Visited for a private event and thought that their catering and venue were great! The food came out in a very timely manner. We started with appetizers of hummus and assorted veggies and crackers. Very fresh and tasty. The spread itself was a holiday meal with roasted prime ribs, grilled chicken, mushroom wellington, and greens. Everything tasted great! The prime ribs were massive but still super tender, went great with the horseradish dip. I also was a big fan of the mushroom wellington with meaty portabello mushroom wrapped in flaky pastry. The chicken was a bit of a miss. The sauce was tasty but the chicken itself was kinda dry. Other than that, the spread was delicious and super cozy. The bar was also very well-operated. Drinks were made swiftly to meet the demands. There were also little tartlets for desserts and everyone was going crazy over the chocolate one! We got a hot chocolate bar for some sweet drinks by the fire. All in all, service was spot on and everybody had a good time. Highly recommend for an event space with built-in catering! read more

Theory Restaurant - Appetizers - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

Theory is tucked inside of omsi and is their "restaurant". There's plenty of food options, especially vegan ones so that's always a bonus. I didn't look at the gluten free options, but there seemed to be an array of food choices for different allergies and diets. There's plenty of seating, I came when it was fairly empty so service was quick, and we were able to play musical seating (if you know how toddlers can be). My rating went from a 5 down to a 2 because of the accessibility for those with wheels. The doors to seat outside were a challenge and I watched two groups with mobility aids struggle. Not to mentions there's no space to get any sort of mobility aides around when the chairs are pulled out. Food is by a buzzer so this said group, had to struggle in, and out and in and out. Hopefully someone at omsi can see this and make it more accessible especially with the sunshine so everyone can sit outside! read more

We've tried to give this place a chance every time we visit OMSI as we have been members for a few years now. Every time it is disappointing but we have no other food options when we come with our kiddos. My last time will be today as my son's kids chicken tender platter was absolutely disgusting. The chicken tasted old and as if it was reheated after being cooked hours ago. It was hard to bite into but also chewy inside. They really did a great job making the space look nice but the food is lacking. For the prices, it feels like cafeteria food at a hospital. I've actually had better food at a hospital. read more

Theory Restaurant - Kids chicken tenders - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I'm sorry to say that this was one of the most unwelcoming experiences to date. After a wonderful experience at OMSI, the Theory staff ended our day with horrible customer service and extremely disrespectful behaviors. The food was mediocre and the restaurant was dirty. What happened from the last time we were there when it was pretty good, and people were kind and hospitable? read more

Our first mistake was going to OMSI on Presidents Day. It was the last day of the exhibit that we wanted to see, so off we went. It was crowded, so we waited to eat until about 1:20 PM. There was a long line, mostly of families but we decided to stay. It took about 25 minutes to place our orders. Our first "Why didn't they..." moment was noticing that the menu wasn't visible until we were about two strollers and eight people from the front of the line. Our second "Why..." was there was only one person taking and ringing up the orders. Then they gave us pagers (my sister had a separate order) with numbers on them. Then, you wait. And wait. And wait. After about 30 minutes my sister got her order. There were 2 cooks and the person checking and handing out the orders. After my sister left I heard the order checker read off the next order numbers that he needed. My number wasn't on it so I asked him about it. He checked all his orders and it wasn't there. He had them make it quickly and about five minutes later I got the order. The food was pretty good. My husband had onion rings and the whole time I was waiting for our orders they didn't refresh the onion rings until right before we got his. The person refilling them didn't remove the old ones from the pan. The employees were working their butts off. It seemed odd that they had so few employees on a holiday when that's such a busy day at OMSI. I think they need a separate line and cashier for the "Grab and Go" items. Also the current line weaves between the tables and is very awkward and way too long. Maybe have it go around the outer edge of the room. There were a lot of people with small children and strollers. How are they supposed to carry trays full of food to a table? IKEA has small tray carts that can hold several trays at a time in their restaurant, something like that would be helpful. read more

The food was okay and the service was lackluster. Water fountain was broken and the price for the food was a little on the expensive side. But they did make the food pretty quickly read more

See all

I had the fortunate of eating here during my visit to OMSI right before the pandemic. I love the setup of the eatery, with plenty of space to move around and check out the different food options available. The seating was fairly comfortable and the dining area was well lit by natural sunlight. The food here was surprisingly flavorful and very fresh. I love the commitment to using locally sourced food, as this was evident in the preparations. Overall, a pleasant surprise. Even if this was not located in the museum, I would eat here again if I was looking for a quick bite of fresh, flavorful food. read more

See all

For museum cafeteria style food this was top notch! Awesome views of the Portland skyline and the Willamette River! Loved the made to order pizza. read more

