Dan & Louis Oyster Bar

The best Old Fashion drink in town made the most awesome bartender Holly! The food is fresh and delicious! Love this Portland icon.

Cool bar! Excellent service! We stopped in for a drink and stayed for a long time because of the excellent service!

Holly + Michelle = Amazing. Great drinks, and the food is too good. Smoked poke salmon. Smoked salmon and chips. Amaze.

What a great place!!! From the first look you think you are in a small space but it goes on forever!!! Great bar selections, knowledgable staff and wonderful reasonably priced food!!!

They were out of ALL of their sparkling wines so we left.

This place was quaint, friendly, and delicious oysters. All I had was oysters. They were delicious. Great service and great atmosphere to make your experience here worthwhile and wanting to go back!

We went in late Sunday night and had fast service with good cold beer and great oysters. The owner/​chef was around and spent a solid half hour with our group talking oyster cultivation and history of the establishment, he even introduced us to a few oysters with kimchi –damn good stuff. This was not our first visit, but it was the best.

A friend and I slipped into this restaurant for lunch while trying to avoid the torrential rain we were experiencing. We both chose a yummy drink and I ordered the ‘simple sauté’ for lunch. I thought it was good enough, nothing out of this world. I really appreciate the cozy feeling of being in an old bar with so much history as this spot has. I would definitely go again if I lived there, the ambiance is great.

After meeting the owner Keoni while he made us fresh to order bbq oysters, while answering questions about what wine would pair well with… I’ll always come back to this one spot!!! It’s a family owned restaurant which has been handed down to generations, it has character and attitude! I’m a fan!!! Thank you Keoni and Michelle for such hospitality.

This was one of my only stops in Portland that I did not research ahead of time. I had some time to kill en route to the haunted pub tour and eating at the Irish Pub didn’t appeal to me… Oysters! I thought, those sound delicious right now.
Except they were $ 35/​dozen. That may be market pricing in Portland? but compared to Orlando, that level is reserved for the best restaurants who do a bit more with their oyster offerings. To be fair, the server did spit out the pricing prior to my order but it seems I was confused with happy hour pricing. (Travelling, I forgot that it was Saturday and there was no happy hour on Saturday). It was a sampler, so there were some oysters I really enjoyed and others I did not.
I liked the nautical pub décor and the outside seating was nice. I chose to sit at the bar. It took some time for anyone behind the bar to even make eye contact — which is very important to me. I even had to ask another seated nearby for their menu when they were finished with it! I also noticed a bartender making a drink that seemed to appealing to others, and each time another was ordered they were incredibly annoyed by it.
With all the other amazing choices in the area I wouldn’t waste your time.

Yummy fresh oysters and steamed clams. They also have a pretty good selection of beers. I had the Atlas cider. Both the apple and apricot. Enjoyed being able to sit outside and enjoy some fresh summer seafood

This place does not even deserve a star if I could I rate them a –3 or 4 stars if I could.
Went here the other night had the worst experience ever. Ordered the admirals feast and when it came it had 1 giant shrimp, 1 pc of very small fish, no oysters, 2 dime sized scallops, and a handful of calamari. We ended up sending it back being that it was not worth 26 bucks. Then asked for a manager and some dishwasher came out to act as the manager. We than left and were chased outside to pay for the chowder which was moderate as well. Then the so called manager asked demanded the 5 bucks, then I asked for his business card at which then screamed at me and said «if you do not like do not come back.» Then slammed the door in my face. What great customer service for such a landmark spot. Don’t bother or waste your money there.

