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Name: Ava Gene’s
Address: 3377 SE Division St, Portland, OR, 97202
Telephone: (971) 229-0571
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 4.06

Ava Gene’s

3377 SE Division St, Portland, OR, 97202

(971) 229-0571
Store is closed

Ava Gene’s Menu

Formaggi

Gorgonzola Picante

Chaumine

Pecorino Gessetto

Tre Formaggi

Burrata

Gorgonzola Picante

Chaumine

Pecorino Gessetto

Tre Formaggi

Burrata
Salumi

Calabrese

Soppressata

Finocchiona

Levoni

Affettati Piccolo

Affettati Grande

Roasted Olives

Piatto Di Verdura

Calabrese

Soppressata

Finocchiona

Levoni

Affettati Piccolo

Affettati Grande

Roasted Olives

Piatto Di Verdura
Fritti

Zucchini

Gnocco Fritto

Zucchini

Gnocco Fritto
Pane

Garlic Bread

Fresh Sheep Cheese

Borlotti Beans, Garlic, Rosemary

Filone, Pizza Bianca

Garlic Bread

Fresh Sheep Cheese

Borlotti Beans, Garlic, Rosemary

Filone, Pizza Bianca
Giardini

Asparagus, Almonds

Fennel, Yogurt

Wheat Berries

Little Gems, Beets, Pistachios

Mizuna Garden Greens

Tuscan Cavalry

Asparagus, Almonds

Fennel, Yogurt

Wheat Berries

Little Gems, Beets, Pistachios

Mizuna Garden Greens

Tuscan Cavalry
Primi

Agnolotti, Fontina

Spelt Tagliatelle

Spaghetti Alla Chitarra

Farro Linguine

Meatball Monday

Agnolotti, Fontina

Spelt Tagliatelle

Spaghetti Alla Chitarra

Farro Linguine

Meatball Monday
Secondi

Chinook Salmon

Half Chicken

Strip Loin

Chinook Salmon

Half Chicken

Strip Loin
Contorni

Misticanza

Calais Flint Corn Polenta

Potatoes, Capers

Misticanza

Calais Flint Corn Polenta

Potatoes, Capers
Family Style

Family Style

Sugo

Meatball

Lasagna

Sausage

Rabbit

Fish Fry

Braciole

Family Style

Sugo

Meatball

Lasagna

Sausage

Rabbit

Fish Fry

Braciole
Drinks

Borgia

Lucid Punch

Cranberry Ritz

Lemoncocco

Pompelmo Soda

Mexican Coca Cola

Fever Tree Ginger Beer

Borgia

Lucid Punch

Cranberry Ritz

Lemoncocco

Pompelmo Soda

Mexican Coca Cola

Fever Tree Ginger Beer

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ava Gene’s

Formaggi

Gorgonzola Picante [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chaumine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pecorino Gessetto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tre Formaggi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Burrata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gorgonzola Picante [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chaumine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pecorino Gessetto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tre Formaggi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Burrata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salumi

Calabrese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soppressata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Finocchiona [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Levoni [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Affettati Piccolo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Affettati Grande [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Olives [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Piatto Di Verdura [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calabrese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soppressata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Finocchiona [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Levoni [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Affettati Piccolo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Affettati Grande [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Olives [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Piatto Di Verdura [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Fritti

Zucchini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocco Fritto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zucchini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocco Fritto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pane

Garlic Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Sheep Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Borlotti Beans, Garlic, Rosemary [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Filone, Pizza Bianca [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Sheep Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Borlotti Beans, Garlic, Rosemary [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Filone, Pizza Bianca [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Giardini

Asparagus, Almonds [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fennel, Yogurt [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wheat Berries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Little Gems, Beets, Pistachios [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mizuna Garden Greens [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuscan Cavalry [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Asparagus, Almonds [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fennel, Yogurt [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wheat Berries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Little Gems, Beets, Pistachios [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mizuna Garden Greens [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuscan Cavalry [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Primi

Agnolotti, Fontina [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spelt Tagliatelle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spaghetti Alla Chitarra [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Farro Linguine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meatball Monday [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Agnolotti, Fontina [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spelt Tagliatelle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spaghetti Alla Chitarra [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Farro Linguine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meatball Monday [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Secondi

Chinook Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Half Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Strip Loin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chinook Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Half Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Strip Loin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Contorni

Misticanza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calais Flint Corn Polenta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potatoes, Capers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Misticanza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calais Flint Corn Polenta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potatoes, Capers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Family Style

Family Style [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sugo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meatball [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lasagna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rabbit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fish Fry [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Braciole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Family Style [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sugo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meatball [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lasagna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sausage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rabbit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fish Fry [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Braciole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Drinks

Borgia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lucid Punch [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cranberry Ritz [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lemoncocco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pompelmo Soda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mexican Coca Cola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fever Tree Ginger Beer [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Borgia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lucid Punch [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cranberry Ritz [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lemoncocco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pompelmo Soda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mexican Coca Cola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fever Tree Ginger Beer [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Sylvia F.

Ava Gene's is NO JOKE. All the hype out there is 100% accurate. The interior space is gorgeous, the people working there, gorgeous. And the food? F*** everything you have ever known about Italian. Toss all that sh** out the window. You have no idea. I had no idea. Together, we are clueless individuals, who, by the power of a kick-ass chef, and amazing sous chefs, (can be) enlightened. ENLIGHTENED. Because it's so hard to get in the place, I went for the chef's counter that requires no reservation, and luckily there was (a little) space. I was able to engage the sous chefs making the salads, and John Henry specifically stands out as a really amazing personality. He was gracious with his time, answered questions, gave advice, and made me want to come back and sit nowhere else. Because he was conversing, whilst cooking and assembling gorgeously plated food. Talk about multitasking. Listen: This food is like nothing ever. I can tell you what I ate, but they turn over their menu regularly for seasonality or at the whim of the chef. So, here was what my friends and I attacked with a fiery passion: Three salads from their "Giardini" section: - Barley, squash, mushrooms, cranberries, fiore sardo, hazelnuts - Celery, dates, almonds, parmigiano - Carrots, quinoa, cashews honey vinegar One item from the "Formaggi" section: - Burrata with sage, hazelnuts, and honey (served with some kick-ass focaccia-like bread) One item from the "Pane" section: - Borlotti beans, garlic, and rosemary served on a fat piece of grilled bread. I was literally transformed. TRANSFORMED! We drank wine, we noshed on all that, and we were completely stuffed. I have to try everything on the menu, and I will, because I am now their legit stalker. But, you can get away with the small plates, and a few of them, and not feel screwed in the end. Go to Ava Gene's. Go there. Get transformed. It will totally ruin every other restaurant for you, but it's totally worth it. Stay classy! Sylvia PS. The bathrooms - not only is the music rockin', but check out the damn soap dispenser. WHAT? IN LOVE.
(5)
Robin P.

Great food, creative cocktails, great service!
(5)
Selena M.

The best service with food to match! I can't get over the exceptional service! There wasn't a thing I tasted that I didn't like!
(5)
Jessica C.

Had dinner here for the first time for my Birthday with a few friends. One of my friends had made dinner reservations for me at El Gaucho, which is great but I've been there too many times and was craving Italian. So I did a yelp search and found out about this restaurant. Called around 7pm and got dinner reservations for 9pm. Arrived shortly after 8pm and waited at the bar with friends for over an hour so didn't get seated until around 9:30pm. I was having fun chatting with friends and enjoying wine that I didn't get too annoyed but they were pretty busy. Loved the food, we ordered so many different plates, wine and dessert and I didn't really order for myself so don't recall what it was but I loved it and I am looking forward to coming back. Top favorite restaurant in my book. Oh and the ambience is great.
(5)
Brent C.

Ava Gene's advertises themselves as serving Roman style food. So we ate like Romans and ordered family style. We started with arancini balls that were a great way to kick off the meal while the rest of the party arrived. Our next course was a charcuterie plate and the burrata. The burrata was amazing, soft and mild served with honey on a fresh warm focaccia bread. Next up was the trio salad. We ordered the kale salad, pear salad, and beet salad. They were all fresh but the kale salad was exceptional. They douse it with a lemon emulsion that added just the right amount of acid to the kale. I could eat the kale salad for lunch every day! As an entree, we shared the tripe pasta , the lamb ragu pasta, and the sliced Kobe beef with fresh wild mushrooms. All were fantastic, especially the Kobe. Nothing beats fresh pasta cooked al dente. The lamb ragu had a hint of spice that went well with our wine. We finished with the cannoli. It was the right amount of sweet to finish off this meal. I would definitely recommend Ava Gene's to anyone looking for a great Roman meal!
(5)
Chris F.

Perfect ambiance, perfect service, perfect food and reasonably priced!!! This was a great find. We enjoyed every delicious morsel of food. They had a ton of vegetarian appetizers to choose from, cheeses, a variety of pastas, bursting with flavor, and meat dishes that were succulent and creative. Loved this place!!!!! Portland is a food lovers paradise if you care about quality, sustainability and flavor go there.
(5)
Marna G.

First of all we got it on dumb luck. Second of all there's an actual parking lot. A small parking lot but nonetheless a parking lot. So that has to count for at least one star right? I have been hearing a lot of "hype" about this particular restaurant. They were also featured in Portland monthly. My partner and I read the article backwards and forwards and being from Italy this was a place we knew we needed to try. Now bear in mind that when we try new Italian restaurants we always bring " The Nonna" and " The Nonno" as they are very fair, just, and great judges of any Italian restaurant that we've ever been to. From the salumi to the dolce and everything in between they know their stuff when it comes to Italian cuisine. So let's get on with the good stuff and talk about the service, ambiance and food. The service- The service in itself should have it's own rating and that rating should be 10 stars. Our server was amazing! And I mean that most sincerely. He thought it was funny that we were not intimidated by the Italian menu. There was never a time that our water glasses were empty. There was never a time that our wineglasses were empty. There was never a time that extra dishes, silverware, or extra stuff that didn't need belong on the table wasn't taken care of promptly. It was as if he was our personal server for the entire night - yet he did not hover nor was he excess with a lot of chatter. He allowed us to enjoy our meal and the timing of food was perfect. Seriously - he should teach a class demonstrating how all servers should behave. And because of his stellar service we left him a really great tip. He deserved it - he busted his ass. The noise and ambiance It's a noisy place. There is no getting around that aspect. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - it's just a fact. It's not a place to have a quiet intimate meal. There's a lot of energy here- there is a lot of hustle and bustle. We found the music interesting- we were serenaded by the Beatles and the Doors as we enjoyed our meal - not just Muzak or cover bands that played the Beatles or the Doors this establishment actually played their music. So that was kind of cool. The way this place is laid out is long and narrow- it has a decent sized bar area and the kitchen is toward the back of the house. I want to say you can see the wood fire oven from the dining area - again I was so focused on our party I didn't really look around a lot which I should have. I do know that when you walk in your nose is hit with those old familiar delicious smells that you would smell in your Nonna's kitchen. You know those delicious food smells that make your tummy growl when you're hungry. I have to make one small comment about the restrooms or water closets as they are referred to at this place. They are fantastic. Soft lighting, Italian marble, tile and stone. Lovely lovely. Okay already - food talk This place is expensive- The portions are not huge. Naturally right in line with the portion size in Europe which is a great thing because we serve way too much food per serving here in the states. The menu is all in Italian- don't let that intimidate you. The servers there are very patient and will explain the menu and give you most confidently their recommendations. I dishes on this menu that are family-style which I highly encourage. It's really fun to share food I think. This place advocates that. They have an amazing wine list. Utterly utterly amazing. I began to drool just reading the wine list. The food is edgy- it's not safe. What I mean by safe is actually the word "predictable" - that is you won't find your Nonna's typical Italian fare. They offer food from the northern and southern region of Italy. For instance, if you like lamb this is the place to go. They do it perfectly. The flavors they fuse are titillating. There's fire and spice with and what they offer. Nothing here is bland. Because the menu changes all the time I'm not gonna list everything we had because we had a lot of stuff. My only complaint and the reason this place didn't get five stars is the pasta was not done al dente and there's a big philosophical difference in regards to grits and polenta at this restaurant. Polenta is polenta and grits are grits and they are prepared two totally different ways even though they come from the same ingredients.:) it's the amount of liquid and the flavors that are incorporated into the polenta. Polenta is typically served with a firm consistency and cut in portions in sections with twine or string when it's served on a big board Would I come back? You bet your sweet ass I would :)
(4)
Tim F.

Yes, it's a bit spendy, but it is very good! Lamb neck pasta was delicious. The salads are out of this world; I am not a salad guy. Pork shank was juicy and delicate. I had the best panna cotta here. It's a very good date spot, super nice inside.
(5)
Amy A.

I had high expectations of Ava Gene's.. I mean, it has been rated "best restaurant" how many times? And the people I trust on Yelp have all given it raving reviews... However, my experience at Ava Gene's was less than incredible. The food was good. Pretty good actually. Not great though. And the steak we ordered was WAY overcooked (but at a place like this, they dont ask how you want it cooked, because they know best. This time, however, they REALLY missed the mark.) The service was interesting. There are a lot of employees at this restaurant so you will never go ignored which I really liked. As soon as you finish your drink or your plate there is someone taking it away and bringing you a fresh one. Our server, however, kinda put a damper on the experience for me. The menu is in italian, and being a first time diner at the restaurant I was hoping for some recommendations or guidance on the menu. When I asked, the server said something along the lines of "You know, the menu is constantly changing, so its best if you just pick some items that sound good to you." Not exactly helpful. The cocktails were pretty delicious, but the server didn't know anything about them, and couldn't explain them to us at all. I won't be returning to Ava Gene's. Perhaps it was a great restaurant once upon a time, but it seems that they have gotten lazy and aren't putting the effort where it matters most--the food.
(3)
Debbie L.

Read about Ava Gene's in PoMo a few times, heard it mentioned at Feast 2013 and so it was time to go for myself. Called and made a reservation which I highly recommend by the way. Got in at 8:30 on a Sunday night. Yes.. this place was busy! We were seated right away and wished we had requested the Chef's Bar. We love sitting at the chef's bar at any restaurant! Loved the ambience, the food, the drink... everything about Ava Gene's. Here's my blog about my experience and hope you find heaven in Portland soon as well: whitebreadandjam.blogspoâ€¦
(5)
Alisia V.

Wow, Wow, Wow!!! My daughter turned me on to this place. Beautifully uncomplicated flavors. Satisfying to the soul. I would recommend things to try but the menu changes regularly. Great service but get your reservations in unless you don't mind sitting at the bar and watching them in action which I love.
(5)
Kiwi B.

The room is beautiful, the tables are snug (do not go here if you plan to have a private conversation), and the kitchen is killing it. We ordered the burrata, gnocco fritto, tortelli, and culotte. All were amazing! Service was a bit scattered, expediter cleared a beer and didn't ask if we'd like another, server never noticed, seemed too busy with next table's wine to bother over our small drink order. If I lived in PDX I'd eat here again, seeing as I visit once a year, I'll try whatever's fresh next time...
(4)
Carl E.

One of my favorite restaurants in portland, I've never had a bad meal here. Tuscan Calvary salad, lamb neck ragu, and the porterhouse are my favorites.
(5)
Shannon B.

The perfect spot for a birthday dinner or celebration of sorts. We had a wonderful waitress who was extremely attentive. We enjoyed a variety of dishes based on the chefs discretion. Each dish was divine. They even brought out a complimentary dessert with a candle for my boyfriend's birthday. A well deserved 5 stars!!!
(5)
Stacey F.

Fantastic modern, yet casual Italian place. Great service, vibe and decor. The burrata was outstanding. Served with bread, honey and roasted chestnuts...simply amazing. Pasta dishes are fresh and delicious, not heavy and food coma inducing. Great wine list. Ended the night with the chocolate sorbet. Omg, most incredible dessert! Rich and decadent, but not too sweet at all. If I'm back visiting the Portland area, I'd most definitely return.
(5)
Rhiannon W.

Saaaaad. We waited two months for a Friday night reservation and our dinner just wasn't that good. The salads we ordered were great, as was the squid ink arancini. But, my carbonara was super gummy and the short rib was dry. How do you dry out a short rib. Maybe it was an off night, but I just wasn't that impressed. For the money, I'd rather go to DOC.
(2)
Nelly R.

I'm not keen on writing bad reviews; unless of course my experience is less than mediocre......and this place is just that. For starters: The service. It was terrible. Our hostess was friendly, but the rest of the staff was struggling to simply crack a smile. When asking questions about the menu they were short and everything was "good". I mean yes, Mondays suck.....but really? You're still in the service industry. Atleast act like you sort of like your job. Now.....the food: $13 for a thin layer of carrot "salad" covering a dessert plate....a saucer....whatever you call it; it was a pathetic excuse for a $13 salad. Was it good? Yes. Was it great? No. Then there was our entree: the meatballs....they were said to be "amazing"....again, they were good, but they were luke warm and for $22 there were FIVE meatballs over a bed of pasta, yep, FIVE. Overall: bad experience. I walked out having paid over $50 for a mediocre meal and an empty stomach.
(2)
Alicia W.

This is definitely my favorite restaurant in PDX. My boyfriend and I go there and sit Chef top a couple times a month and love to interact with the workers. They always have the best service, amazing food, and a fantastic wine list. If you haven't had Ava Genes yet then you need to go asap. The dining experience is superb!
(5)
Jess P.

I'm not really sure I can sing any praise that hasn't already been sung for Ava Genes. This restaurant is fantastic and absolutely deserves Portland Monthly's designation as best new restaurant in town. I'm here to speak to the vegetarians (or as I prefer to call us, vegheads). The menu's emphasis is certainly on the meatier options, but don't think you'll go home feeling neglected or disappointed. Of course there's the breads and the cheeses and things of that sort which will make you very happy, indeed. But there's also the potato croquettes that are so insanely, mouthwateringly good that I've dreamt about them every night since eating there. Vegheads can also delight in the polenta (which I can only imagine is 98% butter judging by how delicious it is). But the real vegetarian gems are offered in the "Giardini" section with an entire array of vegetarian wonders that will leave your heart pumping contently to the rock jams playing overhead. Finish it all off with the affogato-- the brains behind Ava Genes is the same who thunk up Stumptown. This dessert is a beautiful melding of that genius. 1 great big Veghead thumbs up to Ava Genes!
(5)
Heywood J.

We had trouble finding parking and the reception area was crowded. I had my crabby-pants on and was prepared to be unhappy. And then the waters parted..... We were seated immediately. The wine list is extensive and awesome. This was our first visit here so we asked our server to pick her favorites that would go best with our chosen wine -- a 98 Barolo. The individual dishes don't matter because the menu changes. But they were all hits. Including a pumpkin salad I would never have ordered off the menu. The space is a little crowded and it was energetically noisy. But the service was spot on and the prices are very fair. Better than the meals at multiple celebrity restaurants in Las Vegas the prior weekend. This is definitely my new favorite PDX restaurant.
(5)
Robert B.

Well! Here we go again my fellow Yelpers. I'm back in Portland for my first round of many meetings in 2014 (which will be a great year by the way) and already I have had the best meal of the year. Just when I think food could not get any better, I'm completely knocked off my feet! There are a plethora of adjectives I could use to describe this amazing meal, but for those of you who know me, this will be hard to believe, but I find myself speechless. "Yelp! Could use another star." Last night I had a meal I will never forget. Ava Genes in SE Portland, easily a five-star Italian restaurant. I was out to dinner with a new colleague and friend that introduced me to Ava Genes; we had reservations that night for 7:30 and the only seats available were at the chef's bar which turned out to be the best seats in the house. Watching the chefs' work their craft was a fascinating experience. It was like watching an artist direct an orchestra where food was the music and instruments. We ate our meal family-style and had a charcuterie board of local meats, squid ink pasta, polenta, collard greens and lamb shoulder. Everything was spectacular. I could not recommend this restaurant enough. Thank you Robb W. for a great introduction and thank you Ava Genes for a wonderful evening and for being a great addition to my culinary community. P.S. Book your reservations well ahead of time and you might want to arrive a few minutes early because parking can be a little tricky.
(5)
Briana W.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... Infinity! Ava is my favorite restaurant of late. I can't seem to stay away long. The lamb ragu, the white bean pane, the meats, the ravioli, the delicate and also bold and sometimes mysterious flavors transport you to bliss with such truly quality ingredients. Winning! The service, the friendly banter with the chefs (I recommend sitting at the bar as a one or two top), the wines, the music, the decor.... Yep. This is one for the record books.
(5)
Heather S.

I think this place has excellent food, great service and a really cool atmosphere. Now, do I think it's worth waiting 4-6 weeks for a reservation at a normal eating time? No way. I get it, it's the new hot thing in the new hot location. SE Division is blowing up. It's full of fabulous eateries and bars. Definitely check it out if you're into that. However, I can get the same quality of food, service and atmosphere at Nostrana or Mucca Osteria. And I don't have to wait for a reservation. The service at Ava Gene's was great. There were four of us and we really took our time ordering and really enjoying the wine. Heck, we waited 5 weeks for this reservation, and no way was anyone rushing us. She totally got it and let us take our time and answered all our questions about the menu (which were many!). I think the pricing is pretty normal for this type of place. Very comparable to other nice Italian places. The food and drinks are really amazing. I loved my food, as did everyone else at our table. The wine selection is great, albeit a bit pricey. But that's to be expected for a good glass/bottle of wine. We got a selection of apps, pastas, steak and some desserts. All fantastic. I'm just saying, they aren't offering anything that's better than Nostrana or Mucca Osteria. (Both are phenomenal Italian) So for me, I'm not wiling to wait for a reservation, but once the hype dies down for Ava Gene's (as it most certainly will), it will be one of my regular spots for sure.
(4)
Lilly J.

Great dinner here with a friend. We started with sharing the cauliflower and radish salads which were excellent. I had the sugo pasta and my dining partner had halibut for entrees. They were both exceptional. Service was great too! We will be back!
(4)
H. L.

This was our first time here to celebrate my husband's birthday. The decor is industrial style and has cool light fixtures. The staff was super friendly and answered our many questions because the menu truly is in another language. :) We got the bread combo with ricotta spread. Yummy. There was a cracker style bread, focaccia style, and whole. All very tasty. Plus, all the bread is made at the bakery next door. We shared the citrus salad which was good. I liked the crunch from the pistachios. I got the ravioli with the nut sauce. The waitress said some of the ravioli had beef in them, but all I tasted was cheese. Still delish, however, but could of used an acidic kick. My husband got the oxtail pasta. That was wonderful. There was a good bite on the pasta. We finished with the chocolate gelato and cookies. Overall a great meal. This is one to add to our list!
(4)
Kelly G.

Try the bean toast! I know it sounds weird but you will not be disappointed. Our server was EXTREMELY knowledgeable about the vast wine selection. We told her to bring us whatever she felt like and she presented us with a delicious spread of different flavors. Excellent service, great food, & lovely atmosphere made for a 5 star date.
(5)
Frank D.

Even though we live nearby, we'd dragged our feet to join the hipster throngs at Ava Gene's. When we finally got a reservation with another couple,we were absolutely delighted with both the exquisite food and the knowledgeable and nearly flawless service. We selected the Filone bread plate with whipped ricotta then three items from the "gardens" section of the menu. The "Tuscan Cavalry" kale dish was the best of the three. Highly recommended. We also shared two pasta dishes, the Cavatelli and the Strozzapreti, and washed it all down with a Nebbiolo from their outstanding wine list. We got out of there for $200 plus gratuity and felt we received great value and had a memorable experience, celebrating a birthday and an anniversary. Just a special note of appreciation to Alex, who handles reservations. She was able to seat us a hour earlier and called during the day to let us know. The staff clearly loves their work and the kitchen is world class. O, did I mention they own the Roman Candle Bakery next door? You can count on the bread being fresh.
(5)
Julia L.

Really wanted to like this place since it was close to home but felt it was a little mediocre. We went for out anniversary, just cause it was dark doesn't make it romantic. We sat very close to our neighbors, which made it a little weird. Our charcuterie board and steak was pretty good but I was not impressed with my pasta dish. Might give it another try though.
(3)
Chelsea S.

I got the pumpkin salad and polenta on the side. Intense yet well balanced flavors. Absolutely incredible. I'd give it 6 stars if Yelp would allow. Woohoo!
(5)
Jennifer M.

I would actually give this place 4 1/2 stars. The food was really delicious and playful. The service was perfect. The prices are a little high, and the restaurant is on the loud side. Is it the best Italian restaurant in Portland? I don't know, I would have a hard time saying that considering how good our options are. It's definitely a contender, and I liked that there was something slightly unexpected and delightful in all of their dishes. It certainly wasn't your typical Italian fare. Our reservation was for 9:30, and I'm glad we went late because the restaurant gets pretty loud. It is a beautiful space, tastefully appointed, but... loud. They didn't seat us until at least 9:50, which wasn't really their fault. I could see that several tables had paid their bill and were lingering, which is unpredictable. They brought us a complimentary appetizer as an apology for seating us late, which was awesome. My husband liked the cured meat (from Salt Lake City) and I enjoyed the cheese (from Molalla, of all places). The meat and cheese was accompanied by some house made breadsticks (yum) and little savory fennel cookies from the bakery next door (also yum). There was some kind of fruit compote on the plate too. I think it was plum. It wasn't bad, but it just tasted like the typical jam I buy at New Seasons for my PBJ's. We also ordered the Arancini appetizer, which was made with beets and cheese (Sheep's cheese, I think), and was a real crowd pleaser. I would order that again. I got the pumpkin salad, and my husband got the brussels sprouts salad. I love brussels sprouts and probably would have gotten that salad if my husband hadn't, but I was SO glad I got the pumpkin. That was one of the most amazing salads I've ever eaten. It was so bright, wonderful, and well balanced. I wish I had the recipe. I would eat it every day. For dinner, my husband got the short ribs, which looked slightly dry to me, but he really liked them. I got the sweet potato ravioli, which was very nicely constructed and packed with great flavors, but should have been cooked just a little more al dente. For dessert, we shared the cannoli with orange and pistachio, and it was incredible. I should note that the service here is impeccable. Your water glass is always full, and things are always taken away promptly when it's time. When we were about 90% through our bottle of wine, one of the people who was clearing our plates from the previous course knocked the bottle of wine onto the floor and it shattered everywhere. I felt terrible for him because it was an honest mistake, and I could tell he was really embarrassed. They had it cleaned up in about 30 seconds flat, and a replacement bottle was on the table within a minute or so. It was as if nothing had ever happened, only our 10% full bottle was now 100% full. Woohoo. :) The wine list cracked me up a little. It was vast and full of some excellent choices in all price ranges, but there were quite a few red wines in the $600 - $1200 range. My friend made the comment that she would have a hard time justifying a $1000 bottle of wine even if she and her husband were billionaires, and I totally agree with her. It seems a little ostentatious, especially for Portland. We went with a chianti below $50, and it was good. That is probably for the best since the poor kid who knocked over the bottle probably would have been fired if it had been one of the $1,200 bottles. ;) Bottom line, I look forward to adding this place to my rotation of great Italian restaurants in the city.
(4)
T T.

Not a bad place, just not a special place. Hard to justify going back considering what Portland has to offer. Great: roasted cherry tomatoes, whipped ricotta. "tuscan cavalry" raw cavolo nero, sarvecchio, filone. Reservation, hospitality, table hostess. Not so good: clams. finocchiona, tarbais beans, anise. lamb leg, lamb sausage, peperonata, ceci. Bad: tables too close to each other, too crowded. we felt hurried and they told us to vacate the table once the dinner seemed finished because other people were waiting. It felt strange to be rushed out; we did not think we were done ordering... In a funny way, this place may get better over time, once fewer people return and they'll have time to focus on quality rather than speed and people per square foot of floor space.
(2)
Pete M.

I could see this becoming one of my new favorites in town. 6 of us went last night for dinner and it was impressive from start to finish. First of all, its so nice to see a place with a coat check - seriously, it's the little things that make the experience better - on a cold night. The drink menu is simple and well executed and the wine list is full of options for those not looking to break the bank and those spending like they just robbed one ($900 bottle of 1988 something-or-other anyone?). All six of us ordered different cocktails and everyone was pleased. As for the service, it was professional, efficient, and friendly. This being Portland I've become accustomed to pseudo-hipster-snobbiness at many places and didn't have high hopes for Ava Genes. Not the case here - not only was our waitress attentive, but what really stood out was how helpful the rest of the staff was. Too often I'll see servers ignore tables outside their sections. It was noticeable how attentive the entire waitstaff was. Holy crap the food is good. Seriously, its really, really good. The nice thing about going in groups is the chance to try more things. Between us we ordered 6 small plates, 6 entrees, and a couple desserts. There were no miscues with the food. For the sake of brevity I won't go into long descriptions of each, but if I were to go back tomorrow (not out of the question) here are a few things I would not skip: fried cauliflower, burrata (might order two of these), orecchiette, osso buco, and the steak. The steak is unbelievably good, with the perfect seared crust that's lightly salted and served with a delicious sauce. Finish with the pana cotta and you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Dave B.

From the start to the finish everything was amazing. The flavors of Italy are there! We will back!
(5)
Dan H.

I'm really confused, but it looks like I'm not the only one here. There is so much hype for this! But both of our dinners were, to use one word, boring. Oops, two more words - tiny portions.
(2)
James H.

