Portage Bay Café

I was in Seattle for 3 days and came here twice! The vegan banana pancakes are some of the absolute best I’ve ever had! To make them even better, the generous amounts of fresh and delicious fruit at the toppings bar make Portage Bay stand out among breakfast restaurants!

Food is very good, fresh and organic but service was extremely poor. We waited 30 mins to be seated which would be ok but we were skipped and people that came after us were seated first. We had to ask seveal times for milk, sugar etc. The milk they brought has gone bad. Waited looong time for food that was cold when arrived.

Awesome food, can’t wait to go back. My daughter will love all the fresh organic fruit at the pancake topping bar. The pancakes were very good. There are a couple types and I forgot which ones I had, but very good. Everything else I ordered were excellent. If they try to put you in the back overflow dining room, don’t do it. I felt almost like it was their extra dining/​closet/​storage area. You will miss the electricity of the weekend crowd that exists in the main area. Service was excellent, host was excellent, great coffee.

Great service. Great bloody mary. Amazing food. ¹²⁄₁₀. Come with an empty stomach because the servings are huge.

I give them credit for using quality ingredients. Everything was fresh and wholesome. The service was good, we went on a Sunday and it was very busy but the staff managed the rush very well. The only reason I am not going higher is that the flavors and dishes were just not spectacular. It was good and a solid choice for a breakfast food fan but don’t expect to be blown away by the cuisine. A solid 3.5 star experience.

Long wait for food and the tables way too close together. A weightlifter type with giant muscles ran into me on his way out and glared like it was my fault. Tip to management when you are this crowded don’t just add tables; I didn’t appreciate the constant jostling. Food was OK but getting to the fruit buffet table was such a hassle I didn’t go.

Everything about this place is 5 star, but it is difficult to be seated.
If you know you want to have breakfast or brunch several days in advance, go ahead and make a Unilocal reservation. You’ll get seated right away. Otherwise… you wait. For a while. Or they turn you away because they just can’t accommodate everyone. It’s kind of annoying and it’s the one downside here, but plan ahead and you’ll be happy. There’s a small section that is open seating, but it isn’t really regulated at all, so there are some overzealous types that may be pushy.
The food is amazing. They have this breakfast bar available for certain items on the menu. You take your plate up (pancakes, crepes, etc) and they have almost anything you can think to put on your breakfast food. Seasonal fruit, nuts, maple syrup & whipped cream and more. Take all you want, but don’t be a jerk. You can also just buy a single trip to the breakfast bar without an entrée for about $ 9.
Service is great. It can be difficult to get attention from the hosts, but they always have a lot on their hands to deal with. Once seated, the staff is friendly and helpful.
Overall, one of the best breakfast/​brunch places in Seattle. But a lot of people seem to know that. Make reservations or come early.

This is one of my favorite brunch spots in Seattle! I’ve been twice, and have thoroughly enjoyed myself both times. The first time I had the french toast so I could try out their fruit/​toppings bar; when you order from this portion of the menu, you can load up on as much fresh fruit/​whipped cream/​assorted toppings as you’d like. We also did the mimosa pitcher, which was of course quite tasty and strong, as any good mimosa should be.
The second time I had the traditional breakfast (eggs, toast, potatoes), and it was amazing. They have very generous portions and their service is always excellent.
Be forewarned, though, that they seem to overbook! You absolutely MUST have a reservation here, but even when you do expect to wait an extra 15 – 20 minutes past that. Still, it’s worth it!

Wow large and interesting dining room with open kitchen and for certain items (pancakes, waffles) all the fixings you can pile on. And unbelievably fast service — less than 8′ from order to food. Big portions — great value. Not great espresso or tea drinks — but the basic drip is good. Close to UW and popular with students and families. Sorry forgot to take pics.

I visited Portage Bay (SLU) on 06/​11/​2016. This was my second trip to the restaurant. My initial visit a few months prior was fantastic. While the place was packed, our table was ready within about 10 minutes of our reservation time. The service was good and the food was fantastic. Now the review from my latest trip is why I’m giving this place 1 star.
We arrived 15 minutes early knowing we would need to wait regardless of our reservation time. My wife and I sat next to the hostess area so that we could hear names being called. After 30 minutes we asked if we would be seated soon only to find out they had skipped us. We were told our names were called, we never responded, so they just moved along. That was not the case as we had been right next the hostess area the entire time. After another 10 minute wait we were finally seated. Our server was horrible. He did not pay attention to our drink order (1 mimosa, 2 coffees). He brought the mimosa and a coffee. We had to ask twice to get the 2^nd cup of coffee. Then we wait…
After another 15 minutes we finally got the waiters attention to ask if he could take our food order, to which he responded, «oh I haven’t done that yet?» After finally placing our order and another 10 minutes later, we were informed that a meal we requested (oatmeal) was not available as they were out. Another selection was made and after another 15 minutes our food arrived. The biscuits & gravy was offensive. Hardly any gravy at all and a bottom portion of the biscuit was served without the rest of it. A side of bacon was so burned that just picking up a piece would cause it to disintegrate in your hands.
Oh, I forgot to mention it took us another 10 minutes to get silverware after our food was served & during our wait to be seated the floor manager (and one of the owners I believe) decided to drop «F» bombs on the staff, who looked visible shaken and upset the entire time we were there.
The only positive is that we didn’t pay a single dime (we didn’t eat anything so why should we?). The first visit was spectacular, the second will be our last. With the crowds of people, the horrible service, and ownership openly hostile to it’s workers I won’t patronize this place ever again. The food is good, but there are plenty of other options around town that are just as good if not better, with a much better environment for enjoying brunch.

