You know, I’ve been going to the Paragon for a really long time, and when anyone says Paragon, I’m instantly taken back to the time when I had my first awesome Grilled Cheese sandwich and tomato soup. It takes me back and they have the best so far that I know. I love that hearty home cookin dish during our cold weather. It’s the best! They have a lot of other good food as well. The last time I was there we shared the smoked chicken. sooo good! The BF had the Mac and cheese, oh yum! To die for for sure.
Leila R.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Portland, OR
Went there for a friend’s birthday tonight. It was a group of 20 of us… We got a private room, looked beautiful, for appetizer my hubby and I got muscles and crab cakes which tasted ok. we were stuck with a limited menu! They didn’t allow us to order from the regular menu. We were waiting for everything really long since we were assigned«one» waiter for all 20 of us. After first round of drinks at 7 pm we are never asked for any other drinks for 2 hours. The food was served after 1 hour past ordering. Will I give them another try? Definitely no! My husband got the half chicken and I got the ribeye steak… The steak was so dry and had so much fatty pieces … Disgusting… My hubbies chicken was ok and the sweet potato side was nasty… Hope they make some changes …
Christine G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
Really amazing food. Started with the fried calamari which were nice, and a big portion with two good dipping sauces. I had the rainbow trout which was cooked wonderfully, with a bacon butter sauce(amazing) and perfectly cooked fingerling potatoes and broccolini. The dish was quite large and filing. My husband had the salmon which was also done very nicely with cooked beets. They have a nice list of cocktails, two of which were delicious. The service was good and the atmosphere was nice, didn’t know why it wasn’t more crowded on a saturday night.
Larry B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
I’ve been coming here for years and never thought to place a review. This is one of my favorite restaurants in PDX. I love the atmosphere, service and most of the menu. I love the wings the best I’ve had I think. The drinks are always great, the waiters bring their A game.
Jara A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
Top shelf customer service! Couldn’t be happier! One tiny mishap but was corrected so quickly and effortlessly. Thank you!
Destiny B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Portland, OR
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is divine. Paired with a tailgater(bourbon and iced tea) — this is now my holy grail of lunch meals. So good. Also had a bit of hubs’ french dip which was delicious. Great service. Can’t go wrong here.
Kristen B.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Beaverton, OR
I reserved a table at Paragon for a large party as part of a progressive dinner for my birthday. The reservation process was smooth and the waitstaff very courteous. The atmosphere was lovely as we were seated next to a large garage door which was open to the outdoors. The majority of my party ordered drinks and food items off the happy hour menu with food favorites being the spicy sweet potatoes and wings. Overall I thought that Paragon was a nice place to try but I wasn’t wowed be my experience.
Kelsey H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
Go for the grilled cheese and the tomato soup! So good! The grilled cheese is gooey & crispy. Very large too so enough to share if you’d like. It comes with a small side salad too so it’s a nice size portion. Their mac and cheese is amazing as well. We had Moscow Mules which are my fav and they were good but didn’t come in the typical copper mug but Paragon has always been my go to spot in the pearl and I love it. Never disappointing. Intimate lighting and always open seating in the bar. I don’t think I have ever had to wait here which is nice. Good attentive service and decent prices.
Brenda E.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
Great food and service we were there on a long lunch, but it was quick and great quality. Fun ambiance and great location with lots of parking on this block.
Bean F.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Portland, OR
Drinks were amazing, location and ambience was great. Food was so overpriced and not good. I was really disappointed in that. The rosemary mac and cheese was swimming in oil and I paid $ 13 for a small plate of quinoa with some roasted parsnips and sweet potato. That’s a poor man’s meal! It said roasted vegetables so I thought for that price that it would be something nicer then cheap root vegetables on a small plate. Great place to get a delicious drink but go eat elsewhere!
Melody Y.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Houston, TX
I had the tomato & Old Bay mussels with these two giant hunks of grilled garlic bread. SOGOOD. The broth was light yet savory, with hints of tomato and white wine. Then the mussels were plump and chock full of meat, plus there were a ton of them in the dish. I managed to polish it all off because I figured, when’s the last time I’m going to eat MUSSELS? Only downside was that the mussels weren’t that steaming hot. The soup was rather lukewarm. Still, by the end of the meal I was comfortably full. I also ordered a starter of the Dungeness crab cake. That was very small indeed, especially when split between the four of us in our party – so it was a tiny portion but golden fried with a fennel salad and citrus vinaigrette on top. Also, I read some reviews and folks got bread + olive oil… but our table didn’t. Awkward. Not a big deal since I had plenty of carbs, but still, a little strange.
