Batter Griddle and Drinkery
4425 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR, 97213
Batter Griddle and Drinkery Menu
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Address :
4425 NE Fremont St
Portland, OR, 97213 - Phone (971) 271-8784
- Website https://www.batterpdx.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Joe M.
Batter, brunch, bing bang boom!!!! I got summoned for a gathering so I ate light the night before. One of my friends whom I volunteer at the Hollywood raved how much her family enjoys Batter. I took her word for it so when I was asked if it worth checking out, it was a confident yes. When I arrived, one of my friends had us on the list and waited no more than 5 minutes for a table of 6. The server answered all the questions we had without a flinch and water/coffee. Most of us were eying on the Asian chicken and waffle combo. We did think for a second about ordering different dishes but we really wanted chicken and waffles. As we caught up with our lives and enjoying the company, the hot plates of goodness arrived. We passed around samples of the different dishes we ordered and feasting time began. The Asian style chicken with ginger waffle is a very generous portion that could feed 2 people if sharing is an option. With a simple butter knife, the chicken could be cut at ease. The fluffy ginger waffle had a nice tang bite. The sauce gave the entire dish a nice heat with just the right dab on the plate A side of the sauce comes with it too along with a orange slice to finish the meal. For the reasonable prices of all the dishes, I will be certainly returning. I might even have a birthday brunch here too. We never felt rushed and I savored my plate. I took some home so I wouldn't feel too full - the leftovers still tasted great!
(5)Bryan I.
Our group went for brunch at noon so as to avoid the infamous morning rush and long line, and came away thoroughly impressed. We waited less than 10 minutes for a group of 6, found the service faultless, the prices fair, and the food DELICIOUS! The clear winner was the asian fried chicken on a waffle: 2 lightly breaded and fried chicken breasts (ultra plump and juicy) atop one of the lightest, fluffiest waffles I've ever had, with a side of garlic chili sauce. It was more than enough for one person and only 11 bucks. Very similar quality to the infamous Screen Door but slightly smaller portion/cost. I also got to sample a modified Cumberbatch (pork belly & bacon WAFFLE with egg and Hollandaise sauce) and the pulled pork waffle, both of which were very decent as well. I'll definitely be back to try their original country style fried chicken & waffles!
(5)Joel D.
I was greeted for breakfast by friendly and enthusiastic staff. While the drink menu was a bit complicated with choices, the waiter graciously explained it and offered suggestions. I had the Marion berry orange mimosa - a great way to start a lazy Sunday morning. I ordered the Country Fried Chicken and Waffle with Balsamic Maple syrup. It arrived quickly. The chicken was crispy on the outside and moist inside. The waffle has that perfect crisp exterior and fluffy interior (that I constantly attempt to achieve at home, but somehow just miss). But that Balsamic Maple syrup - OMG - unexpectedly those two flavors were made for each other! My only complaint, was it was still a bit cool and breezy outside to leave the big doors open. I'm sure an hour later it was great, but quite a few of the other patrons had not brought jackets and were shivering. But, I will be back for the food (with my jacket).
(5)Hannah L.
I read about this new restaurant on the Eater PDX and was intrigued by the menu. All the dishes sounded so good, who doesn't love pancakes and waffles all day! I went there a couple weeks after they opened and had a great experience. I ordered the full Monty pancake with pork belly, cheese and bacon inside with a raspberry sauce to pour over and it was heavenly! It was 3 huge pancakes for $9, the prices and portions were very worth it. My friend had the mac and cheese crepes and I tried some and it was very good as well. I can't wait to come back and try some of the other dishes. I would recommend to anyone who love breakfast food to try this place!
(5)Rachael M.
