Fivespice Seafood & Wine Bar

Finally tried Five Spice over the weekend. The food overall was good, the service was great, and the atmosphere is very pleasant. The tuna was perfectly prepared, however; I don't know why it comes with the curry that does not complement the fish well and doesn't have good flavor. The mango salsa is nice with the fish. The sturgeon was very well prepared, it comes with a black rice rissotto which is not plated well and looks unappealing, but it does taste pretty good. The creme brule was average, with the consistency varying through the dish. Overall it was a good dinner and we'll be back. more

Beautiful restaurant with an amazing view of the park and lake. Great menu, food tasted great and was artfully presented. Cocktails were fresh and fun. Huge wine list, and I hear the do 1/2 price wine on Sundays. I can't afford to eat here daily, but will come for special occasions. more

Really good food, a little on the spendy side. Cocktails were awesome. The view is amazing if you can grab a seat on the balcony. I'll be back :) more

We went on a friday night and were greeted and then left waiting for a table. They were not busy but after 10 minutes standing we asked for the manager. He seemed annoyed that we pulled him away from drinking wine and came to us and said ""What do you want"" with this fake brooklyn accent. What a snob. We told him we have been waiting for a table and no one has helped us. He passed us over to a staff member and went back to his wine.\r \r The food was just ok. It was over salted and cold by the time we got it. \r \r This is a far cry from fine dining. The manager was apathetic, staff seemed clue less and the kitchen staff needs to learn seasoning 101.\r Cons: Rude and Pretentious more

Clearly the management team here does not care about its customers. I took my gf here for dinner and it was such a catastrophe that I would never step a foot again inside this establishment. We were pretty much the only ones here that night who got a table with a nice view. What I thought was going to be a romantic dinner turned out to be a nightmare. Waiter brought our food out and accidently spilled the sauce from the entrée onto my gf’s dress. Mistakes happen so no reason to make a big fuss over it, but what happened next was irratating. Instead of apologizing or rushing to try and help her, the guy just stood there like a deer in headlights. I quickly grabbed my napkin and tried to wipe as much of the sauce as possible off of her before it stained. The waiter was completely dumbfounded. No apologies. I quickly sent him on his way because he obviously wasn’t helping at all. Once we got that mess cleaned up by ourselves, I looked at her plate and since half the sauce and whatever else got on her dress the plate looked like a complete mess. If Gordan Ramsey saw the way this plate was served, he would have had a hernia. I asked for the plate to be replaced and when the plate came back it looked like the chef took the piece of meat off of the plate, threw it on another plate, poured some sauce on it and sent it back out again. Plate came back looking almost as bad as the first one did, but I didn’t want to make too big a scene because I didn’t want them to spit in our dessert. The food was mediocre at best. After the fiasco of the spillage and the main entrée looking like it was prepared by some Hell’s Kitchen reject, we never saw our waiter again. I had to ask multiple other waiters/waitresses for our check so we could get out of there, because it was extremely uncomfortable. A letter was sent to the General Manager of the establishment explaining how disappointed I was in the service, quality of food, and the entire experience overall. My letter had an attached photocopy of the receipt in case he wanted to see who was our waiter so proper coaching and training could be resolved. My letter also had my personal contact information in case the manager felt the need to make it right. I don’t sit around the house waiting for freebies, nor do I expect one. But at the very minimum, I expected a phone call or even a letter back saying “sorry, we messed up, hope to see you here again.” That would’ve sufficed. I did not receive a letter nor a telephone call. Nothing. So my conclusion is that from top to bottom, no one really cares. From the management staff who sits behind closed doors and collects their bimonthly salaries to the chef who lost his love for the culinary arts, to the wait staff who was trained by barbarians, no one cares. This is an absolute joker of an establishment. Don’t take your gf/wife/fiance/significant other here, you definitely won't be getting any brownie points. Pros: The view Cons: Everyone there must hate their job more

We eat here about twice a month, and I think it is excellent. We have the crab cakes often as an appetizer. I have had nearly ever item on the menu and have never been disappointed. If you order, for example, the chicken you don't just get the chicken - you get some chicken, some lovely raviolis, and an excellent broccoli and bacon dish. Every menu item is like this - a set of dishes that compliment each other, which makes for a really great dining experience.\r And the bar is great! Pros: Best crab cakes in town, excellent food Cons: Fairly small menu more

I've lived in Lake Oswego for 35 years and while Portland has tons of options to choose from for knowledgable diners, we have had very few here. I had been to Five Spice a couple times before, but not since the latest change in management and menu. Frankly, I think the Pan Asian theme was better than the current more mainstream approach.\r \r I took my wife and mother there last night (a Saturday). We were greeted downstairs at the door as I dropped my passengers off by the hostess. The restaurant is still beautiful inside, and the bar has been given increased importance, although the multitude of large format wine bottles setting around seemed an overt attempt to impress. The place is well-staffed in numbers, though we seemed to get the junior waitperson, who was pretty tenuous. He managed to break off the cork on the bottle of '96 Rhone wine I had brought from my cellar. Still, service was pretty attentive.\r \r The wine list is fairly extensive, with a $35 - 2,000 range, though not value-laden. \r \r Getting to the food, we started with a cheese plate to accompany our wine which had a selection of three aromatic cheeses, along with apple slices, Marconi almonds, grapes & white wine gelee. The accompanying sliced baguette was of good quality. Following were fine but normal mixed green salads. For entrees, I had lamb chops, which were accompanied by some rissotto-stuffed piquillo peppers and what was referred to as a crepinette (various lamb bits, etc., cooked in a patty form). The flavor and preparation of all was great. The others had the sea scallops with quinoa, also very well prepared and cooked perfectly.\r \r In summary, this establishment is not in my top tier of Portland-area restaurants, but I'm glad to have it as a LO option. Our experience would have been much bettter with of the other two waitpersons, I believe, but we were given a free desert for the cork incident. Their website, BTW, seems up to date as far as the menu and wine list. Pros: Location, ambience, parking Cons: Wait staff overall good, but inconsistent more

I went here with a colleague a few weeks ago for lunch. We ordered a cheese flight that was a very pretty display. Excellent Almonds. The best part was the server actually knew what the cheeses were and a bit of interesting information about them! Most places just plop the cheese in front of you and walk away. We each had a salad - mine had tuna cooked perfectly! Again a very pretty presentation. Great wine list and I was happy to see that there were a few roses on there vs just one. It was a warm day, but I wasn't in the mood for a white. All in all a good experience, a little pricey for lunch - but definitely great food, wine and service. Pros: Server's Cheese knowledge, wine list, food Cons: a bit pricey more

The restaurant is BEAUTIFUL! The wait staff seemed informed and quickly brought us our drinks. My husband was a bit un happy by all the flies INSIDE but he knew I wanted to try this place, so we stayed. Our drinks came, we ordered dinner and then the starters arrived....so far so good....but that is where it ended.....there was an insect in the broth of my dish!! Yes, you read that right, a dead insect in my food. We promptly left - we will not return and will continue to share this experience! Pros: Beautiful location Cons: insects in food more

I didn't try FiveSpice when they still served ""pan asian"" food, but have been there several times since they've changed managers and menu. Most recently, I went for lunch and had absolutely the best halibut fish and chips I've ever had, anywhere. The halibut was very lightly breaded and must have been cooked really quickly, because it wasn't greasy or oily in the least. The fish was perfectly cooked - tender, flaky and moist. The fries looked and tasted like they were freshly cut, and fried to perfection -- crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The slaw that came with the meal was excellent -- the red cabbage was sliced so thin, it was almost transparent. The vinaigrette dressing had a touch of cilantro that made the slaw just pop with flavor. I ate every single bite and every single crumb. I've never had a problem with service -- the staff is always attentive, courteous and knowledgeable. Some friends went recently for dinner and told me that the GM came to their table and helped them select the perfect wine to go with their meal (an engagement celebration). FiveSpice is not expensive compared to similar restaurants in LO and PDX. I have always felt that every bite was worth every penny. Pros: Large deck with a great view of the lake Cons: Wish I lived closer more

Erin met with my fiance and I a few weeks before our event and was so classy and professional. She had drinks for us and copies of the menu, plus a perfect proposal of how we could give our guests all possible choices and courses, and stay within our budget. We also got a chance to meet Tim, the general manager. Erin responded quickly to all my email questions and requests, and was waiting to receive the box of gifts and favors I dropped off before hand for them to set up.\r \r At the dinner, Jennifer was a perfectly attentive server; delivering quick service for every request, troubleshooting some intense later afternoon glare, and providing time between courses for toasts and gifts. The food was incredible; all the seafood melted in your mouth and the steak was one of the most memorable ever. The table was also gorgeous! All the place cards and favors were arranged beautifully. All of the staff really went above and beyond to make this an amazing evening. We will certainly be back to celebrate our anniversary! Thank you! Pros: Great for Groups, Ambience, Service, and Food! more

This is supposed to be a ""fine dining"" restaurant. As such, the least I could expect was a somewhat knowledgeable staff. On the contrary, the group working at FiveSpice - and I do mean the entire group as they seemed to move - did not seem to have the slightest clue. As my party of four waited patiently to be seated, the flock of servers repeated gathered in the lobby to swarm the seating chart. I am really not sure what mysteries the chart held, but it certainly was not telling them how to seat the customers who were waiting. As one group after another left to find food elsewhere the staff remained oblivious. Finally, after our 20 minute wait extended over an hour, my group also left without ever being seated. By the way, the Bistro next door is actually very good! Cons: Terrible inexperienced servicers more

I see a trend. Do the other readers? Lots of recent ""not recommendeds"" blended with perfect ""highly recommended"" scores. The reason for such a contrast? I can tell you with certainty, they write their own reviews. See the dates...the bad reviews come in with a couple glowing reviews. Either take your chances by trying it out for yourself or be suspicious of the reviews because I have to tell my story: ............\r I live in first addition in LO. My family and I often walk to local restaurants, Fivespice used to be one of them. We thoroughly enjoyed their food when they first opened. It was innovative, service was creative and the view/atmosphere are incomparable. However, something has changed. The food is over done, over sauced and lost all character and taste. It appears their chef has taken a leave of absence. The wait-staff: many of them are now young 20somethings who don't know anything about service and can't suggest a wine with the most obvious food pairings to save their life. It's pretty pathetic when a restaurant has to fabricate reviews. But in due time, the truth will be told. Pros: Beautiful view. Nice decor and atmosphere Cons: Seafood, over sauced, tasteless food. Over priced and poor service more

FiveSpice was such a wonderful dining experience! My husband and I don't go out very often without our daughter, but this Friday night my husband and I were able to get a babysitter and go out, just the two of us. We decided to try FiveSpice for the first time because my friend at work said it was good. The restaurant, first of all, is beautiful. The huge windows give you a great view of the lake. Not only was the restaurant beautiful, the food was delicious. My husband had the steak, while I had the butternut squash soup and the sturgeon. We both had wine which paired very well with our meals. The wine list there is HUGE and the server was very knowledgable about all the different options. We finished off with the creme brulee which was amazing. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Though some other reviews say they had problems with reservations, we did not. We were greeted immediately and taken to our table without any wait. Overall, it was a great dining experience and much needed romantic evening for my husband and I! Pros: Amazing food, great views, friendly service Cons: None for us! more

