View the 2012 Reader Survey results here!
Here are the results of the reader survey of the best restaurants in Portland. The total number of votes was a bit daunting, but I narrowed them down to a group which stood far above the rest. Within each of the three groups, the votes were very close. The tally dropped off dramatically at that point, so I’m limiting the results to the top 18. You can see all of the survey results here.
Out of 7,431 votes:
- Spanish cuisine
- My review
- 120 NE Russell St., Portland, 97212. Map
- (503) 281-4464
- Sun-Thur 5pm – 10pm, Fri-Sat: 5pm – 11pm
- $$
- Tips: Get there before they open or you may have to wait! Be adventurous when you order! Our reader’s choice for “Restaurant Worth the Wait”. Runner-up for “Best Date Restaurant”, “Best Group Dining”, “Best Service”, “I Could Eat Here Twice a Week!”, “Out of Town Guests Always Want to Eat Here”. The quality of food is a bargain for the price.
The second group of restaurants in alphabetical order are:
Andina –
- Peruvian cuisine
- My Review
- 1314 NW Glisan, Portland OR. 97209 Map
- (503) 228-9535
- Lunch: 7 days 11:30am – 2:30pm. Dinner: Sun-Thu 5pm – 9:30pm, Fri-Sat – 5pm – 10:30pm.
- Happy hour: daily 4pm – 6pm
- $$$$
- Tips: Great wine list. Tapas in the bar are a great deal. Live music some evenings. Very popular – reservations a must. Runner-up for “Best Group Dining”, “Best Date Restaurant” and “Best Service in Portland”.
Castagna –
- New American Cuisine
- 1752 Southeast Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214. Map
- (503) 231-7373
- Wed – Sat: 5:30pm – close
- $$$$
- Tips: Note the limited days. I’d make reservations. Runner-up for “Best Desserts” and “Best Date Restaurant”.
- It’s all about meat!
- 3155 East Burnside St.,Portland, OR 97232
- (503) 206-3099
- Mon-Sat: 5pm – 9pm, Sun 5pm – 9pm
- $$$
- Tips: It draws a good crowd, especially towards the weekend. Great butcher shop! Reader’s choice award for “Best Steak in Portland” and runner-up for “Best Place to Buy Meat”.
- French/New American Cusine
- My review
- 1204 Northwest 21st Ave. Portland, OR 97209 Map
- (503) 243-2403
- Mon-Thurs 5:30pm -10pm. Fri-Sat 5:30pm – 11pm. Sun 5pm – 10pm
- $$$$
- Tips: Classic dining. The bar is a pleasant place to eat. Reservations are a good idea. First prize in our Reader’s Survey for “Best Desserts”, “Best Service”, “Most Romantic Restaurant” and “Best Date Restaurant”. Runner-up for the “Best Place for Quiet Conversation”.
- The best traditional Thai food in the Northwest.
- My review
- 3226 Southeast Division St., Portland, OR 97202 Map
- (503) 232-1387
- Daily: 11:30am – 10pm.
- $$
- Tips: time it right, or you’ll end up waiting. Also try Pok Pok Noi in N.E. Portland with a more limited menu- see website. Reservations are available for groups of 5 or more – see website. Reader’s choice for “Best Thai Restaurant in Portland”, “I Could Eat Here Twice a Week!”, and “Out of Town Guests Want to Eat Here”. Pok Pok has been featured in many national magazines and television shows.
- Traditional American food, much with a Spanish touch
- My review
- 3808 North Williams Ave., Portland, OR 97227. Map
- (503) 621-1400
- Daily 9am – 10pm, Fri & Sat 9am – 11pm.
- Happy hour 2:30 – 5:30
- $$
- Tips: Excellent breakfast! Waits can be long, especially towards weekends, so think about the timing. I like the happy hour. Reservations for parties of six or more. Reader’s choice winner for “Best New Restaurant” and “Best Brunch in Portland”. Runner-up for “Best Hamburger”, “Best Place to Dine Alone” and “Worth the Wait”.
Finally, the third grouping of restaurants, again lumped because they were fairly close in votes, and the scores dropped off dramatically after these.
- Pizza
- 4741 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR 97215 Map
- (503) 233-1286
- $$
- Tips: almost always a wait, but worth it. To-go food only available Mon – Thurs, frequently not even then. Reservations available for six to 12 people – see website. Featured in television shows and magazines across the nation, with a huge local following. Runner-up for “Best Pizza in Portland”.
