Insider Pages Reviews for Le Bistro Montage

2 Stars: It used to be awesome! Really! (by Alocasia Green)

Alocasia Green — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 GMT

It makes me so very sad to only be able to give the Montage 2 stars. Really, it does. It used to be an old reliable standby where you could get some tasty grub very late at night and have a decent time doing it. Now, it's where I risk going late at night and *hope* my food has been consistently WARMED before being served to me and that my waitress isn't a TOTAL hag and maybe stops by once or twice to see if I need water.

It's always been loud and it's always been crowded, but it used to be well worth the wait for some cheap and delicious "spold mac". Now the flavor balance of a LOT of the dishes is off (some things way spicier than they used to be or need to be, some dishes way over or under seasoned) and the consistency of the kitchen is questionable at best. On two separate occasions I have literally been served food that was cold on the inside (a warm pasta dish should not be half hot, half cold!).

And don't get me started on the service...

Now, if that didn't scare you off, here are the good parts... the macaronis are GREAT (when they're warm) and cheap. Spold mac used to be my old standby, but it's now way too spicy, so I often go for 'old mac'. The gator bites and frog legs are also pretty darned tasty. The ambiance is neat with the murals and high ceilings, even though it gets way too loud and despite the fact that the staff often seems more into themselves than serving their guests.

So if you're out late and need a cheap bite, give it a shot. If not, I'd go somewhere more reliable and leave this one for the drunken late-night fill-me-up.

1 Stars: Why is this place busy? (by LogicalChefTechnique)

LogicalChefTechnique — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 GMT

I went to this place three times. The first two times it was so busy we waited for an hour an a half, and gave up and left. When we finally get there, we ordered gator jambolya. IT WAS DISGUSTING! It was thick goop, that had a red oil layer on top. The environment is pretty lousy, and tons of unwanted noise. This place is bullsh*t and I would never reccomend it.

2 Stars: Good Late Night (by Mike Nierengarten)

Mike Nierengarten — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:00:00 GMT

This place is good for one thing - after hours dining. Get there late, wait forever for service, and have a great time sobering up so you can sleep.

1 Stars: I wish I could give no stars (by caiter4)

caiter4 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Well, first off it was loud, dark, and strange. I could see straight in the kitchen and the horridly filthy conditions and lack of hair nets or proper food handling I saw immediately turned me off. But I was with a group and couldn't leave. The food was terrible, inedible. and the server refused to split the check for a party of 12 people and would only take max of 5 debit cards. Flies kept buzzing our food and the bathrooms were disgusting. I was sick as soon as I left from the little bit I ate, and the next day the rest of the party that hadn't been sick immediately, complained of being sick.
All in all, I would never go again, and never recommend it to anyone. And I never write bad reviews or judge a place on one visit, so it really was that bad.

5 Stars: Cajun/southern food (by CSMobileUser)

CSMobileUser — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for good southern cuisine, delta in se Portland is great! Fabulous bloodymarys and pbr's in ice buckets!

3 Stars: far from amazing. (by trieuhoney)

trieuhoney — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

best thing about montage are the late hours and funny aluminum animals create with the remainder of your meal. they have your typical noodles, gumbo, some meat dishes, but the taste wasn't amazing. you're paying a bit more purely for the dark candle light atmosphere with very loud music and tons of strangers. if you're around the area, looking to experience a place with a darker setting, this might be what you're looking for, but it's far from "amazing."

4 Stars: A Portland Institution - It's all about the Mac! (by lesfran)

lesfran — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Montage is like no other restaurant I have ever encountered. I remember my 1st visit to the original location up on Morrison in the little red building, I met Old Mac. When they moved down to under the bridge it became all about late nights with spold (it was way more cool when it was an "in the know " item), shooters, and $1 bottles of Rainier. I find the spold is more spicy than it used to be so now now I order old mac and a cup of the Cajun gravy to mix in to my taste. If you have never eaten here you are missing out, remember to save some leftovers for your foil sculpture!

3 Stars: Unless your desperate for late night eats and not picky...this probably isnt' the place. (by sandradeterman)

sandradeterman — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

When I first moved to PDX after living in a city with an actual nightlife, I was sad to hear that the only place to eat after the club was Shari's. But when I heard about Montage, I got excited.

I have lived here for several years now, and while I have been to Montage on many occasions, I think I will choose Roxy's or Hot Cake house, as the food wasn't that much better at Montage, and the host staff in incredibly rude, seemingly on purpose. They must have heard somewhere that in order to be taken seriously, you need to treat your customers like you have something better to do than be assisting them. I find this attitude a real downer, and considering I am a good looking, well groomed person with cash on hand, you'd think they'd want me to frequent their establlishment? Not the case, or atleast, you'll be left feeling that way.

I will say the food was decent. while overpriced for what it is, and the wait staff seems to have good dispositions, so it's always there, as a fall back, if nothing more.

5 Stars: good food! (by PdxBree)

PdxBree — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Best mac n' cheese! I always get the spold mac and my husband always gets the jambalaya. Both are always excellent, we are never disappointed. We have been coming here for years at least once a month and it never fails to please.

1 Stars: horrible experience (by funsized)

funsized — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

the floor was disguesting with trash everywhere. the waitress was a bitchy and took her forever to take our order and we had to ask serveral times and serveral times for the bill. the table was unclean it was the same table cloth from the same person before us.

1 Stars: After eating in this s***hole I no longer believe in even the possibilty of a loving God (by srslynoreasontolie)

srslynoreasontolie — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I evacuated to Portland from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Having been raised in the South I'm very familiar with the cuisine this establishment(I refuse to call it a restaurant) claims to serve. Having been raised by human beings I am somewhat aware of how to behave in a public place amongst other human beings who are trying to eat...apparently, the hipster staff here wern't fortunate enough to receive that training and my boyfriend and I found that out first hand the other night.
This is one of the few "cajun" themed places to eat in PDX and I was excited to get some catfish and frog legs. I know I am not in NOLA and I really wasn't expecting some kind of culinary masterpiece with great customer service from the place but it would have been nice if they could learn that 1) BLACKENED CATFISH DOES NOT MEAN COMPLETELY BULLETPROOF OVERSEASONED CATFISH SHELL WITH A BLAND UNSEASONED CATFISH CENTER. 2) Frog legs should not be giant blobs of FAIL fryed in WTF batter. 3) It's customary to seat people BEFORE making them stand around in a mostly empty bistro for 15 minutes 4) Two adults are going to eat more than the 2 slices of bread you so laboriously dropped on the table 5) If making a decent margarita is beyond the scope of your abilities don't try to overcompensate by throwing too much(clearly cheap) tequila in...even if you're trying to make it a double there's an art to it. 6) The ONLY way wrapping people's scraps in aluminum foil shapes/animals is going to compensate for sitting through that meal is if you shape it like a giant phallus and service yourself with it VIOLENTLY.

To anyone considering eating here- I advise you to go elsewhere if you're looking for genuine soul food/southern style cooking. This place is like a caricature of decent southern food. All the positive reviews for this place are highly suspect IMO. If you're looking for catfish around pdx the only good place I've found so far is called Po' Shine's Cafe on N. Killingsworth

5 Stars: A Buried Treasure! (by pdxrater)

pdxrater — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:00:00 GMT

The place is buried under a highway and inside it is dark candle-lit. The decor and surroundings are not the greatest. But the food was probably one of the top 5 I have had in Portland.

They are famous for their mac and cheese entrees. I ordered the Pesto mac n' cheese that came with diced tomatoes in the corner of the plate and fresh shredded Parmesan on top. It was simple, yet blended together perfectly. Don't be shy to ask for more tomatoes! I also ordered the fried pear salad which was delicious and unique. The bill came out to less than $10.

The service was very attentive and friendly. Great place, inexpensive, and a real find.

5 Stars: Favorite place to eat in Portland! (by Meghan W.)

Meghan W. — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:48:00 GMT

If you are looking for a fun and interesting restaurant experience Montage is definitely the place to go. They have exotic foods such as alligator and frog legs but your basic foods too. I would suggest trying one of their many gourmet mac and cheese entrees. One of my favorite things about this restaurant is the to-go boxes. They wrap your leftovers with tin foil in different shapes such as animals and swords!

3 Stars: Interesting atmosphere, mediocre food (by Heather F.)

Heather F. — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:09:00 GMT

While we had a fun time eating at Montage, the food wasn't killer, and it came to the table leukwarm. The communal seating makes people-watching a must, but means you'll have little privacy. Although, it did allow us to watch the girls next to us eat their oyster shooters without having to eat them ourselves. The drinks were interesting and fairly cheap.

4 Stars: Comfort Food (by Tammy S.)

Tammy S. — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:01:00 GMT

This is a great place for really good comfort food. The atmosphere is incredible, up-beat, comfortable, festive and casual all at once. The staff is festive. The service is good. The food is great.

5 Stars: If the Marx Brothers owned and operated a restaurant ..... (by bfloating)

bfloating — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Its a human zoo. Like eating at the Star Wars Cafe, right out of a movie ! And the food is creative, consistent, reasonably priced, nicely varied and very 'Nawlins' ... VERY. Its a night in the French Quarter. GREAT FOOD, BEST Cajun in the Northwest, and a freak show, starting with e cooks and the insane but efficient wait staff. Kudos my friends, KUDOS. Job Well Done. Open a second one near NW23rd or NW21st streets and you'd have an instant success.

5 Stars: cajun food, wonderful service, late night treats that won't make you feel sick in the morning , cheap, shot (by bugbear)

bugbear — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:00:00 GMT

The de rigueur of South East Portland is still standing after all these years...and it's better than ever! Try the Frog legs and the Rabbit...They're excellente! The drinks are moderately priced and stiff! They don't hold back at all. The ambiance is what Portland used to be...You know that bumper sticker that says, Keep Portland Weird? Well this place is still hitting the nail on the head. Totally! The floor staff and the kitchen crew sure know how to interact and rope you into all their fun! And they're fast and efficient, not like most of the other places around town; These guys should teach the rest of Portland how to "cook to order", it really shouldn't take that long. It's like quick, delicious dinner and a free show all in one. It's so much fun! It's also cheap! So order two or three things when you get there, even if you can't finish them...You're going to wish that you would have...You'll see! (Wink! Wink!) It's the best part of this wonderful, old Portland establishment. Oh...And make sure you tell the owner to delete the recording. He'll know what you mean.

5 Stars: My husband's favorite (by C B.)

C B. — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:25:00 GMT

Excellent back country style cajun food. He loves the spicy spam mac and bobo. And my favorite is the the blackened catfish or oysters. Super appetizers and lots of main dishes - the food is always great. The desserts are wonderful. Yes, the menu hasn't changed - but that's part of what we like best about it. Our favorites are always there and once in awhile, we try what will usually become a new favorite..

It is definitely quirky and some of the waiters a bit odd. It's loud and it's fun. Kids are continually amazed by the foil wrapped leftovers - and that's who these are really for.

If you are looking for some place different, and don't mind bustle and noise, the place is great.

CONS: Opens pretty late for us (6) , since we live out of town.

5 Stars: interesting place with great food (by breezyl)

breezyl — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Food is excellent, atmosphere is great if you don't mind loud music. Try the spold mac- combo of old mac and spicy mac, you can't beat it!

