Joan F.
Yelp
Update #2
I love this sometimes imperfect place because they do get a lot right. The salmon, oh that crisp exterior, moist interior salmon, is always pitch perfect. As an entree with polenta and grilled asparagus or atop the best-ever Caesar salad, this is my dish.
The steak and frites are consistently good, and the kitchen seems to be rallying from whatever change hit them a month or so back. We get the appeal of outside seating but can't help noticing the service suffers when we sit outside. No problem--we can sit inside and enjoy the level of service we've come to expect from S&U.
We're glad, and we will still voice our love for the appetizer cauliflower--chant with me, people: bring it back! Bring it back!
Lowering my rating for my beloved S&U isn't an easy truth, but my last two visits warrant an update.
--slow, slow kitchen
--overly salty food. It's still well prepared but now salty as hell
--the crispy chicken now features hind quarter and it isn't crispy
--the service is inattentive, distracted and less engaging than our previous experiences
I'm not sure what's different with S&U, but I hope they make adjustments and resume their excellent standard that once captured my five-star raves.
Former
Swift and Union is a solid five star experience for us after many satisfying visits:
-reasonable prices with reasonable portions
-warm atmosphere that's well tended, clean, artful
-consistently good service
-the cauliflower appetizer--it changes from a sweet undertone to savory, and it's always wonderful
-the menu is interesting and manageable; we've enjoyed everything from salads to sandwiches to fish and chips to steak frites.
-the outside seating on warm days (the service is still great)
-we don't waste food here, and we don't overeat. Swift and Union has perfected a human scaled meal.
Don't love crowded intimacy or waiting for a table? Arrive around 8 pm--the kitchen is still primed for excellence, and you'll have a choice of several comfortable ta
This is becoming one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. Consistently on point with a satisfying, interesting menu, Swift and Union delivers on food, service, and experience.
The salads with perfectly prepared salmon are my favorite picks, but the fish and chips and steak frites are equally satisfying. I've been here for sunny sidewalk seating for late lunches or early happy hours. I've been here on crowded evenings--sometimes at a table, sometimes at the bar. It's all comfortable, and we've always received perceptive, well-paced service.
The service, the brilliantly prepared comfort foods make this place feel intimate and romantic even on crowded nights--it never seems too noisy to hear. That's a feat.
We've yet to be here for breakfast or brunch, but that's just a matter of time, especially since they offer bacon jam.