Finally made it over to LO to check out FiveSpice, which I've heard a lot about. First impression was amazing. The location is just beautiful, with romantic wood work and excellent design choices. The view is unmatched, except maybe by the PCG, but they don't have a lake, just the city. We went to town on this tab, two apps, a bottle of wine, salads, entrees and dessert. We had the prawns and the tartare. The flavors were out of this world. The potato-onion crepe that came with the prawns was a perfect blend and ideal ambassador to the shrimp (which were huge, by the way). The tartare was the best I've ever had. We shared a crab salad, with excellent beets, and the romaine, with spanish white anchovies which tasted great. My husband had the sturgeon, and I had New York Steak. The black rice risotto on the sturgeon blew me away, and the fish was cooked perfectly. The ver jus emulsion really tied the plate together. My steak was a perfect cut of meat (Strawberry Mountain), and grilled to a perfect medium rare. We had a bottle of Domaine Serene Pinot Noir, which was very reasonably priced compared to other restaurants in the city. We finished our wine with the cheese plate, which reflected the Chef's excellent taste. Then, the bread pudding, which was the best I've ever had. Our server was very polite and professional--I think his name was Andrew, and I'd recommend requesting his section... In fact, the whole staff was young and hip, but obviously understood how to run a restaurant. All around, it was a fantastic experience. Pros: Everything, great experience. Cons: Suburb, but easy to find and close to the city. more

An amazing experience for the wife and I. The view and ambiance were incredible! The young man who was our server was extremely knowledgeable of the food ingredients and preparation. He was professional and charming without being overly present. Drinks were tasty, and the wine list....AMAZING! Local and French wines of very mature varieties. Each course (Apz, Salads, Entrees, Dessert) was timed to perfection, and so delicious and creative, beautiful presentations, from the prawns, crab salad, trout, and apple tarts. After dinner we ordered special coffee drinks and opted to enjoy them fireside, to which our server was pleased to continue to accommodate us. They closed a bit early for a Saturday, but even at the end we never felt rushed. Great place for special/romantic evenings. We'll be seeing them again. Pros: Food, Knowledge, Atmosphere, Service Cons: Close too early on weekends more

Made reservations for Anniversary fire and window side table, but we were ""put"" in the bar. Ordered the works (appetizers x2, bottle of wine, 2 entrees, 2 desserts $300), food was just so-so. I consider myself better than average judge of seafood and asian fusion cuisine, but this was neither good nor acceptable. Halibut was not hot, barely warm and the scallops were overcooked and drowning in salty water bath. As mentioned, we reserved a special table and when we spoke up, our server said our original reserved table was already occupied. I should have walked out then, but hard to find another place on a Saturday night at 8pm. What a disappointment, indeed. On the positive side, I am happy to report: nice establishment, view and restaurant concept. Prices are also a bit too high, service is mediocre at best. It was a special occasion and ruined by our experience. There are many other restaurants in this area that I would rather frequent and spend my time, money and enjoy myself. I won't be giving Fivespice another chance. Pros: View, atmosphere Cons: food, price and service (what else is there?). They don't make good on reservations more

We went to Five Spice for lunch last week. Great ambience and location.We got a table by the window that overlooks the lake. The food was yummy, but a bit pricey. We ordered the pepper salted squid, curried stew and pacific cod. Kudos to the chef for knowing how to prepare seafood. It was cooked just right. My favorite was the pepper salted squid. Definetly a must try!! \r However, the restaurant almost empty ( 4 tables including us) and we still had to wait a long time for our food. Good thing, the wait staffs kept checking on us and asked if we needed more bread/butter while we waited. Pros: Great ambience and good seafood. Cons: Price. Slow service. more

We went to FiveSpice Bistro this past Friday for dinner.WOW. The wine list alone was phenomenal. Not to mention the stellar menu.French style food with subtle asian flare (edamame, dashi,miso, ) The open kitchen was a delight to watch, not to mention the view of the lake. Service was impeccable, and the wine... top notch. I had the pan seared sturgeon and my husband had the scallops. Best scallops i ever tasted. All in all i highly recommend this place. It's 100% better than the old ""fivespice"". No ""pan asian fusion"" here just excellent French techniques performed with the highest quality product. Note: if you are scared of butter stray away, this is French food by the way. Pros: You name it. Cons: none. more

Best seafood restaurant in Lake Oswego. Huge wine by the glass menu, and great ever changing cocktail list. more