Japanese fried chicken (right) and yaki sakana (black cod) at Izakaya Minato in Portland. Photo by Simon Thompson

In April, the Portland Press Herald held a drawing for 10 lucky readers to receive a $100 gift card to any restaurant on our 2024 list of the Best 75 places to eat and drink in Greater Portland. In exchange, we asked winners to take a photo and answer a handful of questions about their experience.

Here’s what Simon Thompson of Portland had to say about his visit to Izakaya Minato, on Washington Avenue in Portland:

Izakaya Minato has been one of my favorite restaurants in Portland for a long time, so I couldn’t pass up the possibility of a free dinner and sharing about it with others!

It’s all so good! My fiancée and I ordered omakase, which for four to six chef’s choice dishes at $42 per person is one of Portland’s best deals. There were so many delicious and savory fish dishes, specifically, the sakana negi sauce, which was fried halibut with green onions and spicy soy sauce. It was at once sweet, spicy, crunchy and tender, with deliciously fresh fish. I also really enjoyed the yaki sakana — grilled fish, which was melt-in-your-mouth black cod.

The atmosphere is pretty versatile. We’ve been on dates here, but it’s also an excellent restaurant to bring a group of friends, and a larger family with young kids was seated next to us. You’d want to make sure any kids who go have a palate that tends toward the more adventurous, though.

Although it’s been around for over seven years now, Izakaya Minato hasn’t slipped from providing excellent service all the time. We sat at the bar, and our server was attentive and engaged. We’ve always been provided great detail when presented with dishes, and the staff handles food allergies or preferences very well.

Try the omakase menu! It often includes many of the signature dishes (like Japanese fried chicken), and it’s always fun to see what comes out of the kitchen. It’s an open kitchen, so sitting in the front room provides an involved, fun experience.