Portage Bay Cafe
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Brunch with fun friends before a Husky football game. Food was great as usual. Service was good despite how busy it was. We sat outside which was fine except there were several bees bothering us, so that was unpleasant because our toddler and her parents were not having it. $12 for the fruit plate was crazy to think about, plus the (small) serving spoon was also crazy to wait through & stand in line waiting for everyone to scoop 30 times until they're done. My bill was $50 with main dish (added mushrooms) + fruit plate + coffee (no creamer).
One of our favorite place for brunch in Seattle and we make it a point to go here every time we are in Seattle and this time was no exception. We are glad to continue the tradition because Portage Bay in university district never fails us with food or serve or innovative recipe creations. This time was special because my two darlings took me there for Fathers Day. I ordered a new entree off the breakfast menu called Halal Lamb scramble with goat cheese and it was simply delicious We also ordered a grilled cheese with tomato soup and egg scramble with veggies and everything wa just scrumptious
Super cute cafe with delicious food and great lighting. Our server was very friendly. The bananas foster french toast was so good and I'm a huge fan of the whipped cream/fruit bar!
This is a review for their catering. My work had breakfast catered and it was really good! Meats: crispy bacon and tasty sausage, what more could you ask for Carbs: pancakes were a little dense and the French toast didn't super taste like much, so I covered everything with syrup, whipped cream, fruits, and granola and that was really good altogether Yogurt: the yogurt was thick, sweet, and yummy! With added fruits, granola, almonds, and coconut it was super filling
Great bfast!! I LOVE their idea of the berry bar!! Such good French toast!!! I was craving an American bfast and this place had exactly that. I rarely eat French toast but man it hit só hard. Really cute local place filled with university students. I would have loved to have this next to my uni lol. Great service as well. Thanks!
My go to breakfast spot in the University District. I love this place because it's close walk from my hotel. The service is great and they never disappoint. Note you can make reservations we went game day and noticed reserved tables that is the reason we ate outside thankfully they had one table left.
My friend has been to Portage Bay Cafe a couple times because he loves taking a trip to the berry bar -- which, you can only do if you order something that comes with waffles or pancakes. Three of us stopped by for brunch this past Saturday and it was pretty busy. RANCHER'S BREAKFAST - 24.75 This is a good option if you can't decide between sweet or savory. Also, you can take a trip to the berry bar. My scrambled eggs were a bit over-cooked and the chicken sausage was OK and nothing special. The fresh fruit option was nice! However, the french toast was my favorite part. I topped it with a bunch of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries from the berry bar -- as much as I could reasonably fit on my plate without embarrassing myself. I enjoyed how fluffy the french toast was, and the fresh berries really enhanced it. Overall, food tasted just OK, but it's the quantity and berry bar that makes the experience worth it. If I come back, I'd definitely skip the savory options and go straight for one of their french toasts.
Wow! Visiting from out of town and went to Portage Bay Cafe on Easter Sunday. Thankfully we had 10:30am reservation because the place was packed and had a waiting list. The restaurant is bigger than expected as it had three dining areas. The food was exceptional! Beyond exceptional! From the first to last bite, we kept exclaiming how good everything tasted. We ordered the carnitas Benedict (which came with fruit on side), breakfast sandwich (which also came with fruit on side) and mushroom omelette. We can tell why this place is so popular.
Always my favorite Seattle brunch chain. I value the " Eat like you give a damn" motto. very local and organically sourced ingredients, great job team! The coffe is strong, I add a little water. They have many options for large group mimosa options and Aprils highlight is hibiscus. I always get great service and it is a fun busy hustle and bustle vibe for chill Seattlites. I love taking out of town guests there to awww them with the berry bar. I love taking my grandog on nice days to sit outside
this included a trip to the breakfast bar - where i was able to load up with butter, whipped cream, strawberries, and a couple other fruits also came with a cup of syrup Whew - so this was a sugary rush. I don't know if I've ever consumed so much sugar in as short of a time period as I did here On each piece (that already came with powdered sugar) I spread whipped cream, poured syrup, and ate with butter Being french toast itself has some strong built in advantages - so I can really only compare this against other french toast So while I do wish there was something more solid with this meal - I did know what I was ordering going in The portion size was really good - there were three pretty decent-sized pieces of bread Each piece had an interior that was nice and fluffy but a bit too airy for me - I would've prefered a more solid interior of the bread Eating the toast didn't feel like you were eating something with weight behind it - it felt light - even though the three slices added up to make you full Going off that, the outside of the bread was pretty soft as well - I would've liked it to be more crispy As for the toppings - I thought the syrup was quite good - it complemented the top side of the bread in a nice way Similarly, the whipped cream added a pretty good flavor to the top. It also helped a good amount with the strawberries The butter I'm not sure on. It was hard to spread given the softness of the toast - and I could see that any attempt to spread it would result in the toast breaking apart. Eventually I decided to break off small pieces of butter and eat them at the same time as my toast bite.
Portage bay is a Seattle classic. There's always a line out the door on the weekends! They have a classic brunch menu that is delicious. For a popular brunch spot, they have a great amount of options and they don't miss! There's a bunch of locations and each one has their own charm. (8/10) Instagram - Madeline's_Dines
Nice open space. Breakfast is always delicious. Coffee is strong and good. Wait staff and chefs are all super professional.
Nice place to go for brunch with a smaller group once it gets past 4 people per table it can start getting a bit crowded. Food has gone a bit down in terms of quality over the years but I still enjoy it. My favorites are the banana fosters French toast and the herb and roasted potatoes as a side. I like their fruits and nuts bar for the sweet brunch dishes.
10 days ago
Was delighted to find this breakfast spot a block away from our accommodations. Got there by 9:30 am on the Tuesday of UW move-in week and missed the crowd. Would we go again? Probably. Ordered the special French Toast (which included a trip to the berry bar), one egg ($2.75) and one spicy sausage on the side , coffee, tea - breakfast for two all in: $52. The service was attentive enough but our server didn't seem to be particularly pleased to be there. The French Toast was a solid good. It was pretty dry so needed the toppings. I prefer a well-soaked French toast that's crispy on the outside (from butter), and the creme Anglaise either served on the side or not at all. The berry bar is a nice touch, but not needed after berry season is over. We were there late September and it's just not berry season. Got a big pile of whipped cream, some coconut, and chocolate chips though. read more
Nice vibe, friendly servers. The bathrooms are clean. Huckleberries are rare on a menu, so selecting this dish from the otherwise expansive menu was easy. Tasty, warm flapjacks paired beautifully with a trip to the berry bar. If your dish doesn't come with berries, consider paying extra. The options are plentiful and the fruit is fresh. Bonus points for whipped butter, whipped cream, and coconut flakes! My companion ordered the steel cut oats which he promptly buried under a mountain of berries. It was topped with a sprinkle of granola and looked good. I typically only drink espresso but their machine was down, so drip coffee was the alternative. It's palatable. read more
3 months ago
13 days ago
Brunch with fun friends before a Husky football game. Food was great as usual. Service was good despite how busy it was. We sat outside which was fine except there were several bees bothering us, so that was unpleasant because our toddler and her parents were not having it. $12 for the fruit plate was crazy to think about, plus the (small) serving spoon was also crazy to wait through & stand in line waiting for everyone to scoop 30 times until they're done. My bill was $50 with main dish (added mushrooms) + fruit plate + coffee (no creamer). read more
One of our favorite place for brunch in Seattle and we make it a point to go here every time we are in Seattle and this time was no exception. We are glad to continue the tradition because Portage Bay in university district never fails us with food or serve or innovative recipe creations. This time was special because my two darlings took me there for Fathers Day. I ordered a new entree off the breakfast menu called Halal Lamb scramble with goat cheese and it was simply delicious We also ordered a grilled cheese with tomato soup and egg scramble with veggies and everything wa just scrumptious read more
9 months ago
This is a review for their catering. My work had breakfast catered and it was really good! Meats: crispy bacon and tasty sausage, what more could you ask for Carbs: pancakes were a little dense and the French toast didn't super taste like much, so I covered everything with syrup, whipped cream, fruits, and granola and that was really good altogether Yogurt: the yogurt was thick, sweet, and yummy! With added fruits, granola, almonds, and coconut it was super filling read more
Great bfast!! I LOVE their idea of the berry bar!! Such good French toast!!! I was craving an American bfast and this place had exactly that. I rarely eat French toast but man it hit só hard. Really cute local place filled with university students. I would have loved to have this next to my uni lol. Great service as well. Thanks! read more
My go to breakfast spot in the University District. I love this place because it's close walk from my hotel. The service is great and they never disappoint. Note you can make reservations we went game day and noticed reserved tables that is the reason we ate outside thankfully they had one table left. read more
My friend has been to Portage Bay Cafe a couple times because he loves taking a trip to the berry bar -- which, you can only do if you order something that comes with waffles or pancakes. Three of us stopped by for brunch this past Saturday and it was pretty busy. RANCHER'S BREAKFAST - 24.75 This is a good option if you can't decide between sweet or savory. Also, you can take a trip to the berry bar. My scrambled eggs were a bit over-cooked and the chicken sausage was OK and nothing special. The fresh fruit option was nice! However, the french toast was my favorite part. I topped it with a bunch of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries from the berry bar -- as much as I could reasonably fit on my plate without embarrassing myself. I enjoyed how fluffy the french toast was, and the fresh berries really enhanced it. Overall, food tasted just OK, but it's the quantity and berry bar that makes the experience worth it. If I come back, I'd definitely skip the savory options and go straight for one of their french toasts. read more