There's a lot to like about Ava Genes and just a couple of nit-picky things that weighed heavily enough for me to not give it 5 stars. Things I liked. 1. Decor: The red leather double sided booth that runs down the heart of the restaurant is inspired. It immediately made me think of 70s or 80s Parisian or London restaurants, but in the best way possible, further accentuated by the use of marble and very good lighting. If only 3/4s of the restaurant was smoking! I've only lived in Portland for a couple years so while I still like our town's normal lumber-heavy design work, it's refreshing to eat in a restaurant that is young and has energy and a sense of old-world style. I realize I'm harping on about this, but it immediately made a good impression. 2. Service: Our server was great, explained the menu well, was helpful with wines, picked out a couple of items that we were glad not to have missed (dat burrata...). Ava Genes is also getting into the price range where a more old school restaurant might not have kept the wine on the table, not an issue here. 3. Food: The brussel sprout dish could be my last meal. They were excellently roasted with a side of honey and pepper vinegar sauce and limes and were exceptional, it's a dish I'll think about a lot. My entree was the lamb which was prepared very well. The burrata was out of this world, it's a must try if you're a fan. There was a roasted bean on rustic bread dish that we had that was also quite excellent. At the end of the day, if the food isn't there, you won't come back. It's there, with a couple small exceptions that will come up below. Things that I didn't like: 1. They have a bar, but its not a bar. We got there early for our reservation, hoping to have a drink, but everyone seated at the bar was eating dinner. It's a personal peeve of mine, but I think the bar should be reserved as a last resort for people who need to eat something. There was space in the restaurant, and as such, the bar should exist for a social cocktail before dinner. 2. A couple of our food items weren't quite there. My wife had one of the pasta dishes and the pork sausage that was used completely overpowered everything, and additionally, the dish was too salty. This was unfortunately serving as her main, and was disappointing as everything else had been good if not excellent. On the "just good" note, we had some salumi that was fine but rather forgettable, but we might have picked poorly from the selection. 3. Price: It's extremely hard to complain about the price without coming across as a miser, but if you eat at Ava Genes, I suspect that you'll also think that everything is about $2-$4 over what you think it really should cost. That's fine, but also a shame, as I think Ava Genes would do better to place itself into the casual range of Portland fine-dining, places you can go a random Tuesday when you need a nice meal pick me up. For my wife and I, that spot has been Accanto. To start, this won't be a big deal for Ava Genes, but after a couple of years, I think they'll need to figure something out for them to make sense to mid week diners. Until then though, I'll be back, but only on special occasions.
(4)
Trevor P.

Food of the highest quality. The menu didn't have a single miss. From appetizer to drink to entree to dessert, every course was well-composed in appearance and flavor. Nothing was thrown together- every single bite had purpose and forethought. Very, very impressive kitchen. I won't go into every menu item here, but I think the burrata needs special mention. I could have eaten that burrata for my entire meal. Bring me five of those, I'm set. The staff was also extremely helpful and friendly, offering advice and tastings throughout our night. It was the least pretentious fine-dining experience I've had in a long time. My one gripe was that I wanted to sit at the bar facing the kitchen, but the fire was so hot that I would have been dripping with sweat the whole meal. It didn't seem like a pleasant place to dine. If this place was in a city that was ranked my Michelin, it would have a star. It could easily be transported to SF or NYC and be a major player on their food scene.
(5)
Jeff T.

Wife and I went on a Saturday night in June for our anniversary after reading several reviews about the place. We had reservations and were seated right away. The reservations, however, did not guarantee that we would get service once we sat apparently. I got the impression our waitress was not up to par with the rest of the service staff because they were all flying from table to table while I was struggling just to find ours. When she did come to the table she didn't say hi or greet us in any way - just stood there expectantly waiting for us to spout off our orders. Eventually about halfway through our meal our waitress must have changed because we didn't see her again for the evening. The food was good, but not the outstanding creative culinary experience I had been groomed to expect. We got a three cheese plate to start which was nice. That was followed by spaghetti with shrimp diavolo. Again, better than average, but not mind-blowing. I will say this - the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente - not mushy, hence the 2-star rating. Given the price point and reputation Ava Gene's carries in Portland, I expected more. Hopefully others have a better experience than we did.
(2)
Holland A.

Food and cocktails are amazing - seasonal and local but prepared in a clearly Italian way. Servers are friendly, helpful, and well-versed in the extensive wine selection. Had a marvelous 2.5-hour dinner here.
(5)
Steve S.

Service was excellent. When a problem occurred in the kitchen, the server told us before any time lapsed between courses and asked if we would like a plate of tortellini to tide us over the ten minute gap. Although we were fine with waiting a few minutes, they brought the tortellini and told us they would box any leftovers. Overall, an A+ on the service and the food as well. As others have noted, the noise level is pretty high but not offensively so.
(5)
Sam A.

My first visit and I am glad I did. The dining room has old-world cozy feel, the service is fantastic (thanks Matt and Hunter) and the food is a great update of traditional Italian.
(5)
Donald C.

In all honesty I cannot give them even a single star because I didn't eat there. There were four of us who wanted to however but found they do not accept reservations for less than six. O.K. We showed up last evening at 5:40. There were a several people sitting eating and/or drinking. There were a lot of tables empty. Several with four places. When my friend said that there were four of us one of the two women at the door said we'd have to come back later that evening to be seated. When my friend asked about their policy of taking reservations for parties of six or larger one of the women became kind of rude and said if we wanted to eat there we would have to sit at the bar and then kind of dismissed us. So... when there were at least four tables for four sitting empty and they only make reservations for six... why weren't we seated? Maybe there were reservations for two parties of eight and they didn't have time to set the tables together?? I doubt that. We were kind of nonplused about the situation so we left. Will we go back there? Ever? I don't think so. There are too many restaurants that serve great food without the attitude. We went to Broder on 26th an Clinton and had a wonderful meal. I just received a note from another reviewer of Ava Gene's explaining why we might not have been able to be seated. She said that they do indeed make reservations for all sizes of parties and that the empty tables were waiting for those parties. Well, o.k. that may be so but why did they tell the one of us who called that they do not take reservations for less than six ... and then why were they so rude to us at the door? I will go back again some time and give it a try...
(1)
Dusie H.

Visited last week with family and we had a great time - all the things that family dinner is supposed to be: good food, good wine, and good conversation. We were only in town for the night and were very pleased to have spent our one night in Portland at Ave Gene's. The corn agnolotti was amazing - rich and so flavorful!
(5)
Cedric N.

Levi was amazing! Very helpful! The entire staff was very helpful and friendly. They made me feel welcomed here! The food is amazing! I have found my new restaurant!
(5)
Chee K.

So good! I loved the intimacy of this place. Yeah, you're gonna sit close to your neighbor but that's ok with me. We started with a couple of the salamis, the sopresseta and piccanti. They gave you 8 pieces of each with really thin breadsticks. I preferred the piccanti, but I should have picked one and gotten a veggie. We also tried the eggplant spread pane. The pane was a thin cracker and I liked the salt, savory and minty flavor of the eggplant spread. It had a great flavor profile. I had the lamb ragu pasta (lg tubular noodles) and my husband ha the sunday sausage pasta (long rolled noodles). I didn't even try to pronounce the dishes. I really enjoyed mine even if it didn't have the typical red sauce I usually prefer. It was light but savory and filling at the same time. I saw a lot of people had either veggie or pasta dishes. The place had romance and charm. The staff was spot on, not stuffy at all. The drinks were fantastic. I had the Bonneville, just picturing the car. I appreciated that when I asked for a glass of red wine, the waitress picked a perfect choice and it wasn't the most expensive one. All in all, I'd go back ini a heartbeat.
(5)
Amy R.

i'd heard mixed reviews on ava gene's. my experience was epic. before i went i looked at over a hundred photos of people's plates. i wrote down what to order and am so glad i did. the menu was completely in greek. i mean italian. i can see how people would be disappointed if they take a server's recommendation and end up with a precious wheat berry salad and a minimalist preparation of chicken or pork. unless that is your thing. for me, the buratta was insanely amazing...as was the tiramisu and the lamb ragu pasta. i'm going back as soon as possible.
(5)
Natalie G.

We were visiting the area and went here for dinner after my parents had a wonderful meal a month earlier. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic with very good music...Otis Redding played during dessert. Service was friendly and helpful, which was good because we needed a little guidance with ordering as it is a small portion, family-style place. I didn't dislike any of the food we ordered and particularly enjoyed the tomato, feta, and cucumber salad, charcuterie board, and orecchiette.
(5)
Ryan M.

I give it 4.5 stars. Very good food and service. The drinks are creative and tasty. Thought it was a bit pricey for what you got, but left happy and satisfied. Would definitely go back next time in Portland.
(4)
Min L.

One of the best meals we had in the past few years. We are jaded New Yorkers who have been to many nice restaurants and this one surprised us w a perfect meal. Everything we ordered was full of creative ideas, fresh ingredients and executed perfectly. The highlights of the meals were the beef tongue and pork steak. If you are serious about food , make sure you come here and you will be very satisfied.
(5)
Susan J.

This place is outstanding. My husband and I are real foodies and this place rocked our world. It is my new favorite place in Portland. The food is exquisitely prepared (we know because we watched our meals being prepared from the kitchen bar) and everything is super fresh. The combination of flavors and textures are mind boggling and mouth watering.
(5)
Michael H.

Yes it lives up to the hype. Gorgeous lighting. Super professional and courteous staff. Original salads, different than anything I've ever tasted. Brussels sprouts in my salad. Amazing. Had a bruschetta style appetizer with some beans on the toast, terrific. I'll stop there because I'm not too goo data food writing. Suffice to say, I was impressed and I'm not usually impressed by these expensive place. And I loved the background music. Yes, Stones, Zeppelin etc. terrific old man music.
(5)
Good G.

This is as good as it gets! Two dinners there several weeks apart were just excellent. The menu gives lots of alternatives so everyone can do their own thing. Everything we have had and shared around was luscious. Service is wonderful as well. Attentive but not invading. We took good wine we had. They have a corkage but even with corkage for two bottles the meal and tip was about $120 per couple.
(5)
Suzanne G.

Celebrating our 20 year anniversary, Ava Gene's was the obvious choice. Although acoustically challenging (not the place to revisit 20 years of memories-way too noisy!), the service was excellent and the food was delicious. We started with the Brussels sprouts and beet salad and the bread with beans, garlic and rosemary. We shared everything, including our two entrees, the Sugo pasta with ricotta and the squid ink pasta with crab. Since they knew it was our anniversary, it would have been a nice touch if they had offered a small dessert or a glass of dessert wine to share. That's how you get folks to return and it costs them very little! All told, we spent $150 including a $31 bottle of wine. It's pricey for Portland but I appreciated their spin on Italian with interesting ingredients and a little heat.
(4)
Lola C.

My new favorite restaurant in Portland. SO good that I ate here 2 times this week! The restaurant is really beautiful...I especially love the bar. The lighting is amazing, the servers are warm and helpful, the food and cocktails are on point. Excellent.
(5)
Bertrand R.

5 stars based on service, ambiance and the most amazing pistachio gelato I have ever had.
(5)
Susie P.

We enjoyed our anniversary dinner here last weekend and, much like our marriage, it did not disappoint. From the welcoming glass of bubbly to the insanely good pasta and then salmon (steak for the husband) and cannoli, it was a treat! Best pasta of my life included mussels, almond butter, and probably some other secrets I could not detect. If you don't usually eat pasta, this is the place to indulge. You won't be disappointed. We sat at the Chef's table and were able to see how hard these guys work. Thank you Ava Gene's. Now could you please teach your sister restaurant, the Woodsman Tavern, some of your secrets.
(5)
David A.

We had an amazing meal from the apps to the secondi and dessert and everything in between. Outstanding! Will be back :)
(5)
John R.

Good food, but a rustic Italian restaurant doesn't need to be this expensive and have such stuffy service. Highly recommend any of the salads and any of the pastas. They'll try to talk you into getting way more food than you need, so try splitting as much as you can before going crazy ordering the whole menu. Skip the outrageously priced main courses and have a couple different apps instead. The homemade bread and cracker plate was excellent, but was really underwhelmed with the arancini that was $10! If they made the place a little more casual and made the prices more reasonable, I could see going here often. Until then, there are much better restaurants in Portland for the money.
(3)
pearl g.

We lucked out and got two seats at the bar. The cocktails and the food were delicious. I had the lamb pasta ragu and my sweetie had steak. Both were amazing, not over seasoned. Too many portland places seem to over salt their food and while they use more salt then we would at home, it was absolutely scrumptious. The Pena cotta or dessert was divine (we shared). I wish the bar stools were sturdier, seemed kinda flimsy for a place this fancy. And the guy was very snobby to us because we didn't have a reservation, but the young hostess was so professional and sweet it made up for it. It is definitely an expensive place to eat, but for a special treat they lived up to our expectations.
(4)
Sara S.

I didn't leave full, but spent $175. Portion sizes are incredibly small, you HAVE to order at least 4 courses to really feel like you've eaten a meal, but good luck interpreting the menu! Everything is either in Italian or just really hard to decipher, and requires a server to explain it. It's not user friendly at all, and seemed incredibly pretentious. The space was a huge makeover from the old Lauro kitchen that was there before. It felt like being in an Old New York Italian restaurant, but shrunken down to miniature. i almost took out the tables when getting up use the bathroom, which reminded me of what a vomitorium in Ancient Rome would feel like, but you wouldn't need that here. Then menu was hard to read, but there was a good selection of cured meats, all imported from Italy, and you can get a board of four of them for $17, which would be ok for two people to nibble on, but not substantial in any way. Then there is a vegetable section, $7-12 for very small plates of things like beets and citrus, beans and greens. None of it comes with bread, but you can buy some! Presentation was nil, a couple plates had some micro greens, but those didn't even have any pop. Not one of the five pasta's were made in house, but from California. Meats- everything from a $70 steak to $27 scallops, and separate side dishes for $5, like potatoes and polenta. I ordered the scallops with celeraic puree, thinking I would get an entree. Instead the 'puree' was more of a coulis to three scallops and a mere drizzle of sauce. For $27?? Sorry but the scallops were not worth that alone! I think you can buy the exact same ones at New Seasons for $12/ pound. There are seven visible cooks working the line, which is beautiful. A really sweet open fire grill, stacks and stacks of brand new/ unused saute pans, all backed with white tile and lots of Italian marble. I felt like there was something missing in the translation though, that it was all about Italian, and not local, not sustainable, not even Portland.
(3)
Katie H.

There were things I loved, and didn't love so much about Ava Gene's. Service: We had a 9pm reservation, and didn't get seated until close to 9:30 (in probably the worse table at the place). The service was decent, but not great, but the decor and ambiance was very nice. Drinks: We tried a few different cocktails including the campari spritzer, love makes you feel, and the switchblade. They were all very, very tasty. Food: My boyfriend and I like trying different things, so shared a bunch of items. The burrata with the focaccia and warm olives was my favorite dish of the night by far. You must order that. We ordered the pole beans and eggplant and mint dish, which were very unique and tasty. The pastas were good, but not mind-blowing. They were well cooked and balanced, but did not compare with the flavors of the starters. All in all, it was good experience and a good place for a celebration.
(4)
Crystal W.

Food was wonderful. But this place is good for really young people (with super good ears) or really old people (with hearing problems). Anyone in between who might actually want to converse over dinner should go running. And I mean RUNNING. Also, for a joint that has a menu almost entirely in Italian, playing really loud Jackson Browne and rock is a completely off-key move. Boneheaded. Music seemed more for the funkified waitstaff and cooks than for us. But then, I'm cranky. My motto is: If you're going to play loud bar music, do it in the bar, not the $30 per entree restaurant. Probably won't go back. Alas. Le sigh.
(2)
Kevin L.

So good. Liked the burrata, lamb was cooked so well.
(5)
Chris B.

Good food , was very happy with the stew. And while different from the woodsman I would say it is better than the woodsman as well
(4)
Opher K.

Great late evening dinner at Ava Gene's, on the counter in front of the kitchen. The food was excellent, the atmosphere just right, and the service good. If I lived in the area I would definitely frequent the place!
(5)
Robert I.

Dinner at Ava Gene's was quite possibly the best dinner I have had...period. From the minute Hunter greeted us we really felt like a priority. We were very fortunate in getting Jenna as our waitress as we had quite a few questions and she was great about answering all of them in a super friendly way. We started with Delicata Frito and the Calais Flint Polenta, both of which were delicious. The Frito came out in 'onion ring' format, had the right amount of savory and sweet combination and great texture and the Polenta was very creamy and quite tasty as well. My girlfriend ordered the Pork Osso Bucco which came out to us perfectly plated and well rounded with the Gremolata and Chanterelle mushrooms and tasty sauce. I ordered the Sagna Riccia, a sort of deconstructed lasagna with Lamb Ragu and was not disappointed. I generally don't order anything like lasagna at restaurants but will definitely be looking forward to getting this dish again on a future visit as the noodles and lamb were perfect together. We also ordered the side of brussel sprouts and loved the way they came out, perfectly browned - quite memorable. Kudos again to Yasuaki, Jenna, Hunter and everyone else for making our first visit, the first of many more to come!
(5)
Dan D.

Food is good, a little over-priced honestly. Here on a Monday, we are actually sitting at the table right now and they gave us our coats and told us goodnight. We haven't paid yet. This kind of underscores the lack of attention to detail present in the service. I needed a drink the whole time.
(3)
Sandra B.

Tasty, interesting dishes, good experience overall
(5)
Catherine B.

Delicious!!!!
(5)
Patrick S.

We took our friend from Japan here recently and were not impressed; too dark, too noisy, tables too close together. Loud music obnoxious; we could not converse. We drank a reasonably priced Chianti- shared a wonderful raw carrot-beet-nut salad,enough for the 3 of us- our friend had a so-so pasta with lamb ragu; we shared a culotte steak with broccolini- enough for 2 only if you have a small appetite! We hated the dark plates which did not show off the food. Probably will not return. Also, the menu is totally confusing.
(2)
Tracie H.

Exceptional service. Very knowledgable server, broke down the menu and gave us a nice experience. The food was great! Full of flavor. Loved the cocktails. It's so nice to be taken care of as a customer spending a good chunk of change. It's upscale or relaxed, you can make it what you need.
(5)
D D.

Came here on a Sunday night after making a reservation a week in advance. Food was very good - especially the bruschetta type breads. Cocktails were good too. The only problem is that it is extremely loud in there. I could not have a conversation with the people at my table. There was a mix up with my order. The restaurant handled it well - immediately put the right order in and gave me a free glass of wine. However, I can understand how the mixup happened, considering how loud it is in there.
(4)
Farzin T.

True greatness. My wife and I have eaten here at least five times and every experience has been great. If you enjoy cocktails order Lights Out best in town if you enjoy bitters.
(4)
brett s.

Waaaaay over priced. It was pretty good. However, I ordered a 20.00 bowl of pasta as a first course and it was good. Small amount of rigatoni. If i had to esitmate, I would say about 25 homemade rigatoni noodles and prob an 1/8lb of pork sausage and 1.5 kale leafs. It was a good dish with a great amount of heat, but come on- 20 bucks? Then I had the short ribs. It was pretty good and I am not going to complain about the size as short ribs are rich and i wouldnt want much more. However, the price was 33 bucks for about a 1/3 lb of short ribs. The best part was the porchetta with a little choclate sauce and and some delicious seasalt to enhance the flavor. I guess this place is letting their prices send a message of quality as oppose to letting the dishes speak for themselves. It is unfortunate, because this place seems to get a decent amount of business so price elasticity isnt going to take effect unless some competition comes to the neighborhood.
(2)
Ashley D.

Lovely meal! Radicchio salad is a must. overall ambiance is fantastic!
(5)
Brian D.

Excellent food and fantastic staff. Place was packed so we were seated at what they call the Chefs counter. Nice and warm with the fire and you can watch them prepare the food. Great option if you can't get a table. Wine prices seemed reasonable. Pasta with pork was out of this world. Salami appetizer for $6 seems cheap but it was 8-10 tiny slices. Pass and go get a stick at Trader Joe's and chew on it while you're there! :-)
(5)
David K.

First let me say the food was fantastic. The service we got on the other hand was awful; a tall dark haired lady with glasses who waited on us should be working retail. My wife had questions regarding some items on the menu which a lot of is in Italian verbiage, her answer was did you read the glossary at the bottom of the menu (and walked away). She finally came back and answered our questions after we received our appetizers she did not get back to our table for forty five minutes. We had to wait for 20 minutes to get our plates cleared and then after about fifteen minutes she just dropped off the desert menu and walked away. Another waiter did come over to take our desert order and he also brought it out to us. Then we waited another 15-20 minutes and I finally had to go to the front counter and ask for my check. Then she finally showed up. While we were waiting for desert a table of four sat down next to us and was served by another waitress who was doing a great job explaining the menu and all the different items I am sure they had a good experience there.
(2)
steve E.

The menu and wine list are a little intimidating but the food, service and atmosphere are fantastic.
(5)
Virginia B.

Three friends & I spent over $300 hoping for a nice, celebratory evening and instead, after an utterly forgettable meal (2 entres out of 4 were good....) we were told we ought to go because there were people waiting for our table. We hadn't been there very long, I promise. I find this place groundlessly pretentious and I hope, with such fundamentally bad manners, they fail.
(1)
Rawson R.

The service was wonderful, but the food was just so-so. We were really excited to try this place but it just did not live up to the accolades. There were definitely some highlights, but for each excellent dish we also experienced a mediocre to bad dish. We enjoyed the charcuterie, but thought the burrata was just okay. The ability to choose three of the giardini is great, and these are supposed to be the highlights of their menu. We found that the melon and squid did not pair well together, the beet and carrot were excellent, and the tuscan calvary was okay. We also tried two of the pane and found the eggplant to be wonderful but the tomato and ricotta to be far too sweet--we couldn't even finish more than a bite or two. The pasta was far too salty. I don't think we'll be back, the prices are towards the higher end and there are far too many excellent restaurants in town.
(2)
maryam h.

really nice dinner experience. I wish they would take larger parties. Great staff.
(5)
Pat C.

Ava Genes has been getting a lot of praise and after my first dinner here, I agree with it all. Wait staff and bartender were knowledgeable and friendly without being too much so. Courses were very well done and sufficient for us to split. We had a pane ( beans on bread), a salad of brussel sprouts , shaved fennel and nuts, a nice pasta with salt cod and spare ribs. Couldn't decide on wines and the bartender suggested a couple and followed with tastes to aid our selection. We had nice seats at the bar as they don't require reservations there and the restaurant is booked well into the future.
(5)
P D.

First, we have absolutely no problem paying top dollar for a meal providing it is worth it. We had heard the buzz about Ava Gene's and, of course, wanted to give it a try. We arrived for our reservation at 8:15PM and were seated promptly. We ordered the Katz Olio Nuovo and the Apples, Cranberry, Wild Rice, and Walnut Salad--both of which were wonderful. Here is when everything started to go downhill rapidly. For our pasta dish, we ordered the fusilloni nut ragu. Nothing special at all, but the portion was amazingly small considering the cost (think more than $1 for each piece of pasta in the bowl). Our main dish was the Lamb Alla Griglia Chop, Shoulder, Sausage, Lentils, Yogurt. If you are willing to pay $75 for about 6 bite size pieces of lamb and one flavorless sausage, this is the dish for you. We had been planning to order dessert but, feeling cheated, we decided our money would be better spent elsewhere
(2)
William W.

Lovely atmosphere and impressive dining.
(5)
H. M.

We returned to Ava Genes after a several month absence for our anniversary with our daughter. We were sorely disappointed. My husband ordered the culotte steak with grilled baby fava beans and asparagus. He received his dinner without the fava beans. Guess why he ordered the culotte? Right. For the fava beans which he mentioned to the waiter, several times. I received, for $18, less than a cup of pasta with sauce. Give me a break, for .50 cents more, they could have delivered a tad bit more pasta, but no, for $18 I received an appetizer-portion pasta meal. Our teenage daughter received the same. As she is very athletic, she wolfed down her pasta in moments. Why? Because it was so very, very small. After about twenty minutes, the confused server delivered the missing fava beans. At that point, my husband sent the whole thing back, having "enjoyed" a quarter of his meal, not sure when or what his grilled baby fava beans would entail. Did I mention that he doesn't like dessert? In order to make up for the problems, they sent out a dessert for him, not asking him if he wanted it. Nice. I know that the sounds bitchy, but for about $200 or so for three people, we expected a bit more. Sad, but from the brillant start, this was very very disappointing. We generally dont' make a big deal of our special occasions, and thought that Ava Gene would be the perfect place for a low-key celebration with great food. We were mistaken. I give it two stars for the efforts of the staff. Not the pass, staff, not the "marketing" person who thinks it's a good idea to serve miniscule portions to established diners, and certainly not the management. Good luck, when you're on, you're on, but when you're not, well, it's a travesty.
(2)
Ellen S.

Ava Gene's delivers on a delicious dinner, but be prepared for sticker shock. A selection of charcuterie and cheese start at around $9, salads are around $12, pastas around $18 and main courses start at $30 and UP. You COULD build a dinner around the lower end of the menu, BUT that would not be Dinner and Ava Gene's cheese/salad/pasta is no more special than any number of places in Portland. The main courses are what make Ava Gene's special, and perhaps they are priced fairly. All I know is that my husband and I spent $102 including tip and left hungry. If you are interested in the scene, then go and order accordingly. If you want a good meal at a decent price, look elsewhere.
(3)
Tan L.

Thought I give this place a go since it was featured in Bon Appetit's "50 Nominees for Best New Restaurant in America 2013" Place is pretty dark and you'll have that fancy dinner date environment feel. The menu tries to go authentic with the italian roots since it's printed in italian language. There is a side glossary at the bottom right hand corner for us simpler folks to try to decipher (I found it a bit annoying, but did welcome the simple menu which only is on one page, the other side had the wine selections). To keep it simple you had 3 selections of cheeses, for 6 bucks you only get two slices of cheese served with some type of blackberry or grape jam and some doughnut looking hard pretzel to spread against. The cheese and jam spread was excellent. The waitress/server was very helpful in explaining the dish selections and shared her recommendations. From the date stamp on the menu it looks like they change up their menu from time to time. My cousin ordered the mussel pasta and I went with the protein beef selection with the added braised romano beans, tomato, pine nuts side. The beef selection for the night was just okay and the side dish was excellent, romano beans in a semi spicy tomato base puree of sorts topped off with pine nuts. I should have stuck with the pasta since it was about half the price of my beef selection. If I had a redo in selection I would try two pasta dishes and maybe another side dish to sample from. My cousin very much enjoyed her mussle pasta dish, though you had to work a bit shelling out the mussels. Dessert was a cappuccino and pana cotta. Do not miss out on the pana cotta, it's not very rich but oh so good with the fruit jam combination they add to it. Reservations recommended unless you plan on eating late around 9:30pm or so. Give it a try you'll be happy that you did. Place is a bit pricey but I would give it another try.
(4)
Adelita Z.

The Boy had been hinting that he wanted to try this place. He would say, "that new spot Ava Genes got rave reviews on Yelp" every time we would find ourselves on Division within 5 blocks of this place. I am not too big on Italian, but obliged him because I'm rarely disappointed with his suggestions. We called to make a reservation, the hostess said to come on in after 9pm. We were sat within 5 minutes of walking in, which was good because it wasn't exactly clear to us where we were supposed to wait. at the bar? by the door? outside? The menu is essentially all in Italian. However, there is a little glossary/translation section on the bottom right hand corner of the menu breaking down what most of the dishes are. Good call Ava Genes. It comes in handy when your servers are too "cool for school" and can't be bothered to explain anything having to do with menu options or information about the food to your customers. I tried to give our server the benefit of the doubt, thinking maybe she was having a rough night, but she was laughing it up with the table seated next to us. Way to make it obvious that you are feeling one table but not others. She begrudgingly checked on us once after our food came out and once after dropping off the dessert...never smiling once. we dropped over $120 for two people. sure the food was great. but the service negatively overshadowed the culinary experience for us. don't think we'll be back.
(2)
G. C.

As far as being an Italian restaurant, they do serve pasta but it's kind of Stumptown's version of Italian. First of all, from the outside it looks pretty nice. The lighting and awnings make it look cozy. Well cozy gets a new definition inside! The 4 person tables near the windows are comfortable looking but then they jam two long rows of tiny tables with a bench seat between the rows and practically in the kitchen area. Your knees can literally touch the person at the next table and forget about any privacy. The food was decent but not memorable and everything is a la carte -- no sides even with the main entree. I felt nickel and dimed to death and their prices aren't cheap. A decent wine list but the music they were playing was not conducive to conversation or even eating in peace. I had to shout to my partner to be heard. So, disappointed but we always have CIBO down the street which never disappoints.
(1)
A. B.

Went here with my husband and man the food is delicious! I would recommend the burrata, any salad, and the orecchiette zucchini pesto.
(5)
Thi S.

