock at night the wife gets dessert. Lucky for us right across the street from where we were staying was Chaval. My rating is based solely on her dessert and the wait staff. Even though it was still fairly busy for the time of night we stopped by we got seated almost immediately and our waitress made sure we got the dessert menu and a drink menu for me. Within 15 minutes I had my drink and my wife had her dessert. We were in Portland 9 days and her chocolate dessert was one of the top 3 things she had all trip. Worth running across the street in the snow for that dessert. read more

Chaval is a wonderful restaurant... we call it "our neighborhood resturaunt".... foodies come from all over to experience this marvelous resturaunt. There is something for everyone in the menu from fish to meat and even a scrumptious burger. The bar is always interesting with locals having dinner and always having interesting conversation. A must visit when in Portland! read more

Great wine list, and super delicious food, plus friendly staff and fun music (there was 90s pop playing when I was there!). There are a few different places to sit indoor and outdoor that have different vibes. read more

We came here for the high reviews, but it was a huge disappointment overall. The servers were very hostile to little kid. We brought our 3 year old and sit outside in one of those 'igloo' and it was cold outside. Our 3 year old was crying and the server showed nothing but impatient to us. The food is mediocre and overpriced. And this place is definitely not family/kid friendly. I wouldn't recommend anyone come here. read more