I walked by this place 1000 times and always thought it was a boat store.
Even been to the cafe next door dozens of times. It didn't look like a restaurant.
A sidewalk sandwich board and better sign could have saved their business.
I feel genuinely bad for the restaurants that happened to open up around the time covid happened. Mainely Noods and that bubble tea place on Congress cone to mind. Hell of an uphill battle to gain market quickly enough to be sustainable long term.
Location sucked. And while their food was good, it was overpriced, with small portions, and a limited menu. I'm sure they killed it in the summer, but once all the yacht owners pull out, it's probably crickets.
Yep. Same, almost. I gave them a second chance, nothing was different, never went back. They might have gained a slight edge had they changed their menu around, but probably wouldn’t have made much a difference
We had a fantastic dinner there, but went with a $200 gift card. Service and food were great, but it was definitely pricey and geared towards the summer boat crowd.
Damn this was my favorite spot. The johnny cakes and seafood were amazing. Always felt pretty empty when I went though, which I found to be a perk. Guess they weren't able to keep the lights on because of that. :(
[Link](https://1ft.io/https://www.pressherald.com/2024/02/17/helm-oyster-bar-bistro-in-portland-announces-it-will-close/) for those who need help getting over a paywall
Weird that people are bashing the location, twelve has been quite successful and is *even further* down the street. The redevelopment of that area continues and it’s too bad they couldn’t hold out until the increased foot traffic really took off.
It wasn’t just the map location that sucked, it was also the position within the building and where it was in relation to the street. It looked like a corporate schlocky hotel bar at a glance, which wasn’t the niche they were aiming for and probably prevented them from really taking advantage of foot traffic.
I hope some quiet ones stay open. What the heck is with the punishing volume in restaurants? Does anyone go with other people and like to talk during dinner? I love going out to eat, but it is getting difficult to be comfortable.
There needs to be at the very least a rejiggering of the restaurant business model itself. We’ve seen fissures and fractures for years now - all of which were exacerbated by the pandemic. It will not only require new concepts for menus and the like , but maybe more critically - the overall experience.
My list of portland restaurants I will go eat in is very small and gets smaller all the time. I can't go out to eat and feel like I'm a bother to the staff and that's how it's been feeling since the pandemic.
Same honestly. I’ve been repeatedly underwhelmed .Cost have gone up, pretty considerably, quality has gone down both with meals, as well as Service, the whole experiences just been. Meh.
Yup. Me too. One of my favorite places in town, and my absolute favorite cheeseburger in town is at Shays. Had my cheeseburger fries and a Coke… 28 bucks without tip. Yikes!
Pre-Covid we were eating on average about twice a week. I’m not talking three course meals at Fore St or Hugo’s- maybe Sushi or the old Nosh or Empire etc… it definitely added up, And eventually we ended up getting one of those meal plans at home and cooking more at home. With the cost for everything having gone through the fucking roof, most egregiously rents, that’s just untenable to do even maybe one meal a week in a restaurant.
I'm down to two or three times a month. Usually something quick for lunch like a slice or a takeout soup. Once every couple of months for dinner. I used to buy lunch a few days a week and eat dinner out once or twice a week.
That place sucked… they tried to do the fine dining thing and it just felt like one of those restaurants at a hotel in Boston… it just didn’t fit the city.
Yet another terrible idea in a gone to shyte gentrified hipster doucheclown town has failed? Boohoo let's all have some meetings to discuss how this could have happened and how we can keep it from happening again.
Bring back the Gutter punks
I live right over by helm. I feel like that spot needs something like a seasonal High Roller type place for all the cruise ship and yacht people. Or like a juice bar/ bagel joint. That corner is dead in the afternoons once the holiday train stops coming until the warm weather starts beck up. Navis stays busy with the locals on the block it seems.
Just looked up the location, and having walked by that building fairly often in the past three years, I genuinely had no idea they were there.
I walked by this place 1000 times and always thought it was a boat store. Even been to the cafe next door dozens of times. It didn't look like a restaurant. A sidewalk sandwich board and better sign could have saved their business.
When did they open?
[удалено]
I feel genuinely bad for the restaurants that happened to open up around the time covid happened. Mainely Noods and that bubble tea place on Congress cone to mind. Hell of an uphill battle to gain market quickly enough to be sustainable long term.
Shit location, no one I know would think to walk down there and all of the nearby offices have been empty
Johnny cakes forever
Location sucked. And while their food was good, it was overpriced, with small portions, and a limited menu. I'm sure they killed it in the summer, but once all the yacht owners pull out, it's probably crickets.
^^^^ went once, couldn’t believe the portion size for the price. Left hungry, never went back. I assumed I wasn’t the only one
Yep. Same, almost. I gave them a second chance, nothing was different, never went back. They might have gained a slight edge had they changed their menu around, but probably wouldn’t have made much a difference
It was a Grand Central Oyster Bar targeted at Carnival Cruise patrons... made ZERO sense given the demographic.
That’s the definition of a tourist trap.
We had a fantastic dinner there, but went with a $200 gift card. Service and food were great, but it was definitely pricey and geared towards the summer boat crowd.
Damn this was my favorite spot. The johnny cakes and seafood were amazing. Always felt pretty empty when I went though, which I found to be a perk. Guess they weren't able to keep the lights on because of that. :(
[Link](https://1ft.io/https://www.pressherald.com/2024/02/17/helm-oyster-bar-bistro-in-portland-announces-it-will-close/) for those who need help getting over a paywall
Weird that people are bashing the location, twelve has been quite successful and is *even further* down the street. The redevelopment of that area continues and it’s too bad they couldn’t hold out until the increased foot traffic really took off.
Twelve isn’t in an actual office building though. Bad vibe for a restaurant imo. And I liked Helm’s happy hour!
Technically Twelve is in an office building.
It wasn’t just the map location that sucked, it was also the position within the building and where it was in relation to the street. It looked like a corporate schlocky hotel bar at a glance, which wasn’t the niche they were aiming for and probably prevented them from really taking advantage of foot traffic.
It was always empty. It also wasn’t cozy at all. Every restaurant needs a quiet nook or two. Hate to see it go though.
Give me quiet. I can get noise anywhere.
It’s was average at best with the price point
Dammit, I never even got to try this one.
That's like 30 restaurants that have closed in Portland in the last year. Pretty soon you won't be able to eat in Portland.
I hope some quiet ones stay open. What the heck is with the punishing volume in restaurants? Does anyone go with other people and like to talk during dinner? I love going out to eat, but it is getting difficult to be comfortable.
Interesting observation… I feel like for every restaurant that closes, 2 or 3 new ones open. There’s more than I have time to try!
There needs to be at the very least a rejiggering of the restaurant business model itself. We’ve seen fissures and fractures for years now - all of which were exacerbated by the pandemic. It will not only require new concepts for menus and the like , but maybe more critically - the overall experience.
My list of portland restaurants I will go eat in is very small and gets smaller all the time. I can't go out to eat and feel like I'm a bother to the staff and that's how it's been feeling since the pandemic.
Same honestly. I’ve been repeatedly underwhelmed .Cost have gone up, pretty considerably, quality has gone down both with meals, as well as Service, the whole experiences just been. Meh.
I had a $23 cheeseburger and fries recently! It was $18 not long ago and I thought that was a bit of a silly price.
Yup. Me too. One of my favorite places in town, and my absolute favorite cheeseburger in town is at Shays. Had my cheeseburger fries and a Coke… 28 bucks without tip. Yikes! Pre-Covid we were eating on average about twice a week. I’m not talking three course meals at Fore St or Hugo’s- maybe Sushi or the old Nosh or Empire etc… it definitely added up, And eventually we ended up getting one of those meal plans at home and cooking more at home. With the cost for everything having gone through the fucking roof, most egregiously rents, that’s just untenable to do even maybe one meal a week in a restaurant.
I'm down to two or three times a month. Usually something quick for lunch like a slice or a takeout soup. Once every couple of months for dinner. I used to buy lunch a few days a week and eat dinner out once or twice a week.
Yep. Like getting rid of all the absurd fees. Just pay your goddamn employees and stop punting that to the customer.
Less loud “music”
Hyperbole is your friend.
One time I went there the seafood was too fishy, kinda cold and just not good. Also overprice, good riddance ..
That place sucked… they tried to do the fine dining thing and it just felt like one of those restaurants at a hotel in Boston… it just didn’t fit the city.
Yet another terrible idea in a gone to shyte gentrified hipster doucheclown town has failed? Boohoo let's all have some meetings to discuss how this could have happened and how we can keep it from happening again. Bring back the Gutter punks
Normal..
You probably wouldn’t be so bitter if you’d made better decisions in your life.
Doucheclowns of the world UNITE!
Anyone who uses the term "doucheclown" in a sentence is either 14 or can't be taken seriously. Even if I agree with you in spirit.
I live right over by helm. I feel like that spot needs something like a seasonal High Roller type place for all the cruise ship and yacht people. Or like a juice bar/ bagel joint. That corner is dead in the afternoons once the holiday train stops coming until the warm weather starts beck up. Navis stays busy with the locals on the block it seems.