Mann's On The Lake — Restaurant in Lake Oswego

“What if you combined a Michelin-starred kitchen with the exclusivity of a yacht club and the parking availability of a Taylor Swift concert?”

Let’s start with the beef tartare, which is less a dish and more a religious experience (Thank you Chef Kenny). It arrives with the confidence of a French runway model and the flavor profile of a Parisian love affair. You’ll question why you ever bothered cooking meat in the first place.

Pair it with a glass of Patricia Green Pinot Noir, which doesn’t just complement the tartare—it writes it poetry, serenades it under moonlight, and proposes marriage by dessert. This is not a wine by the glass; this is a wine by divine intervention.

And then there’s the William Larue Weller bourbon, served neat, as God and Kentucky intended. It’s so smooth it could negotiate world peace, or at least convince you that $$$ for a pour is a reasonable life choice.

The Caesar salad? A crisp, garlicky triumph that could make Julius himself rise from the grave and say, “Et tu, Romaine?” And the steak frites? Let’s just say the fries are so good they should come with a warning label: “May cause spontaneous applause.”

Now, parking. If you’re arriving by car, may the odds be ever in your favor. The lot is a Darwinian battleground where only the most cunning survive. But why drive when you can arrive like Poseidon himself—by boat? Just don’t forget the sacred dock code, lest you be cast adrift like a paddle boarder who dared trespass on the hallowed planks of Mann’s private marina. (Seriously, paddle boarders: this is not your moment.)

The bar program? A fever dream of excellence. The Old Fashioneds are so well-balanced they could walk a tightrope in a hurricane. The mixed drinks are crafted with the precision of a Swiss watchmaker and the flair of a Vegas magician.

In conclusion, Mann’s on the Lake is not just a restaurant—it’s a lifestyle. A delicious, slightly smug, boat-access-only lifestyle. Five stars, assuming you can find a...

You could not pay me to come back to Mann’s.

The great location is unable to overcome apathetic staff, terrible organization issues, and a seemingly underwater kitchen.

My wife, toddler and I came by on a Tuesday around 4:30, and were seated on the patio per our reservation. Our waitress informed us that their system had gone down earlier in the day and so things were a little behind - no worries, the patio was really nice and we were happy to sit. We ordered some drinks and several happy hour dishes.

After about an hour we had only received one round of drinks and one of the dishes we ordered. Our waitress informed us that the kitchen had lost the rest of our order and she would try to put it in for a priority remake. We ordered a second round of drinks because she assured us our order would be out shortly. We then waited another 45 minutes before our waitress told us that she thought our order was lost again and would not be coming out. She graciously let us know that we wouldn’t be charged for the items we never received (what a relief!) and we left after spending 2 hours on the patio, having two drinks, an order of wings, and the worst kids meal I’ve ever seen. When we told our waiter we were just going to close out and leave, she took the rest of our toddlers meal away before we could get it boxed up, but included the meal on the final bill. In the end we spent $60 to leave hungry and frustrated, and ended up getting a full dinner for everyone at Holy Taco for the same price.

Excited to see what fills this space next, because it really is a...

Racism, Served with a Side of Indifference

Set along the serene shores of Lake Oswego, this restaurant offers stunning views—but sadly, the beauty stops at the water’s edge. What followed was not just poor service, but a disheartening display of discrimination thinly veiled behind polite smiles.

Our party of six well-dressed professionals arrived with every expectation of a pleasant evening. We were seated promptly, placed our orders, and then waited. And waited. The table next to us, who arrived later, was served quickly. Still, no sign of our food.

An hour passed. A large group arrived and was seated nearby. They, too, were promptly attended to and served within 20 minutes. Meanwhile, our table remained ignored. We inquired about our meals more than once. Eventually, after nearly an hour and forty-five minutes, our modest entrées arrived—cold and underwhelming. Two hours in, the manager made a brief appearance, offering neither an apology nor an explanation beyond, “We’re busy,” delivered with visible irritation.

What set us apart? In our group were a few out-of-town colleagues—who also happened to be the only non-white patrons in the restaurant that evening. The contrast in treatment was impossible to ignore.

This wasn’t just bad service—it was a miserable experience steeped in something far uglier. In 2025, it’s shocking that any establishment would operate with such blatant disregard for equity and dignity.

Avoid this place—unless you’re willing to risk being treated as second-class in a...