Jawfish Restaurant Will Open on Airport Way in Portland

Jawfish, a restaurant that is about “celebrating the flavors of the Pacific Northwest,” will open in the old Shilo Restaurant space at what was the Shilo Inn on NE Airport Way. This will be a standalone restaurant on hotel property, and they look forward to offer something exciting to the area, which is mostly home to other hotels and big chains—and a large stone’s throw from the incoming In-N-Out slated for NE Airport Way and Holman. Additionally, Le Petit Chef, an immersive dining experience, will operate at this location.

The Shilo Inn to Sojourn Suites to Hyatt

Basically the Shilo Inn went into foreclosure and a buyer group snatched it up.

Missed Payments, Bankruptcy, and Foreclosure

This part of the story goes back to 2021. Real estate news site Connect CRE reported in 2024, “In 2021, Pacific Crest Real Estate Advisors was engaged in an advisory capacity by Serene Investment Management during due diligence for the Non-Performing Note acquisition.” A non-performing note is a loan that is behind in payments by 90+ days.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy was filed on November 9, 2022 (here’s the petition), then dismissed July 18, 2023. Willamette Week also reported the news that Shilo Inn founder Mark Hemstreet owed over $20 million in back taxes.

In 2023, Serene Investment Management successfully foreclosed on the hotel, and came into “fee simple ownership.” This is where they own everything—land, buildings, all of it.

Pacific Crest and the Buyer Group

Pacific Crest figured out who to sell this property to—a buyer group. It was a joint venture between Vesta Hospitality’s Qualified Opportunity Zone Hotel Fund and Integrity Structures, a Pacific Northwest hotel developer and general contractor. The plan put into place was to redevelop the hotel. Vesta Hospitality is based in Vancouver, WA.

Today

Currently it’s operating as Sojourn Suites Portland Airport, but only on an interim basis. Eventually, likely in 2026, it will become two Hyatt hotels: Hyatt House and Mindaro by JdV (a Hyatt brand)—200 rooms in total. Also, the property is part of a Federal Opportunity Zone, so there are investment incentives that go with that.

Here’s a layout of the property plan, according to the plans filed with the city. Click to enlarge.

This Information Memorandum prepared by Vesta Hospitality also has a lot of relevant information in it.

Jawfish, Opening in the Old Shilo Restaurant

Jawfish’s tag line is “Eat, Drink, Revel,” and they have myriad plans for the restaurant. First, there’s the restaurant itself, Jawfish. But inside Jawfish will be Le Petit Chef—“Immersive Theatre & Dining Combined.” More on that later.

The Jawfish Concept

On the Jawfish website, there’s this intro:

“Jawfish Restaurant is where locals and Northwest travelers come together to eat, drink, and revel. The experience combines inventive yet approachable dishes, vibrant atmosphere, and attentive service that lingers long after the meal. The menu pairs creativity with comfort, offering dishes designed to satisfy a wide range of tastes. Each dish is crafted to be approachable, inventive, and memorable without pretense. Celebrating the flavors of the Pacific Northwest, Jawfish offers dishes to satisfy every palate and occasion.”

More on the Jawfish Menu

They also highlight a handful of dishes: a 14-oz Butcher Prime Bone-in Pork Chop, Prosciutto & Fig Pizza, Steelhead Fish & Chips, and House-Made Donut Fritters, “a playful tribute to the region’s popular donut culture.”

You can see their menu on the Jawfish website. “Signature” dishes are marked with a “JF” logo image. That includes Thai Sesame Pork, Jaw House Salad, Jaw Burger (yes they invoke the controversial term, “shredduce”), Knife & Fork Chowder, Rocks & Lox, and Cowboy Ribeye, along with the dishes mentioned above. There are some gluten-free options (marked GF) and it looks like meatless options, too.

Le Petit Chef

Described as a “culinary journey with 3D visuals,” Le Petit Chef is an immersive experience with a 6 cm animated chef who, according to legend, was born in April 2015 in Marseille, France—“and he will not grow any bigger.” The show is about his “quest to gather the finest ingredients and witness the expert preparation of your exquisite dinner.”

It also incorporates themed music and props, along with the menu. In Portland, Le Petit Chef will debut at Jawfish in a 28-seat room inside the restaurant). Here’s how it works when this miniature chef “comes to life” at your table:

“By mapping your dining table and the objects on it (e.g., your plates and cutlery), we are able to project a virtual story onto the tabletop. The 3D effect is often thought of as a hologram or a 3D projection. In fact the use of special optical techniques, length distortions from the right angle to produce the effect or illusion of 3D.”

Here’s a video to show you what it looks like. It was created by Skullmapping, an artistic collective in Belgium.

There are three menus: Grand Menu ($150/person), Vegetarian Menu ($125/person), or a dedicated Kids Menu ($75/person) for those ages 6 to 12. Each menu includes a 22% service fee. Each seating is between 1 1/2 and 2 hours.

Read more about Le Petit Chef on their website

Jawfish (and Le Petit Chef) will open in early November and their hours will be 11am to 11pm, daily. They boast, “ample parking,” which makes sense in this car-focused area.

All the best to the Jawfish folks as they get ready to open.

Jawfish [opening early November 2025]
11707 NE Airport Way, Portland
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