Food was fantastic! We are big fans of the Woodsman Tavern, therefore excited to try Ava Genes. My husband and I started with the brussel sprouts, which I didn't find traditionally Italian because it had a dipping sauce that tasted Vietnamese to me. However, it was very tasty and I will copy it at home. The orecchiette pasta with sausage was also delicious. My husband had the lamb entree and he liked it but I thought it was a little gamey. I had the pork osso bucco and we both agreed that it was phenomenal! However, it did not taste Italian to me either. By no means am I criticizing the food; I will definitely go back. My only complaint would be the music. It did not it match the format and it was way too loud. I understand that we were in a bistro atmosphere, however, we were at a small table for two, sitting across from each other and we had to speak really loudly to hear each other.
(4)
Erik B.

loving this place right now.. peroni beer and some pasta... sounds good to me:)
(4)
Laura W.

The food at Ava Gene's was creative and wonderful on the whole- especially the small plates. We went away having a great time because we chose it for a special occasion. We like Italian food, but in general the price point seemed a little high and the noise level made it a poor choice for a birthday dinner where we might want to hear each other. I might come again, but there are other places to spend that much money without losing hearing.
(4)
Lars S.

This is what a restaurant would be like in heaven. Except the cannoli would be free and served by winged angels. Otherwise there wouldn't be much difference. If you go here, you must - must - get the "garden" appetizers. And dessert. Even though salt and straw is down the street you must get dessert here. The people at the table next to me were so over-the-top orgasmic about their dessert that they were sharing it with the people next to them. I.e., total strangers.
(5)
Katie O.

My husband and I loved this place! Great food and incredibly nice staff. We can't wait to come back. Special thanks to Karen for her incredible service.
(5)
Jason S.

If you are someone who wants unbiased reviews that ignore what we are led to believe, than read on. Otherwise, don't continue. Focus on the 5 star reviews and believe and enjoy. I'll try to make this brief and simple. We did the 6 course chef's tasting menu. The Salumi and Formaggi was ok. It came with a cheddar cheese- quite disappointing. The prosciutto was very good. The breads were quite good- Warm chicken livers and some pesto type spread on the other. And the shelling peas with Riccota was excellent as well. The veggie sides were mostly good. Almost remarkable. And the pastas- Linguine/Prosciutto and Shelling peas and the Lamb Ragu- were average. I've had much better at less hyped places like Pizza Fino in Kenton. They weren't put together well if that makes sense. Overall like something I might whip up at home in a hurry. The duck Ragu tasted like tuna fish. The "Secondi" lamb was good in some ways. The few pieces of lamb meat were amazing. perfectly cooked and flavored. Though only half the serving was lamb, the other half was lamb sausage. Too rich and fatty, and so much less desirable than the actual lamb. The Contorni dishes were just not great. I tasted them and did not bother coming back to them. Not worth the calories. Speaking of which, the dessert were quite tasty, though not mind-blowing. The Panna cota with strawberries was my favorite. The gelato was good, but not as good as reviews led me to expect. Overall, this is a restaurant that tries very hard to be quite exceptional. Clearly a vast fortune went into creating this place. The interior design is the most impressive aspect by far. I believe it is fueled more by the celebrity status behind it than the actual food. This can work great for many "high end" restaurants. Especially in Portland. There are other Italian restaurants that actually are quite exquisite and remarkable in all ways. For example, the old tried-and-true Genoa restaurant is in a league above Ava Gene's. They simply serve incredible and even intriguing Italian food with top-notch service. This is where I now wish we had gone. I would go back to Ava Gene's perhaps to try the kale salad and perhaps a few other items I didn't try the first time. But not for an important dinner.
(3)
Carrie O.

5.4.4.5 - Ambiance, food, service, wine. For an 8 week old restaurant, awesome. Loved the music, loved that the tables were close and cozy a la New York, Rome or Paris, loved that prices were in line with the quality on the plate. Portions were too big to eat as much as I wanted. Definitely will go back with at least three friends next time. Better to eat more of the menu. It was loud but so what, guess I'm not too old yet. More cosmopolitan than Portland in general. Bravo.
(4)
William H.

We've been here twice now and love it. Great setting, excellent service and wonderful wonderful food. Highly recommended. Also a very fine playlist. All the salads (I could eat that corn salad every day) are beyond good, fresh and creative. The brochette (especially the one with kale) also excellent. Sausage pasta.. so good. Nothing is heavy, the ingredients used are perfection and the care put into the food all great. Yes, it is pricey, but that seems to be the way.
(5)
Aaron M.

One of the most amazing places to eat in SE Portland. The food was beyond amazing and the service was impeccable. My wife and I just ate dinner at Roe a week ago and drove past this place on the way home and decided we had to stop there. They have only been open for 3 weeks and you would never think that with by how packed it was and how well all the staff and chefs worked together. If you end up going here, I say you definitely ask to eat at the chefs table, but make sure you sit on the far left side of the bar because they cook all their meat over wood coals and any other seat is extremely hot. Eating here will give you the best experience of what actually happens in a restaurant. We definitely will be eating here again and definitely be recommending it to all of our friends and anyone that reads this review. All we can say is EAT HERE! You definitely wont regret it. Earned and deserves the 5 stars.
(5)
Sarah C.

I had been driving past Ava Genes every day and stalking it on the internet, fantasizing my perfect meal. I can't quite bring myself to patronize mr. Sorenson's other gimmicky seeming seafood heavy establishment but I had high expectations for this place. It didn't really knock my socks off but it was good. I'll start with what I did find to be superb...First off, the atmosphere. Looking in from the outside all of those lights kinda make the place look like an ice cream parlor but indoors they form an impressive sculpture and set the mood for the rest of the tasteful and no expense spared decor and kitchen. I enjoyed watching the crew back there silently orchestrate. That open fire was impressive. Eating here made me feel like I was not in Portland. Of course people were still dressed like they are in Portland but it was nice to have a coat check and a swanky bathroom. Right down to the marble sink and thick fancy paper towels. The service was also impeccable. I truly appreciate the having your table de crumbed, wiped, and given new silverware with each course. It makes you feel better about spending so much. Now onto the food. The menu is in Italian which kind of puts you at a disadvantage but provides an opportunity to learn some. I imagine the servers get a bit annoyed explaining EVERYTHING though especially because most folks seem to leave their brains at home when going to dinner. I knew ahead of time what we were getting into so I had a good idea of what I wanted but still took advice from our waitress. That left us with an ok apple salad (her suggestion) but the most amazing cheese I have ever had, I mean that. The Burratta, which I was told is flown in from southern cali every other day is a fresh mozzarella with a poached egg like texture. We also had a good lacinato kale salad I would get again and two pastas I probably wouldn't. One was like lasagna ribbons with a tasty lamb ragu. Okay, maybe I'd get that again, I just wanted more lamb. The other was an orchiette with sausage and kabocha. I wasn't that into the sausage. Our neighbors had good looking veggie pasta dishes that I wished we had ordered instead. bf and I had to sit side by side because the noise level was too much but we like to do that anyways. They offer you still or bubbly water which made me happy. I was in the mood for a cocktail and not wine but the selection looked impressive. One last note...the music playlist was some fools mistake and very off setting to an otherwise lovely experience. Why do hipsters love bruce springsteen so much?
(4)
Barbara R.

Being Italian and my family from Genoa - I have to say I'm super picky about "Italian" restaurants - but with all the good hype about Ava Gene's we went with a group of 6 for dinner. For me a restaurant needs to hit great food, ambiance and atmosphere to get 5 stars - Ava Gene's gets 2/5. First food was good - but definitely not Northern Italian in my book and not stellar. The Charcuterie board had salamis from Berkeley, CA and cheese from Wisconsin - give me a break this is Portland - where was Salumi? Lots of mixed plates of salads and starchy hard pastas - not fresh - from dried pasta. Main course of pork was very lovely though with great seasonings. Biggest downfall was the noise level. It was so loud in there on a Monday night (bad acoustics) we were all yelling at each other in order to be heard. Add to that the restaurant was playing really loud Fleetwood Mac music - again give me a break - in an "Italian" restaurant? I will give them good points for having a nice room layout, atmosphere and bar area - very attractive inside. Wont go back - Nostrana still far better overall!
(2)
Shellie L.

I have mixed feelings about Ava Genes. Overall it was good but not great. The service in general was a bit slow and the blaring loud rock music made it difficult to converse. The rigatoni and ceci dish was not worth the price. It was something I could put together in my own kitchen for a quarter of the price. I did love the brussel sprout dish and gelato. Not sure I would go out of my way to eat there again when there are better restaurants.
(3)
terry r.

I would give this restaurant 5 stars if it weren't for the noise level and horrible music choices. The food was truly amazing...good quantities, perfectly prepared, flavorful and very authentic. But I was unable to hear my friends right across from me because of the noise level and it was the music that made it that way. When the music was turned down a bit or if it stopped, I was able to hear, because everyone toned down their voices once they didn't have to yell over the music. The music choices were ludicrous for an upscale restauarnt--Jimi Hendrix and other rock and roll with loud guitars or words that would never be heard anyway. I wish it weren't so, as I would go back there again and again, if just for the chicken livers or the panna cotta alone. But yelling to be heard while I try and eat is not my idea of a place where I'm paying $50.00/person or more and had hoped to have a pleasant dining experience. And a word on the menu--all very hip to have it in Italian, but to have to refer to their "dictionary" of terms at the bottom, takes more time than it should..why not just put the explanation next to or under the Italian...a bit over the top I think. In terms of food and service, this is one of the best places I've eaten in the 10 years I've been in Portland, but the noise keeps it from being a place I'll want to go again. So frustrating as it could be one of the best places in Portland all around.
(3)
Jen W.

We went to Ava Gene's late December. All four members of the party enjoyed their entree and appetizers. The Woodsman had a lot of buzz but Ava Gene's is definitely more my scene. It's a gorgeous space. Service is incredible (our server was Jenna who patiently took my Mom through the menu) with an overall enjoyable atmosphere. I have heard guests complaining about loud music but we didn't think so. I tried liver for the first time and I'll be back at least once a month for it (wonderful to nourish the blood.I am a TCM student!). Orecchiette was the hit at our table in addition to the brussel sprouts (will be back for those too). While it looks like this may no longer be on the menu, we had a uniquely prepared delicata squash appetizer. Pistachio gelato all around! Definitely a good to place to bring future visitors or a meet up with locals. I made reservations so not sure what the typical wait is like. Amazing value for money, that's another great thing I love about Portland. Incredible meals at reasonable prices.
(5)
Danelle J.

I can't give a star based on food. However I can rate on the way I was treated. Walk in, guy circles the place to find a seat for me and my parents. Says it looks like we are full, come back at 10:15, or make a reservation 4-6 weeks from now and I can eat there. My sweet dad asked, if the fella recommended any place in the area? He said keep walking and good luck. I won't be going back not @10:15 or 4-6 weeks
(1)
Maggie M.

My fiancÃ© surprised me with dinner here on a recent trip to Portland to celebrate my birthday. I was hesitant at first because I'm not the type to frequent places with a glossary on the menu. I chose the cavatelli with beans, sausage and rosemary, though, and was beyond pleasantly surprised. I've been calling it the best pasta dish I've ever had. We tried the gnocco fritto for an appetizer, but it wasn't anything spectacular. The service was attentive, though it did take them a while to first greet us and offer water or drinks. Our wine--a chianti--was delicious. Really, I'm giving this place four stars for the cute atmosphere and that pasta dish.
(4)
Ronald W.

5 for food; 1 for service. Excellent food. The servers seem to have been chosen more for looks than experience. Slooooow, not alert, inaccurate with the check, etc. For those prices never again. P. S.: Also inadequate air conditioning.
(2)
Maryam B.

I would return for drinks and dessert, but probably not for dinner. They have consistently exceptional cocktails, and some of the best gelato, affogato and panna cotta I've ever had (if they have the Pistachio Gelato when you go, get it!) The food overall is not as stellar, and feels a little overpriced considering the pricing and quality of other italian restaurants in town (Nostrana, DOC, Genoa, A Cena, etc.). I particularly don't love that 1/2 of the pasta dishes they serve use dried pasta - I get that its high quality dried pasta from Italy, but . . . really?? That being said, I loved their burrata, and their salami plate, though pricey, was delicious.
(4)
Mario C.

Ahh Ava Genes.. This is a beautiful restaurant and the hanging lights make for a welcoming and fun, yet cozy and romantic atmosphere We dined at the chefs counter, which I'd highly recommend if it's just two of you. We had what the waitress/chefs recommended: Garlic bread- standard fare but not bad Arancini al fungi- mushroom/ risotto fried balls topped with taleggio cheese. Nothing special Pumpkin brown butter, currants, pecans- quite possibly the best "salad" I've had all year. This alone was well worth the visit. The great thing about the chefs counter is that we were able to converse with the chefs as they were preparing the dishes. I inquired about how to make this dish and they gave me the rundown. This is the first dish I hope to make when I get back to Houston Radiatore, chicken ragu- this was such a fun dish. The paste looked like miniature radiators. Another stellar choice and recommendation from the staff Chinook salmon, fall minestrone-this was pretty standard salmon but looks gorgeous and had nice taste to it Dessert: panna cotta, pine cone syrup- each time I took a bite of this I had to pause a few seconds to truly savor how amazing this was. We literally licked the bowl clean. Well done, chef! Ava Gene's was our first stop on our food tour of Portland, and quite possibly the best. The ambiance, the food and drink offerings and the awesome chefs that chatted with us and even gave us recommendations of there favorite local spots. I could really tell they loved the opportunity they had to cook at Ava Gene's
(4)
Tiffany M.

I had a couple of full-on Meg Ryan in "WHMS" moments during this meal. Normally JAM likes to surprise me for my birthday dinner, but this year I unabashedly told my guy that his creativity and romantic gestures would not be needed, because I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I am so glad that I crushed his spirit a little, and he was too by the end of the night. FYI: Eat here, but for the love of God don't disappoint yourself and make sure to book your reservation well in advance. Otherwise you'll be looking at a 9:45 dinner or nothing at all. This reasonably-sized restaurant is booked out for weeks. Food Burrata- sprinkled with sage and red pepper flakes,comes with dreamy focaccia, honey, sea salt, and hot out of the oven roasted chestnuts. So much YUM. (5/5) Fritti cauliflower and Brussels sprouts- OMGOMGOMG just get them OMGOMGOMG, maybe the best thing in the world (10/5) Pasta with nut ragu- the only primi we veg heads could eat, but it was so delicious. Perfectly al dente pasta, rich and complex sauce (5/5) Cannoli- mascarpone consistency was a bit undesirable, good flavor w/ a hint of orange, but I would try something else next time (3/5) Ambience/Service Lovely little spot with low lighting and intimate table space. Not too loud, not too quiet. I liked the Italian wines on display on either side of the restaurant, and the unique stoneware was lovely (especially the espresso cup). Service was spot-on. Our server was helpful and friendly, except when she left the restaurant without saying that she was off beforehand. Table was bussed quickly and everyone was welcoming. I'll be back as often as I can. I want to eat that fried cauliflower for every meal for the rest of my life.
(5)
Jamie S.

Great drinks. Their garlic bread was fantastic...get it! Only had pasta no meat course. Pasta was flavorful, very light on the meat in the ragu. I'm used to larger prices of meat and this was ground and barely there. Pasta, both dishes, were too al dente. Had the romanesco & greens as sides by far the best part of the meal. Worth they hype NO.
(3)
Stacy F.

Service - 3 stars Food - 4.5 Location and table atmosphere - 5+! My husband and I rarely get nights away for our two young children so we wanted something cozy, inviting, and delicious. I'd say we got all of that with the exception of the "cozy" feeling from the waiter. He had no personality and was offended when I asked for wine suggestions. His answer "Wine? *frump* I'll go get a menu". But I've come to almost expect that from Hipster Portland...especially in the Division/Hawthorne areas. Anyways, we walked in on a whim at 6:30pm (prime dinner hours) and were sat right away at the "Chef's Counter" where you can watch all the meals being prepare. They said we just had to give the seats up at 8pm for a reservation. 1.5 hours for dinner....um yes! It was so much fun and mesmerizing to watch all the meals be created with such love and care. You could see that just about everyone back there truly has a passion for food. The chef's counter seating? One word.... Amaze-balls! I don't use that word often but it is totally warranted here. Bar none, we don't think there's any other way to attend Ava Gene's...unless you have a big party and are there to have a good time. :) The quality of the food was great! I do kinda see why some people feel the price was a bit high for the amount of food you got, but I actually didn't mind it. Maybe we just weren't that starving since we had a later lunch. I don't know. But either way I was satisfied with the carrot, quinoa, and cashew salad I had. It was perfectly dressed (which I pretty much never say) and was surprisingly satisfying. I'm actually still thinking about it now (4 hours later). Again, the waiter was a little rough, but the hostess and chef's were super nice. I'm not sure what people were expecting from Ava Gene's as far as food and everything (I'm not aware of any reputation) but I'd totally go again. I don't see it as a great place for large groups, but maybe that's because my large groups generally involve children and this is more of an "adults preferred" kind of place in my opinion. So maybe some of the bitchy patrons should have been disqualified under that condition alone. :)
(4)
Vanessa M.

Make a reservation or show up a few minutes before they open to nail a spot at the chef's table. It can get a little warm there with the open wood fire but the show is worth it. I have been here a few different times and have mixed opinions. The first time I went I loved it! The small garden appetizers were wonderful and unique and the pasta was super fresh. The few times after that I felt like the portions decreased in size, especially the pasta (main dishes) and we left slightly hungry for the prices we paid. It is definately worth a try but since I have been there a few times I probably will not be going back.
(3)
Summer C.

I had one of the most enjoyable dinners ever here. Everything, from the bread to the wine to the pasta, was nothing short of spectacular. I don't remember the name of the pasta- but I do remember it was lamb in white sauce- so heavenly. The service and the atmosphere were perfect. Relaxed vibe but still lively and fun. When and if I'm ever back in Portland I will definitely head back to Ava Gene's!
(5)
Daniel Z.

A must visit if you live or traveling through Portland. I was only their for 48hrs and I had to go back the second night.
(5)
Michele R.

Hoping for the best, based on reviews, I expected we might fall in love. Preparing for the worst, based on reviews, I thought we might be disenchanted. Outcome of my hubby's and my first date with Ava Gene's was to be intrigued and eager for a second. Inventive menu, very good food even if not all elements were perfect, stellar service and warm meets cool ambiance. With so many restaurants and so little time, there are few in Portland that make our "go back" list. Ava Gene's is one of those few. SERVICE From making last minute reservations to greet and seat to order and eat, every element of service was top notch. The server, Mat, was charming and knew the menu well to answer our questions. Timing of dishes was spot-on but for a hitch in the giddeyup when the kitchen got backed up and pasta courses, ours and table next to us, had long delay. We felt well cared for but not hovered over. From our perch, if restaurateurs in Portland want to see how professional service is done they might dine here (and at a'Cena and at Trifecta Tavern) and follow the examples. As example, one of the reasons Mat was expert on the menu is the wait staff has nightly "line up" to taste and learn about the food. Management has hired people with a passion for food who convey it in professional service and who have first hand experience to know flavors and purveyors. Happy diners are the beneficiaries. AMBIANCE The former Lauro Kitchen space and with the same general layout. Bar on the left side, open kitchen at the back, lots of windows at front. But it has been jazzed up for dÃ©cor and maybe the coolest element is the lighting fixtures throughout. If you answer the question "Where were you when JFK was killed" with the response "In school" then you will be familiar with the lyrics to the songs on the sound system. Etta James, Stevie Wonder, Rolling Stones...worked for us! As the place fills up, it went from half full to capacity in the 90 minutes we were there, the noise level is booming. This is not an intimate conversation dining place. MENU & FOOD Menu all in Italian with a "cheat sheet" of translations on the bottom and if you need more than that, the server will happily and unpretentiously oblige. My hubby is Italian, his grandmother never learned English, and we both know a fair amount about Italian food but there were ingredients on the menu that we needed to have described to us. The learning added to the fun of dining here. Dishes are meant to be shared. The menu is divided roughly in half, left and right. Based on our experience, we'd say veer left and your outcome will be best. Left side: Salumi (charcuterie @$6-$29), Formaggi (cheese @$7-$15), Fritti (fried things @$12), Pane (things served on bread @$9-$13), Giardini (salads and veggie dishes served cold @$11-$13). Right side: Primi (pastas @$18-$19), Secondi (animal proteins @$32-$75), Contorni (hot side dishes @$7) Dolci (dessert) menu offered separately (@$7) For us food was mostly "Hits": From Fritti - arancini made with porcini risotto and served with taleggio may be the best of these little fried orbs we have ever had. Perfect size, texture, seasoning, presentation. From Pane - the star of our meal; squash, mint, ricotta salata, barrel aged colatura and served on carta di musica. Fantabulous flavors and presentation. From Giaridini - enjoyed the salad of broccoli, apples, toasted almonds and guanciale but this is one we wouldn't order again. For Dessert - we chose cannolo; just right for sweetness of ricotta filling and crispy shell. The "Miss" was from Primi: Fusilli with kale pesto, sausage and whipped ricotta had top quality ingredients and was piping hot to the table. But the pasta was more crunchy to bite than toothsome al dente and over salted. It was also a small portion for the $18 price; the half portions at Tabla or a'Cena are larger, much better and half this price. LIBATIONS Full bar with interesting specialty cocktails (@$9). Good wine selection by glass (@$9-$13). Extensive list of wines by bottle at prices on par with other fine dining restaurants. VALUE Four dishes shared by two people, two glasses of wine and dessert = $78. SEATING The open space is divided in half along the equator by a banquette with the front space by the windows and the back space near the open kitchen. We'd recommend the front space; a little less hectic. All tables are standard height (yahoo!) and close together. Banquettes and chairs are comfy. Seats at the bar for food service too. Some high seating at kitchen counter. THIS N THAT 1) RESERVATIONS: You'll need them. If you can go in early, you may even be able to call the restaurant day of and get in. 2) ACCESSIBILITY: Level in and throughout. Dining room is all standard height table seating. Two spaces of standard height at bar. 3) PARKING: On street and some in small lot next to Roman Candle. One accessible parking space in lot.
(4)
Marc W.

Out-of-town buddy and I wanted to try something new, so booked a 9pm reservation. There was a spot in the tiny parking lot for us (Yea), but the place was crowded. The environs were clean, fresh and rustic. Busy, but not too loud. We arrived early, so had a drink at the bar (the bar tender was slow - seemed to be away from the bar more than he was behind the bar), but we got our drinks - buddy's cocktail was yummy (he said) and my red wine was superb. We got seated right on time. The waitress was friendly and attentive and very helpful with the menu and the wines. Our table neighbors highly recommended the "celery, almonds, dates, parmigiano-reggiano" appetizer, so we got it - agreed whole-heartedly - fantastic!! He order the linguine with seafood and I had the fettuccine with lamb and pork - both wonderful - full of flavor and satisfying. And the portions were right on - not too much and not too little. We had room for the garlic bread and another glass of wine (they do have some great wines). Though we were tempted to have dessert, I was taking my out-of-town guest to that famous doughnut place with the pink boxes, so we skipped dessert. This time! This place is going on my list of places to take other friends to. I do recommend.
(4)
Brandon J.

I am surprised at some of the reviews mentioning poor service. I though our service was excellent. Attentive, but not all over you. Our waitperson knew all the dishes well, made recommendations that we enjoyed, and provided a nice evening for my date and I. I thought the food was impressive. Hearty, playful, creative. Loved the salami and cheese that was suggested to us by the waitperson. We had a celery, almonds, dates, parm-reg veggie dish that I loved. Crunchy, acidic, sweet, yum. Had the salmon and also the lamb. The lamb was fun, and played off of middle eastern flavors with yogurt and mint, with a few zesty peppers in there for a kick. Our cocktails were amazing. Our cocktails were small. Our cocktails were $10. It is spendy. We had a $75 gift card; otherwise I couldn't afford this place. $30+ for an entree is above my limit under ordinary circumstances, because for every Ava Genes, there's dozens of places in PDX just as delicious for less than $10. But for good food, price is irrelevant. If it's good, you pay the price demanded. Sometimes it's a $7 bowl of pho. Sometimes you say fuck it and drink a $10 cocktail and get a $35 entree and buy a $13 glass of wine because fuck it. It's not a value eatery. It is expensive. It is hyped also. The first time we tried going there was nothing available. Another time we showed up and got seated immediately.
(5)
Lauren A.

Had been excited to eat here and didn't leave disappointed. The fried mozzarella with braised greens and anchovies? Heavenly. I also really enjoyed my cocktail, a Cynar spritz, but it came in a Collins glass with a straw; my companions' drinks were served in port-style glasses when they seemed like more rocks-style cocktails. Anyway, all of the food was great. The tagliatelle with Uni butter was wonderful; unctuous and warm, with a great hit of chile.
(4)
Lana V.

Hands down the best restaurant in town! Read the reviews, they are all accurate. This place is amazing!
(5)
Mark P.

If I could, I would give Ava Gene's 5 stars for the food and 2.5 stars for the value. Since you can't split up your review that way on Yelp - and because I'm bad at math - 4 stars it is. Seems like a fair compromise. We joined friends on a Saturday night for a birthday dinner. They had made the reservation over a month in advance, which seems par for the course given the other reviews I've read. We were seated promptly, at a cozy table in the corner. I love the atmosphere here; the lighting was soft, but not overly so, and the background music barely noticeable. Service was okay. We asked for separate checks and were told they couldn't do that, but would "split it when we paid." To be fair, when the check came, we paid with two credit cards and they did break up the meal at that point. I'm just not sure why they were unable to do so initially. Also, somebody took our drink order, 10 minutes went by, then somebody else came by to say our drink order was lost and we'd have to reorder. Hmm. Not off to the most promising start. But then the food arrived, and much was forgiven. We ordered several of the bread plates, including one with fresh sheep's cheese, shelling peas and mint, and another with a spicy soft salami spread, sweet onion and garlic scapes. The former was stunning; the cheese soft and creamy, and the mint offering a perfect contrast. The peas were melt-in-your-mouth awesome and very fresh. We were less enthused with the latter, feeling the spiciness was a little too overwhelming. We also ordered a plate of the sopressa, a thinly sliced salami served with crispy breadsticks the width of pencils. Delicious! For our main courses, three of us opted for pasta dishes, with the fourth choosing salmon. Across the board, all our pastas were amazing, each bursting with flavor. My cassarecci with lamb and pork "butcher style" had a hint of spice that lingered pleasantly throughout the meal, while my wife's radiatore with rabbit ragu and shelling peas was fresh and flavorful. The problem is, the portions were downright tiny. One reviewer on here blasted other reviewers for complaining about the small portions, but I think this is a legitimate gripe. At $20 a plate, the pasta sure isn't priced like an appetizer, but it kind of comes across that way. There was about a handful of pasta on each plate, and the meat in all three of them was more an afterthought than anything else. I would have loved to order a protein dish to go along with it, but these were $32 and up. I don't know about you, but I can't really afford to pay that much for a meal, especially given the fact that the bread was $10 (for bread! Albeit good bread, but still, bread). And if you want a side dish with your meat - fingerling potatoes or a veggie - well, those are all extra, too (another $7). The chinook salmon with black garlic and zucchini flowers was tender and delicious, but again, the portion size was not overwhelming. The food continued to impress through the dessert course. I got a honey and mascarpone gelato that was creamy and addictive; the panna cotta with fresh fruit had a great depth of flavor and was cooked to perfection, and the pistachio cake was subtly sweet and very good. Ava Gene's is a true foodie paradise: if you appreciate expertly prepared and inventive Italian cuisine, you won't walk away disappointed. But you will walk away poorer, and that's a real shame. There are too many good places in Portland that, while not cheap, at least give you enough food to feel like you got your money's worth. A $100 tab for two is a substantial investment on a good meal, and maybe I'm really just a cheap bastard, but I like the type of place where a "to-go" box for leftovers is a realistic option. That would just never happen here.
(4)
OregonianDish H.

I went to Ava Gene's last night to celebrate my 5 year anniversary with my hubby. I loved that we could make reservations, albeit two weeks in advance. We brought two close friends from SF, one of whom is vegetarian. We arrived early for our 8pm reservation and they seated us right away. Service was spectacular. Waiters and staff swooped in to bring drinks and water. Our server was great. Can't remember her name, but she had a great personality and made us feel like we were her only table. I told my server that I HAVE A SEVERE ALLERGY TO DUCK EGGS. She took note and made helpful recommendations. The food we ate was extraordinary, but when I got home I started getting a terrible stomach ache. I got very sick and was up for 5 hours throwing up and dealing with other unmentionable issues. I phoned the restaurant tonight and spoke with a man who asked the kitchen if any of the items I had eaten indeed had the dreaded duck egg. AND SADLY, HE CONFIRMED THAT A PASTA DISH THEY SERVED HAD DUCK EGG IN IT BUT NONE OF THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE HAD BEEN INFORMED. It was the pasta shaped like dumplings filled with peas and covered in a chanterelle sauce. I was unimpressed with the man on the phone's reaction. My warning to everyone, just be super careful if you have an allergy. He did ask if I was ok. Thanks?! But I had to tell him that it was important to tell everyone in the front of the house about this so it does not happen to future customers. He unconvincingly said, "sure of course." He said that he "would note my allergy in their computer and treat me extra special on my next visit." Great?! Not sure when I'll be going back.
(3)
Tiffany B.