Beaker & Flask –
- New American Cuisine
- My review
- 720 Southeast Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR 97214. Map
- (503) 235-8180
- Daily 5pm to midnight
- Happy hour 5 to 6:30 & 9pm – 10pm
- $$$
- Tips: High-end bar, but an easy-going restaurant. They raise the craft of bartending to a new level. Try a drink you’ve never had before, and be adventurous with the food. Winner of “Best Bartender” in Portland. Runner-up for “Best Late Night Dining”.
Beast –
- New American Cuisine
- My review
- 5425 NE 30th Ave, Portland OR. 97211 Map
- (503) 841-6968
- Dinner: Wed – Sat, two seatings 6pm or 8:45pm. Brunch Sunday 10am or 12am.
- $$$$
- Tips: An all women kitchen produces memorable six-course prix-fixe dinners, or four-course prix-fixe brunch on Sundays. See website for prices. All community tables. You’ll need to get reservations. The chef competed in “Top Chef” television show.
Biwa –
- Japanese Izikaya
- Our review
- 215 Southeast 9th Ave., Portland, OR 97214 Map
- (503) 239-8830
- Sunday through Thurs, 5pm to 10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm – 11pm
- $$
- Tips. Great small restaurant, good for dining alone or an interesting date. Get the ramen – trust me. Perfect on a rainy night. Our Reader’s Choice for “Best Place to Dine Alone”, runner-up for “Best Late Night Dining” and “Dining with a Tight Budget”.
- New American Cuisine
- My review
- 1014 Southwest Stark Street, Portland, OR. Map
- (503) 228-3333
- Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30 – 3pm, Dinner 6pm – 11pm. Late night menu Mon – Thu 11pm – midnight, or Fri & Sat until 1am. Sundays 5pm – 11pm. Happy hour weekdays 3pm – 6pm.
- $$
- Tips: Casual restaurant, mostly group dining. Great for large parties. You can’t help but be swept away by the enthusiasm of the place. Runner-up for “Best Place to Dine with a Group”, “Best Bartender in Portland” and “Best Place to Dine Alone”.
Grüner –
- German/Alpine cuisine
- My Review
- 527 Southwest 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97205. Map
- (503) 241-7163
- Mon – Thurs 5pm – 9:30pm, Lunch Mon – Fri 11:30am – 2pm.
- Happy hour Mon – Fri 4:30 – 6pm
- $$$
- Tips: reservations. Try something new, rather than old standards. Runner-up for “Best New Restaurant 2011” and “Best Hamburger” (bar only).
- Pizza/Italian
- Our review
- 304 Southeast 28th Ave. Portland, OR 97214. Map
- (503) 517-9951
- Mon – Sat 5pm – 10pm Sun 4pm 9pm
- $$
- No reservations, and everyone must be there before you will be seated. Maximum group size 10 people. Takeout on a limited basis, Sun – Thurs. Voted “Best Pizza in Portland” in our survey.
- French/New American Cuisine
- My review
- 738 E Burnside St., Portland OR. 97214. Map
- (503) 546-8796
- Mon – Sat 5pm -10pm, Sun 5pm – 9pm
- Tips: ever tried offal? You should. Check the current menu before you go – not everyone’s cup of tea. Very popular – reservations, though some seats saved for walk-in’s. This restaurant has gotten lots of national press for good reason.
Nostrana –
- Italian Cuisine
- My review
- 1401 Southeast Morrison St., Portland, Oregon 97214. Map
- (503) 234-2427
- Dinner Sun – Thurs 5pm – 1opm. Lunch Mon – Fri 11:30am – 2pm
- $$$
- Tips: Huge restaurant, but very popular at dinner – get reservations. Nice place to go for lunch. Reader’s choice for “Best Italian Restaurant”, runner-up for “Best Desserts” and “Best Happy Hour”.
- Southern food like your grandma used to make
- 2337 East Burnside St., Portland, OR 97214. Map
- (503) 542-0880
- Tues – Sat 5:30pm – 10pm, Sun – Mon 5:30pm – 9pm. Brunch: Sat – Sun 9am – 2:30pm
- $$
- Tips: I can’t believe the line is this long! Lots of traditional Southern food. Runner-up for “Best Brunch in Portland” and “Worth the Wait”.
Tabla Mediterranean Bistro
- Mediterranean food
- My review
- 200 Northeast 28th Ave., Portland, OR 97232. Map
- (503) 238-3777
- Mon – Sun 5:30pm – close
- Happy hour: 5:30 – 6:30pm
- $$
- Tips: reservations are a good idea. Get the 3-course for $24 dinner, and don’t miss the desserts. I dream about the pasta. Tapas from 5:30 – 6:30pm. Can get very noisy at times.
Adam says
That photo next to the Apizza Scholls information is actually from Firehouse.
Food Dude says
Thanks, I will remove it
lzack says
LM is open until 10 everyday but sunday
Food Dude says
Are you with LM? I just put what their website says.
Livetoeat says
No wonder it looked so good ;)
Mz says
Isn’t the top 18 a little over the top?
Also: you’ve confused your results for best happy hour and best wine list.
Food Dude says
Over the top? Most sites/magazines/newspapers list 25-50. I would have rather made it an even 20
Gary says
I’ve eaten at a lot of these places and they all have good food but the longer the economy stays in the dump the less I’m interested is eating at $$$ & $$$$ restaurants.
I’d rather eat at a good local restaurant two or three times and support the local often friendlier and more interesting eateries. Sorry, but I haven’t had anyone at the $$$ or $$$$ places strike up an earnest conversation, just enough friendliness to get a tip.
Just my opinion.
jimster says
Sounds like you should join a book club and order a pizza.
Gary says
What and miss witty relplies like yours?
Andrea says
As a former waiter, let me take this opportunity to remind people: waitstaff are not your entertainment for the evening, nor are they your new best friend. Nor should they have to pretend to be to get a tip. The job is to be polite, courteous, perhaps “friendly” even, to answer questions knowledgeably, to bring you your food when it is hot, to keep the water filled, etc.
As a patron I do not need to know that your name is Tammy or your personal opinion of anything not on the menu or how many kids you have, etc. and I certainly do not want to volunteer this information as a waiter.
Also, waiters generally do not have time for earnest conversations. If waiters were having earnest conversations with every one of their tables then everyone would be saying, “where the hell is my waiter?”.
Gary says
Conversations don’t need to be long and I’m not expecting to find my next best friend.
I’ve met waiters that can balance being friendly and giving good service but unfortunately they are a rare breed. When I do they rate a 20%+ tip.
When I dine in New York or some other big city I expect the kind of service you are referring to but in PDX I expect a little more personal service.
Sorry, that’s just my expectation. But on the other hand I’m not part of the suburban foodie movement that swoops into the hottest place in town to be seen and brag about what great food I had the next day at work.
jimster says
You could go to any restaurant and miss my replies since I don’t work at a restaurant. I think Andrea covered this effectively. I seem to find what you seem to be looking for at numerous restaurants including Paley’s, Higgins, Pok Pok (when they are not under assault), 3 Doors Down, Beaker & Flask, Ciao Vito just to name a few. I don’t know, maybe you don’t go to places enough, maybe you are stand-offish. My point was that your comment seemed odd in the context of this post. All those places ARE local places. Maybe not localized to where you live and you prefer to go to places right around your house. That’s fine. I live in the city yet I live in the one area of inner-Portland where there are ZERO restaurants I could reasonably walk to. I support these places and don’t seem to have any trouble finding professional, friendly, good and interesting service.
Gary says
Everyone has there points and I’m not disputing that all of these restaurants are good places to eat. Unfortunately, i live west of Beaverton which is a wasteland of mediocre restaurant, except for a small hand full of eateries, so eating at many of these places requires some effort.
But I stand by my statement that I’d rather eat two good meals at a less expensive restaurant than one at a $$$ or $$$$. The money is the same so I’m not eating at the more expensive places due to monetary constraints.
I just find that often the service is just as good and “friendlier” at a smaller establishment that isn’t trying to be trendy.
Maybe its the fact that I tend to eat at off hours, maybe its the fact that I’m not a big wine buyer, who knows.
I’ll end this thread here and give you the last word if you’d like.
gary
Livetoeat says
Apparently you have never worked in a five star restaurant where most of these courtesies are required. Michelin rating system requires the guests’ name to be repeated at least twice throughout the course of the meal. Granted, in order to get five stars a restaurant has to have a large ratio of staff to guests. To be able to connect with guests in that way is very rewarding.
sidemeat says
further, the only direction meat knows,
I know a couple of regulars, David and Lucy, sweet people, I see them walk in…
I know David wants a glass of Cab and Lucy some Pinot Gris with a bit of ice …
I get the drinks and bring them to their table. I don’t care if it’s MY table,
I haven’t put the order into the POS, they haven’t ordered yet, I could be fired for this.
