The Black Thursday Reservation Guide to Portland

Valentine's Day is one of the craziest nights to try to go eating. As a mandatory date-night, restaurants are jam-packed with couples, kitchens and staff are swamped, and most restaurants are offering prix fixe menus that limit dining options. And if you must make a reservation for next week, frankly, you're probably a few weeks behind the curve and basically shit outta luck.

But Eater has a few suggestions. According to OpenTable, there are 114 restaurants in this city with reservations for two still available for February 14. Here's the best of the bunch (at press time, anyway) along with some restaurants offering alternative options:

23 Hoyt: (6:00)
Brasserie Montmarte: (8:00)
Clarklewis: (8:30)
Cocotte: (8:30)
Davis Street Tavern: (6:30, 7:00, 7:30)
Lincoln: (8:30)
Masu Sushi: (6:30, 7:00, 7:30)
Metrovino: (8:30)
Ned Ludd: (6:00, 8:00)
Nel Centro: (6:00, 8:30)
Olympic Provisions NW: (6:00, 6:30, 7:45)
Olympic Provisions SE: (6:00, 9:00)
Park Kitchen: (6:00)
Pazzo Ristorante: (5:45, 8:15)
Saucebox: (6:00, 7:00, 7:30)
Smallwares: (6:00, 8:30)
Thirst Wine Bar: (6:00, 6:30, 7:00)
Vindalho: (6:00, 8:00)
Wafu: (6:30, 7:30)
Xico: (5:45, 8:00)
Yakuza: (6:30, 8:00)

Meanwhile, Sauvage has announced that it will "save a few spots for spontaneous drop-ins." Pacific Pie Co. is taking reservations for a special take-out Valentine's menu, featuring a complete dinner for two (soup, salad, savory pies, veggies, and dessert) for $40. The Abby's Table supperclub will also offer a pre-ordered take-out menu for two, featuring a choice of entree (like Dungeness crab cakes and braised lamb shank). Reservations for the $50 to-go dinner must be made by Tuesday, February 12.

Know of a spot with a few open reservations? Be a dear and add it to the comments.
· Open Table [Official site]

Image courtesy Eater NY