Southpark Seafood — Restaurant in Portland

South Park(not the Cartoon) is SO good. I drive into Portland just to eat there. I’ve been here a month and have eaten here more than five times.

This is a gem and an institution. It should be protected.

The consistency and quality of the food is outstanding. I go specifically for Brussels Sprouts and they are PERFECT every time. They are my top 3 at this point.

I always get the Swordfish or the New York and modify with fries. Sometimes this is too much food I sometimes take the New York home to have at breakfast, if I’m too stuffed and it’s always perfect.

The service is consistently outstanding. I’ve been lucky to have the same server a few times.

My one point of feedback is that they should collect info when guests arrive. I do not like sitting at a bar. I like my space and hate the thought of bumping others when I eat. It’s also quite uncomfortable for me in terms of seating. Perhaps collect data on how many times folks have visited and their preferred seating.

Also of note, depending on the host or hostess it can feel like I’m a bother. Still, the food and service is so superb that this becomes long forgotten at first sip and bite. 😊

One more point of feedback, I stopped in on Sunday and it was closed. Google showed it as opened. This was 6:40. Again, I think having guests phone and email would help. Sending a notification that there is an event or early close would be helpful for those of us that love to stop in.

Actually one more thing that is not related to the restaurant. There is a slew of afflicts that hang out near by and across the way at the water fountain. On multiple occasions they wander quite close to the restaurant. This has impacted my decision on how and where I park. I’m sure others feel the same. Since I’m new to these parts I don’t know the process to improve this. It’s a bigger issue than the folks who own the restaurant but something to be mindful of if it’s your first time visiting.

Finally, make a reservation and take your time savoring every morsel. I’m in love and they have a customer...

Ok, let me start off by saying that the photos don't do justice. I only have a few to share (some are not even mine and from family who were with me), but our overall dining experience was Ahhhhh-mazing. Or superb. Or fantastic. Or perhaps better to say close to perfect.

Pre-dining: Happy that we were able to place and book reservations early, because the list was quite full especially this holiday season. It was a surprise dinner for me, and boy it was such a great experience, and I would say the plan was perfect. The restaurant is located in the heart of downtown portland, two blocks away from Portland Symphony. Booking was easy breezy, and you can choose from their 2-hour window reservations.

Dining experience: Prior to our arrival, we had a great stroll within the area which is vibrant, dynamic and just full of life! Parking was easy as well (we parked a few blocks away).

There were quite a few dishes that were not available during that time, but still, the ones that we ordered were delectable - from the appetizers to the main dishes to the drinks and the desserts to top it all.

My personal favorites were the (1) Manila Clams, with THE PERFECT fusion of flavors, the (2) Ceviche, their version of Cerveza Negra, and the desserts. Yup, so good I forgot their names (and mine). I even received a birthday card from the staff!

Service was topnotch, ambiance provided a homey atmosphere, and overall experience is excellent. Price was reasonable and definitely worth recommending.

Post-dining: You will crave for the flavors. I think it's both a good and a bad thing. 😋

Two thumbs up, 5 stars, and definitely added to my list of favorite restaurants...

Food was good, but nothing outstanding. We had the Brussel Sprouts, Swordfish, King Salmon, Sturgeon, and Poke Salad. We had fries too, but they are fries.

Everything was good, just nothing was great. I think the King Salmon was actually a 3 star dish missing something to make it a real meal and not an ala cart dish. The tiny diced vegetable and small piece of salmon needed something else. It was disappointing. Example, the Sturgeon and Swordfish had rice and potatoes. The smoked winter vegetables was probably about 2 tablespoons worth. And I kid you not, there was 1, yes 1, Brussel sprout cut in quarters included. It was comical actually and we all laughed. Just leave it out at that point.

And the food service was very slow. Attentive, but slow. Especially the drinks. Water was placed on the table, we order our drinks. It took about 10 minutes for our drinks to arrive. When we ordered another round, once again, about 15 minutes this time. Actually to late to eat with the food. And they automatically place 20% tip. And to be clear, it was about 50% full. So not crowded.

I can't think of a dish that we had where we went "Ohhh, I want to come back". The service was ok, but nothing that made you feel like you were eating at a nicer restaurant, especially one that forces a 20% tip and then asks for even a little more at checkout. Would I come back? Sure, it's fine, I will get an OK meal, but it would not be on the top of my list. It's a solid shrug of the shoulders meal. It's fine, but nothing to get...