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    Nicholas Restaurant, Restaurant in Portland
    Restaurant200Points

    Nicholas Restaurant

    Central Eastside Industrial District, Portland

    Restaurant in Portland, United States

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    The Read

    Dress

    Casual

    Why go

    Nicholas Restaurant is a practical Southeast Portland choice for a relaxed meal rather than a high-planning destination dinner. It makes the most sense for repeat visits and casual groups; cross-shop Kachka for stronger cuisine identity, Lardo for a faster sandwich-led meal, or Farm Spirit for a more deliberate dining format.

    About Nicholas Restaurant

    Nicholas Restaurant is a Portland venue with daily hours and a casual dress code. It is open every day, with later closing times on Friday and Saturday, it does not require formal attire. Do not expect a tasting-menu destination, award-driven booking, or special-format restaurant unless you confirm those details directly.

    A practical Portland choice for repeat visits

    The clearest reason to consider Nicholas Restaurant is its schedule. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM, Sunday from 12 PM to 8 PM. That makes it easier to fit into a Portland dining plan than venues with narrower public hours.

    A specific cuisine, chef, menu format, price point, or service style are not listed, so the best approach is simple: use the first visit to understand the room and menu, then decide whether it belongs in your regular Portland rotation. Readers building a wider eating plan can pair this with the full Portland restaurants guide, then compare it with other Portland dining options when the occasion calls for a different room or format.

    Who should choose it, who should cross-shop

    Choose Nicholas Restaurant when you want a casual Portland meal and a schedule that is easy to work around. It is a less certain fit if the decision depends on a published tasting menu, named chef, specific cuisine, awards history, bar seating, or group capacity.

    Cross-shop Kachka, Lardo, Farm Spirit, or other Portland restaurants if you want a different dining experience or more specific details before choosing a venue. For a broader Portland trip, the useful companion guides are Portland hotels, Portland bars, Portland wineries, Portland experiences.

    Quick reference: best fit for a casual Portland meal with daily hours; cross-shop when you need more specific details about cuisine, format, pricing, or occasion fit.

    The takeThis is a restaurant built for practical, everyday occasions: family dinners, casual meetups, and group meals where permanence and familiarity matter more than spectacle. Because it occupies a residential stretch of Southeast Madison Street, Nicholas works well for neighbors stopping in without a reservation and for groups who want a straightforward, sit-down Lebanese meal. It is not presented as a reservation-only destination; instead it thrives as the kind of local room you return to repeatedly for reliable flavors and an unpressured atmosphere.
    Venue detailsCozy
    Also considerAlternatives
    Restaurant contextPortland, United States
    Explore PortlandNearby

    Planning details

    Location
    1109 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214
    Website
    nicholasrestaurant.com
    Phone
    +15032355123
    Around this placeMore Pearl picks
    The take

    The Take

    The Vibe

    Nicholas Restaurant presents itself as a steady neighborhood presence rather than a styled destination. The room is modest and warm, and the arrival feels more like coming home than making an event of dinner. That unpretentious, dependable quality anchors the experience: the kitchen sits squarely in the center of daily life, offering Lebanese cooking in a sit-down format that resists both fine-dining flourish and fast-casual hurry. The result is a relaxed, classic dining tone that prioritizes comfort and familiarity over trendiness—exactly the sort of place locals fold into their regular rotation.

    Best For

    This is a restaurant built for practical, everyday occasions: family dinners, casual meetups, and group meals where permanence and familiarity matter more than spectacle. Because it occupies a residential stretch of Southeast Madison Street, Nicholas works well for neighbors stopping in without a reservation and for groups who want a straightforward, sit-down Lebanese meal. It is not presented as a reservation-only destination; instead it thrives as the kind of local room you return to repeatedly for reliable flavors and an unpressured atmosphere.

    Ordering Tips

    Nicholas’s menu leans on familiar Lebanese classics, so start with shareable plates and the kitchen’s signature proteins. Hummus is a reliable opener; the Chicken Kabab and Lamb Shawarma are highlighted as house favorites and make sturdy mains for the table. For a lighter or vegetarian option, the Falafel Bowl is explicitly noted among the signature dishes. Given the neighborhood, portions suit sharing—order a mix of mezze and a couple of mains to sample the kitchen’s strengths and let the room’s communal, no-frills approach shape the meal.