I'm writing this review as we're leaving the restaurant- our breakfast was just so delicious I couldn't wait! Here's what was so awesome: 1. No wait on Sunday morning. That is an anomaly in this town, and usually why I try to avoid Sunday brunch. 2. We were greeted immediately by an incredibly friendly waiter, who was attentive and helpful. 3. We each ordered a mimosa, which were delicious, huge, and only $5!! 4. Our waiter took our order, and it was out so quickly! (While I like getting my food quickly when I'm hungry, I also like to enjoy the company of the person I'm out with a bit longer. Getting food so fast made our trip out only about 30 minutes total. That is my only real criticism, and it's SUPER minor.) 5. The food is AMAZING. my husband's waffle was cooked to perfection, and my banana pancakes were soft, fluffy and perfectly sweet. Plus, buttermilk syrup is the best. I didn't even use maple syrup. The buttermilk was better. Unbelievably delicious!! We will be back. A lot.
(5)Kira M.
Try this place, just TRY IT. Go in knowing you're going to indulge and you surely won't be disappointed. This is not a place for those wanting to eat healthy. I only spotted a couple choices that appeared to resemble some aspects of healthy foods, but you don't go into a Place known for their sweet and savory waffles and order vegetable crepes, you just don't. I got the wakey wakey eggs and bakey and my mouth dropped when I had my first bite. Bacon bits cooked inside a soft, melt in your mouth waffle, topped with medium eggs and buttermilk maple syrup to top! It's as good as it sounds, and if you're not a waffle fan now well, you will be after this place. My boyfriend ordered the chicken and waffles and still preferred the spicy/sweet chicken and waffles over at Miss Delta, but that's just a spice preference. The service was fast once we were spotted outside. It definitely is busy so patience is a must. But worth the wait when waffles are calling your name!
(4)Pete H.
Go here. Order the chicken and waffles. It's very good. Friendly and clean. We'd definitely return. ***Only down side is we visited on a hot (90+ degrees) day. They've got the doors and windows all open, so the eating experience was a hot one. Very hot. Would FAR prefer a climate controlled setting in which to eat. I really hate to ding them for this, but feel it is fair if we've got to take weather into account when making a restaurant decision. I would just not want to return here when it is hot outside.
(3)Jamie R.
So I am the Yelper in the family, my husband occasionally uses the app on his phone but it's not really his thing. So imagine my surprise when recently visiting Portland that he said he had found a breakfast spot for us. I was like "whaaa?" and slightly suspicious, I mean I am the Yelper and the researcher of all things delicious! When I heard it involved pancakes and waffles I wasn't surprised, as he is quite the porker when it comes to such things. I wasn't feelin it but I had to give the man a chance, it was his first Yelp find! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! I try chick n waff anytime I see it on a menu. Sometimes I am happy, sometimes not so much, and never have I been blown away, well not until Batter Griddle! The chicken is perfect! Boneless, crispy, succulent, but not too greasy. It kind of made me drool, especially when dipped in some syrup and ate with a bite of crispy sweet waffle. The pancake porker ordered the Elvis and the mac n cheese crepes. The Elvis was good but way to banana and sweet for me to ever eat all of. The mac n cheese crepes were awesome, but not so good left over FYI. A part of the title is "Drinkery", they live up to that name, they had beer on tap and some amazing bloody marys. Try the Pineapple Habanero and the Breakfast one, you get little pancakes with it! Service was friendly and great, slightly scattered but good anyway. Another Portland location that I wish I had at home.
(5)Derek B.
Great tap beer options, Asian chicken waffle and mu shu crepes were mouthwatering! Very fresh menu with an awesome atmosphere. True Portland style goodness. Gracious service.
(5)Ben B.
Had an awesome breakfast here this morning. I was craving just a simple, really good waffle and this place completely delivered. Probably one of the best Belgian waffles I've ever had. The buttermilk maple syrup is amazing as well. We also enjoyed a couple mimosas (served in pint glasses) for $5 each. Great place and wasn't even crowded on Sunday morning, we'll be back!
(5)Jana C.
I stopped by one early morning during the mid-week and was happy to discover something very newly opened (think like a few days before I arrived?) Menu is out, people were trickling in....large airy space with tall ceilings. North side of NE Fremont, just west of PIps. Batter serves up extremely unique pancake and waffle derivatives Full bar in tow as well!
