Head-to-Head · Portland
Le Pigeon vs Canard
Gabriel Rucker's two adjoining Burnside rooms. Book Le Pigeon for a $140 French tasting, drop into Canard for the walk-in wine bar.
The Verdict
These are two rooms from the same chef, sharing a wall on East Burnside, and the choice is the kind of night you want. Le Pigeon is Gabriel Rucker's flagship, an intimate brick dining room with a chef's counter and a $140 French tasting that made his name and won him multiple James Beard awards. Canard, which Rucker and wine director Andy Fortgang opened next door in 2018, is the wine bar: duck stack pancakes, the foie gras steam burger, natural wine and a walk-in counter. Book Le Pigeon for an occasion; drop into Canard when you want the same hand at half the commitment.
The split is tasting versus grazing. Le Pigeon runs a set menu, omnivore or vegetarian, built around Rucker's French-forward cooking and best eaten at the counter. Canard is order-as-you-go: the duck stack, steam burger, foie gras and a glass of something low-intervention, eaten elbow-to-elbow at the bar. One is a planned dinner, the other the best walk-in in town. See both on the Portland dining guide.
Scores, Side by Side
| Score | Le Pigeon | Canard |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 9 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Atmosphere | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Value | 7 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
Which One for Which Occasion
| Occasion | Editorial Pick |
|---|---|
| A special dinner | Le PigeonThe $140 tasting at the chef's counter is the more ceremonial, chef-led meal. |
| A walk-in or last-minute night | CanardBar and counter seats are kept open for walk-ins, so no reservation is required. |
| Wine and small plates | CanardAndy Fortgang's natural-leaning list and grazing menu are built for exactly this. |
| A first date | CanardThe looser, cheaper wine bar keeps conversation easy without committing to a long tasting. |
| Watching the spend | CanardA few plates and a glass can land near $30, against $140 for the Le Pigeon tasting. |
Price Comparison
The gap is wide for two rooms on the same block. Le Pigeon serves a fixed tasting, omnivore or vegetarian, at about $140 a person before wine, with no a la carte in the evening. Canard is order-as-you-go: the duck stack, the steam burger, foie gras and glasses of wine let you spend anywhere from a $30 snack to a full dinner. Le Pigeon is the splurge; Canard is the flexible night. Weigh them against the best French restaurants worldwide and the world's best natural-wine bars.
How to Book
Le Pigeon takes reservations on OpenTable, and the small dining room and chef's counter fill quickly, so book ahead, especially for the counter at 738 East Burnside. Read the Le Pigeon review before you go.
Canard, at 734 East Burnside next door, is built for walk-ins, with bar and counter seats kept open and a faster turn, though it can wait on a busy weekend. Read the Canard review first.
For occasion fit beyond this pairing, weigh Portland tables for a first date and to impress clients. For more Portland match-ups, see Kann vs Le Pigeon and Nimblefish vs Kann, and browse the compare index.