Restaurant in Portland, United States
Strong wine list, easy reservation, fair price.
Canard is Portland's most accessible entry point into serious French bistro dining, with a 600-selection wine list that justifies the visit on its own. Ranked #65 on OAD's 2025 Casual North America list, it's easy to book, open every night from 4 PM, and priced at $$ for food with a $$$ cellar that rewards the wine-focused diner.
Canard is one of the easier reservations to secure among Portland's consistently recognized casual dining spots, which makes it a smarter pick than its OAD ranking might suggest. Opinionated About Dining placed it #65 on its 2025 Casual North America list, up from #128 in 2024 and #139 in 2023, a three-year trajectory that signals momentum rather than a one-off spike. At $$ for a two-course dinner and $$$ wine pricing, the value calculus is direct: you get a serious French bistro backed by a 2,500-bottle cellar without the booking battle that usually accompanies that caliber of recognition.
Canard sits at 734 E Burnside St in Portland's Lower East Side, a compact bistro format that rewards early arrivals who want to settle in rather than rush. The physical scale is intimate, which is part of the draw. French bistros at this price point in American cities tend to run toward one of two modes: the noisy, elbow-to-elbow room that prioritizes volume, or the quieter, counter-forward setup that rewards the kind of guest who reads a wine list. Canard skews toward the latter. If you want space to actually discuss a bottle from that Burgundy section, arriving at or shortly after 4 PM on a weekday is the practical move. The dinner window runs 4 to 10 PM every day of the week, which gives you real flexibility that most comparable spots in Portland do not offer.
This is where Canard earns its seat at the table for the wine-focused traveler. Wine Director Ben Roan oversees a 600-selection list with 2,500 bottles in inventory, weighted toward France, Champagne, and Burgundy, with meaningful Italian depth. At $$$ pricing, expect a range of $100+ bottles alongside entry-level pours. The $35 corkage fee is relevant if you're coming from a visit to any of Portland's exceptional producers — check our full Portland wineries guide for what's worth bringing in. For a food-forward explorer who treats wine as the organizing principle of a meal rather than an afterthought, Canard's list is the kind you can spend time with before you order food. That is not a common experience at a $$ French bistro. For context on how this compares nationally, it sits closer to the wine seriousness you'd find at Republique in Los Angeles than to the more casual pour-and-move model of Au Cheval in Chicago.
Chef Dana Francisco runs the kitchen under a French bistro framework, with Gabriel Rucker and Andy Fortgang as owners. Rucker built his reputation at Le Pigeon, one of Portland's most-discussed restaurants over the past two decades, and Canard operates as the more accessible sibling in that orbit. The cuisine pricing at $$ for a two-course dinner puts it in direct competition with Portland's other serious casual options. If you're cross-shopping French specifically, Belleville and St. Jack are the most relevant Portland comparisons. Canard's OAD ranking currently sits above both in national visibility. Dinner only, no lunch service.
Canard is the right call for the wine-focused diner who wants French bistro format without a weeks-long booking process. It's also a strong option for visitors who want a single meal that doubles as a serious wine experience, particularly if you're pairing it with a broader Portland food itinerary. For that kind of trip, our full Portland restaurants guide and Portland bars guide will help fill out the rest of the schedule. If you want to understand where Canard sits in the broader national French dining picture, the closest reference points are places like Le Bernardin in New York at the formal end or Lazy Bear in San Francisco for the serious-but-casual West Coast tone. Canard occupies a distinct middle register: unpretentious room, serious cellar, accessible entry point.
For a broader Portland visit, also consider Olympia Provisions, Berlu, and Kann to round out your itinerary. Our Portland hotels guide and Portland experiences guide cover everything else you need for the trip.
Quick reference: Dinner only, 4–10 PM daily. $$ food / $$$ wine. Corkage $35. 600 selections, 2,500 bottles. OAD Casual North America #65 (2025). Easy to book.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canard | Easy | — | |
| Kann | Unknown | — | |
| Ken’s Artisan Pizza | Unknown | — | |
| Nostrana | Unknown | — | |
| Apizza Scholls | Unknown | — | |
| Blue Star Donuts | Unknown | — |
How Canard stacks up against the competition.
A week out is usually enough for most nights. Canard holds an OAD Casual North America ranking and draws a wine-focused crowd, but it doesn't generate the weeks-long wait that hits Portland's harder-to-book spots. If you're targeting a Friday or Saturday, book 10 to 14 days ahead to have your pick of seats.
Canard is a compact French bistro on E Burnside — casual but intentional. Jeans and a clean shirt work; there's no evidence the room rewards dressing up. Think neighborhood dinner, not special-occasion formality.
The wine program is the headline: Wine Director Ben Roan runs a 600-selection list with 2,500 bottles in inventory, weighted toward France, Champagne, Burgundy, and Italy, with corkage at $35 if you bring your own. Food sits at $$ pricing for a two-course dinner, so you can spend heavily on the list without the meal bill running away from you. Arrive knowing what you want from the wine side — that's where the real decision-making happens.
Yes, with the right expectations. It's a bistro format, not a tasting-menu production, so it fits a celebratory dinner where the wine is the centerpiece and the room feel is relaxed. The $$$ wine list gives you room to mark an occasion properly. For a more formal milestone dinner, somewhere with a longer tasting menu format would serve better.
Kann is the call if you want something with more current critical heat and a distinct culinary identity. Nostrana is a stronger fit if the group leans toward wood-fired food over French bistro. Ken's Artisan Pizza and Apizza Scholls are better value for casual groups where wine depth isn't the priority. Blue Star Donuts is not a dinner alternative — it's a different category entirely.
Dinner only. Canard's hours run 4–10 pm daily across the full week, so there is no lunch service to compare. Book for an early weeknight slot if you want the room at its least crowded.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
