Departure Restaurant and Lounge

Departure Restaurant and Lounge reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. A

   Abigail

   Hawaii2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 18, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The staff was incredibly accommodating. I let them know we were visiting and they gave us the best table in the house! The waitress was very knowledgeable and provided a very comfortable yet unique experience. We went with the 3-course meal and an appetizer to share with the table which was plenty of food for a party of 4. I highly recommend this place for locals and visitors alike!
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded 1 day ago

   Abigail, Thank you so much for sharing this—it honestly means a lot to us! I’m so glad the team made you feel welcome and that you enjoyed the 3-course experience. We always want our guests to feel like they’re getting something special, and it sounds like that came through. I’ll definitely pass this along to the staff—they’ll be thrilled to hear it. Whether you're back in Portland or just craving another great meal, we’d love to have you at our table again soon! Bryan
   

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2. N

   Naomi VIP

   Chicago6 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on April 13, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   The food here was very good, especially the king salmon and the beef skewers. Drinks were great too. Only issue was that for our party of 4, the food all came out at very different times. Wish that all of our entrees would have come out at the same time, or even closer together.
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

   Thank you so much for dining with us and for sharing your feedback. I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the king salmon and beef skewers—those are some of our favorites, too! I'm really sorry to hear the timing of the dishes missed the mark. That’s something we always strive to get right, especially for parties dining together. I’ll be sure to share this with our team so we can keep improving. We’d love the chance to welcome you back soon and provide a more seamless experience from start to finish. Bryan
   

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3. J

   Jill

   Las Vegas26 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 13, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We hadn’t been here for a couple of years. Really enjoyed our meal. Atmosphere, food, service were all great
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

   Thank you for coming back to see us—it means a lot! We're so glad to hear you enjoyed everything and to have created another wonderful memory of the restaurant. We hope it won’t be quite as long until your next visit—there’s always something new to try, and we’d love to welcome you back again soon! Bryan
   

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4. M

   Mary

   San Francisco4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 13, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Went to Departure for date night with my husband. We didn’t want to sit outside but were seated at a table that had a great view. Our server was Nina and she was REALLY lovely and attentive. But not so attentive that she interrupted your conversation too much. While the grilled octopus was a TOUCH rubbery, the flavors were so fantastic I would order it again 10 more times. The waygu steak was so good I almost screamed out loud. I’m so serious…I’m coming back JUST FOR THAT STEAK!!! My husband got the halibut and it was delicious too!! Cooked perfectly and again…the flavors!!! The garlic fried rice makes you want to do a cartwheel (I have some leftover that I’m going to attack when I’m done with this review.) We got some shredded potatoes that were a little different as they were a little toothsome which was not what I am used to. But the flavors were as good as all the other dishes and once I had a few bites I kept going back for more. How you can have a starch that is light while also being rich…I just don’t know. But we are going back. Soon. For the steak. And the rice. And the octopus. And the cucumber/daikon salad. And NINA!!!
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

   Wow—this absolutely made our day! Thank you so much for choosing Departure for your date night and for taking the time to write such a thoughtful (and hilarious!) review. We’re so glad you ended up enjoying that view—and even more thrilled to hear how much you loved the food. Your descriptions had us smiling ear to ear (we’re still thinking about that almost-screamed-for steak and cartwheel-worthy garlic fried rice!). I’ll make sure Nina sees your kind words—she truly is a gem, and we’re lucky to have her. We also appreciate the note on the octopus and shredded potatoes; we’re always looking for ways to improve, so your feedback means a lot. We can’t wait to welcome you both back soon—for the steak, the rice, the octopus, and of course, for Nina. Bryan
   

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5. L

   Lester

   Portland1 review

   4.0

   Dined on April 12, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   Food and service on point . They brought our oysters after we finished our main food and the manager apologized and.corrected it. Noise level was a bit high to hear your own conversation. A bit dark too
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