1 Stars: DANGER, DANGER!!!! (by justwanttoeat)

justwanttoeat — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:00:00 GMT

It's dirty dining and the restroom looks worse than one at a gas station stall in middle of nowhere. My experience was you couldn't get greeted in a timely matter, all you do is wait, wait and wait. The staff is tremendiously unefficent, slow, snappy, dirty and overly rude! I saw the staff go out to smoke many times during my "waiting for the meal" and never once seen an employee go to back to wash their hands. It makes you wonder if they wash at all. Better yet there were insects crawling around, no wonder they keep the atmosphere dark and the music loud. At last, I get my food tossed at me because I dared to ask for a glass of water. Food was luke warm and overly seasoned, flavor overwhelming. I have had southern, cajun, creole food and this was a stone soup, a salty slop! It's not for families, romantic dates or casual, it 's below that! If you want lousy service and food, please by all means waste your hard earned moolah!

5 Stars: one of my favorites (by zombistro)

zombistro — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:00:00 GMT

the montage is one of my favorite places to eat in portland. it's great for getting some friends together over diner and a couple bottles of wine. it is fairly loud and dark which is part of the reason i really enjoy the atmosphere. the food is always fabulous, i like the spold mac with rock shrimp and sausage. good wine selection and cocktail menu. there are two beers on the menu, but if you walk past the rest rooms there is a bar, the beer selection is actually decent, get it there, and walk back to your table. service can be slow at times because they usually are quite busy, but with your friends there you don't notice, and everything turns out well enough to tip on top of gratuity anyway.

3 Stars: Better mac and cheese than your mom could ever hope to make. (by alexisjulian)

alexisjulian — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I've been to the Montage a few times, and each time, their green pesto mac and cheese with rock shrimp has amazed me. They use quite a bit of garlic, which I love, but may not be quite as good for you. Their pasta dishes are served with a side of chopped tomato which adds to the flavor of the pasta and adds a welcoming cool texture. I wouldn't change a thing about their food. Five stars for food.

The overall ambiance of the Montage, however, is sub par. Screams come from the kitchen, the wait staff bellows and yells each time an order of oysters is placed. The acoustics are dreadful and the seating is abhorrent. The bones of the Montage deserve about two stars.

The wait staff falls somewhere in the middle. I can't say I've ever had a "bad" experience at the Montage, but, to be frank, I'd rather take my pasta home in the shape of a cute cat or bird and eat in the comfort of my own dining room - which is not something I'd want to do very often!

1 Stars: Cool atmosphere, high energy, good people watching, HORRIBLE food! (by gripper99)

gripper99 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Watered-down drinks, oysters tasted like fresh from the jar, fritters lumps of undercooked dough, gummy mashed potatoes, anemic mac and cheese, bananas Foster turned out to be bananas Foster bread pudding--dry tasteless mass we sent back--even the beautiful looking blueberry pie a let down with no flavor (what kitchen can ruin blueberries?) Not what it used to be--we'll not be back.

4 Stars: Whiny reviewers (by bugsbunny9)

bugsbunny9 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Listen, I have been going to Montage for ages and I am sick and tired of reading these whiny reviewers bash my beloved restaurant. I go there because the staff lacks the pretension and the sickly sweet smiles of other bougie places or corporate places. I love that the servers can have piercings and tattoos. There are still a lot of companies that won't allow that kind of individuality. The service can vary there, but I have never been treated differently than anyone else and I am not a hipster. I am constantly surprised at how uptight the so-called open minded people of Portland act. Apparently everyone wants their butt kissed. As for the food, yeah sometimes the mac is oily but for the price and the late hours it's one of my favorite late late late night treats. Portland stop your whining.

1 Stars: No More Montage (by Leyrobby)

Leyrobby — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I used to love going to the Montage with friends late at night, but after my last experiance I will never be back. I'm a bar mgr and it takes a lot for a dining experiance to get to me but I've had it with this place. After my party was promptly sat we waited for twenty minutes for our server to take our order, we then waited almost forty minutes for our food we were all a little annoyed but still having a fine time until ten minutes after we got our food they blasted the most annoying, hard core, heavy metal I have ever heard at a volume comparable to a concert at the Rosegarden. We got the hint they wanted us out, which if we would have gotten our food in a reasonable amount of time we would have been long gone. Needless to say we promptly got our food boxed/foiled up, paid the bill, and left only to figure out later they gave us the wrong food. They think since they're known for great food late at night they can treat their customers like doodoo. It will take time but they will not be around if they continue to treat customers the way they do.

4 Stars: Great food but atmosphere not up to reputation (by sannemichelle)

sannemichelle — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Everyone talks about Montage and the different macaroni and cheese dishes are really delicious (spicy, old, spold, pesto, red pepper). However, the attitude of some of the waiters/waitresses is not great. There is always at least an hour long wait and it's worth it if you are really easy going and not going to get upset if your server is inattentive. Really any of them can be cracked though if you are friendly enough and busboys fill up water glasses non-stop. Of course you have to leave some food on your plate to get it wrapped up in some crazy foil animal or other character. Tip: Be waiting outside the door before dinner starts to get your name on the list right away. Otherwise bring a lawn chair because you will have to wait and they won't let you do it inside.

1 Stars: absolutely the WORST place ever. (by urbiano)

urbiano — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Montage has been trendy for a long time. When ownership changed hands (death of owner under mysterious circumstances), the attitude changed. Maybe if you're 20-something and mega-tattooed, you get better service, but for anyone else, the attitude of the staff is UNBELIEVABLE. Totally rude; they make it a point to be rude. Not like the famously rube waiters in NY, but really nasty. Seems like they pick up the trash from under the Morrison bridge and make them work there. It's also FILTHY, especially the kitchen. The last time we went, we were completely ignored by host/hostess, even though I was staring at them both for eye contact. When we were seated, the waiter did not appear for 20 minutes, and when he did, he took the order for the group next to us who came in after us. I ordered a drink, which came after the meal was served, and of course it was the wrong drink. My partner had leftover food and asked that it be packaged. It was, with an oh-so-pretty foil animal, but the gave us the WRONG food. The people that continue to patronize this place are morons. Even if the food were as good as before, that would be no excuse to go there, but the food is now CRUD. And don't forget the filthy kitchen. Ya, go anywhere else, but not here. Montage, you are sooooo over.

3 Stars: Good value, but average (by sunflowrangel)

sunflowrangel — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:00:00 GMT

We went to Montage with recommendations from a friend. It was very busy but we just went to the bar area around back and ordered a bottle of wine and we were seated pretty fast considering it was pretty packed. When you go there don't expect an intimate seating arrangement with only you and your party because you are placed direcly alongside the other tables. It's hard to have a conversation with your party without being distracted from the people right next to you. The food was okay, but very cheap which was a plus. The vegetarian gumbo is like goop without very many veggies, but the cornbread was very good. And the tomato basil pesto mac was lacking any basil flavor at all, but swimming in too much oil. Overall, it's a good place for the price but I don't think it is worth it to go back.

2 Stars: A Memorable Birthday (by riaxxx)

riaxxx — Sat, 31 May 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I have gone to the Montage, since my childhood days and have always looked forward to dining there. My mom chose this venue for her birthday and I am having second thoughts on ever going back. We had ordered our food and I looked for our waitress to order a special, birthday drink for my mom. It was a busy evening, so I figured I'd venture up to the bar to order. Big mistake! The waitress reprimanded me for doing that and said I needed to ORDER IT FROM HER, OKAY..... I went on to mention it was my mother's bday and it was my treat, so that's the reason I went up to the bar. I did not get any sympathy there. Food is good but being scolded for something so trivial just seem downright wrong. It's a free country, I can get up and go to the bar as I please...what's the big deal? It's not like their making commission or something. It was not a pleasant birthday dining experience. Especially after going to some other restaurants in Downtown who kindly bring complimentary drinks or dessert, when it's a special occasion. My father got a free bottle of wine on his birthday in March at a new restaurant that opened in the Pearl, that actually has some heart.

4 Stars: ALMOST always a great time (by fairdiner)

fairdiner — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I really do love this place. I moved about a year and a half ago to Portland, and I would definitely say Montage is one of my top three finds in this state. I crave their Old Mac pretty much every day, and their frog legs are freakin amazing when theyre cooked right. The only thing I have to say is this, and I thought I never would: one or two of the servers are SO BAD sometimes! I used to hate on people who complained about the service and noise, because seriously, thats what Montage is all about, and since its always packed I totally understand rushed service. However, one night I had a blonde girl server who was really nice, but my boyfriend and I went back many times and the next time we had her, she was awful. AWFUL! Im one of those people who smiles all the time, is very personable, and totally fair when it comes to dining experiences. But she was conversational and nice to people only a table away from us, and whenever she gave us something or came by(which was pretty much never) I wouldnt even be done saying thank you or saying how good something was and shed be walking away with an annoyed look. And that night our food wasnt good either. Plus, it was FAR from busy.

This is my only bad experience with them, and Ill obviously continue to go back. But seriously people, dont get cocky because youve been working there forever and think that the quirky atmosphere allows you to be rude for no reason. You need to remember that customers determine business, and rudeness, abruptness, and distasteful attitudes are always remembered more than a normal experience.

5 Stars: SO AMAZING! (by houndhound)

houndhound — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:00:00 GMT

i love this place! its portland in a nutshell. its great! i take all out of towners there and they love it

1 Stars: Used to be great, but bad service kills it now. (by thekilted1)

thekilted1 — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Man, has this place lost it. It's been a while since I've been there, but I used to go all the time, ever since Jon opened the original location on Belmont. It was around the corner from my house, and Rainier pounders with Mac n Cheese after a night out was the stuff dreams are made of.

Now they appear to be a victim of their own success. Rudeness abounds in the staff. And they seem to embrace it as if it adds some sort of charm to the place. News flash - Jon and staff were loud and abrasive early on because the staff was so small and they were always in a hurry. As a restaurant grows and matures, the service should get better, not worse.

What's motivating me to write this review is my experience there last night. We had a group of about 20 for dinner. Yes, large groups are a pain in the rear, but they are a fact of life in the restaurant industry. Get used to it. It's not that hard to figure out. But after waiting an hour and a half (which was to be expected), they wanted to seat us at 3 different tables. And there wasn't even a "sorry about this", it was more like this is what you'll get and like it. The extreme rudeness that followed caused us all to just get up and walk out. Sorry, but with all the great new places opening up in Portland, there's no reason to put up with this. I'm sure they won't miss us.

If you're an emo/hipster that likes to be abused, this is your place. Enjoy.
For everyone else, there are far too many other great places in town to consider visiting Montage.

4 Stars: Oyster Shooter! (by Margot L.)

Margot L. — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:46:00 GMT

Montage is a Portland experience - communal tables, waiters yelling orders, & enormous fantastic murals (including the last supper). If your a mac n' cheese fan, the montage is heaven. The blackened oysters are a favorite (as are the oyster shooters). I've never had a disappointing dish.

5 Stars: 5-Star food, 10-star server! (by valis)

valis — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Great food, especially cold the next day. I've tried several dishes both hot and cold, never been let-down. An interesting place with a loaded history, Amber is the most loveable and delightful of the staff. A truely awesome experience that I cannot recommend highly enough!

3 Stars: Cant see (by bettigurl)

bettigurl — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Great food at Montage. Love the bar and bartender. Everyone i know just would like a little bit more light in the restaurant. Would be nice to see the food you eat, not a floodlight, dude, just a little bit brighter. Maybe you are hiding something?

4 Stars: Crazy environment, awesome food. (by 5ivepdx)

5ivepdx — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I was just there with a few friends over Valentine's day. Food was hot & had a lot of flavor & we got good wine & appetizers to go with it. I got a little distracted by the staff, sometimes unknowingly screaming right near me through no fault of their own -- it's just part of the experience. Probably would be better if the place was just a bit bigger. I've never had a bad meal there, and I've been a customer since 2000 or so.