    Venue details

    Ambiance

    Pleasant indoor dining room with nice outdoor eating area and welcoming family atmosphere.

    Tags

    Vibe

    Cozy

    Best For

    FamilyCasual HangoutGroup Dining

    Experience

    Standalone

    At the Table

    Dress Code
    Casual
    Noise Level
    Conversational
    Service Style
    Casual
    Meal Pacing
    Standard
    Capacity
    Medium

    Signature Dishes

    • Chicken Kabab
    • Lamb Shawarma
    • Falafel Bowl
    • Hummus
    Planning details

    Location

    1109 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214 · Directions

    +15032355123

    nicholasrestaurant.com

    Also consider

    Also Consider

    • Kachka, Russian, Russian
    • Feel Good PDX, Notable alternative
    • Urban Gleaners Summer Supper, Notable alternative
    • Lardo, Sandwiches, Mediterranean, Sandwiches, Mediterranean
    • Farm Spirit, Notable alternative
    Restaurant context

    How Nicholas Restaurant compares in Portland

    Against Kachka, Nicholas Restaurant is the lower-pressure choice: easier for a casual meal, less useful if the goal is a sharply defined Russian restaurant experience. Kachka is the better pick when cuisine identity and a more memorable out-of-town-guest dinner matter; Nicholas is better when convenience and repeatability matter more than a destination feel.

    Compared with Lardo, the decision is about format. Lardo is stronger for a quick sandwich-led meal with Mediterranean cues, while Nicholas Restaurant is better suited to a sit-down plan where the group wants a fuller restaurant stop. Feel Good PDX and Urban Gleaners Summer Supper should be cross-shopped when the occasion or mission matters more than a standard neighborhood dinner.

    Farm Spirit is the sharper alternative for diners who want a more intentional, planned dining experience. Nicholas Restaurant is the easier everyday call; Farm Spirit is the better fit when the meal is the main event and the group is willing to plan around the format.

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    Compare Nicholas Restaurant
    Nicholas Restaurant Portland and similar venues
    VenueLocationCuisineAwards
    Nicholas RestaurantPortland; No published awards
    KachkaPortlandRussian
    2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #6622024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #3702023 OAD Gourmet Casual Dining in North America Ranked · #1652023 OAD Casual in North America Highly Recommended
    Feel Good PDXPortland; No published awards
    Urban Gleaners Summer SupperPortland; No published awards
    LardoPortlandSandwiches, Mediterranean
    2026 OAD Cheap Eats in North America Recommended2025 OAD Cheap Eats in North America Ranked · #2342025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #3782024 OAD Cheap Eats in North America Ranked · #2082024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #4922023 OAD Casual in North America Recommended
    Farm SpiritPortland; No published awards

    How Nicholas Restaurant Portland compares with similar nearby venues.

    FAQ

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What should I order at Nicholas Restaurant?

    Specific dishes or a menu format are not listed for Nicholas Restaurant. Choose based on the current menu when you arrive or confirm details directly with the restaurant before you go.

    What should I wear to Nicholas Restaurant?

    Casual clothes are the right choice for Nicholas Restaurant in Portland. The dress code is casual, so formal attire is not necessary.

    Can I eat at the bar at Nicholas Restaurant?
    What time is Nicholas Restaurant open?

    Nicholas Restaurant is open daily: Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM, Sunday from 12 PM to 8 PM. Choose the time that fits your schedule, confirm current hours before making a firm plan.

    What are alternatives to Nicholas Restaurant in Portland?

    Other options to compare include Kachka, Feel Good PDX, Lardo, Farm Spirit, along with other Portland dining rooms depending on the kind of meal you want.

    Is Nicholas Restaurant good for a special occasion?

    Nicholas Restaurant may work for a casual occasion, but it does not establish a formal special-occasion format, awards history, or specific private-dining setup. For a milestone meal, compare current details with other Portland restaurants before deciding.

    Can Nicholas Restaurant accommodate groups?

    Group capacity is not listed. Nicholas Restaurant has daily hours, but larger parties should confirm seating and timing directly with the restaurant before planning around it.