My boyfriend of I ventured to the Pearl from Southeast in search of seafood, Bay 13 had been recommended to us when we asked around about oysters on the halfshell. When we walked in we were floored by the beautiful, minimalist feel of the converted warehouse, a really amazing space. We sat at the bar for a cocktail before dinner and found the service to be a very pleasant change from the all-too-usual amateur, aloof attitude we find at bars in the Pearl (and all over Portland). The bartender made us tasty, perfectly executed manhattans and was eager to talk to us about the menu. The man in the attached oyster bar chatted with us at length about the oysters they had on hand. We decided the cocktail area more to our tastes, the dining room felt a bit too formal for our mood (though a party in their banquet room seemed quite boisterous!). Our cocktail server was efficient, friendly and professional without being over-attentive, we had some surprisingly tasty sushi, and the oysters we had been seeking were beautiful, fresh and perfectly shucked. The wine list was really complementary to the cuisine, and we left feeling like we had had one of the best service and food service experiences we had in a while, especially as we don?t leave our favorite haunts in southeast very often, and rarely find ourselves in the Pearl. The people-watching in the bar was stellar and hysterical, and it certainly got louder and more energetic as the night went on. We hope to sit in the dining room next time we are looking for a sit-down dinner; they really seem to have the balance of great service and great food! Also, we always appreciate someone asking about our experience as we leave an establishment and we were not let down, the host/manager was very sincere.
Pros: Great service, Amazing oysters, free bottled water
Cons: Could get noisy from private parties, parking is iffy
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