Screen Door in Portland is one of those restaurants that seemed to pop up on every “Must Try” list. So…we tried it! We both have a love for Southern food so we had high expectations for this restaurant.
We knew from reviews to expect a line up and we tried to go as early as possible but we’re not morning people. We showed up at 10:20 on a Tuesday morning and was told that that there would be a 45 minute wait. This actually turned out to work out really well because Howie forgot his jacket at the Airbnb which was a 20-min drive each way away.
We made it back just in time for our names to be called. They definitely stuck to the wait time. Seating inside was a bit cramped and loud but it honestly fit with the vibe of the restaurant.
I ordered the Big Breakfast which included 2 eggs (done sunny-side up), cheddar grits, pork sausage and a buttermilk biscuit for $12.75 USD. To be honest, I think I made the wrong choice. There wasn’t anything wrong with my breakfast but eggs are eggs and same with pork sausage. The buttermilk biscuit didn’t have that flaky, buttery texture that I love with biscuits. The grits were fine but didn’t blow my mind. I don’t think it was a bad dish, it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
Howie ordered Screen Door Fried Chicken & Waffle (2 pcs) for $14.75 USD. This was exceptional! The breading on the chicken was very well seasoned and we were surprised that it didn’t taste overly greasy. The meat was tender and the breading was crispy. The waffle itself was standard but its sweetness balanced so well with the savoury chicken.
This is the dish to order at Screen Door. We did think that ordering 2 pieces of chicken was too much. I helped Howie with some of the chicken but we still left most of a piece which felt like a waste. We would recommend ordering only 1 piece and leave some appetite to try out their other menu offerings like the breakfast po boy or bacon hushpuppies.
Overall, we had a great time at Screen Door. It is worth the wait.
