Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Stepping Stone Cafe

    3.8 (997 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    Stepping Stone Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    STEPPING STONE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like Stepping Stone Cafe

    Recommended Reviews - Stepping Stone Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Rachel E.

    Great spot! Don't miss the huevos rancheros, the sauce is made in house. Gluten free toast! Fresh coffee, good Bloody Mary. We went on a Tuesday, not busy but could see it being busy on the weekend. Love the neighborhood!

    Empty glasses throughout the whole meal.
    John C.

    Today was, unfortunately, a disappointing experience. I truly hope what I felt wasn't the case, but I left wondering if my family was being treated differently and that's a very uncomfortable thought. If that was the reason, I really hope management takes a serious look at how guests are being treated. To start with the positive: the greeter (dark hair, mustache) was fantastic! Friendly, welcoming, and exactly the kind of person you hope to meet when you walk into a restaurant. Our server, however (portly man with brown hair, scruffy beard and mustache), was a completely different story. His attitude from the start felt dismissive, almost like a "what do you want?" tone. When I asked about adding something to my dish, he told me, "You need to look at the menu." I told him I was looking and didn't see it, and only then did he check his pricing, without any apology for the rudeness or for not knowing the menu himself. While waiting for our food, my wife and I noticed that his interactions with other patrons "most of whom appeared Caucasian" were entirely different. He was upbeat, cheerful, joking around... almost like we were watching two different people, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. When he served our food, the polite attitude never carried over to us. It felt strange that I, the customer, was being more courteous than the person serving us. I know this place has a reputation for a little sass, but there's a difference between playful sass and selectively treating people poorly. If that energy is part of the brand, it should be consistent and not directed differently toward an Asian family. I've been coming here since the '90s, and I've always enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. But today's experience left my family feeling unwelcome, and that's something I can't ignore. If this is the direction things are going, I'll have to choose to support a business that treats "ALL" customers with the same respect. Also, he never checked on us at any point or refilled our waters, even though I left the glasses at the edge of the table to make it clear they needed refilling. Normally, this is the kind of service that would make me leave no tip, but I didn't want to stoop to that level."

    Corned beef hash, cinnamon roll and Eggs Oliver
    Rachel H.

    I hate how many reviews ding them for having a long wait line. It's a small space, and very popular. That's just the name of the game. You walk in, and it absolutely has the 90's vibe in a good way, down to the music and random figurines. We went around 9:30a in a Saturday, and there was a short line but it moved quickly. Not a good spot for larger groups. Again, a small space. Service and quick and friendly without being too over the top giddy. Food came out quick, and was delicious. Again, it's an American brunch not a Michelin 5 star restaurant. They nail it, and that's it. Absolutely get the cinnamon roll.

    Smothered badass
    Joshua L.

    Always looking for a great diner spot, and this one has been on my list for forever. Finally had the chance and it was certainly worth the wait. We did go on a Sunday Morning, which is prime brunch time. They don't take reservations so be prepared to wait in line for a little bit. The vibes in there are perfect if you're looking for the classic diner aesthetic. Hightop coutners, red bar stools, checkered flooring. They even play Sunday Morning Cartoons. Food was good. My wife had their Chicken fried steak. Really can't go wrong there. And I had the smothered badass. An interesting idea to have 2 classic breakfast items, chicken fried steak and hashbrowns inside an omellete; but I'm not entirely convinced that it pulls through. Both the steak and hashbrown ends up feeling pretty heavy in the omellete and it takes away from the crunch. Still worth a try and I'll definitely be back to try some of the more traditional options.

    French toast
    Alyssa H.

    Service was amazing, all the staff were so friendly and personable. The building is cute, quaint and cozy. The orange juice was really tasty and I thought it might have been fresh squeezed. I tried both the waffle and the French toast and I did not find that either were exceptionally out of this world- but they hit the spot after a long nightshift.

    Biscuits and gravy and absolute omelet
    Tierra H.

    Small place but really good food. Most people complain about the wait but we must of came on a good day. The service was cool. Nothing to write home about and I wish they had flavor coffee creamer but other than that the food was really good. Will definitely be back again

    Banana bread
    Keith F.

    This place was solid! Parking was one of the biggest issues with this place. After finding and paying for a spot we were seated near the front window. Our server who looked like Freddy Mercury, was fast and efficient. He kept our coffee mugs full which was greatly appreciated. The menu has all of the classics and a few out of the ordinary. I went with the banana bread hold the powdered sugar. It was still plenty sweet. The fresh walnuts provided a great crunch (see picture). I would definitely recommend and come back to this location.

