We have been here a few times over the years and I really can say it seems to get better each time. Last night we met some friends so we were able to order more dishes to share and try things we had never ordered. The pizza is wood fired and very good. Not the best in town but better than most pizza in Portland. The beets, Cesar salad, fried cauliflower, brussel sprouts, meatballs and two desserts that we tried were excellent. Service is consistently good. Happy hour is from 5-6pm and the menu is a good one - good selection of food and a $3.5 pint of IPA as well as a house wine. The other good thing is that you can reserve your table on OpenTable or by calling them directly. They also take walk-ins but it does get busy on weekend nights. Nice atmosphere too.

We saw that Firehouse was one of the top rated restaurants on Trip Advisor, so we thought we'd give it a try. We made reservations as we heard it fills up and is pretty small. The place was pretty busy and we were seated right away. Our server took a bit to get us, but did a great job after that. The wines by the glass were pretty sparse, but we made a couple of good Italian choices. We ordered a Cesar salad, the meatball dish and a pizza with sausage. The food came pretty quickly and was delicious. I highly recommend this place try. The restaurant is in the middle of a neighborhood in the middle of some renewal. The area looked a little dicey as we drove to it, but it gets nicer as you get closer.

visiting from Mexico, we stayed in downtown Portland, but took a cab which was worthwhile doing. When entering the restaurant, we immediately felt "at home". A typical neighborhood restaurant, cheerful guests and a welcoming mood. The menu was well diversified and everybody found something they liked. The food was very well prepared and nicely presented, my vegetarian wife enjoyed her plate as I did my fish which was just delicious, not overcooked or overspiced - just perfectly done. The chef/owner and his crew were great hosts. Great wine selection at reasonable prices. Will return when close to Portland.

We couldn't get a table inside on a Sunday night, which turned out fine -- we ate outside on the quiet and pleasant back patio, with a simple string of lights overhead and a bit of Italianate landscaping around us. Friendly, helpful, relaxed service and every course was delicious. We chose an assortment of Italian-inspired appetizers; four different main courses, all great (pizza, gnocchi, meatballs, and steak); and shared three perfect desserts (almond cake, chocolate cake, and a fruit dessert.) Highly recommend. The combination of warm welcome, attractive setting, and tasty food made this our favorite meal in a week of great eating in Portland.