The Highcliffe is a cool enough place, in a town where cool places are few and far between. I have been here several times all later in the evening and its always very quiet. They do have daily drink specials and are doing some house booze infusing, though the one time a friend ordered their special which was a pineapple infused vodka she sent it back, apparently the flavor was really off. I'd like to see the Highcliffe stay open a few hours later than they do, as there is a real lack of clean, centrally located and low key places to patronize after dinner in OC. Every time I've been here the nice staff have in essence turned the few groups out to the street at 9, saying they close early because they don't have the steady evening business. It's seems to me like asking a few paying, drinking groups to hit the road may be the reason they aren't keeping busy into the night.
Review Source:Gotta give them this fifth star! This place has probably the best happy hour I have seen in the Portland area. I can't believe this is place in Oregon City. Go for happy hour and sit in the bar. The prices will blow you away and the freshness and quality of food is perfect.
This last visit we ordered the Mac n' Cheese (a must try) and the Salmon Po'boy Sandwich. Delicous, fresh and perfectly made.
Very disappointed, ordered the 1/2 sandwich with smoked salmon chowder, got a so so 1/2 sandwich with the sausage soup, not what I ordered. Two people order the same thing, and the waitress is not listening. The sandwich had very little meat, over melted cheese and soggy bread. What can I say the whole meal sucked. Won't be going back, ill walk up the hill and go to MIKES, and have a buffalo burger, some fries, and ice tea for 1/2 the money. The waitress I'm sure will get my order correct.
Review Source:Ok I know I'm being a little petty but for the price of the food the waitress should be able to pronounce it.  The table was sticky, the menus stained and the wait staff, while nice, seemed a little out of their depth. To make matters worse, there were no paper towels in the rest room.  And no midriff please unless I'm at hooters.  And whoever was the juvenile that put the sausage sticker on the waitresses  butt...well ok that was a little funny.  Either you are higher end or not.  Took 20  minutes to get food.
Review Source:What a cute little find! The atmosphere is cool, there's tons of room for big groups.
The Caesar salad was pretty good but could have been a little spicier. The salmon chowder was tasty.
My boyfriend got the burger and it was overdone but still tasted good. The tots were GREAT! They also have lots of gluten free options!
Good service, all around nice place. Nothing super special about the food but decent.
Average. Some friends and I decided to adventure out to Oregon City to eat dinner. Hindsight is 20/20 and I wish we would have stayed in Portland. I ordered a medium rare Bleu Burger with fries and the chipotle aioli. The patty was fairly thin and lacked flavor. It didn't seem like they seasoned it at all. The bacon onion jam had a really nice flavor but wasn't enough to make up for a bland burger. The fries were average, but somewhat cold when our food was delivered. Also, we had a party of ten and they put us in an awkward room that felt like we were holding a conference meeting. The decor was odd and not executed tastefully.
Pros: good price, not completely terrible food, pretty good service.
Cons: "blah" food, Â weird conference room, location.
Only been here once for Sunday brunch, but I was impressed with the menu, the service and the food. The inside is gorgeous and charming with some local historic tidbits placed thoughtfully throughout. I had the pulled pork sandwich and the SO had the reuben and both were delicious. I had my standard Bloody Mary Extra Sassy and whoever made it, made it right. $24 total for all three. I will be back for happy hour for sure.
Review Source:We went here to try someplace new in Oregon City. The atmosphere was nice, but not very pub-like. I had a burger and was informed they were out of fries. My lady's water glass had major lip-gloss on it and was quickly replaced. Our server was nice but didn't seem to know what beers were on tap.
The bartender decided to take orders from a large group right as our drink orders went in and we had to wait 10 minutes for our drinks. (I think our server ended up pouring them.) The bartender took a couple smoke breaks right out in front of the front door.
I had the Highcliffe burger and asked for it "medium" but when it arrived it was very well done with a good amount of char. It was removed from our bill.
My lady had the blue cheese burger and coleslaw, but was disappointed to find out the slaw was apple-slaw. The server informed us it was hit-and-miss with the customers. (It wouldn't be hard to mention something like that when ordering or on the menu...!)
Overall, I think the place has potential, but unless they get their act together a bit, they're going to continue to miss the mark.
We eat here quite often. I like the variety of the menu. The macaroni and cheese is the best, but they have good soups and salads too. We love the French fries. The food is always consistent. We had Thanksgiving dinner there last year, it was also very good. They were able to accommodate a large group.
Review Source:We went here on a Friday afternoon. The beer menu is subpar - this is Oregon. Why would you waste two taps with Coors light and Pabst? Our server was not the brightest bulb - he told us the wrong beer was the special beer (we went and looked at the taps ourselves to figure this out, and it was the beer we would have ordered...) The food was okay. I ordered the mac and cheese from the children's menu for our daughter, figuring it would be actual mac and cheese since it's a normal item on the menu. And mind you, the kids price was $5 (comes with tater tots) vs. $3 for the happy hour portion. It was Kraft mac & cheese. I sent it back and requested the menu item. If you are going to serve boxed, processed food, you really should specify that (I would not have ordered it). I really wanted to like this place and it definitely has potential. Better service, better beer list, and improved menu labeling and it would be a regular place to go.
