Aviaryone of the best meals I've hadThe food was creative and delicious with complex flavors, beautiful presentation and good service . Truly the meal I've had in a restaurant in Portland in years.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMSimply FantasticI dropped off flowers to be placed on the table and the staff were so accommodating. The green beans were awesome as always the smoked salmon was outstanding. The pomegranates with the goat was a great combination. The monkfish was super tasty. My girlfriend really liked the liver.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique menuThe food at Aviary is truly unique, very interesting--and delicious--combinations that really work. There is so much good food in Portland, it is fun to find a restaurant that is able to stand out with such inventive dishes. Highly recommended.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMStellar at every levelI almost don't want to say how fantastic our experience at Aviary was, because I want to keep the restaurant for myself! EXCEPTIONAL food, attentive and informed service and a superb experience all the way around. We had two great cocktails which were blessedly not too sweet and we love Aviary! Service encompassed a marrow bone for our dog to eat outside with us. What could be better.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMMy group dined early, so theMy group dined early, so the restaurant was quiet. The menu is relatively small, but all of the dishes we tried were excellent with a lovely presentation for each. The service was friendly and professional.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMSecondaryThe savory for was great, good delicious flavors combined that you might not be used to. Dessert on the other hand was disappointing. The panna cotta was set in a martini glass and was fairly boring. The cheesecake tasted okay but was nothing special, especially when compared to the savory courses. The creativity and plating of the desserts did not hold up to the rest of the meal.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMDefinitely worth goingWe had a great dinner at Aviary. Their menu is almost perfect, wish they had couple more options in the main course section, otherwise I couldn't have asked for a better dinner. The dessert was amazing! the Stout cake was the BEST!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMHighly recommendedWorth the detour. Interesting, well prepared food. Great drinks. Fair prices. The best meal we had in Portland by far. Less hype than Little Bird, with better food and a nice low-key vibe. Only down-side is the $20 cab ride from downtown.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMworth it! will go back!liked that there was outdoor seating but front did not feel inviting, w/ metal chairs, etc. wished we had arrived earlier to sit at back tables near outdoor garden area.
biggest/perhaps only complaint: all 3 in my party disliked the music, loud modern jazz or r&b?! too loud; didn't seem to fit ambiance of the space or style of food at all. just awkward.
each and ever single sip of beer/cocktail and bite of food/dessert was yummy good to downright delicious. portions did seems rather small but we took it as an opportunity to order/try/enjoy large number of items; also perfectly full in the end, did not go home hungry or stuffed! food creative and fun. lasting flavors in dishes, desserts pleasantly rich. braised beef w/gnocchi my favor4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMA-MAAAAA-ZING!One of Portland's best for a reason! If you want an OMG food experience from the first sip of your cocktail to the last bite of your dessert, you must dine here.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is ok, but nothingThe food is ok, but nothing special. You can find better options in Portland.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWhile we were dining at AviaryWhile we were dining at Aviary on a busy Saturday evening, we were seated in the room just off of the bar and we were able to carry on conversation while we ate most delicious small plates including oysters, fish, butternut squash,tuna tart Char, and three wonderful deserts. We would reccommend the food and the service to all.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food here is amazing!The food here is amazing! Incredible taste, creativity and presentation. Staff very friendly.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and cocktails,Great food and cocktails, knowledgeable servers; attentive servers and owners. WOuld definitely recommend!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique Food, Great Service.Some of the most inventive and delicious food in Portland. On par with Le Pigeon and the other "fit for foodie" meals, and quite a bit gentler on my wallet than other such places. And, despite it's reputation as a "small-plate" style, both me and my dining partner left quite full. Check out their desserts. The wine list was solid and well-priced, though not otherwise notable.
Decor: Small, but not overly intimate. Industrial style. Loud but not unbearable.
I highly recommend Aviary for dates, friendly meet-ups, and happy hour drinks.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMAviary: one to keep flying back toNice variety of menu options. Some of the best octopus I have had. Great flavors in all our dishes. Service was informative, friendly, and non-invasive.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMI really adored eating here.I really adored eating here. I got three of the dishes -- japanese eggplant, oxtail croquettes, and the four cup chicken -- but what really stood out for me was the amazing stout cake I had for dessert. The service was impeccable, neither standoffish nor too fawning, and as I was sitting at the kitchen bar, I occasionally got to interact with one of the soux-chefs, which was nice. The food was beautifully prepared and had interesting mixes of flavors, and it felt like a unique experience to me without being pretentious.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSpace doesn't really allowSpace doesn't really allow me to gush as much as I want to over how delicious this meal was, and I really wish I could. I had three of the small plates (and am glad I read reviews about how and what to order, so I wouldn't be disappointed). From the japanese eggplant to the oxtail croquettes to the four-cup chicken, the meal was exquisite and the service was absolutely a delight. (Tip: Go early and on a weekday, if you can) The highlight of the meal though was the stout cake, which may have been the best dessert I've ever had. The ambiance is whimsical and not as overstated as the stereotypical "put a bird on it" theme would make it seem. I also recommend you try one of the cocktails, if you can. My Opera Sidecar was fantastic.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM