Carlyle Restaurant Llc

Derek - \r I see you managed to win 3 ""BEST OF's"" this year! I must say, it doesn't come as a shock! You are honestly the BEST bartender in Portland, with the BEST Martini's and the BEST Signature Drinks! Keep up the good work and I'm still tryin to find out where you're working now! Cons: Derek doesn't work there anymore! :-( more

Returned from a trip to portland (been there many times on hiking adventures). Went to Carlyle and it is VERY good. VERY! High quality stuff, from drinks to food to bread to salad. Will go again. Definitely . Pros: very good food Cons: weirdo location but okay for me more

Wow! Imagine soft, warm and rustic artisan bread with a large bowl of mussels, cooked in a red sauce with ground chorizo sausage. Add a super fresh salad mixed in vinaigrette and follow it with sorbet. Of course, add a glass of wine to go with the spicy mussels and you will go away quite satisfied. I ordered the fun Goats Do Roam in Villages and that red went so well with the tomato sauces. On the service end, our server was very gracious though challenged with a group that arrived soon after. Be aware that the dining room is small, however, it lends to attentive service, so make a reservation for fine dining. Pros: On the edge of NW Trendy Third...One of the top for a $$$$ meal. Cons: Service can slow if the timing is not right, as in after a group walks in. more

Had a wonderful romantic dinner at the Carlyle lately with my partner. The decor is very rich and handsome, service attentive and friendly, and the food is divine. Wine list is a bit pricey, but you can bring your own bottle for a corkage fee of $15. more

I ate with a group of friends in Carlyle's kitchen last night. I had never been to the restaurant before, so it was odd being escorted from the front door directly to the kitchen. W e were part of a large group (24 total) that all sat at one large table. The food was very, very good. I had shrimp bisque which was velvety and rich, followed by perfectly grilled chinnok salmon with green galric rissoto and some other sauce. The desserts were beautifully presented. Anyone looking for a place to have a larger group for dinner should definately consider this. The service was also highly proffesional. I was impressed with everything except the music they were playing. Pros: very good food, unique location, service Cons: different music more

My wife & I joined four other couples last week at Carlyle on a recommendation from a concierge friend. The cocktails were creative and very good (not strong enough for me - but my wife was satisfied with hers) and priced accordingly ($7-$9). The food was good but not what we would generally seek out - more on the fancy haute cuisine side of things. We enjoyed what we had (excellent clam chowder, wife enjoyed the scallops and I had the asian beef rib) but found the portions small for the price (3 scallops for $27!). We skipped the appetizers as we didn't see anything that appealed to us (mussels, various pate's, etc). One member of our party tried the mussels and said that they were excellent. We did not have time for dessert (heading to a show). \r \r It was fine for our large group - but the semi private room would be much better. We were seated at a long rectangle of tables (a large round table is much better for 6-10 people) and felt that at times we were too loud for other guests. I would recommend Carlyle for groups of 2 or 4 unless you get the private dining area.\r \r Cost for two drinks each, cup of soup each and two entree's was $110 (including tip). Glad we tried it - always fun to try new places - and we enjoyed it, but for the money we probably won't be back. If you really love the high end food - you will probably love this place. It just didn't ""wow"" us. Pros: Ambience, signature cocktails, attentive - but not overbearing - waiters Cons: $$$$ more

This is the first time I write a review for a restaurant, but my experience was so deplorable, I wanted to warn other diners.\r I went there with friends for dinner. We had very poor service. The waiter was not very friendly and acted as if we were supposed to know and adhere to HIS way of having dinner: e.g., when to order appetizers (apparently, after the drinks are served, not at the same time!!), when to get bread (according to his rules, after the menus are removed, not before), etc.\r He would make sure to tell us when HIS timing was.\r Overall snotty service and did not seem to realize WE were the customers.\r I will not go back again. more

Delicious. My husband and I went to Carlyle for my birthday, and it was wonderful. Somehow we managed to spend less than $100, and we were both very full and totally satisified. The price depends only on your level of extravagance. We felt it was very reasonable for the flavor and quality. However, there were few vegetarian options, if any. The cocktails were exceptional...try the Old Fashioned or the Pomegranate Mojito. A gem of a place, if a bit hard to find. more

My partner and I wandered into the ""C"" after a stiff upper lip dinner at another place. While the Carlyle maintains classy, consistent energy at all times, it is not a stuffy joint. We had dessert and cocktails at the bar, and Derek Palmer served up several of his custom concoctions, and we were dazzled. The two desserts we had were FAB. He improves on every standard drink out there, like a food scientist. You have to give him the chance to work his magic at the bar.\r \r I was astonished that this place existed and that 1) his drinks don't yet rate above other vaunted venues, and 2), that Carlyle itself appears nowhere in recent magazine coverage.\r \r This is a Portland Gem. And we will back to sample the rest of the menu. Next time the Portland Monthly sends out its overrated taste committee, we hope they will head out under the Fremont bridge for some real action. Pros: Great Food, Specialty Drinks, great desserts Cons: None yet more

Carlyle is a great hidden gem in the Northwest area of Portland. Their drinks, crafted by the lovely Derek, are great every time. If they aren't out of pommegranite juice, which they are at times, I recommend the pom mojito. If they are out, get the citron mojito. Their infused vodkas are amazing. As for the food, you'll never want to eat anywhere else again. Daniel won iron chef Portland at the bite, and it's easy to tell why. Try the pork belly or sweet breads. For someone as picky as I am, I ate every bite. They are always willing to show off their kitchen, and for that special occasion, ask about the lovely garden table (as long as it's not too cold out). Pros: mojitos, food Cons: sometimes loud, mirror is deceiving more

