GF Review: Hawthorne Fish House

I’d like to share one of my favorite gluten-free spots – the Hawthorne Fish House in Portland, OR. I cannot remember how I first discovered this delicious place, but I quickly became a fan.

I’ve never been too keen on fried foods but once I went gluten-free and that option was removed from the foods available to me, I sure missed it. And I really missed fish and chips. You just don’t find gluten-free fish and chips on every street corner or even in every city. And gluten-free chicken strips? Forget about it. Just not an option, anywhere!

That’s what makes this place so fantastic. Nearly every single item on the menu is gluten-free – including tuna melts made on gluten-free hamburger buns… platters of various types of fish and delicious french fries… fish tacos… fried shellfish… and super delicious buttermilk garlic chicken strips! Into soups and chowders? There are several available here and all gluten-free.

While I do enjoy the fish and chips here, my current fave are the chicken strips and that’s what I enjoyed tonight. For $7.75 you receive 3-4 LARGE planks of chicken with a side of fries or coleslaw. The chicken strips are not battered so the crust on them is crispy and thin – perfect. Deliciously seasoned and not overcooked. The chicken is moist and steaming hot when it arrives at the table.

The fries are pretty tasty (I’m not big into fries) but their coleslaw is amazing. There are 2 varieties to choose from — creamy style and spicy wasabi. Juicy coleslaw with a major kick. So yum. Tonight it was a bit more flavorful than usual. Feel the burn, baby!

If you’re looking to head to Hawthorne, go during their lunch special for a super deal. M-F 11am-3pm and 9-10pm — get 2 chicken strips, fries, coleslaw, and a soda or ice tea for $5.95. You just can’t beat that deal. They also have 5 other meals to chose from for this price including fish/chips, tuna melt, and more.

And make sure you try their deep-fried cheese curds at least once. I’d never eaten a cheese curd in my life before ordering these but wow, out of this world fab! Cheesy and amazingly delicious. I’m totally addicted to them now. In fact, I want some right. Now. lol.

So all in all, Hawthorne Fish House rates a solid 4 out of a possible 5. Their one flaw is hit and miss service. Sometimes you have to wait for quite some time for beverage refills and the servers can be a bit brusque. But the food is so good, it’s worth the minor aggravation.

I think it would be a blast to plan a Hawthorne lunch sometime when I’m town. Anyone local up for a delicious celiac lunch?

website: hawthornefishhouse.com
address: 4343 Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97215
phone: 503-548-4434