5 Stars: People just don't understand (by workinarestaurantfirst)

workinarestaurantfirst — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I have been going to Montage since 1996. This place was great then and great now. Working in a restaurant for 12 years, I admire the servers!!! I wish I didn't have to deal with sh*t that customers bring to the table. If the customers only knew what service was, appreciated it, didn't need so much flippin attention, and realized they are wrong 99% of the time, they might have respect for a place like this. I love the enviroment, the bitchy staff, the yelling, the food, and the lack of choices because they get it!!! It would be great if all the a**holes would just stay the heck out and let the smart ones covet this place of glory.

5 Stars: Lighten up! Drink up! And Eat Well!!! (by modpage)

modpage — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I agree with "smithee" wholeheartedly... I stumbled upon this place online and at first was afraid to go in alone because the location seemed a bit sketchy to me... Given, it was nearly 1 am Friday morning... But I'm glad I did... just sidled up to the bar, squinted at the wine list, and asked the really cool, really friendly bartender/server/(who knows when you're at Montage) person whether I should go for the Jambalaya or Etouffee... I was craving real cajun food or something besides the normal hipster/portlander latenight fare and He said it would be a difficult choice... Went for the crawfish Etouffee and it was as good as any I've had in N'Awlins... and that says a lot. Add to that the brilliant cacophony playing in the background and the cook I had to keep diverting my eyes from... Who, by the way, yelled "this shall be the best etouffee I've ever created!" after my order was put in... anyway, all of the above added up to a great experience and I wish I could have stuck around to hang out. But that may have been a bit obvious ;) I went for the food, it was brilliant... and everything else is truly what you make of it. You either appreciate the atmosphere (which is also quite nicely appointed and romantic), or you shouldn't be digging for an amazing restaurant under the bridge, anyway. So take that. And love it.

1 Stars: gross! (by aether6)

aether6 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:00:00 GMT

ugh. this food is soooo bad. the parmesan on their spicy mac has a creepy powdery consistency and seems to be the lowest grade imaginable. not to mention how filthy the kitchen looks. the only thing that makes this a good date spot is that the food is too bad to finish, so you won't be too stuffed to get frisky later.

3 Stars: Not bad, but not great either (by kinnetic)

kinnetic — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Heard a lot of hype about Montage, especially the Mac & Cheese. I went on a weeknight so it wasn't that crowded, and yet the music still had to be turned up so loud that you're forced to yell at the person across from you. That doesn't seem like great business strategy for me, but I think they're trying to force some sort of "mood" upon you. The service was very good and attentive, I got "the old mac" but it was a little too water-y for my taste. I like a rich and creamy mac and cheese that's less soup-y... but maybe that's just me! Also, only 2 not-so-great beers available? I got a lemonade instead. It wasn't a bad experience, but I wouldn't go there voluntarily again.

3 Stars: Good place for after hours tasty food but... (by yslandgyrl)

yslandgyrl — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 09:00:00 GMT

the wait for a table can sometimes be 30-45 minutes and the wait staff in general are indifferent sometimes bordering on unfriendly. Short on smiles and everything seems to take forever, from getting your food, to getting the check. Wine is served in a water glass (lame) and they only have two different kinds of beer in the bottle (also lame). The oyster shooters however, are the best in town and if you aren't on a clock and don't care if the host/hostess and server give you attitude, the food is generally delicious and the prices are great!

5 Stars: Oyster shooters!!! (by robotsoup)

robotsoup — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I'm sick of hearing how the help are rude and the food is lousy. It's Portland for Christ sake! No waiter is going to hover round and wipe the food from your mouth for you! The waiters are attentive and have good manners. The thing is, they don't leave their personalities at the door. Last time I was there, The Smiths come on the radio and our waiter started shaking his booty 'round the restaurant. It was very cute. The muscle shooters are TO DIE FOR, and the po' boy gator is delicious. The only complaint I would have is that the (very)spicy Mac is a bit watery, more like a soup than Mac and cheese, but it still tasted good. Late at night it gets extremely busy from the bar scene, especially on the weekends. Contrary to the ratings, I believe this is a great place to bring kids for an interesting lunch. I'm sure the animal shaped-leftover-foil art would delight any child.

1 Stars: Worst Experience Ever! (by lindsayk)

lindsayk — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Perhaps the worst dining experience I have ever had in Portland....I have never seen such inefficiency and poor customer service. Half the dining room was EMPTY and yet they did not seat anyone that was waiting! It was infuriating to wait for almost two hours watching tables remain vacant for up to 45 min. People could have been in and out in the amount of time! The wait was unabareable and certaintly not worth it! There's no way I'll go back. Food and everything else was medicore at best.

1 Stars: offensive (by perla85)

perla85 — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I used to love this restaurant. Growing up in Portland, I have fond memories of going to a show, then heading to the montage for a mud pie and a coffee. I was horrified when I recently heard what had happened to a friend of mine in the restaurant, and since have vowed never to eat there again. She was served her pasta with the words "I heart Nazis" written in the sauce. She looked at the plate, and the waitress asked what was wrong. She told the waitress, who got her manager, who also examined the dish. Then, the manager stated, " oh, that's just our chef pushing the envelope".

My friend left immediately. The chef wasn't pushing the envelope. He was pushing the hate.

1 Stars: Horrible Customer Service (by jmagic73)

jmagic73 — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I used to love the Montage. The food has always been good, and at one time, the service was good too. The last two times I've been there (both of which I was entertaining friends in from out of town and trying to show them some classic Portland spots) the service has been beyond rude. The first time, the hostess refused to let me sit down at a table while my friends parked their cars, even though the restaurant was completely empty. When she overheard me on the phone telling one of them that I was coming out so that we could eat elsewhere since I had gotten such a nasty reception, she stomped up behind me and asked me if I was "talking about her".

I gave it one more shot, a month later. We ordered the "Spold Mac" - a mixture of the spicy and old- as a appetizer and asked her if she could make it about as spicy as it would have been if not mixed with the Old Mac. The waitress brought my dish and we took one bite and started coughing from the heat. Lifting up a few noodles, we noticed she had put gigantic CHUNKS of jalapenos throughout the entire dish. She then moseyed over and with a smirk on her face, asked us how it was. When I told her it was inedible and I wanted to speak to a manager, she asked me if I'd like a glass of milk.

This restaurant is the epitome of hipster bitchiness and sloth. Crappy music blares so loudly you can barely talk over it, servers seem completely put out at being asked to do their job, and the hostess is way self-important. I will never eat at Montage again.

4 Stars: Best Mac & Cheese in town! (by gzbrown)

gzbrown — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Montage has great food and lighting. They have very avante garde art on their walls, some which could be construed as sacreligious. Their "Old Mac" is a delicious concoction of garlic, parmesan cheese and noodles that will leave you craving it at weird hours. Their desserts will put you into sugar overload because they come in huge portions, but they are so worth it. Best of all is how they send you home with left-overs. They make fantastic creations out of tinfoil from swans to swords to bongs. (I've seen just about it all.) Prices are moderate, with about $10-15 per entree.

The downsides to Montage are that they play LOUD music, which is often an annoying mix of industrial pop/rock/punk, complete with feedback that drones on and on; it gets really busy there so you may have to wait awhile for a table; there is trash all over the floor (on purpose) and one of the waitresses is super slow and will leave your food on the counter until it's cold before she delivers it. (She is the black one; I don't know her name.) If you are unlucky enough to be seated at her table, make sure you put your food order in with your drink orders, and request anything you want when she does manage to get to your table. The only time we got her, we spent forty minutes waiting for our food and the restaurant wasn't busy at that time.

I only give it four stars because of the loud music and the crappy waitress, but the food is wonderful.

4 Stars: Not for the Faint of Heart But Recommended (by smithee)

smithee — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I honestly don't understand why people complain about how loud the Montage is. If you want a quiet place to have a conversation go somewhere else.

The best way to enjoy this place is to join in the fun to be had: Sing along to the old punk song!... strike up a conversation with a stranger!... order a Rainier and an Oyster Shooter! Eat, Drink, and be Merry!! Do some people watching!

Sure, it isn't a perfect restaurant. Every time I've ordered a jambalaya, the rice has been undercooked ( I usually stick with the saucy Spicy Mac with chicken). The service can be slow when its busy. The servers will be brutally honest with you (instead of kissing your behind like most places). BUT, if I wanted fine dining and fake-friendly service I'd go to some place boring like Stanfords, or someplace hoity-toity like Clark-Lewis.

I bring my friends to Montage when I'm in the mood for a festive night out where anything could happen. I remember a night years ago when a woman suddenly stood up and sang a gorgeous aria at the top of her lungs. The whole place went silent. A waitress started to cry. I forgot where I was! No one was expecting that!

It has always been the Chaos, uncertainty and festive atmosphere that have kept me coming back through the years. It is truly a special place, but in order to experience the festivity you have to relax. This is not the type of place where snapping at the waitress will do anything except make you have a frustrating experience. RELAX! The best experiences I've ever had here have been when I just sat back and enjoyed the show.

4 Stars: Fun & Romantic Date Spot. (by jhanneman)

jhanneman — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:00:00 GMT

This place is a gem! Skillfully crafted cuisine, great music and fun decor. Great place for lunch or dinner.

4 Stars: Fun atmosphere. (by tien_vuong)

tien_vuong — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:00:00 GMT

A great place to invite friends from out of town or wanting a late meal. The dim lights, candlelight, and funky/fast service is what the restaurant is known for gives out a fun vibe. I do like the table settings for easy socializing but can get loud at times. The dishes on the menu were unique and tasty. You either love it or hate it, but is a great experience.

5 Stars: Something new:) (by strochka)

strochka — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 09:00:00 GMT

We went out yesterday, and after searching for a new place to eat came upon this place.
What a great atmosphere, interior, menu and a little something at the end.
They have a good menu and a wine list. Great food, that you can't refuse to take home in a pretty foil sculpture (I got a giraffe - love it;)). Good service, friendly staff.
I will be back.

p.s. They serve wine in the same glass as water, so if you ordered a white one - keep the glass away from the waiter that serves water. I got some water in my wine, but it was replaced promptly. :)

1 Stars: Awful first impression- Bad attitude (by jolenerenee)

jolenerenee — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I went here to meet some friends in the early a.m. (a large party of over 10). I sat down with my friends and an angry hostess came up. She said you have to wait to be seated here. I said we where meeting these people, they where waiting for us. She said ok. Then very rudely with quite an inhospitable tone said I could not sit next to my husband I had to sit across from him (they only do 'cross seating' there you see). She said I could not sit next to my husband. The seat I had sat in was free and across from us other people from our party could sit when they arrived. This was the rudest person at a restaurant ever!

It was all very strange. I have never experienced such immediate attitude upon arriving at a restaurant. I felt very unwelcome there as if our presence was a bother. I was very bummed that this restaurant was so terrible. I had to leave. I did not stay. So I can not comment on the food.

1 Stars: The worst horrible service in town ( Hostess/manager) Attention Owner (by rafmex)

rafmex — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:00:00 GMT

This Restaurant have amazing atmosphere and it was my favorite restaurant for late dining. Unfortunately, last couple times I was there with my friends, total 14 of us, and we wait for a table. We notice that the long table by the bathrooms was empty, so we were told that they will accomodate us soon. I went to the bathroom and I was expecting when I come back will be ready to sit, but guess what? my friends had an argument with the Hostess. I ask kindly if we can get that long table and she said... I told you guys you have to wait or go somewhere else...! I told her that table is empty and is big enough for our group. I cannot believe the dirty look and kind of hate I got from Her, the Hostess/ . I went to ask a server if I can talk to the manager and He told me SHE IS THE MANAGER.. I went back to Her and I told Her " You have no respect for your customer I dont know why you in this bussines... This business is about customer service... thing you dont have. We left, we went to VOLEUR at 1st and Ankeny in downtown. We not coming back again and all the circle of friends we have agreed not coming and support this business. I hope the owner read this and do something about it because he has a realy nice place with bad people.

