Biwa

Sarah S. 

on Citysearch

12 years ago

Hip little downstairs hot spot serving up steaming bowls and delicious small plates. This is a cozy neighborhood favorite where there aren't a whole lot of options nearby for Asian food.I LOVED my dish. Service was decent, place consistently packed. Great for dates, but a little fussy for old folks, and though people bring children, it's not a kid place. Love the music everything was great. 

Dallana2689 

on Citysearch

13 years ago

HORRIBLE SERVICE! – We had a large party and gave the excuse that we were more then they expected. But the waitresses were RUDE and UNACCOMODATING. They made everyone feel unconfortable and made the experience terrible. It was supposed to be a happy occasion, but everyone left upset and dissapointed. I tried to voice my experice and got an absurd excuse. I WILL NEVER go to this restaurant again and will NEVER recommend it to any of my friends and family! Food was bland. 

Tbrenneke 

on Citysearch

13 years ago

Weak Menu - Waiter Ruined Our Evening – Too many pickled items on the menu. Not really a dinner place - mostly appetizers. Food was decent. Although, rude waiter with a chip on his shoulder ruined our evening. Not going back there. 

leftcoast686 

on Citysearch

14 years ago

I'll be back for sure – The food here was great with service to match. Had a large selection of sake and a good mix of dishes to order. I will be going back soon. 

Laz 

on Citysearch

15 years ago

Great food and Great Service. – Went for dinner tonight with my Mom and Sis. Everything we ate and drank was delicious. The Lamb ribs were to die for. 

MJBMTL 

on Citysearch

15 years ago

really fun dinner – I ate at Biwa for the first time on Saturday night. The service was excellent and the food was interesting (in a good way). I was really impressed with the drink list and everything we ordered was delicious. It is also a really fun casual atmosphere with a cool kitchen bar. Good job Biwa! 

EatsLeaves 

on Citysearch

15 years ago

I want hiyyakko now – Biwa has food that, frankly, I would eat every damn day of my life. For example: Hiyyakko: Cold Ota (Portland Local!) Tofu with Bonito Flake Homemade Kimchi: Need I say more. Deepfried Homemade Kimchi: Even Better? Hell yes. Chicken Karaage: Melts in your Mouth. Chicken fat never tasted so good. Miso Scallop: Perfectly Grilled Beef Tartar w/Quail Egg: Order 2 of 'em Onigiri with Umeboshi Plum: The best I have ever had in any Japanese establishment. (Sorry, Seattle) Their wine and sake and shochu selecti... read more

localfoodiefoo 

on Citysearch

15 years ago

nice atmosphere, good food but I left hungry – I really liked the atmosphere and thought the menu had a diverse array of appetizing choices. I found the waitstaff to be very friendly and attentive even though the restaurant was about 3/4 full. I tried the cold soba noodles with green tea and shrimp appetizer as my meal. It was simple and refreshing but a little bland. The portions are way too small - for example the lamb kabob at $4 was about a half a cup of meat. The asparagus appetizer is like six pieces of aparagus for $8... read more

Foodie79 

on Citysearch

16 years ago

What exactly did I pay for? Poor service and mediocre food. – This was probably the worst dining experience I've had in Portland. biwa seemed great at first - cozy and trendy, relatively busy, etc; however, the service was abhorrent. We were a group of 14 who called ahead to make reservations. Granted, they were busy when we arrived, but biwa is so small that it only holds about 10-12 tables total. We were not approached by a server for at least 15 minutes and after ordering drinks, we waited for those drinks for another 20 ... read more