Belly

Yes, Belly is closing this Saturday, and let me just say, I wish I’d found this place earlier! I bought a gift certificate online and figured I’d try the place out… I was so impressed. I love the ambiance and décor of the place. It feels cozy, casual, yet classy. The food was delicious as well! We got the steak and the gnocchi, I loved both dishes. My boyfriend felt like the gnocchi was too mushy. We also got the caramel brownie, and I thought it was sooooo good! Tasted like a homemade brownie – boyfriend prefers the boxed stuff (he’s a processed food kinda guy).
Definitely wish we could have tried brunch!

Sad news. BELLY IS CLOSING AS OF SATURDAY APRIL 16^th. See announcement from owners listed below. The four star rating here is for Belly as it is — «Sophisticated and approachable eats at neighborhood prices in Northeast Portland.» The news of its’ closing is one star sad. :-(
April 8, 2011
Dear friends, fans and family of belly restaurant,
As we sat down to renew our lease options after serving you for three years, we came to the hard decision to close our doors. Our last day of service is Saturday April 16^th.
We live in NE PDX and believe in this neighborhood and encourage you to frequent the gems that are along this corridor of MLK.
We want to thank our loyal neighborhood regulars for their belly evangelism over the years. We believe that the craft of serving others is a noble one and have to give mad love to our amazing staff who worked beside us to build something memorable and rewarding for us as owners.
What will we do now? We inherit more time with our four-​year-​old daughter and we continue to revel in the great city we live in.
If you would like us to share what kitchen Cameron is cooking in next, email us at
Cameron & Linda Addy

We ate here 3 times in the last month and a half thanks to Groupon and all the great reviews, twice for happy hour and dinner and once for brunch.
Bravo-​banana bread french toast is amazing and so is the service
Enjoyable-​steak and fries and the polenta tots-​yum!!!
Livable-​Napmaker-​biscuit with sausage, egg, & gravy & the Bloody Mary
Lame-​gin based cocktail
Unilocal!-$ 4 for one deviled egg at HH & cold eggs at breakast-​sent back
For a place that boasts «neighborhood prices» I would like to know in what neighborhood do they think this deviled egg belongs? The online menu said it was supposed to be an avocado deviled egg but the in house menu just said deviled eggs. Also note the (s) on eggs on the menu. I guess they can claim the plural because it is one deviled egg in two halves. For that price and especially at happy hour I was hoping for more. I even thought it was a mistake but the next time we made it there I saw a table staring disappointedly at their two sad little egg halves as well.
It’s worth checking out, the food is good but I don’t understand all the hype.

Last time it was hot and sunny and we all sat outside. This happy hour, it was cold and rainy and we sat inside. We were on the early side and were quickly seated by the window. By the time we left it was filling up. I like to see this, this place should be doing well.
S.U. indulged in a pomegranate Margarita and hush puppies (ham/​greens), I had glasses of Sangiovese and the pasta with fried anchovies special (big surprise, right?). We also split a salad and a pizza.
Good stuff. I still haven’t made it in here for dinner but that day is coming… soon!

I remember as kids we use to make road trips down to Portland before the start of school year for clothes shopping. And a stop that we would always make is the outlet Nike store on MLK. Well 20 years later, I found myself dating a girl from Portland so it has now become a second home to me since we visit her parents on almost a monthly basis.
So on a recent visit, we stopped in here for brunch and it was beyond our expectations. The food and service was excellent! It felt so cozy just like how a neighborhood café should be. If you want an excellent place for brunch, this place is a must visit!

