Caprial's Bistro & Wines

The host and wait-staff were unprofessional from the start. Once the host greeted my wife and I, we informed him of our reservations. The host stand there looking over what we believe was a short list of names and talking to other staff member (never acknowledging us), We believe trying to make a discussion on where to sit us. After a minute or two past, my wife asked the host should we can back. He answered no. The other staff member he was talking finally said, they would have our table ready in a minute. I would also like to mention, looking around the restaurant there were four empty tables. So the other staff member (not the host) finally after other few minutes said that our table was ready and follow her. We followed her to only find that we would be seated in the back of the restaurant. In some small hole of the restaurant, where they must do cooking classes or something. We were very disappointed that we were not asked if where we were being sited was acceptable. That was only the beginning. The wait staff never and I do mean never ask what we thought of the appetizers or the meal. By the end of the meal I was hoping the wait staff or the host would ask what we thought of the experience, but no such luck. The host failed to even recognize us as we left. Besides the unprofessional staff the food was good and poor. The duckling entree was good and the pork chop entree was poor. Needless to say we will not be going back or recommending the restaurant to our friend and family. A very big let down. Pros: The duckling entree Cons: Unprofessional staff more

I rarely write a review for something and usually when it is outstanding. I have been wanting to try Caprial's for years so I made reservations for Valentines Day. I am the type of person who is a - not a really picky eater and b - very forgiving of the wait staff and I typically tip at least 20%. We were disappointed with our experience there. First of all - they sat us way way back in a little room right next to the stove where the ""show"" is filmed. There was a kitchen door right there as well, and the stove kept igniting spontaneously throughout our meal. They tried to seat a party of four in a tiny space behind us and THEY refused the table.\r My observation here is that in order to make more mone - they used the back room as overflow and it would have been better not to take reservations as we looked around at the couples in that little room - we kind of all looked a little bemused. It was a little like being glad you caught the bus, but then having to stand up the entire ride home!!\r The cocktails were ok - being a cocktail person in a town with lots of interesting cocktail bars - these were no great shakes. The appetizers we had were fine, but not outstanding. We both ordered the same main course and when it came mine was piping hot and his was stone cold. He told the waitress and she laughed and remarked that she wondered why his plate was so cold to the touch and mine so hot! DA! And, lastly, we had to wait quite a while before another waiter noticed our visa card sitting there - at the edge of the table. Honestly, I do not see what all the fuss is about Caprial - I can tell you when we want to got to a pricey restaurant again - it will not be this one. Pros: None that would entice me to go back Cons: nothing outstanding more

Caprials is on my all time fav list! Love going for special events or just a week night out.\r My husband and I had a wonderful meal on our Anniversary /New Years Eve. Meal and service was excellant as always. My steak was devine!! Beverage too! more

Excellent menu for the discerning diner. I highly recommend this restaurant to natives and visitors. Love the ambiance and the service. One of the most comfortable restaurants in town. Pros: Always consistent food and service Cons: parking at times more

I had another excellent dinner at Caprial's. She is a gracious host and her husband John even seated us. The food was as usual excellent and the service is always very attentive and helpful. Wiil be back there soon. more

If you haven't been to Caprial's its a must. I absolutely love this restaurant from their food to their lovely staff. They are always very accommodating when it comes to special requests. Some people are impossible to please thus some bad reviews but if you go in with an open mind and are looking for a great meal and great service, Caprials is where its at. Trust me, you'll love this restaurant!!!! Cons: parking more

So I decieded to write a review because ,well..I LOVE Caprial's Bitro! Much to my surprise I read the negitive reviews that people wrote and thought to myself...self...Did they dine at the same place as I did???? Clearly there are people in the world who would find fault with any place and with any food. I have yet to have a bad meal there ( and I have been going there for years)... and anytime I have asked for some special tweaking of the menu for my dietary needs, they have ALWAYS been ultra helpful! Also I have met John and Caprial and have found them very down to earth and real people! Perfect? Who is???? The staff has always been friendly and are very informed about the foods and wines that they serve. The new Chef Chris has done some AMAZING things to the menu. If it has been awhile since you have visited the bistro...GO BACK and try the great food! If you are a regular..keep going back, you know what I am saying!! I look forward to my next visit to Caprial's Bistro, FUN, GREAT FOOD, wonderful wines and creative cocktails. As far as the staff goes...You guys are great!! Keep up the good work. Pros: Local,Great food, warm atmosphere Cons: I wish they were open 7 days! more

