Alexis Restaurant

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Coordinates: 45°31′24″N 122°40′22″W / 45.52345°N 122.67290°W / 45.52345; -122.67290
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Alexis Restaurant
Map
Restaurant information
Established1981 (1981)
ClosedNovember 7, 2016 (2016-11-07)
Previous owner(s)
  • Gerry Tsirimiagos
  • Alexis Bakouros[1]
Food typeGreek
Street address215 West Burnside Street
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97209
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°31′24″N 122°40′22″W / 45.52345°N 122.67290°W / 45.52345; -122.67290
Websitewww.alexisfoods.com

Alexis Restaurant (sometimes Alexis Greek Restaurant)[2][3] was a Greek restaurant in Portland, Oregon's Old Town Chinatown neighborhood, in the United States. It was established in 1981 and closed on November 7, 2016.[4][5]

Description[edit]

The family-operated[6] and "family oriented"[7] Greek restaurant operated on West Burnside Street in Portland's Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. The business was housed in a streetcar era commercial style building designed by Harold Marsh and completed in 1926.[8] Fodor's said the interior had white walls and "basic" furnishings.[9] The menu included souvlaki, spanakopita, moussaka,[10] saganaki,[11] braised lamb shanks, fried calamari, saganaki,[12][13] dolmathes, and pastitsio.[14]

History[edit]

Gerry Tsirimiagos opened Alexis Restaurant in 1981,[15] a few years after immigrating from Greece.[4][16] The business was the city's first to serve fried calamari.[16]

In 2013, Tsirmiagos said business declined following the establishment of the Right 2 Dream Too encampment.[17] Jim Huffman also commented on how Alexis and nearby businesses were impacted by homeless camps.[18]

In 2015, Matthew Korfhage of Willamette Week said the restaurant's co-owner Alexis Bakouros[19] was among "multiple Greek families who helped keep the center of town vital in the lean Portland '80s and '90s", along with Ted Papaioannou of Berbati's Pan, Ted Papas of Greek Cusina, and George Touhouliotis of Satyricon.[20]

In 2015, Tsirimiagos bought out Bakouros, who continued ownership of Alexis, Inc., a grocery store and catering business that had been affiliated with the restaurant.[4] On November 7, 2016, after operating for 36 years, Alexis Restaurant closed.[21] Tsirimiagos said he was closing the restaurant to focus on his family and traveling.[4] Alexis was replaced with, Nyx, a two-story nightclub that planned to include elements of Greek mythology in its décor as a tribute to the restaurant,[22][23] and later a strip club.[24] Alexis, Inc. remained open for importing and distributing foods as well as catering.[4][21]

Reception[edit]

According to the Portland Mercury, the magazine Portland Downtowner said Alexis was among the city's best restaurants in 1986.[25] Portland Best Places (1990) called Alexis "a temple of good times that has evolved ... into something far beyond a little Greek eatery".[26] Moon Oregon (2007) said the restaurant offered Oregon's best traditional Greek food.[27]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Greenwald, Michelle (2020). The Magical Melting Pot. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  2. ^ Butler, Grant (2017-01-17). "84 more closed Portland restaurants we're missing". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-10-21. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  3. ^ Butler, Grant (2018-04-04). "28 long-gone Portland bars we wish were still around". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e Harbarger, Molly (September 30, 2016). "Alexis Restaurant to close, adding another long-time fixture to downtown dining departures". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  5. ^ Bailey, Crystal (September 28, 2016). "Alexis Restaurant closing after 36 years". KGW. Archived from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  6. ^ Hall, Lisa Shara; Porter, Roger J. (1996). The Food Lover's Companion to Portland. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-1192-7. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  7. ^ Stevenson, George (2009). Veg Out: Seattle and Portland. Gibbs Smith. ISBN 978-1-4236-1148-6. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  8. ^ Vickers, Marques (2020-03-28). Portland Historical Architecture: Downtown, Pearl District, Old Town. Marquis Publishing. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  9. ^ Fodor's:
  10. ^ Gottberg, John; Lopeman, Elizabeth (2010-06-01). Best Places: Portland, 8th Edition. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-57061-699-0. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  11. ^ Carlson, Kim (1998). Portland Best Places: The Most Discriminating Guide to Portland's Restaurants, Lodgings, Shopping, Nightlife, Arts, Sights, and Outings. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-57061-123-0. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  12. ^ Butler, Grant (2017-01-01). "Tasty memories: 97 long-gone Portland restaurants we wish were still around". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  13. ^ Butler, Grant (2017-05-06). "13 cool features of old Portland restaurants you won't find anymore". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-10-22. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  14. ^ Little Big Town. Vol. 21. October 1995. ISSN 0279-0483. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-07-10. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  15. ^ "Portland's Greek classic, the Alexis, turns 30". The Oregonian. 2011-01-25. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  16. ^ a b Lannamann, Ned (May 2, 2017). "Go Greek: An Odyssey of Eats". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  17. ^ Theen, Andrew (2013-11-16). "Michael Wright: Right 2 Dream Too landlord and Portland adult bookstore owner awaits city payout". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-05-19. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  18. ^ Theriault, Denis C. "It's Not Because of the Homeless. It's Because of the Restaurant Business". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  19. ^ Greenwald, Michelle (2020-09-06). The Magical Melting Pot. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  20. ^ "Berbati Being Sold to Owners of Dante's and XV". Willamette Week. 2015-06-05. Archived from the original on 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  21. ^ a b Bamman, Mattie John (October 4, 2016). "Alexis Greek Restaurant to Close After 36 Years". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  22. ^ Korfhage, Matthew (December 18, 2016). "Old Town's Alexis Greek Restaurant Will Become a Two-Story Nightclub". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  23. ^ "An Old Town Bar Crawl for People Who Rarely Use the Word "Bro"". Willamette Week. 2017-09-15. Archived from the original on 2019-10-17. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  24. ^ "A Strip Club Mini-Renaissance Is Happening Downtown. We Went to Two New Clubs to See If They're Worth Your Hard-Earned Singles". Willamette Week. 2019-10-30. Archived from the original on 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  25. ^ Leschen, Paul. "Ancient Greek". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  26. ^ Irving, Stephanie (1990). Portland Best Places: A Discriminating Guide to Portland's Restaurants, Lodgings, Shopping, Nightlife, Arts, Sights, Outings, and Annual Events. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-0-912365-28-2. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  27. ^ Morris, Elizabeth; Morris, Mark; Jewell, Judy; McRae, W. C. (2007-02-26). Moon Oregon. Avalon Publishing. ISBN 978-1-56691-930-2. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-07-10.

External links[edit]

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