    Interior
    Amy L.

    The line is literally wrapping around the building... really popular spot but we got 2 seats at the counter. I felt like we were going to fall off the entire time. I enjoyed my veggie omelette but the wait was really long especially since I was hungry. I appreciate the range of hot sauces they have. Don't trust the water cups though because I literally watched the waitress use the previous water cups left behind without washing them. Gross.

    Biscuits and gravy, chicken scramble and club sandwich.
    Paul E.

    I've driven by this place many times, and often seen a line outside for breakfast. Finally went today and I understand why people wait in line to get in. The food was delicious and hearty and served in big portions. In our trio, the biscuits and gravy order was the hero, but the scramble and club sandwich were also excellent. And if you like REALLY big pancakes, this is your place. They were huuuge and delicious. Service was no nonsense and fast. The inside is your run-of-the-mill neighborhood diner chic. Probably best to keep your party to 4 or less, as most tables weren't spacious, but perhaps they figure out a way to make larger parties work.

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ella G.
    0
    11
    18

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rachel E.
    157
    14
    37

    30 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 3
    Photo of Larry R.
    0
    171
    113

    21 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Food was amazing. Matt was our server and he was exceptional. Great way to start the day.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Paul E.
    32
    61
    24

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    The service is good. The food is overpriced and low quality. Great ambiance. Long lines on weekends.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of L L.
    1
    43
    1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Good food, good staff, good location, good coffee, good vibe, good decoration, good chairs, good tables

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 25

    Ask the Community - Stepping Stone Cafe

    You might also consider

    G-Love

    G-Love

    4.4
    (510 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$

    This is a familiar type of place for Portland - not inexpensive, but great food. It's small,…read moreshareable plates. A friend brought me here and we split 8 plates and each had a dessert. One drink and the "Employee Health" charge of an additional 5% made the bill $163.80 before tip. Okay, so that's the not inexpensive part. As for the food, there were several great dishes. I was not wild about the salad we got, The Crunchmaster Crisp, the my friend said a different one she had previously was really good. We got the Crusty Avocado - seeds coat the outside and inside the avocado is filled with Ahi tuna. That was a good dish. We also had Garden Peas which were pretty good. The trout was excellent, the Fried Chicken was unique, and quite good. We got a couple of the skewers (they're small!), the pork belly and the steak and both were great. I could have ordered several and made a meal out of those! The Milk Chocolate dessert was good, but I wasn't a big fan of the "baby popcorn". The Whip-a-licious was well liked by my friend. It was better than I thought it would be because I'm not a big passion fruit fan. Our service was excellent. All together, I definitely recommend for the food, atmosphere, and service. Just be prepared for an expensive night out!

    Wanted to love G Love, but it didn't hit the mark for us. We had reservations on a Friday evening,…read moreand were glad we had one since it was pretty packed. The energy was bustling and ambiance felt pretty good to start, but quickly got awkward. Within a minute of placing our order a waiter brought over a bowl of potatoes and dip saying "these are for you". Huh, strange given we didn't order potatoes but maybe it was on the house? We tried looking around to see if we could ask but also saw every table had them so thought maybe it was just something nice for the night so we started eating. Then, I noticed we started getting a lot of stares from the wait staff who started whispering, which is when I realized we may have identified ourselves as the latest spud-nappers. Within another minute, a plate of halibut came out. Also strange, we did order halibut but typically we'd expect our salads/smaller dishes to come out first but okay. Before we could take a bite, our waiter came back and swooped that plate up saying "this doesn't belong here" --no apology, no clarification, just poof. We could see the expo getting frustrated, trying to explain the table numbers to the wait staff so maybe it was just a new set of trainees? The table next to us also asked the waiter to hold off on firing the next few plates to give them time to digest, but unfortunately their next plate also came out within 2 minutes lol. I get the frustration, but the full (volume) meltdown that occurred right after just made it uncomfortable for everyone around. Getting to the actual food, we got the stone fruit salad which my husband loved and I thought was pretty good, the ensalata bomba which I really liked, the pork belly skewers which we both liked and the scallop skewers which we both haaaated. They tasted like borderline rotten briny boba, and I had to give mine to my husband to eat because I almost vomited from it and I normally love scallops. Do not get those! We also got the fried chicken and the halibut. The fried chicken was fine but I didn't walk away blown away. It tasted like it really wanted to be like its Japanese cousin karaage, but the breading was too thick and there were chunks that were purely batter. Needed a wedge of lime to brighten things up. The halibut was ok too, we liked the pickled cherries but the whole dish didn't come together in the way we wished the flavors would. Overall, I'd say the food was a 6.5/10 and wait staff confusion was a 4/10. Midway thru our meal our waiter asked if we wanted dessert before we wrapped up and we were confused because we still had half our dishes and he just walked away. Then at the end it took several attempts to flag someone down to pay our bill, which added another 15 minutes next to meltdown Mariah next to us which felt like an eternity. For the amount we spent, I definitely think you could get a better meal elsewhere.

