Capers Café et Le Bar

Just finished a breakfast burrito. I should have offered it to one of the TSA bomb sniffing dogs first. Even they would have just walked past it. It was that bad. Nothing but a burrito filled with boiled potatoes. Egg (and I do mean egg, not eggs plural) was sparse. Oh, and the coffee. If you get a small, bring forceps. The small coffee is too small to pick up with your fingers. I am now looking forward to eating/​drinking on Southwest. y

When you’re at the airport at 7:00 in the morning wine may not really be an option; but being this is a wine bar at heart, let your conscience be your guide. Besides, this was the end of our trip and a few days in Portland had me in full detox mode.
Now that said, they do serve breakfast. Is is the best breakfast I’ve ever had? No… not by a long shot. Is it the worst breakfast I’ve ever had? No to that too.
My daughter and I both ordered the breakfast burrito. I asked for mine without peppers and onions and was told it was premade and they could not take them out. I don’t believe the burritos are premade, maybe just the filling. In hindsight the filling had a strange texture… and eggs were not part of the texture equation. It had obviously spent some time on the flat top, which I appreciated. It came with sour cream a couple of packets of Taco Bell like salsa.
Other daughter and wife both got the eggs with potatoes and toast. For about the third or fourth time this trip, I was wishing I had ordered what someone else got. Scrambled eggs looked fluffy and wife said the potatoes were good.
What was nice were the soothing sounds of the marimba player about 20 yards away. Trying to guess the songs he was playing was a good way to pass the time as we waited for our food and then ate. As airport grub goes, there are far worse options.

One of the plusses about Portland Airport is that its concessions have to offer the same pricing schedule in the airport as their off-​airport locations (if they have any). Not sure if Capers has a off-​airport spot, but the prices seem overpriced anyway for the food quality received.
The sandwich I ordered — Grilled Pastrami on Rye — while tasty, wasn’t anything unforgettable — and definitely not worth the $ 10.50 (Oregon has no sales tax) price tag it came with. The pastrami was juicy and flavorful, and there were several layers of it — right amount of mayo, mustard and pickles. It came with a bag of Tim’s potato chips — hard though, not crispy.
The restaurant has other offerings too like premade deli salads, pasta, smoked salmon dishes and there is even a wine bar.
Seating area is ample — directly adjacent to the restaurant and between Capers and Starbucks. Prime people-​watching seating overlooking the bustling TSA security area.

Capers wine bar is very singles friendly. Always a plus ! Al the bartender was knowledgable and kind (took my pic when he saw I was struggling with a selfie tying to get everything in .) I had a glass of Stone Cap Merlot from Washington. (Hints of cherry and chocolate)
Oh did I mention they have $ 5.00 mimosas all DAY !

If I had gone with my gut and checked further down the terminal, I would have seen that there were far better places to eat in this airport. Unfortunately my stomach got the better of me, and I ended up eating at Capers. I spent $ 15 on a chicken Caesar salad and water, and I’m disappointed to say that it was the sadest salad I think I have ever had. It’s not easy to screw up a Caesar salad, but they were successful. Hardly any dressing, sad wilted lettuce, and dry chicken. The only redeeming thing was the two lemon wedges and the croutons. Unfortunate, because the guy at the counter was really nice. Do yourself a favor and avoid if you can, it’ll probably be an expensive disappointment.

Not much of a choice here except Starbucks and a beer joint down terminal C. Even if you’re anti-​Starbucks, definitely go there if you want coffee because the coffee here is awful, especially the cappuccino.
I got a cheese bagel with cream cheese and they were very skimpy on the cream cheese. I wish they just gave it on the side so you could spread it yourself. There were a couple bagel flavor choices and the bagel itself was decent.
The breakfast burrito was decent with salad and sour cream on the side.
Orange juice comes in a bottle and is a local brand Columbia Gorge organic with tangerine juice.
Overall ok but not great. Again, not a lot of options.

Great clam chowder, probably one of the best I had and I have had lots! Lots of bacon and clams, it’s has a sweet cream taste and potatoes were just right. The staff was nice and even gave me a sample. Will stop in away. Was a nice surprise.

The service was great food and drinks good I had a Mexican coffee and small ravioli salad. They didn’t have the first two items tried to order so maybe the list of 8 – 10 salads is a lot and they can’t offer them all constantly but it was disappointing to hear they didn’t have other things my neighbor in the table next to me tried to order. Still 4 stars bc service was great and location with live guitarist was good and my drink was strong yum.

$ 5 mimosas and a cute little café with friendly staff. What more could you ask for especially at an airport :-) Highly recommend. Grilled cheese with tomatoes and creamy veggie soup were delish!

Very mediocre breakfast today. Over medium eggs were barely cooked; crisp bacon was limp; fresh croissant was chewy tough from the microwave!

The worst roast beef sandwich I ever had.
Dry & bland roast beef cooked super well done. one step away from being beef jerky.

Waiting for a connecting flight, decided to stop by the bar for a local beer and sandwich. I’m having the Awesome IRA beer, 22oz (duh!) and the grilled pastrami sandwich on dark rye. I’d take a picture, but I ate. Oops.
I highly recommend both. Sit at the bar, there’s a nice TV with sports on and a great view of the planes taking off and landing. This is just a solid spot to grab a bite to eat, kill some time and not feel like you had «airport food».

Honestly, curiousity and hunger can either be a dangerous or delightful combo. In this case, it was sad mediocre experience. Ordered the following:
Lamb Meatball Special #1 $ 10.75
Coconut crusted chicken with ginger rice Special #1 $ 10.75
I’ve got to say the food was much better than plane food, but I guess I expected more flavors which weren’t delivered. However, there is a large selection of items to choose from. Maybe would try a different dish next time. maybe. On a positive note, I enjoyed the placement of this eatery at the center of the airport, listening to a live pianist, as the sun streamed in through the floor-​to-​ceiling glass windows. Nice ambiance.

I was really impressed with this little restaurant in the middle of the Portland airport. We had breakfast here at 4:45 am and the waitress was upbeat and nice to us. That’s amazing in itself. In addition, they had a large variety of breakfast options and they were excellent. Good oatmeal, good bacon, good omelettes. I’m grateful. Anyone who would get up before 4:45 am to prepare and serve breakfast to my family deserves a thumbs up.

I bought a sandwich and it was at least a week old. I also got a pizza and it was pure dough and salty cheese which together came out to be $ 40+. So expensive for cheap and nasty food. Dont go here lol

I often stop by here for a grab and go lunch after getting off the plane from Seattle. The pre-​made Cobb said is very good and I can grab one and get on the road in a minimum amount of time. Dine in is good too if you have a little time between flights. Soups, salads, sandwiches are all good and the Mediterranean plate with picas, hummus, olives and cheese was a nice light meal. It’s easy to find, right in the middle of the terminal, so give it a try.

My flight was on Alaska airlines, and this café is situated near Starbucks and across from security right in the middle of gates A, B, and C. I had two hours to burn, and I was a) starving and b) in desperate need of a beer. This place has a large wine bar, but I wanted beer.
Now, I know the Laurelhurst Brewery is down by the A gates, but that restaurant is tucked away in a cubby right next to 10 gates — it was dark and crowded back there. The café’s area is open, with huge windows, tons of seating, and usually someone playing contemporary piano by the Starbucks. A good place to zone out, relax, and eat in peace. They also have a TV that they keep on mute with subtitles, on which they were showing the Thursday Night NFL Football game.
They had a nice selection of local and seasonal beers, mostly IPAs and some ales. I asked about french fries, but the server informed me they don’t have a fryer. So, don’t expect fried food here. Sandwiches, salads, pasta, breakfast items, and pastries were on the menu. They had one burger and offered a daily special.
I ordered a corona and the hummus and pita plate. The food was surprisingly good for airport food — and they gave me a lot of it. The pickled veggies were nicely briney and full of crunch. The hummus was well seasoned and creamy, and the pita was soft but not doughy. The prosciutto and salami paired well with the other items. It was a good (and large) plate of food.
Service was prompt, and the server was conscientious of my flight time, so she made sure I had my food, drinks, and bill in a timely manner that didn’t feel rushed at all. She didn’t even flinch when I said I needed to pay for my drinks on a separate tab.
It was a nice, relaxing airport meal, and I would definitely stop in here again should I find myself in this part of the airport.

We ordered the salad sampler. The portions were very filling and the variety of salads great. The salads were delicious. Val was a great server.

Capers has always been a good experience at PDX. It is a much better experience than most airports. The food is good quality and always with a lot of variety. The eating area is very open with lots of options to people watch or look out of the large window that overlooks the airport operations. Traveling through PDX travelers are often treated by quality performers in spacious area adjacent the eating area.

On a layover in Portland I had time to kill so I came here because it was close to my gate. What a pleasnat surprise. I got my usual, greygoose on the rocks, then decided to grab a bite. I ordered the lox bagel.
What came out was this amazing plate with a freshly toasted bagel with soft cream cheese, sliced tomatoes and onions, a small side bowl with dill pickle slices and another small bowl with capers, and of course the lox. I’d say this was the best lox bagel I’ve ever had.
My only gripe was the lack of charging outlets. But other than that, I really advise travleres to stop in.

