ObaExceptional Food and ServiceWe have eaten at Oba many times and I am always amazed by the exceptional food and service. The menu is imaginative without being contrived. I appreciate their "special" menus with vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free options. The wine list is excellent and unpretentious. I love the inclusion of wine ratings. The interior is beautifully designed and on a warm afternoon their sidewalk seating is the best.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious foodIt got mom's seal of approval on mothers day, enough said. :)5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFine dining still has a placeMany restaurants have become more casual and less fine dining. Oba has found a niche that caters to both. I visited (not my first time at Oba) on Mother's Day when many were treating their Mom or wife to a special dinner. We saw casual families to upscale professionals "dressed for dinner." The bar and lounge area was active and lively but not too noisy for a quiet conversation. The table was ready on time (reservations are best.) Both the service and the food were top notch. My wife and I had a very pleasant dinner well worth the slightly higher than Portland restaurant price. You get what you pay for and for a special evening and a special lady it was a great evening.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFamily nightWe went, and ventured to bring the kids. Staff was great and everyone had a great time.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptionalOverall great dining experience, took out of town guests here and they were wowed.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMwent there for a livingsocialwent there for a livingsocial 3-course spring tasting menu and ordered one of each option. the food was good, especially the steak, but it wasn't amazing for the prices they charge. the service, however, was exceptional! our server knew everything on the menu and answered all of our questions without having to ask in the kitchen. also made good wine recommendations. overall, the experience was good, but will not be back unless i'm on an expense account.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic all around!Food = awesomely delicious! Best meal I've had in ages, and the margaritas are to die for --not too sweet, but not too sour from the lime or tequila. Anyone who eats here must eat the seafood ceviche, and the prime rib coyotas -it was a good thing I was sharing these, or else I wouldn't have room for the rest of my meal!
Place is pricy, so I'll probably only be back for special occasions, but still, worth every penny!5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing service. Drinks wereAmazing service. Drinks were top notch. The food was plentiful. A fun and festive meal.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMI had been there before forI had been there before for work dinners before but never on my own. My daughter and I had a great time. The service and meal were incredible. Can hardly wait to go back for the rum cake with pineapple and toasted coconut ice cream. My salmon was cooked perfectly as was her rare New York strip. Thanks again.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperb food and ddtgbBest drinks in town. Margaritas galore, all made and served on the rocks in tall glasses. Potent combos. No waving the alcohol bottle over the glass here. Food is Nuevo Latino with imaginative SMS creative dishes insides from Mexico, central, and south America4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI am in portland once a monthI am in portland once a month and try to eat here at least once. Great food and the menu is always changing with new preparations.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat evening, as always...Awesome dinner, as always! Not only is the food always AMAZING, but the people who work there are always super nice (never uppity, never "put out" -- just nice and always really accommodating).4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMSolidFrom the outside, the neon sign and old-world facility make this look like a place that is more used to banquets and big0party dining. The opposite is true, however, of the service, attention to detail and the food overall. I never would have tried Oba after seeing it from the outside, until I was made to go for a work function. Suffice it to say I will return.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGoodeatsThis place is the tops! The food was great (shout out to the stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon). It is one of the best restaurants that I have been to since moving to the Northwest.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMSurprise vegetarian dish a winner!The butternut squash enchilada was absolutely delicious. My husband got it on a whim and it was the best dish of the night, though the paella was great too. Wish they had a smaller guacamole starter as it looked great watching them make it for other tables, but it was too much for just the two of us to eat if we wanted to save room for our main course selections.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this place!Oba has been our go-to special occasion restaurant for years. We've never been disappointed in anything there. Food, service, the whole package...great!4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGood find. Really liked theGood find. Really liked the food, but the selection wasn't very large. We ordered several tapas and had a great dinner.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA very Happy Birthday with MomThe service was great and the food was wonderful. The steaks were tender complimented with amazing sauces. Our waitress was friendly and engaging and really seemed to care that our evening was enjoyable. The food came to the tables in a timely manner with smiles from all the staff. Look forward to another birthday to give us an opportunity to return.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways can count of a consistentlyAlways can count of a consistently good experience. I have been many times and always leave very happy with my experience! Love that about Oba.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMLove the fresh guacamole whileLove the fresh guacamole while I waited for friends. Didn't have to share for a while.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMHave been many times and willHave been many times and will definitely keep coming back. Excellent food and drinks; service is always awesome too. Great for happy hour and appetizers or a full dinner4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBrought some co-workers fromBrought some co-workers from out of town here for dinner. They loved it!4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have always loved Oba,We have always loved Oba, we come here for special occasions like our anniversary. The food is always creative and well prepared. The menu changes but I always find something delicous. The service was outstanding, I would reccomend this place to anyone.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food! Well cooked.Excellent food! Well cooked. Different combinations of flavors. Tasty. Yummy! Compliments to the chefs! Server very knowledgeable of the menu and wine list. Friendly. Professional. Seated right away.
