Portage Bay Cafe

Perhaps she was having a bad day, but our waitress was impatient, unfriendly and inefficient. The food was OK- not as good as I had expected and a bit expensive for breakfast. more

These are magical words...although I've had better French toast (see Sunflour Cafe and The Dish), what I like about Portage Bay is that I can have different toppings on challah French toast...which is worth the trade off. Or chai French toast...my two fav. things. They also have yummy organic, natural ingredients and I like the Northwest feel of the place. Sure, it's a long wait, but you'll find that at most good breakfast/brunch places. more

I finally tried Portage Bay Cafe thanks to numerous positive posts on Judy's Book and I think its my new favorite breakfast place. The menu is fantastic, I truly had a difficult time deciding since everything sounded delicious. I finally tried a sampler breakfast, which included French toast, which meant a trip to the toppings bar. The French toast was delicious, my only complaint was that I wish there was more fresh fruit (I could tell it was frozen berries), but that may? change when more fresh berries are in season. Other than that and the potatoes being a bit dry, everything was delicious. The sausages were fantastic and my sunny side eggs were perfectly cooked. Good atmosphere, a bit crowded/noisy, but it was Saturday at 11am, so anywhere you go is going to have that problem. I want to go back and try all of the egg dishers and maybe even the pancakes. Portage bay to me is what breakfast should be- healthy and flavorful (plus a bit organic!) Oh and I could get a latte, which makes breakfast perfection. I wish they had a bloody mary though, but thats what chow foods is for. more

Oh yum. I had the best brunch ever on Sunday at the Portage Bay Cafe. Get there early! The lines are wait is long and the space is small. Just wedge your way in to the coffee counter and purchase a cup of coffee to sip on while you wait and puruse the morning paper. Once sat, please please please order the breakfast bar the first time. You have a choice of about 6 types of pancakes (honey and vanilla, whole wheat, crepes) of which you get served two giant ones. Proceed to the breakfast bar and top your pancakes with one of many fresh fruit options, such as marionberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, blueberries, as well as fresh whipped butter, fresh whipped cream or warm maple syrup. If you are not in a pancake mood, consider one of their delicious omelettes. Try the smoked salmon! They were very accomidating to our strange requests and refilled the coffee in a timely manner. Just one thing: Please turn off your cell phones! :) more

As all the reviews say, Portage Bay Cafe is great but often crowded. If you're waiting with a tiny tot in tow, be sure to ask to sit in the extra room. There's a spill-over room (attached to the hotel next door) where they send people when the restaurant is full - but it's also perfect for groups with kids. It's not atmospheric but it's uncrowded and the kind of place where a toddler can roam free (not possible in the rest of the restaurant). Now it's our go-to place when we meet friends with kids for brunch. more

Portage Bay Cafe is great for breakfast and brunch on the weekends, albeit it's consistently crowded. They're really good about addressing this fact and doing what they can to make the wait more pleasant. Great pancake bar with fresh fruit, and tons of other tasty choices including astounding Challah French toast, chai oatmeal or the ranchers breakfast which guarantees a consequent four hour food coma nap. They're not overly pretentious or in your face about the fact they're organic and fair trade and as my title mentions, they have a mug on the front counter that simply says 'I Hate Bill O'Reilly'. I laugh. Every time. I don't believe they serve alcohol or mimosas however. I've found the best bet to avoid chastisement when it comes to mid morning drinking is the Rusty Pelican, for which my review can be found here: http://www.judysbook.com/members/sarah/posts/2006/1/246054/ more

The Portage Bay Cafe is a great little cafe in the U-district on Roosevelt right before the University Bridge. They have a little espresso and baked goods counter for a quick take-out breakfast and a sit down restaurant for bigger meals. Their brunch is what they are known for - it's great! They have a wide variety of egg dishes and pancakes. If you get the pancakes they come with a trip to the *breakfast bar* which has lots of different kinds of fruit, whipped cream, syrup, etc. So good. Their lunches are good, too. Things here aren't cheap (expect about $10/breakfast or $15ish for lunch), but they are very good. A note: they get really busy for brunch on the weekends, so be prepared to wait. Also, the waitstaff isn't the most attentive in town, so you might have to flag someone down if you need anything. more

You cannot beat Portage Bay for breakfast. The staff is always friendly, without "hovering" and the food is great. Of course the best part about Portage Bay is the pancake bar. They bring you a stack of pancakes and you add your own toppings - berries, fresh whipped cream, etc. It is the perfect way to start a weekend morning! more

The Portage Bay cafe is in an odd place - basically you better keep your eyes open because if you miss it, you're heading over the University bridge. They have a small parking lot with free parking and there is lots of street parking around the area. It's also a short walk from the UW campus. Lunches are great - mostly sandwiches and salads. Brunch is legendary - if you get anything with pancakes you get a trip to the "breakfast bar" to load up on fruit, fresh whipped cream, etc. to top your breakfast. So good. more

We love going to breakfast here---if you order pancakes or french toast you can add your own berries/fruit, whipped cream, butter, nuts, and warm maple syrup from heaping bowls at the counter. Lunch is great as well (they do not serve dinner). They use local, quality ingredients in everything they make and it all tastes delicious! Outdoor seating when weather permits as well. more

Great food, especially for a change compared to all the Asian restaurants around the U-District. The prices are reasonable and it is a great place to enjoy a nice meal in a quiet place. While it is a hike from the Ave and the University it is definitely worth the trip at least once! more

Great brunch menu that features old favorites in exciting reincarnations. The buffet/bar is fabulous, with fruits and whipped cream. The long wait and the tables packed in like sardines are not so fabulous, though. This isn't the place to go when you've finally drug yourself out of bed and are starving for brunch. more

I *heart* the Portage Bay Cafe. Their weekend brunch is seriously wonderful. The yogurt pancakes with the awesome "toppings bar" featuring tons of fresh fruit, whipped cream and syrup are to die for. They also have really great omlettes and scrambles, made with organic eggs. For lunch, they have great sandwiches (the avocado turkey club is sooooo good) that come with cubed, herbed potatos that are so very tasty. The potatos are also a side for the breakfasts. In the summer, there is a very nice outdoor patio. If you come for breakfast, be prepared to wait -- as with any truly great weekend brunch in Seattle. The sandwiches are a little pricey. But it's worth it. more

Hands down - best brunch I've ever had! Most if not all of their food is organically grown. The pancakes are great and include a breakfast bar - this is the best part - huge bowls of strawberries, raspberries, pears, blueberries, blackberries, and at the end of the bar a HUGE bowl of whipped cream! The crab cakes are also very delicious. The wait on Sunday can be very long but worth the wait! more

There are two main reasons we go to Portage Bay Cafe - the early hours on the weekend (8am) and the pancake bar. Get there early, this place fills up quickly. Order a pancake (buttermilk or rice flour) and start glopping on the toppings - you could feed a family with just one trip to the bar! Their other brunch items are usually pretty good, including some pretty inventive omlette specials. We haven't had the courage to try the "Banana's Foster challah french toast with myers rum caramel sauce and sauteed bananas". more

A little on the pricy side but the menu and lots of interesting choices. Food was fresh and had plenty of seafood, veggie and other healthy alternative as well as good old fashion burgers and such. Service was excellent and the outdoor seating was really nice on a sunny day. more