Holy....I can now honestly say I've had the worst pizza in my life. OMSI has this poor excuse of a pizza for $14. Let me tell you, I was not expecting what I got. At first I was mad, but then I realized that what I have here is a feat of culinary proportions. Someone managed to screw up making a pizza and somehow got someone to buy it. Yeah, I'm that guy. read more

Theory Restaurant - The worst pizza ever made. - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Don't believe the menu, this is not pizza :( Kinda tastes like a lunchable but worse. read more

Theory Restaurant - Menu - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

Pizza was just okay. Small and a bit over priced for what you get but tastes good!!! read more

Theory Restaurant - Menu - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

Wow.....didn't expect much, but the food ROCKS! The short rib sandwich has soooooo much flavor and the salad is incredible. The staff was great, chef came put to EXPLAIN the way they make the sandwich when I asked about it before ordering!! Yummmmmmmm..... read more

Theory Restaurant - Short rib sandwich, chili and salad! - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

My burger was dry and not quite cooked all the way. My wife's chicken strips were overcooked and bland. The chips were overcooked. Mine chips had no salt, but my wife's chips were super salty. The grilled cheese was the only thing that was correctly cooked and tasted good. Service was terrible! It took about 40 minutes to get our food and there were only about 6 orders in front of us. They were understaffed and very slow. The restaurant was clean. Will never eat there again. Next time we will try the pizza which is a completely different cafe inside the restaurant. Also, it was overpriced. We went to the Oregan Zoo a couple of days ago and for the same cost, the food was much better quality and each dish was larger. read more

Solid food, a little on the expensive side but good portions, healthy and pretty fresh. Grab a seat by the fireplace and let the teens play. read more

First, I absolutely adore the science museum. This is specifically for the Mothers Day Brunch. Felt more like a mall food court! Plastic plates, plastic silverware, undrinkable coffee, and a general FU/Portland hipster attitude. Y'all can do better! read more

Wow grading on a scale. Most museum food spots are pretty bad. Theory is quite different. It's large and airy and there is a wide variety of fresh produce and ingredients. You can actually enjoy the cafe without going to the OMSI. So it's a good choice if you are taking a bike or stroll along the waterfront. They have. Wide variety of adult and kid friendly foods. The Mac and cheese is a real favorite. And the tacos are fresh and delicious. This is a great spot where both grownups and the kids in a group can have a great time. We've been there quite a few times and from the sandwiches to the salads to the tacos they've all been good. They also have an array of local beverages. Overall a great spot to have lunch before you head off to the museum! read more

On my recent trip to Portland (see my review of the submarine), I had lunch at the Theory Restaurant. The sub and the restaurant are part of OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). For about 11 bucks, I had a satisfying lunch of Korean Pork Tacos and bottled tea. The ambience reminds me of a college campus cafeteria style place. Good value. read more

Theory Restaurant - Korean Pork Tacos...yummy! - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

So many times museums have really lousy food. Think cheap burgers and hotdogs. OMSI has a fantastic menu. the menu is seasonal so it's nice for people who come off in so they don't have to get the same thing always. Local and in season. I'm happy to eat here anytime we come and visit. read more

Theory Restaurant - Fresh, local food that is surprisingly really good for a science museum. - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Wow. This used to be one of my favorite pizzas. I was excited to see they were open again, as we were coming to see a movie at OMSI. The pizza was literally on a cracker, or a piece of old pita bread -- it tasted completely stale and was ridiculous. It was also burnt around the edges while the cheese topping (I got the Bianca) was barely melted. Sigh. Service was fine, and ambience and view can't be beat, but dang. Won't do that again. read more

Unfortunately, we did not have a pleasant dining experience at OMSI. I placed our order for 3 sandwiches, and a chicken taco bowl. About 30 mins later we were still waiting with no sign of service. By that point my 5 year old and 3 year old were delirious. We went up to check about our order and the woman couldn't find record of the order and asked for my receipt. I had my number "31" and the cashier had had me sign a receipt previously, but she hadn't given me a receipt. The kitchen then offered to make the food since they had forgotten, but there was no additional compensation for the trouble and inconvenience. We waited an additional 10 mins for our meals, which thankfully tasted fine. I later saw the amount of people eating pizza and realized that must be the quicker option to get fed. Unless I come back and order pizza, I likely won't return to dine here while visiting the museum. Especially with young kids who get restless within 10 mins of any wait. read more

For a quick grab and go snack, the selection here is reasonable. Prices could be better but are not outrageous. We had a couple of slices of pie and a soda to carry us over until dinner. Be sure to check the offerings at both counters before making your selection. The first area has salads, sandwiches and a couple of hot dishes. The second area toward the back has pizza and yummy ice cream by local ice creamery Salt & Straw. read more