Review Source:Wanted to try something new in Oregon City so I hopped over here for Happy Hour. Â
The waiter was really nice and new the perfect balance of leaving me alone and checking on me (and keeping my water refilled). Â
$4 HH cocktail special is always nice and tonight it happened to be my fave! Vodka cran. Â Either they make theirs very strong or I've just gotten weak since I rarely drink anymore. Â lol It was yummy.
Ordered the $6 burger and $3 tots with chipotle aioli. Â Burger was meh. Â I've had much better from fast food. Nothing about it stood out in anyway. Â Not juicy, not seasoned, just meh. I did appreciate that they were light on the mayo. Â Tots were unseasoned but the aioli was really good. Â I didn't mean to eat all of the aioli since who really needs that much mayo but it was just too good. Â Not too spicy but a wonderful kick. Â
Atmosphere was nice and I can see why you would come here with buddies after work.
Will I return for the food? No. Â If I can say I can get a better $2 burger from BK, it isn't worth going back for.
I went to visit dad in O.C. a few weeks back, and he suggested Highcliffe. I can call Oregon City "O.C." cuz' I grew up there. Go Big Red! That's the Pioneers, for the uninitiated.
Dad was raving about the mac and cheese on the way down. While I trust dad's judgement, of COURSE I'd done my due Yelp diligence and looked the joint up before we left the house. Could the caramelized onion and bacon jam live up to the reviews?
In two words, hell yes! It compliments a seriously good burger. I like a good sweet sauce on my burger occasionally, and Highcliffe's definitely fits that bill. I chose the onion rings over the fries, and I was pleased. Crisp, sweet kinda cornmealy crunch is the way to go. Dad stuck with the mac and cheese. Certainly good, but the entree version is a huge portion. Too huge. The happy hour cup is a better size, combined with something to cleanse your palate with. Perhaps a house salad.
The space is comfortable enough. There's a mix of high top tables combined with a smattering of booths. A bar dominates one side of the room. The joint ain't huge, but I prefer a more intimate environment. Go to Big Al's if you're looking for some mammoth space. Some nice beer choices at Highcliffe, including Fearless' Scottish Ale. Yum!
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Several iterations of dining establishments have occupied this space over the years. I can say that I hope Highcliffe stays here for years to come. I'm looking forward to trying other menu items, if the lure of that onion bacon jam isn't too great!
It's sort of sad that I rarely make it to restaurants close to home. I guess I just didn't have the motivation to get here...until now.
Met up with about 15 friends on Saturday and got a nice little room toward the back during Happy Hour. The bartender was soooo sweet. When asked what the drink special for the evening would be she gave the impression if a bunch of us wanted a particular drink, that's what the special would be. Unfortunately we couldn't all agree on one drink.
The service was amazing, the food was extra tasty and the portions were spot on for a Happy Hour dish. I split three dishes with my sister and all were delicious. Considering what a large group we had I thought the timing was fantastic. The food came out fairly quickly and piping hot.
I can't wait to go back and check out a few more of the Happy Hour menu items.
I have been here twice and both times I was impressed by their food. The restaurant is located in a remodeled historic building, so the architecture is wonderful and they have a beautiful full length bar. Both times the staff has been quite attentive and pleasant. They appear to have a revolving menu, because the first time I had the pork tenderloin, stuffed with cranberries and hazelnuts with puréed carrots, which was all delicious, but is no longer on the menu. The second time I ordered the grilled thick cut pork chop, served with yam mashed potatoes, carmelized brussel sprouts and stone ground mustard cream sauce, which I enjoyed the tenderloin more than, but was nonetheless still very good. Every entree I saw on the menu appears to take a unique approach to traditional meals, with added ingredients or choice of accompanying sides and so far I've been impressed with what their chefs have done with this. The prices are on the upper side for Oregon City, but well within reason for an upscale restaurant of this type, which is sorely needed in this area.
Review Source:The hours for "Happy Hour" are good. Drink prices are fantastic on the HH menu too. Portions are very small but quality is good. Service seemed very good...
Portions are just too small...This location has been a few different places and this has the best tasting food so far BUT you can not leave a place hungry and want to go back again and again....
You must not understand the importance of this place yet or you would have been here. Â Over the past 15 years this location has been a dance studio and several restaurants, but then enters Highcliffe. Â Holy...Bacon Jam, Batman! Â Though a little dark in decor for my liking, it was all vintage Oregon City, which I loved...and the darkness in decor was offset by the brightness of the amazing waitstaff. Â We started with the mussels, steamed in chardonnay, garlic and lemon. That should have been enough..they were perfect and a huge order for two of us. Â We licked our chops and asked for a suggestion for the next course. Â Before that I asked for a raspberry ice tea. Â She offered to bring me an ice tea and a shot of raspberry syrup to make my own! Â Boy did I feel grown up. Â Our ice water even came in a clip top bottle frosty from the fridge...but THEN...my friend ordered the salmon chowder, a recipe from the chef's grandmother and it was heaven on earth...creamy, thick, chocked full of salmon. That and the mussels should have been enough....wait, there is more..the signature dish of Highcliffe was delivered...two of the most beautiful burgers, cooked medium well. The crowning jewel was the BACON JAM and the blue cheese. Â It is impossible to describe except it was luscious, sweet, savory, tender, tasty..this place speaks fluent deliciousness. Â But don't take my word for it...and look for me, I will be the one with the bacon jam dripping down my chin.
