Reviews of Davids 388 Restaurant (Restaurant)

John D. Roberts

Great food, great service. Not in the downtown area, easy to get to and free parking. Ihad the torched oysters and yummy potstickers with chunks of steak in a sauce.

Veronica Sanchez

Great friendly wait staff...natural food small portions but we are from texas... just suffice

Bernard Ross

Wonderful, great food and fun staffing

ecr1955

From Bad To Worse ( or “Down the Pipe”) It’s so hard to know where to start this review. A few years ago David’s 388 was a great restaurant, as one would expect of any establishment run by the renowned David Turin. Intimate, cozy, welcoming, great smelling, tasty entrees & more. Unfortunately a few years ago it began to go downhill, and after being disappointed with our meals on multiple occasions we stopped going. So imagine how excited we were to hear the restaurant had recently reopened after being closed for renovations, and presumably to fix the problems in the kitchen as well. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be: Our reservation at the chef’s counter had been given to another couple, and the restaurant was quite crowded with people waiting...clearly over booked. Luckily, with the help of the hostess, we found seats at the bar. After settling in with a bottle of wine we quickly became aware that they were having some kind of “issue” at the restaurant. We overheard the staff talking among themselves about “not having any water”, all the while they continued taking orders for dinner (including ours) and seating new customers as they came in the door. Meanwhile we noticed “out of order” signs on the only 2 restrooms...not a good start to the evening. After a quick sidebar discussion with one of the waitstaff we learned they had to shut the water off to the entire establishment as there was effluent bubbling up into the basement through one of the waste pipes...meanwhile they were still taking orders, and directing customers across the street to the bathrooms at the local community theater. They should have closed the restaurant long before it got this far. And prior to that, as they were trying to figure things out, they should have been advising customers of the issues, giving them the option to leave instead of continuing to take orders, keeping them in the dark until they needed to use the facilities. Their decisions on how to handle this disaster seemed to be based more on ringing the cash register than on concern for the customer experience. Very poor decision making on their part, and a horrible customer experience. As if the plumbing issues weren’t enough, our meals were equally atrocious. The Tuna Tartare was mostly relish (aka salsa) and tasteless tuna. The Pan Fried Gnocchi was mush, way over cooked. The Seared Tuna entree was so salty as to be inedible. The Duck was okay, but the accompanying risotto was also mush. Clearly the issues which had been plaguing the kitchen over the past few years had not been addressed during the renovation. And apparently the renovations didn’t include the plumbing either. Any restaurant can have a bad night, but it’s all about how you handle the unexpected that makes a good restaurant stand out above the others. This was a bad night for David’s 388 and an equally bed night for their customers. Needless to say, we won’t be going back...ever.

Jack Milton

David's 388 has reliably good food in reasonable portions at fair prices with a good drink and wine selection. The wait staff is professional and experienced. It's small, takes reservations, but may have room for a few walk-ins during the week. It's one of the few restaurants we return to time after time. I'm fond of the seared tuna.

Rebecca Little

Always delicious, seriously. I love dining at any of David's locations. Kennebunkport being my favorite.

MadDad Productions

Amazing food and atmosphere! We always ask to sit at the Chef's Bar to watch them cook and prepare the meals! It's quite fun! Try the crispy brussel sprouts and the pot stickers to start! One of our favorite places to go!

Joe Fitzgibbons

Went here again last week with my wife. Sat at the bar as we hadn't called for reservations. Been here several times, and it's always excellent. It's tiny, it's pricey, but it's a great place for date night.

Jonathan Miller

Great atmosphere, food and staff!!!! I had the duck and it's some of best I've ever had.

Fissell Zachary

Food is superb!! Staff is very friendly and helpful. Lobster Mac is a must get.

Randy Hernandez

Excellent food, great service. Tori is great.

Todd

Great little hidden gem, food was excellent, small focused menu, fairly price for high quality meal, atmosphere was great, our server was excellent and busy, on street parking was easliy found. This was our 1st time here, party of five people. We did not have reservations but I would suggest it. We found this gem using Siri as a suggestion.

Diana Etheridge

Foccocia bread was delicious, as was the grilled Caesar salad and lemon creme brulee. Our entrees were very good, too, bit small portions for the price.

Jon Berkowitz

Nice, cozy spot for a date. Can get pricey with a bottle of wine. Entrees can be considered small but are cooked well.

Brian Arborio

Excellent location. Great lunch buffet and ecclectic of Monument Sq from patio seating.

Kris Dray

Spectacular!

Robert Furman

The food, as usual, was fresh, excellent and imaginative. Worth the trip from anywhere. One of the Portland area's hidden gems.

Matthew Campbell

Great small restaurant with imaginative food.

Chris Slesarchik

Excellent food in a nice but unpretentious atmosphere. Crispy brussel sprouts were out of this world and while the entrees were not the most emeritus portions, they were very well priced for the quality of food.

