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Mediterranean Exploration Company

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 11, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 40 times today

Good for special occasions
Lively
Great for creative cocktails

Mediterranean Exploration is a restaurant located in Portland, Oregon that specializes in serving upscale Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. The restaurant features casual dining in an industrial setting with a chic décor.

Mediterranean Exploration serves dinner nightly and offers a variety of raw, oven, mezza, piato and grilled options on the menu for diners to choose from. The restaurant features a seasonal, market driven menu that changes daily based on seasonal varieties and the local farmers' produce available.

Order delivery or takeout

Why they're an Icon

From the OpenTable editors: This marquee restaurant from hospitality giant Sesame Collective goes big on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. The menu is meant for sharing; order crispy lamb hummus with fluffy pita before moving on to signature dishes like chermoula-rubbed shrimp cooked in an open hearth in the industrial-chic space. Playful cocktails like a Turkish coffee martini add to the always-festive vibe.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Greek, Middle Eastern
Hours of operation
Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(503) 222-0906
Website
http://mecpdx.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
333 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR 97209-3144
Neighborhood
Northwest Portland
Cross street
NW Flanders St & NW 13th Ave
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 172 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Portland
Healthy
Portland
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Mediterranean Exploration Company offers an unforgettable dining experience with its "outstanding food" and "impeccable service." Guests rave about the inventive Mediterranean-inspired dishes like the grilled lamb chops and hummus with crispy lamb. While the atmosphere is lively, the noise level can be high. Reservations are recommended for this Pearl District gem.

172 Reviews

M
Monica
Portland
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I could not recommend Mediterranean Exploration Company enough! Everything we ate was 11/10. We also sat at the counter and watched the chefs, which was incredible. Truly one of the best restaurant experiences we’ve ever had and we will definitely be returning to try all of the foods that we didn’t get to try. Highly recommend the crispy lamb hummus with pita and spiced carrots dishes. Falafel and grilled octopus dishes were also delicious!
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R
Rachel
Atlanta Metro
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always so good. Food, service, ambiance…everything is top notch. Love this place!
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B
Bob
Vancouver
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on December 3, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
This was our second time to dine at MEC; both times were excellent. The food is meant for sharing, so plates appear at the table when cooked, meaning that they aren't served together or in the order you expected. Our carrots (wonderful) were served well after other dishes had been consumed. This may be a turn-off for some. However, each plate was terrific, so the sequencing didn't matter to us. Also, the noise level is very high; probably not suitable for anyone with hearing difficulties or wanting an intimate conversation. On the other hand, it is obviously a "happening" place, so is fun if you don't mind a loud ambiance. My wife and I enjoy the diversity of plates at MEC, as well as the activity. Others may prefer more traditional servings and conversational environment.
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T
Tamika
New York City
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 1, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food is delish and the service is great. 10 out of 10 recommend.
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D
David
Portland
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on December 1, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely the best! A regular stop for us and the food and service never disappoint!
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D
Darren
Los Angeles
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 28, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food and staff. However the 3 percent upcharge before tip is lame. It’s a work around for the restaurant. Also like many restaurants the ambient music is too loud. Makes it hard to have conversations.
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T
Thor
Portland
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Had a fantastic meal here. Vibe was great as was service.
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C
Christine
Portland
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 25, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Definitely would come back! Got the lamb chop, grilled octopus, broccolini, hamachi crudo, salmon belly tartare. All was delicious!
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T
Thomad
Seattle
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a great time sitting at the Chef’s counter. Everything from the drinks, my wife had the Rosé and I had the Moroccan mint tea, to the incredible crispy lamb hummus with fresh hot & puffy pita, to the roasted beet salad and the lamb chops were incredible. The service was timely and the atmosphere was so lively. Really nice place to go while in Portland. Can’t wait to go back with some friends.
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B
Brandon
Portland
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 23, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service and food. You can never go wrong here. The only negative is that the tables are permanently affixed to the floor. They squish you against the wall if you are an average or above person.
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FAQs

Mediterranean Exploration Company offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (503) 222-0906.

Mediterranean Exploration Company is rated 4.8 stars by 172 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 11, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 40 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Mediterranean Exploration Company

333 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR 97209-3144

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
NW Flanders St & NW 13th Ave
Neighborhood
Northwest Portland
Hours of operation
Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Greek, Middle Eastern
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://mecpdx.com/
Phone number
(503) 222-0906

Mediterranean Exploration Company

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Why they're an Icon

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

What 172 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Mediterranean Exploration Company offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Mediterranean Exploration Company restaurant rated?

Is Mediterranean Exploration Company currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information