Local 188Great place!!!Local 188 is one of our favorites. Great cocktails, interesting menu and great service. The only downside is that when the dining room and bar are full it can get LOUD.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMI love this place!Whenever I am in Portland, I make reservations at Local 188. The food is fresh and inventive (try the gnocchi!) and the prices are reasonable. But most of all the vibe is very friendly and relaxed. There is always interesting art on the walls and it feels like home as soon as you step in the door.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific food, unique atmosphereExcellent paella, imaginative menu and specials, best mussels ever. Consistently Spanish in theme and flavor, but with a distinctly local twist and a strong commitment to local "farmers, foragers & fisherman". And perfectly timed service besides. Would definitely recommend.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMVibrant Local CafeOut-of-towners looking for a chic place to dine wouldn't find Local 188, but they might be pleasantly surprised if they did. A friendly, noisy cafe filled with local folk and serving food that is Spanish in influence and often outstanding. Seafood preparations are especially recommended. Interesting Spanish wines at good prices. Friendly, helpful service. And, they are open seven days. And they have a parking lot. Good combination? I guess so.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWhere are the vegetables?I was extremely disappointed with my meal, especially considering the price. I had the dry-aged beef entree that was chewy and tough and absolutely nothing special. I also look for vegetables being a substantial component to my meals. I had a measly 2 tbsp of parsnip purée on my entree, a meager salad with maybe 3 oz of vegetables at best, and no options for additional vegetable sides.
The only reason I gave the food three stars is because my husband LOVES the chicken liver appetizer, and fundamentally enjoyed his meal.
We have enjoyed Local 188 in the past, but we will not be back.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a reservation but wereWe had a reservation but were seated about 30 minutes later than our reserved time. By that time (915pm when we were ready to put our orders in) they were out of a few items on the dinner menu and then they were out of a few desserts as well. We were disappointed about that however, on the upside, I think this means they have fresh ingredients and don't keep leftover food. The food we did have was good, the mussels were awesome! Good cocktail and wine list. Good service!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMOur latest meal in April atOur latest meal in April at Local 188 was superb. The cheese plate was delightful, and the mussels in an anchovy cream sauce were sublime (especially for dipping the olive oil toasted bread). Run, don't walk to Local 188!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMHouse Paella was fantastic. ServicHouse Paella was fantastic.
Service was excellent.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMBest seafood paella I haveBest seafood paella I have ever had. Service was professional, and attentive.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWhen I made the reservationWhen I made the reservation for a celebration dinner for my husband and I, I requested a window seat, which I was very pleased to find we were given. The food was fabulous (my braised short ribs were to die for!) and our waitress was wonderful. We have been to Local 188 several times, and I think this was the best experience yet! Keep up the good work - we can't wait until our next visit!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food, good fun, goodGood food, good fun, good service, but can get noisy from 8-10 pm due to lively atmosphere.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMDiscouragedLocal 188 was one of our favorites. I say WAS because I ordered the Seafood Paella and realized last night I got the HOUSE! Mussels, cherry stones, sausage and rice. Wondered why I was given crackers for what No LOBSTER! We were charged for the seafood paella. Steak tartar, needed more flavor and chicken liver swimming in gravy. My husband and son enjoyed their tuna but I am discouraged. Service was exceptional but meal not what I ordered.
Mad, Jane Simonds3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMLocal ingredients, well-presented,Local ingredients, well-presented, nice wine list, good value3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent andThe food was excellent and the service was great. Local 188 is a good example of why Portland is such a great city for restaurants. Dinner was very busy on Saturday evening but we had no trouble with getting our meals on time. The restaurant was fairly loud but I'm not sure this can be helped given the layout in the number of people being served. I look forward to going to Local 188 again this summer!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMDiane C.We had one of the best dining experience that we can remember! The waitress was knowledgeable about the food on the menu,as well as a superb handle on the wine offerings and appropriate food pairings. Unfortunately, we can't remember her name but she was fantastic! I was very impressed on the ability to accommodate my dietary retractions. They were very helpful in offering alternatives for my gluten sensitive diet.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was delicious and exquisitelyFood was delicious and exquisitely prepared; unfortunately our waitress mishandled our orders.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMOur experience tells us onceOur experience tells us once again that Local 188 is a solid and reliabley excellent player in the Portland food scene. if you are looking for ceative and fun cocktail options, Local 188 certainly fills this bill. The apps (charcuterie and cheese plates) were tricked out with lots of interesting and delicious little extras that really make these combinations special. As always the seafood paella was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Our server was knowledgable, professional, engaged and apparently unflappable. The energy at 188 is pleasantly frisky without being frenetic; a tricky balance that they pull off well. A most delightful evening was had by all.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMMuch improved! This was theMuch improved! This was the second trip in as many days because I was having several evenings out with friends. Home run on staff, food and window seating!3/6/2013 12:00:00 AM