Ox Restaurant

Ox Restaurant is a celebrated Argentine-inspired open-hearth dining room on NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard in Northeast Portland, Oregon. Founded by chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, the restaurant earned national acclaim for its mastery of wood-fire cooking rooted in South American asado tradition. The open parrilla dominates the dining room, radiating warmth and filling the space with the aroma of wood smoke—a sensory signature that defines the experience from arrival. The menu is organized around the hearth, featuring dry-aged cuts of locally sourced beef, whole roasted chicken, sweetbreads, and seasonal vegetables that receive equal creative attention alongside the proteins. The dry-aged rib-eye over wood fire is the kitchen's landmark protein: marbled and char-edged in a way that gas cooking cannot replicate. Sweetbreads—crisp outside, creamy within—draw consistent praise and showcase the chefs' confident approach to offal. The restaurant works closely with Pacific Northwest ranchers and farms for meat, produce, and dairy, so the menu shifts with the season. The beverage program features a robust selection of South American wines, with Argentine Malbecs and Chilean reds well-suited to the fire-cooked, fatty cuts, alongside a thoughtful cocktail list. Reservations are strongly recommended for Thursday through Saturday, when the dining room fills quickly. Both chefs have received multiple James Beard Award nominations, and Ox consistently ranks among Oregon's top restaurants in national dining surveys. Dinner at Ox rewards leisurely pacing—fire-cooked preparations take time, and the convivial atmosphere encourages guests to settle in for the full evening.