I had the pleasure of dining with friends at Willow tonight. Wow, what an amazing time. John greeted each of us as we arrived and visited with us while waiting for the other diners to arrive. Each course was beautifully presented, perfectly cooked and out of this world in flavor. The wine pairings were well done as well. The environment encourages conversation with both chefs and the other diners. This will be a regular dining spot for me. Thank you John and Doug for one of the best culinary experiences I have had.
Cannot say enough about how amazing John & Doug are...their independence, creativity, and warm-hearted openness to experience their food!!! Joe and I thoroughly enjoyed our Chef’s Tasting evening at the counter (and seriously, that creamed leeks/barley/shiitake mushroom dish was DIVINE...and I could eat the shredded Brussels/avocado w/ that pork shoulder dish allllll day long!). Such a great experience! Thank you!
Superb food, incredible flavors, thoughtful drink pairings, comfortable atmosphere, friendly and attentive service. An absolute treat and gem of a restaurant. John and Doug know how to create an amazing dinner experience while having fun doing it. One of our favorites in Portland!
It was a nice intimate dining experience where you can get a thorough (but not overdone) explanation of the food and the beer/wine/non-alcoholic drink pairings. The vibe is like you went to a good friends place who decided to cook you up a delicious meal and serve you a bunch of drinks. Service was great! Only rating it four stars for value for money. We were there in 2017, so I imagine they have been honing their skills since we last visited.
Willow offers a rather unique approach to organizing your dining experience. The dishes are prepared and served on a communal counter by a team of two, and this team works out a miracle – a sophisticated combination fresh local ingredients, skilfully transformed into a culinary marvel, followed by a simple, almost home-style dish that explodes with surprisingly deep flavours; all served with great attention to detail and accompanied by a story around the ingredients and, sometimes, the meal idea itself.
Willow is definitely one of the top New American restaurants in Portland. Oh, don't miss an opportunity to stay for coffee and cookies after the dinner!
Had a wonderful dinner at Willow tonight. John and Doug are very casual, like having dinner at a friend's house. Everything was very creative...very interesting ingredient and flavor combinations that worked together perfectly. And very nice wine pairing. All at a very nice price. Portland at its finest.
Incredible food well worth the price. Their tasting menu changes every few weeks, and every single time it is delicious. The two owners/creators/chefs are very friendly. Favorite restaurant in Portland.
Hands down our favorite restaurant in town. Menu changes on a monthly basis, uses seasonal and local ingredients, and is often themed, whether it's a favorite's menu or based on who won the world cup. John and Doug are great people, very welcoming and put a lot of work and dedication into the food. Only 10 to 12 seats per night so can be tough to get a reservation but we've never had a bad meal here and try to return as often as we can.
One of the best dining experiences in my life. Jon and Doug (the two chefs) host you at their restaurant, and serve you a fantastic six course prix fixe dinner that they make right before your eyes. The environment is intimate and you really get to know everyone around you. When we were there, Jon hosted at the front and Doug worked mostly in the kitchen.
Loved the food and experience. Each dish was prepared carefully with lots of time and effort. Wine pairing is def worth it as well.
Amazing experience, the monthly menus are masterfully crafted and the owners really show their passion for creating these wonderful food experiences. Don't come here if you just want to eat food - come here if you want to be led through a culinary journey. Very reasonably priced considering the experience! Don't forget to buy a jar of salted caramels on your way out so you can share it with your friends (or not, nobody has to know) and tell them about the fantastic experience you had at Willow!
So many awesome restaurants in the Portland area. This is another one of favorites. The duo is extremely talented and nice. The chef churns out plate after plate of yumminess while they are plated in front of you. A very small intimate venue. Such a great place to enjoy a meal.
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in Portland
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes