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    Denizens Cafe

    4.9 (62 reviews)
    Closed • 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

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    Recommended Reviews - Denizens Cafe

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    Bottomless Coffee for the win!
    Heidi A.

    Delightful local spot with a relaxed vibe, great coffee and remarkably tasty food at good prices. Very pleasant sitting out front watching NE Pdx go by.

    Gouda and spinach crepe
    Archie P.

    The food is absolutely delicious. I ordered the gouda and spinach crepe. 10/10 nice bright flavors with a wonderful chew from the crepe itself. A delight to eat. The service is polite and attentive. The cafe has nice seating that, while small, doesn't feel cramped. I love the mural too. Definitely come by and have a nice breakfast/lunch

    Sandwich
    Joshua L.

    Shockingly fabulous food for a coffee counter. The service was wonderful and warm. The ambiance is good for a double date or finishing a project on your laptop.

    Esther D.

    Oh my gosh!! The German apple pancake- phenomenal!! The chai tea excellent & my friends drip coffee & gluten free breakfast sandwich both delicious. Friendly staff.

    Jason V.

    Denizens inhabits a space once occupied by a previous business whose owner was petty, snobbish and dismissive, and I was glad to see its demise. I'm even happier to say that its replacement has washed all traces of those bad tastes and memories from my mind, because...damn, this place is awesome! My wife wanted to visit a coffee shop, and a quick Yelp search brought Denizens to our attention. Only upon driving up did I realize it was in the same location as the aforementioned previous restaurant, which made me hesitate for just a moment, until I realized that it was not a rebranding, but an entirely different establishment. We seated ourselves, and selected a couple of sandwiches to accompany our coffees: a Bright Days breakfast sandwich for my wife, and a Cubano for myself. She also ordered a vanilla latte, while I went with a London Fog (basically an Earl Grey milk tea). Wow. The Cubano was incredible! I'm generally not partial to ham (or focaccia, for that matter), but a Cubano is a weakness of mine, and this was one of the best I've had, anywhere! Thick stacks of deli meat, mayo and dijon, on a pressed focaccia? Sign. Me. Up! I doubt I would ever be able to order anything else off the menu here; it has forever ruined me for other sandwiches! Similarly, my wife loved her Bright Days, which was correctly made with the minor modifications based on her preferences (egg over hard, add sundried tomatoes). The accompanying side salad (with balsamic vinaigrette) and house chips that came with my Cubano were also liberally shared, and enjoyed, by my wife and toddler son as well, making everything about our brunch experience here enjoyable for all. And even though my wife loved her vanilla latte, after one sip of my London Fog, she had to order another one for herself, to go, because it was so darn good (and I concur, of course)! Denizens is a welcome new neighbor in Roseway; they are competent, efficient, friendly, excellent, and doggone delicious...the exact opposite of the space's previous tenant! And now that the stigma has been washed away, not only is this reviewer not just a customer, I'll probably be here frequently enough to be considered a denizen of the restaurant itself, bordering on becoming a squatter! Don't let this one slip away, folks!

    Espresso Bar Menu
    Jeremy E.

    The Ham and Gouda Hash was a baffling masterpiece of sheer deliciousness!! And the stoneground mustard was to die for!! The shining elements of this cast of flavors were the salt, sweet, sour and savory along with the contrasting & collectively delightful textures of the crisp textures of the roasted potatoes, the softness of greens, and subtle crunch of the pickled onions which all flowed in this synergistic effort and created a purely satisfying experience to just tantalize your brain and make that moment in your life brighter and vastly exuberant. I mean it was so good, it lasted all of 60 seconds and I am unsure if I even took a breath during the engagement I was so locked in. The Latte (brevia) was a absolutely and perfectly "balanced" ratio of that espresso bite and the creaminess of the Half & Half. Now I generally reserve that "balanced" word for cocktails as I've been a bartender for way too long but this is the FIRST and ONLY time I've had an espresso drink taste...balanced. Bravo Brevia Well done! Finally, it was truly a treasure meeting James, the owner and fine gentleman who not only provided this experience for me but also shared the journey of the restaurant, some neighborhood history (the mural inside says it all) and his expertise that truly sets him apart from the restaurateurs that do it solely to make a buck. Without this turning into a separate article, James has a background in roasting coffee that he has passed down a generation to his daughter, he has a culinary mastery of his own and in short, really cares about the quality he provides to his costomers. This is a place where I'd come back over and over until I've tried everything...twice!

    Yummy focaccia, but what the heck is Dynasty brand sriracha?
    Andrew A.

    Friendly service. The Up-N-At-Em' breakfast sandwich was delicious, the Gouda cheese oozing with each bite. The problem with English Muffin sandwiches is that they're messy. The side salad is a nice touch. Coffee with cardamon was very good.

    Ariel G.

    Delicious coffie, pastries, and breakfast sandwhiches! Small space, but tolerant of littles HA! So glad we stoped in, and can't wait to return to try more goodies. Thanks James!

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    13 days ago

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    9 months ago

    Love their $6 latte and pastry weekday 8-10 am deal! Small, cozy space with good food and friendly staff. Will be happy to return again!

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    2 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Best egg sandwich and many choices, great gluten free bread if needed. Coffee good too

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    7 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Great food and service! Loved our sandos! The attention to detail was super, and coffee great!

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food and friendly service! Wish I could visit this place more often. Seems like a really great pillar to the community.

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    2 years ago

    Love the local feel and the people are very kind and friendly. Got their corned beef hash- you can't go wrong and I really enjoyed it!

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Nice little place with good inexpensive food. We enjoyed our breakfast and the owner is very convivial. Very small but comfortable.

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    2 years ago

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    Screen Door Eastside - chicken & waffles

    Screen Door Eastside

    4.4(9.1k reviews)
    2.9 mi•Kerns, Northeast Portland
    •$$

    Took my gf here for bday brunch and we loved it. Came here around 11am on a Tuesday, so basically…read moreno wait. Parking can be difficult tho, I believe it's just all street/neighborhood. So if you come here on a busy weekend, grab an umbrella cus ur prob gonna be walking a bit to ur car. The restaurant has a great southern/ modern ambiance. The place is dimmed, and has a chilled vibe. She ordered the Chicken & Waffles (2 pieces) and it was $23. And I got the huevos rancheros ($18), and it was prob the best one I've had. The beef brisket was really tender, and the egg yolks were a dark orange color. My gf loved her waffles, and it's easily 2 meals. We definitely see why this place is hyped enough to open one at pdx.

    I've heard about this restaurant forever but put off going because I thought it might be just…read moreanother hyped Portlandia-style brunch restaurant. I was wrong - this place is delicious, bustling, and fun. We went just before 11 on Labor Day and although there was already a crowd the host managed the line expertly. We waited about 15 minutes and were seated inside a busy, airy room with every table full. Service was fast and friendly. We had the cinnamon rolls which were soft and sweet and appropriately gooey. We also shared the chicken and biscuits with mushroom gravy. The chicken was so well seasoned - as was the gravy. The potatoes were soft and crispy at once. Absolutely delicious.

    Photos
    Screen Door Eastside - Inside - Dining Room

    Inside - Dining Room

    Screen Door Eastside - Fried Oysters

    Fried Oysters

    Screen Door Eastside - Seafood Jambalaya

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    Seafood Jambalaya

    Screen Door Pearl District - Hush Puppies

    Screen Door Pearl District

    4.5(1.4k reviews)
    4.7 mi•Pearl District
    •$$

    We were short on time, so we stuck with appetizers and sides, and this place still delivered. The…read morefried okra and black bean fritters were on point, and the biscuits with sausage gravy were seriously filling. The pecan bacon had a nice sweet kick, while the fried oysters came out crispy without being buried in breading. Add a couple of solid mimosas and friendly service, and we had zero complaints. Next time, I'm coming back hungry enough to hit the full menu.

    In Portland, OR on business and I'm flying back east this evening so before I leave, I want a great…read moredinner. My co-worker mentioned wanting some "creole, southern cooking" so I did some more Yelp'ing of course, revealing yet another bookmark, Screen Door! Here's how it went. Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right on Couch St. in the Pearl District is this gem. The outside isn't much to look at, it's straightforward and modern. The restaurant is set on the corner and is adorned with yellow touches with a decent-sized outdoor section. Once inside it feels like a nice old-school mansion set right out of the bayous of New Orleans. Lots of low yellow lighting, woods and bright tiles decorate the bar as well as the seating areas. It's one big open seating area with the bar off to the right. I loved the open concept. It was busy, but wasn't terribly loud. I also LOVED how this place loudly and proudly welcomed LGBTQ+ community with a rainbow of balloons as well as artwork! Service: I can't remember who took care of us, but we had no issues here whatsoever. Food: The drinks were strong, colorful and delightful. Being based on southern cooking I had to try the classing New Orleans Hurricane and Sazerac! The Hurricane was huge, delicious and of course, strong. The Sazerac was practically perfect. First up I checked out the Hush Puppies which are cornmeal fritters w/ pepper jelly. These were delicious, hot, fresh and the pepper jelly had an EXCELLENT spice to it! Next up were the Crispy Fried Oysters which are cooked then crusted with cornmeal, bacon, other seasonings and served with toast points. These were delicious and literally made me forget I was eating oysters. Next up I tried the fried chicken that came with buttermilk-battered, crispy fried boneless chicken breast & thigh w/ buttery mashed potatoes, tasso ham gravy and collard greens. Absolutely fantastic. Chicken was crispy, juicy, tender and well-seasoned. The mashed potatoes were also moist and left my mouth watering after each bite. Collard greens were fresh and everything I wanted them to be. I also got the chance to try the Chicken & Waffles which comes with 1, 2 or 3 pieces of chicken depending on how hungry you are, a sweet potato waffle and of course syrup while everything is dusted with powdered sugar. Fantastic. The savory and the sweet just balanced themselves so well. My co-worked also let me try his macaroni & cheese which was damn good. Baked so it had that layer of crispy cheese across the top and was so cheesy, so gooey underneath. Value: Macaroni & Cheese Side = $7.00 Don't Tell Me What to Do! (Drink) = $13.00 Original Sazerac (Drink) = $15.00 Baked Oysters = $12.00 Chicken & Waffles (3-Pieces) = $29.00 Fried Chicken Dinner = $27.00 It's not fine-dining pricing, but it's not cheap either. The food and the ambiance are absolutely worth the price point. The quality speaks for itself. In conclusion, I LOVED it here at Screen Door. It's worthy of its great rating, stellar reputation and pricing. I am excited to pay this place a visit again in the future when I make it back here.