Theory Restaurant - Slice of Cheese Pizza - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

For a museum, cafeteria style restaurant this place is pretty freaking good. Pizza is just ok, but their salads are on point! Good ice cream, and made to order bowls and sandwiches! The service can be spotty, even sometimes rude, but as long as my food is good, I can deal with with Prima donna sous chef. read more

This little gem is open to the public. I came through the gated patio area. The indoor seating area is huge but it fills up quickly with hungry kids and parents. They have Pizza and Ice Cream from "Salt M Straw" a local favorite of everyone who has ever tasted their selections. After getting the rundown on how to order, I Tried the Beef and Lamb Gyro with Tabouli Salad on the side. Got my oder number and a seat on the Patio. My sandwich came to me pretty fast considering how busy they were. The Gyro was pretty good size. All In House Made Ingredients. Well. Not the Nan Bread or Feta Cheese used in the sandwich. Everything else though. From the first bite i was all like Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. The Tabouli Salad Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I ordered the Gyro on a few visits. The menu changes a couple times a year. I was glad to get that yummy Gyro and Tabouli a couple times. Delish. Every time. I had a slice of Cheese Pizza on another visit. I noticed the Executive Chef helping in the pizza station. Thought. This is going to be good. It was awesome. Thin crust. Not burnt on the bottom. Light Sauce and Cheese. Made it a perfect slice. The beverage options are all bottle choices but there are plenty of options. I plan on eating here at Theory every time im in the area. As long as the patio is open lol. read more

Theory Restaurant - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Wow, what a nice place to eat while visiting the museum! You'll find a few different counters here, one for quick pizzas and one for the rest. Pick out what you need, pay and they will give you a number for your table (if you ordered something requiring preparation). Especially of note is that at the pizza counter they also serve Salt and Straw ice cream! Score! I don't need to go to the actual location to try some! The food was good, I enjoyed the kale, potato and chorizo salad (although it was heavy on the dressing). The sandwiches come with chips and a dill pickle. The place was clean and inviting and as soon as we were leaving, someone was already wiping down the high chair, which was nice to see knowing how well they take care of everything. read more

It seems most restaurants inside recreational facilities are usually not so good because they know you are trapped in and will pay to prevent starvation. Not this place, it seems most of the restaurant employees are culinary trained and can talk "food." They offer many delicious choices, vegan options, plenty of well prepared favorable vegetables, meats, desserts, coffee, iced-tea and bottled drinks. The restaurant has high ceilings, great ventilation, a view of the river and a submarine just outside. They have great service from knowledgeable staff. I enjoyed the restaurant more than OMSI. read more

JUST FOR THE PIZZA About 2.75-3.50 a Alice, great pizza, thin-good crust, great toppings, legit oven. Id say some of the better pizza in Portland oddly. Great quick snack while at OMSI. Members also grt 10% off all purchases. read more

Completely unlike any museum cafe I've ever been to! Because of course, this is Portland and we dare to be different. The menu is always changing but the kids options stay the same. Black bean burrito, grilled cheese (real cheese and good bread) and pb&j are always available. The "adult" options are aways delicious, big portions with fresh vegetables and good quality proteins. They go out of their way to provide vegetarian/vegan options. There's great oven fires pizza and healthy snack options like fruit, yogurt, veggies and hummus, etc. It really is impressive. read more

Ate here for lunch with my fiance while visiting the OMSI. The menu was completely different from the menu on their website. I ordered the tuna sandwich, my fiance ordered the steak sandwich, and we ordered the watermelon salad to share. It was a 30 minute wait for our food. Sandwiches were ok. The bread for the steak sandwich was too hard and hurt my fiance's jaw. His jaw looked a little swollen afterwards! I liked the chips and the salad was nice, but way too small for $8.5 and the bacon was mostly fat. read more

See all

One of the best places to have lunch in Portland. Basically in the center of town on the river and the food matches the view. You don't need to buy an OMSI to enjoy the café. The food is well done with a nice range to please everybody. read more

Theory Restaurant - One of the lunch spots - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Quite a huge step forward from the usual fare at places like this. Food was very good and the choices of beer was fantastic. The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars was the slightly odd arrangement for getting in line for the registers. read more

Having never been here before we couldn't decide if we wanted to stick around and eat or find something outside of the museum. We are glad we decided to give Theory a try. I can't speak to much else but the pizza was amazing. Thin crust and wood fired. Perfect size for the four of us. The service was amazing too. I would consider just heading down for lunch some time. read more

