Jing Yan is a small, stylish restaurant. I like that they have a long bar--you can sit and eat comfortably even if you're dining alone. I looked up their menu online ahead of time, but when we arrived, they told us they didn't have duck that day. So unfortunately, I couldn't try the duck ramen or duck bun. We ordered the smashed cucumber and wood ear as our appetizer. This is a common summer dish in some parts of Asia, and I really enjoyed it--it was probably my favorite of everything we ordered. For mains, we had the beef bowl with rice and the beef kimchi ramen. The beef bowl looked similar to Japanese gyudon, but the flavor was different. The beef in the ramen was tender, but the broth was very light--not like the typical rich ramen broth. That said, both dishes were fine. Overall, it's a nice spot for a casual bite. read more

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We stopped into Jing Yan after getting drinks across the street at Lowkey. I have to say that we were smart for making this decision! Jing Yan has limited seating and we had a short wait for bar seats to open up but we eventually enjoyed a delicious raw tuna taco trio and some delicious ramen! The music playing in the background was not what I expected but I found myself humming along to some true classics... we're coming back to try the full menu in the future! read more

Jing Yan - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Decided to try out a new ramen spot and this one caught our eye. The menu had a good variety of options we usually enjoy, so our table went with the duck bao bun, chicken wings, ramen, poke bowl, and finished off with the ube ice cream. For the most part, we enjoyed the drinks and appetizers, but felt the prices for the apps were a bit high for the portion size. The ramen bowls, on the other hand, were definitely worth it! I'd probably skip the wings or duck buns next time, but overall it was a nice spot to try. read more

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I really wanted to like Jing Yan, especially since it came so highly recommended, but I just couldn't. The restaurant itself is cozy and stylish, the service is great, it's a neighborhood staple... but the food was just so bland and weirdly off. I came with a friend for dinner, and we both got mocktails, split the Chinese Numbing Wings, and each ordered the Fried Chicken Ramen. The mocktails were the best part. Both of them were well-crafted, refreshing, and delicious. The Chinese Numbing Wings had a decent amount of numbing spice on it, but little else: it had a strangely bitter, bland flavor profile, and also wasn't very crispy. The Fried Chicken Ramen -- and I'm so bummed to say this -- just did not taste good. The broth lacked any kind of richness or depth (we surmised that it was probably just miso and water?), the noodles were rubbery, and the fried chicken tasted like it had no seasoning on it at all. The ramen also had a bunch of random ingredients that didn't really make sense in the dish, including boiled mushrooms, raw red cabbage, and pickled ginger. My friend and I ended up eating only about half of our ramens. She left hers; I took mine to go but it was equally tough to finish the second go-around. Ultimately, I was pretty disappointed with my meal, especially given the price point ($9 for the mocktail; $15 for the wings; $20 for the ramen). read more

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The food was disappointing. We were excited overall, the food looked adventurous / fresh/ interesting on yelp, reviews good etc. The atmosphere, music, open kitchen energy, and vibe were strong-- we got the spicy tuna appetizer in the puffed taco shells (delicious, small portion, 3 of them), duck ramen (duck dry, broth basically cold, nearly flavorless), Sweet & Sour shrimp entree (massive shrimp w the thick sauce, flavorless steamed broccoli, rice... very boring). Service was alright, albeit a bit checked out. There was a 30 minute gap between appetizer and entrees, wouldn't have cared if food was worth the wait. Food looks good in photos, does not translate to taste. Won't be returning as I fear all the rest of the menu has the same lackluster attention to flavor. This place has potential to be GREAT if they take the food seriously. read more