    Photos
    A bathroom for the Gods and Goddesses and disco queens! Visited it twice because the playlist in there is as good as the food!
    A bathroom for the Gods and Goddesses and disco queens! Visited it twice because the playlist in there is as good as the food!
    Crunchmaster salad
    Crunchmaster salad
    Scallops

    See all

    Scallops
    Papa Haydn Northwest

    Papa Haydn Northwest

    4.0
    (1.5k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    We stopped in for dessert after an evening elsewhere in Portland. The parking lot had space and was…read moreFILLED with fragrant jasmine flowers. We were seated immediately, but waited a short while for our order to be taken. They seemed quite busy. The dessert menu takes up a whole page. You can see many items in the front case when you walk in. There were at least 10 gluten free options, all clearly marked on the menu. All looked delicious and the decision was difficult for once. My dad had the mango black tea panna cotta and I went for the raspberry gateau. The panna cotta had great flavor. Subtle on the tea, strong with the mango. A generous portion but light enough that it could be finished. The raspberry gateau was rich and chocolatey. The raspberries were a necessity to add dimension to the dish. I recommend this location for celebrations, evenings out, or for a sweet treat just because. Everything is clean and it feels fancy and special without being overly exclusive. This location is right on NW 23rd and would make a great stop before, during, or after a day of shopping.

    First time here, and I had no idea how popular this spot was! We went around 8 PM and the…read morerestaurant was packed to the brim. Luckily, our group of five didn't have to wait too long before getting seated. We all ordered different desserts so we could try a variety of things. The crème brûlée was really good, super creamy and definitely one of my favorites. The boccone dolce was a meringue based dessert, which unfortunately wasn't really my thing. The Passion dessert was yummy with a nice sour tang to it. We also tried the triple chocolate cake, which was very rich, dark, and sweet. If you're a huge chocolate lover, this might be the perfect dessert for you. We ordered an affogato as well, and their vanilla ice cream was so good! One thing I didn't get to try was the raspberry matcha cloud, but it looked really good and I think my friend enjoyed it. Overall, I can definitely see why this place is so well known and popular. I'm not sure if it's somewhere I would personally go out of my way to come back to, but it was still a fun experience and worth trying at least once.

    Photos
    Papa Haydn Northwest
    Braised Beef Radiatore
    Braised Beef Radiatore
    Cafe au Chocolate

    See all

    Cafe au Chocolate
    Jo Bar & Rotisserie

    Jo Bar & Rotisserie

    3.9
    (294 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    We visited during Happy Hour and immediately noted that Jo Bar and Rotisserie is warm and…read morewelcoming. The restaurant is clean with a muted, cozy aesthetic featuring large windows that offer light and a good view of what's happening outside. *They also offer outdoor dining. For appetizers, we ordered the crostini with cheese fondue. Our mains; consisted of a cheeseburger with fries, and Mr. Wonderful dined on the Carnitas tacos. Everything was delicious.

    I came here to see a local jazz trio play, and was VERY impressed with the food, the service, the…read moreambiance, and the general vibe. I liked it so much that I came here again with friends a very short time after my first visit (and we saw a much larger jazz band). Jo Bar is physically attached to Papa Haydn, and is under the same ownership. Despite this, Jo Bar has its own food menu, but both share the same dessert menu. This means that you can get any of Papa Haydn's legendary desserts here. I made a reservation ahead of time, and was seated at the best table in the house for seeing the bands perform. The space is small, so some of the band will invariably be tucked in the area next to the entrance door, so be aware of this. It wasn't a huge detriment, but can be depending on where you're specifically seated. The only negative is that finding parking is a real chore. There is street parking, but most streets are very full in the evenings. I wound up parking in a parking garage several blocks away. I'm really looking forward to my next visit. Jo Bar is a GREAT place to enjoy great live music, GREAT food, GREAT service, and truly spectacular dessert.

    Photos
    Jo Bar & Rotisserie
    Jo Bar & Rotisserie
    Jo Bar & Rotisserie

    See all

    Stepping Stone Cafe - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...