New American

New American is one of those places I feel guilty not going to, one of two I’ve found in Portland. Proprietor is a term, I believe with a unique characteristic besides simple ownership, a nuance one might say. Manages. For me manages implies involvement in the place of business, showing up and being involved. New American embodies this is all the best ways. From delicious food overseen daily by the owners to unique cocktails, born of a love of food & spirit. I’ve never had a bad item here and enjoy a place that offers simply good food without pomp and invites hanging out a while and enjoying food & drink.

Not from Portland so thought this place was in a weird part of town but whatever. Best pastry I have put in my mouth at the counter (some powdered sugar thing with blackberry jam in the middle) the coffee was incredible and the whole family loved our breakfast. I will have to say though the best part was the service, so friendly and helpful. love it here will come back whenever I am in town

This review is for the breakfast. Seemed to healthy for my likings and the eggs were kinda weird. The brunch drinks were good. The tables to close togather. The staff was nice. The only have whole wheat toast. I think it’s better as a bar than a breakfast spot. But this is just a review of breakfast food.

Such great food! Someday this place will have the typical Portland wait lines, do yourself a favor and go now!

This was hands down the worst dining experience in Portland. We cam in with a group of 4 ordered at the counter, found a table and then waited for 20 minuted for our drinks to come out. Then we waited for another 45 minutes for our food at a place that wasn’t that busy (no line outside on Sunday at noon). Service staff is just straight up bad and useless and the fact that they expect you to leave the tip as you order before you experience any of the service is a scam.
Our food took over an hour to come out and then the order was a complete mess. My wife’s dish had 3 components eggs, chicken apple sausage and biscuit, well they run out of all kinds of their sausages and they subbed it for bacon, which was very disappointment after an hour of waiting. My beer battered chicken was just a bunch of beer batter without chicken and when I returned it and asked about the explanation they said that they run out of chicken. This place tried to pass off fried batter as fried chicken!!! Then the waiter said that they are slammed in the kitchen and that she will refund me the money but cannot prepare anything else for me. Thank you so much cause that is what I was looking for, spending 2 hours in a restaurant watching my friends eat and leaving hungry.

We had an epiphany while having breakfast at The New American this morning. «Service is part of the atmosphere» and atmosphere, not just good food, is what brings local people back for repeat visits. We won’t be returning to The New American any time soon. Despite its interesting breakfast menu, it lacks a welcoming atmosphere.
Was the service good? We are old school, so we say no. Paying in advance at the counter for our meal breaks the service contract. And it also leaves us a bit baffled when the Square asks us to leave a tip. How can we leave a tip when we haven’t even yet eaten our meal? Since they don’t take our order at the table or bring us coffee, should we only tip for half the amount of service we usually receive? In hindsight, we could have elected to choose no tip and leave a cash tip at our table, but that would have been an awkward moment in any case, with the staff person hovering over the register to see what tip I was leaving.
Was the food good? Hard to tell, because the atmosphere affects how we perceive the food and the atmosphere was this: dark (too dark for breakfast on a dreary November day), music too loud, almost empty restaurant, a single floor staff who was very busy, just not with any of the customers. It felt like the accoutrements of a nice restaurant had been moved into a industrial warehouse and everyone was busy getting ready for some exhibition.
My Yam, Ham and Cheddar omelet was undercooked, runny in the middle. The potatoes were okay, but they didn’t melt in my mouth like at the Tin Shed. The hamburger my son ordered was fine, but the upscale bun was dry. My wife’s food was good, but again all overshadowed by the dim, detached atmosphere.
What a different experience it would have been if a chatty waitress had greeted us, taken our order at our table and generally make us feel welcome, rather than feeling like strangers venturing in to some sort of art food concept exhibit space.
Sorry, but if you are going to subtract service from the customer experience, then expected to be judged solely on the food. The menu items did have original ideas, but these ideas also need to be executed well. If you are going to serve potatoes, make them damn good potatoes. If you make an omelette, make sure it is fully cooked. So I give it high marks for «fresh» menu selections, middle marks for the actual cooking and low marks for service and atmosphere.