From their website: "Jing Yan is a neighborhood tavern that specializes in hand-crafted cocktails and comforting cuisine. Our goal is to provide a warm and inviting atmosphere in the East End neighborhood, where you can unwind and enjoy our food and drinks with friends, family, or by yourself." Yep, that's the exact vibe (wouldn't compare it to a tavern though; it's much more trendy than that word implies. Also - the music here is distractingly good, so keep an ear out). It was easy to make a reservation online (I *strongly* suggest you do because it's a VERY tiny place; just know, they have a $15 charge per head if you cancel last minute); it's also nice to see more places in Portland that take reservations, y'know? + Our server was INCREDIBLE. He was friendly, unbelievably patient, read cues so well (we were old friends catching up, and he gave us all the space in the world to do so), was funny, and was so well informed about the menu. We had questions about the vegan options, and he had answers/made great recommendations. + The cocktails are really nice; the most photographed one, Lost In Thailand (rum, coconut rum, coconut water, Thai basil, lemongrass, Thai chili), wasn't for me. I'm just not a spicy drink lover, but the Gimlet Highball (gin, lemon, soda) was perfectly refreshing. + I think the menu changes relatively often, so be sure to check their website for the most current options. Things are clearly labeled vegan and/or gluten-free; if you don't mind things being fried together, the Marinated Tofu (fried tofu, radish, edamame, and citrus soy) is a fan favorite we were told. We tried the (vegan) Stir Fried Green Beans (confit garlic, chili sauce, sesame); good for the table to share, but they were much more crunchy/undercooked than I was expecting or would have liked. I wouldn't get them again. But the (vegan) Creamy Chili Noodles?! SUCH A DELICIOUS BOWL OF FOOD. Cucumber, wood ear and shiitake mushrooms, cilantro, peanut sauce, fried red onion, chili crisp. It was hearty, it was flavorful, I think it started off warm but it was one of those dishes that as it cooled... it was just as good (if not better). Absolutely worth coming out of your way for, vegan friends! read more

Last night we went to Jing Yan for the first time and had a great experience. The ambiance was great with nice mood lighting and LED lights wrapped around the restaurant. Service was very pleasant as well. The mains took a little bit to come out which I don't mind just something to note. The drinks were overall very nice with good presentation and complex flavors. Food left us very satisfied as well. For starters we got the spicy tuna wonton tacos and the seaweed pesto buratta. Both were amazing! The tacos were perfectly crunchy yet didn't fall apart after one bite and the buratta had a pomegranate molasses which was surprisingly very good. For mains we got the chicken ramen and miso salmon. The chicken in the ramen did get slightly soggy towards the end of the meal as expected. But the broth was very rich, flavorful, and soothing. Both of the mains were up to the standards in which we heard about This place and overall we left very satisfied. The portions were big and the prices were great too. Will definitely give this place another visit and we recommend it to anyone thinking about heading over *this is only our opinion, everyone has different experiences* read more

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I don't know how to feel about this place. It's cute and cozy on the inside. The staff are kind and friendly and the service is fast. Parking is a breeze and there's lots of seating options. We got to sit right by the window and see the outside. The menu is short and succinct which is always good...maybe. My basic formula seems to need some evolution after my last few non-winning restaurant choices in Portland. Onto the food... Beef Bowl - this was a really nice marinated beef with veggies on top, very classic and simple dish, beautifully presented in a clay pot. The beef was excellent -- soft and not chewy and had good flavor. But the whole dish felt like it was one single flavor. I couldn't describe it besides the dish felt one dimensional. I felt there was something missing but I can't really pinpoint what. Katsu ramen -- fried chicken ramen - while fried chicken is good and ramen is good, I really didn't think this combination worked at all and I also can't pinpoint why. The chicken was decent but the SO said it was dry. The ramen was decent but I think overall disappointing. I'm not sure I would go for this dish. I really wanted to like this place but I did not feel that either of our dishes were a hit. I was able to get two meals out of my beef bowl which is great but I definitely wanted something more out of it. read more

Jing Yan - Fried chicken ramen - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Service was excellent and friendly! The food was an epicurean delight...excellent flavor and presentation. Authentic! Cost was very reasonable! Highly recommend! Will visit again! read more

Nice vibe here. Attractive space, inventive cocktails, and if you like food of this ilk, you're not going to find better around these here parts. read more

You will be disappointed . Only go here if all you know is Maine. Broth is extremely basic. Green beans are served al dente. Ambiance is nice but only one toilet for entire place. Wings were on point but that's not enough to go here. 4 star rating is a shame. read more

Pretty little place tucked in a neighborhood in Portland downtown. If you don't make reservations, you may be sat by the bar or chairs facing the streets. Food tasted amazing, so far one of the best ramen I've had. read more

Jing Yan - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Fantastic meal. New to the area, new to the restaurant. Lovely atmosphere. Food is special. We'll be back.

