TripAdvisor Traveler Rating based on
115 reviews
Afuri Izakaya opened its massive Southeast Portland space in 2016 to much fanfare. Their signature bowl is the yuzu shio ramen — a bright, clean and understated salt-based chicken broth with a squeeze of yuzu citrus, Japanese-style handmade noodles, shimeji mushroom, a seasoned egg, roast pork, endive and seaweed.
TripAdvisor
I met my friend for lunch. He was a bit late so they would not seat me in this spacious and almost empty dining area until he arrived. However, once seated we ordered our ramen, which arrived very quickly. It was very good. The service was good. I felt that the prices were high. In fact, my friend's friend ate at the Tokyo restaurant and said that it was actually cheaper than the Portland restaurant! Interesting. Parking is always a problem in this part of Portland. I think I'll pass on this place.
Was at Afuri with group of 4, few weeks ago. Nice location and environment. Good drink menu and atmosphere. Food was terrible, ramen were served pretty cold. In two of the 4 ordered we found hairs in the bowl. Sushi was having a pretty strange smell. Probably old fish. 2 of us were sick that night from food poison. Not a coincidence. Staff has been very condescending and arrogant. General manager has been very passive aggressive and not professional. Not at the level of Afuri Brand . Have been there in Tokyo and food is another level and staff is simply respectful, polite and professional. Definitely not worth the quality and the price. Worst experience. If you look for proper Ramen in town recommend: Mirakutei and Kinboshi. Great food , extremely kind staff and great service.
Wow - my new Portland fave! Amazing noodles; I have had Yuzu Shio, Yuzu Ratan, and Tonkatsu Tantanmen; the latter two are in the moderately spicy category. Loved them all, but would order the Tonkatsu any day, any time! Don’t sleep on the sake sampler or their great cocktails - especially the Kemuri!
Artful dishes served with kindness in a pretty space. We've quickly figured that there are generally wait times everywhere in Portland and the best places have longer waits. So a Sunday evening meal at 6 translates to just a little later everywhere. Here, you can get a drink at the bar and there are out door tables set aside for waiting. And the wait is with it! Try the yuzu beer the restaurant made with a brewing partner. The staff were so sweet and efficient. Then the food. You cannot go wrong. the fish was amazing. A good izakaya should have done impressive meat on a stick and they do this clever thing with their gyoza where the flip them out on to a dish leaving a papery film for the pan bottom which presents so well. You can look past the plastic folding tables street side. We were grateful to be outside - pandemic is still raging after all. But the inside space was well vented and tables were spaced in there too.
We went on Valentine’s Day but it’s always busy. Ordered pork ramen which had a rich but almost oily broth, could have been spicer. Then got sashimi and a tuna roll. The hammerjack sashimi was very fresh. They don’t have high end artisanal soy sauce or wasabi. Bottom line is space is cooler than the food. Prices were as to be expected.