Personal taste: lighting was a little too dim.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant was establishedThis restaurant was established in 1997; since it is not only surviving, but thriving, in 2013 in the Portland dining scene, alone speaks volumes about its quality.
Ambience: Energetic and friendly. The noise level lets you know you're in a popular restaurant but doesn't impair any conversation at your table. Servers are attentive, timely, and knowledgeable. When there are multiple diners in your party, multiple servers will deliver the food, so everyone gets their dish simultaneously - it's impressive to see, and considerate.
Food: Interesting Caribbean influence; excellent quality, perfectly prepared. Standards remain so because they are still interesting and the new dishes are adventuresome and creative.
Drink: As with food, yo3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMFamily Get Together!Family visiting from San Diego said "it was the best place they've eaten in Portland!"3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWithout a doubt, one of theWithout a doubt, one of the best kept secrets in Portland! Oba is classy, hip, and relevant. The coriander steak is perfection! The enchilada hits the mark with exciting incredients, and the pomegranate sangria was the best ever!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food too loudGood food , great service, but a bit too loud for conversation.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food, beautifullyDelicious food, beautifully prepared. Our favorite restaurant in Portland. Outstanding service compliments enhances the great dining experience. We wish we could dine at Oba more often but live about 80 miles away. It is definitely worth the trip. Splurge on the guacamole made table-side. It is a fun experience to watch and and result--the best guac you will ever taste-- is fabulous!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I had a well deservedMy wife and I had a well deserved "date" and a friend recommended Oba. A great find as it turns out. Service was outstanding and the quality of the food left no second guessing. Did I mention the service? A very memorable experience. We'll be back.
Don Missal3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMOur experience at Oba wasOur experience at Oba was fantastic. Both my husband and I enjoyed every single dish and the service was spectacular. We would definitely be coming back again. Thank you for giving us an enjoyable experience!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a delicious meal, withWe had a delicious meal, with great service. Thanks for the wonderful evening.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMIt ws pretty noisey when weIt ws pretty noisey when we dined there. But the food was great and the service attentive.3/10/2013 12:00:00 AMFun evening out with a groupFun evening out with a group of friends. We were seated in the Havana room, which was lovely for being able to interact with a large table of people. We shared big platters of tapas style foods, which were all delicious. We felt that the price was a bit high for the portion sizes, but service was good and we'll be back. The vibe in the main restaurant was more festive and energetic and is definitely somewhere I would go on a date night or with a smaller group of 4.3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMHad the diver scallops special,Had the diver scallops special, it was delicious. The butter lettuce salad is fantastic as well. Great business dinner spot when you are looking for someplace with a more interesting menu.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PMExcellent service and ambianceThe service was top notch - 5 stars. Good sized alcohol drink (Manhattan Margarita). Food - I ordered the Paella. The smokiness of the sausage overpowered the dish, smothering the delicate taste of the seafood. The Paella was also a tat too wet. The Ceviche was bland. The Prime Rib Coyotas and the Tostones with Beef Carnitas was very good. The Seared Rare Ahi Tuna was average.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM