fun, make your own noodle place!! ample seating and lots of customization options. service was a…read morebit slow but everyone was very friendly and we loved our noodles. we both made our own and loved that you can have a soup-y broth or sauce for noodles. this really caters to everyone.

Nice food presentation but broth lacked flavor. Ordered Taipei noodles and I tasted only a hint of…read morefive spice. Thank goodness for the sauce station. If you are hungry and don't want to pay for outrageous prices and kitchen/staff fees at nearby restaurants, this is a good option. Cafe style vibe and it's open kitchen so you can see them prepare food.

Great place for a hearty and filling meal, especially on a cold day. We went for a Veggie Ramen and…read morea Tofu Poke Bowl (make your own version). Absolutely loved both. The portions were generous. The vegetarian broth in the bowl was absolutely amazing. The tofu, both versions, were done to perfection. The staff was nice, helpful and friendly. Definitely recommended!

When you have food allergies like mine (Dairy & Wheat) finding a place to eat is difficult. This…read moreolaery fresh, filling, and VERY good! We have found our new Asian place to eat in Portland!

This is such a vibrant and welcoming spot. It has a modern feel with communal tables, individual…read morewindow seats, a bar, and outdoor seating. The food is great for sharing if you're on a little foodie adventure and hopping around to different spots, and they also have full meals. We really like the food here, and they have specials too. One thing we still haven't tried are the cocktails. Do not pass up the seasonal soft serve! I also remember their T-shirts being super cute. I'll probably stop by again the next time I'm up in Portland. Parking can be tricky with street parking, though there are paid lots. Overall Service: I don't think I've had a bad experience here. The last few times, our servers have been upbeat, and even the host was welcoming.

I had a great dinner experience here last night with my partner. We love love love the honey paw!…read more For starters, it's a great location. Close to more bars for extra drinks, easy to run into other friends. Also, it's a beautiful spot with outdoor seating in the warmer months. We opted to sit outside and enjoyed khao soi, katsu pork sandwich, and the honey soft serve. The portions are generous, as we were able to share and have leftovers. Each plate had so many great textures and flavors. We did experience a long wait between ordering, getting food, and receiving the check. It was a busy summer night so I wasn't upset, but do not plan on having a quick meal here. Get cozy, get an extra drinks and enjoy your time here. Apologies, but phone did not eat first this time-no pics!

Obviously no one goes to Portland wanting to eat something other than fresh lobster and other…read moreseafood. But I had a craving for Ramen and the menu at Pai Men Miyake looked FANTASTIC. I had to try it. Our server, Helena, was friendly and personable. She was also very attentive, and gave wonderful suggestions on food and drinks. Would come here again. Customer service was a solid 5/5. Food: Double Tuna Roll: 5/5. Simple. Delicious. A great starter. Lobster Buns: 4.5/5. We couldn't skip something with lobster on it, we are in Portland after all! They were delicious, but not the best buns I've had. Would order them again. Duck Ramen: 5/5. If there is duck on the menu, I will be ordering it. Have I ever seen duck ramen on a menu? No. Did I order it? Yes. Did it live up to my unrealistic expectations? Absolutely! The duck was cooked perfectly, the ramen was flavorful, and smelled absolutely heavenly. A solid dish and a must try!

Had such a lovely time at Pai Men Miyake in Portland over the weekend. Stopped in because I was…read morecraving ramen and the reviews said great things. We got brussel sprouts and pork gyoza to share: the brussel sprouts were phenomenal and we ate them so fast (lol), the pork gyoza could have used a bit more flavoring for me personally but the meat inside was super tender! I ordered the chicken shio ramen and it was pretty good, but I maybe would've like some more spice in there, so maybe I should've ordered something different! My partner got the beef short rib buns which he loved. The service was pretty fast and we were able to be seated quickly which was great as we were starved! Would definitely go back if I were in the area and craving ramen again!

