Biwa

kwdsus 

on Citysearch

16 years ago

At best, bland fusion cuisine – The food here is more "fusion" than "authentic." I am truly mystified as to why the ramen here gets such high marks. The broth seemed starchy, left a strange aftertaste, and was bland and uninspiring. Granted, it's a Japanese restaurant and not a Korean one, but the bibimbap was absolutely subpar. I would not recommend coming here for anyone looking for truly authentic Japanese flavors. 

asianjo3 

on Citysearch

16 years ago

Great atmosphere, bad ramen :[ – I've heard mainly bad things about Biwa's udon and ramen, but I had to give it a try myself. I love the interior and the cook station is pretty rad for being right in front of you like a sushi bar (duh it's an izakaya) but I had some of the skewers and they were pretty tasty. The ramen I had was pretty doughy and it just left a bad taste in the mouth. I left pretty full for 12 dollars but unsatisfied. I'll give it another go but gonna stay away from the soups. Sit at the bar with a friend. 

gastronomy 

on Citysearch

16 years ago

Portland Izakaya at its best! – I am very excited to have found a yakimono / izakaya restaurant in SE Portland. The food is excellent from the scrumptious yakimono items such as the bara (pork belly) and yakitori (chicken liver, thigh and breast) to the wide selection of izakaya specialties. Each menu item I tasted was a skillfully prepared delight! You may need to order more of the wonderful bite size pieces to fill you up but to me it was well worth it. If you're trying to save a few bucks ask about the counter specials. T... read more

abadabadoo 

on Citysearch

16 years ago

Be-warned! – We tried this restaurant for the first time for a birthday party, of 8 adults. The service was terrible! 15 minutes to get water, which came in glasses that were 1/2 full! We requested a pitcher for the table, and were denied! Our server showed up after 20 minutes, (no kidding, we timed her), and while she was very helpful & pleasant, her service continued to be glacially slow. The air was filled with smoke from the grill, and when we left our clothes smelled of smoke! Since we were a large group, we ordered and... read more

mebiscuit 

on Citysearch

16 years ago

Delightful. – My husband and I consider Biwa in our top 5 restuarants. The kimchi is spicy and wonderful. The ramen complex, rich and soul-satisfying. The gyoza, fried dumplings, are fresh, crispy, hot and delicious. We always leave feeling warm and happy. The bar specials after 9pm are a really good deal. My husband ate his way through Japan and thinks they do a great job with the cuisine. The servers are friendly, quick and helpful, but maybe a little scattered when the rush hits. The only cons we have experienced are temp... read more

saintiggy 

on Citysearch

17 years ago

YES ! Ramen please. – Biwa is hands down the place my friends and I wind up at when we want great japanese food - or we just want to meet up and hang out. You can take it to the limit - with special sake and lots of little grilled treats and hot pots or keep it simple. The ramen is fantastic, the best in town -with homemade noodles and rich clean broth. Add the egg, add the bacon- it is worth it. Sometimes the japanese pickles are a little too salty- but the kimchee is always perfect. the grill can make some of the tender bi... read more

palisade 

on Citysearch

17 years ago

exquisite specials – my friends and I went out to Biwa on a Thursday night recently?a good night to go, as Biwa does a sake and food pairing from a specific province. I'm no expert on Japanese food, but I do eat out a lot and consider myself an adventurous diner. I know when something is prepared with love and attention to detail, as it certainly was here! We absolutely loved the squid salad, the gyoza, the Korean griddle cakes, the tsukemono and yakitori?the pacing of the meal was just right, service informed and friendly, ... read more

pdxhungry 

on Citysearch

17 years ago

Stay Away! – Probably my second worst restaurant experience. We waited a good 15 minutes before we were approached by the server, the people who were seated next to us about 10 minutes afters we did were approached first, and received their food and drink before us. The ramen was not as good as we had hoped, and the drinks were mediocre. Won't be going back! 

wifeyloves2eat 

on Citysearch

17 years ago

I agree this is not Japanese Ramen – I was extremely disappointed with this expensive bowl of noodles. This is a true hipster kind of place; over priced food, small portions and a hyped up reputation. The staff was very nice and attentive however the food left a lot to be desired. After recently traveling in Japan I craved the wonderful ramen noodles I had in Kyoto. I should have known when the menu stated that the noodles were homemade Chinese style. The pork loin that was an extra $4 was like a thin piece of ham nothing li... read more