Wow! Visiting from out of town and went to Portage Bay Cafe on Easter Sunday. Thankfully we had 10:30am reservation because the place was packed and had a waiting list. The restaurant is bigger than expected as it had three dining areas. The food was exceptional! Beyond exceptional! From the first to last bite, we kept exclaiming how good everything tasted. We ordered the carnitas Benedict (which came with fruit on side), breakfast sandwich (which also came with fruit on side) and mushroom omelette. We can tell why this place is so popular. read more
Always my favorite Seattle brunch chain. I value the " Eat like you give a damn" motto. very local and organically sourced ingredients, great job team! The coffe is strong, I add a little water. They have many options for large group mimosa options and Aprils highlight is hibiscus. I always get great service and it is a fun busy hustle and bustle vibe for chill Seattlites. I love taking out of town guests there to awww them with the berry bar. I love taking my grandog on nice days to sit outside read more
7 months ago
this included a trip to the breakfast bar - where i was able to load up with butter, whipped cream, strawberries, and a couple other fruits also came with a cup of syrup Whew - so this was a sugary rush. I don't know if I've ever consumed so much sugar in as short of a time period as I did here On each piece (that already came with powdered sugar) I spread whipped cream, poured syrup, and ate with butter Being french toast itself has some strong built in advantages - so I can really only compare this against other french toast So while I do wish there was something more solid with this meal - I did know what I was ordering going in The portion size was really good - there were three pretty decent-sized pieces of bread Each piece had an interior that was nice and fluffy but a bit too airy for me - I would've prefered a more solid interior of the bread Eating the toast didn't feel like you were eating something with weight behind it - it felt light - even though the three slices added up to make you full Going off that, the outside of the bread was pretty soft as well - I would've liked it to be more crispy As for the toppings - I thought the syrup was quite good - it complemented the top side of the bread in a nice way Similarly, the whipped cream added a pretty good flavor to the top. It also helped a good amount with the strawberries The butter I'm not sure on. It was hard to spread given the softness of the toast - and I could see that any attempt to spread it would result in the toast breaking apart. Eventually I decided to break off small pieces of butter and eat them at the same time as my toast bite. read more
1 year ago
Portage bay is a Seattle classic. There's always a line out the door on the weekends! They have a classic brunch menu that is delicious. For a popular brunch spot, they have a great amount of options and they don't miss! There's a bunch of locations and each one has their own charm. (8/10) Instagram - Madeline's_Dines read more
16 days ago
4 months ago
Nice open space. Breakfast is always delicious. Coffee is strong and good. Wait staff and chefs are all super professional. read more
10 months ago
Nice place to go for brunch with a smaller group once it gets past 4 people per table it can start getting a bit crowded. Food has gone a bit down in terms of quality over the years but I still enjoy it. My favorites are the banana fosters French toast and the herb and roasted potatoes as a side. I like their fruits and nuts bar for the sweet brunch dishes. read more
5 months ago
2 months ago
Great spot for brunch near UW! Best part is the efficient service and friendly staff. The food is good quality but quite expensive. The Buddha bowl was chock full of vegetables dressed in a bright and refreshing lemon tahini dressing. Loved that it wasn't over-dressed and the egg was cooked perfectly per specification (over medium). We also ordered a farmer's scramble with added brisket for $3.50 (not pictured). This was a bit of a bummer given that it only came with a sad 1-2 pieces of brisket. However, there was a surprisingly diverse assortment of roasted vegetables including Brussels sprouts and purple sweet potatoes, which made up for it a little. Overall this place probably isn't the best brunch in the city, but it's a solid choice if near UW. read more
I really love how close it is to U district/UDub, and how you can go visit their self-serve fruit and toppings bar- even though it looks like I went overboard I promise I ate it all lol Not much parking in the front, street parking only. The burrito was not bad, but I think my favorite is their eggs Benedict or French toast. it does the job, really friendly staff, and really nice for a variety of groups like large groups or just a casual cozy brunch! read more
5 months ago
REDEMPTION for the PORTAGE BAY CAFE! My family returned to the Portage Bay Cafe due to Hobson's Choice. Thankfully, the service has improved considerably and the staff have improved their skills significantly. Today the Prosciutto and Asparagus Benedict was AMAZING! The DOUBLE SMASHED BURGER however, did not meet the written description... at best, so-so. Am glad to see the improvements over our last experience and will continue to check the PORTAGE BAY CAFR. WATCH THIS SPACE read more