Service and welcoming people are only outshone by the food that makes you want to stay and overeat all morning long. Thankfully, the portion sizes are actually normal so you feel full, and ready to order extra brioche «cinnamon rolls» covered in frosting, and the crispy home potatoes. The chicken topped bloody Maria stopped all conversation when delivered, and the eggs are sooo creamy delicious good. How do you make kale crispy and cooked into eggs at the same time? Is that some special New American culinary magic?!? We are so glad we came, and we will be back soon.

Had the chicken and meatballs. It was very delicious. Cooked perfect, fall off the bone. Its real food amazing. Will be back in the future.

Burgers are really great and some of the other menu items that are good too with some healthy veggie focused options. The big problem here is the sterile and very not-​hip ambiance… The lighting is bad and something is off with the table and chair design, grey blue paintings of generic wheat looks ikea-​y… all leading for a cheap chain vibe. The big screen tv menu has to go… Sitting outside on patio is an improvement. Getting it for take away is great option. I hope this place makes it because I like the food option, but I would never go here for a date, with friends or any kind of special treat or event due to the ambiance. Probably good for kids.
Hire an interior decorator before you go out of business! It’s not the location or the food it is your terrible style!!!

My husband and I are currently following a paleo diet and I was feeling a little fatigued by cooking when we decided to start looking for paleo friendly restaurants to take a night off with the kids when I ran across this restaurant here on Unilocal.I was so excited to find out is was in my neighborhood! We had the sweet potato fries, brussel sprouts, chicken and trip tip steak. Delish! Everything was cooked to perfection and very flavorful while simply prepared. Kids loved it too! Great atmosphere and patio with friendly quick service. We will definitely put it on our short list of regular restaurants!

Their incredible food continues to surprise. New American puts amazing flavor into everything they do. They have delicious slow roasted chicken, pulled pork, and tasty vegetables. The burger is so perfectly done I’d say its my favorite burger in Portland. They also do a happy hour slider trio, pulled pork, burger, & chicken that cant be beat.
Their salads also boast incredible flavors & ingredients.
Order at the counter & find a seat amongst their minimal but stylish indoor décor or on their sunny patio.
Super friendly staff and wonderful owners.

I like this place. I’ve been here twice. Both times I visited, there haven’t been a lot of people in there so I hope business picks up. I had the veggie burger the first time and the Benny the second time. I was impressed by the quality of food both times. I also enjoyed the taste. Everything was seasoned perfectly. One of the things this place offers is the option to take home a full meal for however many people you need. But I haven’t taken advantage of this. I suppose if you’re looking for some catering for a semi-​small gathering, this would be the place to check out.
The service is fantastic. The staff is always friendly and helpful when I go in. And they have a lovely patio and indoor bar and seating area. I can see this being a place that becomes popular and I hope it does. But based on what I see when I drive by, they are busy on the weekends but not so much on weekdays.
I encourage you to check this place out. They have good, solid offerings for brunch, lunch and dinner. I can’t tell if this place will last but I sure hope so. It’s an interesting concept for sure.

This place is rad. How the hell were we the only people there on a Saturday night?
Wholesome, healthy REAL foods that can be served in either individual portions or family style. I was part of a party of four hungry dudes, and we ordered meatballs, roasted chicken, sweet potato fries, a watermelon and tomato salad and seasonal veggies, all for $ 70. We stuffed ourself to the gills, full of delicious food that seemed reasonably healthy, and we had leftovers to spare. I mean, how can you complain? We sure didn’t.
The space is cute, the staff is friendly, and they have a full bar. The seating is indoor/​outdoor and I think I could spend some definitely QT on this patio.
Looking at their website it seems that 1) they have a big breakfast menu and 2) they really focus on catering out meals. I haven’t yet taken advantage of either of those options, but I’m eager to do so.
I’m a fan.

