Nicholas Restaurant has stayed in the same family's hands since Nicholas Dibe arrived in Portland from Lebanon in the late 1980s to open the restaurant on SE Madison. Portland Monthly later called the Dibes "Portland's first family of Lebanese cuisine," a reference to the family's long run cooking Lebanese and Mediterranean food in the city.
The kitchen turns out fresh, homemade dishes, with the lamb and falafel drawing particular praise from regulars. A second location in Gresham has extended the restaurant's reach beyond its original Southeast Portland home.
The restaurant has built a reputation as a neighborhood fixture — service holds up even during busy stretches, and the dining room's ambiance and parking have made it an easy repeat stop for longtime regulars.
The kitchen turns out fresh, homemade dishes, with the lamb and falafel drawing particular praise from regulars. A second location in Gresham has extended the restaurant's reach beyond its original Southeast Portland home.
The restaurant has built a reputation as a neighborhood fixture — service holds up even during busy stretches, and the dining room's ambiance and parking have made it an easy repeat stop for longtime regulars.