Blue Pig Cafe

food is awesome this place rocks

Stopped in on our last visit to Portland on a recommendation from a friend. I’m glad we did.
The huevos were absolutely amazing, not to mention the fact that the portions were immense.

Wait, what? From 1 star to 5 stars? Yes, my friends.
My first review was when TBPC was at their SE Division location. Since moving to the SE Hawthorne location, and after a couple of visits, I’d have to believe that it’s some kind of feng shui stuff going on at this place that has made me do a complete 180.
Forget the fact that I don’t remember what their old menu was like– after all, that visit was in 2009; I mean, I barely remember what happened last week– but this new menu is screaming to be consumed in its entirety. There’s simply too many amazing options!
Today’s visit was all about the Avocado Tomato & Spinach Benedict. Pardon my French, but il était foutrement incroyable! (Totally just Google Translated that, which is to say, don’t hate on me if it’s wrong.) The eggs were perfectly poached; the avocado, sweet and buttery; the tomatoes, fresh and juicy; and the spinach were deliciously sautéed. In a word, divine. This has risen to the top of my list of must-​have-​agains.
The previous visit was all about their chicken-​and-​waffles. It, too, will again be selected for its very successful marriage of the sweet and the savory. It’s not an original idea, mind you, but TBPC really pulls their version off very nicely.
And the service at both visits were top notch, super-​attentive, friendly. None of these typical Portland hipster places where the staff feel they’re doing you a favor by taking your order. «Mod» was my server today. If I had a restaurant of my own, I would steal her!
It probably sounds as if I took too many happy pills before writing this review. Frankly, I don’t give a damn. All I know is that I have to give props to TBPC for winning me back.

People take note — the Blue Pig makes THE BEST chicken fried steak in the city. The steak is nicely cooked, not stringy like some cube steaks. And the gravy, while somewhat spicy for the weak of heart or über-​traditionalist is SO good. Seriously, I’ve had chicken fried steak all over this town and none come close to the Pig. I’m not a huge fan of the big plate of potatoes that come with it so I usually substitute fresh fruit, so that is an option.
Other menu items of note, the chicken & waffle is pretty good (not amazing, but really solid) and the chile relleno omelet is fantastic.
As for wait times, if you show up at 9AM on a Saturday, you’re going to have to wait. Most of the time, it is seat yourself, so I’m not sure why so many have complained about the lack of prompt seating. The waitstaff is very friendly and attentive in my experience (although, I have been there several times so they kinda know me now).
I would highly recommend this place to any breakfast lover.

We decided to check this place out as a potential breakfast contender… My friend ordered the traditional eggs bene and I ordered the chorizo hash. My friend was pissed when the bene came with spinach which she did not think was clearly described on the menu and who wants spinach on a traditional bene which is always ham and egg? My hash seemed ok in flavor but as I dug in I found a beard hair in my food. Yes, a BEARD HAIR!
One thing that I will never understand is the ridiculousness of the Portland beard but what is even more disturbing is to mix this un-​kept, unsanitary fashion statement with the food industry. Why restaurant owners are allowing this is mind boggling.
The waitress took the meal off our tab and said the cook was told to put a hairnet on his beard. :(So sad. We wont be giving this place another go… Too many other places in the area and the cleanliness factor is a major flaw at Blue Pig. The bathroom was appalling.

The only good thing about this place were the mimosas. The waffle was hard and the special Benedict was gross, NOT good at all. The service sucked to. Took forever to get a second cup of coffee

I really want this place to be great. Everything I have ordered has been overdone and overpriced. I’m sure that in some time they will figure it out but I can’t do it anymore.
I did have the special once, a steak and eggs spin, and it was great, and really pricey, but the normal menu stuff isn’t too exciting and still kinda pricey.
Almost every time the place is almost empty but the food still takes an hour and the coffee remains unfilled.

Fourth of July: chances are they were understaffed and got more of a crowd than they planned for – but this was an exceptionally bad experience. IF they were understaffed, they should have told folks coming in «we’re slammed – we can seat you but it will be an hour before you are served» so we’d have the option to visit another time. That didn’t happen and we waited LITERALLY an hour between walking in the door and our food being served to us.
I ordered the smoked salmon hash from the regular menu – it arrived so overcooked and dry that it could have used those over easy eggs I’d ordered… except they served them scrambled. And that biscuit that came with my breakfast… oh right; never came – even after the waitress served my hash and said «I’ll be right back with your biscuit.» She was the low point – never quite crossed the border into outright rudeness, but definitely surly; I’ve lived in PDX 9 months now and had never experienced the shitty service this town sometimes gets credit for; now I know shitty service really does exist – at Blue Pig.
My friend’s salad and sandwich were really quite good, but since it was all served AN HOUR after we arrived, it was impossible for me to appreciate those finer qualities.
Never again.

