I've been to Old Salt Marketplace 3 times now. The food has been great, but my latest visit is what made me decide to write a review. The service on my most recent visit was excellent. Emilee was attentive, knowledgeable and made great recommendations. I definitely recommend checking this place out.
Great food and service. Original plates and very tasty.
Our favorite dinner spot in Me Portland. Grass fed and organic meat done right.
OLD SALT ALMOST LOST US. -went for dinner last night and almost never got a chance to eat the wonderful food because the male server (un-named) seemed to take it personally that we didnt see the "please wait to be seated" sign. We seated ourselves amongst many open tables (it was early in the evening). The male server came to the table with water and asked if we had a reservation. I said no and he muttered "slipped between the cracks..." then proceeded to blatantly and systematically ignore us while serving newly seated tables all around us for at least 20 minutes. While we considered leaving and taking our hard earned dollars elsewhere, a female server (Emily) spotted us and apologized profusely and commenced with serving us an amazing meal. Thanks for saving the day Emily! The male server needs to find a new job. He clearly hates this one.
Very pleased with my experience! Wait staff was friendly and helpful, the food was VERY good. I was impressed with the quality of the ingredients, and was happy to explore some of their appetizer options: creative! As a bonus, my negroni was one of the best I've ever had.
Imagine arriving at a restaurant for the first time, finding a place to sit at a group table (this was a sponsored event), going to the restroom, and upon attempting to exit said bathroom to meet your fellow guests and enjoy a meal, being unable to escape!
I have entered (and managed to leave) bathrooms all through North America without incident, and have successfully negotiated in-line locks, deadbolts, sliders, flip-overs, and all manner of devices designed to assure privacy....and this was the FIRST time I have found myself imprisoned in an "unsavory chamber".
I tried everything...which was basically, trying to turn the knob on the lock the OPPOSITE direction from the "lock position" and thus (I hoped) clearing me for exit....to no avail.
I stopped, pondered the situation, tried again and again, with no success.
I jiggled, knocked, rattled, and did all I could to free myself. Finally, I started banging on the door hoping someone on the outside would hear my pleas, all the while becoming increasingly embarrassed at my plight.
The banging was heard and someone (I assumed an employee) started shouting at me to move a deadbolt. Huh? There was no deadbolt visible. This person kept shouting at me about the deadbolt. Finally, in the mechanism of the doorlock assembly I saw a teeny deadbolt that would not budge, try as I might by moving it with my fingernail. I became increasingly unnerved and impatient, and FINALLY, either by my own efforts or those of someone on the outside, the door OPENED!
I came home and wrote an e-mail to the place, mainly to express my dissatisfaction and to alert them to a problem so that other customers would not suffer my fate.
Ben Meyer, one of the owners replied and basically told me that the whole thing was my fault because I did not operate the lock correctly. "... the lock and door are in fine working order," he asserts. Then he outright lies when he wrote that "The slide lock on our bathroom door is a standard door lock. It does not automatically lock, or catch in any way.." I assure you, it is NOT standard and DOES automatically lock. Mr. Meyer entirely discounts my own experience, THEN later tells me he hopes he won't "lose a customer." RIIIIIIGHT!
Welcome to the alternative universe of Old Salt! If being locked in a bathroom is your idea of a fun night out, by all means visit this place!! But don't complain about it later, because they don't care!
I'm so glad I finally made it to this restaurant and market. Just a wonderful experience. Wait staff very friendly and the food was super. Can't wait to try dinner and the weekend brunch
I consider myself something of a foodie, and I do not lightly say that this is easily one of the most amazing dining experiences of my life. We have twice had their "we cook for you" deal and each time has been a transformative delight. I have eaten things in this restaurant I have never enjoyed anywhere else and had my mind blown by how delicious it all is. If you haven't made it up to the NE to eat here, you are missing out!
Great place with great food you should definitely try it!
It's very good. And like the name, it's ver-r-ry salty.
Always amazing. Get the tasting menu and be suprised. The food has always been amazing and the variety you get with the tasting menu is wonderful just don't be afraid to eat something you might not normally order. We have been here at least a dozen times and every visit has been memorable. The staff and the bartender(s) have always been very knowledgeable and accommodating. And every one of us, every time, at varying levels of inebriation have been able to operate the bathroom door (read the other reviews, some are hilarious).
