Eem sits in Portland's Boise-Eliot neighborhood, running a menu split into named sections — Texas Smoke, Thai BBQ, and Blessings — with Vacation Drinks given equal billing alongside the food rather than treated as an afterthought.
The bar program has built a following of its own, with regulars pointing to strong cocktail execution even as the kitchen draws more mixed reactions — some dishes called authentic and worth it, others described as bland or inconsistent. Service feedback has been similarly uneven.
Eem was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation's Best New Restaurant award in 2020, and The Infatuation has scored it 8.9 out of 10.
The bar program has built a following of its own, with regulars pointing to strong cocktail execution even as the kitchen draws more mixed reactions — some dishes called authentic and worth it, others described as bland or inconsistent. Service feedback has been similarly uneven.
Eem was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation's Best New Restaurant award in 2020, and The Infatuation has scored it 8.9 out of 10.