The Pig won us over a while back. With so many PDX breakfast options, we keep coming back. We’ve tried nearly every dish: the bennies, hashes, bowls, chicken + waffles, cocoa, and cocktails. Always made our mouths happy. Favorites are the Salmon Bennie and any of their awesome hashes. Their «specials» rotation are always clever plays on morning standards. The feel of the place is just plain fun. Bright and colorful. Use of bright+loudlly painted wood window frames and old doors wall-​mounted combined with local art gives a special and homey experience. And because of the fun surroundings and company we hardly ever realize the longer-​than-​normal wait for our foods’ arrival.
In a hurry: don’t come here. Want to spend a morning with friends and family: what are you waiting for!

I have returned to this place many times and have seen it packed and empty. When the place is packed it CAN take awhile to get a table and then longer to get your food. Just expect it. When it is quiet, the food comes quite quickly.
My favorite omelet is the pork verde. Easily one of the most delicious and unique omelets I have ever shoved in my mouth. I always sub fresh fruit for the bread (for a bit more) and the selection is always wonderful.
Also, if you are a breakfast sausage fan, they serve some of the biggest and juiciest links in town. Crisp on the outside and just packed with flavor. Yum!

Had Brunch here on a Sunday morning… must have got there at just the right time because there was no wait at all. Food was very very good and the wait staff was ON IT when it came to coffee. My cup never got more than half empty… my kind of place!
Will absolutely come back on our next foray up to Portland!

I’ve been meaning to update my review after the move to the new spot. Art is now displayed nicely in the new slick space.
But what I really want to tell you is they make some of the best fried chicken in the city. 10 Xs better then brunch places you have to wait in line for hours, only to get «boneless» fried chicken… sacrilege! Great flavor, and moist.
Finding the best fried chicken has been a quest for the last few months for me… I think I found my Holy Grail!

By far my favorite breakfast spot in Portland, thus far. I am constantly trying new breakfast spots and have yet to find one as tasty as this one. The potatoes and THE BEST! The sausage links are HUGE! We went here on a Sunday morning and there was a short wait for a table, but while you wait they have coffee and even cocktails available. This place is a must go for breakfast! Parking is tricky and far and few spots… But oh so worth it.

I really wanted to like Blue Pig Café. I really did. I love breakfast places, and it is so close to my apartment and has a nice atmosphere. But it is just not the best. Both times I’ve been there, we had to wait more than 10 minutes to be seated even though there were tables open. It took a long time for the server to come take our order (which he did very unprofessionally and without being friendly or cheerful) and even longer for the food to come. In Portland, I expect my breakfast to come quickly and be hot. My food and my boyfriend’s food tasted stale and like it had just been heated up under hot lamps. This time, the BF just the saddest, most stale and dry waffle with his chicken and waffles. My scramble was under-​seasoned and over-​cooked and my potatoes were mealy and lukewarm. The coffee was just ok. The only bright spot was my biscuit, which was delicious and warm.
With so many great breakfast places nearby (Jam, Cricket Café, even Cup and Saucer) that have far better, faster service and better food for lower prices, there is just no point to Blue Pig Café. Sorry guys.

Some food just fabulous (egg dishes, french toast) and some not so (the granola is just Quaker cereal, very sweet). Great place but be prepared for a long wait. We’ve been in three times now and had to wait a LONG ass time for food to come.
After I posted this I read the other reviews. I can’t understand how what seem to be really great owners can ignore the consistent complaints about the long wait. There’s just no excuse. It’s eggs for gods sake.
Coffee is good and they keep it coming. They haven’t ironed out the kinks, yet.

Friends and I go out to breakfast once a month, bisecting the city looking for the best value, atmosphere, flavor, and Bloody Mary. For me, the Blue Pig Café hit all those with high marks. In fact, it has surpassed all others and ranks #1 on my list.
Walking in on a Sunday morning we were pleasantly surprised to be seated immediately (I can’t even begin to tell you how many times we waited up to an hour for a table). Add one star.
The place was clean, the staff friendly, the atmosphere not overly loud. Add one star.
It’s become something of a tradition for a couple of us to order a Bloody Mary each time trying to find the best one. Well, this was it! We ordered the Breakfast Mary. Housemade Mary mix combined with bacon infused vodka. It also had a crispy piece of thick cut bacon and half a pickled egg (along with various peppers, onions, and celery) as garnish. Oh, and I can’t forget the smoked bacon salt rim. I understand why they call this the Breakfast Mary. With all the garnishes, you could literally be filled up with this one cocktail. Add one star.
They have both a regular menu and a small menu showcasing the specials for that week. This small menu includes a sweet, a savory, a special benedict, a sandwich and the weekly soup. One of our group ordered the sweet special which was french toast stuffed with blackberry cheesecake and drizzled with blackberry syrup. It was to die for! I saw the Chorizo Hash (Spanish chorizo with marinated peppers, green olive tapenade, caramelized onions, crispy potatoes and Manchego cheese) on the regular menu and knew I just had to have it. When it arrived and the perfectly cooked eggs were nestled on top, I knew I had made the right choice. Deliciouso! Add one star.
The prices were reasonable, especially for the amount of food received. I couldn’t even finish all mine (but that might have had something to do with the Breakfast Mary). Add one star.
The only deduction taken was for the biscuit. Though it was piping hot and brought out with my breakfast, it was slightly undercooked. Minus one star.
All in all a very pleasant dining experience.