Just as an FYI to the people who patronize the restaurant. They don?t properly pay there ?Valued? employees. All tips are taken at the end of each day by Caprial herself. I?m not sure what country you live in, but in 99.9% of most restaurants? the wait staff get all the tips ?earned? at one point or another. This does not happen. In one company meeting called by the ?Employees? it was advised again, by Caprial that the tips ?are not there?s to begin with?, very interesting I thought. Not to mention if you book a private part or catering all gratuities go into their pocket, none are passed down, as a normal business would. Just thought the general public should know this. The food may be ok, or marginal, but in the end a business is only as good as its employees. Oh i almost left out the most important part, the paychecks bounce every time, and no this isnt a once n a blue moon thing, its every two weeks, going on over a year now. No tips, and delayed pay, overdraft fees not compensated, maybe now the other reviews about lack of staff care make more sense... Cons: They dont pay there employees, ask one sometime and watch the look on there face. more

I'll be up front: this has nothing to do with the food. In fact, I haven't even stepped inside the building. My husband purchased a gift certificate for me on our wedding day (yes...cooking classes as a wedding gift. you can imagine how special i felt!). \r \r I'll take responsibility for the part where i lost the certificate for awhile. then found it, but unfortunately had a baby who's been in the hospital most of her life now, so cooking classes were out of the question. I called to ask for grace on the expiration date. The woman on the phone literally laughed at me, and said they just wouldn't honor it, and that it wasn't her fault I neglected to use it. I said i totally understood that, but was hoping there was some kind of compromise...maybe honoring half the amount. She said there would be no compromise, it was too complicated for them to balance their books with a certificate that expired. I said it wasn't hard to balance the books with the extra money my husband gave you for nothing in return. \r \r It's not like I don't take responsibility here, but some amount of compassion or at least kindess would have been appreciated. laughing in my face was completely uncalled for. certainly offering me a lunch in the restaurant wouldn't throw off their books, and could've created a repeat customer with good things to say about the business' ethics. \r \r shame on you, lady. more

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. I've been to dine here over a dozen time, and have NEVER had a bad meal. I have taken many friends and family members and my husband and I still find it to be one of our favorites.\r \r We have been there when Marc was the chef and also while John and Caprial have been cooking, and every meal has been ""as good as"" or ""better than the one before"". We have tried everything under the sun from their vegetarian dishes to the seafood to the steaks and pasta, and have loved it all.\r \r If you had a bad meal, I truly suggest talking with the owners or at least trying the place again. We have never had bad service there. Not even coming directly from work with my husband in his grubby jeans or after a night out in dressed up. We have always been treated politely and with respect.\r \r And no, I'm not easy to please. I'm very picky about my food, and especially at these prices. While not the highest I've ever paid, it is still the best food for the price. And we will continue to go there. In fact we are headed there again this weekend! Pros: A wonderfully cooked meal and great wines more

In my one visit, the service was fairly dismissive, my salmon was overcooked (should be a crime) and had to be sent back, and the rest of our dishes were good, but not great. For the prices, I would expect much better.\r \r I'd like to go to a restaurant more than once before reviewing, but when a place is expensive as well as disappointing, I'm not going back. Since our experience fit with what many other reviewers here have said, I don't think it was a one-off set of problems. Pros: Affordable wine list Cons: Service, food, price more

The wait staff was a bit unhelpful during a good portion of the meal. They really didn't care that we were sitting there for a good 20 minutes waiting for our ents...with the restaurant empty. It seems that everyone was more interested in the fact that a cooking show was going on in the back room. \r \r The appetizer selection looked good, but was extremely disappointing when it came to the table. Cheese platter? The server couldn't even identify 2 of the cheeses for us, and with so little cheese on the plate, I was surprised. I guess they ended up putting the cheese on our romaine salad, which was overwhelmed with Bleu. Where was the lettuce? Underneath the HEALTHY amount of croutons, which I had asked to be removed...\r \r Great wine selection, and favorable prices for some glyceriny NW Pinot!! Plus, it paired nicely with the entrees. \r \r The entrees left a bit to be desired. No selection whatsoever. I found myself ordering the old standard to see what the fuss is all about. \r \r The ""hand made"" ravioli, looked and tased like giant potstickers. They were swimming in some sort of duck sauce that was supposed to be creamy? Instead, it tasted like beef broth. Plus, we only got 4 of them. They were kinda big, but 4 of them was not worth the $20.\r \r Their pork chop was cooked perfectly, but was over peppered on 1/2. Looks like the cook missed on his first attempt at seasoning. Couldn't choke half of it down because it was over seasoned. The chop was also swimming in the same beef flavored stock as the ravioli. The augratin swimming in the ""Au Jus"" were actually very good. Just left a lot on my plate due to the fact that it was soggy by the time I got to it. \r \r We opted out of the dessert menu for lack of selection, and walked down to Papa Haydns for a nice slice of cassata cake. more