Oh Ava...I had high expectations for you, with all the media coverage lately, and taking 3 weeks to get reservations, I expected a great dining experience! We made reservations for 2 for my Birthday dinner, and only had 2 spots to choose from, the 5:15 or 9pm...we opted for the earlier. We came in about 10 minutes late and were told first off to make sure and be done by 7:15 for the next reservation. I think this put a damper on our whole evening- The menu, all Italian as is the wine list. The sommelier was very helpful in picking out a bottle of Rose. It was a damn good bottle too! She constantly visited our table refilling our glasses before they were ever dry. I giver her 5 stars for her service alone. The food- this is where the 3 stars come in: We shared a few plates, the Burrata was the tastiest of them all. The others tasted under seasoned and the Clams Casino was a big fail! Served up on one large piece of toast, the toast was totally burnt btw, the clams were hard to find, and over all was not how Clams Casino was meant to be. The pasta dish was cooked al dente, good, but not great, it didn't wow me like other hand made pasta dishes I've had in the Portland area. My salmon was good and the new potatoes ok. Potatoes lacked seasoning and were drenched in too much butter. I guess out time was up, because dessert was not ever offered by our waitress. A shame we had waited many months to try this place, and coming in on my Birthday too! I've been to the Woodsman Tavern, Duane's other place, and that place is 5 stars all the way! I really think he missed the mark on this place- Save your time and $$$ and head over to the Woodsman over this place! Ciao Ava~
(3)
Cathy N.

We have been looking forward to our visit to Ava Gene's for quite some time as we have read amazing reviews. Last night was our night and we were NOT disappointed in any way, shape or form. We do agree that it seems a bit pricey if you only look at the size of the portion. But our only comment is "get over it" because in this case size is not the most important thing. If you measure the value by the taste, creativity and attentive service then you get what Ava Gene is all about. We were guided to sit at the counter from a previous reviewer and they were absolutely correct in saying that it was a fabulous experience. It was certainly an add on for our visit. Seeing the careful and masterly preparation of every dish that left the kitchen was a real treat. Ok, let's get to the meat and potatoes of this review - The Food! We started with the Fava Bean Pane - so beautifully delicious. Next, the Giardini. It was an unexpected delight with a mix of zucchini, hominy, pistachios and other bits and pieces - spicy and oh so good. The Primi choice was Rabbit Ragu with housemade Radiatore - yum can only describe this dish. The Secondi was a perfectly prepared leg of lamb with a cucumber salad and tasty salsa - the hints of middle eastern spices are still very much on my tongue. And then if that was not enough we ended with the pistachio cake and coffee. This shared meal was plentiful for the two of us and it did not break the bank. The wine selection is also worth a mention here. Dana, the house wine godess, guided us to a perfect bottle of Barbera that really complimented each of the courses. She shared many insights into the wines and gave us an overview of the folks working in the kitchen. We felt well informed about the going ons at Ava Gene's and that certainly added to our overall experience. So, bottom line. . . Yes, we had a fabulous meal. Yes, we had fabulous attention. And yes, we will be back.
(5)
Rob C.

a strong farm to table PDX spot. just try the salad trio. celery, radish, brussels sprouts, pomegranate, walnuts pumpkin, brown butter, currants, pecans cabbage, apples, orzo, hazelnuts, anchovy, chiles -- this one was particularly good combination of flavors and textures. heavy on the dressing of all 3 but nice makes you want to eat your vegetables. speck, burro, buckwheat honey, rye carta di musica -- a bit weak because it was in the bread section but was really on a cracker linguine, clams, sausage, fennel, chiles -- this one was the best of the 3 pastas, the most delicate and yet flavorful sagna riccia, spicy lamb and pork ragu, chicories -- a bit saltier but the pasta was interesting and chicories not too bitter spaghetti all'amatriciana -- more standard, a bit too al dente. "misticanza" sautÃ©ed greens, garlic, olives and huckleberry gold potatoes, cabbage, lemon -- sides ok.
(4)
M L.

Well for the most part our dinner was a let down. We closed on our house that day so we were treating ourselves to a 'nice' dinner. We had a recommended nocco fritto app that was these fried puffs that you add prosciutto. Who doesn't love ham but is it $11 good, not really. Then we had tagliatelle with pork and lamb. This was tasty but you felt like 6 yrs old eating hamburger helper. The rib eye and that was perfect. Service was good. Stick to the steak. Others items we saw being prepared looked good. Not sure we'll go back. Beautiful deco.
(3)
Lauren H.

What a delicious, culinary journey to bring in my 30th birthday... I work in the service industry, and when I tried to make a reservation for Friday for three people five days prior, and the only space they had open was at 10pm, I knew they were doing something right. I was told by many not to worry and that there is often space at the bar, and luckily for us there was! Everyone was very accommodating and genuine. I didn't feel any of the 'pretentious portland server' vibe. The bartender read us very well and knew when to chime into conversation or describe something on the menu. He was very nice. We started our meal off with the garlic bread and a couple glasses of their spumante, yum! Such refined bubbles and beautiful stemware. The garlic bread very well seasoned, warm and delicious. We ordered a second round! We then decided to enjoy their 'three salads from their garden' option, which was great and I highly recommend. I do not recall all three salads we ordered, but I remember they were all very well dressed and beautifully presented. The salad with sunchokes and fennel made me cry it was so beautiful. I'm fascinated with sunchokes and these were the best I have ever had. We all ordered a pasta dish. And again, we were all very happy. It was decided that it was all a little salty, but very forgivable because who doesn't love salt? I had the lamb ragu, which was so gorgeous and green. The pasta was amazing! My dining partners had the campenelle and the one with the clams. It was decided we all loved the campenlle the most. When I returned from their dreamy, art nouveau restroom they had a panna cotta with a candle waiting for me. So special. The only thing that bothered me was the music choice, top 40 and loud. I found the price to be on-point. Special occasion prices for me, but I am happy to spend my money here. I live a few blocks away and will most certainly be treating myself here more often. Thank you for making my birthday memorable.
(5)
Ritu K.

This is not the place to go for a "OMG I just had the most amazing meal moment." Its a place for a solid enjoyable dinner out and we all need a place like that. I'm a glutton for well made pasta (who isn't) and liked the options on Ave Gene's menu (I'll get to the execution later).. Crowded (as expected) for Sunday night so we opted for some bar seats. Our bartender/server was awesome! Helpful, knowledgeable, all around nice dude- everything you've come to expect from PDX restaurants but more! I loved the ambiance and was hoping I would love the food as much to make this one of our go to places. We started with a beet and octopus salad. The beet was sliced juliene style, which meant you lost alot of that wonderful beet taste (if you're cringing right now- I'll just say I'm a huge fan of beets). The octopus salad was delcious and had all sorts of lovely fresh mint flavor. Someone was a bit liberal with the acid on the salads, but I really liked both of them... We decided to just order two pasta dishes as our main entrees (they're roughly $20 each). Thankfully I wasn't starving because these were true primi courses. I would definitely order a meat course next time. My pasta with lamb and my husband's rigatoni were both good, but seemed to be missing something. The sauces on both which sounded seemingly complex came off a little bland...Don't get me wrong, I liked both and could never replicate either at home, but I was hoping to be swooning. For dessert we split a cannoli (this is where I miss the East Coast bakeries).. The pistachio cream filling was delic, although the cannoli shell could have been more substantial.. My take on Ava Gene's.. I really liked it and would gladly return- not mind blowing by any means, but a solid place for a good meal and excellent service!
(4)
Kari C.

I wanted to jump on the bandwagon & eat at the best place on Portland or do I have read. So off to Ava Genes I went. Well ill start by saying my dish was delish. Monday meatballs is what it was called. Well I was expecting a big ol meatball or two& what I got looked more like ground beef - very small & not very meatballish. The sauce rocked - in fact I wouldn't change anything - well BIGGER MEATBALLS!! But..... My goodness the portion was tiny & I'm not comparing this to your normal giant serving if pasta but man for the price I would have liked to have left feeling like I got my $30+ bucks worth. The place was really busy especially for a Monday but overall it was MEH... I probably won't ever go back. Plan in spending a chunk of change & if you are drinking add a lot more to that. 4 dinners + wine was over 300 bucks!!
(3)
Ronald A.

Rebecca and I stopped in here for dinner last night; we had a fabulous time. We explored the menu. We started with the Borlotti bean, garlic and rosemary pane. We got one and split it with a rose spumante and the recommendation of our server; both were great and one was plenty for us to share. We then ordered two items from Giardini, carrots, whipped ricotta almonds and dates and pumpkin, currants, fiore sardo and brown butter; this time, our server suggested a white, which was just right. We then moved on to a primi and we split their pepper fettuchini with arugula. Another white, this time a bit bolder. The final course was their lamb dish, this time with a red. All of our dishes were wonderful, prepared just right and served just right, with great flavors. Each wine paired very well with the food course; we enjoy good whites with the right food as well as good reds with the right foods. Our server guided us nicely and never pointed us to the more expensive wines. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at the wine prices; they do not seem to be inflated. The service was very good and we never felt ignored. The food came at reasonable intervals. Sparkling water was free. We got good advise on both the food and our wine choices. This was one our more enjoyable dinners in some time; we will come back.
(5)
Jessica A.

I'm a big fan of this place! Must is the salad flights trio is great option if your goin for the cheese board as well which I would recommend.
(4)
The H.

Epic. Top notch servers, sommelier, and cuisine. One of the most seamless experiences I have had in pdx. Wow!
(5)
Gerald K.

The best meal of the year! So far....... Simply outstanding!!! Gramercy Tavern, NYC outstanding! We have tried to drop in a few times while on Division Street but no luck. I thought it might be over hyped a bit so I waited until just awhile ago to finally make it happen. WOW!!!! It was well beyond my expectations...local seasonal ingredients prepared creatively. I am ready for a second visit.
(5)
Carrie R.

Alright so that food was incredible!!! We tried the burrata (heavenly!!!) then we had the most delicious roasted cauliflower with sumac (I went out the next day and I bought sumac at Whole Foods). It had a great earthy taste & the cauliflower melted in my mouth. For entrees we split the lamb neck sauce over pasta and the rabbit ravioli. Both dishes were really good - I preferred the lamb. I always like trying dishes that would be really hard or intimidating to make at home. We finished dinner with a pistachio gelato and an affagato. I absolutely loved the atmosphere with the dim lights (I love how they hung the gas bulbs all over and at different heights). I called on a Tuesday for a Friday reservation and the earliest they had was a 10 pm. This place was bustling and cozy. The only reason that I didn't give 5 stars was that I thought it was pretty pricey and the portions were really small. Even though I loved this restaurant I just couldn't afford to keep coming back.
(4)
RJ H.

It was about time we paid a vist to Ava Gene's ..the venerable and much raved about Italian bistro on Division Street. We were looking to "dial up " dinner and drinks and allthough not a frequent eater of Italian cuisine..we both know what we like.. First and foremost the waitstaff was top notch..our server "Matt" was attentive.ninew not just the food menu but th extensive list of wine...after glasses of Prosecco ..and a Moretti we settedvon a red for dinner..we wanted to try a little none varietal they had but balked at the 5 figure cost...Matt came to the rescue with a $35.00 alternative that was excellent..no disappointment there! We started with the Calamari..it's awesome and quite uinique..it includes breaded and fried jalapenio as well as lemon and peppers..this may have been my favorite. The little gem salad fine but less memorable. We shared the rabbit ravioli ..eh..but the fettucini was great... The vibe Is sophisticated ..warm and frankly feels more like a swanky resort restaurant in Scottsdale AZ then PDX....this is not a value date place..be prepared to spend $60-$75 per person or more if you're drinking... A real mixture of clients...from the 3 ladies partying next to use..to a family of 6 behind us to a more romantic table for 2. A very polished presentation...staff and I understand now the love for this place.
(4)
Tyler C.

Ava Gene's was the highlight of a Portland weekend based mostly around food. The atmosphere was fantastic for an evening dinner, very open and inviting. We sat at the bar which turned out to be very fortuitous - the bartender was very nice, engaging, and had a passion for the food and drinks he was serving. His recommendations on the garden entrees helped us have a fantastic meal! These are must-try items at Ava Gene's, though the pasta main courses were equally as fantastic. Ava Gene's has amazing food that is unparalleled, but matches that with great service and personality.
(5)
Maggie W.

We made reservations on a Monday night. The service here is wonderful and extremely attentive. They are well staffed. They have wines from Italy. We both had the Monday night pasta special with meatballs, and it was absolutely fantastic. We also had their homemade bread from the shop next door, with olive oil and parmesan cheese. The entire dinner was fantastic. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Jessica M.

Went here without a reservation and that left the bar or kitchen counter. Far too warm in front of the kitchen, so ended up at the bar. Tremendously friendly and knowledgable staff, delicious food, and comfortable atmosphere. Prices reflect the quality of the food and presentation of the meal.
(4)
Bethany B.

My sister and I walked into Ava Gene's late on a weeknight, looking for food, and thinking maybe we could get some pizza here at this fancy italian looking place. We were wrong, and proceeded to have what both of us are certain was the best meal of our lives. We walked in wearing kicks and jeans, which were probably not quite appropriate attire, but they fit us in right away and the service was ace. The warm and friendly server clarified without needing to that the sparkling water he was offering was complimentary, and when we asked for him to explain the menu because it was legit like ALL in italian (primi, giardini, secondi and all that), and he explained the entire thing. Item by item with enthusiasm and no air of self-importance. He tuned into my dietary needs really quickly (no unpasteurized cheese, no alcohol) and was very willing to find out the answers to any questions I had. He also very discretely offered me an off-menu mocktail that had some of the brightest flavours I have ever tasted. It was tiny, but I didn't care because the flavour was amazing. Solid recommendation My sister had the Daywalker cocktail and loved it. So, they shine on both fronts. Can't comment on the wine, but it seems that's a huge part of the draw for people. We hardly knew what to order off of the overwhelming menu, even after the patient explanation, so we got burrata. It was amazing, as usual. But we also ordered these toasts (pane) with sheep cheese and tangy wilted nettles and walnuts on them. They blew the burrata out of the water. What a fun surprise. Then, we ordered a kale salad, which they are "known for" apparently. But on some level I was all "how good can it be?". IT WAS AMAZING. I can't even explain it, but basically the kale was massaged into submission and had bright lemony and perfect oil flavours, with crispy breadcrumbs (tiny, delicate ones) all over in every bite. It looked like nothing special and tasted so very special. THEN, we had chicken. So tender. So tasty. With radishes and rhubarb and other delicious things that I could hardly eat by this point. And some pasta (sorpresini) that I hardly took a bite of, but was well done and perfectly balanced too. Also, we decided not to have dessert. But then they put the menus in front of us. We had panna cotta and it BLEW. MY. MIND. It came with PINECONE SYRUP. My sister was brave enough to try it for the first time even though I very clumsily described it to her as "milk jello". Don't listen to me. It is a delicate, wonderful, creamy delight. We were among the very last in the restaurant, and didn't feel rushed (even thought I felt a little bad as our server must have wanted to leave). And, they gave us a loaf of leftover bread from their bakery next door as they sent us on our way! Oh, oh and after all that (plus another cocktail and a coffee), it was only $130.
(5)
jeremy h.

The hype is right; it's the first "treat" place we've found that hits on every cylinder. Service is effective and knowledgeable, but not too much. Every dish we had was awesome. The Sunday sugo can't be missed! Wine selection fantastic and approachable. Atmosphere is comfortable. I can't wait to go back!
(4)
Josh G.

Ambience was great. Cute little Italian restaurant with very friendly staff. Food was good, not great. I was expecting better with previous accolades from Portland Monthly. Best items were pasta dishes and sardine appetizer. Menu was in all Italian which we found a bit pretentious for our tastes - we resorted to looking up some items on internet to determine what they were.
(4)
Vic M.

This is a fantastic Italian restaurant that I highly recommend. Nice selections and all tgat we had was great. A bit pricey however well worth it. Excellent service as well. I've been to Italy a few times and Gelato that they offer for desert is the best I've ever had .... anywhere. One thing that I might change is the background music. Although excellent classical rock IF they would have Italian music instead that would be nice. Not necessary as this place still gets a 5 plus as far as I'm concerned just the way it is.
(5)
Christine C.

I had my first visit to Ava genes about a week ago and with all the hype and great reviews I was excited to try some "great Italian food". We booked our reservations for 7:30 but with the restaurant being so popular we had to wait about 40min to be sat ): but the staff was very kind and went ahead and bought our drinks as we waited which was very thoughtful and they all kept checking up on us making sure we were doing okay! Now to get to the food.... It was amazing! We ordered a couple appetizers followed by two pasta dishes which were just the right portions not too much and not too little which left room for desserts which also were very delicious! The atmosphere is very warm, the staff did an awesome job by being so attentive and the food is very authentic I will definitely come back and spread the word about this great restaurant!
(5)
Melanie Y.

We came here to celebrate my friend's birthday and didn't have reservations. They were booked for the evening but had open seats at the bar. We sat there and had a great experience. Everything was fresh tasting and well prepared.
(4)
Larry M.

One of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Everything we tried we enjoyed immensely. The cullotte was cooked to perfection.
(5)
Dardee L.

The food is excellent, the service is great, but the atmosphere is stuffy in an otherwise earthy-urban neighborhood. The price-point is also set very high for a restaurant on Division St. Portland.
(3)
Sarah F.

I was able to taste Ava Gene's for the first time last night at an event, and it was absolutely amazing! The food is so fresh, flavorful and delicious! Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience.
(5)
Randy S.

We sat at the bar as we did not have reservations . It was fun watching the food being prepared. Three of us had our own entree, 1 drink each (soft drink/beer/wine) shared a bread plate and shared a salad. $102 before tip. Food and service were very good. (Not great), atmosphere ok... But we left hungry! Happy we went to experience it, but too expensive for leaving hungry.
(3)
Biraj B.

Steak is unbeatable
(4)
High S.

This review is biased because I was fortunate enough to enjoy a private dinner here. Even so, the food was so well balanced I still have dreams about the dishes. Usually, when you see small portions for a lot of money, you're deterred and disappointed. The cooking here is deceptively plentiful. You will want to bring 2 stomachs to eat a full course meal. Staff kissed butt the way you'd expect staff at a newish restaurant to perform. Worth every penny.
(5)
Leena P.

Was visiting Portland and made a reservation here well before. You will need it! The food was good, but the atmosphere was very loud and crowded. Didn't leave feeling full even with appetizers, drinks and main dishes.we were seated s few minutes after our reservation but during our whole visit it was very very hard to get ahold of our waiter and he came for a few moments and left quickly without much help. I understand he is busy, but it shouldn't take 20 minutes to get a chance to speak to him. Overall, good food but don't expect exceptional service.
(3)
Brian R.

Nice lighting, bad food - unless your idea of high end is crunchy sea salt on EVERYTHING. Go for drinks and appi's then go anywhere else for dinner (you're welcome)
(2)
Ryan B.

I'm afraid to say it, but our meal was really good without being spectacular. It may be because all of the hype, but I expected every dish to be amazing. In reality, some of the dishes (the apps) were stunning and some were fairly standard fare. The service was good, the atmo comfortable and warm and the wine selection solid (though overpriced). Great all around but expected a bit more.
(4)
Brianna A.

New favorite Portland restaurant. The salads are divine. The salad sampler is a must order. The service is also professional and friendly.
(5)
Kristi J.

Came here with a group of friends for a Bday get together. Everything from apps, wine, drinks, salads to the main course was absolutely delicious and full of flavor. I also enjoyed the sorbetto after my meal; it was so good! My friends and I also got the opportunity to buy Carrie Brownstein, from Portlandia, a drink as she visited this place while we were there. Can't wait to visit again!
(4)
Spencer J.

Food was fantastic! Service was great! Server was very knowledgable and willing to explain menu in detail. Good atmosphere except for the grandma curtains. And a few other decorations looked a little cheesy. Besides that the place looks nice. You will definitely get your money's worth in quality food. Very, very tasty! Unique appetizers, creative salads, and lovely entrees to make a memorable dinner.
(4)
Sanchito J.

Not worth the hype, it was "ok" wasnt bad or good.. Pasta was chewy..staff is way to full of themselfs.
(3)
Mike S.

Overpriced for what you get After much praise from Yelpers as well as a couple of people I know, I was eager to finally try Ava Gene's. Perhaps my lofty expectations made me more critical of the resulting meal, though the price tag was hefty for food that was just good. After all, if you spend close to $100 somewhere, you feel that a little 'wow' should be included somewhere in your dishes. Well, to begin, I was disappointed to find that something i had been looking at on the menu online was not available that evening, which would have been ok if the menu was not already so spare. Frankly, the menu is severely limited considering the length of the wine list. You should definitely know this before heading to Ava Gene's, as well as the fact that the menu changes daily, not weekly, which is to say that you have no real warning for what may be on the menu that night. Most of the time this isn't an issue for me since I will eat most anything, but none of the main entrees interested me since all of the preparations were relatively simple and not terribly interesting. As I said, I did expect some 'wow', and I personally felt like it was a lazy menu. The salads, though, were above par, even if they didn't 'wow'. That was certainly spot on info from fellow Yelpers. However, I think part of my opinion is wrapped up in value since we tried the salad trio, which were three small samples for the cost of $32. Frankly, even if the salads tasted like nirvana it would be about $12 overcharged. We got one with apples, carrots and nuts; the one with watermelon radishes and pomegranate seeds; and the one with Tuscan Kale, which was our favorite among them. It was also the least oily, which is a complaint I would make of the other two on their own, though I asked for a little salt and that helped. I may have asked for a little more lemon, had I thought about it. On a side note, I forgot to ask if they used olive oil, since it had an extreme neutral quality more akin to grape seed oil. On the positive side, the primary ingredients were fresh, flavorful and crisp. On to the main courses, which we decided to draw from the Primi since I had no interest in rockfish, salmon, beef or the pork, which was only available in family style. (In fact, I had hoped there might be game hen or rabbit, but no.) Thus, we made choices from a modest selection of pastas. My wife had a ricotta pasta with cabbage and sausage, while I had the linguine with squid, which we chose as the most interesting items for own particular palates that evening. I specifically chose mine since it had a dried fish roe as part of it, called bottarga. Our waitress did warn me that it imparts a slight fishiness to the dish. I was still game to try it. She also mentioned that it was a simple preparation with olive oil and lemon, which is no problem if the dish is flavorful. As it turns out, both of our dishes were very simple in their preparation, though I believe that my wife's dish was more balanced, while mine was really taken over by the roe. The fishiness actually made me question the freshness of the squid in my mind, yet I never truly did out loud. Once things were mixed a little, the roe was bearable, but both dishes lacked something. In my case, I asked for some red pepper flakes, and that helped immensely to my tastes. To be fair, I find a little heat makes a lot of dishes better, but I feel that other people would agree with me on this one, too. The other issue I had with a small dish of pasta with squid which cost $21 is that the squid should at least not be chewy(I didn't kick up a fuss because it was still edible). And before you say, 'but it's squid, what do you expect'. I say I expect more for my money, and I've had tender squid before, so either they simply did not know how to prep and cook it properly or screwed up my dish only. Btw, the pasta itself was actually quite good, as were the white purgatorio beans(ominous name), which should really be the base of a dish unto itself. Frankly, I feel like the chef is trying things out and getting the feel for certain dishes on the paying customers when he should be having a better go at it ahead of time. I just hope for the price we paid, totaling $98 for the salad trio, two pasta dishes and two glasses of ok wine that the staff receives good wages. I say this because everyone was friendly, just attentive enough, and definitely patient with questions. On another positive note, it was nice to have sparkling water at no additional cost, most likely because of Sodastream-type tech in back. However, is it really too much to ask to have bread included with some nice olive oil to dip into? All in all, I'm glad we tried Ava Gene's, but the only way for me to return is on someone else's tab. Otherwise, it lacks value for what it offers on the menu.
(3)
Benjamin E.

My wife was so excited to go to this place. The result was a complete letdown. The hype is ridiculous. Food was consistently mediocre. The salads were actually kind of gross. The best part of our meal was the charcuterie plate - note that none of it is made in-house. The entrees were extremely forgettable and flavorless. My bourbon drink was totally weak and watered down. The atmosphere was like a cross between a New Jersey diner and a subway station. Reminded me a little of eating at a Maggianos rather than fine dining. The service was slow, inattentive, and clumsy. Like Chili's wait staff instead of career servers. Really disappointing, considering the bloated prices. I really hope the hype on this place dies down soon so a good restaurant can take its place. Sadly, Portland is starting to get a lot of posers who think fine dining is all about the price tag.
(1)
Christina B.

Do I have to leave or can I order a second round if food! To start definitely make reservations, this place is so good even on a Monday it is very busy. When arrived we were seated promptly and offered still or sparkling water complimentary. I picked the sparkling, which was a nice touch. The beet salad was delicious, I loved the hazelnuts on it. For the main entree I had the cavetelli (probably spelled wrong) which was a freshly made pasta in the shape of a small penne noodle. I ate almost the whole it was so good before I remembered to take a picture. The server was very helpful at helping me decipher the menu, main course and the wine list. You will understand when you try this place. This is a must try place in Portland, I want seconds please.
(5)
Linda D.

This is our second time dining at Ava Gene's. Food is very nice but the staff is rude. They need to get over their "hipness" and get real.
(1)
John B.

Only thing holding this restaurant back from 5 stars is their portion size and price. Very good food though. Very extensive Italian wine list. I had a pistachio-kale pesto with hazelnuts that was delicious. We shared 3 different salads (all about the size of a fist), which were all good. Very popular restaurant and have to make a reservation weeks in advance and be on time! I'll be back, but not for a while due to cost. $25 corkage fee is a little much for my taste. I recommend it though if you haven't been.
(4)
Alison C.

Love the decor! Can't get enough of the hanging bulbs :) We ordered the calamari, very original! Loved the fried peppers and sun-dried tomatoes with it. Lots of flavor. The carrots were also great. Amazing colors, flavors and textures all in one. The halibut, for $32 it should have come with a starch of some kind. Just a salad underneath. But the halibut was cooked perfectly and the sauce had great flavor. The macaroni, small portion but perfectly al dente pasta with excellent sauce too. I just wanted a little more for my buck. Great service and no wait if you go early!
(4)
James P.

Excellent food, fantastic wine list. Though the wine list is Italian driven (which makes sense), it was very eclectic and had an abundance of different varietals and styles. The ambiance was lively but not too loud, and the service was on par. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice night out in Portland or to celebrate a special occasion. It had a warmth to it and I would be happy going back!
(5)
Jason M.

I don't know what to say whenever I eat somewhere, drop almost $200 on dinner for two, and we both kind of shrug when people ask us how it was. That pretty much describes it, shrug... everything was just ok, no sock blowing of mouthgasm moments across 2 drinks, 2 glasses of wine, 2 starters, a salad, a pasta, and a steak. My biggest gripe is the pricing- way OP'd for everything we had. I had a $15 glass of wine that I swear to you was no better than a stale $5/bottle TJs wine. I couldn't believe it. I even called the waitress over to make sure she poured the right one. So skip the wine... The other big complaint- one of the chef's must have had their post college travel-the-world-experiences in SE asia because everything had Thai flavors to it- seriously- I thought this was italian food. The steak had crushed peanuts and kaffir leaf, the salad had lime, fish sauce and chillies, the linguini even had a slight thai chili paste flavor to it. It got annoying after the 3rd dish... if we wanted thai food we'd be down the street at Pok Pok or one of the other 40 Thai restaurants. You're not impressing anyone by trying to sneak these "exotic", poorly matched flavors together, and I know better than to think $35 for a tough steak with peanuts on it is a great deal. For the money you can do way better than this place.
(2)
Bre B.

I took my family and our accountant to this restaurant. I heard and read reviews of how great it was. So, I decided my mother and aunt would enjoy it. Upon arrival the staff was kind and the place was gorgeous. Now when the food came it was nothing like the reviews said. It seriously tasted like the caned children's pasta. We ordered a few plates and they were all tasteless and extremely small portions. The only thing that was okay was the bread, the bread that you must purchase for about $11-15.00 ( I can't remember the extract price). I personally don't get why so many people like this I would say this was probably the worst over priced experience ever.
(1)
Krista S.

What a fantastic place. I traveled to Portland on my own to experience all it is has to offer. This place was one of the best dinners I had on my trip, not to mention some of the best Burrata I've ever had. I was seated at the bar, which was fine and probably due to the fact that I was a solo guest. The bar tender quickly greeted me and offered assistance with the menu, which is in Italian. He offered to bring me two tastes of different red wines and I selected the one best suited for my buds. I immediately ordered the Burrata mainly because of the reviews listed on yelp. They were not wrong! So fresh, so creamy, sooooo delicious. Paired with roasted cherry tomatoes and warm olives. My main course was the spaghetti pomodorini, with roasted cherry tomatoes and a garlic cream/butter sauce. Also equally delicious. The pasta was flavorful w fresh basil and ripe roasted tomatoes. The portion size was perfect for a dinner by myself, I was actually able to eat everything and not waste any of the meal. I may return before I leave Portland so I can try some of the gelato everyone keeps mentioning. All I can say is this place is definitely worth a visit.
(5)
Robin L.