Based on Unilocal reviews of restaurants near my hotel, I dropped by the New American for a late dinner on a warm Sunday evening. The New American… how daring to name your restaurant after a movement in contemporary cuisine…
Anywho, I grabbed a table outside on the large front patio, perfect for having a bite and getting some work done. Service was very friendly but intermittent… I had to get up more than a few times to get someone’s attention.
The menu seemed mostly like pub fare but with lots of intriguing choices, and many choices are offered in small, medium or large sizes. I started with a small order of grilled sweet potato wedges, which arrived crisp on the outside, wearing some coarse salt, and perfectly cooked in the middle. Outstanding.
I was less bowled over by the black bean quinoa veggie burger… the flavor of the patty was good and got better with each bite, but the texture was, for lack of a better word, mooshy. I really liked the vinegary cole slaw side and the F-​Bomb IPA.
Overall a pleasant visit… I’d come back I think, but I might venture elsewhere on the menu, away from the mooshy veggie burger.

Very good food and service. I was very please with this new spot in my neighborhood!
The food was decently priced and very good quality. I like what they’re doing with this place and I will be back for more!

I ordered smoked pork, roasted veggies, and crispy sweet potatoes for take away and I quite liked the selection. The food tasted fresh and the portions were a good size for me.
The only downside is that you have to order sides separately, and they cost $ 3.75 or more each. I feel like they would do well with a meal combo type of arrangement.

I have been here 2 times: once for happy hour and once for brunch. Both times the food and service were wonderful! The food is very fresh and the staff are great at offering recommendations. Their menu changes with the season, which is great when you’re trying to eat locally grown food. The atmosphere is cozy and when it’s nice out they have big roll-​up doors. My only complaint would be that when the doors aren’t up it really smells like food in there. Not that a restaurant shouldn’t smell like food, but I don’t want to smell like sauteed food when I leave.
I would definitely recommend coming here soon before it’s ‘discovered’ and you’re waiting in a line out the door!
Bonus: They serve cider in a pitcher. Yes!

Here’s our meal opinions…
Iceberg lettuce salad — so so (5)
Grilled Cheese — Amazing! (9)
Smoked PorkShoulder — Excellent! (8)
Red Sauce — Very Good (7)
Roasted Beet Salad — Ok. (5)
Coconut Cake — Very Good (8)
Pretty slow business but good service and nice people. (8)
Would absolutely come back to try more. A better beer selection would be a benefit.

Cheesy grits… seriously. If you know of someone who has had them before and doesnt like them, take them here. They will definitely change their mind. I dream about this place. Even now, my mouth is watering thinking about the grits. Went here with a friend, we try to eat at new places around town at least once a month. When my friend suggested this place, I couldnt resist. The reviews were decent and I love grits and meat. The staff were nice, and its a nice place. Its the type that you go up to the counter to order then seat yourself. When I arrived at roughly 5:30pm, there were maybe four people there. Seriously, you all are missing out if you don’t give this place a try. The prices were reasonable, and the portions were awesome. A side order of grits covered more than half the plate! I could not stop eating them even after I was full, they are soft and creamy to the point of sinful.

A solid 4 stars. A great new addition to the neighborhood. Incredibly attentive, friendly service. Excellent ambiance. The food was good, and I will definitely be back.
They only serve beer and wine right now, but they had an excellent beer selection (I do not know very much about wine, but I had a decent white).
We walked in and it was fairly busy but they kept the small line moving quickly. We were promptly handed a menu to peruse. For most dishes, they offer a small size and a family size. My photos are each of a plate with two small options on it. You also pick a separate sauce to go with the main dish.
I had the potato dumplings, which were delicious. I was not a fan of the sauce I had with them — which is probably just a personal preference, but it wasn’t my favorite. The Mac n cheese was good, but not my favorite. However, the bar may have been set a little high — I heard someone in line behind me talk about how creamy and delicious the Mac was, so I figured I would try it. Like it said, it was good, but I prefer my noodles a little softer and my cheese a little creamier — again, my personal preference. However, I’ll definitely try it again. My husband really enjoyed the pork shoulder.
The prices were reasonable, we just wish we got a little more food for the prices — however, I love that they are doing the American comfort food thing — on small plates. Rich food like that can be excellent in small servings, and you may even be able to save room for dessert.
The desserts looked amazing, and one of their employees kindly described each one to me (thank you!!), but I was already too full from my meal, so I sadly could not try the delicious pumpkin dessert she described. Also — I saw lots of other patrons enjoying their desserts.
I was very impressed with the service, and look forward to seeing what else they have to offer in the future.
Also — it appears to be very kid friendly — we saw lots of kiddos in there with their families :)