Review Source:This is our family's new (well - last 9 months or so) favorite place in Oregon City! We never ate at Weatherford's and were leery about coming here with the impression that it would be really expensive. The first time we came, my husband and I dined for lunch. We both ordered a half sandwich and salad. Not only was it DELICIOUS - it was CHEAP! $6 a plate! We couldn't beat that anywhere! I know there was shifting in the kitchen - I talked with several of the wait staff about it as there were issues with consistency in flavors and cooking styles of the dishes. I don't think that any of my dishes were actually bad - but I just didn't enjoy the inconsistency in ordering a "usual" that came out quite the opposite. Overall - that was the only thing I've ever had to criticize about. Their happy hour menu is reasonable and unlike Cooperstown or all these other mediocre places around - all of their food is unique, classy, and have amazing flavors. They change their menu seasonally - or at least frequently, which I love. Their menu is not just burgers and fries or just steak and seafood - it's a variety and a very smart business decision, in my opinion. I hope they will continue success here. I'm certain we dine here more than any other patrons :). Our son is 6 and loves their dishes - another plus? Kids menu isn't just chicken nuggets and burgers. I love that they have healthy choices for their kids menu. Nearly everywhere we go, including the chain restaurants, seem to think that we should stuff our kids with calories and fat. All in all, I can easily say this is my favorite restaurant. We will probably be dining there, yet again, this weekend.
Review Source:Time for an update! Now that they have been open for almost a year.....
We came in for dinner this time and they still had the friendly service from last time we were in. They did change the bar around a bit, adding more tables and less booths, not sure I like the new layout. Our dinner was great, nice presentation, great tastes and the special they had was hella good!... A big fat juicy burger with cream cheese and topped with jalapeno poppers! The bf and I were just talking about making one of these this weekend and what do ya know...they had one as the special!
Their HH hours have changed since last time we were in...they are now offering a 2:30-6:30 HH menu with $4 cocktails and wines! You bet we will be back for HH next time!
We went without realizing that the restaurant had changed hands, we decided to eat dinner (instead of happy hour, which was what we originally went for) - i ordered the fried chicken sandwich and my husband got the steak. the food was really good, i struggled with giving 3 stars because it just took so darn long but the food was yummy, it deserved 4. when i asked the very nice and accommodating waiter what the hold up was, he checked on the order, apologized for the delay and gave me a free refill on my wine (i was happy with that). we'll be back to check out happy hour, the dinners were a little steep for a normal weekday out dinner for us but the food was good - i'm willing to pay for quality!
Review Source:Oregon City finally has a Happy Hour that I liked. Seems where ever I go, a place "calls" it happy hour but all you get is a couple drinks on special or some cheap food. So when I stopped at the new Highcliffe to check it out, I was pleasantly surprised. The drinks were slightly discounted which was nice,( I enjoyed a big glass of Merlot that was very good) but the menu was great! I couldn't make up my mind for the longest time. Finally I decided on the Hummus Platter. I figured I'd be getting a small plate of regular old hummas and some bread. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. For only $5, I got this huge serving of a slightly spicy, quite garlicy, incredible hummas. It came with slices of real crisy bread rather than pita, PLUS a pile of olives (Mediterranean variety, not just one kind) As much as I love hummus, I couldn't even finish it. I was FULL and I hadn't even eaten lunch that day. I did request more bread because there wasn't nearly enough for all of that hummus, but they gladly provided me with more and didn't even charge me more. After reading all of the other great reviews on the food, I must go back and try some of them. Oh, another thing I like is the Happy Hour starts at 2:00!! When it was Weatherfords, I don't think it started til 4pm and I hated that. Someone mentiond Fried Chicken served with Waffles. LOL I may just have to experience that.
Review Source:This is my second visit to the Highcliffe Restaurant. Â I met a friend from Clackamas County here and enjoyed a spectacular lunch. First time here I had the braised beef sliders and this time I had the Bree-LT. Â It blew me away. Â Later, the owner brought me a sample of their carmalized onion and bacon bits jam! Â OMG! Â This jam is used on the hamburgers so I guess next week I'm going back to try that, as well. I would highly recommend you visit this place. Â One note: Â this place is excellent for large groups. Â They have separate conference style meeting and eating rooms, as well as a full banquet, wedding, special events area on the 2nd floor that I would guess can accomodate up to 300-400 people. Â This place is amazing!
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