I was in PDX visiting my son and made a reservation a few weeks in advance at Ava Gene's. We got there early and were told it would be a few minutes. I checked back 15 minutes later and they told me a few more minutes. They were waiting for people to leave who had already paid their bill. Another 15 minutes went by ... same story. All this time there was an empty table for four. Finally, after a 45-minute wait, I asked to be seated at the four-top table. They took a few minutes deciding, and then we were told we could sit there if we would not be more than hour. We sat, and mid-way through our meal the table they had planned for us finally was empty. So if we hadn't sat down we would have waited for over an hour WITH a reservation. All of that being said, the food was delicious. I had the meatballs and my son had the cavatelli. The garlic bread and polenta were delicious as well. Would I go back? Possibly, but there are so many yummy places in Portland ... I'd like to try them all.
(3)
Kayla B.

This was our first time at Ava Gene's and spent $150 for 2 people. The meal included a bottle of wine, meat, cheese and bread appetizers, a shared apple salad, the "Monday" meatball pasta entree and a pork & beef ragu entree. My husband selected and ordered a bottle of wine. Our server opened the bottle away from our table and my husband observed her pouring wine for herself into a separate glass before returning to our table with the bottle. He called her on it and apparently she had done us a favor by trying out the wine we ordered. Huh? Tacky in our book. A short time later, two men were seated next to us and guess which wine she recommended to them from the wine list? The meal experience was like being in a tapas restaurant - small plates of anything that was ordered. Overall the food was pleasant but like other reviewers, uncertain of the hype surrounding this restaurant.
(3)
ian j.

Just out of curiosity, I had to come and read some bad reviews of my current favorite restaurant in Portland, OR (read: anywhere). As usual the reviews are mystifying, even after you disqualify people for moaning about portion size and price (neither of which is REMOTELY a problem here) or for typing "desert" when they mean "dessert." There are one or two beautifully written pans that are head-scratchers. I've been 4-5 times now and yes, it's loud. The proteins can seem superfluous. The insistence that you take a fixed menu for parties larger than four can be grating. These are the only legitimate complaints. And I swear, people--it's very reasonably priced. We always walk out with lower tabs than we expect. This restaurant makes me think differently about food and its potential. Really. I come in the door fully intending to get the bistecca and a half bottle of Chianti, and leave satiated by the giardini section and one shared pasta. The livers on toast (earlier, chicken livers, this time a pork liver spread) are stunning, simple, perfect. If you find yourself thinking and talking about a carrot dish, someone is doing something really right. It's comfort, texture, taste, focus on ingredients, on craft, and on getting things right. I am so impressed with Ava Gene's. (I'll be back with a larger group for the bistecca, too.)
(5)
Richard B.

Bottom line: Overhyped and overpriced. Serious foodie here, finally made it to Ava Gene's last night. The food was good, but not nearly serious enough to justify the prices. Of the "firsts" we had, the bruschetta with tuna spread was delicious and the burrata was very nice, but the fried mozzarella was forgettable (although the spicy braised greens with it were good). For the entrees, my lamb was undercooked yet still very tasty, and the seared albacore was solid also. Yet neither was special enough to warrant prices north of $30 each. The food here simply isn't "special" enough to justify the prices, even if it is solid. For this kind of money, I'll be going back to Le Pigeon or Beast for something truly amazing.
(3)
Pamela M.

The four stars are for the FOOD! Excellent! Our primary server was not attentive, laid down menus without explanation. The secondary servers were excellent, as was our hostess. Ava Gene if you want to play with the big boys, have your waitstaff match the quality of the food!
(4)
Jennifer P.

This is a true gem in Portland. Actually, Ava Gene's is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to! For the ultimate experience, sit at the chef's bar and witness the amazing culinary spectacles. My group started with the snap peas, peanuts, cherries and pimenton & the carrots, avocados, seeds, chiles and argan oil salads. The snap peas were cut diagonally so you could see the peas poking out. The cherries were the perfect amount of tartness. Beautiful color and flavor. The second salad had tender carrots, little spicy red chiles, nutty argan oil (which I had only previously used as a hair product), and this great seed mixture with crispy little bread crumb things. Watching the skilled chefs prepare these salads with care and precision was one of the coolest parts. Lovely experience!
(5)
Deannie O.

deliciousness on a plate. pasta was perfect, service attentive without claustrophobic. warm, happy vibe. definitely be back!
(5)
Jonathan V.

Fabulous fusion of flavors in a searching culinary menu Discribing this restaurant as new American Italian is way to limiting A must do for a foodie visiting Portland
(5)
Linda H.

I really enjoyed Ava Genes. The location, ambience, and service were great. I had a few dishes here and the stand outs were the lamb ragu pasta and the rib eye. The rib eye came with colatura. Colatura is an anchovy sauce and this version came spicy, it was delicious. Italians eat fish sauce too? Hell yes! I'll definitely be back to try the rest of the pasta dishes.
(5)
bree s.

Might be one of the top five meals of my life! Everything we had was amazing!!! We had a bruschetta with corn, an heirloom tomato and peach salad, fried gnocchi and a steak dish...plenty of food for 2 people and with cocktails our meal was only $87...I seriously thought they left something off of our bill since it was so cheap! All of the flavor combinations were completely unexpected and yummy! I will likely travel back to Portland just to eat here again!!
(5)
Dan M.

My wife and I went to Ava Gene's last night. We got there right when they opened at 5 pm for dinner. There were 2 other couples waiting for them to open. They seated us right away and within 10 minutes they were packed. We were completely impressed with this place from the warm atmosphere to the friendly, attentive staff and of course the food. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Tom D.

To be fair, the food here is good. I'm giving a low rating because I don't believe the place to be a good value. The food is overpriced for what you get, the menu is difficult to understand, and the creativity is nothing exceptional for Portland. Atmosphere is tops. I love the light open feel of the space, and the old school incandescent light bulbs are cute, even if they are going the opposite direction from where the rest of Portland is going with green building values. Trying to decode the menu is probably the worst part of the experience of dining here. I guess everything is in Italian, though I felt like I understood menus better in Italy than here. They do have a glossary at the bottom of the menu, but wouldn't it just be easier to have the translation of each dish next to the dish itself. More unfortunately, the glossary terms were not listed alphabetically so you had to search the whole glossary for every term, and many words used on the menu were not in the glossary, Now that felt more like being in school; not a user experience I'm looking for at a local restaurant. The portions were ridiculously small for the price, I love the idea of smaller portions, but at Ava Gene's they come with a high price tag. I mean really, a pasta appetizer for $20! It's pasta for Christ's sake. And were talking about a handful of it. Seriously. Imagine if you stuck your hand in a pot of pasta and dropped on a plate. Not a auto mechanic's handful either. Finally, the wine. I like to think I know my wines, having grown up in California. I don't think I understood a single word used on the menu and could not in any way figure out the varietal, Additionally, when I looked at the price I assumed that was for a bottle, but as it turns out, it's the price for a glass! The bartender was helpful in translating the menu for us, and the rest of the staff was cute and attentive. That was pretty much the only part of this restaurant that I recognized as Portland. As to Ava Gene's, check it off your list if you must, but for me it was a one time visit. I've got a lot of other Portland favorites out there on my regulars list, and this won't be one of them.
(2)
Adela B.

Made reservations and still had to wait for 25 min because they didn't have a table ready, but they did seat others while we were waiting! Food was good. Ordered chicken fusilli but pasta was too Al Dente and a bit to salty
(2)
Lindsey H.

Wow! We ate here last night for the first time and absolutely loved every single dish they brought out! The wait staff is amazing! Colleen, our server, was super helpful and informative. Definitely one of our new favorite places in Portland!
(5)
Sekhar g.

Very expensive - $20 for a single dish. Small quantity Very disappointed Very few vegeterian options
(2)
Caroline N.

I had to give Ava Gene's 5 stars because everything was so perfect. I was hesitant after reading the reviews, some of which were quite negative. And after all the hype - best restaurant in America, etc. I was prepared to be disappointed, but we were NOT. Wonderful service, lovely atmosphere, not too noisy but just noisy enough, cute touches like curtains - when is the last time you went to a restaurant with curtains? Our waiter was so helpful - we hit Portland in a heatwave and rode our bicycles all afternoon and I did not feel like riding back to the hotel and changing so went in pretty awful clothing for a nice restaurant but I didn't feel that it mattered. Our waiter was so attentive, helpful and friendly with everything including a wonderful wine recommendation. We weren't very hungry so we shared a tomato salad - with peanuts! You can't imagine it but it was fabulous. Then we shared a home made pasta (all of their pastas are made in house) with sunday sugo sauce - this one had short rib and pork sausage. It was perfectly divine - just a hint of tomato and a lot of depth from the meat. We loved it. Then we had lamb with cherries and yogurt for a main. Again, a standout. They just know how to make authentic and wonderfully flavoured Italian food here. My eating partner is crazy for cannoli, which is hard to find on the West coast. And great cannoli is almost impossible, but this one was just perfect. The cookie wasn't greasy like a lot of cannoli and the mascapone filliing was just right. Go here. Don't listen to the naysayers. It's really good.
(5)
David P.

I was here for my birthday a couple months ago. I heard the food was the best the northwest had to offer. It was good but not spectacular. The service was meh. It took 20 minutes to get a drink which was tiny. We ordered 2 appetizers, the gnocco frittos and a focaccia with goat cheese. They were nothing to write home about. I ordered two entrees, the albacore and a pasta. The albacore was cooked perfectly, however I wasn't a fan of the beans that were served with it. The pasta was undercooked and a tad bit too spicy. We got a bottle of wine, which was tasty. I got an Irish coffee that was more like straight whiskey. We made reservations 2 months prior to our visit, because apparently there is a long wait. We had two time slots to choose from 5 or 7:45. We took 7:45, because 5 is too early for me. A little over a quarter of the tables were empty the whole time. To sum it up I was super excited to eat here, but severely disappointed. If the service was better I would give it 3 stars. Undercooking pasta when half your menu is pasta is just ridiculous.
(2)
Jessica T.

Two stars seems harsh, but with Yelp's definition of "Meh. I've experienced better," that's pretty spot on. Of course, it might be that getting voted Portland's best restaurant of 2013 raised the bar impossibly high. I personally passed on my pasta dish (the ravioli) after one bite, and the chocolate nemesis dessert was very mediocre (the butter pecan gelato was better). However, both the pork liver pane and the vegetable frittes were amazing. Everything else from the cheese trio to the bread platter and pork was just okay. It's good Italian food, the service was okay, but it wasn't anything memorable. I am disappointed that they had sold out of the raw beef pane, which is one of the main things that brought me there...but I won't be going back just to try it.
(2)
Glen W.

It was a long wait but worth it. The drinks at the bar were interesting with a mild strength. Their food is very good for an alright price but the portions are small. We had two salads, garlic bread, two pasta dishes, and a pork dish we split between our party and it all tasted amazing. Just be warned the portions are not very big for what you are paying. Go somewhere else if your really hungry.
(4)
Molly M.

Admittedly, we walked in to inquire about being sat without a reservation. We were told to come back after 10 (they close at 11) or that before 10 we would have to make reservations a month in advance. I asked if everyone in the room had made their reservations a month in advance to which I received an answer befitting Porky Pig (ubduh ubduh duh). More on their (sassy sassy male hostess and two female hostesses) crappy attitude later. So we leave and I check their website for reservations on my phone. One for 9:30 that night and one for 9:00 the next night! Those little lying judgmental freaks! Here is my review in a nutshell: If you aren't white with the stink of money and/or otherwise don't look the part, don't walk into this place. Superficial judgement outweighs the staffs' better judgement. Noses to the ceiling when we walked in the door. If stars were K's I'd give them three.
(1)
David H.

There's a reason Ava Gene's made the #1 spot in Portland Monthly for 2013, namely, it's fantastic. The location is Division Street, which is continuing to hold the top spot for great restaurants in a SE neighborhood. Parking can be somewhat limited depending on the night and time, but I've yet to have to park more than a block away. The restaurant is beautiful and well laid out. The bar is small, but you can easily grab a drink while they are getting your table ready. The cocktails are pretty standard, and the execution is also very good. In other words, the bar's not going to outshine the restaurant, but that's a good thing when you consider how good the food is. The main dining area can get a bit loud and tight, so it might not be the best place to take a date if your looking for a quiet, intimate dinner. It's a perfect place to spend time with friends in a party of three or four. Anything larger could be difficult, but not impossible. For a fun experience, try the kitchen bar. It's small and also a bit tight, but it's fun to watch the exceptional orchestration that occurs in the kitchen. The food is lights out, by which I mean that it's stellar. The appetizers, the entrees, even the desserts are fantastic. I highly recommend the burrata and their cured meats as they are some of my favorite in Portland. They're a great way to start the meal. To recommend a specific entree is almost a waste as they've all been great, as have the specials we've tried. The service is also fantastic. Only once has there been a hiccup, and that was when the front desk got our reservation mixed up, which they fixed immediately and took great pains to make sure we were happy. A word of advice: make a reservation. Not only is it popular among the SE foodies, it's been discovered by the bridge and tunnel crowd, so it's busy every night. They do a great job making sure they support walk-ins, but it's a going to be a wait. Overall, I believe that Portland Monthly got it right when it comes Ava Gene's. It's a great restaurant, and we will be continuing our patronage.
(5)
Vickei H.

I'm writing this for myself, so that I can remember what we ate & order the rest of the menu when we go back next week...cuz if it's half as amazing as this list, my mind will be blown. Gnoccho fritto with prosciutto and honey, fresh burrata, aerated tuna spread over crusty rye with pickled veg, amazingly huge radishes with cashews feta and cherry, wagyu culotte with mushrooms and broccolini, chocolate cherry marscapone cannoli. PS service top notch as well.
(5)
jeff f.

We had been trying to go to Ava Gene's for some time. It always seem difficult to get reservation for the 7-8pm time frame unless you reserve 2+ weeks out. We did get a reservation at 6:15 for a birthday dinner about 10 days in advance. The restaurant is very attractive and the servers were excellent. They were very attentive and help explain everything on the menu. We started with the excellent calamari which was fried with thin lemon slices and some sun dried tomato. The rest of meal was good but not exceptional. Our desert of pistachio cake was rather dry.
(3)
Megan G.

The best food in Portland! Not only is the food amazing at Ava Gene's, but the service is excellent also. My fiance and I have been here 3 or 4 times and there have been times when our table wasn't ready for our reservation, or a pasta dish that I had ordered was suddenly not available anymore. A good restaurant makes up for those kinds of things and Ava Gene's goes above and beyond, from offering us complimentary champagne while waiting for our table, or comping our first course because the entree that I had ordered wasn't available anymore, this is how a restaurant should treat their customers. The food is exceptional. I have not one bad thing to say about the food. The best pasta I ever had was a ravioli dish with corn inside them with a buttery sauce and this awesome crunchy breadcrumbs on top. I could have eaten a vat of this stuff. It could have been the best dish I had ever eaten anywhere period.
(5)
Don B.

Transcendent: Surpassing the ordinary; exceptional. Yeah, that's the word I think I'd have to use to describe my experience at Ava Gene's. Transcendent. It encapsulates the food, service, and atmosphere to a tee. And honestly transcendent experiences can be hard to come by in Portland, given the quality of our food scene here. Every day we're spoiled by food carts serving farm-to-counter meals, and even the shabbiest sandwich shack showing up on national network shows. So honestly, to partake in an experience that truly rises above the delicious noise of Portland's gastronomic scene is truly exceptional. Exceptional. Another word that I'm not surprised to hear myself utter in regards to Duane Sorenson's second project on Division, Having been a huge fan of The Woodsman up the street. Upon entry, you'll be warmed by the glow of the lighting that brings an almost perfectly balanced luminescence to the room. A mix of white Italian marble, gold fixtures, and an eclectic art selection bring home the design. The layout allows for a good separation between bar and restaurant, and provides easy access to cocktails for those waiting seating. And yes, as all superior restaurants should, they take reservations. Reservations. I had none, but was able to slide in on a Friday with two people. Our timing was impeccable, as the group that arrived after us faced an hour plus wait. Make your reservations and be happy. Happy. The food made me so happy. The menu is difficult, to the point of being a little scary. I know a decent amount about food but the Italian names on the menu were still foreign to me. Thankfully the service is impeccable and decidedly unpretentious, so I had no shame asking questions in response to the eagerly offered help. Cheeses (including an insanely delicious burrata) start off the menu, followed by some small vegetable-driven plates, some appetizers, a very short list of pastas (including a house-made option), protein-driven entrees and sides. The wine list is blockbuster - all Italian, and ranges from affordable to prestige. The two glass pours I tried were delicious. Delicious. We started with the burrata served with foccacia and warm olives. I've never met a burrata I didn't like, and this was just as heavenly. Next up, fried cauliflower and other brassicas with tonnato (a tuna aioli). My goodness, the light fishiness of the aioli paired incredibly well with the brassicas. Final option on our appetizer list: bruschetta topped with purgatorio beans. This is a bread soaked and cooked in a delicious flavor and topped with fantastic Italian whole beans. Luxurious. Our neighbors offered a sample of the delicata fritto with Sarvecchio and bee pollen - served up onion-ring style. This is a genius way to serve squash. Hollow out the guts, cut in to rings, and deep fry, then top with a nice sarvecchio cheese shred. Simply delightful. Delightful. For the main course, we split a primi dish of the orrechiete with pork sausage and kabocha squash. This was the hit of the night for me. Most of their pastas come from a small family that makes bronze die pasta in Abruzzo, but this was made in house. Sausage, light cream, and the delicious sweetness of kabocha. Oh my goodness. Hilary dove in to the butter fish with bagna cauda and celery root puree. Perfectly cooked and textured butter fish with that nice light anchovy-based bagna cauda which mellowed perfectly upon combination with the celery puree. And of course we can't ever see fried brussels on a menu without ordering them. No regrets there. No regrets. Not to be stopped before dessert, we went with vanilla bean flan with pine cone syrup and a Cannolo with pumpkin seeds, both of which were completely unnecessary but expectedly delicious (yeah, Clare does a heck of a job with desserts). Alongside pastries I sampled an incredible amaro from their superb amaro shelf. A Bergia Rabarbaro from way back. You can taste how aging has completely mellowed out and enhanced this amaro. Worth every penny. I was also offered a sample of a very special grappa - hand made in Italy and specially sourced from cellars all over the world. At $150/ounce it's not cheap, but since the producer is deceased and the supply very restricted, this is a singular experience. Not only is it far and away one of the most exquisite grappas I have ever tasted, but ranks up there with the best spirits I have ever sampled. For those, like me, who geek out on amaros, take a minute to ask the bartenders about Evan's special shelf. This massive missive barely sums up my experience at Ava Gene's. Talking to Duane for a few minutes made me understand why I appreciate his restaurants so much. His obvious perfectionism and attention to detail permeates every aspect, from the food to the service and even down to the detail in the bathrooms, shows. I'm seriously in love with Ava Gene's, and will be slowly working my way through the menu. One of my top 2 meals of the year.
(5)
Shirley C.

The food was good but the pancetta bread was extremely salty. The Pork Chop was very good and so was the kale salad. The pasta dishes were OK. Not sure if it lived up to the hype though.
(3)
Whitney G.

I called to see if I could get a last minute reservation because open table had them booked solid for over a week! Not only did they call me back, but we were able to get a table!! The food was delicious. My husband and I shared all of our dishes so we would experience more dishes. The service was excellent. She was knowledgable about the wines, where were Italian, so we were not very familiar. Her portion and dish recommendations were also perfect. It was a bit on the pricey side, but well worth it.
(4)
Leah H.

Ava Gene's ranks #1 on the best things I've eaten this year. With a month and a half to go until the end of 2013, I have no hesitation making this claim. I'll get my only qualm out of the way first. The menu is a tough read for anyone not super familiar with either the Italian language or Italian food. Hint: if your menu needs a glossary, it's too much. However, Ava Gene's bounces right back with their friendly staff who seem more than happy to explain menu items and give personal recommendations. So far I've only dined at the kitchen bar (I'm not generally one for reservations) but have not had to wait to be seated on either occasion. Here we were able to stay warm by the wood fired grill in the kitchen and watch the kitchen staff work with efficiency! While seated at the bar, the kitchen staff was friendly, also offering up suggestions and checking in on how we were enjoying our meals. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive, with attention to detail replacing silverware, plates, and wiping down the table quickly and almost unnoticeably. The service was really outstanding. Here are some of the dishes I've had the pleasure of trying: -two different salumi plates with a nice variety although not local -burrata: creamy, delicious served with warm olives -a couple varieties of their pane -salted fish and potatoes: think fish & chips and totally delicious -an out-of-this-world pole bean salad -a couple pasta dishes: note that they list which pastas are made in house, get those! The pastas were perfectly chewy and vanished quickly off the plate. -the pork steak: we actually ordered this twice in a row, IT'S THAT GOOD. -panna cotta -peanut gelato: seriously though, words cannot describe how good this gelato was. When we asked how it could be so good they simply told us that they buy really good peanuts. I'm still a little shocked and I'm still thinking about the gelato. I'm not much of a wine drinker but the list looked thorough and our waitress helped pair a bottle to our meal. We were also treated to a small pour of wine to go with our desserts and some berry gelato to taste with our peanut gelato. This was above and beyond our expectations but just show how the staff cared that we had a nice dining experience and truly treated us as their guests! With their constantly rotating menu, I look forward to tasting more of their offerings throughout 2014 and hope to make it in again before the end of the year.
(5)
Matt M.

Amazingly good food here. Loved it and can't wait to go back.
(5)
Amy L.

I was recenty taken on a lovely romantic date and this newer Portland Italian restaurant. It was very packed. Do not exspect to get right in without a table. Luckily my date is a " planner" and we recieved a lovely table for two. The food was really a level above. Fresh, vibrant flavors, and the fresh pasta was cooked perfectly. Lovely restaurant.
(5)
Tim B.

Fantastic!!! Great place to eat. Everything here is delicious. I love all of the salads. I always start off with an app and 3-4 salads. They are so good, it's hard to choose. If you haven't eaten here, do so!
(5)
Carmem P.

excellent food and service, authentic Italian. a bit pricey, but totally worth it! make sure to plan ahead, as it may take about 3 weeks to get a reservation on a weekend night. parking is a bit scampy, as with everything on Division. overall, a great experience, a gem in Portland.
(5)
Deb H.

The 3 stars are for the waiter. He was excellent. As a matter of fact all the front of the house staff was wonderful. The food was meh! I seriously do not get the hype. We had the gnocchi fritti. It was quite good. The bread with the beans on top was bland, no real flavor to it at all. Next came the carrot salad with quinoa. This was very tasty, but you certainly dont have to worry about filling up on the salad here. It was a thin layer spread over a small plate. For entrees we did two pasta. The rigatoni with a spicy red sauce was the clear winner of the evening. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce was yummy. We also go a farro linguini with clams. It was greasy (in general, there was too much olive oil on everything) and, again, had no real flavor. We did enjoy the textural addition of coarsely cut bread crumbs. Overall, there are many restaurants with much better food. Maybe if this was an easy to get into place that was around the corner I would head back at some point, but to make a reservation 6 weeks in advance, absolutely not.
(3)
Amy A.

The best food I've had in Portland. I've eaten at departure, Le pigeon, Ned Ludd, Adina, tasty & alder/sons.
(5)
Bossy G.

The service was a 5 star. Salads were deliciuous. The beef amazing. Lamb very tough. Salmon super small piece--about 4 ounces. Pasta really boring. Actually, was not worth eating, and so didn't. Panna Cotta was delicious. What to say? The reviews look so amazing but for $300 just cannot agree and won't do a repeat. SUPER LOUD--two of us complained of sore throats after just trying to talk with our company.
(3)
K B.

Maybe my expectations were a little high after reading the other reviews. Very expensive for pasta! The food was very good . . . exceptional? Not really. Shorts ribs were very fatty, salads were better than the pasta! Wine director was helpful. Server was attentive in the beginning, then never really saw her again until it was time for the bill, other servers brought our food. Strange. Would we go again? Probably not.
(3)
Hels C.

The husband and I were able to snag a reservation for last night and we were both excited to try a place that was so hyped up. It ended up not being what we expected and ultimately we were both kinda bummed about it. ATMOSPHERE // loud, buzzy, classy vintage vibe decor, only issue was beware the closeness of your seats. we felt like we were sitting on top of the table next to us. Other than that, the lights were pretty and gave off a gorgeous glow. There were also counter seats where you can sit in the kitchen window to watch the chefs in action. DRINKS // the size of my drink was like a baby's fist, i could have thrown that drink in my mouth with one gulp.... it was tasty but not worth the $. APPETIZERS // there were so many different meats and cheeses, but we were most interested in the burrata as this was the top choice on good ol' yelp. it was an incredible mix of flavors (spicy red pepper flakes with fried sage on top of the burrata) with a side of roasted chestnuts and chestnut honey to eat on top of foccacia. it was a fantastic mix of flavors. though I think the foccacia was a weird pairing with the burrata as the burrata would just flop off of the bread and you're stuck looking like a fool with burrata everywhere and honey dripping off of your fingers. SALAD // the citrus squid cashew salad with XVOO was a stunner. this was the best part of our dinner by far. it was filled with blood oranges, satsumas and grapefruits making it delicious and light. this is an incredible dish with an extraordinary amount of flavors. PASTA // we ordered the lamb neck ragu and it was super salty. the amount of ricotta they had on there was so overpowering. However, day 2 having heated it up in the microwave... it's mellowed out a lot. Btw, the portions for pastas are smaller as they are the primi course, so dont rely on it by itself unless you don't eat very much. MAIN // we had the pork shank and it was pretty tasty having been cooked for a bajillion hours. the cabbage was a great pairing with the heftiness of the pork, and it is a large portion of pork... i think it was a good solid dish, but it was lacking something. Maybe the shank was just too large, and not enough cabbage? I dunno, but it just wasn't as stellar as we thought it'd be. All in all, it wasn't as fantastical as we thought it'd be and left disappointed. It was good, just not great. The price tag ended up being very fare for what we had ordered (around $100, this includes two beers and an order of the warm olives with the above mentioned). Also, the menu changes daily, so maybe we just came on an off day?
(3)
Hilary B.

Since I can't afford a private plane to jet me off to Italy anytime I want, I will happily visit Ava Gene's as a back-up. The cocktails, the wine, the food, the service, and yes, even the bathrooms - Perfetto! The flavors are the closest to Italy that you'll find in town, with the perfect amount of Portland to smooth the edges. Grazie mille per portare i sapori d'italia a portland!
(5)
Chris H.

I will try Ava Gene's again sometime...maybe in the winter. It's a very pleasant space, but it does not appear to have any air conditioning, only fans. It was a fairly hot day when we were there and we certainly felt it. People have said it is hard to get a reservation, but we had no trouble getting one online. In fact we were able to reserve for the next day. We started out with a few cocktails: summer smash (made with gin, creme de cassis, berries, and thyme). We also had the Macho. It's a joke-the drink is very pink and served in a feminine glass. Neither one of the cocktails was very interesting or memorable. Then we tackled the menu. At first the "everything in Italian" thing seemed pretty amusing, but after awhile it gets annoying having to refer to a glossary all the time, especially when not everything is listed. Then you have to ask your server what it is. The owner is not Italian and I'm don't think most of the people who work there even speak Italian, so this comes off as highly pretentious and gimmicky. Thankfully, I think they may be pulling back from that strategy. The salads are interesting and inventive, and the appetizers were good but not outstanding. Especially in the summer I might consider just ordering a couple of the salads and maybe one of the breads. One of the other entrees we ordered was a pasta dish with rabbit. it was disappointing in that the flavors were murky in a "grandma's casserole" kind of way. Although I was not particulalry impressed with the food, I found the service to be flawless. They all work together with incredibly efficiency and without ever seeming like they're hovering or intrusive. It's like a choreographed dance. The menu seems to change quite frequently, so I will give it another go even though my dollar seems to go a lot further at other nearby restaurants.
(3)
Rhonda H.

Normally, I have great experiences when dining out, especially when you hear great accolade about the food! But, Ava Gene's fell to a 4-star due to lack of service from our waiter...Brandon. From our arrival to the end of our dinner, Brandon pretty much ignore us, gratefully, other staff assisted us. The biggest disappointment came when it was time for ordering dessert. Our server left us both a dessert menu (my dining companion had hers' given upside down) without an explanation of the types of gelato and sorbetto. Our food was very good but the server made it a bad experience all around....disappointing:(.
(4)
Ruchi M.

Wow. Deserves all the hype. This was our first meal in Portland and it didn't disappoint. We had the salad trio, the corn agnolotti, and a ridiculous lamb pasta dish that was insanely tender. The vegetables were truly outstanding - I've never had such good asparagus. We had to try their version of the kale salad, and it was really just amazing. The service was excellent, and the restaurant is super cool looking in that dimly lit, glass windows to the outside, open kitchen sort of way. Definitely worth a trip outside of the downtown area if you are visiting.
(5)
Anita H.