I’ve been to Belly 4 times for dinner. First time was in April 2009, the last (and final) time was last week. I remembered the first 2 times being pretty good. I think they’ve gone downhill since the last 2 times I remembered saying that I wouldn’t come again will all the choices we have in Portland.
When we got there last week, no waiter approached us for 10+mins. We then found out that there was a miscommunication between the 2 waiters and neither thought our table was under them (oops). Even after they realized that and took our order, they still forgot to bring the bread and was only offered it AFTER we got our food. I remembered the gnocchi was good from my 3^rd visit, but not as good this time. The scallops entrée was perfectly cooked, but the taste is just not there. The second entrée, I don’t even remember! and it’s less than a week ago. With it being $ 24 a pop, definitely not worth it.
I usually don’t factor in service and price for my reviews. But it’s getting harder to do with all the competition they have in Portland. The food is solid, but not exceptional and there’s nothing that I would crave that would bring me back.

Have you ever heard someone say it was the little things that mattered most? Well tonight fit that scenario, because I really wanted to give Belly five stars. I had been several times for events but this was my first dinner service.
The night didn’t start off with a bang when they lost our reservation; we were made to wait while watching them scramble to find us an available table. I realize mistakes happen so I’m not discrediting them entirely; at least they let us order some of their tasty cocktails while we waited. Two of us ordered their special which was a (3) course meal for $ 25. It consisted of a baby spinach salad with blue cheese dressing and fried shallots, next was a braised pork shoulder with carrots, crème fraiche and house made pasta and a cream cheese panna cotta with blood orange glaze for dessert. Before ordering we were told that the dessert had been replaced with a chocolate tart and peanut butter mousse. My ears perked up and I said NOW you’re speaking my language. Unfortunately half way through dinner the waiter came back and told us it was no longer available. Huh? Gee thanks guy just shove the knife in a little deeper why don’t ya. Obviously there was some confusion in the kitchen but for the most part our service was great.
As for the food, the salad had just the right amount of flavor from each ingredient and the blue cheese wasn’t overpowering. The pork and pasta was nicely done although I did feel the carrots were a bit undercooked and wish I had been given more pork. The dessert was the least flattering; the blood orange overshadowed the delicate panna cotta with its tart, acidic flavor. Regardless of my complaints I thought overall it was a good meal for the money. If we hadn’t experienced all the small inconveniences more stars would probably be theirs but I’ll let you be the judge.

Delicious! I am giving this meal a 5 star. We had a groupon and I was really looking forward to dinner. We used the discount of the groupon to be able to splurge a little. We started off with 2 oyster shooters, which I thought would be a nice amuse-​bouche, but since my love decided he didn’t want to eat raw oysters I got to enjoy both of them. They were very good, and instead of the tangy cocktail sauce I am used to, they serve it with a vinegar that has onions and seasoning in it. Good stuff. I tried raw oysters for the first time last summer, and I am a cooked seafood gal, but I love oyster shooters. I wasn’t sure if I would feel the same without the cocktail sauce, but I bit the bullet, and actually tasted them, savored them, and they were great!
For dinner we each had the scallops ($ 22), and I will be honest, we cook fabulous seafood at home (including scallops) so when I am going to spend $$ on scallops I really want them to be fantastically fabulous. When the plates arrived with 3 large scallops on them it was a beautiful presentation with the cauliflower-​kale hash and beurre rouge. However, the idea of 3 scallops for the money was a little disappointing UNTIL I took the first bite. The scallops were large and meaty but so tender, perfectly cooked and probably one of the best scallops dinners I have had. We were certainly not left wanting.
The ladies at the table next to us all had salads and split some pizzas, and they said they were delicious as well. I would like to go back and try several other items on the menu. I have also read great reviews of their happy hour menu, so some night we will make a dinner of the smaller plates.
Tomorrow we are heading back to Belly for brunch (this is what happens when you don’t watch the expiration dates on the groupons!) after our yoga class. I think it will be a perfect morning!