I’m a bit surprised by the negative reviews… but with that said, I have never dined here when the place is packed, so I haven’t had to wait in line, wait extended periods for my meal, or any other issues. I have driven by and seen it wall to wall, but usually when we go here it is well before the rush begins.
The breakfast bowl is one of my favorites and at less than $ 5 before 9am… you simply can’t beat it.
The staff is friendly and service has been quick. I wouldn’t say the coffee the greatest, but for Portland Roasting it isn’t bad as someone else suggested. I’ve never been a fan of PR coffee.

Well worth the wait. Creative menu, done right and excellent service. I’ve never left unsatisfied or hungry. In fact I usually find myself eating well beyond when I’m full! I recommend the breakfast Corndogs and the breakfast bowl. Can’t go wrong. Not to mention, they play all the cuts and have adorable weekend servers!
A+

We haven’t been here before but are running out of new breakfast places to try on a weekday that have favorable reviews.
We arrived at the Pig about 11:00 and had no wait time. The space is bright and airy. The initial contact was quick and after pursing the menu we decided on the Special Bennie and Spanish Chorizo Hash.
As noted in other reviews it took a half hour for the food to come out. Upon arriving I noticed the great plate presentation. I moved the plate towards me and it was cold, not room temperature but refrigerator cold. WTH? Hot food on a cold plate is a cardinal no no.
The food was tasty but the spinach was not drained enough before serving and I had a large amount of water at the bottom of the plate. Not a good mix with Hollandaise sauce.
The Spanish Chorizo Hash was good but the potatoes were overcooked and didn’t hold their shape in the hash.
The kicker at the end was finally getting the bill and after waiting long enough and her not coming, I finally had find the server to give the CC to her to run it. Really?
Too bad as I wanted to like it.
P. S. It is on 20^th and Hawthorne and not 50^th and Division as we drove there first.

A little truth-​in-​reviewing first. After having my spirit eroded by several days of rain (likely eight or nine rainy days in a row), I might have approached my meal here yesterday in a bit of a curmudgeonly mood. I’m not sure why I haven’t eaten here before. It might be that the tiny sky blue letters on the sign outside are invisible unless you happen to have on your reading glasses.
Anyway, pull up a chair and let me bend your ear.
I wanted something that seemed like it might be a little bit off the beaten path, so I requested «Grandma’s Chicken Noodles». The menu described this dish as «braised chicken served with homemade egg noodles over mashed potatoes.» Sounds good, even though I didn’t know at the time what «braised» was. Subsequent research indicates that braising is a cooking method where meat is first quickly seared at a high temperature and then cooked in a covered pot with fat or another moisture source for additional time.
To go along with the Grandma’s Chicken Noodles, I requested the «soup of the week» clam and corn chowder. This was a mistake for a couple reasons.
I was puzzled that my chowder didn’t come out right way. Sure enough, right after it arrived, and I had taken exactly one bite, my chicken noodle dish arrived. Grrr. In all fairness, the waiter took the chowder off my check when I remarked about it coming out at the same time as my main dish. Also, his service was good otherwise.
What really needs to be worked on at Blue Pig is presentation. It is sorely lacking. Example: sitting side by side in front of me, the chowder and the noodle dishes looked identical: both were an unappealing pale yellowish-​grayish-​brownish slurry, sprinkled with black pepper.
I thought it was cheap and tacky that the chowder cup did not come with a saucer, with the waiter bringing it out to me like he was palming a basketball. That was one mistake, the other mistake was my own — that I ordered two dishes that were so similar. I should have gone with the miso soup. The chowder had an overabundance of potato, but did have a nice chili-​hot heat.
The egg noodle dish came without any garnishes, it looked just a huge dollop of gravy had been plopped onto a plate. It should have been spruced up with something as simple as a sprig of parsley, but instead, it looked extraordinarily blah the way it was served. Tastewise however, the dish was okay.