   Thank you so much for joining us and for your kind words about the food and service—we’re really glad to hear both hit the mark for you. I appreciate you pointing out the delay with the oysters, and I’m glad our manager was able to make it right in the moment. I hear you on the noise and lighting—it’s something we’re continuing to fine-tune to balance the energy of the space with guest comfort. Your feedback helps us do that, so thank you again for taking the time to share it. We hope to welcome you back soon for another great meal (oysters timed just right!). Bryan
   

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6. E

   Emmanuel

   Portland1 review

   5.0

   Dined on April 9, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Comfortable too who.wahts too take someone or a family member out too a good dinner
   

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7. J

   J VIP

   Orange County3 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on April 5, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Beautiful indoor, outdoor and indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar. Magnificent views. Interesting bathrooms and interesting entrance to restaurant. Ramen was too thick with not enough broth. Didn’t taste too good. Black sesame seeds in the ramen were good. Flourless chocolate cake came paired with salted caramel ice-cream that was almost melted. The ice-cream flavor did not go well with the chocolate cake. Both the cake and the ice-cream were almost tasteless! We got a tea infused cocktail from the menu that was delicious. Good hotel restaurant vibe.
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

   Thank you for sharing your experience with us—and for the kind words about our space! We’re so glad you enjoyed the ambiance, the views, and that tea-infused cocktail (one of our favorites too). I’m sorry to hear the ramen and dessert missed the mark. Your notes on the broth and flavor balance are helpful, and I’ve shared them with our culinary team as we continue refining the menu. We always want every dish to feel as special as the setting, so your feedback is truly appreciated. We’d love the chance to welcome you back again soon—and hopefully give you a much more memorable flavor experience across the board. Bryan
   

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8. K

   Katrina

   Portland2 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on April 3, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We’ve been here several times and honestly the food was a little disappointing. We’ve had fabulous meals here in the past and this time was just ok. It sounds like they are moving to a new chef so we might have caught them in between the old menu and new menu. The service however was spectacular and so were the drinks.
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

   Thank you for being a returning guest—it truly means a lot to us that you’ve chosen to dine with us multiple times. I’m sorry to hear the food didn’t quite live up to your past experiences this time around. You're absolutely right—we're in the midst of a transition with our culinary team and working toward a refreshed menu that better reflects where we're headed. That said, I'm so glad the service and drinks still delivered for you! I’ll be sure to share your kind words with the team. We really hope you'll come back soon to try the new offerings once they’ve fully launched next month—we’d love the chance to wow you again. Bryan
   

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9. R

   Ruth VIP

   Portland11 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 1, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The food was exceptional! The freshest seafood! The view outstanding! Our server was lovely! I cannot wait to go back!
   

   Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

   Thank you so much for the kind words! We're thrilled you had such a great experience—from the fresh seafood to the view and warm service. I’ll be sure to share your compliments with the team. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon for another outstanding visit! Bryan
   

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10. M

    Michael

    New York City4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3

    First of all, our server, Jessica, was fantastic. Otherwise, everything else felt disappointing or underwhelming. Admittedly, just as we were settling in and looking over the menu, we were put off by the fact that the table next to us had their entire bill comped due to something that seemed quite egregious. This created an unease and set the tone for our meal.
    

    Departure Restaurant and LoungeResponded on April 17, 2025

    Thank you for dining with us and for taking the time to share your experience. I’m so glad to hear Jessica took great care of you—she truly is a wonderful part of our team, and I’ll be sure to pass along your kind words. That said, I’m sorry to hear the rest of your visit felt underwhelming. I completely understand how witnessing a situation like that at a nearby table could affect the tone of your evening. While we always strive to handle service recoveries discreetly, it’s clear that in this case, it may have disrupted the experience for others—and for that, I truly apologize. Your feedback is valuable, and I hope you’ll consider giving us another chance at some point soon. Bryan
    

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