Back in 2008 or 2009 I considered this my go-​to downtown treat-​yo-​self spot. When my girlfriends and I came for a visit to Saturday Market or Powell’s we’d wind up here, celebrate our friendship and youth and eat a dozen oysters along with a crab leg or two. I don’t remember it being anything but great. The service was friendly, there was endless oyster crackers, and if your friends split the meals together and ate family style, congratulations, it wouldn’t be that expensive either.
But today, things have changed. Not so long ago I returned to give perform next door at Valentine’s. That bar doesn’t have its own kitchen and has partnered with Dan & Louis Oyster Bar to get them to serve their food. I was excited as soon as I saw the name — a friend was taking care of my meal for my performance and that meant i was going to get an appetizer while I waited for my turn to go up.
I went with some crab legs. Boy was that a bad idea. The chef (?) came over and delivered the legs to Valentine’s. And guess what? No cracker, no utensils to help break through the shell. How strange. He must have forgot, I thought. I know how hard it is waitressing because I used to do it myself. I politely let the bartender know I had no utensils and asked if I could get something to break the shell. Valentine’s bartender brought me a fork and knife, but said he had no crackers or hammers or other tools. So he calls over the man again may have been the chef it seems of Dan & Louis.
He comes to my table and says, «I’m sorry I don’t have any crackers, and we don’t just give them out, people steal them.»
I didn’t quite understand so I offered to give him an ID as a deposit. Then he repeated they don’t actually have any. I don’t remember that being true years ago when I came there to celebrate my birthday as a college student. I looked at him with my best «seriously?» face and he offered to explain to me how to use my hands and teeth to tear through the shells. I quickly interrupted him to say such instruction would not be needed.
There I was, wearing a dress I loved hoping not to drip crab juice or lemon butter all over it as I cracked and clawed and chewed my poor teeth through the shell. I felt so stupid. How can you charge those kind of prices and not even offer a simple wooden hammer or a shell cracker? I don’t understand. If you’re that afraid of people stealing utensils how do you even run a restaurant? It also seemed ungracious, like they were accusing me of wanting to steal something when I had once, years ago, been a lover of the place. Although, perhaps, hardly new to me to feel as though someone assumes I’m not a customer but a thief in the perpetually strange world of being brown in America.
Meh. The legs were fine and the flavors were great. But it was so embarrassing and strange.
The oysters I shared with a friend were also good, but expensive, even for oysters. No salt. No pepper. No one brought me anything. The poor bartender saw me scrounging around for anything to eat them with and brought me some bartending salt in a tiny shot glass and apologized for the lack of service from Dan & Louis. They didn’t even have the courtesy to bring me a fork, much less the tiny ones normally used to eat oysters.
There’s no other choice for what to order when you’re at Valentine’s but for Dan & Louis’s sake I hope they try and see how their poor service is marring their customers experiences. It’s so not what they should be doing and I know they can do better.
When in doubt, just order their fries and don’t expect much, would be my advice for bar hoppers next door.

A hot Saturday afternoon and we just came from Voodoo doughnuts, as we walked by and saw the tables with umbrellas and nice shade, we promotly sat down and ordered a dozen oysters.
They were wonderful. A nice variety of six different oysters. A great way to cool off after enduring the long line at voodoo.
The only reason I’m taking off a star is that it takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r for the food to come out. The servers are super nice, but dang someone in kitchen is slow.

youtube video
While walking around downtown Portland, I walked pass Dan & Louis Oyster bar several times. Look kinda pricy but finally decided to go in. I took a sit right at the bar, and the server was very nice and helpful. Ordered the half dozen for 18 dollars. It was very nice, the server was very knowledgeable where the oysters are from and explained the flavor profile very well. I am used to new England oysters happy hours, which are like 50 cents to a dollar a pop, so I have high expectation of these products. Overall they are nice, very creamy, full bodied, «fatter» in a good way. They were running a «sea cow» special for 12 dollars for half dozen (a oyster farm sub species, I’ve been told) I wanted to try different kinds so I declined, but from the patrons at the bar, I heard good thing about that too. Check out the youtube video

After walking downtown for awhile, we were ready to grub. The reviews for this place were quite mixed so we decided to make up our own mind. SO GLAD we didn’t pay attention to the negative reviews.
The staff was young, hip, and friendly. The ambience and background music was eclectic and appropriate. The service was a very decent and acceptable speed. And then there’s the food…
I had a mixed green salad tans was glad to see it wasn’t just romaine and spinach and the clam chowder definitely delivered. It tasted like fresh clams and not like potato.
My husband did the make your own combo with fried clams and oysters. The clams were average (no complaints) but the fried oysters were amazing! The hubs said they were the best he ever had.
If you’re downtown and looking for great, fresh seafood, stop at Dan & Louis’.