1 year ago
This is a cool brunch spot that is big and open. They have a good variety of items to choose from, including a berry bar, where you can load your own toppings for your pancakes or French toast. I may have to try that next time. For this visit, I ordered the special - Uli's spicy scramble, which included, eggs, uli's sausage, organic bell peppers and jalepenos, caramelized onions, queso con salsa, roasted potatoes and tortillas. I also ordered a side of their gravy. The scramble was good and better when I added the gravy to it. read more
4 months ago
2 years ago
It's obvious that this is a popular spot. I was intrigued to try it and I think it fell a little short for me. The servers were kind and helpful. The eggs had a weird taste. I ordered "the migas" and I say "migas" because it was not that AT ALL. It was essentially a quesadilla with eggs and carnitas inside. Migas are not traditionally made with flour tortillas so I wish it would have notes on the menu that it was a flour tortilla and I wouldn't have ordered it. The carnitas were good. My friend and I ordered the same peppermint latte except mine was hot and his was cold. For $7 you would think it would at least come in a bigger mug. The only thing we really enjoyed besides the coffee was the banana foster French toast. That was amazing but it was also $20 for 3 pieces of French toast. Maybe that's just Seattle, idk. I don't think I'll be back. read more
4 months ago
4 1/2 stars for the food. 5 stars for the service. They stay busy here and I believe it's because they stay true to their vision of: Sustainable. Local. Organic. The portions here are generous. The food/ingredients taste local and fresh. Our service staff was personable and checked in on us regularly because it was cold and rainy the day we visited and we opted to avoid waiting in the long line and sit on the outside patio. They made sure we had an umbrella and portable heaters near our feet. They also provide small blankets for your legs which are placed over every chair. Stellar service. We had dined near a table who had thee most adorable huge dog. Well behaved. Love that they are pet friendly. Everyone in my party absolutely loved their dishes here, as did I. Definitely coming back, next time I'm in SEA read more
11 months ago
4 months ago
The pancake toppings bar is awesome. So full from a $25 plate. Don't need to eat for the rest of the day! read more
We had special menu items- the spicy corn chowder was amazing. The elote style omelette was so good. The jam is like la provance and we love it. I got the dungeonous cream Benedict which was amazing. Next time get sauce on side. So pretty! Everything was delicious. read more
We love a place with a pet friendly patio! And we also love great food with even better service. Any time I'm in Seattle portage bay is a must. The quality of the food is impeccable and I've never had anything but top notch service at portage bay. Highly recommend the Seattle Benedict or the carnitas Benedict. If you like a more crispy breakfast potato don't forget to ask for them extra crispy as they come not as crispy on their own! read more
2 years ago
Was looking to catch up with some of my best girl friends over a girly brunch and stumbled upon Portage Bay in the University District. I seriously did not realize how popular this place was--but wow, I get the hype. First tip: MAKE A RESERVATION ON OPENTABLE. I was lucky enough to snag one (bless), and even with a reservation, we waited around 15 minutes to be seated. It was a Sunday brunch, so we expected a bit of chaos, but it still felt overwhelming. There was a line out the door with people waiting outside, the level of noise in the space is quite loud. While waiting for our table or even seated at our table, it was a bit hard to hear one another. This is not the space for a quiet girly brunch for sure. That said--would say the food is 100% worth it. Don't come hungry or hangry as it did take close to an hour for our food to arrive (yes, we were HANGRY), but when it did, the first ten minutes was silence of devouring our meal. Service was okay, the servers seem uninterested to be there, barely checked in - we had to ask about status of our food and get his attention. We ordered the Smoked Salmon Benedict, Seattle Benedict (with Dungeness crab!), 2 Rancher Breakfasts (3 eggs your way, house potatoes, one with chicken sausage + pancake, the other with bacon + French toast). Honestly such a cute idea to do a berry bar, the menu lists items that gives you access to a literal berry buffet--fresh berries, whipped cream, butter... The benedicts were the best menu choice--rich, flavorful, and perfectly portioned. The Rancher Breakfasts were huge and hearty--perfect for anyone rolling in with major hunger. The chicken sausage was flavorful and the potatoes were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. I am a BIG pancake girly, and their pancakes were giant, fluffy, with the perfect hint of sweetness. I ate my entire meal plus one pancake and still had leftovers for dinner and breakfast the next day. No regrets. The coffee here is just okay. Seattle has no shortage of amazing coffee shops, would recommend saving your caffeine intake for one of those instead--which we did, shoutout Ugly Mug Coffee, which was the move. read more