2 Stars: It really is a 50/50 chance at a good or horrible evening!!! (by aleashagarber)

aleashagarber — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:00:00 GMT

So the first time I came to this place I was totally in love with it's funky intimate young atmosphere. It was a great place to get away and eat late, and take friends to. Unfortunately the last few times I went I got really horrible service!!! Twice now I was so rudely barked at by the Hostess just for asking to place my name on the list that I left. It's really bad becase I love the place and they have great food but are SEVERELY LACKING ON CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! Someone needs to tell them that it needs to be 100%, not just when they aren't PMSing. Overall I probably won't go back since I've already tried going back so many times.

5 Stars: Amazing food (by newbbubbles)

newbbubbles — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 09:00:00 GMT

So basically I think that this place is amazing great food. Great service. Loud different and not stuffy like other places you enjoy your time there and so does the staff. Definatly not a ma and pop place and i would never take my parents but i love this place. Every one should give this place a chance

5 Stars: Love this place! (by redtigerlily)

redtigerlily — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I have been going here off and on for close to 10 years now, and it is still a personal favorite. Great friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, good drinks and reasonably priced yummy food. Hubby and I love the oyster shooters and taking your leftovers home in animal shaped tin foil is always fun. Try the gator bites, they are worth the risk :) Excellent place to go with a group, parking is a little sketchy, but overall highly recommended!

5 Stars: Come early, stay late! (by c_more)

c_more — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

The Montage is one of my all-time favorite places in Portland. What was once decorated with precociously stacked Rainer bottles has now been replaced for a dining hall with white linen candle lit table tops. These little candles provide almost all the lighting for the restaurant. I disagree that it is not romantic. I think that it is quite romantic, whether with a group of close friends or an intimate dinner date. The low lighting, hustle and bustle all around create quite a romantic buzz . You will have to sit so close to listen, and see the people or person you are with. It's the perfect place to have an excuse to get close to someone. The mac and cheese is sinful and greasy but that's what makes it so good, isn't it? It's a really fun place to take someone from out of town...adults and kids alike love the leftover foil creatures. It is the overall atmosphere and energy that make this place so enjoyable and unique. As for service...mostly average (their very busy!), sometimes its super great and once I thought the hostess was going to shoot us all. Big groups come early, stay late. For ideal seating come before they open, wait with the others who know to do this. If you get crawfish on you mac and cheese it's super yummy and they give you a lot!!

4 Stars: Pretty good dish, flawed, but ambience brought it back (by cb85)

cb85 — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I had the famous linguini with alligator and a Suffering B*st*rd. My girl had the Gator Salad with Cajun caeser. The linguini was spiced wonderfully, not over the top though, the gator was a little charred on some pieces, some had more ligament then meat, and then some tasted wonderful. Overall the dish idea is great and tastes wonderful if the gator was cooked more consistently. My girl's Cajun caeser is not what i look for in caeser, it was a little to creamy, not enough bold flavor to it. The salad was a good mixture and she liked it. Her gator was cooked much better. The Suffering B*st*rd was good, exactly what I was looking for, a soft, not to much flavor drink. It had the same style of flavor as a mojito would, but made out of orange vodka. The ambiance of the place was wonderful. The eclectic and exocentric atmosphere creates for a great late night dinner. When leaving you get a great surprise for left-overs, they wrap it in tin foil into shapes, anything from palm trees, to what i got a penguin. Will go back again, and will most likely try the dessert.

2 Stars: Gone downhill. (by aaronainsworth)

aaronainsworth — Sun, 27 May 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I've been going to Montage for over 10 years now. Always loved it. Rounded up 3 friends and went late-night for some good old fashioned mac and cheese. I had the mac and ham while the others had the pesto and the spicy mac. When mine came it was swimming in a pool of what looked to be skim milk. I spooned out most of the excess liquid into another bowl. My friend mentioned it looked like mac and cheese soup. Not good. The noodles were mushy and starchy. My friends disliked theirs also. We only went there for the mac and cheese can't they just get that right!? It will be a long time if any when I return there.

4 Stars: Early on weeknights is okay for kids (by ookellyoo)

ookellyoo — Sun, 13 May 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I've been a fan of Montage for ages, but quit going when I had my first child because of its 'no kids' reputation. I recently took my five and three year olds to dinner early on a Monday night when it wasn't too busy and they loved it! The old mac is a great option for picky eaters and when my daughter asked for a bunny to-go sculpture the waitress was so thoughtful and brought her a giant cat. My 3 year old didn't have any food to wrap, but the waitress seperatley wrapped a bit of mine just for him as a dinosaur! The only bad part was the loud atmosphere, the noise was getting on our nerves, but other than that, it was great!

5 Stars: Comfort food at it's FINEST!!! (by sfbayareagal)

sfbayareagal — Fri, 11 May 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Had I happened upon this place alone I would have driven on by without a 2nd thought. What a big mistake that would have been! The neighborhood leaves you wanting an armed escort but once inside it is an amazing time. Yes, it 's dark, loud and you may sit with complete strangers. However, the food and cocktails will make up for any uncomfortable feelings you may be experiencing. I had the "Old Mac" and was NOT left wanting! The flavor, texture and comfort was heavenly. Oh, how I wish they were in California, or I was in Portland! As for the cocktails - the list is endless and ever so enticing. I tried the "Kentucky Waterfall" and was overjoyed with the flavor mixture of Makers Mark and ginger ale - sounds off but it is so ON target!! I wasn't able to just have one and I'd be surprised if anyone could!

When you're full and ask for a "doggy bag" they take your plate away to "wrap it up". It is their special wrapping that makes you walk out laughing. When it is returned wrapped in foil - you never know in what form it will be. In our party of two, we got a turtle and a dinosar. The table next to us got a cat, rabbit and a duck. It was very entertaining to see what they could come up with!!

Seriously, this place is terrific - an experience everyone should try at least once. I'm ever so thankful to my friend for turning me on to this place. I can hardly wait to visit there again....and SOON!

3 Stars: Boo! No more gooey butter cake! (by atm_1230)

atm_1230 — Fri, 11 May 2007 09:00:00 GMT

The Montage is known for its less-than friendly staff, mac and cheese, anti-birthday celebratory kitchen staff, and aluminum foil to-go creations. It was also known for its GOOEY BUTTER CAKE; the best way to end a meal at 3 a.m. (or any time, for that matter). To my dismay, they have taken the delicious dessert off the menu! I am saddened and am boycotting the establishment until they bring it back!

5 Stars: Atmosphere (by plankeye02)

plankeye02 — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:00:00 GMT

If you think this place is for fine dining and great service you are mistaken. This place is ATMOSPHERE and FOOD. The Atmosphere is great. I always yell back at the cooks and waitstaff. It is part of the atmosphere they probably aren't upset with you. It is the atmosphere. It is LOUD but that's the point. The OLD MAC W/CHICKEN is wonderful. The bread is wonderful. I have nothing bad to say about the place. Ya it might be loud but you picked the place so live with it and if you don't like it you don't have to go back. They have plenty of satisfied customers!!

1 Stars: Not a hipster? - Then you're not welcome here! (by nataliezack)

nataliezack — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Our unbelievable evening at the Montage began with the host rolling his eyes at my boyfriend when we told him there were three of us for dinner. Next he chastised my boyfriend for sitting in the "wrong chair". "That's actually the one chair that doesn't belong to you," he said. Shrugging it off as the host having a bad night, we proceeded to look at the menu.

Either the Montage is a horrible place to work, or they promote their staff's blatant rudeness, because our waitress was snarky too. She informed me that I should move my wallet from the table because they were going to use the two chairs across the table from me. When I asked her if they planned to seat people there, she replied, "That's how it works, people are waiting and they need a place to sit." She could have simply explained to me that all the seating at Montage is in close proximity to other diners, instead, she acted as though I was ridiculous for being confused that complete strangers would be sitting across the table from me! I don't know if the food is any good, I couldn't stomach the service and we left before ordering.

Apparently without sleeve tattoos or a ratty old band t-shirt, you're just not cool enough to eat at the Montage and they have no problem letting you know it.

5 Stars: Loud atmosphere, yummy food. (by amadio)

amadio — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:00:00 GMT

The place was loud, the hostess was very loud, but once we were sat down along with four strangers, the service was exellent. Here's a tip. When you sit down and your waitstaff introduces themselves, have your order ready. I was already finished with the Alligator appitizer and getting my entre served when the other four seated next to us who were undescided were having their drinks and just getting their food order in.
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I had Gumbo and it was pretty good, but my girlfriend went with the smoked chedder and ham macaroni and it was exceptional. For dessert we had Bannana's Foster bread pudding and it was a home run.

2 Stars: I only go here when my friends are driving. (by alisha1983)

alisha1983 — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I don?t think I?ve ever had a good experience at the Montage, even back in the day. I?ve come to the conclusion that people in Portland just like to be treated badly. I however don?t. The last time I went there it was my friend?s birthday. The waitress wasn?t interested in the least. She completely forgot my drink, the other waitress looked at me like I was crazy for stopping her for it because my waitress wouldn?t come back, then they took my food before I was done (didn?t even wrap it up).
All my experiences before the last were just as bad. One time a friend had to raise her hand to get the waiters attention because he didn?t even respond to us calling out to him when he walked by.
The foods not very good either.

1 Stars: Terrible Customer Service (by angieb1234)

angieb1234 — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 09:00:00 GMT

We were rushed through our whole eating experience. From taking our plates before we were done, to giving us incorrect to go animals,to wiping the table before we were even away from the table. The woman who rushed us was rude. She used to be (the seater), now all she does is pour water all over the table, missing your water glass, and make you feel like you are an inconvienience to her. Because of her , I doubt we will EVER go back there.....VERY DISAPOINTING.....VERY SAD..this USED to be a fun place to go..USED TO BE....WHAT A WASTE.....

5 Stars: Great food with great atmoshere (by bonzolonzo)

bonzolonzo — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:00:00 GMT

The approach to Montage gives no clue to what awaits you on the inside. Outside it is unassuming and easy to miss. Inside it's all atmosphere. Some places try too hard for the look. Montage just has it. In a word, Romance says it all. It's easy to see that they don't spend a fortune on the building, what with the cans nailed to the floor, well worn counter and home made things all over, yet it screams style. The food is what I come for, had the old mac so many times I am finally tired of it. So I go to the chicken, and peanut butter pie for now.

3 Stars: Fun atmosphere and great food at very reasonable prices! (by momalboe)

momalboe — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:00:00 GMT

This place is just plain fun. Great bar, great food, and for a real party atmosphere go really late on a Friday or Saturday night.

3 Stars: Bange for you Buck! (by bobtail)

bobtail — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 09:00:00 GMT

After waiting tables all night I love going to a place that's not like where I work (the chain story). Here people are just that, people. Whether it's a customer or employee, it's the real thing. Same with the food. You can go any where and get the usual burger, fries and coke, but here? No way. No burgers, but the food is definatly real, tasty and plenty. Hard to find at 2 in the morning. As far as price, it's not the cheapest place in town but I always feel that I got my moneys worth. The one of a kind food matches the one of a kind atmosphere. Who designed this place anyway? It all comes together. The only thing I have against this place is that the bar is not smoke free so I stay in the dining room. When are you going to put a Montage on the West side so I don't have to drive from Tigard?

1 Stars: Now featuring the worst late night dinning in Portland. (by devonschmoker)

devonschmoker — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I am a night person. I dine at night so I know how night dinning should be... And this is NOT it.