I don’t think it’s as bad as a lot of the reviews, but unfortunately, I did leave here wishing we had chosen a better spot to eat. I had oysters and the seasonal price was $ 35 for a dozen. When they arrived they were varied in size, so some were ok and then some were really, really small.
Hubs said the clam chowder wasn’t that great.
Kinda sad since they have been family owned for so many years.
my feelings are this: for the high prices and lack of other seafood selections, you are better off going to that other Crawfish place… sorry, I REALLY hate to be negative to them because I think they have so much potential to be great.

Dan & Louis Oyster Bar was a mixed bag for us. Their oysters were varied and fresh fresh. What I think was the Commisioner stew came lukewarm and lacked depth of broth. The clam chowder was not too bad, but again, not memorable. If you are heading to the waterfront and the Saturday market, you can head to Dan & Louis’s and mingle with the tourist crowd. They have outdoor tables and you can people watch. So thumbs up for oysters and not much else. I will have to return for Happy Hour next time… it can get expensive.

I come here because my wife likes this place, so let’s keep her happy. she enjoys a big bowl of clam chowder. I order the oysters on the Rockefeller and there okay.
considering how long these restaurants been around, I would hope that the things they prepare would be a little bit better. you can’t rest on your laurels.
to the owners please wake up and get this place back up to gear where it used to be.

Do you like a laughable (not in a good way) dining experience and becoming violently ill? Then this place might be for you.
Dan and Louis is prime for a Restaurant Impossible episode; great location and history, but horribly managed and staffed.
Where to start? Hrm, maybe with the fact that this was actually my second visit, but the first time I ate? Many moons ago I was downtown with some friends, had a hankering for oysters, and we stopped in. Ten minutes to be greeted, ten minutes to get water, and I’d assume ten more minutes before we got our menus, but we had already left.
Why did I go back? Dad got me a gift certificate for my birthday since he knew I loved oysters and is from out of town. Funny story on that is the gift certificate never arrived via mail. I initially chalked it up to USPS. The restaurant apologizes and sends another with $ 10 tacked on for my trouble. It arrives with an additional $ 20. Weird. I mean, I’ll take it, but at this point (post dining) I assume they simply failed to send the first.
Before heading in, I checked Unilocal and read some of the rough reviews, but it still didn’t dawn on me that this was the place I had walked out on. It wasn’t until we arrived that my wife and I looked at each other and knew what we were in for.
We walk in and are told there is open seating in the lounge. This is actually the bar. I know they have a dining room, but I suppose there is a private party or something. No, the place is just empty and they want their only customers sitting in the front window to make it look otherwise. Sadly, I think our presence caused a pair of couples to come in. Poor souls.
The menu was apparently new, but it seemed every table was asking for quantity information that was lacking from it. When ordering oysters en masse, it’s nice to know what that $ 16 order contains.
The food turned out to be mediocre. Actually better than I had expected, but that’s not saying much. My overcooked $ 27 halibut wasn’t worth more than the $ 14 I could have paid Red Lobster for similar.
We also got a few oysters to start, which was a treat. Apparently the girl shucking them is brand new and without any training. Twice she delivered shooters when we order them on the half. She did this to another table too. We’d receive the shooters for free. The oysters were quite tasty, but the viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu… Nasty) has not been. My wife and I have been out of commission for two days now. As she has a project deadline at work, we’ve not been dining together save for this one meal so it had to be the oysters. A visit to the bathroom, where you’ll catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the restaurant might give you a clue as to why we got sick. Ew. And why is the new person shucking oysters? Aren’t they kind of serious business? I digress; this is not a serious business.
Service was very awkward. I don’t know how else to put it. I felt uncomfortable any time any table interacted with the staff. Every table would exchange looks amongst themselves like «WTF is going on here?» After the service departed them.
Dine somewhere else.