(3)Dan S.
tl;dr -- food's great, but service is inexcusably bad when it's busy. My first time at Batter was opening morning, and it was chaos, overcrowding and delayed food, and yet I had a good time. Who wouldn't forgive opening morning problems? Plus they comped us all our food and only charged us for the pint mimosas, which were robust and lasted a long time. I was very eager to return. My second time at Batter, almost 5 months later, bore a strong resemblance to my first time there (chaos, delayed food), but this time I wasn't given any incentive to be forgiving. It was busy, but not all tables were filled. All the servers seemed cranky and overworked, not just when we arrived, but throughout our hour-plus stay. We waited 15+ minutes to place our order (and then only because I corralled the hostess to get us someone to help us). We finally got coffee as we waited for the food. The wait was long. Then, once our cups were empty and we were waiting for a refill, something amazing happened. With his back to us, a server placed a coffee pot on our table, did something to a neighboring customer's table, then picked up the pot from our table and poured them some coffee. Then he poured coffee for every table around us and vanished before I could get his attention. I might have been too stunned to speak up in a timely fashion, I admit. I failed time and time again to signal to the wait staff for more coffee or indeed attention of any kind. Nobody seemed at all interested in putting coffee on our table unless it was for other customers. The mimosas had changed on my second visit -- they were $5 and billed as "pint-sized". The ambiguity of this term served Batter well, because they came in pint glasses... filled with ice. I could barely detect the addition of champagne to the perhaps 3 ounces of liquid in the drink. Mimosas should be served up, not over. I appreciated that our server comped us our coffees, and the food was undeniably good. But the service was really bad, free coffee notwithstanding. Not planning to return -- there are plenty of good breakfast places in Portland that can handle good service when it's busy.
(2)Anna L.
love the concept of the restaurant and the food was to die for! our pancakes were some of the best I've ever had. I had the "pecan do it" and it was soooo good! there's a lot of openness and freedom in the restaurant. we were able to seat ourselves and the bathrooms are gender neutral. the aesthetic and the food are outstanding!
(5)Joe M.
The food is great, the service is subpar. I had the chicken and waffles. To my surprise the chicken was boneless (more meat!) and the butter syrup has a nice flavor. Unfortunately after 15 minutes of being seated we were still waiting for drip coffee. I was met rather rudely when I asked if we could be served, though they did oblige. How we the server never did stop by to ask how our meal was, or refill our coffee.
(3)Pearl P.
The food is the only good thing here. The wait was an hour and 15 min when we checked in at 1130 the hostess said 30 min wait. The hostess didn't seat people in order of arrival and therefore my party of 2 was skipped 4 times for larger parties that arrived significantly later. After we finally got seated we finally got to order after other groups seated after us ordered because we couldn't figure out who our wait person was. One time deal and never again. You can get better service with the same food somewhere else.
(2)Carol T.
Have seen this place packed so decided to take my bpyfriends daughter and friend for her birthday breakfast. Food was alright I had chicken and waffles. The chicken was barely seasoned although the waffle was fluffy. The mocha pancake the friend had tastef like it was made from pure bitter chocolate. The mac n cheese crepe was mushy. The bartender needs trained on making coffee drinks. The wait staff didnt work efficiently and at times seemed surly. Peobably wont eat here again
(3)Jeanne S.
Yum! Good service, great food, really decent prices. I ordered the "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey" and was not disappointed. The waffle was crisp and chock full of salty meaty bacon bits and the syrup added a lovely sweet flavor layer. All this yumminess backed up by Sinatra crooning in the background. Great way to start a 3 day weekend. I'll be back.
(5)Andrew A.
They opened today after months of delays. As expected, a complete madhouse. After 40 minutes, not one of the 35+ customers had any food. Paper signs for menus, business feels very chaotic and unprepared. Coffee served in a togo cup was meh. One of the worst cappuccino's (see photo) I've had. And when you order Red Velvet pancakes what is your minimal expectation? I'm going on a limb here, but I expect them to be Red (like the popular cake), but nope. that said....the country fried chicken was delicious as were the pancakes with chocolate. The waffle, bacon and sausage were average. General lessons for all restaurants 1. No more going to grand opening day (or week) 2. Order non-mainstream items $1 waffle add-on is great value. I hope this place is a winner, it seems like a good fit for our neighborhood. It's always a little perplexing why owners don't prepare better for grand openings.