I bring the drinks, chat a moment or two, talk about the food that evening and pass them on to the person that will serve them. Meh, only three star service, we haven’t used our names yet.
sidemeat says
You know sometimes how you ask for something,
a drink hypothetically,
and in the rush of dining and conversation and convivial good humor it sort of gets lost….
only to arrive much later at a less appropriate time?
That sort of happened to my last comment….
hoonan says
Just an FYI….the highest Michelin rating is 3 stars.
Livetoeat says
Oops, make that Mobil 5 Star, and you wouldn’t even believe the endless list of requirements.
And no, you are not required to know their actual name, just the one they made the reservation with. lol
themick says
I’d be interested to know if there is any truth to this comment about repeating names at least twice throughout a meal as one precursor to attaining 3 michelin stars (or 5 which makes me question the validity if this comment). Is it just the name of the person who made the reservation or does the waiter insist on a round of introductions before the meal? What if they were a couple of celebrities having a secret affair and made the reservation under an assumed name? “It sure looks like Bono and Rosie O’Donnell kissing there in the corner but the reservation is for Brendan and Leslie Behan”. Do you call him Mr. Behan, Bono, Brendan or Mr. Hewson?
just asking!
abefroman says
absolutely! in addition they need to know your inseam, shoe size and if you prefer boxers or briefs. repeat your name twice during a meal is a pre-requisite for a michelin *** restaurant, funniest one i have heard in a long time
Jo Ann says
I don’t remember our name mentioned
And have been to more than several in the states and Europe
Sylvan says
Well said, ‘livetoeat’! I wouldn’t want to have some of the above commentators as my servers when I choose to eat at $$$-$$$$ restaurants! Everyone from marketing, PR and renowned chefs are advertising ‘experience’ and the experience described by some food industry owners/servers sounds more like a ‘drive-in’ rather than a memorable one. You can spot a good servers from miles away and the ‘servitude and grace’ that they exude is not an effort for them…is pure talent and their love for people and establishment (restaurant) is contagious! You cannot help but tip them 20+%!!!
Food Dude says
I went past Andina last night at 8:30, and they were packed – not an empty table in the place, so it seems not everyone is in agreement. As for conversation with the server, we’ve beat that into the ground. Let’s not go there again
sidemeat says
Dude. what did I tell you?
Don’t get involved with these kinds of donnybrooks,
It undermines your brand
and takes honest work from me
stealing the cod from my children’s mouth-holes
you are…
in vino veritas
do you know what that means?
I’m only a few bottles away from being
really smart
and once I’m there
I’ll figure it all out for you
you can go back to Nancy Drew
and artisan toast points
sidemeat’s got your back…
nathaniel says
I think that it’s very possible Sidemeat is Fooddude’s Tyler Durden.
Food Dude says
;)
SaltyCod says
that is funny
jimster says
I don’t think anyone is trying to have the last word. Toro Bravo is neither attempting to be trendy nor is it that expensive. Of the other 17 restaurants listed there is hardly a rush of trendiness there. Yes, some places are pricey but not trendy. If I lived where you live (no shot against you just making a geography comment) I would probably look at things the same way. I wouldn’t want to deal with traffic and suburban driving just to eat at these places on a regular basis either. I would refrain from dissing on their concepts and service simply because you don’t go there very much/at all. I live close enough in that I could, in theory, eat at all these places yet if I had a restaurant in my neighborhood that I liked (there is one now that I think about it) I would probably go there more than any other place simply out of convenience as well as supporting a neighbor. I think we all get what you’re saying but cracking on some of the nicer, better run local restaurants in town doesn’t seem much of a way to get your point across.
sidemeat says
Lenny to his George?
Portland Food Adventures says
Funny that no one even talked about the list. There’s not one restaurant on there that I think shouldn’t be on that list. (Only one I’ve never personally tried). If someone came in from out of town and was armed with that list, they’d really enjoy Portland. (Although there are some breakfast spots that come to mind that probably shouldn’t be on a TOP list, displacing places that serve dinner with great service).