If you're looking for delicious and authentic dim sum in Portland, Empire Chinese Kitchen is…read moredefinitely worth a visit! It may not be tucked away in a traditional Chinatown, but the food absolutely delivers. The restaurant was very clean, and the service was fantastic from the moment I walked in. I tried the Peking duck bao, crystal shrimp dumplings, hot and sour soup, beef chow foon, and everything was delicious. The bao was soft and pillowy with flavorful duck inside, and the crystal shrimp dumplings were delicate, fresh, and packed with flavor. I love finding places that serve authentic Asian cuisine, and Empire Chinese Kitchen was a great find. There's street parking available nearby, and whether you're already a dim sum fan or looking to try something different while in Portland, I'd definitely recommend stopping in. Authentic, yummy, friendly service, and a place I'll gladly visit again!

Empire Chinese Kitchen was an exceptional surprise on our travel day from one coastal town to our…read morenext stay. Upon our arrival , we were seated immediately and welcomed by our friendly server, Conner. Our family always welcomes the opportunity to try a new dim sum restaurant. Our order included the Lobster Rangoons, Eggplant, Bacon Fried Rice, Kung Pao Chicken, Soup Dumplings, Steamed Pork Dumplings and Shrimp Har Gow. All items were incredible. Empire Chinese Kitchen delivers in all areas with exceptional service, quality food and a nice casual atmosphere.

Beautiful space. Lively ambiance without being loud. Conversation friendly…read more Friendly service. The food was delicious. We shared spicy tuna mini tacos and also had fried chicken ramen and sweet and sour shrimp. We would go back again. Visiting from Chicago. This was the first place we tried in town. Liked the vibe and the neighborhood.

There's a good variety of Asian fusion here, it reminds me of your typical chain fusion restaurant…read more The beef noodles weren't Chinatown 5/5 quality, but still pretty good. I wish it had more flavor, but I also am picky with Chinese foods. The food took a little while to come out, granted we were there on fourth of july. Overall pretty nice atmosphere, we were also seated outside which was pleasant in the summer!

I love this restaurant. It's dangerously close to where I live and I go here often and get various…read moremaki rolls. Sushi obviously isn't inexpensive, but compared to many places in Portland it's quite reasonably priced if you order non-speciality rolls. The eel avocado roll is especially good and I have also enjoyed the fatty tuna and yellowtail/scallion. I think what makes this place special though is that it appears the owner is heavily involved in the day-to-day operations. I believe he works as a sushi chef sometimes and I've also passed by late at night and seen him cleaning the glass on the front door. The waiters seem genuinely happy to be working there and seem to be friends with each other. They also seem to have strong intra-restaurant culture such as greeting people who walk in the door with the same greetings that I heard when I was in Japan and saying "corner" every time they're rounding a corner with food. The patio outside is delightful. There's a waterfall and the space has the feel of a Japanese tea garden. Really special place. It can feel a bit buzzy/sceney on the weekends, for better or worse. Definitely a special restaurant worth going to.

My friends and I had a fabulous experience here. We started with the fried chicken (chicken…read morekaraage) which opened up our appetite for all the sushi we ate. Every sushi roll was fresh and packed with different fish. We loved the option to sit at the traditional Japanese tables on the floor, it reminded me of when in Japan. It took a bit of time for the sushi to come in, but we did order quite a bit (so worth it) They had a painting on the wall featuring the sushi chefs from 2020 and they told us that the same sushi chefs are still working here! It was very heart warming.

Who knew Portland, Maine had such great sushi?!…read more I saw that the Super Toro roll seemed to be the most popular among everyone, so I decided to try that. I was a little nervous, since I've just started dabbling into eating raw fish, but I was SO impressed! The roll tasted so fresh, and the toro melted in your mouth. The truffle oil was also a nice touch and added great flavor. I also loved that Miyake had many different types of more unique rolls, unlike the basic rolls you see at a classic sushi restaurant. If you're in a sushi mood or just a great dinner spot, I'd highly recommend Miyake!