Although it was a good place to go at one time though. I have been going to Montage on and off for the last five years. It seems it has gone downhill in the past two years or so. But this last time was the worst by far. The food was ok but that?s it and the service was some of the worst I have ever had anywhere. (The worst service I have ever had at a 24hr taco shop is better.) When I pulled up I witnessed wait staff and some cooks fighting with customers. I don?t know why they were fighting but either way it was very unprofessional (name calling and profanities coming from the employees). The wait service was slow but it was busy (a Saturday night). But management should have the foresight to put more wait staff on Friday and Saturday nights. After being pressured into paying before my party was even done eating I asked to have my food wrapped up after all I had only had a chance to eat about ? of my Ham and Smoked Cheese Mac. While I was waiting for my food to get wrapped I went out for a smoke. When I got back in I was greeted by a table with only my drink sitting on it. I asked the waitress when my food would be back, she said she would check with the busboy. When she returned she informed me that my food had been discarded and before I even had a chance to ask why she walked away.

The wait staff should be dealt with, they have an attitude problem. No one likes to be served by someone with a, I?m better than you attitude. In this opinion I know I am not alone. Many people I have talked to have said the same thing.

I don?t think I will be going to the Montage anytime soon. And I wouldn?t suggest the Montage to anyone either. There are much better alternatives for late night dinning of better quality, lower price and a friendlier atmosphere.

2 Stars: Over boiled!!! (by calliedeboer)

calliedeboer — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I have been going to the Montage for over 10 years. I am so disappointed with my last 2 visits. The noodles are absolutely gross. I ordered Old Mac which is $5.25 and I had to send it back because it was awful. The server asked if I wanted something else, so I ordered the Green Pesto Mac which is $7.25. The server made it a point to let me know that she credited our bill for the Old Mac, but then had the nerve to charge me for the Green Pesto. In my serving days, I would have never done that.... I will no longer be satisfying my Mac N Cheese cravings here. I have heard of another place that serves it, so I will be trying Echo. In my opinion, Montage is in need of a serious overhaul.

4 Stars: Montage - best late night food around (by divertyourself)

divertyourself — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 09:00:00 GMT

When it comes to late night dining, Montage is the place to go. Unfortunately that's no secret and the wait for a table can be over an hour. But it's well worth the wait.
I've noticed the service can be inconsistent ranging from a snooty host who's tacky g-string is visible through her dress, to servers who look like they're still nursing a pretty severe hangover. But, it all adds to the ambiance. The family-style seating is interesting since you never know who you'll be dining with. The food is wonderful - try the spicy mac!

3 Stars: FYI to newbies: make sure you get seated "correctly" or you get scolded (by harakne)

harakne — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Had been here before, so was very surprised that, contrary to another website description, seating became an issue with hostess and waiter. Was told to "sit the way I was seated" even tho' I was told or shown nothing about how to sit at the tables. Once the waiter and the hostess complained to me, without adequately explaining what they really wanted, friend and I left. Was told finally that the waiters lose a table, if seating is not the exactly way they want it. huh! interesting...
Usually I find that poor service like this is due to incorrect management and goals. Seems that the managers and owners are too concerned with themselves, and not enough with long-term customer relations, especially ones who do not drink a lot. If you want a rowdy atmosphere, normal good manners don't mean much. For me, this was something that could have been avoided by better restaurant practices, so I won't be back.

5 Stars: Best Bartender/Service Person Anywhere (by unusedusername)

unusedusername — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 09:00:00 GMT

You probably either have been there or have been told about Montage before you read this. The place is just mandatory knowledge for anyone looking for good dining, affordable dining, or late night dining, and it's one of those places that's just a part of Portland's character at this point, but I'm writing this cause theres's also something new I didn't know about. I hadn't heard that they'd added a bar annex behind the bistro.

M'lady and I went there last night, and aside from the same excellent music and stark decor we know and love, we were surprised to get the best service you could ever hope for from a bartender/service person. Mellissa was our host, and she was everything you could ask or hope for from a bartender or waiter. She was polite and down to earth without lingering or being in your face, she could ask any questions she needed to without seeming interrupting, she made good suggestions, and any time you'd have wanted to get her attention she was already on the way over.

The food and drink was great as always, and the bistro has always served me well, but I have to say I was about as cozy and pleased as you could be to have service with a smile like we received last night. Go there, dig it, or pay too much somewhere else to get an upturned nose. psh..................thanks Mellissa.

5 Stars: Great to take visitors to (by surf_gal)

surf_gal — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 09:00:00 GMT

This is one of the places I love to take visiting friends. The prices and food is great, with a few unusual selections for Portland. I always make sure sure to have leftovers to, since they wrap it up so well. It is loud, often crowded, and not in a good area, but it's well worth it. This is also a great place to head to after a night on the town, when it may not be quite so busy.

5 Stars: Best Mac and Cheese Eva! (by rylanlester)

rylanlester — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Great atmosphere and fantastic food. It is also a great dark intimate room great for a special night. The spicey mac is unreal:-)

5 Stars: Best late nite food (by mdiller)

mdiller — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

The best spot for good food after the bars close. Food on average is excellent but the service is often shaky at best. Be prepared for waiters bordering on rudeness and lots of people with loud voices and a few too many drinks. If you can handle that you can't go wrong.

3 Stars: Eh (by kayhan)

kayhan — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Over-rated. Decent/bad food, slow and rude service, but a fun atmosphere and an interesting experience always. If you do go here(not recomended) at least leave some food left over so you can take it home. Your waiter will wrap it in tinfoil in a fun animal! That's the best part of the night.

5 Stars: TOP 10 (by ameranner)

ameranner — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

The Montage is one of my all-time favorites! You never know what to expect when you walk in there. Late night dining at it's best - anywhere! It's also one of the best places for large groups. It was the perfect spot for my college graduation dinner. Cheap too - LOVE it!!!

5 Stars: STILL THE BEST IN TOWN (by aladyfinger4u)

aladyfinger4u — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I go to "M" at least once a month. Get Jonsen for a Spold Mac and it's the only place in town. Read some of the reviews and you have to understand that "M's" whole schtick is "we're not your corporate chain". Some people just don't get it. As for the food, it's real, and as far as I can tell, it's not out of a can. if it's homemade it'snot always going to be exactly the same as the last time. I'ts always either been very good or fantastic. the only gripe I have is sometimes it isn't as spicy hot as I would like it. But then nambys would moan "it's too hot". Ya can't please everyone but they sure please me. And that bartender Yeow!!!!

1 Stars: Gross Out (by zoundspounds)

zoundspounds — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 09:00:00 GMT

If Montage served decent food I might be willing to put up with the awful, pseudo-cool decorating scheme and staff, but I usually want my food to taste good, so I guess I don't have to worry about it.

4 Stars: pathetic (by joots)

joots — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 09:00:00 GMT

It is sooo over for the Montage...the place is misery incarnate. I am glad I never ever ever have to go there again...

5 Stars: Fun and Funky! (by Connie C.)

Connie C. — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 12:57:00 GMT

Yes, Montage is quirky, loud (sitting at long communual tables), spicy cajun menu items (we love getting gator!!) but it is a Portland origional and so refreshing from bland chains. The waiters are fun and they have good service. A must to try at least once cuz they have good mac and cheese, too!

PROS: Funky and fun! Great for groups!
CONS: loud, not good if you want a small intimate dinner

5 Stars: unique dining experience. (by psofey)

psofey — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 09:00:00 GMT

i dont live in the portland area, but whenever i'm there i try to make it to the montage, ideally late-night after a show at a nearby venue when my friends & i have gotten hungry. cheap, delicious food (where else can you order spold mac and frog legs?), and the new york cheesecake, standard as it may be, is tasty.

its dark, a bit grungy, and very very loud (shout across the table to your dining partners), the bathrooms are almost gross, but its pretty much part of the experience. expect a wait; its a local favorite. i wouldnt go here on a first date, but its perfect for large, unorganized groups (tho paying separately can be a challenge). maybe its an aquired taste but i love the staff... they are super friendly, available, and tho they may water down your whole table refilling your glass, at least its never empty. this isnt standard polite restaurant staff. they do what they want. its great, i love it. stay as long as you like and get to know the strangers you're seated next to. one of my top favorites!

1 Stars: OMG- FILTHY F'in KITCHEN (by hihipuffy)

hihipuffy — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:00:00 GMT

best of pdx- you gots to be joking. sure, if i could eat my origami tin-foil koala bear they use to store my leftovers - maybe this place would live up to the hype.
clean it up and maybe i won't be afraid of contracting some sort of foodborne illness.

3 Stars: severly overdone (by krussell3)

krussell3 — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

the food though very cheap is pretty terrible. i think this might be a pdx institution that has past its peak. oh. and they do serve sessions.

4 Stars: An experience that is very "portland" (by euphrates)

euphrates — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I recommend that anyone who has friends/family who are visiting PDX should bring them to the montage, preferably sometime after midnight. Order mussel shooters, get some spoldy mac and cheese, and don't forget your festively wrapped leftovers. Enjoy the decor, ambiance, and... characters of the staff surrounding you.

3 Stars: Mediocre food, great ambience (by foodandwine4ever)

foodandwine4ever — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

The hostess is rude with just enough sass to make you forgive her. She probably gets the "do I have to sit here?" remark everytime she tries to put folks at the table next to the door. But I get it -- that's her shtick. The waiter -- he's got a shtick too -- his is being super super friendly and totally non commital when you ask for a recommendation. But he's so zippy it's hard not to like him. Then the cooks, they holler out a server's name like an angry mother when the food's ready. That's their shtick. We loved the ambiance, but the food was oh-so-boring. The cornbread was cold in parts, warm in others (bad microwave?). Jambalaya, taste-free. If you want to feel daring but usually eschew spicy foods, this is the place. Otherwise, just nuzzle up to the bar and drink. . . oh, and enjoy the shtick.

4 Stars: best mac and cheese in portland (by portlandoregon)

portlandoregon — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 09:00:00 GMT

YUM! Great atmosphere! Delicious food. I am not a huge fan of mac and cheese and never thought I'd order it in a restauarant, but this place has the best! I can't get enough! And the awesome tin foil sculptures the staff makes with your leftovers is an adventure every visit!

2 Stars: Why go out for macaroni? (by manusamo)

manusamo — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 09:00:00 GMT

If you really feel like going out for macaroni, then this is the place for you. Most of the other options are a bit pricey, but the macaroni's a good deal since it's well...macaroni. This place has great atmosphere though, so if you feel like eating macaroni among other people eating macaroni in a warm atmosphere then the montage is fantastic. The desserts here are decadent so for people who enjoy indulging themselves then the mudpie is an enjoyable step toward a heart attack, or at the very least a few extra pounds-definitely comfort food here. Incidentally, 3 people on 3 separate occasions ralphed after going here. Apparently, they don't exactly refridgerate their cheese.

5 Stars: awesome all-around place to dine! (by hachac)

hachac — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 09:00:00 GMT

i love the montage! on mondays and tuesdays all their bottled wines are 1/2 off-- can't beat that! our favorite dishes are the macaronis-- particularly the old mac, spold mac, and spicy mac. any one of them is a guaranteed great dish, and they're cheap too! the wait-staff are friendly and somewhat quirky, but their service is always stellar.

4 Stars: A great experience (by stevengilles)

stevengilles — Sun, 14 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

People have been telling me to go here for a long time and I'm glad I finally did. It's a bustling, fun atmosphere with unique staff and great, inexpensive food. If you are expecting amazing service and to be treated like an important guest, this place probably isn't for you. It's what I call "typical Portland Service", to the point, honest, straight forward, no butt kissing here. As long as you can get past that, the rest is amazing. Make sure you leave leftovers, they will wrap it in a tin-foil animal, tree, plant or other form.