    Photos
    Screen Door Pearl District - Inside

    Inside

    Screen Door Pearl District - Chicken & Biscuits

    Chicken & Biscuits

    Screen Door Pearl District - Deep-Fried Okra

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    Deep-Fried Okra

    Olympia Provisions - Spanish Charcuterie board

    Olympia Provisions

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    4.0 mi•Industrial District, Central Eastside, Buckman, Southeast Portland
    •$$

    Olympia Provisions is consistently one of our favorite places to frequent in PDX. Great location,…read morefun ambiance, pleasant staff, fabulous food! We are typically brunch people, making it here most often on a Saturday or Sunday for a late brunch. Their benedicts are to die for... truly, they're all wonderful. Their Laser Potato is out of this world. Truly, my favorite item on their menu. It is fabulous in all ways. I often take a side of it home just to enjoy later. We recently tried them for dinner. Their muscles are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Truly, the best I've ever had. This beats living in the southeast on the coast, any west-coast seafood restaurant, and every place I've ever enjoyed in Italy. They've certainly topped the muscle game. Highly recommend Olympic Provisions. I will gladly vouch that the negative reviews are from the haters, just to hate. The overall experience has never been anything less than fantastic. Photos to follow (hopefully, if I can find them! HA!) Enjoy OP next time you're in PDX!

    Round 2 in 3 years - "Summer Grilling Starts Here." BASICS - Still kicking out mad charcuterie in…read moreSamplers, Gift Sets (+Corporate) & Boards (Catering), this day dining & enjoying a little of the former, ALSO in deep reverence for the way they're redefining raising livestock by adding transparency, local partnerships, and science-backed auditing as standards. This OG spot is still serving next door to Steven Smith, around the corner from locally-sourced COWBELL cheese, and just downstairs from MUSE Storytelling. On this visit, Kevin was taking chill care of the atrium, delivering BRIGHT, BEEFY, FRESH Hierloom Tomatoes with Burrata & crisp Focaccia breadcrumb that is SO RICH - no saucisson required! HOWEVER... if you decide to dabble, the infamous CHARCUTERIE ART should include the Green Peppercorn Paté - everything beloved about a mild sausage, more tender, seasoned to herbal perfection with split peppercorns & a sprinkle of flake salt - the meat medley is heavenly with a toasted crostini + Triple Cream Brie, cranberry/raisin chutney on top. Amen!

    Photos
    Olympia Provisions - Cozy dining room.

    Cozy dining room.

    Olympia Provisions - Spanish Board

    Spanish Board

    Olympia Provisions - Steak Tartare - @rayz

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    Steak Tartare - @rayz

    Canard - Foie Gras dumplings

    Canard

    4.4(572 reviews)
    3.6 mi•Lower Burnside, Industrial District, Buckman, Central Eastside
    •$$

    One of my top favorite restaurants of all time. Will eat anything off their menu forever, it's…read morealways an amazing experience. Changing seasonal menus means it's never the same thing twice (except the steam burgers, which are a beloved institution of their own, and I hope they stay on the menu forever). The best thing about Canard, besides the food and service, is how accessible it is. You don't have to be well educated about wine to benefit from their excellent collection. Those who might find finer-dining items intimidating will also find familiar favorites on the menu. Even my teenager, who can be wary of trying new things, was persuaded by beautiful presentation to give every dish a chance (spoiler: she liked everything she ate!). Just the best place, worth every penny.