***gluten free review***
It was a long wait– even with reservations so I suggest getting one!
However if you are a Celiac like me, the French toast was worth the wait. And the pepper bacon… Yum yum! I would wait again to try something new but I’ll have a snack before I go :)

UPDATE: They now take reservations! Maximize time and efficiency and by using the reservation button on Unilocal or by calling in.
The food still rocks \m/​. Good stuff John!

This is the spot for breakfast in Seattle! I love the banana french toast. Not only the French toast itself was amazingly delicious, but there’s a bar full of fresh berries and wiped cream you can add as toppings with no extra charge! The hubby had the Joe’s scramble with chicken sausages and salad. It was quite delicious as well. The food quality here is second to none and the coffee was really good as well. We’re definitely coming back here if we’re visiting Seattle again! Good jobs guys, keep up the good work and please open one in Los Angeles soon.

Awful food, service is slow…
No idea why this place is full of ppl
BTW, there is no cellphone signals inside.
I won’t come again.

Location was great. Safe and clean. The restaurant itself was nice. Was super busy but we got seated pretty fast. Can’t say that about our food though. It took our food 30 minutes and not only did they take long the waitress (who was not so patient and friendly) forgot one order.
Food was pretty good and fresh.

This place is solid, but a little over hyped. There’s a long wait for service even on a non-​busy weekday.
On our last visit we ordered the Swedish pancakes (really good! Light and flavorful), a regular pancake (pretty fluffy, but honestly IHOP is better), and French toast (a little dry). Of course we loaded them up with tons of fresh fruit and whipped cream! Treat yourself!
The best thing here is the breakfast bar, but when it comes down to it it’s just fruit and cream. I would only go if the line happens to be short.

I always hit up one of the Portage Bay locations whenever I visit Seattle. This time the staff was exceptional. Food was filling and that’s all I could really ask for.
Got the swedish pancakes with UNLIMITED fruit topping!!! So satisfying.
Husband got the migas and was very satisfied with the food.
Also got the grapefruit mimosa which had a great citrus backing to the champagne.

I’ve always passed by Portage Bay Café and have heard many good things about this place — finally got to try it for our anniversary breakfast.
It was just «eh» for me.
I think we ordered the «wrong» thing — my husband ordered a salmon hash and I ordered the corned beef hash. It was «eh» because of a pricey breakfast, I had expected more. It was a jumble of veggies and potatoes and your choice of meat. Didn’t taste like it had enough seasoning. The bread that it came with was good, though. Overall, it seemed like something untrained like me can put together in my home kitchen. Not what I expect paying $$ for.
I am not completely crossing off Portage Bay Café on my list though. I’ve heard good things about their breakfast bar — next time, I’ll try that. I don’t recommend getting the hash, as per my note above.

The worst.
Food is average at BEST.
Experience was awful, reservations mean nothing.
We made a reservation for 2 the day before and received confirmations and reminders by email and text. We arrived to check in and they couldn’t find my name in the system. Hostess kindly added me to the list anyway. She said they were running 10 – 15 minutes behind – fine with us. NOPE – turned into a 40 – 50 minute wait. We quickly ordered our food, which took another 30 – 40 minutes to arrive. I ordered a skillet off their daily specials menu… BURNT. And severely dried. The parts of the pork were so burned that it tasted like I was chewing plastic jerky (hey I tried, but couldn’t bring myself to finish). The dish was so dry that I tried to use some ketchup… Turns out ketchup tasted better than anything else in that skillet. The benedict my friend ordered was average, hardly any hollandaise sauce.
Never again.

The food was pretty good however the server was so rude. She wasn’t even busy, there was barely anyone in the entire place. It was so obvious that she hated her job and life itself. I’m not sure if I’ll go back or not, there are so many other places to eat.

Not as great as I expected, but still good.
[WAIT TIME]
MAKE A RESERVATION! When I arrived the wait time was about an hour, so my friend and I decided to wait by the bar area for some spots to open up. The bar is first come first serve, so if you don’t make a reservation, try your luck there.
[SERVICE]
Raquel was a great server, she was in charge of the bar area and to-​go orders. It was amazing how she managed to attend to all of her areas so well and with a smile on her face.
[FOOD]
I ordered the regular eggs Benedict and was disappointed to find that the eggs were poached a little too long. The pork under my eggs didn’t have much flavor to it either, so I was a little disappointed in my plate. My friend’s corn beef hash was good and it was a huge portion.
We saw the pancake/​waffle bar of whipped cream and fresh fruit, and I wish tried some pancakes or French toast instead of what I ordered.