But I can think of a few that didn’t make it that very well could have.
For starters, we just had a sold-out Chef’s Choice PFA meal at DOC and I heard from at least a half dozen people that it was the best food experience they had ever had in Portland. And I couldn’t disagree.
There are a few others, but voters are voters…
PDX2CDG says
There is eating out and then there is dining out.
Quality vs quantity take your pick, both are enjoyable pleasures.
There are plenty of good low brow places to eat. If you can’t afford dinner order a few appetizers, stop at you favorite food cart on your way home and call it a day. Just sayin……..
PDX2CDG says
Oh and congrats to all the hard working chefs who were nominated and the ones that won the JBA. Tough job, long hours, bank loans and critical food reviews to get through………ya gotta love it.
Amber says
I have not been to every restaurant you listed, but have been to most. And I have to say I agree with about every one of your reviews. Except for Paley’s Place…I had a hard time having a quiet conversation in there…maybe it was just a bad night for that.
rhiannon says
While I appreciate this list as a fairly new resident, I diligently went over all thse menus and it seems a good half of them are geared toward heavy meat entrees. I do eat meat, but the meats on most of the menus is very intense heavy meat, some for the braver soul than I, others not so much. I know everyone has an opinion, and thats just mine.
Veronica says
I just want to thank Food Dude for compiling lists like this, otherwise I’d be a willing stomach and wallet without much of a clue. Sites like yelp and citysearch can just get confusing with the often contrarian user reviews. People at work come to me all the time for restaurant recommendations because we go out frequently. Now I just tell them to read this site so they can suss out their own favorites.
Food Dude says
Thank you!
Mitch says
Can’t understand what’s all the hype about Pok Pok. It was a terrible attempt at Thai fusion-reinterpretation-street-food. I’ve lived for 38 years in that region and so thinking it would be a treat for some out of town friends to try ‘my’ type of food, I brought a bunch of friends that included some South East Asians, they were as disappointed as I was. We tried a variety of dishes. Overall the dishes were quite insulting. Left me quite embarrassed to have suggested this place. That said the wait staff were nice and friendly but we will not be going back for the food.
polloelastico says
I’ve eaten at many restaurants and very rarely did food ever insult me. I’ve been insulted by the overall experience at times, but the food itself is usually pretty cordial.
Food Dude says
I was bitch-slapped by an angry pancake once, but after a long night of retsina, I probably deserved it, and hardly felt insulted.
themick says
Being that you were drinking retsina the pancake probably thought you already had enough punishment.
Shirley Mcclaine says
I know, I can’t stand these hole in the wall place that flocks cheap eaters and claims that food is really good when it’s awful…in quantity and quality. This place(and food carts) belongs in the Portlandia show….and regarding the Pho, it’s awful food: Tons of MSG, Cheap processed Rice Sticks in Beef or Pork Bone stocks…People flocks into these places without considering the nutritional value and it’s disgusting!
mike d from nyc says
OK, I’m visiting Portland in 2 weeks – first time ever in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve printed your list, and coming armed and ready to chow down. I’ll ask this question then to the group:
if you were in town for a few days and could only hit 3 places for lunch and 3 for dinner, how would you assemble your top 18 list? FoodDude & friends, I’m counting on you….
(oh, and any breakfast / coffee suggestions are welcome too, besides hitting Stumptown, since the NYC version is pretty awesome).
Thank you Portland peeps!
pdxyogi says
Budget, taste, transportation, which days of the week?
mike d. says
here today. so thursday to sunday. Fullers was a solid breakfast today. going to explore and get lost now. any food recommendations from the seasoned folks here are appreciated!
-Mike from nyc
Food Dude says
You should check out our “Best of Portland List”!
mike d. says
done!! thinking DOC tonight. Considering Beast. Thanks FD.
pdxyogi says
Don’t miss Portland Farmers Market at PSU. There you can sample Pine State Biscuits, TasteBud Farm, Pearl Bakery, and a pie place I can’t remember the name of.
pdxyogi says
Also some great cheese.
mike d. says
cool, thanks. Planning to hit the market tomorrow…
as to dinner: we were a little skeptical walking into DOC last night – but it was truly outstanding, and a unique experience. the staff was wonderful, the food even better. If I lived here, I’d go back.
PDX2CDG says
So Mike D. give us locals the heads up on all the places you sampled. It would be fun to hear what NY’ers thought about our ‘humble cuisine”.