5 Stars: User review by rrengarajan (by rrengarajan)

rrengarajan — Fri, 05 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

We had a bit of a wait during dinner time, but it was worth it. Food was great, service was good and the place has a bustling atmosphere. You can't help but people watch. Make sure to have some leftovers so that the staff can artfully wrap it in aluminum foil!

5 Stars: Not for the weak at heart (by tytytara)

tytytara — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Been coming to montage for years, always good, always a unique experience. Although little has changed over the years, there is usually somthing new. Miss the hindquarter dinner, it was replaced with the chicken breast. I'ts very good but doesn't have the "grease appeal" that the dark meat had, and it's probably healthier for me. I gotta have the mud pie when ever we go.

3 Stars: It is a standby... (by ebu123)

ebu123 — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 09:00:00 GMT

The Montage is a standby for late night food, but the last 2 or 3 times I visited, my food has been way too salty. I had never before experienced having food too salty to be palatable. I hate having to send back food...especially since I used to love it. The mussel shooters are delicious though!

4 Stars: Too popular (by tomzsix)

tomzsix — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 09:00:00 GMT

My Wife and I decided to try the Montage, and we were quite pleased. Who cared about the long lines, boisterous wait-staff, and close together seating. It was the experience that mattered. We both had macaroni dinners. and they tasted great. It was THE place to be at 2:00 am. I just hope that I wasn't too old to be there! My Wife, however. fit right in. I will return again to sample the wine list extensively, along with, perhaps some gator. This Bistro is definately not ordinary by any means.

5 Stars: Are you ever slow? (by cynsin123)

cynsin123 — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 09:00:00 GMT

We usually go to Montage on Friday or Saturdays but go tired of the lines. We went on Monday and it was still busy, we didn't have to wait though. Their 1/2 price wine on Monday must have been the draw as was their food. Nothing like a spold mac to fill up on.

2 Stars: Don't go there for the food... (by britsmom)

britsmom — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 09:00:00 GMT

... but do go there at least once to experience the overall uniqueness of this restaurant. It's a great place to take out of town guests, because it's probably unlike anyplace they've ever been. I wouldn't say the food is even mediocre, and like the other reviews have mentioned, the service can be rude, but it somehow adds to the atmosphere of this Portland landmark.

5 Stars: Glad the car broke down (by ppooppssttaarr)

ppooppssttaarr — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 09:00:00 GMT

WoW, a good place try. The only reason we evened stopped was a breakdown. Sometimes we make the best of it. this was the case. Monday, rain, cold, went in the first place open. Good call, got our seat and had some of the most real food we've had in a long time. Simple, good. The to go wrappers (tin foil animals) didn't make it back to the car, but oh well.

2 Stars: Poorly managed/ grouchy Manager & Staff (by maryrobs)

maryrobs — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Went with large group of 15. Food took a long time but was good when it arrived, but not worth the rude treatment we recieved from the Manager.We were asked to leave because we "were taking up space".. though we had spent several hundred dollars and would have continued to spend much more.. Will never return.
Who ever owns this joint must not care,(based on other continual reviews posted regarding service.) whether or not they lose business(therefore money) . We think that a staff change must be in order!(specifically the Manager, even the waiter apologized for her saying she has a("high stress job"!)

5 Stars: Love it! (by Marieke H.)

Marieke H. — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 21:43:00 GMT

Yes, this place is quirky as the other reviewer noted, but my husband and I love it and frequent it often. Why do we love it? The mac and cheese is out of this world. The food is cheap. We like the funky atmosphere. We always take our out of town guests here and all have loved the experience. I highly recommend it if you are looking for something different. Also, they do take credit cards now.

PROS: Inexpensive. Yummy. Takes credit cards now.
CONS:

4 Stars: Hip Late Night Joint (by b00pi3flak3s)

b00pi3flak3s — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 09:00:00 GMT

This late night hipster joint is home to many cajun loving patrons. It used to be strictly cash only, but as of recently started accepting credit cards. Whats cool is leftovers are wrapped in various animal shapes via tin foil, as most of the wait staff know how to fold it well. My favorite is the bunny ears.

5 Stars: Some people just aren't goiing to be happy (by promqueen)

promqueen — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 09:00:00 GMT

We've eaten at Montage monthly for years and only once has the service been bad. Being in the industry I know you can't bat 1000 all the time. "Hell night at the Montage for me was over a year ago when they just installed a new POS (that's a computer system). all the waiters we're having a hard time.

The food is still great, The service is still the same smart assed but efficient gang and I the last time we 8 there, it was as good as ever.

5 Stars: Cool scene yummy comfort food. (by lucyfur)

lucyfur — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Visited Montage during the after hours during two seperate visits to Portland. The after-hours scene is unreal, very dark and artsy-fartsy (loved it!). The food there is straight up comfort food -> loaded with taste! The jambalaya was awesome and so is their macaroni (garlicy yums). The pricing is decent and the portions were appropriate. Our server was animated and polite and I never had to request for a refill on my water.

2 Stars: The worst service in Portland. (by lizardbreath)

lizardbreath — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I have eaten at Montage at least 10-15 times, and on only ONE occasion had good service. The other times have been mediocre, at best, and the last time I went, the service was so incredibly horrible, I will never go back there again. It's a decent place, with okay food and a neat space, but the service is the deal breaker. Nope, sorry, Montage.

4 Stars: Who considers this cheap?! (by duckie1976)

duckie1976 — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Yeah, if you order a bowl of noodles with cream and butter, it's $7, but everything else on their menu is well over $10. I like this place. I like the atmosphere. But the food is really inconsistent. Sometimes it's really good, and other times, it's really really mediocre (and greasy). I've ordered pasta that is literally swimming in grease, but other times it's fabulous. The pesto mac is my favorite choice.

3 Stars: Good value late-night dining (by howl9k)

howl9k — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I have never dined at the Montage before midnight, nor can I imagine doing so. 90% of the restaurants in Portland are better in quality and service, BUT 99.9% of those establishments are closed by 11 p.m. If you happen to be roaming the streets of industrial SE Portland in the wee hours of the morning and you need to soak up some of that alcohol, Montage is your place.

3 Stars: Different crowd (by kongvu)

kongvu — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I'm surprised at the high rating for this restaurant because I found it just mediocore. The food is average, but the enviroment is worth seeing. Quite a hard to find restaurant, but is a great hang out for late party goers looking for a late night snack. Not recommended for a date.

3 Stars: Eh... (by starxlover20)

starxlover20 — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 09:00:00 GMT

After hearing so much about their delicious macaroni, I was a bit let down since I ordered the 'Old Mac' that was somewhat tasteless and so-so. I tasted some of the Ham mac and I'd recommend that instead! Our waiter was fairly nice, if not a bit quirky, but the other servers weren't so much. Don't take more than 1 second to ponder a question asked by the water guy because he's not going to wait for your answer. I know the service is supposed to be somewhat curt, but I don't dine out to feel like I'm annoying the waitstaff by...ordering food.

1 Stars: Yawnnnn (by Elisabeth M.)

Elisabeth M. — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 16:59:00 GMT

This is the place you went during high school because it was quirky, fairly cheap and open late. If you're older than 21, though, there's no reason for you to be here. The menu hasn't changed since 1999, and you've had all the bland Old Mac or spicy-yet-boring entrees before. THe determinedly-inattentive waiters were funny when you were 16, as were the "are we totally blowing your mind yet?" foil sculpture doggy bags. Le Bistro needs to occasionally change things up to stay interesting.

PROS: open late, parking available
CONS: no credit cards

4 Stars: Batting 1000 (by mpetro)

mpetro — Mon, 06 Jun 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I've heard some horror stories from friends about their Montage experiences, but the times I've gone have all been great. Good food, nice atmosphere, professional service and reasonable prices. And while I've always had to wait for a seat, it's never been more than 20 minutes or so.

5 Stars: You gotta love this place! (by johnny blunt)

johnny blunt — Sun, 15 May 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Everytime I go to the Montage, it is great. Every mouthful of the Cajun food is spicy goodness. The place get more crowded the later in the night you go(or early morning!)

5 Stars: Eat on a dime! (by amrt)

amrt — Fri, 13 May 2005 09:00:00 GMT

My friends and I love to go to the Montage at night. The food is good (and fun)...think spam!! Some of the best people watching in town and WINE is reasonably priced! Last week I went there for lunch with a group of co-workers and I didn't have to wait in line! Great pear salad. Good place to have fun and not spend a whole lot of money.

5 Stars: everything was better than I ever remember (by guywholovestoeat)

guywholovestoeat — Wed, 11 May 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I have not been to the montage in about 2 years. I went, I was shocked. I was seated promptly, I got a drink much faster than i remebered in the past and the food blew me away. I had the salmon tartar special, it was amazing. It was also a tuesday and all the wine was half price. I will go back to the montage every week. the deals are just to good. I love those people.

3 Stars: Whatever you do, don't order the fish special (by asegrist)

asegrist — Thu, 21 Apr 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Each time I have ordered whatever the fish special is, it has come out cooked to oblivion. Save the hassle and order the staples: spicy mac (yes, get it with Spam, it's good) and jambalaya type dishes. Even those taste different on any given night. So, Montage is fun, boisterous, a good date place (because everyone has a good time there), but it's not consistent, and really not all that good. You take the bad with the good here, like the fact that they got rid of the best french onion soup in town, but if you need to slug down spicy spam mac at 2:00am, you can't beat it.

1 Stars: BAD JAMBALAYA
secretagent50 — Mon, 17 Jan 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I ordered the Jambalaya, a dish I expected a so-called creole restraunt to know how to prepare. THEY USED NORMAL HOT DOG WEINERS as the meat instead of andoulille sausage!! This was the worst meal, I have ever EATEN!! YUCK YUCK YUCK.

4 Stars: It's worth it. (by sugarbee01)

sugarbee01 — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Go for dinner with a date, or stop by after a late night down town - even @ 3am in the morning! If you don't really care for macaroni & cheese, TRY the macaroni & cheese - and if you like, make it spicy. It's cheesey, gooey goodness. There's a large selection of wine, however remember what you like, because they won't have it or remember it when you return a month later. Try one of the Australian wines. The frog legs aren't to die for - skip those. Anything with sausage is typically good. Wait staff is nice and service is great. Don't be put off by the hard to find, SE alley way location. There's a variety of people - everything from preppy people to folks who look like Le Stat. Try it, be brave. You'll like it.

5 Stars: po boy for a Poor Boy (by nightimezombie)

nightimezombie — Thu, 09 Dec 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Been goin there for years...at night, thought i'd try lunch. OHBOY POBOY, its hard to get a good po bo in portland, a few spots try, only two in town are on the money. montage is is one of them. Have not tried anything else on the lunch menu, but the po boys are awesome!!!

5 Stars: A dining Expience to remember (by sababos)

sababos — Tue, 07 Dec 2004 09:00:00 GMT

The pleasure of dining at this bistro is over the top. The ambience and excellent food fare make it a dining event to remember. I'll be back!!!!!

5 Stars: Tastey as it gets (by bobdaily)

bobdaily — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 09:00:00 GMT

We all go out to eat, sometimes because we're lazy, sometimes we don't have time and other times we want to get food that we just can't do at home. Even though montage has "down home food" I still have not managed to make the same incredible food at home. it's nice to come in, grab a beer and bowl of pasta with the change in my pocket. Iv'e been eating at montage for some time and have noticed that the service has mellowed with time, not as testy as in the past, We're all getting a little older and wiser.

5 Stars: Picture Perfect (by bananahead)

bananahead — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Never mind the food (even though it's fantastic)! The art is absouluty amazing. Montage must have the largest paintings in town. Some might consider the paintings NON PC, but who cares? Its an incredibel sight. There is a last supper with a space ship in the background and bottles of rainer on the table, one with employees in the painting and it's so different it's hard to describe. The food is as different as the paintings.