I really REALLY wanted to start my review raving about how this place blew my mind and exceeded my expectations, but then I would be lying. I had made reservations for Ava Gene's a couple of weeks in advance and was really anticipating it for my birthday dinner due to the reviews and the spread on Portland Monthly. When you first get the menu, it's kind of mind boggling because everything seems like it's in a foreign language (well quite a bit of it is) but they have a helpful and convenient glossary on the lower right corner. We started off with an appetizer, a pane (rustic bread) with warm chicken livers and raisins. It's a really unique combination of flavors, garlicky, livery, and sweet all on top of toasted bread drizzled with olive oil. It's very tasty but it also leaves a strong garlic residual flavor in your mouth so might want to keep that in mind if going on a first date. The pane is perfect for sharing for 2 people. My husband ordered the wagyu culotte with broccoli and chanterelles which the meat was extremely tender and well seasoned. I ordered the tagliatelle with duck ragu -- the pasta was cooked al dente and the duck ragu was flavorful but I wouldn't stay stellar. My husband also ordered a side of misticanza sautÃ©ed greens, which my husband enjoyed but I absolutely disliked but then to be fair, I'm not a fan of olives. And the dish had a pretty strong taste of olives. All in all, the ambiance was nice and the restaurant served great food, but it wasn't fantastic. In honesty, it wouldn't be a restaurant that I would return to since there are some pretty amazing Italian restaurants around town. Also, the price of food here is steep. If there are two of you, and you get a drink (not drinks, but one drink per person), two entrÃ©es, a side dish, and dessert, be expecting to spend over $100. And portions are pretty small but maybe it's more appropriately sized for Europeans. And our service was a-ok, which is surprising because it seems the overwhelming opinion here on Yelp is that their service is top notch. Our server didn't really explain the menu and just asked the clichÃ© "Do you have any questions about the menu?" And when we did ask, she just pretty much explained what was already written on there with maybe one more adjective or noun. Sometimes it took awhile for her to come by our table, especially when we first got seated with waters and then she just disappeared for long time before coming back to get our drink order. And she was somewhat friendly but all in all, I just felt like she was there to do her job and go home for the night instead of taking pride in expounding Ava Gene's menu items or helping the customer find a dish that satiates their palate.
(3)
Sam H.

Absolutely delicious! We went here with as a group of 4 last night to celebrate a birthday. Our waitress was extremely well mannered and patient with us considering we know nothing about wine and nothing about Italian. She was able to explain the menu to us, as well as help us pick a good, fair-priced, bottle of wine to enjoy with our meal. Everything we ordered was amazing, we each got a different pasta and each thought the one we got was the best. I had the fusilloni with the pork sausage and the kale pesto, it was to die for! We also got the lamb to share. This was delicious and worth the $75, but honestly I would have been fine with just getting another order of the fusilloni! It was seriously that good. Also the meat and cheese appetizers were really good and a fun way to start the meal. The exact ones we got were the affetatti piccolo and the tres formaggi. The atmosphere was interesting. I would recommend this place for a group of friends or a family, but not for a romantic dinner for two. The diner style layout it, isn't very romantic, just a lot of fun!
(5)
Caroline M.

Over-hyped. Drinks were great, the duck left much to be desired. Nice ambiance, but too expensive for average food.
(3)
Deanna N.

I don't get it. 1. Its over-priced. My pasta with red sauce and fennel sausage was a small portion for $17. I asked to sub ricotta cheese or withold, I was told it would be a dolop on the side. It was a huge rich cheese mass on my small over-priced pasta dish. My $8 plate of ragu at Grassa was phenomenal compared to this. 2. I brought my maketing director who is from the foodie scene in Atlanta. She ordered salmon. It was seared and under-cooked like tuna. She had to send it back. I am not sure if this is the acceptable way of cooking salmon in the foodie world, but I have spoken with many other foodies who would not eat raw salmon. 3. The salad was good - it was the fennel pear and it was $11. Thankfully the waitress told us to split it. It was spicy and the best thing about the meal and can be shared. 4. It was sooooo loud and the music ala 1980's style was blaring over our conversation. 5. The setting not-so-much. Minimalism in wood with no white cloths, but seemingly antiquated. The only thing I really liked was the lighting which was old school hardware bulbs. 6. The wait staff was attentive, re-folding napkins, new glasses of wine, and definitely cordial when my business colleague asked for her salmon cooked more thoroughly. Our bill was over $100 for two. Lots of gelato was presented to us for dessert, but I opted for the tried and true Salt and Straw next door and for $8 this redeemed the night that I was thoroughly embarrassed about the PDX food scene and swore its phenomenal. My colleague said she is just spoiled by the food scene in Atlanta. Lesson number one, always take business clients to places you have been and loved. PS We were told people were waiting for our table at 7.30. I arrived at 5.55 for a 5.45 rservation. I just really think, the hostess expounding this is not cool as I have seen in other reviews.
(2)
Hillary C.

Great decor and atompshere, delicious food including a salad with home made potato chips! The chocloate sorbet believe it or not tasted like frosting, it was the best I have ever had.
(5)
Nadia S.

I ate at Ava Gene's three nights ago and still can't stop thinking about it... SO TASTY and such a cool space. The wine list was amazing and the service was friendly and attentive. This restaurant definitely deserves all acclaim it is receiving! I went with a girlfriend and we shared: The Burrata: homemade and seriously like butter-- so good! Salad trio with celery salad, tomato/peach salad and melon salad: Great/interesting flavor combos and all super different. All the fruits and veggies tasted really fresh. Corn Agnolotti: This was my favorite thing we ate and sooo delicious. It was light and each bite was an explosive little pocket of corn deliciousness. All of the pastas sounded so great, I wish we could've fit more food in our stomachs... Ava Gene's definitely does not disappoint! The perfect spot for a great meal with a great vibe.
(5)
Greg J.

Nice space, good service, tasty drinks, and friendly people. That was the good news. The food was really hit or miss (mostly miss). We started, I thought, with some salumi, but that came latter, instead we received our trio of salads. The date and beet salad were really good, the kale, not so much. Really long in the tooth, took forever to get it down yuk. Then the salumi came, nothing to write home about, not great, not bad just meh. Then it was time for the pasta, it was at this point we began to wonder if Ava Gene was Italian for salt lick. Holy cow, I think the top came off the shaker when they were making it...just like you always hoped it would when you loosened it at the restaurants your parents would take you to in middle school. We sent back one plate and wanted to send back the replacement but didn't want to go through the drill of telling them we really didn't want any thing else. I would give the food a 2 out of 5. In this town there is no reason to go back. Just not good food. If you are going for the amazing food, don't go. Nice drinks and nice people maybe.
(2)
Clayton T.

Incredible. The food here is beyond belief. My friend and I sat at the bar where our server/bar tender was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I started with the Pear Fennel salad and he had a Kale salad which were both excellent. We shared a pasta dish that was perfectly cooked and then I had the Beef Tenderloin and he had Short Ribs. The tenderloin was incredibly tender, almost not like beef at all. So smooth you could cut it with a spoon. The short ribs were rustic and wonderful with a perfect horseradish compliment. We shared the Pana Cotta desert that was like heaven. The atmosphere had a healthy buzz and I was a little surprised by the lighting. Not as intimate as I expected. The seating the dining room is very close, almost family style. The one thing I noticed that was unusual was the music. It was just loud enough to be heard clearly and rather than bland background or nothing at all it spanned a broad range from Fitz & the Tantrums to Big Star. Loved it and I'll soon be back!
(5)
Hilary W.

I've been here twice; the first time for a cocktail and appetizer at the bar and it was a good experience. It's beautiful inside, the bartender and hostess were incredibly friendly and the cocktails are delicious. The meat, cheese and bread are quite good although not better than other restaurants in the area. Going back the second time for dinner, I really expected an outstanding experience and unfortunately I was underwhelmed. Once again, the bartender, hostess and cocktails were great. Three stars for those, however that's where it ends. Our server steered us toward a pricey bottle of wine (away from a bottle that I knew would be fantastic, although less expensive) by telling us that we had to try it and that it was "special." I was in a group, so the decision was to order it. It was average at best, a bit harsh, and just felt overpriced. In ordering our dinner, our server somewhat rudely corrected the pronunciation of a word by someone in our party and was completely unhelpful in assisting us with ordering. Someone at our table asked her if the salmon was really good. Her response was, "Well, it's an 8 ounce portion," followed by some random and mechanical words, similar to her description of the wine. I asked her if the Wagyu Culotte (sp?) was a lean cut and if it was a standout on the menu. Her response was, "Well, it's leaner than the ribeye." What does that mean? At that point, I wondered if she was a non-wine drinking vegan trying to describe and sell food and wine that she's never tasted. In the end, I didn't enjoy my dinner and now have $30 of lamb in the refrigerator that my dogs will enjoy tonight. The vegetable sides were okay, the pasta was okay, but not good enough to merit a trip back when there are so many other, fabulous places nearby. I'd go back for a cocktail at the bar, but not for dinner.
(3)
Lindsay K.

My husband and I go out to eat a lot and Ava Gene's had been on our list for awhile. In all honesty, we both expected to be slightly disappointed because it just didn't seem like an Italian restaurant could live up to the hype or the dollar figure we were about to throw down. I mean it's one thing to drop $150+ on a meat heavy menu like Ox, but our concept of Italian food was just simpler. Holy cow were we blown away! We shared several things: Piccante Salumi & Tomme De Vignes, The fritti of Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower, The Beets & Sunchoke Salad, The Wild Mushroom Pane, and finished with two pastas--Lamb Neck Ragu Cavatelli & Bolognese Taglitelle. To our astonishment, there wasn't a misstep in the bunch. Each dish perfectly executed with huge flavor. Most surprisingly our favorite dish was the most traditional. The bolognese was incredible. Each bite was complex and yet familiar. We both agreed that from top to bottom it was the best meal we had eaten in awhile. Can't wait to return and try everything else!
(5)
Julie W.

Food was good...but,..... Portland has many great restaurants!!! Was really annoyed with a 50$ corkage fee!!! 50 dollars people!!!!! Was also annoyed with paying 40$ for two sides of carbonara big enough to feed my first grader!! Felt screwed !!! Won't go back!! Thought peeps needed to know! A lot of hype!
(1)
Leslie W.

I would give Ava Gene's 3 1/2 stars but I'm inflating it to 4 since our first trip here was pretty wonderful and the spouse loved every bit about his dinner this time, but I see myself returning only when out-of-town guests who've read about it want to go, and probably not a place I will think about as one of my regular haunts. We dined here before it was voted Best Food in The Universe by the Portland International Tribune, or whatever, and it was good and we both said we'd like to come back, but somehow we never did until now. Parts of the meal were very delicious, maybe not the Best Food in The Universe but tasty indeed, and I really, really, really love the 4-salad plate combinations (quattro scelte dai giardini - four choices from the gardens). The celery, sunchokes, date and walnut salad were OMG good. The pear, fennel and pine nut salad was very tasty and the broccoli, appple, guancial and almond salad was also way delicious. The beets, carrots, celeriac, pistachio, and raisin salad would have been perfect with more celeriac (my favorite veggie) but you know what? --This is why I go out to dinner, so I don't have to spend all day chopping up vegetables and figuring out combinations and crafting dressings. Seeing all these carefully prepared salads warmed my heart and made me happy. The spouse loved his Ditalini with salt cod but my Chitarra with clams was seawater salty. Even the spouse, who had just eaten salt cod with gusto and likes salty things more than I do, felt the salt in my dish was excessive. Our server told us that no salt was added to the dish, which messed with my understanding of how the world works because there was a ton of salt and even someone who isn't a supertaster like moi could taste it. Listen, I've dug clams and made clam chowder with fresh clams and I invented the clam call to get them to jump from the sand (didn't work as well as I'd hoped) and I've also made pasta from scratch. It's a lot of work and you want it to be great after spending that much time getting things ready. It's unfortunate when mistakes happen, but they sometimes do. That's life. Deal with it, as they say. The server did remove my plate and offer something else and tried to make it up to me, which I appreciated. I do wish Portland servers would restrain from saying, "Oh, you did good!" when they remove your empty plates. This is not how I choose to define myself! I have more value to the world than whether or not I eat all of my salad! Please, accord me this small degree of respect and make no comment about how much I've eaten! Wine by the glass is expensive and my glass was a bit more astringent than I generally prefer, but there's an extensive wine list and if we'd gone with another person or two we might have had more choice.
(4)
Pamela C.

Very, very good. Every dish at our table was great. The menu is in Italian, so if you aren't familiar with the terms you'll need help from the fine wait staff. The menu is seasonally appropriate and varied. Finishing this review after another meal. Had a group dinner for 8 (they require you to use a set menu for that size of group). We were a little put off by the required set menu but WOW, it was awesome. We got to try so many things. Put yourself into your waiter's hands and enjoy
(5)
Zack S.

Unreal. I had the privilege of attending the soft opening of this place. Easily one of my top 5 meals in my life. Absolutely perfect atmosphere (make sure to go to the bathroom), and the entire meal was beyond perfect. Make certain to try the Nduja (spreadable salami on toast). It was perfect and apparently is one of the only ones in the U.S. I was able to try the fried squash, pork jowl pasta, the steak for two, and the canele... Each dish made me pause in awe and amazement as to what was going on in my mouth. Ava Gene's will always be one of my favorite places to eat. The waitstaff is absolutely incredible as well. Michelle was able to answer all of my questions and described each dish with clarity and ease. Incredibly kind and professional people work here.
(5)
Jessica D.

Italian food at it's best! Omg everything was delicious. Ordered a little bit of everything. Fried mozzarella, tomato & ricotta topped bread, cheese and meat board, pork belly, spaghetti pomodorini and avocado & carrot salad. AMAZING!!!!
(5)
PatrickandHeidi O.

The food at Ava Genes is superb. Simply put. The lamb chops and the lentils were awesome as were my wives short ribs. Do yourself a favor and add a trio of starters. The salads are to die for (pear and fennel). Overall I liked the italian trattoria feel and environment. You have to not mind sitting really close to the table near you but the music helps distract from overheard conversations. My kids (11 and 13) eat out frequently but if you have picky eaters this isn't the place for them. The service was a bit aloof. Had to wait about 10 minutes after being seated before asked if we'd like any drinks and another 10 after that before being asked if we wanted to start with anything. I chalk that up to portland and the lack of professional service people. A definite re-do and a place I would take out of town guests to.
(4)
Brent E.

Ava Gene's is all style, no substance. Ambiance is nice, lighting beautiful. Servers are professional. They have a fantastic selection of grappe and amari. Everything is very shiny. The food is mediocre at best. We avoided the cheese and salumi, focusing instead on what they actually make in the building. And what they make is ... nothing special, a mixed bag, generally lacking in flavor and invention. Pane, vegetables, pastas, dessert: meh. Not bad, just not worth going out for. We left with the feeling of a Las Vegas-style bait-and-switch: impress us with bright lights and a crowd of people, and we won't notice that the food is uninteresting and overpriced. In Portland, with so much interesting and accessible food everywhere, it seems almost fraudulent, at least profoundly disrespectful to the local food community. So: if you want to impress someone who likes shiny things and doesn't care much about food by spending a lot of money, you will love Ave Gene's. If you're excited to experience the craft of creative and flavorful food, you can get twice the flavor at half the price at Navarre, Luce, Grain and Gristle, Ken's Artisan Pizza, or one of a dozen other places within a few miles. At the high end, Le Pigeon is a better experience. At the low end, food carts often have better food.
(2)
Kevin M.

There's something magical about Ava Gene's from the moment you walk in and notice the Potteresque decor and lighting. The service is really inviting, smiling, helpful and appropriately attentive. Four of us dined and shared most dishes. We also brought two bottles of wine, which our server promptly opened for us. But before wine, we each had a drink: I had something akin to a Manhattan but made with tequila (super delish). We then split two flat bread (pane): a tomato and ricotta one, which I thought was amazing; and another which was divine and built upon chicken liver. Great start to our dinner. We split two salads, one of which was the beet salad (a nice twist with a slight pickled element to the beets). I can't recall the other but we devoured both. Then my partner and I split the Wagyu beef with chanterelles, which melted in our mouths. For dessert, we split a few sorbetto/gelatos, which were excellent. All in, dining at Ava Gene's was a delightful experience, with great service, a truly magical setting (I'm in love with their lighting), retro music and scrumptious food. I look forward to my next visit!
(5)
Michelle S.

OMG - fantastic food coma! The place was packed so we had a drink at the bar until the bar opened up right in front of the kitchen. They had a wood fired grill, which we love. They kitchen staff is so highly organized, it was amazing to watch them work. It is so masterfully orchestrated. They are very particular on how their food is plated. We started with the burrata with roasted cherry tomatoes and warm olives. The bread was nice and crusty and the whole dish was delicious. I had angolotti (spelling) filled with sweet corn, pancetta, mushrooms in a corn sauce - can you say butter? it was delicious. My partner had a special steak on the menu (Wagyu beef) that was so tender it was like butter. Perfectly cooked on the wood fired grill. We went to SE Wine Collective for drinks before hand and Salty and Straw for ice cream afterward since they are both close. This restaurant is a definite on my list.
(5)
Kevin K.

By far my favorite place in Portland so far!! Been here 3 times recently and have never left hungry! To the menu, very extensive wine list with some amazing old world selections. The food is really flavorful and full of many in depth tastes.. One thing stands out more than the rest every time I go, the 3 salad platter.. Especially the squid with a little spice from the jalapeÃ±o in it.. Amazing!
(5)
Adrian N.

Signed up for Yelp recently. And please note this is not for their food but their service. I made a reservation for 12/26 today and when they called to confirm they said my reservation was for 12/27 and when I spoke with them about how I made my reservation for Friday as I'm not even in town on 12/27 and they did not care :(. I called a second time to see if there was anything to be done or fixed and they offered a 945 pm dinner :( not really fair. Very upsetting was very excited to try this restaurant and the fact that they didn't care to help fix the situation is sad. :(
(1)
A P.

We have been going to Ava Gene's for years, but hadn't been for a year or so. We had a 715pm reservation on a Wednesday night for date night. We arrive early/on time for our reservation however we were not seated till atleast 730pm, no reasons or sorry. It took about 20 more minutes after we were seated to get a waiter (about the time we were going to walk out) first 2 courses where good and timely but way over priced. Our 3rd course took forever to get to our table. It was good but again overpriced ( about 10 more dollars than the last year's prices and a little smaller in size). This evening was very sad for us as this restaurant was always a special meal for us. I think fame has ruined them.
(2)
Hallie E.

Heading home to Eugene through PDX, our web search located Ava Gene's. As walk-ins we were seated at the chef's counter, near the wood-fired oven. It proved to be interesting and entertaining. Our waitperson Brandon was prompt and attentive. He answered our questions regarding the menu, made suggestions and provided great service during our adventure. For bread we ordered Katz Olio Nuevo - a generous slice of artisan bread expertly toasted, rubbed with garlic , finished with olive oil. If a slice of bread can be an experience, this is it. The citrus avocado fennel salad was fresh, lightly dressed, delicious. The Agnolotti Caciotta di Bufala, Nut Ragu - Mmmm! Warm, soft, subtle, the nut Ragu added consistency and complimentary flavor. The side of Misticanza, sautÃ©ed greens, were cooked just enough and had a surprising hint of spice. During our meal, watching the chefs at work, we wished we had ordered that and that and that. Dinner was delicious so we ventured on to desert. Pane Cotta. Perfect creamy consistency with an unusual subtly flavorful pine syrup. The only regret about our first meal at Ava Gene's is that we were only able to taste a few items. We'll definitely be back. Reservations highly suggested, a seat at the chef's counter adds entertainment.
(5)
S P.

Lovely atmosphere, excellent service, dishes flavorful and prepared to perfection! A little expensive for my daily budget, but a wonderful place for a special occasion!
(5)
Art P.

First timer review. This is definitely not a place to "pop in" for dinner. If your party is larger than 2 people, carve out a few hours to enjoy the culinary experience that is Ava Gene's. Not to say that I minded it, as the food was absolutely stellar and the time flew by. We had the barstool seats looking directly into the kitchen...very cool! It's kinda neat to see how your meal's being prepared, from beginning to end. Even though the kitchen was a flurry of activity, the chefs were nice enough to answer a handful of questions we peppered them with. I'm not one to order salads or much veggies when I'm eating out but the handful of vegetable-centric dishes I was served here made a fan out of me. The thinly sliced fresh asparagus salad with lemon, wild garlic, and duck egg was sublime. The radish, rhubarb, pecorino and hazelnut concoction was equally tasty. The dressing was light, tangy, and subtly sweet. The culotte steak entree was impeccably tender and the calÃ§ots scallions the meat was served on were charred to perfection on the wood-fired grill. Some of the reviews mentioned over-salted food. I'm not sure what was ordered, but every one of our dishes was salted just right. The service was top-notch by staff that was amiable, knowledgeable, and full of suggestions/recommendations. Between each course our silverware was swapped out and although it's a bit much and unnecessary (at least for myself) it was still a nice touch of high-class service. I will be back!
(5)
Bud G.

It is rare that I write a 5 star review based on 1 visit but Ava Genes certainly deserves a 5 star. We were lucky enough to go to Ava Genes on a friend's expense account (with full approval of her employer by the way!). When we get to do this we order up and try all kinds of things so we try and pick a new place to go so we can really try out the menu. On this occasion Ava Genes hit the top of the list. I think we ordered half the menu! Several apps, the 3 salad sampler, a couple of pasta dishes and dessert. Nothing on the menu disappointed. The salads were inventive, original and delicious. The pasta was absolutely amazing and cooked to perfection. This was maybe one of my top 10 all time meals and it was served by professional, attentive service. We will go back and I hope that is soon!
(5)
Harlan E.

No doubt Ava Gene is a great place for dinner. I do however believe that this has a slight case of the Portland hype. If you're contemplating one of Duane Sorenson's spots I'd reccomend the Woodsman over Ava Gene.
(4)
Cynthia G.

I LOVE this place. Special, delicious, and an evening to remember. Makes me happy to be a Portlander.
(5)
Natalie W.

I called Ava Genes almost a week in advance to make a reservation for a party of seven. I was told that, because my party was so large, all they could offer us was a prix fixe, family style meal. The hostess emailed me three menus to choose from - one was $50/head, one was $60, one was $70. I looked over the menus. Besides that a good portion of it was in Italian and therefore meaningless to me, there wasn't much of a difference among them. The $50 menu had pork chops as the entree. The others both had rib-eye as the entree, and the $70 menu had an extra course. One of the people in my party, while not exactly a vegetarian, preferred a fish entree. I called the restaurant back to say that, while we were leaning towards the $60 menu, I wanted to see if they would sub a fish dish for one person. The hostess had trouble understanding what I needed. She started talking in circles, mumbled something about the market price for fish, and said that she didn't know if that would be possible. If I wanted to get the $70 menu, they could surely swap out some of the meat for fish, but the $60 menu... well, she could guarantee a vegetarian option... I repeated back what she told me so she could hear how stupid it sounded: "So, you're saying that if we order the $60/head for a party of 7, you can't give us a single fish entree?" "Oh, hmm, let me double check on that.." Not surprisingly, when she returned she said that this would be fine. I called again the evening before our meal to see if I could change our reservation from seven people to six. Good thing I called, because they had lost the reservation entirely. The atmosphere of the restaurant was *almost* classy. Nice deco, rustic feel. But the hipster waiters all dressed in flannel shirts and skinny jeans. Punk rock played (loudly!) on the speakers. I know Portland doesn't really do "fancy", but I doubt anyone was going there for just a casual dinner out. They should have tried harder. The food was delicious. Unique veggie/fruit/nut combos in the side dishes, awesome kale salad, really tasty pastas. What didn't make sense, though, was the portion size. Keep in mind, this was a family style meal for 6 people. But the bowls of veggies that we got with our first course were the exact same size as the bowls that the table of two sitting next to us received. The only super-sized part of the meal was the steak (which was waaaay too much, considering all of the earlier courses). The family style aspect was pretty pointless, and, from where we sat, probably cost the servers more time and effort (clean dishes with every course, etc). Also, most prix fixe places still let you choose your entree, or at least have a say in it. I thought the steak was delicious, but it was also super rare, which is certainly not everyone's thing. No one asked us how we wanted the steak cooked; it was just assumed that we'd all be ok with bloody meat (it's a good thing the not-quite-vegetarian got the fish entree, because she would not have been okay with that). The food was really good, but the atmosphere was not. That kinda killed it for me. There are better Italian places in this city by far.
(3)
Kristi K.

We went into Ava Gene's for a special occasion last night. It was our first visit and we were really looking forward to our meal. Our reservation was for 5:45 on a Saturday. Having allotted additional time to parking, we arrived about 10 minutes early. There were still seats at the chef's counter so we asked to be seated there. Be warned - it gets hot here because you're in front of the wood fire station. If you sit to the far right (pastas and entrees) or the far left (vegetables and appetizers), it's a little cooler but does warm up after 5 courses. That said, it's totally worth the extra degrees to watch the magic in this kitchen. This place is a well oiled machine. There is great attention and care taken to preparation of these dishes and seeing it first hand was almost better than eating the food. Almost, I said.... The wait staff are fantastic. We had attentive service from multiple different people, not just our primary server, Brandon. Brandon was just what you want in a server. Appropriately attentive but gave us space to enjoy the experience. He knew exactly when to have our next course ready - that timing was perfect for our large, spaced out meal. He also recommended a crisp white wine that complimented our meal. Ok - now to the food. Finally. We tried a 5 course sample of the menu. We started with the potato croquettes. Crispy on the outside and creamy-cheesy deliciousness inside. The pickled vegetables provided a nice acidity. Next stop a selection of 4 salami type meats with a few breadsticks. We devoured this in a matter of minutes and moved on to the lauded vegetable course. I can easily say I've never had a better vegetable dish pretty much anywhere. We got the bean, apple, tuna salad which was pretty perfect. That albacore was the highlight of the night for me. We also tried the carrot and quinoa salad with beets and cashews. This too was quite delicious. I will probably try and fail to recreate this at home... Next on to pasta. We got the corn agnolotti w/ lobster mushrooms. We were sitting right in front of the cook preparing the pastas so we saw him cut our mushrooms, saute our pasta, and plate our dish. Pretty cool. I've never had agnolotti but it's basically a little pillow filled with corn custard goodness. The cook explained the several steps to making the filling. The portion is not huge but it doesn't need to be. We ended the meal with a double cut pork chop seared on the woodfire grill on a bed of silky peppers and topped with a sort of chimichurri . We got to watch this being made too. It was so juicy! We passed on dessert but did walk down to Salt and Straw for a pint for later. This meal was a wonderful experience from the seats in front of the line to the service to the food itself. It is a little spendy but so worth it. I can't remember leaving a restaurant feeling to satisfied. We will definitely make a habit of treating ourselves to Ava Gene's.
(5)
Yael L.

Great Italian food. Desserts a bit lacking, but totally worth it for the great primi,secondi, pane to die for, service and ambiance. Highly recommended. One star off for the mediocre desserts, everything else was excellent.
(4)
Claire H.

Cute restaurant. Lots of waiting staff. Food was good. But not out of this world fantastic as we had expected. It was difficult to get a reservation, so when we finally got one, we were most excited. We were disappointed though. Maybe expectations were too high. Food was good, portions were tiny. Top lights were on... No ambient lighting?! Staff was great. No complaints there. But the venue lacked the wow-factor we were anticipating.
(3)
Michele L.

My husband and I went here for our 10th anniversary. I planned it well in advance as I had heard great things about this restaurant. When we arrived (early) we were seated immediately and the waitperson got our drink orders in a matter of minutes. The staff worked well together, like a perfectly-orchestrated show. We ordered the Fritto Misto, the Tre Scelte Dai Giardini, and the Farro Linguini with chanterelles. Everything was perfect! The flavors in the salads were each unique, but all worked well together. They were simple, unexpected combinations but at the same time they were complex. The linguini also had a simple oil and spice sauce that was light and flavorful. We love good food and they deliver! We will definitely go back.
(5)
Amy J.

This place had been on my list for a while-- given our experience at other "restaurants of the year" we had high expectations...and were disappointed on almost all fronts. The short rib was okay, the pasta was gummy (and oversalted) and the cocktails were unimpressive. The wine we ordered was good. The service was inconsistent and not in keeping with our expectations. We thought that a restaurant receiving so many accolades and attention would have better service- even as simple as having runners being aware of who ordered what rather than having to ask us. It did start off well-- the staff gave us plenty of time to review the menu and enjoy our mediocre cocktails. Then, at times, it seemed aggressive- interrupting (water, wine, getting orders) but other times too slow (it took about 15 minutes to clear our dinner plates, despite them having nothing on them). Since they seem booked every night, it doesn't seem like our busy evening would have been an excuse. This was only one time I've been here and I'm not sure what happened-- or why there is still such a hard time getting a reservation here (considering my experience -- which looks similar to many others on yelp). In the end, like other reviewers, were so underwhelmed that we skipped dessert and went across the street for pie at Lauretta Jean's. Definitely not an Italian place I would return to-- there are too many other good, consistent restaurants (with better service) to frequent in Portland.
(2)
James S.