The ambiance is amazing! I love the vibe in there. The spicy tuna tacos were delicious- loved the wonton shell. I added bok choy & cilantro to the ramen. Best ramen I've ever had! The broth is so delicious (added miso). The only thing I wish I could've added to the ramen is an egg. Other than that, wonderful service and experience. read more

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LOVE Jing Yan! The space is quiet and intimate. The drinks are delicious and the food is even better! The service is great with knowledgeable, helpful, and NICE people! read more

Love this place. Friendly staff and great atmosphere. Reservations recommended. Loved the ramen I tried (duck) and my friend's fried chicken ramen was delicious also. The spicy wings appetizer was very good and very spicy. Would have liked some kind of dipping sauce. My friend also tried the Lost in Thailand cocktail which was delicious and slightly spicy. read more

Jing Yan - Duck ramen - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great ambiance- intimate space, moody lighting. Excellent presentation of dishes. We couldn't decide what to get. Will definitely be back.

So, we ended our world-wind trip to Portland, Maine on a very high and dignified note: Jing Yan. Everything we consumed here in Portland was terrific. We literally batted 100% ! I cannot tell you how: #1 how surprising this was #2 how delighted we were. Jing Yan is this small neighborhood Chinese restaurant that is making some incredible Asian Fusion food that - Just works in every way. I usually don't drink "cocktails". I'm a two (or three) fingers Scotch guy (straight-up). But here at Jing Yan, I opted for a Gin Gimlet that was very very good. My wife also had a cocktail that had six things in it, With drinks out of the way we started ordering: * Sichuan Numbing Wings- with arbol chili - red peppercorn - cilantro * Smashed Cucumber - with sesame, garlic, scallions, wood-dear * Napa Salad - with yogurt dressing - dukkah - radish - mint - nuts * Miso Salmon - with miso butter - pickles - herbs - dill rice Everything was fantastic; the food, service, ambiance all top notch. We leave for northern Maine tomorrow. Our stay in Portland couldn't have been better. read more

The swordfish skewers were cooked to perfection and well balanced flavors. I had an order and ordered one Togo because they were so good. Chicken miso ramen had way too much pickled ginger and was disappointing but decent. read more

Jing Yan - Chicken Spicy Miso Ramen - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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First time here and had a great meal, at the bar w plenty of space. Nice hot sake to start, with tuna tacos and tofu appetizer - light, not greasy at all, good flavor. The beef kimchi ramen was very good - the beef was melt in your mouth delicious, with a nice clear broth that was just right. Very friendly staff, timely service. Would have liked a bit more heat with the tuna but still very good! Can't wait to try the other items on the menu! read more

I feel bad to say it, but this has been a meh for me. I've gotten takeout twice, and while beautifully created, the food hasn't been worth the price. It's quite a lot of money for not a lot of flavor. I'm sorry! I think I'm in the minority here. I think I just am getting the wrong things! read more

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Quaint and charming atmosphere in this small restaurant with drinks and food that speak very loudly. Not pictured cocktail, Bobby Burns (scotch, benedictine, sweet vermouth), great balance and flavors. The sichuan pepper chicken wings are soo special and unique. They were perfectly fried and the dry rub was not overpowering and had so many complex flavors. Almost too good to remember taking a photo. The spicy tuna appetizer was great and had a perfectly crunchy shell. The Korean spaghetti was creamy and decadent. The duck had lots of wonderful flavors (pomegranate sauce) and we were scraping the bottom of the bowl. These dishes were delicious and filling. This is a very special restaurant with very delicious and unique dishes. read more

