Jo Bar & Rotisserie — Restaurant in Portland

Jo Bar is basically just an extension of this particular Papa Haydn, serving the same food and drinks, although for years, I only knew it as the place next door that Papa Haydn's customers walked through to use the shared restroom. Now I know better.

My wife and I are sentimentally attached to Papa Haydn, since our first date was at their Sellwood location, but this one on NW 23rd Ave was my first favorite.

Stellar service, fantastic food, brilliant beverages (their green tea concoctions are a must-try!), delectable desserts (their biggest claim to fame), and a reputation as a romantic rendezvous makes Papa Haydn perfectly permitted to such praise. The fare here is composed of simple, familiar dishes elevated to elegance: sandwiches with sophistication, paninis with pizzazz and pastas with panache, soups and salads with substance and style. A perennial favorite of mine is the cubano which, to be fair, is a bit like bunting in baseball: a safe choice that is hard to screw up.

Nights and weekends tend to fill up fast, so lock in a reservation, or be prepared to loiter around outside. Thankfully, any visit to Papa Haydn is...

This could have been an isolated incident, but I had a bad time on NYE (last night). They must have recruited the worst waitress in Portland for that evening's event, because she went out of her way to avoid actually waiting. I know the tactic, avoiding the customer's gaze and often the entire table. We had to hail her co workers more than once, only to have them direct our waitress on our behalf.

When I let my tip speak for me, the 'manager' insisted on hearing what they could do to improve, only after asking the wrong person-- why I was not satisfied with the service. My gf's food was cold, the table became overrun with empty drinking glasses, and we had to approach the bar more than once to get drinks.

If any of these issues, were less explicit, I probably would'nt have focused on the departing shift leaving through the dining room, joking with on-shift staff on the way out.

But, Im an optimist. I feel as if this place could do better. In fact, I'm sure of it. Probably an...

Went at Jo bar side on a not busy Wednesday with husband for drinks and casual food. Reservation for 5:30 but arrived at 5:55 (we called to let them now). No HH menu offered; kind of okay it was 5 min to the end it. Nice and attentional staff, N/A cocktails are correct, Rasberry lemon drop is good . Food depends on the dish. We got The soup of the day: salmon chowder: was okay, lot of potatoes, lack of salmon, tasted good but not really the salmon beet salad: very tasted, big and well balance tastes Duck: very good and perfectly cook but very disappointing by the quantity for a $36 ( that they seems to now charged $38; menu not updated yet as told) for a 2 small pieces that in addition was 2 sides ( not the tender middle!) and a barley and corn rissoto that was fine but not noticeable. banana ice cream with Dulce de lèche and creamy meringue dessert: huge part and very good

We tried but for same price range we prefer other spot. We may give a try...