I was in town for the weekend and decided to try this particular location of the Portage Bay Cafe chain, specifically because of its reviews. I love a brunch spot that has healthy food options. Food: 2/5 I ordered the goat cheese omelette. Lord. This omelette was *nothing* like I expected. Firstly, it was underseasoned -- no salt/pepper. Second, the cheese in this omelette was in the form of a huge blob of goat cheese atop and underneath the egg omelette. Not only was it an overindulgent amount, but it did nothing to enhance the meal/taste of the omelette because it wasn't cooked/baked into the eggs. I thought that was a really strange way of presenting this meal. Second, the sautéed veggies were hidden beneath the eggs, for the most part, and that also did nothing for the meal. It was the strangest omelette I'd ever had. I selected the side salad, and it wasn't anything special. The gluten-free toast, was, however delicious. A plus was how quickly the food arrived. Service: 5/5 I wish I had noted her name but we had a lovely server who was very accommodating. No complaints here. Ambiance: 5/5 I love this part of Seattle and the restaurant does a great job reflecting the ambiance of this part of the city -- it's a great area because parking is abundant (street parking on Sat.) and it's lively and bright! The restaurant itself is clean and has an inviting atmosphere. Overall take: I'm glad I tried it, but I'm not sure I would not return to this restaurant for a second go. Perhaps it was the item I ordered... read more
Our favorite brunch spot is an institution on the UW campus with convenient street and private lot parking in the back. Expect generous breakfast portions with well-prepared country potatoes that are neither too oily or overcooked. The pancakes and french toast are elevated with access to the fresh berry bar and freshly whipped cream. Don't forget to add a side of 4 thick-cut pieces of smoked bacon. Eggs benedict lovers will enjoy the numerous Northwest flavor choices. Food quality and consistency keep us coming back the past 20+ years. read more
This is a MUST try breakfast cafe! We were seated in the covered patio and it is such a cool space! You can still hear and feel the cool air of the rain but you have patio heaters and a covered space- perfect setting. We came on a Sunday morning- early that we were confident that most of the UW students should still be sleeping. . We still had a 20 min wait on arrivals but it's well worth it. I had the special- Reuben Benedict- absolutely delicious- homemade English muffin, hollandaise with dill and seared corned beef. My husband ordered the Rancher's breakfast which comes with pancakes and a trip to the breakfast bar. The breakfast bar is filled with all types of toppings- berries, chocolate chips, fresh whipped cream. Coffee was perfect too! I would totally give this place 10 stars if I could! read more
More like 3.5 stars! There is a spacious parking lot in the back for customers so no need to find to find street parking. Came in around 11:30 on a Friday, there was no wait to get seated. We quickly ordered after we were seated. There were a good amount of other people throughout the restaurant. My friend and I both got the classic eggs benedict. I added tomato on mine. There were plenty of ham slices and the eggs were kind of small. Although the yolk was runny, the yolk itself was so small it really wasn't the main part of the dish. The bread(english muffin?) was kind of tough to cut. Overall was not bad, but nothing too spectacular about this benedict. I have had better. The potatoes were pretty good. Not too flavorful, but plenty of sauce options on the table like ketchup and sriracha. Nothing amazing about this place, but nothing too bad either. Won't be dying to come back, but won't have any complaints if I had to go again. read more
2 years ago
Came with some friends for a New Year's Day brunch. There is easy parking behind the building which is convenient. I got the Migas breakfast plate and my boyfriend got the Seattle Benedict. The migas was just ok. Nothing special, didn't quite hit the spot. Service was quick and we got seated right away. read more
7 months ago
Another amazing breakfast at Portage Bay Cafe in the U District. My server Keith was excellent! Portage Bay is a must visit if you are in Seattle. There are multiple locations. I have only visited the U district one and will be returning here every time I come to Seattle! And the cappuccino's are spot on!! read more
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More info about Portage Bay Cafe
4130 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
University District
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(206) 547-8230
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http://www.portagebaycafe.com
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Ask the Community - Portage Bay Cafe
Is there outdoor seating?
There's a back patio area with umbrellas and cute decor that you can be seated at!
What is the parking situation here?
Garage and metered parking. Come early for less hassle on parking and waiting. Enjoy your dining experience. Its always a pleasure for us when in Seattle on business.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
188 reviews that are not currently recommended
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