4 Stars: Great food -- NO CREDIT CARDS! (by massajl)

massajl — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:00:00 GMT

I've waited a while to try this Portland staple. The food was worth the wait, and so was the ambience. However, not accepting credit cards puts this place on the "not convenient" list for our out of town guests. The service was really slow too and it seemed that we had to keep vying for our waiter's attention.

5 Stars: Old time favorite (by tammitammi)

tammitammi — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 09:00:00 GMT

My husband and I had our first date at the MONTAGE years ago. We visit Montage monthly and always on our anniversary. The last time i have to say was the best experience we have ever had. The food has always been good with few exceptions, but the last meal we had was terrific. I was told there was a new chef and his special was out of this world, it was. It was salmon with a Rainer beer sauce. What a combo. Sounds out of line but it was fantastic. Montage has always pushed the envelope, it's good to see it happening in thier kitchen as well.

5 Stars: never a dull moment (by runnergirl456)

runnergirl456 — Thu, 23 Sep 2004 09:00:00 GMT

if you're into a quiet, usual place and food, don't come here. being in the corporate world of the restaurant industry, i am always looking for a place that doesn't fit the run of the mill mall, one on every corner restaurant. This blows everything off the map!!! It's got long tables so you might have to or get to sit next to someone that you like or don't like. the menu is a mile long with everything form gator to macaroni. the waiters, well the waiters are a different story all together, you might get a 'good evening, what can i get for you' or ' I'm busy as can be, tell me what you want, '

in any case, the service was good (if not different) and the food was incredible.

it's nice to see a place that hasn't cowed down to the cookie cutter restaurant formula.

5 Stars: Great Early Too! (by sabastian)

sabastian — Wed, 15 Sep 2004 09:00:00 GMT

My kids have been trying to get me into Montage for some time. Not being part of the younger set, I was always ready for bed by the time they wanted me to go. We finally made it there on my time scheduale. At 6:30 pm. Why did we wait so long? I have the chicken dinner, it was fantastic. The crowd was varied and the food was great!

5 Stars: Where to go late in the morning (by brandon314159)

brandon314159 — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Whenever we here in Newberg want some decently priced GOOD food, we just hit the road and travel 20 miles north to the Montage. The cheesecake is better than sharies and the food is much to my tastes. Everyone needs to take an oyster shooter...its tradition!

5 Stars: Hard to choose (by craig12345)

craig12345 — Thu, 19 Aug 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Once we found the place, (buried under a bridge in SE) the hard part started.
Food: A huge menu with everything under the sun. We settled for the special and the Spicy macaroni chicken. Both the Salmon Cakes and macaroni were fantastic.
Service: Although a little hectic the servier was nice and things moved at an OK speed.
They only had one Salmon Cake order left, we ordered the mac, which was less $ and gave us variety.
Dessert: The Chocolate moouse POT DE CREAME? was to die for. with little room left it was just the right amount and talk about chocolate!

2 Stars: The staff is as rude as it gets (by whoone)

whoone — Tue, 17 Aug 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Its sad that one of the few cajan restaurants, with really good food, and the only place I know of town to get frog legs and alligator daily has the rudest, non caring staff we've ever encountered. They are grouchy, they make you feel like ordering food is a bother, we've gotten food to go and we've picked it up with the sauces running all over the place, leaking, upside down, nasty. Come on, who owns this place?

5 Stars: My review (by trishafry)

trishafry — Mon, 24 May 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Cheap, Great food, easygoing restaurant. Wait staff helpful, even if you have to stay on them every once in a while to get a refill!! Best Cheesecake in town, really!!!!! It may take a while to be seated; it is worth the wait.

4 Stars: PLEASE upgrade the beer! (by thaisnob)

thaisnob — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Cajun? No.
I'd classify the menu as funky comfort food, perfect for topping off a night of drinking. The late hours and quirky interior are the best part of this restaurant. Diverse clientele makes the place interesting, waitstaff is too aloof.
The 2 cheap beer choices are unacceptable, I don't find anything charming about having only two rotgut brews to choose from!

1 Stars: Horrible service (by hans97214)

hans97214 — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 09:00:00 GMT

I too was followed out by the waiter who complained about the tip. At 10%, it was generous for the slow and snooty service. Now I wish I hadn't left anything. One thing's for sure. I'll NEVER return.

1 Stars: A montage of crappiness (by pangealand)

pangealand — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 09:00:00 GMT

My husband raved about the Montage, having been there once before. He dragged my there on our anniversary and I was very disappointed in the food and the service. Our waiter was unattentive, and nonchalant...he looked like he hated working there. I ordered the Portobello Polenta for an appetizer and it was sour and tasteless. The vegetable linguini I ordered for a main course had corn and celery in it...that stuff doesnt belong in good pasta dishes. Suffice it to say I thought the food was gross. I begged my husband to leave and I ended up getting Taco Bell for dinner...which tasted gourmet compared to the Montage!

4 Stars: Funky! (by himnme)

himnme — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 09:00:00 GMT

What a great fun place! Fabulous mac-n-cheese... great service, eclectic crowd. Gets crowded at times, but a great spot... nothing like it around!

5 Stars: nice! (by FarSuperior)

FarSuperior — Tue, 14 Oct 2003 09:00:00 GMT

the montage rules. i dont remember much about my visit there except the extremely aesthetically pleasing waitstaff who served us with the perfect mix of flirtatiousness, sarcasm, and innuendo. they also fashion your leftovers into hideously beautiful tinfoil monstrosities. who doesnt love that?

1 Stars: Rude Rude Rude (by nova670)

nova670 — Mon, 22 Sep 2003 09:00:00 GMT

I vistied the restaurant Septermber 20th 2003. The wait staffs are slow and and very rude. If you expect to be treat as a customer, don't go there because you will not. The staffs don't know customer service if hit them in the heads. My advice, go hungry you'll feel better.

5 Stars: East Side Delight (by billpec)

billpec — Fri, 19 Sep 2003 09:00:00 GMT

It just keeps getting better and better, Some times the wait is a hassle but the time goes fast when your watching the scene. Been going to Montage for years and never been dissapointed with the food or service, (although the host can be curt). The best part is not the restaurant but the customers, we just love being sat next to someone we don't know. By the end of the meal, we do.

1 Stars: Gross, gross, gross!! (by stumptownrat)

stumptownrat — Tue, 12 Aug 2003 09:00:00 GMT

I'm a Luoisiana native, and I never had food like this back home...The suaces are bland, and the meat is nover cooked properly, and usually way underseasoned. If there ever is any flavor or heat in a dish, it is usually just because they added a lot of Tabasco. And as for the atmosphere...who wants to sit at the same table with a bunch of drunk, smelly freaks?? And how can you have a decent converstion with the RUDE waiters yelling evertime someone orders an oyster shooter???

2 Stars: Cajun, you say? (by hpnotiq)

hpnotiq — Tue, 05 Aug 2003 09:00:00 GMT

Rude servers, below par food--what more can you ask for from a psuedo-trendy not quite cajun pacific northwest restaurant? The answer? Not much. The best part of the restaurant is that it closes at 4am on weekends. They sure did a good job of taking the "spice" out of spicy. I never salt my food, but I sure was glad they had full shakers handy! If you're not sure what time the bar closes, don't expect to get an answer from the bartenders if it's past that time! The best part is that you're sure to meet some cool and interesting folk around 2am.

5 Stars: They're not Tapas, they're appetizers (by settler_98)

settler_98 — Tue, 06 May 2003 09:00:00 GMT

After the show, my boyfriend took me "under the bridge". Never been there, didn't know what I was in for. But I was pleasantly surprised by the interior of this 100 year+ bricker that looks like it is ready to fall any second. We weren't very hungry but wanted to kill some time over some wine and tapas. First we were told that "we don't have tapas, we have appetizers", then we got the wine list. There must have been 60 different wines from everywhere but the US. We settled on Portabello mushrooms with polenta, an order of frog legs and a bottle of MUGA. It was all fantastic!. the mushroom/polenta plate was huge and the frog legs were awsome. As for the wine, we ended up buying the bottle and finished off the evening watching all the diners, what a mix of people.

5 Stars: Not Chained In (by tcl)

tcl — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 09:00:00 GMT

Go anywhere in the country and you can get the exact same food, at any one of a 100 chain restaurants. Sometimes this is what I want. I was whining about getting the same old "Steak and Potatoe" dinner and a friend of mine took me to Montage. She hit home plate. I was amazed at the location (old industrial part of Portland), the building (an old place that really is old not just made to look old), and the "feel". I felt I actually took step out of time. No TV in the bar, nothing typical about it, I wasn't at a chain. Dinner was somthing else. Chicken legs with a pile of real mased potatoes, and pop out of a bottle. Dinner was less than 10 bucks. I'll try the gator lator.

4 Stars: The Bobo (by yazfan)

yazfan — Tue, 29 Apr 2003 09:00:00 GMT

The Bobo, a.k.a biscuits, sausage 'n gravy, is a wonderful dish. The potatoes and cajun gravy that come with the meal are a great accompaniment, all this for $7.75. I wish they would give less of the main dish (enough for 3-4 people) and more of the potatoes. The spicy Mac is more like pasta shells in hot sauce, I was looking for that traditional Mac n' Cheese taste. The linguini with rock shrimp and any blackened dishes are the one's to get. The grand winner is the pesto spam omelet, wow! Some drink called the Monkey...something was excellent. Food overall is not great, but good.

2 Stars: So-So (by CRL75)

CRL75 — Sun, 20 Apr 2003 09:00:00 GMT

I have friends who rave over Montage, especially the Mac & Cheese. I found it to be pretty average, as good as what we make at home. The service was average, nothing special. Didn't really find anything to rave about here myself.

4 Stars: Too clean for comfort (by rbedney)

rbedney — Wed, 26 Mar 2003 09:00:00 GMT

Expect slow, sometimes rude, service and keep a sense of humor about it. The food is so-so and cheap, but it's open late. The draw of Montage, the only real reason to go, used to be the random, mixed crowd: business people in suits, next to street kids, next to a Blazer, next to a junkie - really random. Since those days, it seems much cleaner and more sterile - everyone wearing something from Banana Republic. Without the strange crowd, it's not such a draw anymore...

3 Stars: overrated (by ladycrystal97216)

ladycrystal97216 — Sun, 02 Mar 2003 09:00:00 GMT

The decor is nice, kind of classy with white table cloths. Great way to meet new people. The food was over rated there were 5 of us, each having a different dish. Heard so much about the mac and cheese, no flavor could have done better out of a box. The waiter was friendly, but the poor busgirl, was doing her work AND his.

5 Stars: People Watching @ its best (by terrob42)

terrob42 — Sat, 01 Feb 2003 09:00:00 GMT

Yes, the food is average. Yes, the waiters are a little odd. Yes, the seating is strange. But this is the funnest place in town! The food is very reasonable and a great value! The waiters are sometimes silly, sometimes oddly quiet, sometimes sweet.. but they are as fun to watch as the customers. You never know who you will be seated next too.. thats half the fun.. unless they hit your arm every time they take a bite of food.. hahah - I love this place.. then go to Rimsky's for dessert!

5 Stars: Only place to take Everyone (by MikeKugler)

MikeKugler — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

seriously. I've got friends these day that afford themselves the best of everything. I've also got friends that can babrely afford the $1 menu at McDonalds. Montage is the only place I can go out with all my friends. And, man is it a cool place too! Funky Bohemian digs under the the Morrison bridge. Reminds me of Europe...or the States if corporate chains didn't dominate our every experience!