Yes, this is obviously the best breakfast&brunch place so far in Portland.
Yum, yum, YUM!!! Being new-ish to this neighborhood, I have been on the lookout for a great breakfast spot. I liked Bumblekiss, but it closed. Service in other establishments was lacking. Then there was Old Salt. My friend and I were able to sit at the bar. The service was quick and efficient, as well as friendly. The atmosphere was inviting and cozy on that rainy day. And the food was absolutely delicious. I had the special, crab cakes benedict, and I was not disappointed. I love benedicts, and it's one of the things that's just a little too tedious to make myself, so I leave it to the pros. At Old Salt, the eggs were perfectly poached, the amount of hollandaise perfect. What was shocking were the salt potatoes. Normally, I don't get excited about roasted potatoes, but these were amazing. Red potatoes, every single one was perfectly cooked. I could go on and on, but all I can say is, now that I have a place to wander for a delicious breakfast on a lazy Sunday, the new neighborhood finally feels like home. Thanks Old Salt! I'll be back for all of the things! :)
Old Salt Market Place is my new favorite restaurant in Portland. Why? There are so many restaurants in this great city it's so hard to pick just one. Is it better than Imperial, Ox, Nostrana, etc etc? Maybe...maybe not. But what I love about this restaurant is the value. This has fantastic wood fired food, in a great atmosphere, and the quality is amazing. But, the value for what you get trumps all other restaurants. I highly, HIGHLY recommend the chef's tasting. It starts at a VERY reasonable $30 per person...we opted for $40 per person and had two appetizers to share, two salads to share, and three entrees (fish, pork, and beef). What an incredible experience!
Wonderful menu and fresh meat for sale. Great atmosphere as well.
Some of the best food in Portland and they have fermented meats!
I've been there for dinner twice and lunch three times. The food is wonderful, the servers have been attentive and informative and the bar has interesting interpretations of some classics and forays into more adventurous territory. The room is a little loud, with all the hard surfaces, but not to the point of distraction. The meat counter has a small but dense selection with prices comparable to New Seasons. Their hamburger was great for burgers, high fat and great taste. For lunch, you can get a sandwich and salad for $8, which is a deal given how good the sandwiches are. It's really nice to have a place this good on 42nd, which prior to this place opening was sort of a dead-spot on the restaurant landscape.
DO NOT eat inside this place. It took almost an hour for our food to be served and everything was over-cooked/burned. Also the place is very expensive and the food was not very good. I don't know why this place was rated so highly.
Wonderful place to dine and grab a drink from the bar. Enjoyed the breakfast today. Had amazing music playing in the background, family friendly. Parking is tight but Worth the walk. Coming back for a muffin from Miss Zumstein bakery on my next trip
The tartar was the best I have had in years. I ordered a second helping. The steak was of equally high quality. The ambience is nice and the service was very attentive.
The pickels are exquisite, the staff is phenomenal. 10/10 would recommend.
I am very sad that Old Salt Market closed on
07/31/2018.
This was the best butcher shop in town to buy beef from.
They broke down a single grass fed animal at a time and
used the whole carcass. Their ground beef was very reasonably
priced. I was told that they own a meat processing plant in
Canby called Revel Meat Company that I guess I will have to
drive to now. Also, Grain & Gristle is their sister restaurant and
they said they will start serving some of their signature dishes
from the restaurant over there.
Straight forward menu. The steaks and sides are prepared simply but awesome. Best steak I've had in Portland. If you don't like your steak sliced when served you'll want to let them know.
The appetizers are worth experimenting with. We haven't had one we didn't like.
The servers seemed uninterested and the food was below mediocre. The beer selection is tiny (this is Portland!). I don't need to say more. Never again.
Ate brunch here late on a Sunday afternoon. We were seated promptly and greated by our server. Excellent food and friendly staff. Wish the Bloody had a bit more umph but I like 'em spicy. Highly recommended.
Everything we had was fantastic, we opted for the Let Us Cook For You option which involves paying a predetermined amount per person and they just bring you amazing dish after amazing dish, it is in essence a tasting menu of a fair amount of their menu. Like housemade pork rinds, kale salad, stuffed squash flowers. Ultra tender thin sliced beef, with pork spareribs, and a bunch of other stuff that was all very very good.
