Jake's Famous Crawfish in Downtown Portland

If you're in downtown Portland and in the mood for seafood, Jake's Famous Crawfish is at 401 SW 12th Avenue, on the corner of 12th and Stark. The restaurant is in the Whitney and Gray Building, finished in 1910, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. The business started in 1892 as a saloon called Mueller and Meier, at 18th and Washington. It moved into this building in 1911, and the Jake's name came into use in 1920, when Jacob J. Freiman was one of the new owners. Today it's part of Landry's, Inc.

The room has a turn-of-the-last-century feel. Booths sit against brick walls, and there are antique oil paintings, deep wood paneling, a bar, and tables with white linen. The restaurant also keeps antique art, framed photos, and a wall clock. One of the round tables has a plaque reading "St. Patrick's Day Luncheon Table." There's no dress code, and most guests dress business casual.

The menu is seafood-focused. The restaurant says its fish is flown in daily, and the menus are printed each day after early morning deliveries of seafood from the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico, along with locally sourced produce. Among the starters, you'll find the Oyster Shooter for $4, Garlic Steamed Mussels for $13, and Dungeness Crab & Artichoke Dip for $18.80. For soup, the Jake's Clam Chowder is $9 in a cup, $11 in a bowl, and $13 in a sourdough bread bowl, and the French Onion Soup is $12. For main courses, the Dungeness Crab & Bay Shrimp Cakes are $27.30 or $39.90, the Parmesan Crusted Petrale Sole is $23 or $34.90, and Jake's Étouffée (crawfish tails, chicken, and shrimp in a spicy nut sauce, served with rice) is $25.90. The Alaskan Halibut, simply grilled with dill beurre blanc, is $51. Most entrées fall between $23 and $53. One write-up describes ordering the crab cakes and the petrale sole on a single visit.

A few practical details: the restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM. Happy hour runs daily from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Valet parking is available Thursday through Sunday starting at 4:30 PM. Reservations are available by calling (503) 226-1419. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are on the menu, and there's a children's menu on request. The restaurant also offers dine-in, takeout, delivery through Grubhub, DoorDash, Postmates, and UberEats, and private dining for up to 46 people. For drinks, draft beers are $6, wines by the glass are $7 or $9, and the Jake's Iced Tea cocktail is $14.