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Ok.. to start I will evaluate this restaurant per American standard of Chinese food. I call it Chinese food well because they named 京燕儿。They even added the "儿" at the end to make is sound more like from Beijing ..the name is probably only good thing about it..they rest sucked.. I got the beef bowl and poke bowl. Conclusion Beef bowl- trash. Rice is not even cooked. Beef is super watery and salty. So mad that I forgot to take a photo. Poke bowl- 19bucks 5 chunks of Tuna. 95% of the bowl is under cooked rice.so yeah... it's trash too. Only slightly OK dish is that kimchi beef noodle my friend got. The got the beef right ... that's about it the rest is just blandddddd. Yeah.. I know you probably read all these reviews "my husband/wife spend 20 years in china.. blah blah this is authentic" brah.. these reviews are either bought or they should probably consider getting a divorce. Now for my Chinese fellow tourists: 这家馆子 纯粹的垃圾... 饭都没煮熟。中国随便一家苍蝇馆子都比这强一百倍。远离 一定 要远离！你看厨房就知道的. read more

Great food when it comes to looking for something fresh. Would recommend coming on a hungry stomach so you can try the options they have. Overall, would come again and again if I could. read more

Jing Yan - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

We stopped for early appetizers. Very sharp and minimalistic decor. Wide and varied cocktail menu. We tried two apps....which were both excellent. The spicy tuna wontons with eel sauce was an excellent flavor blend, with enough heat to get your attention. The star however, vying for the best food bite of the year for me, was the lamb dumplings served in a spicy hot pomegranate oil. This was about a twenty minute wait as an appetizer, but the food skill and execution were outstanding. Appetizers only, but delicious food. 5 stars. read more

Sìmple tight menu ( it's a good sign ) but all executed well. leo the bartender can really make great Singapore sling. I lost count how many cocktails we ordered in one seating. Try the bun, noodle and chicken wings and gyu don. All's great read more

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Dine the neighborhoods, not the downtown is my new mantra for Portland given the tsunami of tourists and condo (cave) dwellers that has swept this city... not to mention the cruise ships (yuck). Jing Yan is a pleasingly secluded bistro on the Hill with good food and an even better vibe. I wouldn't normally award 5 stars based on a single dish. But the curried mussels are the centerpiece must-have, even if you don't want the shellfish. Order it for the sauce (and naan) and dip, dunk and dab tofu, chicken, veggies, just about anything else on the menu (ok not the salad), into it. Inventive cocktails, attentive service, and a low light Asian ambiance add to the experience. read more

Awesome Asian Fusion place in Portland. Great service and great food, a must visit trust me!

We've had take out three times from Jing Yan and it's always been very tasty, so we decided to dine in, now that COVID is less of a risk. Chefs and waitstaff all wore masks and the tables were properly spaced. The bar has a plastic shield. We felt that COVID protections were taken seriously. Now for the food. We ordered grilled food which is not normally offered for take out. Wow! We had chicken skewers that were perfectly done, tender and very flavorful with a wonderful dipping sauce. The standout, though was Halibut Collar, a dish made for two. In our experience halibut is a dry slab. This fish was moist and the flavor was unbelievable. I would say exquisite. It is artfully served on a wood cutting board with bok choy, pickled cabbage and rice. Best fish we've ever had! Jing Yan is a warm, cute little neighborhood restaurant that you will most definitely enjoy. read more

Jing Yan - Halibut Collar - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

Excellent!!! Local restaurant on the Hill... Food, service and ambience.... Try it, you'll like it!

I ordered the spicy ramen and a Munjoy Hill hipster cocktail. They were both delicious. My husband ordered the ribeye and a Singapore sling. He loved both! The food and cocktails deserve 5 stars. We arrived to Jing Yan at 5:15pm. There were roughly six to eight other diners at tables and at the bar. We were seated, ordered cocktails, ordered food, and received our cocktails 30 minutes later at 5:45pm. Our dinner arrived 10 minutes after the drinks. My ramen arrived first, then 5 minutes later my husband's ribeye was placed in front of him. The decor of the restaurant is beautiful. The music, however, was so loud my husband and I had to nearly shout to have a conversation. We asked the waitress if she could turn it down a little. She winced, shrugged, and exclaimed "The owner wants the music at this volume and we are not allowed to turn it down." If the drinks didn't take 30 minutes (with only 6-8 customers already eating and drinking before us) and if the owner allowed the waitstaff to turn down the music or not be clearly embarrassed to ask the owner to turn down the music, this would've been a 5 star review. I'd love to come back once they've worked out these issues. read more