Terri Vargas

Food, was fabulous. Service five star.

Nathan Linville

The food was quite good, as well as the service. Main complaint was serving was quite small, even on cheap ingredients like potatoes and carrots.

Mike Freeman

Very good food, great service, and nice atmosphere.

Peter Eglinton

Cozy atmosphere, nice food and drink selection, reasonable prices.

Nathan Horn

The food was excellent! The location is very intimate. I would recommend this spot for dates and small parties.

Chris Gunner

This was my first dining experience at this restaurant and it has met and exceeded my expectations. Very comfortable and cozy. The food was perfect sizing to allow for multiple food explosions of flavors. Pricing was very fair.

timothy baugh

Oustandings service and amazing food.

Ted B

Great neighborhood bistro. Reservations are highly recommended!

gary nielsen

Excellent mushroom pasta, classic burger is exquisite.

Jen George

Excellent food and great servers. But wow, is the restaurant ever small!

Colleen Lynch

Food is fantastic prices are reasonable. Order the appetizer because the portions are super small.

John Tolan

A local gem! Fantastic food, amazing service, wonderful atmosphere.. cannot ask for anything more!

Patricia Roberts

Great food!!!! Vicky, our waitress was fabulous!! We definitely return:)

J

To whom it may concern, My name is John. I have been a loyal costumer of David’s 388 South Portland going on 5 years. I have never had any complaints in the past, and could only say nice things about the beautiful restaurant. Last week was a first for me. I had called 4 days in advance to make reservations for Valentine’s Day, and even though it was a little last minute, I was pleased to find out a reservation for 9pm was available. I quickly booked it for my partner and I. In addition to Valentine’s Day, my partner and I were also celebrating our anniversary and my late mother’s birthday. Needless to say, it was supposed to be a special night. A special night was exactly what we had…up until the staff and restaurant started to close/clean up, around 9:45pm. I quietly but quickly, became frustrated. We felt rushed, and we felt like a burden. Plates and silverware could be heard stacked and put away, tables and chairs dragged across the floor, multiple staff members surrounding the dining room. I don’t think you should have offered a 5 course meal reservation for two, at 9pm if you had intentions to shut down and clean up 45 minutes into the couple’s dinner. Not that price had a deciding factor, but we did pay nearly $260 in total that night. I expected better from you and I am honestly sadly disappointed. The food was excellent, and our waitress couldn’t have done a better job. "It takes a lifetime to build a reputation, it takes merely a moment to ruin it"

Rob O'Brian

Great food & friendly, attentive wait staff.

susan mcnamara

Tasty brunch!

Caroline Obrien

Food. Service atmosphere

Mike Vecc

Very nice small restaurant with good atmosphere and a good location. Service was good. Food tasted good as well. Definitely worth stopping by if you are in the neighborhood. They deserve a solid 4.8 stars. Very small portion is the only negative.

Tom Shoemaker

Good wines at reasonable prices. Excellent bread. Good appetizers, a little less salt on tuna tartare chips. Wonderful entrees. Great pecan dessert. good ambient noise levels for a bistro atmosphere

Em B

Fun brunch restaurant off the beaten path. Quiet, with wonderful quality service and delicious food. They blueberry jalapeño scone was very unique- must try!

Wayne Wonder

I've passed by a few times never been inside I'm sure they have some good food

Donald McDuff

Very busy. Waitress was fine with us having drinks before we ordered. Absolutely wonderful.

Michael S

Really great experience. The service was great and the food fabulous. Easy parking too!

James Siler

Went there recently during Portland Maine's Restaurant Week 2018 (which lasted almost two weeks). It is a cozy place with reasonable prices, great food from a small menu, and an ambiance that made me feel like I was back in New York at an Upper East Side local eatery. The quantities are modest but reasonable, and the wines give tremendous value for the money. The one thing I remember so fondly that it keeps me up trying to figure out how to fix it was a special, beef carpaccio with fried capers. I will figure it out one day.

Mica Notz

Fantastic!

Larry Burr

Meals were excellent and prices were fair for the high quality. Service was also excellent and we were greeted with enthusiasm. Highly recommended for an outstanding night out.

Margaret L Bryant

Great atmosphere, food was wonderful! We enjoyed everything we ate! The server was attentive but not hovering. I will definitely go back and encourage everyone to go there. A delicious gem!!!

Tim Henshaw

Phenomenal.

Margaret Hopkins

We went to David's 388 since i had a gift card. I made reservations - just to make sure for a Sunday early evening. We were greeted nicely. Our table had no salt/pepper shaker and no candle light like other tables did. Food was quite good and had nice presentation. I ordered NY Cheesecake for desert and it was salty! The caramel syrup over it was good but the cheesecake I sent back and it was taken off the bill. Staff was ok but for the prices they charge, I would have expected a little more classier staff who treated their customers classier. Husband's dinner was cleared off so fast with food still left on it. I felt rushed and we still wanted to order desert, Women's room was so tiny and the sink bowl is so high that water runs down your arms if you don't grab a paper towel fast enough. We won't go back there again although I am inclined to try David's in Kennebunkport or in Portland. David's 388 ambiance is not worth it.