After reading the previous reviews, I was shocked and in complete disagreement. I have dined at the Bistro numerous times and have never been disappointed. Not only is the food delicious, but I found the staff and owners to be delightful. Some folks (*hint hint*) are just pretentious and negative just for the sake of it, and Caprial and John's restaurant should not suffer for it. In fact, the two chefs are always fun and create a really warm atmosphere. I will continue to go, and I suggest that the pretentious snobs eat at the Dairy Queen down the road. One more thing to the person who thought he'd set the record straight--Caprial and John are currently cooking seeing as Mark Dowers is no longer in Portland! Get your facts together. Pros: Food, service, atmosphere, dessert! more

ok so this place is so over rated it's not even funny for one thing john and caprial dont cook there all the time. i read they lost there chef so whos the chef! on my visit me and 3 others had salads app's and entree.\r salads where ok nothing great the frisee salad was dressed with a gross overly sweet dressing. good app's but when the escolar with tomato curry come i wanted to $#@%. why would a bistro do curry. it looked like a baby $#@% on my plate and they put some oven cooked fish on it. the fish had no flavor. worst meal ever. i would love to see this place really be good. Please hire a chef that knows what he/she is doing.\r \r if you do go to this palce just get a salad and app's DO NOT order an entree. more

My daughter and I thought that we would stop in for lunch...sitting by the window in the sun sounded wonderful. When we received our meal a sandwich & salad for me and noodles for my daughter. My plate came with a hair, I promptly returned the plate to John Pence (his wife is the namesake of the restaurants and they have a cooking show - although I'm not sure why) who took the plate and returned with the SAME food on a new plate! He gave no apology and was extremely condescending when I requested a new order. My daughter had 12 or 13 noodles (small ones) that we paid $4.00 for and a $2.25 soda! When we received the bill totalling $25.50 for mediocre food and terrible hospitality and service, I was appalled! I would NEVER go back to this restaurant nor would I recommend this snotty, stuck up place, with its snotty self-righteous owners to anyone I know. Pros: location Cons: overpriced food, terrible service, rude owners more

The staff was extremely condescending and stuck up, especially the owners! I had the misfortune to dine on a night that the infamous Caprial and John Pence were seating and greeting. Not only were they extremely rude and unprofessional, they also had us waiting at the front door for a table for 20 minutes, even with a reservation! John, who seated us ignored our request for a highchair and when one was finally brought he justified the tardiness with a blunt ""we don't usually cater to children here"". I was so offended he might as well asked us to get up and leave with our child! Once we finally got to order, the food was brought out to us with one cold dish and one wrong order. Once the mistake was corrected we were able to have a reasonably nice dinner until I went to freshen up after the meal. I took my daughter and we went to the restroom where we were surprised by 2 Anastatus tenuipes, scurrying away from the light!!!!\r I will never ever go to this so-called ""fine dining"" restaurant, and will do everything in my power to warn others of the terrible way this operation is run! Pros: Location Cons: Rude staff, unproffesional owners, overpriced food, unhygenic conditions more

I met a client here for lunch and was a little worried about what we'd find after reading the mixed reviews. I believe some folks might have unfair standards given the restaurant's famous founder.\r \r My client had the reuben sandwich and said it was excellent. I had a tuna loin served on greens and fingerling potatoes with a tomato salsa that we wonderful. \r \r The service was solid. We sat in a window seat in extremely comfortable chairs. I'd highly recommend giving this place a try. Pros: tuna loin Cons: None I can think of more

Decided to try this restaurant on a week night with my husband...on entering the hostess looked down her nose and said Reservations? Didn't realize as this was our first & last trip here. She put us at the bar in front of the kitchen on the MOST uncomfortable chairs I have ever been on! Since it was already 8 PM, the restaurant had at least 3, up to 9 tables empty the entire time we were here. My husband had the pork which was very good, but the Attitude is something these restaurants need to get over. Much rather go to Cha Cha Cha for Great Mexican and good food. Pros: Food Cons: ATTitude of staff, furniture more

Just to set the record straight--the food served at Caprial's Bistro is not the food of the restaurant's namesake. Mark Dowers has been the chef at the bisto for almost 15 years, and the menu and recipes come from him and the cooks who work on the line with him. more

My husband and I celebrated out aniversary at Caprial's in September. We are both fans of the show, and wanted to check out the Bistro for a special occasion. Our experience was terrific. All of the staff were very pleasant and helpful. The wine selection wall is very cool. What a concept! As for our meal; let's just say our tastebuds were partying! We had the grilled romaine leaf ceasar, awesome. My husband had salmon and I had a pork dish, both awesome. We finished with a chocolate torte and coffee, perfect! Thanks to the Bistro, for making our aniversary dinner what we hoped it to be. We will be back next year! more