I have made a point to go to all of the restaurants in the next three months that I have been lazy about getting to. I actually created a check-off list! In the last month I have been to Clark Lewis, Park Kitchen, Siam Society, and most recently, Carlyle. My dinner at Carlye followed a day of hiking in the Gorge, and I was a little tired, although relaxed might be a better word. I think relaxed works well at Carlyle because this is not a place to eat, then dash off for other plans. The space is cozy and dimly lit, and it seemed that everyone there was nicely dressed. There was a private party of some sort going on in part of the restaurant, so I didn't see everything, but I really liked the overall feel of the restaurant. Our food from start to finish was amazing; a combination of briny-fresh oysters, followed by beautifully seared scallops, and melt-in-your-mouth braised short ribs. Dessert (we shared) was a very rich, warm, chocolate cake served with home-made ice cream. I would highly recommend Carlyle to anyone seeking out a special night of great food and service. I should also mention that my s/o was very impressed with the wine offerings. Pros: food, service, and ambience more

I celebrated my birthday at Carlyle last week in thier private room. All the details (and there were many!) were pre-arranged. The evening was perfect in every way. Exceptional food, very polished service, and my new favorite drink; a pomegranate mojito...wow! Thank you for a memerable evening. I plan to return soon. Pros: ambience, service, excellent food more

We went here for a celebratory dinner after reading great reviews and getting recommendations from friends that this was THE place to go for a special occasion. Despite mentioning our anniversary when making our reservations, we werent seated at a particularly private table even though there were more intimate ones available, and we didnt even receive an acknowledgement of the occasion. Even a Happy Anniversary from the maitre d or waiter would have been nice, and would have definitely left us with a much better feeling about the evening, but despite the place being not overly crowded, they both seemed quite busy mingling with the bartender and two women sitting at the bar. Aside from that and the fact that our waiter didn't ask us even once if everything was okay, the food WAS excellent, but when you hear SO many good things about a place, I guess our expectations were that it would be above and beyond in every way. We might try it again on a night when our expectations arent so high, but it wont be our go-to place for future celebrations. Pros: Great Food, Easy Parking Cons: Service, Not a Great Place to Celebrate Something Special more

The wait staff was very attentive, but cautious to not be overbearing. The food was just fantastic. No disappointments, from the mussels for starters and the mixed drinks, to the entres (sea bass in a coconut milk sauce and salmon on a bed of vegetables), to the great desserts. The atmosphere was very nice. We would highly recommend Carlysle. Everything was made with love, and well presented! more

Carlyle is a class act - service, food, style - it has it all. Perfect place for romantic evenings or to impress a client. Pros: food, service, atmosphere more

The food was excellent, but spendy. The restraunt is kind of in the middle of nowhere. The drinks and food for everyone at our table was perfect. A ladie in our party dropped her napkin without even realizing it and within a minute a waiter brought a new folded napkin and picked the other one off the floor more

I ate there last thursday and all I can say is WOW! We had one of the best experiences ever! There were 3 diners, myself, mother-in-law and my finace. Upon arrival we were introduced to our sever. He was quite sassy and FUN! He really took charge... he steered us in the direction with all of our dishes. We started with the Mussels in the Tomato broth... do die for! I had my eye on the Possin, but our server recommended the Ahi Tuna with Foie Gras. He explained that we would have an ""culinary affair"" and I am glad we listened! My fiance ordered the Pork chops and Mother-in-law had the Salmon with the Gnocci. Dessert... good too! The bottom line is this... The food & service with something to rave about! Pros: Food, Service, Service Cons: Maitre D' more

Mediocre service and below average food quality put us in a bad mood. I would not rush to go back when there are so many really good restaurants in town. Pros: Calamari Cons: Service, Food Quality more

My friends and I have heard of the Carlyle and paid a visit over a year ago and thought it was a fine experience. We have, however, been hearing quite a bit more lately and thought we would give it another try. Glad we did it only has gotten better. Though we arrived a half hour early for our reservation, the manager (Michael?) was most accomodating and kind. We appreciated his food suggestions and ordered some most aweome mussels and a duck confit salad. Our entrees were even better; a Hawaiin Sea Bass--probably one of the best preparations I have ever had. My Coq au Vin was a little salty, but delicious nonetheless. The manager made some outstanding wine pairing suggestions and even gave us a tour of their table in the kitchen. It was awesome! We are glad that we re-discovered this little gem of a restaurant! Pros: Service, Food , Manager Cons: a little drafty more

If you make a reservation, make sure you ask to be seated in the dining room. Being there were only two of us, we were immediately ushered into the bar. Having a quiet conversation was near impossible over the martini shaker and the blender grinding in the background. Also, there is a great deal of bad cell phone etiquette. The waiter was very friendly and professional but aloof. He would disappear for lengthy periods of time between our courses. We had to beg for more butter, coffee, etc. The shining point was the meal. My husband's Ahi Tuna was done to perfection as was my Salmon. The desserts were delicious as well as my after dinner cocktail. I only wish we could have heard each other. We will probably go back but will be insistant about our seating. Pros: excellent food, easy parking Cons: poor seating, noisy in bar, rude people more