    Headline: I liked the duck stacks so much I came back here a 2nd time so I could have it just for…read moremyself. I did a walk in around 6pm on a weekday and there were plenty of seats at the counter where you can watch them cook. The foie gras is delicious but not a must do for the pancakes. I think it works better with the duck frites. I think the duck was good but I just had one bite so can't remember. The fries were good though. Foie gras dumplings were also memorable but I don't necessarily need to get it again. The arugula salad was refreshing although I'd ask to have it accompany the duck stacks next time to have a refreshing side. I love fish so I expected to love the chicken fried trout but it was just alright compared to the other dishes. The Paris brest was excellent. Personally, a little too much passionfruit tartness for me but loved the milk crumbles. Heartless Rita mocktail tasted too much like juice for me.

    Photos
    Canard
    Canard - Foie Gras dumplings..... the dish that kisses you back.

    Foie Gras dumplings..... the dish that kisses you back.

    Canard - Duck stack with froi grais on top

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    Duck stack with froi grais on top

    Cheryl’s on 12th - You Don't Have To Be In La. To Enjoy These Beignets

    Cheryl’s on 12th

    4.4(3k reviews)
    4.8 mi•Downtown, Southwest Portland
    •$$

    Cheryl's is FUN. Packed, a little chaotic, and somehow that's part of the charm. We got routed…read morethrough the kitchen like we were in a behind-the-scenes tour and popped out into a whole other dining area in the back... I was like wait, there's more?? They go all in on decor too, think fall meets Halloween explosion and I was fully here for it. Super vegan friendly with a separate menu for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options which made ordering easy. Service was AAAAMAZING across the board, every single person was on it. We had a small food mishap, mentioned it, and BAM the manager appeared, apologized, and fixed it immediately. I ordered the vegan steak and yep, I'd get it again. Portions are big enough to share... or not, no judgment.

    I went to Cheryl's with a group of 8 people for a Sunday brunch and made a reservation on their…read morewebsite in advance. When we got to the restaurant, we had to wait for about 10-15 minutes to get our table. The front of house staff was very friendly but it looked like they were super busy and we didn't really know how long we would have to wait for. We ordered a bunch of different food. I got the Portugese fried rice (pictured) and the chicken and biscuits with gravy. The portugese fried rice was highly recommended so I got it. It tastes good but it wasn't anything mind-blowing. I think I might've hyped it up too much in my head. The chicken and biscuits, on the other hand, were so so so delicious. The chicken was crunchy, biscuits were fluffy, and the gravy was so flavorful. They gave us compliments beignets that were fresh out of the fryer. They were so light and eggy. So good!

    Photos
    Cheryl’s on 12th - Hi-Life

    Hi-Life

    Cheryl’s on 12th - Complementary beignets

    Complementary beignets

    Cheryl’s on 12th - Mexican Ranchero Bowl
 Rice, black beans, roasted vegetables, ranchero sauce

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    Mexican Ranchero Bowl Rice, black beans, roasted vegetables, ranchero sauce

    Lardo

    Lardo

    4.2(1.5k reviews)
    3.8 mi•Hosford-Abernethy, Southeast Portland
    •$$

    Holy smokes, Pulled pork shoulder is amazing. It's like if you took a Carnitas Taco and it a…read moresandwich. Just add kimchi and a spicy mayo sauce and there you go. Corn Ribs were very tasty as well. I'd say very inspired by a LA Elote from the elote man. Service was great. Really sold me on getting this combo as it was Their favorites. If you have the time come by and check this out!

    This was an incredible introduction to the Portland food scene, delivering some of the best…read moresandwiches I've ever had. Between the genuinely friendly hospitality and the flavor combinations, this spot hits it out of the park and is a must for sandwich lovers. Griddled Mortadella (5/5): An incredibly delicious sandwich that perfectly balances rich, salty, and savory flavors. It comes loaded with a generous portion of grilled mortadella and melted provolone cheese, perfectly moistened with a tangy mustard aioli. The fresh lettuce and bell peppers added a satisfying crunch to every bite. Chefwich - K-Town Steak Sandwich (5/5): A limited-time creation packed into a banh mi roll. It had a generous portion of perfectly tender and sweet bulgogi steak that pairs with their melted jack cheese. The gochujang mayo sauce had a subtle and sweet heat, while the fresh kimchi added crunch and slight acidity to balance the rich meat. Elote Tater Tots (5/5): Definitely a creative side dish. The tots were perfectly fried and topped elote style with cotija cheese, pairing well with the smoky chipotle mayo on the side. Logistics Tip: Street parking is surprisingly easy to find in the surrounding area, even on a busy weekend evening. The restaurant has a spacious layout with plenty of seating options both inside and outside. If you're a first-timer, don't hesitate to ask the staff for suggestions, as they're exceptionally warm, welcoming, and passionate about the menu.

    Photos
    Lardo - Inside

    Inside

    Lardo - Italian Flag

    Italian Flag

    Lardo - Smash Burger

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    Smash Burger

    Denizens Cafe - desserts - Updated October 2026

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