We have so many offerings considering the size of our city verses yours.
I hope you had a great culinary experience!
Puravida says
I’m so glad that trendy common names keep coming up on these lists and the real secrets are still secrets. Perfect.
mkhalland says
thank you;very helpful for someone visiting Portland for the first time.
Nathan says
So here is my review from visiting Portland. My family is from “Seattle”, or more exacting 250 miles NW of there.
Nang’s Khao Man Gai – Was Great! Wish we showed earlier so that there was still Chicken Liver in it.
Garden State – Closed
Other Carts – couldn’t find
For dinner we went to The Pigeon, We learned that only out of towners call it Le “”. For the prices we should have had a table to ourselves, or atleast one that allowed the other people to come and go without having to get up ourselves. That said, the other table guest were really nice people. The signature dish was not even a full pigeon, which for the price was lame. The Beef tongue was not so good, wish it was not as others always describe it. Plain yet kinda rank and a gross texture. The beef cheeks were divine, desserts were gross. Shortbread drenched in bacon grease, Foi gras ice cream was horid. We didn’t eat hardly any, the waiter did not care, offer to get something else, or take it off the ticket.
Nathan says
Tastey & Sons was good not great. We appreciated the family style serving, it always cuts down on over ordering. The root veggies were no good, they were heavily curried and no mention of curry on the menu. The bacon wrapped stuffed dates were great, always a fav in my family. The waitress recommended the Brussels Sprouts. They were Awesome! The steak a Frites were bla-za and a bit crunchy for such a delicate cut of meat. My bloody Mary had way to much horseradish to be drinkable, some quality control is in order for their bar. They took the Bloody Mary and un-eaten root veggies off the ticket, and did not charge for my mohito-sp. We added those discounts to our lovely waitresses tip. Loved the atmosphere. Over all we found Porland Coffee un-drinkable, cooks slovenly, and everything over-priced. However, if we were reviewing clothing or shoes, Portland would have had great reviews.
Food Dude says
So they took the items you didn’t like off of the menu, and yet you still felt compelled to get on the internet and complain? Classy. Really classy.
SaltyCod says
Now FD, that’s not exactly fair. If a dish is bad and they take it off the ticket, it speaks well of the restaurant, but the problems with the dish itself still deserve to be mentioned.
Although the *rest* of that comment would also lead me to distrust the author. There’s a wide variety to Portland’s coffee and there’s something for every budget. You can’t complain about everything in Portland being overpriced. I love Andina, but my favorite taco truck still has $1 tacos. You can only call that overpriced if you are comparing it to a country using a different currency.
Slovenly cooks… Um. Compared to what? The most famous chefs in the world right now have appearances one could mistake for ax murderers, weight watchers posters, or coke fiends. One of my best friends is a chef in new york, but he looks like he belongs in maximum security.
Nathan says
I did not complain, just reviewed, odd that a self titled food critic could not see that.
I wrote that we found Portland’s coffee to be bad. We based that on our taste, compared to other coffee we have had. We found the cooks to be slovenly as compared to places where they are not! If you want your cooks to wear T shirts and do-rags, keep them out of sight. Google or refer to Websters for the definition of over-priced.
Note from Food Dude. I went through and corrected the formatting/grammar/spelling errors to make this understandable.
James says
screen door never fails to impress.i felt pok pok was overrated and too expensive for the paltry portions. kens pizza is good but I think Lovely’s 50/50 is much better.
Phil says
Only in Portland can you turn $1.50/slice pizza into fine dining. My review of Apizza Scholls.
Granny Judy says
To all waitpersons: I worked for many years as a waitperson and I learned from the best, so here are a couple of tips for you:
1. Do NOT touch my drinking glass at the top with your fingers! I do not tip my normal 25%+ if you do this, and I will also ask for a straw.
2. Even if you are extremely busy, acknowledge my presence and tell me you will be with me as soon as you are able. I will wait almost forever if I know you have seen me, and are just busy.
3. Please ask me if I am finished before you rip my plate off the table. I could be just taking a breather.
4. Please try to remember who ordered what at the table. To have a server come up to a table of 2 and asked who gets which dish is an indication to me that you are not very concerned about your tip, therefore, neither am I.
I will tell you, I love to give a good tip to those servers I think enjoy their job enough to give good service. I just think many servers these days were not trained very well.