We went here for happy hour before OMSI After Dark. I ordered a $6 cheeseburger and my husband a $7.50 bacon cheeseburger. They were both good and came with fries covered in sea salt. This was less expensive than a restaurant and even some fast food joints. They were also friendly and relatively quick. The food was good, too, especially considering that they are inside a venue. They also had happy hour drinks, but since they weren't required to get the discounted food, we abstained. It's nice being able to sit by the window looking out over the view of downtown while playing one of their board games next to a modern fireplace. read more

Atmosphere, service and food selection are top notch here. The staff was almost overly helpful, buts that a good problem to have. I can't say more good things about it without gushing and I don't want to steal your precious decision-making time, so: Eat there when you are on a break from the day at OMSI or whenever you have the chance! The gado gado salad is now one of my favorite dishes - hubs and I tried several options and everything tasted so fresh and high quality. You MUST try: Salt and Straw ice cream by the scoop! Organic ice cream at its best! read more

I've enjoyed many meals at Theory. I am impressed with the diverse menu selection, local ingredients and the freshness of the food. This is not a cafeteria! I was pleasantly surprised to see the cafeteria of yore completely remodeled and the standard "museum" menu of chicken strips replaced with more adventurous and healthier options. The space is well decorated and has awesome river views! I recommend trying the "Streets" selections (excellent Bahn Mi recently) and pizza (yum)! Theory is obviously good for lunch when visiting OMSI but you can also access it via the esplanade (which I have done when biking). Oh, and I recently attended an event there, Food Luminaire where they host menu's by other well-known Portland Chefs. It was a fun date night and delicious. One issue I've experienced is the long lines and wait times during school breaks but I imagine you can't cater to every variable. Well done! read more

Rude staff, most stuff is pre-made, and confusing by making people order at two separate machines for the same stinking counter. Really? Two transactions because someone wants a piece of pizza and a sandwich. Never again... read more

It's a lot nicer than you'd expect for a restaurant attached to a children's museum! It's very modern and offers a variety of food, including ice cream provided by Salt & Straw. The nice thing is that you don't need to go to purchase admission into OMSI to eat there, you can just drop by when you're walking/biking on the trail, or just go through OMSI's lobby and let them know you're going to Theory when they ask for your admission. read more

Theory Restaurant - The interior is unique and science-themed - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

It's hard to imagine a more enticing museum cafeteria. In general, a little pricey for the family crowd (e.g., $8 sandwich, $9 Korean street taco plate), but some good values can be found ($3 pizza slice, $3 penne'n'cheese, $3/5/7 burgers, $3 salad), and the remodeled dining room has fantastic views, decor, and atmosphere. Ultimately, what field-trippin' parent wouldn't enjoy a snack break nibbling a $3 slice of pizza in a spacious dining room all teak & chrome with 30-foot ceilings, river views, and a fireplace lounge? read more

See all

Okay, the wait was kinda long to get our lunch on a Tuesday, but everything we had was delicious! My Bi bim bap bowl was so fresh, flavorful and vibrant - just what you'd expect from a Korean-style bowl - everything in perfect proportion and generous on the kimchi, compared to others I've had elsewhere. Simple kid-friendly choices, too - Mac and cheese, bean and cheese burrito, pb&j and grilled cheese. Will stop in again! read more

Outstanding, especially for museum food. Less $$ than Disneyland restaurants, way higher quality. Pizza slices are very good, and a steal at $3 each. Kids' mac and cheese isn't Kraft, but is gooey and will fit the bill for a hungry child. I thought it was kind of meh, but it was made with real ingredients, which I appreciate. My daughter liked it. My 8 year old nephew wasn't wild about the black bean purée in his bean and cheese burrito (odd, but he can be picky, so whatever). Kids liked getting Naked bottled smoothies. I had the sticks and stones salad. YUM. Excellent. Other reviewers mentioned too much dressing, and I forgot that until after ordering. I was worried, but it came out perfect. Lightly coated, quality and flavorful ingredients. An excellent choice, and the larger size made a nice lunch for me. I'd eat here again, for sure. read more

First time I ate here, I had a turkey sandwich. It is served with no condiments on, but there is a bar of condiments for you to fix up your own sandwich. It was still very dry. The potato chips that it came with appeared to have been cooked on location, but was cold and tasted a bit stale (like they'd just been sitting there for a while). The kids got pizza. The second time I came here, I ordered something like chicken with Israeli couscous. The flavors were interesting, but needed seasoning. I've had couscous before, but not this kind. The texture and size reminded me of Boba Tea. It is overpriced for the quality of food. The people at the register are just ok. The people over at the pizza register are very patient and nice to kids. I would suggest packing a lunch. read more