Perhaps my expectations were too high. After hearing this place highly touted by others as being excellent, it fell far short of the mark. To give credit where due, the wait staff was excellent, attentive and helpful without being intrusive. The décor is pleasant enough, made all the better by the fact that the staff courteously seated a family with several young children away from the main part of the dining room.
The hamburger was top quality beef, and cooked exactly as I ordered. After inquiring if it came with mayonnaise, I was told it had only blue cheese dressing, which turned out to be mostly mayonnaise, which was waived near the cheese at some point. The entire sandwich was slathered in it, and required quite a bit of deconstruction to make it palatable. The bun, lettuce, and caramelized onions had to be discarded to escape it. No matter how it arrived on the plate, it is concerning that the culinary staff considered it a suitable accompaniment for anything.
I would not risk a second mistake here.

Like everyone else I am a groupon junkie, and it took me that long to get to Belly. First, sleek inner décor — love to see the chefs behind a stainless steel counter. Food was great! I had the steak and frites — cooked to my med-​rare liking and the fries were delish. The beet orange salad with frisee had a lovely smokiness to it. I would love to go back for brunch which seems to be their specialty on Sundays.

My belly is very happy that I took it to Belly last Friday night.
The delicious brussels-​sprout and bacon soup (creamy, smoky, pale green) and perfectly pan-​fried red trout I ordered (crispy skin, pale pink flesh) were both presented beautifully. The trout was topped with a buttery cauliflower and potato hash, and generously portioned.
I sat at the bar, as I was having dinner solo, and I enjoyed watching the kitchen staff work — something like watching Food Network Live — while drinking a great Oregon pinot noir.
The service at the bar was relaxed but friendly.
I will definitely have to return and check out their brunch.

The burger was amazing! Take off the top bun and, heaven. Unfortunately it took about 10 minutes before we were asked what we wanted to drink… Too long! It took another 15 minutes to get bread, it was good — or I may have been starving, I’m not sure.
The drink menu is way too complicated, we had 2 drinks from it and neither were good. We had to revert to a good old lemon drop, which was tasty.

This place was packed! And rightfully so.
Very warm atmosphere. Classy, yet kid friendly — great combination for trendy familes.
Food was delicious!
Prices very reasonable.
There is parking lot behind the restaurant. …What more to wish for? Oh yeah, I wish they were right next door to my house! :))

One thing I can say is that they don’t disappoint.
I’ve been here numerous times for either happy hour and full on dinner.
Delicious grub. It’s been months since I’ve been here but I can still taste the vividness of their mac and cheese.
There is some kind of homey feel into it. Something special. Something real.
And the creative and handcrafted drinks? Sure why not, right?! I make sure I try different concoctions everytime I go here. If you’re left clueless, ask the bartender for his advice.
They are friendly. They put out a smart menu.
Try it.

One night in Portland, where to go, where to go. After some searching on Unilocal I decided on Belly. Walking up to Belly I was glad I picked the spot. The dining room opens to the kitchen and bar so you can see what is going on throughout the restaurant — great atmosphere for a relaxing dinner.
Our drink order included wine and cocktails, the bartender was on top of getting them completed but they sat on the bar for quite a while waiting for pickup and delivery. There appeared to be some confusion as to where they should go and it was not solved until several minutes later when our waiter was asked.
For an appetizer we ordered the hand-​cut french fries with aioli — with some prompting they arrived after we were served our main meal.
I had the pan-​roasted halibut, panzanella, heirloom tomato & green goddess — it was excellent. Halibut had a nicely browned exterior but tender and perfectly cooked. The green goddess dressing was delicious on the tomatoes (and with the fish). My colleagues sampled the belly burger, pan-​roasted pork chop, and the yellow corn chowder. We also ordered the ‘loaded potato’ gnocchi but when it had not arrived halfway through our meal we cancelled that order.
We tried a few desserts including a spice cake and lavender chocolate panna cotta. They were a nice ending to our dining experience.
For context on my rating, this was my one and only dining experience at Belly. I must admit I was really disappointed. The food was good but the coordination between our waiter and the chef was seriously lacking. In a city with so many great choices for food, it would be difficult for me to try this one out again.