To be fair the food was good but the service was terrible and the attitudes were worse. We started with the beet salad which was tasty and unique. Then the waiting began, About 20 minutes after they had cleared the plates, I inquired as to the status of the pasta, and was told that it "took awhile". Ten minutes later it finally came. The pasta was mediocre. Under cooked pasta, under cooked garbanzo beans, burnt sausage. Then the long wait again. After about 20 minutes and the clueless waitress asked me for the second time if I wanted another glass of wine (my wife was drinking wine, I wasn't) I again asked about status and was told that it was their "coursing" philosophy. Apparently that means that you make customers wait interminable time between courses. The steak finally came about 15 minutes after I had inquired. It was really good. That said not worth the wait. After we finished the busboy asked how the service was and we answered extremely slow. He gave me a look that said, "you suburban troglodyte you clearly don't get it" and "apologized" by saying that they must need to explain their "coursing philosophy" better. No desert for us, 2 hours of waiting was enough. To be fair the bus boy was good until his asinine comment, the hostess did a good job, but the waitress was completely clueless.
(2)
Paul P.

Wow, is all I can say. First off, our reservations (for 4) got us seats right away. We sat at the bar counter facing towards the kitchen, which was a pleasant experience. It was nice to see our food being prepared in front of our eyes. The food was stellar! We had an assortment of vegetable salads and lamb to finish off. I never thought that I would be a massive fan of vegetables prepared so intricately. Our server Julia was very helpful and came at the perfect times. She was full of knowledge and was kind enough to expound on each dish we had ordered. Dinner lasted for about two hours, only because I had a work meeting that I was already late to (oops)... But this experience takes a few hours out of your day, so prepare to make the best out of it. The time flew by, so I didn't mind a bit. I could have watched the kitchen staff work for hours if I didn't have to leave earlier. In other words, I will definitely be coming back to Ava Gene's. Compliments to the chef(s)!
(5)
Chelsea C.

I stumbled across this gem and let me just say it was one of the best meals I have ever had. I ordered the calamari pasta among other things. Just be prepared, the portions are small so be ready to spend at least 50 bucks per person. The food is amazing though and worth every penny.
(5)
James T.

Came in with a bigger party no problem. The service was great our server was knowledgable of food and wine. Cocktails were tasty I enjoyed trying the white negroni. We got the 4 salad deal choosing the raw kale, beet, carrot, and cauliflower options. I loved every single one of the vegetable dishes.The bread board was tasty but I would rather get complimentary baguette with dinner. The cured meats were also very good. On to dinner, everyone seemed very happy with the entrÃ©es they picked with the exception of the short rib. Our server described it as extremely tender pull apart with your fork tender which it was not, she had cut it up like any grilled cut of beef. I had the pork which absolutely delicious and very flavorful plus I love anything with radishes. Finished dinner off with what I think was a warm almond pound cake some chocolate gelato and a shot of espresso. Last thing I would like to say would be that the female employees should wear shirts with sleeves. Armpits are not a part of any kind of fine dining. Good experience though all around.
(4)
Chris N.

What can I say? This place is a real dining treat. Everything was great from the service to the food to the atmosphere. If you go with more than 6 people then it is worth it to do the family style. A+!
(4)
Mike H.

Ava Jeans was recommended to us as the current "it" restaurant in PDX on our recent eat Portland weekend. As bar flies we sat at the bar and had the chef's tasting menu. The meal was wonderful. Service was disjointed but it could have been our location. The wine tasted more expensive than expected. The open fire at the bar was hot and I mean hot. I don't recommend sitting at the bar. We sat there because Lisa was cold but that lasted just a nanosecond. It is rare to find a restaurant the hews so close to it's mission, Northern Italian Cuisine. That can be a curse. If you like a hybrid preparation better. Most Italian meals I've eaten in Northern Italy had dishes and styles from other parts of Italy that were lovely. If you can appreciate Ava Jean's mission it is a wonderful restaurant and easily warrants driving by other restaurants. However, the tight focus constricts the flavors and choice of dishes and that might interfere with your enjoyment and that would knock it down to 3 stars to worth your time and money if you're in the area.
(4)
Laura C.

Not too long ago, we swung by Lauro - only it was no longer there and Ava Gene's was in its place (first I was confused and thought CIBO was the old Lauro but was informed I was off by a block). I was surprised the decor had changed so drastically, but was told the owner named it after his mother. I'm assuming she was Italian because that is the flair this restaurant now has. The food looked and smelled divine, but the prices were a bit steep for me and they don't have a happy hour menu. Because of this, we just opted for a drink at the bar. I can say this, the bartender was nice and gave good customer service. The friend I was with took friends here to dinner a few nights later and confirmed that the food was very good, but that the portions were small. And I quote "They were smaller than most happy hour plates". If you are looking for a nice restaurant with yummy, tapas sized portions, you will enjoy Ava Gene's.
(3)
Bill E.

Damn fine food and great service from a well informed and genuine group of those who know... Sat with my back to the kitchen, way too warm for me. I'll be back to do it all over again.
(4)
RJ H.

I defer to Tom D.'s review. He said it best. My biggest issue was the volume of items on the menu, the difficulty in navigating them, and the server's ineptitude at helping us make informed decisions. Delicious but pricey. Beautiful interior.
(3)
Tina H.

Returned again to Ava Gene's this evening for my husband's birthday. We ordered the pane with fresh goat's cheese. It had a little vinegar and oil and sauteed spinach. Perfection. Next we had the beet salad with the crispy wild rice and candied pecans. My husband is right now researching how to make crispy rice. It's about to become a staple in our home. At this point he announced, "I think we need to keep coming back to try all the salad's and bread." Then the pasta. If you're sensitive to carbs like I am, and you're wondering if it's worth the cravings you'll have the next day, I say take the hit. Even if you end up going on a terminal cereal binge, you will die happy. We will be back.
(5)
Dian K.

I guess I'm the minority in my opinion of this restaurant. The place was definitely hopping. I made a reservation and we were a tad early and our table wasn't available yet. The waiting area is a bit awkward. As someone else mentioned, they used the bar to serve dinner too, so you can't exactly hang out at their bar while waiting for your table. Good thing it wasn't long when our table was ready, on time. Since it was our first time here, we were a bit ambitious. They didn't have Burrata that night (so sad), so we ordered the Nduja (spreadable salami) and Egg, Lemon Bottarga di Tonno. They're both served on a charred piece of bread. WAY charred, as a matter of fact that it over powered the dish. I had to ask for less charred bread. My overall impression for both is salty. I wish they wouldn't put it on the toast, but serve it on the side with a few toast pieces so we can dole out how much saltiness we want ourselves. I think they put too much of it on the toast and made it too salty. The brussel sprouts were good, although nothing special. We weren't a big fan of the salted fish. For the mains, we got the pork sausage orecchiette, which again, I thought was a little salty. But the pasta was very good, perfectly cooked. The scallops were the most "normal" dish that we've ordered. Again, it was cooked to perfection on top of some pureed celery roots. Nothing special though, I would skip this just because it's offered elsewhere and there are plenty of unique things in their menu to try instead. Throughout our whole meal, the service was 5 stars. Excellent explanations of the dishes, constant changing of the utensils and cleaning of the table, refilling water. I can't say anything bad about the service. Coupled with the price point, I would make this a special occasion restaurant. It's more the experience and the good (but not wow) food that make up your night here.
(3)
Tita C.

Even though I didn't give it a 5 star rating, Ava Genes is undeniably one of the best Portland dining experiences that I have ever had. The atmosphere, decor and wait staff are all exceptional. The food was divine. A few of my courses were the best I have ever had in Portland. Our main course, which was the Bistecca Fiorentina, was underwhelming given the very high quality of the preceding courses (particularly the pistachio and beet salad!). It may not be fair to be comparing the bistecca to a very memorable one that I had in Italy...where this dish was the house specialty......but there you have it. But the overall experience was excellent and I will definitely be a repeat customer.
(4)
Megan R.

Made a reservation over a month in advance because we were having such a hard time trying to get in here on a whim. It was worth the hype. Great libations and the food was so flavorful and beautifully prepared. A packed restaurant made for a great atmosphere.
(5)
Jason L.

If I could, I'd give them 6 stars. I've been to Ava Genes twice. The first time, a friend and I sat at the bar and ordered drinks and several menu items to snack on. We got excellent service from Melissa and the other bartenders and waitstaff, including an education on grappa (plus a sample). Overall, the service was some of the friendliest I've had in Portland (which is saying a lot, because I feel like Portland cultivates an awesome restaurant scene for good service). Food was also great. The second time I was here, I called ahead and let them know that it was an anniversary dinner and asked if there was anything special we could do. I wasn't really sure what to expect or ask for, because, really, I'm just some dude asking for a favor at a busy restaurant. They. Nailed. It. We got a custom 5 course meal, including drink pairings, and it was topped off by having pretty much the entire staff wish us a happy anniversary as they walked by the table throughout the evening. The food was portioned well, so we weren't uncomfortably full or sending back a bunch of half-eaten food. They also did short pours on the pairings so we had just enough to sip along with our food without getting hammered by dessert. The food is good, but what really makes Ava Genes stand out is the staff. I really felt like they took an interest in showing me a good time when they absolutely could have refused. Definitely a place I'll keep in my "show my out of town friends and relatives a good time" list.
(5)
Heather R.

We were apprehensive of the fennel salad, but it was wonderful! The food here is delicious and a delight.
(5)
Kari C.

Definitely in my top 10 meals of recent history. We experienced many fantastic meals from Portland to Seattle - eating and drinking our way across the Pacific Northwest - but enchanting Ava Gene's ranked #1. This is one charming and funky little place with spectacular taste! I highly recommend sitting at the back bar and watching the action in the open kitchen. It's a little warm (we were right in front of the wood burning oven), but so worth it. We put ourselves in our server Colleen's capable hands (food and wine pairings). While each and every dish was 'mention-worthy', the knockouts included the duck egg pane with bottarga (the grassy olive oil and charred bread adding such a complexity to an otherwise simple dish), the rainbow carrots with pistacio butter and the pasta... ahhhhhh, the pasta. The sweet ending - panna cotta with pinecone syrup - is not to be missed. So ethereal!
(5)
Mike H.

Easily the best service I've ever had at a restaurant. Portland or otherwise. The staff was there moments after finishing an appetizer to remove the plate (without hovering or rushing). They were extremely knowledgable and helpful on an ever-changing daily menu (my wife is pregnant and so needed to avoid cured meats and unpasteurized dairy). They were friendly and sociable without being fake or tip-mongering. They wiped up spilled water and crumbs in between plates. They even came by to fold my wife's napkin when she was in the bathroom. Not in a showy, or OCD way. Just to keep everything nice. Then, to top it all off, we forgot our togo box and they called me to see if i wanted them to drop it off at my house (we had told them we lived nearby). Again... this could have been creepy, but it wasn't. they were like the nicest, friendliest, ever. oh. and the food was amazing. burrata for the win. best salads ever. i'm a fairly recent vegetarian so entree was as expected (i still remember how good meat tastes so am rarely overjoyed with my vegetarian option). desert could get more interesting / more diverse but might have just been a personal palate thing. i live in between division and hawthorne and am so stoked duane sorenson sold stumptown and has the money to open all these places because all his new restaurants on division are going to make my home value skyrocket. thank you duane!
(5)
Amanda B.

I'm giving this 4 stars because its in PDX and although there is a lot of "good" food here, there's little "great" food. In another city, the review would be weighted differently. Overall, I really enjoyed Ava Genes and i suspect how happy you'll be will depend largely on your expectations going in. This is not an American Italian restaurant, this is a northern Italian restaurant and is trying to stay authentic, while keeping some sense of PDX hipsterism. My main complaint about the place is that it flirts with ridiculousness. The menu is in Italian. I speak enough Italian to get around Italy but there were menu items even I needed help with. Perhaps the reason we saw our server so infrequently was because she needed to translate the menu for everyone. On my first visit I actually left because the chef refused to simplify any of the dishes (I had a picky friend who wanted pasta w pomodoro (tomato sauce) on it.) The place is loud, the cocktails expensive, and the service, though lovely, infrequent. Our servers were really effusive and definitely seemed to care, they just weren't around much. All that aside? The food was pretty stellar. I'd go back and the fact the menu changes so often is a great reason to go back often. A few items stood out: the burrata was amazing, but have you ever had bad burrata? The spearfish crudo, though offensively small for $12, was absolutely delicious. The standout of the meal was a roasted beets dish w ricotta that we all adored. Some beans and mustard greens were too salty for my taste, but others enjoyed them. A salt cod with polenta that was recommended was interesting, and the polenta was lovely, but overall the dish was meh. The pasta dishes were standout: a ragu and a simple pomodoro with more burrata. A recommended wine tasted a lot like it was missing it's box, but was replaced immediately with a better one. We were at Ava Gene's for about 2 hours eating and we had a great time. This is a critical review- but I suspect if AG just took itself a little less seriously it would be a 5 star restaurant.
(4)
Elizabeth R.

The epicureans who voted 5 stars will probably want to skewer me since I am rating this a 4 (and would go 3.5 if I could). This review falls short a star for a few reasons. Here is my breakdown. Food: 4 stars: First of all, when I think of Italian, I think of simple food with fresh flavors. This restaurant was not simple. It was as if an obsessive-compulsive person came up with the menu concept and just *had* to include every single cool idea that they had. While I appreciate subtleties and artfulness, I wonder if it loses some substance when there is just too damn much of it. Service: 5 Stars: Out server was amazing and attentive and knew everything about the menu (you would have to if you worked at this restaurant). Overall Ambiance: 3 Stars: The music was oddly too loud. The mix would be appropriate at full blast on the stereo at home while nobody else is around, but not at a restaurant like this.
(4)
Foodie V.

Came back to this place 3 times in one month and it is still awesome!!! This place epitomizes the great food scene in Portland. Great deco, great service and very yummy food. If you haven't been here yet, gotta check it out. Hard to get a table via opentable so just walk in, grab a drink at the bar and you'll be seated in no time.
(5)
Nina A.

We had the chicken livers appetizer. I love chicken liver but hated this dish. The liver was dry and the bread was way too oily. The meat and cheese was really good, especially the black currant jam that came with it. The Brussels sprouts and cauliflower appetizer dish was amazing. It was a hit with everyone @ the table. The Ox tail ragu pasta was also delicious- the pasta was cooked perfectly, and the sauce had the perfect balance if seasoning. The duck ravioli was also pretty good. I was stuffed and voted against ordering it, but ended up eating a few ravioli bc it was so good. Last dish was fettuccine with white sauce, ham, and green onions. I didn't like it at all. Meat tasted bad and it tasted flat. Overall, okay restaurant.
(4)
Ari S.

Went here for my birthday because it was listed one of the top ten best new restaurants in the US and it did not fail to deliver. From the appetizers to entrees to dessert and the service as well it was top notch.
(5)
Michael R.

Oh Fuck Me. This place is too good and too close to where a live. My bank balance and waistline are sure to suffer. Look, I'll do a more complete review after a couple of visits. But I just left the most attentive without being intrusive service I've had since 1994. The butterfish was so well prepared I was speechless at the table. For an easy introduction have a cannolo - it's better than what we had in Italy.
(5)
Corey B.

I am an epicurean living in San Francisco. I love food and wine and I love to share them among good friends even more. Despite eating and drinking well all year long, my best meal and dining experience of 2012 came two days shy of 2013...in Portland. After two outstanding meals at The Woodsman Tavern, I came to Ava Gene's with high expectations. Admittedly, bringing my wife and good friends significantly enhanced the evening. Even then, isolating the "who" from the "what" and "how," I was thoroughly impressed with everything - from the rustic dining area to the open kitchen to the bathroom fixtures to the wine list to the service... Oh, and the food. Yes, the food was extraordinary. I try not to obsess with superlatives, but I could wait no longer than 10 seconds before declaring Ava Gene's the best pasta I've had outside of Italy. We ordered four of the five options and marveled at each. That was following equally impressive starters - leeks, beets, bread with olio nuovo (the first time I've encountered this gorgeous nectar at a restaurant), burrata and a variety of salumi - and two gorgeous sea scallops. I simply had no room for dessert, sipping on an Amaro Cia Ciaro instead. Finally, the San Franciscan in me didn't mind when the check arrived. It's reasonably priced for such high quality food, beverages, and service, which, let's face it, makes the experience that much more enjoyable. It will be difficult not to rush to Ava Gene's the next time I'm in Portland.
(5)
Rayce B.

I don't usually go to new restaurants until they've had a chance to shake out the kinks. But last night, the bright lights and warm atmosphere emanating from Ava Genes pulled my wife and me off our rainy walk to a cheap dinner and into a full opening night at a higher-end Italian bistro. The result was a surprisingly good time. The restaurant's visual aesthetic is super inviting, especially on a nasty winter night. I was impressed with the back-to-back bench that divides the space, creating visual interest for almost all seats in the house and invoking the European styling that permeates the entire operation including, of course, the food. The place was comically overstaffed. Probably five different servers stopped by in the first 15 minutes to offer us water (still or sparkling, your choice). Almost as many offered us cocktails, and three or four different people delivered our plates. The decision to over-support the floor might have resulted in a disastrous clusterf*k, but instead I think it proved a wise move. Coherently blocked workflow and an obviously seasoned staff really helped smooth out the rough spots and made the place feel like it had been operating for years. Okay, now the food. Fried delicata: comforting, unexpected preparation, just a tad bland. Radicchio salad - really impressive blending of flavors and contrasting of textures. A favorite. The pasta achieved al-dente density that is difficult to manage at home and unheard of in restaurants. The osso bucco emphasized meat and broth over bone and marrow. Fine by me but the meat was a little drier than I would have liked. We rounded out the meal with an incredibly smooth and rich pannacotta featuring a pinecone syrup(!) a surprising combination of pine and orange flavoring. The bold and masterful food design will bring us back many times.
(4)
Tammy B.

My husband and I celebrated 10 years at Ava Gene's. Everything was top notch. The service was impeccable, the food was beyond words, the wines luscious. Ava Gene's exceeded all of my expectations. The prices are high here but I won't knock them for that due to the quality of food and service. I so look forward to coming back. If I had one complaint it would have nothing to do with the restaurant but of other diners. Why, why I ask would you bring a toddler into a restaurant of the caliber of Ava Gene's??? Your children are misbehaved, rude, obnoxious, won't sit in their seats, run smack into the wait staff and are so freakishly loud. And the parents sit and do nothing! Sad that you allow your children to sully a fine establishment and interrupt other diners evenings.
(5)
Rob L.

The vegetables, cheese plate, entrees, and pastas are all excellent. The buratta in particular was dreamy. The service and staff are friendly and professional, and the sommelier was great and suggested a terrific bottle of wine. We made a recent visit to celebrate a particularly momentous special occasion. It started out great, and they even brought us complimentary glasses of Prosecco. We ordered an expensive ($100+) bottle of wine and lingered with it after our dinner and having paid the check. We left a nice (over 20%) tip. We were just swallowing our last sips of wine when we were rudely told we had to shuffle off because they needed our table. Yet the table for four right next to us was vacant. It kind of left a bad taste in our mouths after an otherwise delicious dinner... We would have given 5 stars if not for being asked to vacate the table.
(4)
Kiana P.

Cozy atmosphere - but sit at the chef's counter for an appetizing view of the bustling dish preparations. Summery salad of peaches, corn, sprouted barley, pistachios, and chiles...so fresh and tangy! Bruschetta of fresh sheep cheese, tomatoes, and basil, was delectable with the slow-roasted heirloom tomatoes. AMAZING balance of creamy and zesty! Rigatoni, lamb and pork ragu in bianco, with radicchio...hearty flavor and perfectly al dente pasta!
(4)
Kelly S.

Where to start with miss ava gene? Stumptown founder/genius has the nose for what works and this spot definitely does. We stopped in here for a late (LATE) dinner after driving in from Cannon beach. Micah, our server, was just so kind and patient as I asked 1000 questions about items I should probably know but don't. Spigarello? Colatura? I felt like a restaurant newb there and I kind of liked it, A totally affordable ($35) bottle of wine and two small plates in were were already singing Ava's praises. The flavor! The freshness! The fullness of it all. The atmosphere is gorgeous of course -- beautifully designed but accessible. The 60s hits playing were a nice touch. It's really quite hard to capture the elegance and exceptional nature of our experience there. Get whatever cheese they're doing and one thing off of each menu. The portions look a little smaller than what you're used to but they're so rich and fulfilling that you'll be perfectly satisfied at the end of the meal. When I return to Portland this fall, this will be one place I'm immediately making reservations for.
(5)
Angie R.

Great meal! We went for our first anniversary. The staff were all incredible, especially since we had to bring our 2-month old newborn. Great service! The food was delicious. We started with the burrata, which was exceptional. The pastas are great, too. Be sure to get your server's recommendations... It pays off. They really made our night. Thank you.
(4)
Sarah A.

Came in for a super special lady date last week for the Vegetable Dinner Series with Chef Gregory Gourdet from Departure. It was so impressive! I had never been to Ava Genes before and I'm so glad this was the event that got me through the door. -Even with a 9:30pm reso, this place was hopping, if it takes you a while to get on the book or they only have certain times open---wait and take what you can get. IT'S WORTH IT. -We tried a lot of the special items Josh and GG had prepared for that night but also tried some AG classics. The garlic bread was good, as basic as that sounds it was just the right dish to either get the party started or keep it going while you're waiting for your salad/app/entree to come out. -I think it's really unique they incorporate KURE juices into their drink menu, and clearly focus and pride themselves on using and sharing local northwest ingredients in their classic Italian dishes. -No joke. I walked out and already started looking forward to the next time I could again sit at the chefs counter, and eat the garlic bread and the kale pesto pasta! -The only bummer about the entire experience was that the food we had boxed didn't find its way back to us, and we were too shy to say anything. Same thing happened to my coworker when she dined the next day. Honest mistake for sure, but people want to eat your food, let them take it home. :) :) xoxo
(5)
J C.

Took a hot Asian woman w me here. Impressive place. Cocktails are excellent. Take a chance here. The "new" Fashioned is an Old Fashioned on vacation. Go Beet salad, garlic bread (must haves)... lamb tagliatelle pasta is also delicious. I'd avoid "Tuscan Cavalry" salad and order two Beet salads if you're w a companion. You won't want to share. Atmosphere is great. For an east side place it feels neutral when it comes to attitude. Just about everything on menu worked for me. Dinner for two -- $126. My date was smoking hot. Total minx. I think I'm going to have a good night!!
(5)
Takako S.

A friend visiting from Japan requested to come here. sometime guidebook tells you all good things about the place and often disappoint about it. I knew that wasn't the case here. Started with a refreshing rose wine and some appetizers, sea beans, hazelnut, squash and goat cheese on top of garlic toast, celery salad marinated with olive oil and dates, cured meet plate and chicken Ragu. Love everything with my eyes and tang. They satisfied my friends as well and am glad that I can show her how PDX is getting really great at food sene! Addicting to it, great service. Sometime places are getting poplar and they have some attitude and sadly I won't come back because of that but this place manages very well and know how to treat their customers.
(4)
Rebecca A.

So busy on a Tuesday night (about 6pm) but we got lucky. There were two open spaces at the bar. For cocktails, I had the Fratelli Nuovi to start the evening, just one sip and I was a happy girl. It has ginger beer in it so it was refreshing but super flavorful. I would order it again...and again. Burrata was a nice app, but thought a tad more flavor would have taken it to the next level. The portion size was good for sharing. We both had pasta. The cavatelli with sausage and pole beans was simple yet had a depth of flavor that made me not want to share. But my daughter had the albacore with linguini, garlic, chiles and olives. Yes, that was yummy too. A little heat with bits of salty olives made this buttery garlic pasta the perfect dish to share. They were so different yet both fabulous choices. The room was on the loud size for me so the bar was actually a better choice because it was quieter. The next time, I'd like to try sitting at the bar in front of the chefs cooking. Dinner and a show is my idea of a great evening.
(4)
Sarah T.

Beat. Meal. Ever. Do I need to say more? Everything we had was exquisite. The peach salad and the lamb rigatoni were to die for. From beginning to end our experience was perfect. Dimly lit and romantic, beautiful lights line he ceiling, and an open kitchen in the back. A must go if you are in the area.
(5)
Bryan G.

Wow. Can't recommend highly enough, one of the best meals I have had in Portland. Terrific, creative menu, tremendous kitchen, great service. Great restaurant that stands out in the middle of all the great restaurants. Thank you Ava Gene's for a fantastic dinner!
(5)
Susan C.

This is a restaurant I am glad we dined at but probably won't be back. Fit for foodies and we are not truley that. However, guests seemed to be enjoying themselves. Excellent decor and great vibe. That being said... It took a while to get the staff's attention. They are super busy. Management needs to hire more wait staff for peak dining. We felt a little rushed as in wait staff wanted us to order right away and we wanted to talk. Not a place to come for a relaxing meal and conversation, they are busy and seem to rush in order to turn tables. Lots of people waiting to eat here outside. Great energy. Eventhough it took some patience, our drink orders were finally taken. Small selection of Itailian wines and waited a while for the sommelier to come and explain the selections. We were at the table about 10 minutes without a drink. Kinda unusual. Water was even a little late. We finally ordered our dinner after persusing what all the other guests were feasting on. Tables are close together so grabbing a look was pretty easy. The salads arrived and were pleasantly spectacular. We ordered battered asparagus with pea pods. Also, a green salad so pretty we almost couldn't eat it but enjoyed every bite, including the flowers and especially the dressing. The pasta's were a perfect size. My rigatoni was good but had been under the hot lights a little too long as it was crusty on top from over heated. We ordered a salmon dish to share. It arrived raw in the middle--is that normal? We ate it as the staff was so busy and we were more into our conversation than dinner at this point. Dessert followed with gelato, etc. All in all, it was okay. I made this reservation two months ago and it still was hard to get the time we wanted. Glad we ate early. Best to all, it looks very successful.
(3)
Nicole L.

Really liked: - Radish salad Apparently this place is known for their vegetables and this dish really did shine, I would definitely order something from the garden section. Liked: - Ambiance and service was nice. Eh (good, but nothing to return for): - Spaghetti - kind of plain, not very memorable - Tagliatelle - their homemade pasta's are good but I have had better. - Rib eye - again somewhat unmemorable
(3)
Nicole S.

Solid 4, I'm only ticking off a star because of the pasta dishes we had. Sat at the bar, which was cool. Chatted up the bartender and the other one was super helpful with the menu. We ordered the half pane board (I could LIVE on the whipped ricotta) the Gnocco Fritto were really unique and the prosciutto was so so good. We had the sweet peppers, broccoli and cashews for our giardini which was good as well. We opted just to finish with 2 primi (pasta) dishes and honestly I didn't like either. My husband and I have slightly different tastes so we chose what looked good to him. That being, the rigatoni with eggplant, and pinenuts, and the saffron linguini with artichokes. I couldn't even finish the saffron linguini, it really was not good in my opinion. The eggplant was ok, but had I ordered this singly as a whole meal somewhere else I would have been disappointed. As it was, the pasta dishes were small, but coupled with everything else we had, it was a good portion for 2 people.
(4)
Ash R.

The food was great light classic Italian food. We got 2 of the salads - each was fresh and tasty. We also each got a pasta (I had the spicy clam linguine and he got the chicken ragu). Both were very light tasting, I think this is amazing since its freaking pasta. How did i leave that place eating 2 salads, a pasta, half a bottle of wine, a scoop of strawberry gelato, and an espresso without feeling sick. That's how true food and portions should be. If I lived in Portland I would definitely come back. Oh and the waiter and sommelier were awesome - very attentive and helpful!
(4)
Lily A.

Amazing meal! What a beautiful space with an incredible menu. I might be biased since they use my families olive oil and vinegars in the kitchen but everything was just delicious. If you can get a reservation take it! You will not be disappointed. The best Italian food I have had in a long long time. Great ambiance, cool location, incredible staff, delicious food that made me so happy, and overall amazing experience.
(5)
Jessie M.

Man this place was good. Easily one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to. We started with the mizuna salad, garlic bread, and vegetable fritti with chile mayo. Then we tried two of the pastas, the sausage ricotta cavatelli and the pea agnolotti. Can't even explain how good everything was. Our server was lovely but I will say the pacing of the meal was very off. Our garlic bread took forever to come out our server had to keep checking on it. We had a lot of strange issues with still vs. sparkling water... but honestly the food and atmosphere made up for those hiccups. And again, our server was nice and handled everything just fine. Anyway, I definitely want to return here one day and try every pasta ever.
(5)
Tracy Joy K.

Fresh Italian Cuisine done at its best - was very impressed and happy to dine here for a fancy dinner during my weekend trip to Portland - pricy but the quality is definitely there! Before getting your phone out to Google all the Italian on their menu - ask the waiters for the descriptions about the food - they are very helpful here. The assortment of cocktails and wine here is great and I was not disappointed with any of the drinks that we ordered. For your starting course, the Burrata is a must have - delicious fresh cheese served with hot bread, delectable light starter. Their menu is seasonal and showcases the most fresh pastas and ingredients. Garganelli was quite delicious and tasted freshly made - heavenly with a glass of wine.
(4)
S. C.

This review is for the host for the night, Heather. I called from out of town to help set up a birthday treat for friends visiting for a special occasion. She was so sweet and super helpful. Will definitely try it our on my next trip to PDX. Â¡Grazie Heather!
(5)
Raymond T.