Liz W.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Boulder, CO
We split the kale salad and calamari alongside two ‘new bad habit’ drinks. The drinks were delicious, not too sweet and perfect for the hot day outside. The kale salad was quite disappointing, bitter with a bland dressing. The calamari had two great dips alongside the serving and there were also fried veggies which was a nice change up. There was horribly loud music indoors which screwed up the experience. I even really enjoy restaurants with live music but this was so over the top it made us rush through our meal, kind of a bummer for an otherwise cool joint. I’d come back for a drink but there is too much good food in Portland to try another dish here that could be a let down.
Joyce L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
We had my birthday lunch today with some dear friends and it was satisfying. All 4 of us ordered the grilled cheese for lunch. A basket of bread and olive oil was brought out while we waited. The bread was so good. Rustic crunch on the outside and soft in the middle. The moment I took a bite of the grilled cheese I instantly fell in love. The bread is the same bread we had prior to our entrée coming out. The salad is drizzled with honey vinaigrette on it. The dressing is light and packed with lots of flavors. Now, the tomato soup was pretty basic for me but still good. The waiter was very attentive during our time spent there. He refilled our beverages and asked if the food was to our liking. You bet it was! Towards the end of our lunch the waiter picked up our plates and brought out dessert plates for my birthday cake that my friend had given me. He even grabbed a pink candle for me. The Paragon is in the heart of the Pearl District. It’s a neat spot. Outdoor seating is available but we sat indoors. If you are in the area regardless of the weather, swing on by the Paragon for a grilled cheese entrée. If grilled cheese isn’t your cup of tea, pick something else. I would definitely return to Paragon in the near future. This was a delightful birthday lunch that I enjoyed very much. Paragon makes the BEST grilled cheese in PDX!!!
Jessica N.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Portland, OR
I don’t know how this place can survive in a place with so much delicious food. Walked in and the vibe was sleepy. Ordered 2 apps — calamari and brussel sprouts — both highly recommended by our server. Both were so bland. Calamari and sauces had virtually no flavor. The brussel sprouts with blue cheese and bacon should’ve been rich and delicious and it was also flavorless. We decided to go somewhere else after our lackluster apps, so when I asked for my bill my card sat on the table for a good 10 minutes. Probably because of the sleepy atmosphere. Too many other great places to eat. We walked down to Mediterranean Exploration Co and had an amazing dinner.
Steven H.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Windsor, CA
Why the low score. 1. The chicken wing appetizer, although large in quantity was essentially very over cooked(black) and at the same time quite tough. Just not good. 2. crab cake appetizer– seriously $ 17 for a single crab cake. 3. Fries with the burger although tasty were nearly cold by the time they arrived 4. Had to ask a second time for the girls drinks There were upsides, the burger was super light and not one of those commercial thick slabs, the pork belly risotto was quite delicious. Having seen the average four stars and the price point, would have expected much better.
Brittany F.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Portland, OR
My boyfriend and I stopped in here on a whim and we both left so satisfied and delighted! We sat in the bar and ordered lunch, the service was great! Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. I ordered the grilled cheese and tomato soup and it hit the spot on that cold winters day. My boyfriend got the pulled pork sandwich and he thought his was great as well. We can’t wait to come back and try Paragon for dinner/happy hour!
Ron T.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Portland, OR
If you like bland, meat and potatoes kind of food and crowd. This is your place. It’s just ok. Nothing stands out. Nothing worth dinging either. So, if you’re perfectly fine with the blandness of life. This is your place.
Susan C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Wilsonville, OR
Great light dinner menu. My husband enjoyed a scrumptious toasted cheese sandwich with tomato soup and salad. I chose a crab cake appetizer and ceasar salad. Not the best. Looks like the sandwiches are the way to go here. Happy Valentines Day!
Mike W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Portland, OR
This review is purely based on happy hour(it’s the only time that I go) Paragon is busy, lively, and full of professionals who come in for a hand crafted cocktail after work. The service is friendly and prompt, the drinks are delicious(try the Fall Classic) and the fire place gives the bar a cozy feel.
Chris O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
I stopped by on a weekday with just myself and my baby in tow. The baby was being a pain and I felt bad even bringing her in, usually she’s cool but today not so much, luckily the staff helped out and we managed well enough that was able to enjoy the best french dip I have ever eaten. The au jus was perfect and full of flavor, the meat not overcooked and the cheese they put on perfectly complimented rather than covering the other flavors. Well done Paragon, I’ll be back top try more.