Great food. The Ham biscuit is a must on every visit.
One of the best Eggs Benedict I have tasted. Ambience is good. The staff were pleasant.
Wow! Very quaint restaurant with superb food. We were visiting from Bend and the Old Salt Market was recommended to us from a bartender in town. I highly recommend the "Let Us Cook For You" option for a culinary adventure.
Went for the first time for brunch. Had the leek and salami galette. To die for. The breakfast potatoes are probably some of the best I've ever had. Definitely going back!
Top local pizza place. Brick cheese thick crust is unreal.
Great food, great coffee, great service... small portions and fairly expensive
Great service, great atmosphere, fantastic and attentive waitstaff, amazing food!! I haven't been in a couple years however, Old Salt was as wonderful as I remember. I recommend it to anyone!!
Unusual brunch offerings. Delicious food. Great service. Loved the grapefruit mimosa!
Excellent food, and best cocktails I've ever had! Always a creative new mix to try, and delicious stand-bys and classics as well. They always have good brews on tap. Love the meat pies too!
Excellent food, Gluten-friendly option for the burger--get the patty on top of a specialty salad--bacon too! the meat case looks fantastic, lovely interior, easy to order. Food was fresh and we'll prepared.
Incredible food from local purveyors by front and back of house who know what they're about. Old Salt is closing on July 28, 2010, so do what you night to get a table before then.
It was my first time there, the food was way better than I expected
Run don't walk for this culinary experience. I had never heard of Old Salt when it was recommended by a friend for a birthday celebration. We did the chefs choice experience for $50 per person... 5 courses and wow so much food for the value. Seriously one of the best meals I have eaten in my 4 years in Portland!
This place has amazing brunch yet rarely has a line, so I kinda don't want to rate it! Some of the best bacon in the city, great eggs-and-stuff dishes, friendly service, easy parking. Go go go!
Good service and environment. Food was fine but not worth getting out of your way.
Great meals for a decent price. Been several times already.
Food was great as well as the service. The pancake was awesome as well with the butter. The salt potatoes were delicious. Loved the crunch and sea salt, perfectly seasoned. Yummy. I will be back soon!
Pros: 1. High quality meat counter. Wonderful friendly counter staff. I really appreciate being able to order special meats for the holidays' . The meat comes from family farms in the NW.
2. Brunch food is very tasty. The potatoes are just fabulous, boiled then fried for a soft middle and crusted outside. I have had quiches and the Anadama bread, and various other breakfast items, all of that was great.
3. Housemade Bloody Mary is great!
4. Lunch item -- pastrami sandwich is so amazing! Love it.
4. When weather permitting on the weekends, you can sit outside. I enjoy doing that with my dog.
Cons:
1. I have ordered a few green salads and soups there and the taste is good but for some reason they really OVER salt the heck out of the salad and soups.
2. Once in a while, the brunch service can be hit or miss. My recent visit with a new server was definitely subpar.
I love eating out around Portland - so many fantastic restaurants. Here for the first time tonight, and its the very best meal I have had in years. We did the $50 per person "let the chef cool for you" and every single dish has been perfection.
You would be making a terrible mistake if you chose not to come here. The food is spot on, flawless. The staff are lovely and on point. The cocktails are incredibly done well. Everything here is great and done well with lots of passion. Please don't miss this out. You'll regret it. Go. Here.
I want to give zero star. Food is terrible, the place is not clean. A lot of flies.
Old salt is right. This place has some seriously salty food. I recommend the beef tartar, it was good. I don't recommend the 'let us cook for you' option, it would be a much better deal to order what sounds good to you off the menu, and perhaps you could choose less salty dishes. Needless to say, I'm feeling a bit salty about our meal.
Great atmosphere, decent food. While they do some things really well, not all dishes are winners.
Adore the brunch food; best Eggs Benedict in town! Plus I have always been able to find a seat.
Good brunch, had the salted potatoes which was nice, cinnamon roll was yummy
Excellent breakfast/brunch. The Frittata was fantastic. The salt potatoes are the next best thing to hash browns
Best bloody mary of my life and our whole table loved what they ordered for brunch
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