5 Stars: A Portland Tradition (by HipMomma)

HipMomma — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

When my girlfriends come in from SanFran..this is where I always take them. Very hip..the perfect blend of bourgeoisie and bohemian. Great food..even better ambiance...and best of all..I love that I can take all my friends here and the corporate go-getter can drop $50 and my social-worker friend can get mac-n-cheese...this is the only place ALL of my firneds can go together!!!

5 Stars: Excellent service, great food (by early_bp)

early_bp — Fri, 17 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

My little well-behaved son was treated with the same formal yet comfortable respect as the rolex-wearing guy at the next table. Our food was presented well, and it tasted great.
Maybe the service is bad late at night, but maybe drunk and obnoxious customers aren't so much fun either.

2 Stars: If they didn't stay open late they'ed cl (by missmorgan)

missmorgan — Fri, 03 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

The only reason to go here is to get food when most of Portlands other resturants are closed. The service is horrible the food is so-so and other then the oysters I wouldn't call it cheep

5 Stars: limey is 'e a Brit 'r not.... (by browntown)

browntown — Fri, 20 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

I've been to this under the bridge local more times than I can remeber (mostly because there still open when the bars are closed.), and each time its like the first. The simple french seating and the near sarcastic greating, give you that liberating feeling you always wanted when dining on aligator pate. If your wise you'll get there a 1/2 hour before last call and order a large round of pounders and shooters while being entertained by the over-the-top wait staff and timmid first timers.
if your luck you'll get Ducky for your server and have a bottle of Shiraz to go with that gumbo (catfish of course).

3 Stars: The Natzi Waiter (by dnbdoll)

dnbdoll — Wed, 11 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

People mention this place and I groan. I understand that they get busy, but they're paid to serve-and when the ***!! of a waiter CHASED US OUT TO THE PARKING LOT because we didn't tip him (the service was inexcusable-and I never am nitpicky with service when eating out), that was the last straw. It is nice to have somewhere to go at 3am, though, and it's nice for loud people.

5 Stars: Montage for lunch! (by lollygag)

lollygag — Tue, 10 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Who knew this quircky cajun bistro could be just as much fun during the daylight hours. Although the menus a bit parred down so are the prices. The atmosphere isn't quite as hustle bustle as during the wee morning hours, which is perfect for lunch. The staff seems a little less surly, if still sleepy eyed, and the service was friendly and quick.

5 Stars: Best atmosphere ever (by fullerton)

fullerton — Mon, 09 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

It is a truely unique place. It's probably the best restaurant on the eastside. The atmosphere is superb, all dark red lighting and combined seating. I usually go alte at night, it's always bustling and has a young cosmopolitain mix of people. Emo-kids, Punks, yuppies hippies frat boys. A little bit of everything and not so bad food.

3 Stars: surly waiter attacks customer on sidewal (by tlperky)

tlperky — Sun, 08 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Montage for atmosphere, food & just good old plain people watching rocks. But beware of the waiter that you don't tip because he was busy collecting his other tips from vacated tables and re-setting them for his next unwitting prey. And whatever you do, please do not mention your dissatisfaction to the busboy because they are, most assuredly in cahoots.
Our waiter followed us outside and decided that the best way to rectify his terrible customer service was to berate us and accuse us of not being "hip" enough to understand a fine eatery such as The Almighty Montage!!
Of course I complained....to 4 different "managers" (one told me that I must have never lived in New York) but finally got my unlimited dinner certificate.
Can't wait to go back and sit in my favorite waiter's section!!

5 Stars: Service?! You want service?! (by bbdudley)

bbdudley — Wed, 20 Nov 2002 09:00:00 GMT

If you have to ask a question, be assured that the answer will always be "NO!" That said, this is the restraunt that I never miss everytime I am in Portland. Yes, they are edgy. Afterall, they do have a reputation to uphold. The food is great (cheap!), the drinks are strong. Your table companions are always an unknown. Yes, I have tried things besides Mac N Cheese, but keep coming back. They serve it many many different ways, so there is something for every taste. Vegetarians, beware. I found the bread pudding to be pretty much like tasteless cardboard with a sauce added. I haven't tried any other desserts. Oh, yeah, always take some food "ToGo", as they do the most interesting alumnium foil figures. I've gotten a crab, a duck, a turtle, a snail. I once saw a 3-foot high angel leaving in front of me! Very fun.

5 Stars: Try the crocodile. (by darthwhit)

darthwhit — Thu, 14 Nov 2002 09:00:00 GMT

The crocodile is amazing. I always feel adventurous when I try out a new restaurant. Crocodile may be the most delicious meat I have ever had. In a fett alfredo dish the meat just disolved in my mouth. I could have asked for at least some kind of beer selection other than Rainier. Atmosphere is amazing, may have to wait for a bit unless you're early. and don't go in with any expectations. great for groups.

5 Stars: YehAW! (by nope)

nope — Fri, 08 Nov 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Yum, is all I have to say! The Tomato Basil pasta dish was AWSOME, and the rasp. cheesecake was so GOOD, I think I'll have to make special trips over, then under the bridge just for it. Our Waitress and Hostess were nice, not overly friendly. Loved when they yell "oysters!". Just wish the music were'nt so loud. Also, location is a bit scary and intimidating, but I think that's how they keep the prices low...

5 Stars: Best place to sober up!! (by aliworld)

aliworld — Fri, 08 Nov 2002 09:00:00 GMT

If you like tasty food this is the place to go even if you are sober. I've been eating there for years. I discovered early one morning after a night of drinking that Montage has healing powers in their food. If you eat there after a heavy drinking night you will not end up with a hangover!!!

4 Stars: Party atmosphere (by loves2read)

loves2read — Sun, 06 Oct 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Fun and upbeat -- this place can get a bit rowdy, so it's good for groups but not for intimate dinners. The macaroni/pasta dishes are excellent.

4 Stars: Not for groups (by heathernanasi)

heathernanasi — Tue, 03 Sep 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Obviuosly great mac and shooters, but try the hop-john salad. I don't mind the waiters, I always seem to get the nice one! Do not go with more than 4 people.

2 Stars: Good Atmosphere, Blah food (by kir80spez)

kir80spez — Sun, 01 Sep 2002 09:00:00 GMT

I paid over $12 for "blackened" salmon that was so dry I had to drink 4 glasses of water just to get it down. The "blackened" part of the salmon was simply a burnt, crispy, coating. This place is nice for meeting friends for a drink, but the dinner was definitely over priced and was BLAH! Also, we waited forever to be seated.

1 Stars: never again (by kelson1109)

kelson1109 — Wed, 21 Aug 2002 09:00:00 GMT

snooty servers and the hosts were bad. waited forever for sub standard food

5 Stars: Best Bang for the Buck! (by tahaus)

tahaus — Mon, 12 Aug 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Best late night dining experience anywhere in Portland! You can get great, flavorful dishes like Spam Spicy Mac, Gumbo, and Jambalaya that can come with interesting meats such as allegator or crawfish. The atmosphere is ever-changing and always lively, but not a romantic quite place. Totally fun and very inexpensive!

5 Stars: Authentic indeed (by southall)

southall — Sun, 11 Aug 2002 09:00:00 GMT

It is always a pleasure when traveling to Portland to have dinner at the Montage. Oyster shooters and other seafood delicious delights add to the Cajun style atmosphere. This place is a real delight. It is not as stuffy as other psuedo cajun style seafood houses. I recommend this place over any other in Portland.

5 Stars: Unlikely tastiness! (by duckgirl)

duckgirl — Thu, 01 Aug 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Driving past the Montage, I have to admit I was a little bit sceptical...considering the location. However, once inside, I was impressed. It has a relaxed yet classy atmosphere with excellent basics on the menu. For a fun option, try a version of the macaroni and cheese!

2 Stars: What do you Really want? (by both_of_us)

both_of_us — Tue, 30 Jul 2002 09:00:00 GMT

If you're looking for some sort of strange dining experience with overcrowded "group tables", this is where you should go. But if you're looking for that intimate dining experience with your sweetheart, find another place.

The Montage is a different place that we won't be going back to. In our opinion, the food is nothing more than you could come up with from your ordinary kitchen staples, with half the taste.

If you're looking for good cajun food, this is not the place. If you're looking for a good meal with a nice atmosphere, this is still not the place! Portland is alive with good restaurants, take the time to find a good one!!!

5 Stars: Funky fun... (by kokobella)

kokobella — Wed, 24 Jul 2002 09:00:00 GMT

I've been going to the MONTAGE for nearly 8 years and I still love it. There's even one cook who still hoots and hollers when I walk in. The quality has never wavered. I can't pass up the Pesto Mac and Mud Pie...YUM

4 Stars: Late night entertainment... (by xenonPDX)

xenonPDX — Sun, 21 Jul 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Tucked away under the East side of the Morrison Bridge, this is a good place to go late at night -especially for a large group. Cash, checks, or ATM cards only. It's dark, unique, and fun if you like crowds. They seat you next to others on their long tableclothed dinner tables with candles with moderately loud music thoughout the place. If you want to hear your waiter yell, order their raw oyster shooter. They also serve other exotic foods like duck, alligator, and turtle (or is it rabbit?). If you want a beer, you only have two choices, Mikey's or some mainstream beer. They do have a full bar, served until 1:30 am. Open until 3 am. It can be packed late on a Sunday night. If you don't like crowds, show up before 10 pm on the weekend for your best shot. Happy dining!

3 Stars: Great spot for late night grub (by shaft28)

shaft28 — Thu, 11 Jul 2002 09:00:00 GMT

I can't really imagine setting out to Le Bistro before 10pm. Just doen't seem like the kind of place you take your girlfriend to dinner.
Most the place after a night of drinks and you need some food at midnight or later.
Good food, nothing spectacular. We'll the way they wrap up leftovers is great, unfortunately what they wrap up isn't. Just good.
I will admit the picnic style tables add to the atmosphere that I like, but the screaming and rude wait staff I'm not so fond of.
Hit and miss, but worth a trip if it is 1am and you're hungry.
Not exactly true cajun/creole food, but alright.

4 Stars: the "to-go" containers are a must see (by jasmine_xoxo)

jasmine_xoxo — Tue, 18 Jun 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Yum Yum Yum ;)
I went here on my first date with my boyfriend and it was so fun and weird and romantic and the food was fun to eat and try to figure out what it was in the dim light *grins*. Please treat yoursefl to some fun eating and a "Side-Car" too. That's their yummy drink that makes your head swirl and your mouth smile!

4 Stars: A little bit of everything . . . (by Stewboss)

Stewboss — Mon, 10 Jun 2002 09:00:00 GMT

If you don't want someone to serve you crocodile nuggets and wine in short glasses at tables with family style seating while you suffer from a barrage of insults or ambivalence from your waiter . . . don't even bother to show up. Myself? I recommend it. Set your expectations accordingly and order a cheap Ranier.

4 Stars: A good time (by allisonaustin_citysearch)

allisonaustin_citysearch — Tue, 21 May 2002 09:00:00 GMT

I liked this place, though I wasn't too impressed with the food. But I think that's missing the point--it's a cool place to go for a cheap night out with friends.

3 Stars: A reliable old favorite (by SueOstermann_Citysearch)

SueOstermann_Citysearch — Wed, 15 May 2002 09:00:00 GMT

ontage does the basics well. The mac & cheese is still as good as ever, as are the mussel shooters. The hoppin john salad is another winner. The more creative entrees can be hit-or-miss. The atmosphere here is great funparticularly for a group of peoplewith its long, communal tables and upbeat energy. The wait can be long, though, particularly on weekends. The elaborate foil displays that contain leftovers are cute, but the novelty wears off.