We didn’t make a reservation and opted to sit at the bar which is first come first serve. And a line forms. We waited about 20 mins and grabbed a seat. But I recommend making a reservation.
It’s Sunday so of course I ordered a mimosa. My friend ordered coffee and the hash and eggs and toast.
I ordered the bananas fosters French toast and maple sausage. I’m glad I skipped ordering eggs. The service is quick and they were slammed.
I took my plate to the topping bar and added whipped crème and fruit.
Such a large portion and the price is reasonable for all that you get. Great service as well. And enough room at the bar so you don’t bump elbows with your neighbor.
The wait as usual is worth it.

I really have never understood the hype about this place… I’ve tried it multiple times, and every time I am disappointed. The service is ok, it’s not terrible, but not great either. They usually appear pretty indifferent about their customers. I’ve been left alone at my table for about a half hour one time. I understand, I was there pretty early and still waiting on the rest of my party, but I would think that the waiter/​waitress would come by to at least see if I wanted a drink while I waited. Nope.
One of my gfs raves about their toppings bar… Ugh… It’s really just a bunch of fruit (most of them look like the frozen stuff that had been defrosted) and some cool whip? Nothing that I would look at and say, «damn, that’s definitely worth the $ 12−15». Their pancakes and french toast are like any other places as well.
So this morning I decided to try the migas. Scrambled eggs, salsa, some cheese, yadda yadda, thrown in a grilled tortilla and topped with guac. I added some chile verde pork (or beef, can’t remember :-p) and subbed my potatoes for fruit. Sounds delicious right? Not really. They weren’t generous with the meat, and the whole thing was just over all bland. Thank gawd there was cheese or else I would have drowned the entire thing in hot sauce. Plus, with all my substitutions and add ons, my one dish came out to about $ 20. At least the fruit plate looked pretty. My Bloody Mary was pretty lame as well. It was watery and overly tart. I sucked it down just cause I don’t waste alcohol or money ($ 8), but mainly alcohol.
I mean come on! It’s Seattle! There are a million different brunch spots that are waaaay better than this place. It kills me a little inside that so many people still consider this place as, «they’re go to brunch spot» (insert Jimmy Fallon eww!).
I’m pretty sure lots of my friends will be mad at me for writing such a review on their beloved brunch spot. But I’m a forgiving person and I’ve given this place at least 5 second chances (almost as many as my ex!). But unfortunately, I’m finally breaking up with you portage bay. Wamp wamp.

These people make their French toast out of challah, and slice it almost as thick as it is wide-​French toast is never gonna get any better than this, folks! It’s a total feast of sweet deliciousness. They also have a «breakfast bar» where you can dress your waffles, French toast, what have you, with delectables like fresh and frozen fruit, whipped cream, granola, all the syrups you can think of. The menu also offers an array of savories like eggs, bacon, omelets, benedictions, and huge salads, sammies, for those looking for a lower (ish) carb experience.
Recently swung by here early morn and noticed that the line forms before they even open at 7:30am (you got all the office space-​ers squeezing in breakfast or an early morning meeting) so plan ahead to wait to be seated, to order, and be served, even at opening hour (at least during the week). Acoustics are a bit echo-​y so not the best place to have a serious meeting or anything, but the joint overall has great energy and is a fun place to go for a casual brunch or lunch.
Must admit, the coffee is… not good – skip it and hit up a joint in close proximity before or after your meal. Service is also a bit slow, perhaps they’ve just been short-​staffed the times I’ve been there, but regardless, plan to be there a while. You can use that time to savor the toppings bar!

Still a great place for breakfast though I have never been wild about the interior ambiance slightly icky. A very cold sterile environment that is cafeteria like. If your going to have surgery this is a good place to go for a delightful breakfast.
Today I enjoyed vegan banana pancakes, joes scramble (eggs, mushrooms, spinach and cheese, potatoes and wheat toast. Note: the food was warm not hot. Everything tasted good but you can tell that the potatoes were in a holding oven so they don’t come out as fresh as they could.
This is a great place for groups and people you don’t know very well it invites conversation. It is very loud due to the all cement interior so you never feel alone. Not too good for date night unless you want to to loose your date and escape into the crowd if it doesn’t go well.

I went with my husband for saturday’s breakfast, we had reservation so we didn’t wait long. It was crowded and noisy but we were sitting at the window near the bar, so it was ok. We ordered the Phil’s breakfast and the famous classic pancakes. Everything was delicious, you should try the toppings bar, the whipping cream is definitely a must. Our waitress was very kind and efficient although the number of tables she was attending. In general it was a good meal, something worth of trying even once.