★★★★★
“Proposed to my now-fiancée between courses five and six. The staff had the ring hidden behind the pass and the whole kitchen raised a glass. I'll never forget it.”
Wood-fire tasting menu · est. 2019
Fire, smoke, and seven courses
Every dish at Ember & Oak is finished over a single open hearth burning Oregon white oak. No gas, no electricity in the kitchen — just flame, ember, ash, and time. Twenty-two seats around the fire, five nights a week.
Our philosophy
Cooking the way we did ten thousand years ago — slower, hotter, closer
“Fire doesn't follow recipes. It asks you to pay attention. That's the whole restaurant.”
Chef Elena Marsh spent nine years in Basque asador kitchens before coming home to Oregon. Here she cooks a single seven-course menu that changes with the market and the wood pile: white oak for the long burn, cherry for the oysters, fig branches for the final pour of smoke over dessert.
Every seat faces the hearth. You'll watch your duck age on the hook, your bread pulled from the embers, your dessert kissed with fire seconds before it lands. Dinner runs about two and a half hours. Phones tend to stay in pockets.
Elena Marshchef & owner
From the pass
What the fire gave us this week
In the press
A hypnotic study in fire — Ember & Oak turns a seven-course evening into quiet theatre.
Cascadia Table Guide · 2025 selection
Forkline PDX — “the most coveted reservation in the Pacific Northwest” Rose City Monthly — Restaurant of the Year, 2024 The Willamette Ledger — ★★★★
★★★★★
“We've eaten tasting menus in three countries this year. Nothing came close to watching that duck come off the hook and onto our plates thirty seconds later.”
★★★★★
“The wine pairings are worth every dollar — the sommelier walked us through each pour like a story. Booked again for my mother's 70th before we'd even left.”
Private dining & events
The Hearth Room
Behind the wine wall sits our private room: a single oak table milled from one tree, its own small fireplace, and a dedicated chef who cooks the menu in front of you. It's where Portland comes to close deals, mark decades, and say the important things.
- Seats 8 to 14 at one continuous oak table
- Dedicated chef & sommelier for the evening
- Bespoke menus — from five courses to a full asador feast
- Full buyouts available Sunday & Wednesday evenings
Good to know
Before you join us at the fire
How long does dinner take?
Plan on about two and a half hours from first pour to the final course. The fire sets the pace — we don't rush it, and neither should you.
Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
Vegetarian and pescatarian menus are available with 48 hours' notice. Because every course passes over one open hearth, we cannot guarantee full separation for severe allergies — call us and we'll talk it through honestly.
Is there a dress code?
Smart casual is perfect. You'll be seated near a live fire, so leave the heavy wool at the door — we'll hang it for you.
Can I bring my own wine?
Yes — corkage is $45 per bottle, limited to two bottles per table, and waived when you add the pairing. Our cellar leans Willamette Valley and old-world; the sommelier loves a challenge.
Do you take walk-ins?
The bar opens at 4:30 pm for embers-grilled snacks and wine, first come, first served. The seven-course menu itself is reservation only — twenty-two seats per seating.
What is your cancellation policy?
Reservations can be moved or cancelled up to 48 hours before your seating. Inside 48 hours we charge $75 per guest, since your seats at the hearth are held just for you.
Reservations
The fire is lit at four. Join us by seven.
Tables are released on the first of each month for the month ahead. Twenty-two seats per seating — they go quickly. Call us, or reserve online.
(503) 555-0182Wed – Sun first seating 5:30 pm second seating 8:30 pm closed mon & tue