Perfect. I ordered coffee and a bagel with lox. (There were four varieties of bagels to choose from-​I got plain.) Hot coffee came immediately and a perfectly toasted bagel ate was not far behind. Server Amber noticed right away that the cream cheese was a bit lacking and quickly brought me some more. I would most definitely stop in again.

I recently stopped at a capers to pick up a sandwich for a long flight. I ordered a roast beef on sourdough. While expensive, it wasn’t insane based on your average airport costs but seemed like a good buy.
The staff were very friendly and even though it was quite early on a Sunday morning, were perky and upbeat. The person who helped me behind the counter was quite accommodating since the sandwich menu had ‘styled’ sandwiches and less of a deli atmosphere.
The sandwich, however, was not good. The sourdough bread was not real sourdough, it was that fluffy white bread that has a bit of a tang to it. I wanted sourdough for two reasons, (a) because I like it and (b) it’s durable. The sandwich turned to much pretty mush and was inedible since I didn’t eat it right away.
The sandwich came with chips which were nice as a snack.
The restaurant itself was very clean and I would have liked to have ordered something more in line with breakfast, I just did not have the time.
I would not go back again unless I found myself in a situation where I had time for a leisurely breakfast.

Was here yesterday for a quick bite and a couple of mimosas. Second mimosa came in a larger glass which I was very happy about. I asked our server if the bagels were prepared New York style and you won’t believe the response I received. «We’re not in New York, so no it’s not New York style.» Couldn’t have been more sarcastic and rude. She had many chances to give me my change. After I paid for the bill, I asked for water in a to-​go cup and she brought that out without my change. There’s no way I would’ve tipped this person 33%. Sorry not sorry. She wasn’t attentive. The bagel was bland. Friend ordered a veggie sandwich and she didn’t like it. It wasn’t filled with veggies. It had one piece of lettuce. Even when the service isn’t good I tip at least 15% and that’s all I would’ve given her.

Suzie Q’s Fun Facts:
Capers (the bud/​fruit of the «capparis spinosa,» or caper bush) get their Intense flavor from the mustard oil (glucocapparin) that is released from each caper bud during the pickling process.
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Sometimes you choose a restaurant for the food. At other times, you choose a restaurant because… it’s there. Location, location, location.
Capers Café at PDX occupies prime real estate at the airport, sitting at the hub of the various gates. The floor-​to-​ceiling windows ensure that lots of light comes in while you eat, and on both occasions that I’ve been there in the past year, a nearby volunteer pianist has performed lite-​FM hits (very pleasant, indeed.) Tip him or her, please!
How’s the food? It’s almost beside the point.
I last ate there for breakfast. I was waiting in line at the counter when a waitress pulled me out of the line, guiding me to her station at a table (I guess she was hurting for business).
I ordered a breakfast burrito. While it tasted fine, I thought it was odd for a sit-​down restaurant that the burrito came only with packets of sour cream and salsa — not the more civilized little plastic or ceramic cups of condiments that one would expect to see at, say, a Denny’s.
I do like that you can order a variety of relatively freshly-​made deli foods to go. It’s nice to have food options beyond fast food or Starbucks.

I had a delicious beer here — I wasn’t even travelling anywhere.
The beer I was looking for is a very rare fresh hop — 3 Creeks Cone Lick’r Pale. It was so juicy I wanted another. 4.5% ABV.
This is a limited beer and Caper’s had it on draft. Service was sufficient. She didn’t bring me the water I asked for. No biggie. Golf on TV and overhearing a cute couple converse. $ 4.75/pint. Not outrageous.

Not worth the wait. And wait I did. Until I got up and left.
Simply put, eaten here many times. … and its not worth the wait. This is an airport… That means hurry up… People gots to go!

Five dollar mimosas? Ummm… SOLD!
The food is okay. On the less expensive side for airport eats, at least the sandwich I had was.
The service at the little bar area was really pleasant. The bar area was clean. They brought the food right to me, so I didn’t have to wait in a line.
As long as the drinks are on sale, I will totally stop by here again.

MEH airport food doesn’t have to continue to suck, but here it does
we all went w/​a salad to start the detox from our gluttonous portland trip
—mushroom cream soup: unmemorable
—chicken caesar salad: the chicken breast was dry & they used the same chicken in all of our salads… really a mediocre caesar. although it seems like they make their croutons in house
I guess at the airport you just don’t have much of a selection