Jake's Famous Crawfish Awards

Jake's Famous Crawfish Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Jake's Famous Crawfish attracts numerous tourists, which isn't surprising since its atmosphere and food reflect Portland's distinct history. The restaurant has been open since Portland's earliest days as a city --- 1892 --- and those "good old days" are reflected in the dining room's patina of burnished woods and deep colors. Oversize booths and cozy tables are scattered throughout several rooms, making this the rare restaurant that manages to feel both spacious and intimate.

Food & Drinks: The kitchen prides itself on crayfish, but oddly it's not always available --- not that you won't have plenty of other options. The fresh sheet offers more than 30 changing seafood selections with many flown in daily. Oysters, shrimp, salmon, rockfish, razor clams, Dungeness crab in season, sole, trout or sturgeon are always recommended. Clam chowder makes a hearty starter. Dessert is far from an afterthought with a classic banana cream pie topping the sweet choices. At the bar, the happy hour menu, ranging from oyster shooters to chicken quesadillas, is legendary. Drinks are stiff and the wine list extensive. Service is among the most professional in town.