The food at this place is amazing and the atmosphere is relaxing and modern with a touch of ski lodge feel to it. They have an excellent happy hour with great prices as well.
The service on the other hand does not match. This place is spendy and the last time I went there we waited for ten minutes befor being greeted by a hostess and 10 more minutes before being brought water and asked what we would like to drink. This was during regular dinner hours and not happy hour.
I think when you charge $ 7.0 for soup and $ 20.00 and up for entrees you cannot rest on good food alone the service needs to match. We should not have to search for our server he/​she should be right there. Granted they were busy, but note to the owner please have enough staff so people keep coming back. This place has such good food and a great location I want them to make it.

Loved it! Excellent service, very attentive staff. Seriously, we were warmly greeted and wished a good evening by half the staff when we left. :) Beautiful, warm décor with lovely bamboo tables. A great romantic spot for a date night.
The food was very rich and decadent. The squid was melt in your mouth tender. I was in heaven. We also had the burger and a delicious seasonal summer squash pesto pizza with fresh arugula.
This is definitely one of our new «go-​to» places!
You won’t be disappointed. :)

Always great–
The dishes are seasonal and fresh tasting. When there with a vegetarian, we shared everything and I never felt like I was missing out. Lots of good veggie options.
The pastas have that homemade texture that I love from fresh pasta. Definitely something you can’t fake!
I agree that it is approachable, but it is also special enough that I’m not talking about how «I can make that at home»
Desserts seem kinda small, but I’m a sugar hog, so maybe I am not the right judge…
It seems like people always talk about wanting great food at a good price without snobby service… score for belly!

«Sophisticated and Approachable eats» is their motto and I completely agree with this description. Even those with an unseasoned palette could appreciate the food here. The atmosphere/​décor is contemporary with a comforting and inviting warmth. The service was top notch; attentive and non-​intrusive.
The «loaded potato» gnocchi was freakin’ A-​MAZING! Potato gnocchi, olive oil, bits of crispy bacon, shredded white cheddar, chives, and a dollop of sour cream unite in sublimely balanced dish. You absolutely have to try this one. Comfort food at its best.
They ran out of pappardelle the night I came so I opted for the salmon entrée. The pan-​roasted salmon was perfectly cooked with a crisp sear and accompanying pork belly, snap pea, and potato hash was de-​lish. Overall, a good dish, but it didn’t blow me away like the gnocchi.
My waitress recommended the lavender chocolate milk panna cotta for dessert, but I’m not a big fan of panna cotta. Instead I chose the sweet cream berry tart for a light (so I tell myself) finish to my meal. The blackberries and raspberries were incredibly fresh and sweeter than I’m accustomed to.
Wine: Gruner Veltliner — Austrian wine which tasted similar to a New Zealand Sauvignon blanc but not as crisp.
More info: They offer a $ 25 prix-​fixe dinner. Regulars have their names written on the back of the chairs. Nice looking specialty cocktail menu.
I definitely plan to come back to eat the gnocchi again and try their fresh-​made pasta and burger!

Wow Ian R, thank you. For the last 24 hours I’ve been trying to come up with the right way to describe Belly’s menu. Uninspired? Nah… Unintentional? no, that’s not right… Unimaginative? Definitely not. Unfocused — that’s it! I just couldn’t quite figure out what the consistent thread was that tied the menu together, and I think you’ve hit it: there just wasn’t one.
Here’s the thing: I loved, loved, loved the ambiance. The little touches… the mason jars, the carbon filtered lights, the hanging ladder thingy made from wood from oak barrels, the open kitchen, the friendly and efficient service… the conditions were perfect for an amazing dining experience!
And no doubt the cocktails were delicious. House infused blackberry rum? Really? And huckleberry vodka? Yes, please.
But then there’s that tiny little «mediocre food» thing that I just can’t seem to forget about. Perhaps we ordered the wrong dishes, but after the fact the whole build up just seemed a bit — what’s the word — unfocused. Even anti-​climatic.