Delicious and more upscale sushi restaurant. I knew I had to try the Hamayaki because everyone on…read moreYelp raved about it. It is crab, lobster, and scallop with sauces and baked over a bed of rice. Super delicious and rich. I got the king salmon and avocado roll to go along with it and to cut some of the richness. Waiter was friendly and efficient. Food and check came out at a reasonable time.

Yet another local spot my wife and I have considered an absolute favorite that we have visited for…read moreour last time. By the time you read this review they are likely already closed. Their last day of service is 8/31/25 announced recently on their social media accounts. My wife and I knew we needed to make one more trip here and glad to say we got one more visit in! The vibes have been similar over the past couple years during our visits. They have a tropical/island vibe with Asian inspired menu items along with some late night bites. They also do a phenomenal job with cocktails, and I would add mocktails as well which my wife and I each tried one tonight. Looks wise you would not even be able to tell it was non-alcoholic and the flavors were great too. I got their Platonic Best Friend which had a good spice to it, while my wife got the Lack of Meow that she loved. Food wise we each got a Double Patty Burger and split an order of the house fries. Both were just as good as all our other visits and the fries were even more seasoned than normal. We will miss both burgers and fries and especially the dipping sauce that comes with the fries. Lastly we had never tried their dessert and the Maine Blueberry Cake they had sounded so tempting, my wife's favorite fruit is blueberries. Every bite was amazing and my wife even said it was the fastest she has ever eaten a dessert. Was the perfect end cap to our final visit to Paper Tiger! We will miss this being a late night spot for us to grab a burger while people watching the madness of Fore Street bars closing. Service was fantastic with no complaints. The only negative I could mention is that talking to our server about being sad about them closing and they let us know the staff only found out about it one day before the social media post went out. Leaving them with minimal time to find another job. Hope they all can find a new job right away. If you have the chance before they close get over here for one last drink or bite!

Fun, innovative little joint in downtown Portland. It's been on our radar for so long, we were…read morehankering for a burger, and I've heard that Paper Tiger makes a good one, so we wandered in on a quiet Wednesday afternoon to check the place out. They lean heavy into the Tiger theme here. The place is totally decked out in knick knacks, artwork, and more. It's cozy but chic, with huge booths on the other side of the bar, good for big drunken outings I imagine, considering how they are known for their late night scene. We chose the small but comfy wicker chairs at the bar and got glasses of wine - $2 off on happy hour! Our bartender was super sweet and helped us with our order. We got the double smash burger and Szechuan wings with Thai chili sauce on the side. Food came out hella quick. The wings were little but they were so *crispy* and the Szechuan seasoning was tasty and not too overpowering. It was rated as 3 chili peppers on the menu but I didn't really detect any spice. Thai chili was sweet, tangy, solid. Our burger was good. I imagine it's modeled after a Big Mac - had all similar ingredients - just better beef, pickles, etc. It went down easy. I think I was just missing more flavor, maybe a little greasier, something cravable. But hey, if you've been out drinking and you need a late night snack, I guarantee that puppy will hit the spot. Their cocktail menu is an attraction in and of itself. The more you read through it, the more hilarious and charming it is. We will definitely be back to try some of them, especially one of their "party" bowls meant for multiple guests. Love the innovation and playfulness here! Can't wait to return!

Such a good place for lunch (especially their lunch specials)…read more I loved the noodle with the pad Thai, big fan of the smaller noodles! Was also able to get it to be a little spicy and it was perfect. Crab Rangoons do not disappoint on the amount of crab! Server was lovely as well and was so helpful to me! Definitely a great lunch spot

Talk about amazing flavor and high quality ingredients. The staff was super helpful and extremely…read morekind. We tried numerous dishes and every dish was delicious and a reasonable price. Must try dish are the crab ragoons if that is a staple dish you get at every Chinese takeout spot. Every dish was packed with explosive flavor, made you say "wow" after every bite and was sad once finished. Even tried sake for the first time and will be having it again. I live in Portland and will be coming back more frequently but also will be getting takeout too!