Wow...just Wow. It won't do too much good to detail the specific dishes that I had... The menu will have changed because the ingredients are so seasonal. Suffice to say that the ingredients are so fresh and the attention to detail in each of the dishes we had was amazing. The wine list is heavily Italian (obviously) and that is not one of my strong suits...no fear. The wine steward with a few questions dialed us in and we had a great Rose...excellent choice since it was really warm outside. Super-fresh farm to table ingredients? Check. Near- crazy attention to detail on each plate? Check. Attentive service? Check. To top it off dinner for 3: 3 entrees, 4 salads, bottle of wine and 3 deserts rounded out to $175usd with tip...
(5)
Shannon M.

Favorite meal from my trip to Portland. My table ordered the fried carrot, squash blossom and zucchini with chile mayo, garlic bread, the garden greens salad with sauvignon blanc vinegar, agnolotti with butter and peas, and ricotta cavatelli with sausage and broccoli. Everything was amazing, but the stand out dish for me was the agnolotti. It was so simple, but perfectly done. Even days after eating there I am still dreaming about it.
(5)
Gabriela R.

This place was ridiculous. Sooooo good. We enjoyed every single dish ordered and the atmosphere is amazing. We ended up at the kitchen bar where you can see the food being made and that was a lot of fun. We even received complimentary champagne glasses for our anniversary :).
(5)
Chels J.

Literally everything we had here was outstanding. I'll give you the quick and dirty: Pumpkin arancini: huge portion! 5 perfectly filled, cheesy balls. Ghost pepper salami: ordered the small portion and it was six large pieces with breadsticks. hubby said it was delicious, spicy and more manageable with the bread plate he ordered, speaking of which... Small bread plate: also huge portion!! 3 or 4 different kinds of homemade bread, delicious ricotta spread and olive oil. I was reluctant to order the bread because I wanted to save room for other things but I would recommend this EVERY time now. Well, because the apps were so huge, we decided to ditch ordering two pasta dishes and two entrees as initially intended and just ordered a salad and the salmon minestrone for the two of us to split. We got the beet, arugula, horseradish salad: one of the best salads ever. Beets were beautifully cooked and it was all so flavorful. Salmon: perfectly cooked... I would say between medium and medium rare. Sat on top of a minestrone broth and vegetables. Dessert: we got some sort of special holiday cake/parfait which was also to die for. Very interesting and I was proud of myself for ordering this and not sneaking next door for salt and straw as I was half expecting to (self control at play, people). Next visit we intend to try more salads and pasta! Will be returning soon. A new go-to place to bring guests.
(5)
Amanda L.

The only question unanswered tonight is why has it taken me so long to come to this delicious place!? My fiance and I came here with a gift card. I had heard of the amazing food here since relocating to PdX 2 years ago, but for whatever reason had failed to come until today. We arrived a few minutes after 5 and we're seated immediately, even without a reservation. Complimentary cool carbonated water greeted us at our table on the 90 degree Portland day. We decided to share some items but were unsure of what to choose so our waitress offered her knowledge of the menu and made suggestions with descriptions to assist us in our decision. She said the garden items were the house specialty so we choose the Tuscan Calvary, which as many reviews have noted has been on the menu since the place opened (& for OBVIOUS reason-- so delicious!) and the snap peas with frikeh, cashews, & riccotta. The bread crumbs on the Tuscan Calvary added the perfect textural balance. The cashews and mild heat of the peas were also delightful enhabcements tl the peas. Although both dishes were quite different from one another they were so delicious and well balanced in the flavor profiles, I was left wishing I had ordered solely from that part of the menu. The quote of the night came when I was scooping the last of the kale off the Tuscan Calvary plate and I jokingly said to my fiance, "Do you think they would notice if I licked the plate?" To which he replied, "If you did, you wouldn't be the first!" Our next shared course was the linguine with clams. Ah-ma-zing! The noodles were a bit thick and cooked slightly too aldente for my taste but the flavor of the broth was undeniably incredible. We wished we had bread to sop up every last drop of the goodness left in the bowl. Our last course was the Chinook salmon with pickled cucumber, almonds, and basil. Again, was cooked to perfection with surprisingly crispy skin despite all the juices and sauce on the plate. When my fiance was away from the table I mentioned to the waitress that it was our anniversary and asked for panna cotta to be delivered to our table after our meal. The waitress not only delivered the delectable vanilla Panna cotta with dehydrated strawberries and strawberry puree, but then comped us for the sake of our Anniversary! The service up to that point was already stellar and spot on. However, her gesture pushed it over the top. We were extremely pleased and impressed with this restaurant. In a city that has so many great places to dine, it's nice to see one with great food AND exceptional service.
(5)
Vivian N.

The environment and atmosphere of the place was so soothing, especially for a small place. when my boyfriend and I walked in, it was so packed we thought we weren't going to be able to get a table. the wait for 2 was 30 min and the lady who was helping us told us she would call me if a table was available any sooner, so we decided to walk around the block for a bit. 15 minutes later we got a call and headed back to a table that was ready for us. The food was so good, the menu was kind of hard to read since neither of us knows Italian. but our server helped us a lot in relations to the menu! I have never been to a restaurant that had ever wiped the table so many times! even for a few water drops on the table! and after each entree they took our plates away and gave us new ones! I was amazed because normally at other places you would keep the same plate throughout the whole night. we skipped dessert because we were too full. people around us who ordered dessert made it look so good! we expected the bill to be a little expensive, BUT it was cheaper than what we had in mind! We definitely will be returning back!!
(5)
Mark L.

Due to the hype, I have been waiting quite some time to get to Ava Gene's. I have seen reservations booked out for months here during the prime dining times. Turns out it was definitely worth the wait! Well designed open concept with a highly visible kitchen. Dimly lit, buzzing with happy diners and drinkers. The restaurant has a large L shaped bar with tables filling the middle of the establishment. The business is hopping. even so, our waitress was quick to greet us and make us feel welcome. She was VERY knowledgable about everything the restaurant offers and was quick to answer any questions we had. Her knowledge was obvious and she spoke with a passion for the restaurant and the menu. The Goods: The Glove $12 bourbon, cognac, amaro zucca, crimson crisp apple juice. Super well balanced and tasty. Boulevardier $10 rye whiskey, COCCHI DI TORINO, campari - always a goodie 2011 Vietti Barbera D'Alba - what can you say about this wine...its a great standby. The wine list here is all Italian. Some really nice selections all over the price ranges. I don't really love how the wine menu is set up but, it is navigable. If you have any questions the sommelier is very helpful. The eats: Leporati (parma IT) $11 - Whats not to like...I would wear Parma ham underwear if I could! Fritti Misti di Verdure, honey, sarvecchio, bee pollen $14 - A really great dish, perfectly cooked! chicories, olives, egg, meyer lemon, anchov $13 - I am down for anchovy anything, but this dish was spectacular! One of my favorites all night! Citrus, Avocado, Fennel, Bottarga, Pistachios $13 - another big winner! Pasta with Ribeye meatballs and burrata $22? I guess they only offer this on Mondays? The pasta was great but the star were those Ribeye Meatballs. Super rich, just the right amount of fat! Culotte, Maitakes, Black Truffle $40 - I LOVE this cut of beef. Not many places offer it and I am not sure why. Perfectly cooked and I will never be mad at the addition of black truffle! This was a really great experience. Every dish was spot on, service was spot on...just a really great time. No doubt you should get here when you can!
(5)
Jenn W.

I cannot say enough good things about this newish establishment on SE Division. Their innovative use of fresh and local ingredients is a hallmark of the Portland cuisine scene. I highly recommend their salads and encourage ordering the smaller portions so diners can experience more of their menu. The service is top notch, but I do strongly recommend making a reservation and going on a day that is not 95 degrees since there is not air conditioning. We will most definitely be back!!!
(5)
dara b.

We went here for my partners birthday it was amazing everything we had was super delicious. I had a salmon sort of carpaccio dish over these cucumbers and carrots it was super healthy as well. It was the best dish I have ever had. My partner had a pasta dish super yummy in their opinion. We also tried this bread with smoked salami spread super good as well. Really innovative menu and lovely well presented food and service :)
(5)
Danni D.

The space is sexy and playful. The service is spot-on. And they take reservations. It's like a planetary alignment the likes of which are not seen in ten Portland lifetimes let alone one. Where to begin? First, forget about getting your own food. Order lots of things in each course heading and plan to share. A salad trio is a must. If you miss this option just go home. You're not ready for this place. Next up is a couple of different grilled breads - "pane." I still tear up a little when I think of the one I had with "Mopsey's best" cheese from the Black Sheep Creamery. I've never met Mopsey but I love her exquisitely and completely. Yes I know that "Mopsey" is likely a conglomerate of many ewes, but I like to imagine one ewe who is just better than the rest. And she knows it. The pasta course always consists of perfect al dente pasta. I can't seem to get past the sausage and orecchiete. It is wonderful. And very difficult to share. Let me clarify. It's difficult for me to share. I want it all to myself and envision stabbing the hands of anyone who gets too close. So if you're looking for a super sexy night that could possibly end in murderous, dish-defending rage, get yourself a reservation! Maybe check your food-guarding ways at the door, you know, for the good of the date.
(5)
M H.

Not impressed, and doesn't live up to the hype and trade press. We booked our birthday reservation a month in advance and they seated us at a table in front of and blocking the emergency fire exit. Not sure how that is legal, because had their been an emergency, we would have been trampled. Food was above average, but nothing special. They forgot our vegetable order until they asked us for dessert. Wine recommendation was poor. Wine list is beautiful, but prices were way too high, in some cases 6x retail. They come across as being very greedy and overplaying their reputation. So this is one of Portland's best restaurants? There are much better options at a better price in PDX. We won't be returning.
(3)
Berry G.

My coworker did a Google search for best restaurants in Portland and this one came up so.... Appetizer dish: cauliflower, anchovy, calabrian chiles, pinenuts--amazing, and I'm not really even into veggies Appetizer dish: roasted olives--amazing Main dish: Monday Meatball (basically spaghetti with meatballs) with a giant dollop of mozzarella. I was very surprised by how small the portion was for $22. It was about the same size as a can of Chef Boyardee. But I must admit it was good. A slight spicy kick, and a bit of a crunch.
(4)
Patrick M.

Ava Gene's is a hipster chic gem. Every visit is met with amazing and incredibly knowledgeable service. They are well versed in the wine menu and always make it feel like a special occasion. They are accommodating to veggie/vegans and gluten free as well. I would call this a "must eat" when visiting Portland for the first time.
(5)
Lin H.

eh. My friend and I have a tradition of going to trendy Portland places for my birthday and we were excited to try Ava Gene's largely because of its excellent reviews, including that it was considered one of the top 5 new restaurants according to Bon Apetit. However, we were pretty disappointed. Obviously, this review is based on one time there, but that was really enough. I agree with Dian K's review that our overall impression of many of the dishes were that they were overly salted. Our first dish was a fried rice ball with squid ink. It was served with shaved cheese and a lemon wedge. It was perfectly decent and kept our expectations high. The next course, however, was our bread course. We received a fairly charred piece of bread drowned in olive oil that practically gushed fat into my mouth. The oil overcame the mushrooms and the charred bits were pretty unsalvageable. I placed the charred bits back on the board. We ordered an ox tail ragu as well as a carbonara. The pasta was perfectly cooked, but served fairly room temperature despite the plates being hot. This made me wonder if the dishes were reheated or left under a heating lamp for too long. The carbonara was the better of the two, but tasted predominantly of salt with a secondary note of cracked pepper -- which is fairly dull. The ragu was just poor with the ox tail chopped so fine, it seemed pointless to even choose it as the particular protein. It also had chopped chicories which seemed a bit too pungent, especially for the oxtail. All in all, it was an unpleasant dish. Finally, we had the scallops. These were well seared and soft, but I have to say that I've been spoiled by many a well cooked scallop in a variety of Asian restaurant and I'm not necessarily wowed simply by the ability to cook one. One of our scallops was extremely overly salted as if someone's hand slipped, which really took away from the dish as well. The flavors were decent (salty fish roe and sweet scallops, however too salty considering one had the slip up with seasoning), though I have had exceptional scallops previously. However, it was lovely to look at. The real star of Ava Gene's was attentive service (almost creepily attentive -- stop looking at me!!!! I felt like people were whispering into their lapels, "The eagle has landed! The eagle has landed! Clear the plates!"). However, we were uncertain as to why this was considered one of the top restaurants in the nation, supposedly. In the end, we skipped dessert considering the previous courses and went across the street to Lauretta Jean's for some spiced pear pie for my friend and some apple brandy blackberry pie for me.
(2)
Lily S.

I don't know who these people are, bitching about the food and service, b/c Duane Sorenson hit it once again with this lovely place called Ava Gene's. Things you should order: - the burrata...b/c who doesn't like burrata? You have to be out of your ever-loving mind to not love this. - gnocco frito...ummm, YES. No questions asked. - the radiatore - the cavatalli AND - amish butter corn polenta...*SWOON* We had tiramisu for dessert. ALL OF IT WAS AMAZING. We love food, as you know, and did not have one bad thing on the menu. Our server was fantastic, and the space is super cool. Lily likey. Lily will return-y.
(5)
Heather C.

Fantastic service and atmosphere. After a trip to New York City, Portland (home) is a breath of fresh air. I REALLY want to give five stars, but I just can't do it. Two things: 1) The menu is mind boggling confusing, and the "Glossary" that they include is only a slight bit of help. I probably would have ordered something else if I knew what they were. Believe me, I'm just as impressed with a menu that is written in English. Maybe even moreso. 2) Is it worth the price? In Portland, maybe not. You can get a fantastic meal of this caliber at quite a few other places. If this restaurant were in any other city, the prices would make sense. -- Wine suggestions were great: Red for him, white for me. -- Veggies fried in batter with slight drizzle of honey. So good, but I can't remember the name of it. -- Simple green mizune salad. Wonderful! Almost every leaf on the plate was different, and it was perfectly dressed. -- Garlic bread. Every drop of butter is worth it. -- Pasta with meatballs. Best meatballs ever. -- Halibut on minestrone. To die for. Halibut was perfectly prepared, and the broth in the minestrone was amazingly clean and complex. We ordered the only things that we recognized on the menu, although we had to ask about the fried veggies. The only thing that may keep me from coming back is that I wouldn't know what to order next time without asking a million questions.
(4)
Sara C.

Popular, acclaimed, yet entirely average. Great interior, pretty good service (it dwindled as we made our way from appetizer to bill) but sadly the food was simply okay. I expected more - especially if you take into account its reputation and the fact Portland is supposedly on another level. The pumpkin salad with brown butter and their non traditional garlic bread were standouts but the pastas were bland and the arancini balls didn't even break my top 10. Course I've had some stellar ones so they had big balls to fill.
(2)
Juan S.

I'd say i really haven't eaten anything like the food served here. "Modern Italian" I heard it was called. Really hard to describe except the food is very unique, different, but delicious. I liked the halibut and breads the best. Service was friendly and prices were fair. Although i'm not sure this place would be on my regulars list, I'd recommend it to check out.
(4)
Mia P.

Came here for our anniversary for the first time. The food was not memorable but not bad. We probably won't be returning anytime soon but we are not against the place. The restaurant is pretty cramped. We were sitting only about a few inches away from out neighbors on each side, wouldn't exactly call that romantic.
(3)
Karen R.

Very good Italian food! I had the spaghetti alla norma and my husband had rigatoni with chicken ragu. The rigatoni was spicy and delicious! The spaghetti had a great amount of eggplant which gives it a meaty feel. We also had garlic bread which was buttery and had shaved parmesan and parsley. We will be back!!!
(5)
Linh F.

this place did not have any available reservations online, which was expected since we were trying to make a reservation two hours in advance. determined, we decided to go there and try our luck with a party of 6! right place at the right time? the host let us sit down right away but let us know that he would need that table in 2 hours! can i just say that i am in love with this type of efficiency? we were/are grateful for such an accommodating host! what we ordered: 1) salumi - great app to share. 2) tre scelte dai giardini ($32) - three choices from the gardens (aka salads). this is a good choice if you want to try a few of their salads/veggies. we chose (i) cauliflower, asparagus, almonds, honey vinegar, (ii) zucchini, hominy, pistachio, oregano, aleppo pepper, and (iii) cucumbers, snow peas, squid, barrel-aged colatura, filberts. 3) gemelli fava beans, pistachio pesto, occhipinti ($20) 4) anneloni, rabbit ragu, ruby streaks ($20) 5) spaghetti, bay shrimp, pomodorini, chiles ($20) 6) ricotta cavatelli, sausage, purple broccoli ($20) 7) lamb leg, cauliflower, pistachios, couscous ($30) THE FOOD: the salads were delicious! the zucchini / hominy salad was probably my favorite, while the cucumber / snow pea salad was a close second. surprisingly great flavors. something i would definitely recommend. the cauliflower is very light. while this was good, i probably would go for one of the other salads next time. all the pastas were uh-freaking-mazing. i repeat. uh-mazing. we loved them all. fresh pasta. kick-in-the-face flavors. very well done. if i had to pick one, i would suggest the spaghetti with bay shrimp... but i really would get them all again. i'm pretty sure their menu changes on the regs... but i'm confident that anything they make here is going to be great! i can understand why so many people are in love with this place. pastas are excellent. definitely one of our favorite meals. ATMOSPHERE: i loved the decor. think stylish with an old school feel. is that a thing? very trendy. marble, high ceilings, and great lighting. who doesn't love low hanging bulbs? if you're into restaurant interiors, you will find this place delightful. more importantly, check out the bathrooms! they are so cool! i wont spoil the surprise. just make sure you make a visit! SERVICE: our waitress was great! staff in general is attentive... further adding to the charm of this place. PARKING: this sits on the same street as pok pok and salt & straw. we didn't have an issue parking. we found spots in the local neighborhood (free). OVERALL: we had a great experience at ava gene's! i'm careful not to overhype this place. i know the reviews of this place go back and forth and a lot of people are not happy about the price. but i say...you get what you pay for... and this place is definitely worth it. this is a beautiful restaurant with a special take on traditional italian. mindblowingly great? some will think so (like us) but in general you are in for a great meal. get ready for some fantastic, quality pasta.
(5)
Christina L.

Amazing service and food. I recently was down for business in Portland, and went out with some co workers. We were treated wonderfully. I have to be gluten free, and they did everything to accommodate. I am not sure I have had a meal that great in some time! Every dish was well executed, flavors, portions... ect Would recommend and eat here many more times to come!! LOVE!
(5)
Dana R.

The best casual Italian I've had. In fact, we ate here two nights in a row! The first night we shared the small charcuterie plate -- killer breadsticks (although there could have been a couple more for my liking) and incredibly fresh meat -- prosciutto, soppressata, mortadella and another salumi I can't remember -- all lovely! The menu changes literally every day so the first night I had the cavatelli ceci et pepe. The pasta melted in my mouth and the sauce was sublime. The second night I had the tagliatelle with a lovely ragu sauce. My husband had the spaghetti all'amatriciana the first night -- which he enjoyed; great fresh pasta and a light, spicy red sauce. The second night he had ricotta raviolis with sweet corn sauce and chanterelles -- out of sight good -- so delicate and fresh. On the second night, I also had the little gem salad with a lemon cream dressing, sunflower seeds, breadcrumbs, and thin fiore sardo shavings. Simply outstanding. Each night we also had the garlic bread all'americana -- my favorite garlic bread, ever. Open faced bread grilled with olive, butter and garlic, then parsley and loads of reggiano shavings are added to the top. Yummy. The first night we ordered the tiramisu -- very good, not outstanding like everything else -- the "weak link" in the dinner. Great wine list -- and knowledgeable wine service. Love the decor, from the mirrors over the kitchen bar seating to the lighting and hutches. We did get a little warm sitting at a table near the kitchen on the first night due to the roaring fire in the kitchen -- I can't imagine sitting at the actual kitchen bar! The second night we were seated near the front windows and it was lovely. Will definitely be back next time we're in Portland.
(5)
Jeff C.

I wish good restaurants would stop buying grass fed beef. It's tough and full of gristle, something Ava Genes needs to learn. The ribeye was so tough tonight I thought I was back in 1955. Everything else was fabulous. At least we were not charged for it. Great service.
(2)
Zack B.

I was told to go here by a bartender down the who said this place is generally delicious but specifically the salads / vegetable plates are amazing. Sitting by the chefs is always fun, and the salad? Quite simply the best salad I've had in my life.
(5)
M W.

While in town for business, a group from work came to Ava Gene's for dinner one evening. The place is small but nicely decorated, with a large bar. We shared some salads to begin, one of which was the kale salad. Not sure of all the ingredients but it was very tasty. I then ordered the rigatoni with chicken ragu, which had a nice spice to it and large chicken pieces. It tasted very fresh, and I understand the pasta is house-made. My only somewhat negative comment is the prices were a bit silly for what you get. While a nice dinner spot, Ava Gene's shouldn't take itself too seriously.
(3)
Margot D.

Five Tips For Ava Gene's One: Go on a night when the lovely Colleen is working. Seriously. Make sure she's your server. She's utterly delightful. Two: Go hungry. Really hungry. This is an important one. Three: Tell Colleen your budget, what you love in a red wine, and how many courses you want. Don't bother picking anything off the menu, let her do it for you. I GUESS if you have dietary restrictions you can specify those here, but really you should just eat whatever she brings. Besides, if you're anything like me you probably won't know what half the stuff on the menu is, anyway. Four: In between courses, have a dance party in the magical bathroom. Be sure to take your phone in there so you can Shazam whatever gorgeous tunes they are playing, and then download them later and obsessively listen to them for the next week. Five: Finish every bite of food they bring you, every drop of wine in the bottle(s), and give everyone hugs on your way out. This is seriously the kind of restaurant it's possible to have an epic love affair with throughout the course of a four course meal. The restaurant is cozy, ultra romantic, and just gorgeous. All the servers and staff are excellent, and the food is to die for. If you want to impress the socks off someone, propose to your loved one, or just have your heart burst with beautiful food-related joy, make a reservation right now. Right. Now.
(5)
Kathleen G.

I have been so excited to try this restaurant and was so disappointed as were our dining companions. Upon arrival we were seated at a very nice table. The ambience is very sleek and open which is quite the trend today. The problem was, the hard surfaces with no relief made it extremely noisy. There were only four of us and we could not hear across the table. We found ourselves yelling at one another across the table. Scotch selection was very limited. Brands commonly found at upscale restaurnats were not available with only the most obscure labels being served. The Negroni that I had, however, was excellent. Wine selections were from Italy only. I find this counterintuitive given that we live in the midst of arguably the best wine producting region in the world. Corkage fee is $25 which is high even for San Francisco. Our appetizer choices were meats and cheeses and fried things. We opted for the fried vegetables--very ordinary, asparagus, snap peas and carrots served with a fine chil mayonnaise. Our other appetizer was fried dough served with a side of proscuitto. It was fine but it did not make much sense to any of us. Salad selections were numerous and there were many interesting choices. We all chose a snap pea, cashew, spring onion salad with a light vinaigrette and ricotta salata. It was excellent and, from my perspective the best food on the table all evening. No bread is served unless ordered separately. One of our companions ordered the garlic bread--$6 for two modest slices. It was fine but nothing special. For my entree, I chose a pasta dish with proscuitto, brocolli and black pepper. The homemade pasta was very good. However, the rest of the dish was quite pedestrian--very little protein, a couple of large florets of broccoli and very little black pepper with breadcrumbs on top. The servings are modest for $20. The most puzzling dish of the evening was my husband's rib eye steak. It was cut less than 1/2" thick, overcooked and a very unappetizing color (not a surprise given the thickness of the meat). Even with only a quick sear, residual heat would overcook the meat. At $38 this is certainly not was expected. My husband was still talking about it this morning. I love the great inventive food served around Portland and am happy to pay the price for an excellent meal. However, this restaurant would not fit into that category and I will not return.
(2)
Meg W.

Pretentious is the word that comes to mind when describing this restaurant. Let's break it down. Atmosphere: Beautiful but average. Comparable to nice higher end restaurants. Most diners were older, stuffy types when we went. Menu: they have a glossary. Need I say more? Translates to..hard to understand what is on the menu. Service: Pretentious and clueless. If part of the experience is learning Italian words, server must take experience to the next level, rather than exasperatedly say "what don't you understand exactly?" Yes I am referring to our pixie blonde, spectacle'd server. Food & Drink: Wine: Pinot (starts with an A) good, not great. Again failed description from server. Starters: Kale: overpowered by lemon. We eat Kale in California by the buckets. Presentation was literally flat, overly grainy and too lemony. There are so many great kale preparations, this one was basic. Beets: chef likes nuts on everything. Great flavors too much nuts. Would have been better with avocado or a little bit of greens. Olives: yummy, warm, very textured with garlic I think. Pumpkin: shaved like spaghetti noodles, with candied walnuts. Very good. My favorite. Burratta - comes with 4 pieces of sliced ciabatta but termed pizza here (again with the pretentiousness). Delicious! Get this. Pane (bread platter): we got the non warmed combo platter with more of the sliced ciabatta, very dry dark rye and crispy flatbread. Was trying to ask our server the pane options and this to us was a failure based on her unhelpful description. I can only surmise our server does not know the types of bread the restaurant serves. For example, she knew we were getting the burratta with similar "pizza". A better server should recommend something else/different, not a repeat. Pastas: Chicken meatball garganielle (similar to penne) - in tomato based sauce. Yummy!!! Def. recommend. Veggie tortellini - nice combination of flavors. Also recommend. We had a time limit on our table as we were a walk in but they gave us a very yummy gelato for dessert. Overall, this place has good food. Restaurant needs to lose the attitude and pretentious menu. Has the potential to become a fun, hip place but it's not there yet. Feels like it's trying too hard.
(3)
Kristi P.

A restaurant that actually lives up to all of the hype! We got the trio of vegetables. The pole beans and snap peas were my favorite with perfectly prepared veggies (the peas seemed to also be grilled?). We ordered the agnolotti stuffed with beets, which was rich and pleasantly sweet. The rigatoni with pork was very hearty with toothsome pasta. The salmon was also well prepared and moist. The service was excellent! Our waitress was friendly, very knowledgable and did a great job explaining different dishes and making recommendations. She did not pressure us into ordering anything and did not rush us at all. She was also vigilant about making sure no dishes we ordered conflicted with our nut allergies and was sure to have the chefs omit the walnuts from a dish where walnuts were not listed in the description. She also offered the option of walnuts on the side for those in our party not allergic. For a party of 3 women, 3 vegetables and 3 primi/secondi entrees to share was perfect with the option of dessert. Overall, a fantastic experience! I can't wait to return!
(5)
Kat D.

Food is nice. But I'm not a fan of shelling out $20 for an appetizer masquerading as an entree.
(3)
Mark S.

The service was outstanding! They took our order and brought food promptly, were extremely attentive, answered any questions we had, and exceeded my expectations which were already high for an expensive restaurant. The wine recommendation was also excellent and exactly the style we had described to the waitress. The only reason I don't give a full 5 stars is the menu and food, but keep in mind my wife and I also set a high bar for a dinner for two over $100. (and maybe part of this was my fault for not asking enough questions before ordering) The menu is mostly in Italian, lacks descriptions, and the food was not traditional Italian. The snap peas and burrata were pretty good, especially the burrata. My wife ordered the salmon which we thought was a bit overwhelmed with cucumber flavor. I got the lamb ragu which while the noodles were great, the ragu meat sauce wasn't very good or at least not what I was expecting. The gellato was great! All in all the night was fun but we both are wishing we had ordered something different for entrees.
(3)
Ryan M.

The food was pretty good, had an assortment of salads to start that were each good but different. Then had the steak that was good, but not extremely filling. What really killed it for me was the place is extremely loud. I could not hear the person next to me and had to yell to be heard. Think it would go a long way to do something like add sound absorbing panels into the elevated ceiling. Lastly, I'd recommend getting a salad, pasta and main dish to be filled at the end, but beware you will end up paying over 100 dollars per person not including drinks, very overpriced for what you get.
(3)
Steven M.

We have been to Ava Gene's multiple times. Always difficult to get a reservation since there rating as the best restaurant by Portland Monthly. Never have a complaint about the food - always good and very seasonal. I do wish that they would put the osso buco on the menu more often - one of the best meals of my life. Love the space and the roaring fire in the wood stove - makes it a comfortable space to enjoy your meal. The whiskey sour is one of the best in town. The only knock that I have for Ava Gene's is the waitstaff. Overall, the multiple visits we have had we have never experienced the staff to be friendly or very attentive to your needs unless it is time to pay the bill or to push the dessert menu. It just seems that they are surly most of the time, and that they are bothered with questions or inquiries about the food preparation. If it weren't for the food, I would honestly say that the wait staff would turn me off to this place.
(4)
monique r.

I have been here a few times now and I love it! its on the pricy side but the food is always delicious. I have been lucky enough to get in without a reservation but I think that I would for sure need one for prime time hours. A must try!
(5)

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Address : 3377 SE Division St
Portland, OR, 97202
Phone (971) 229-0571
Website https://avagenes.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :5:00 pm - 11:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

Claim Restaurant

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

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Ava Gene’s

3377 SE Division St, Portland, OR, 97202

Ava Gene’s Menu

Formaggi

Salumi

Fritti

Pane

Giardini

Primi

Secondi

Contorni

Family Style

Drinks

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ava Gene’s

Formaggi

Salumi

Fritti

Pane

Giardini

Primi

Secondi

Contorni

Family Style

Drinks

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