Rock S

Great food good times

Scott Sherman

The food and drinks are amazing!

Pat Kenneally

Service was terrific. The Food Was VERY good. Very nice atmosphere with a terrific staff.

Mark Scribner

Never a bad meal (about ten visits). Especially like to cozy up at the bar for faster service. Pricey, but worth it.

Debbie Cushing

Our favorite neighborhood spot. We eat here frequently and have never had a bad meal. Go! You won't regret it!

Rebecca Judd

Cozy neighborhood restaurant with delicious food

Stephen Levin

Fantastic upscale food without the pretentious overtones that you would expect with the level of quality and presentation of the food. As a tourist, you always take a risk going to an restaurant in a beach community but this place delivers at a super reasonable price for the quality.

Erin Plummer

Delicious meal. Excellent service. Can't wait to return!

Dave Poree

Excellent food! Great staff! Nice location, very comfortable.

David Maxwell

Wonderful food!

Jenny Chu

Delicious bread and their seafood is fresh. The prices isn't as expensive as I thought it would be compare to opus ten a David's. A cute place for a date. Great service.

Alex Anton

Wonderful evening at the chef's table. Ashley our server was great, Zack and Bill are chefs we're point on! Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with our friends.

Jared Reid

Friendly staff and alway busy. Reasonable prices for a well cooked dinner. I loved the instant smell ofgarlic upon arriving.

Rick Rayborn

Very good food. Portions smallish.

Mitchell Stein

Good food with varied menu. Dinner portions on the small side, which is mostly fine, just don't go when you're really hungry.

Phil Scott

Went to 388 because I heard David's restaurants are well respected in the Maine restaurant scene. The food was definitely worth the hype. I had the filet and the grilled caesar, both delicious. Small portions, but the presentation is fantastic. Our server was totally in the weeds that night and actually forgot to put mine and the woman's order in at the same time. However, they made up for it with free wine and desert! Be warned, the place is tiny/cozy so definitely don't go strolling in without reservations.

Jason Gildard

It was awesome

Jane Foley

Fabulous food, service and atmosphere. Very reasonably priced for the excellent quality.

Ralph Valente

It's pretty good chooce I'm that part of town

sheilah mclaughlin

Brunch at David's 388 was outstanding!

Rick Labrecque

Sat at the chefs table. Great experience. Fantastic dinning!

Charlie Emmons

Fantastic. Each course was better than the last.

Jason Pittman

What a great place!!! The food was unbelievable, staff stayed open late for myself and my family. (two adults and children) So fantastic! Highly recommend

Austin Bayley

I’m not even sure where to start in rating the excellence of this establishment. The atmosphere is incredibly inviting with its warm lighting, nice decor, and an cozy color palette. All of which make you want to stay and enjoy a relaxing dinner. The waitstaff was attentive and timed their check-ups on us at intervals that let us enjoy each course fully without interruption. The food was absolutely phenomenal. It was my first time going and I was drawn in by their Maine restaurant week menu. If you get a chance, go during Maine restaurant week. The value is impressive and the food on par with some of the finer establishments I’ve been to in NYC. My girlfriend and I had the following courses: First - lobster and shrimp in anise sauce and butternut squash apple bisque. Second - Mushroom papparedelle and slow braised pork osso bucco. Third - Maine blueberry sorbet and salted caramel cashew chocolate torte. Descriptions cannot do their food justice as it was flawless. I came for Maine restaurant week, but will certainly come many times again.

Kathy Bandlow

Service,food,atmosphere all super!

Clifford Gerrells

Wonderful dining experience, thank you.

kyle schoessow

Definitely recommend this place again, hopefully I can get a job here and learn a lot from the chef who is amazing!!!

Daniel Jasper

If you want a dining experience that you will remember forever try David's. After a long and stressful day they managed to make us feel like we were the only ones in the world. From the small plate to the entrée, we were on the edge of our seats waiting on what magic would come next. Portions were big enough to leave you satisfied yet small enough where you could enjoy the next courses. Definitely worth every penny.

Rebecca Graham

Magnificent dining experience! Definitely an evening to remember! Started with the grilled Caeser salad... amazing. Then the filet wrapped in bacon, I've never had a steak cooked better in my life! It was melt in your mouth, juices running down your fork, wishing it was as big as a T-Bone of pure delicious delight. Wine list was very diverse, I chose the Zin from CA, went smashingly with my meal. Our server was whimsical, she made the evening even more enjoyable! I wouldn't hesitate to request Vicki when we have a date there again! Highly recommend David's 338 to strangers and friends too!

Ania Calka

Great little restaurant, with amazing food and really good service.