Finally we can dine in safely. JingYan everyone wears face mask and gloves and plastic shields that hang down. My husband and I ordered Xingjiang chicken wings, the outside skin is very crispy, so yummy. We ate all immediately, almost no time to take photo:) we also ordered bun with chicken, my husband just love them, the bun is perfect soft tender with a little bit sweat taste, the inside wrap that piece of chicken perfectly fried.The meat is just right to eat. I am a noodle person, the beef noodle tasted authentic, had warm soup and the beef melted in my mouth. read more

Jing Yan - Atmosphere is so warm and lovely - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great new restaurant in Portland. Went on a Saturday and made reservations. My boyfriend and I were glad we did. Everything we had was flavorful. I am picky about poke bowls- the tuna was super fresh and was a decent sized portion- ate the whole thing! We were early for dinner so could be hungrier; would love to come back to try some of the apps. Cool wood fire grill that you notice right when you walk in (see picture). Quality cocktails. Recommend the Thai basil spicy one- had a vanilla taste that was unique and one of the best cocktails I've ever had! read more

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We found this gem on Yelp! and tried to make a reservation but were told there were no openings, but we could likely get a seat at the bar. As it turned out, we timed our arrival just right and got a table! Everything about the place was five star from the cool contemporary Asian decor, to the friendly attentive staff, and music at a perfect volume creating a cool vibe. The food was out of this world - the best we've had in a long time. We had the swordfish appetizer that was perfectly moist and spiced. Every bite was an experience! We also had the root vegetables with raw peanuts and a delicious soy based dressing. This was beautifully presented but a little challenging to eat because the vegetables were cut in long spirals - still very tasty. The rock star dish was the beef kimchi ramen - the broth had a medley of spices and was just spicy enough to bring the flavor to the next level. We were competing for the last drops! The duck with sticky rice was also the best duck we have had in a very long time. There is true artistry at work in this kitchen. If I had one night to eat in Portland, this is the restaurant I would choose. read more

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This restaurant does not disappoint! We've gotten take out from here 3 times and each was just as delicious as the last. The food is refreshing and doesn't make us feel guilty/too full. We get the Beijing beef soup noodles every time as well as the cucumber salad. The to go cocktails are worth it -- it's a little cocktail kit with fancy ice and you can tell the cocktails are craft and not something you're used to drinking at home. I see they now have buns on the menu -- going to try that tonight :). read more

Jing Yan - To Go Cocktail kit - Chinese Near Me - Portland, Maine

When a new place opens on the East end of town it creates quite a buzz. We stopped by earlier this evening. My bf is a former chef so to impress him is a challenge. I will tell you, we are both THRILLED you are within walking distance. Presentation is the best I've seen in ages. Bright, perfectly cooked broccoli along with shrimp and chicken over rice was beyond my expectations! You are off to an amazing start. By the way, the wings have me hooked. The note telling us who prepared our meals is a nice touch. read more

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Late review from a few nights ago. This place was an amazing find on a Monday night when some of our wished for places were closed. I have little to say except, go here. The bowls were large portions, the beef for me and the Korean spaghetti for my wife. Expertly spiced and textured. The chef is a master. With a delicious seaweed burrata appetizer and two amazing drinks (smoked highball was crazy good), we did not need dessert. Highly recommend this classy but welcoming restaurant tucked in a small space in the Highland east end area. read more

Disappointing meal. Mediocre Asian food, an assemblage of ingredients without great taste. We ordered 3 different ramen dishes, all mediocre and lacking in flavor and with fewer ingredients than other ramens we've had elsewhere, one poke bowl which was not great and 3 appetizers, each more mediocre than the last. The reviews and PPH rating did not conform to the food we had last night. read more

The food was delightful!!! A male server was unpleasant and confrontational. Observed him upsetting more than one customer. Tried not to let him ruin an otherwise very scrumptious evening out. Without him I would have given 5 stars. read more

Fantastic restaurant in the east end. The food is delicious & staff are super friendly.