(3)Beth O.
Now comes the hard part... Do you write the rave review this place deserves and spill the beans about one of the most awesome breakfast places in town that, because it's new, also has zero line at noon on a Saturday or do you keep it to yourself and hope that it'll remain a secret for just a little bit longer before the inevitable hour wait happens because this place is complete awesomeness? Will it become so popular that they'll have to cut back on the enormous portions? Or perhaps they'll have to start skimping on the top notch ingredients that create delightful explosions of well conceived flavor in your mouth. I think I'll just leave you to ponder those on your own, but check out the photos from our trip there today, including the charming interior (minus those god awful metal chairs that are the most uncomfortable thing ever created) and the whole bird sized chicken waffle my friend ordered. Also noteworthy, the service is peppy, friendly and attentive.
(5)Josh W.
Highly recommended!! Everything our group ordered was delicious. The chicken and waffles was amazing. The waffle wasn't too sweet & and had a perfect texture. It was delicately crisp on the outside and wonderfully light and fluffy inside. The breading on the chicken was seasoned perfectly with that hint of something familiar you just can't put your finger on. But it was the balsamic syrup that sealed the deal, just the perfect balance of sweet and savory (with hints of vanilla) tying the whole dish together. The other star of the table was the Applicious (I might have the name wrong) it's the German style pancake with apples. It takes 20-30 minutes but I can tell you that the smell alone is worth the wait. The taste & texture was dreamy and will not leave you disappointed. If you're hesitant about the wait and anxious your hanger will get out of control, order a side of their thick cut bacon cooked to perfection to tide you over.
(5)Joni W.
Yikes, this place still has a lot to figure out. Pros: --friendly staff --cute interior --good cornmeal waffles --good buttermilk syrup --Oregon chai instead of gross Dragonfly chai Cons: --super smoky interior from the griddles, poor ventilation --soggy waffles I'll be back in 6 months to see if anything's improved.
(3)Nicole O.
There's nothing quite like being so excited to try a place and being disappointed before even sitting down with the poor service. Upon arriving at Batter around noon, we were told there would be a 25 minute wait. No problem, the place looked PACKED (good sign) and I wanted to get my hands on some chicken & waffles, so it wasn't a big deal. We had my 5 year old with us, and he was ecstatic for the Fluffernutter, seeing as we're from New England and that's a 'thing' there, which we can't find here. The smells coming from inside were making our mouths water and we figured we just had a few minutes to be seated (much faster than the 25 minutes quoted; HOORAY!) since the couple of parties before us were now seated. What happened next is what tainted our experience with Batter and lead to us not only not eating there but probably never returning: Not 1, not 2 but FOUR groups were called to be seated after us. After the second, I went to the "hostess" (don't know if that's her actual title, or what her name is) and inquired. She replied 'oh, I believe that table is yours, they're just getting napkins & stuff' while pointing to the lone empty table. I went back outside to my son & boyfriend and waited. And then watched while an additional 2 groups were seated. (I'd like to note here that the groups were of 2, 3, 3 & 4, so it's not like I'm saying a group of 6 were seated before us; that, I'd understand). At this point, two more groups arrive, and are offered to be served at the tables outside, which appeared to be the designated waiting area when we arrived, and the 'hostess' comes back outside to ask if we wanted to sit there. Well, quite frankly, no. It's sunny, very windy and getting warm outside, I'd like to sit in the shade. I have a child with me, I want to sit inside, which is where we should have been seated when I put our name in 20-something minutes ago. At this point one of the servers comes out, Joe I believe he said his name was, saying it going to be another while before we can be seated inside. I've had it by this point, and we decide to leave, though I ask to see the owner first, because he should know what miserable service is being performed, before patrons are even inside. Of course, he just happened to leave on an errand, so I have no ear to talk to but the 'hostess.' Her 'excuse' for the other groups being seated before us was, at first, having to do with party size and when I pointed out the relativity of our party's size, received this abysmal, at best reply instead: they called in yesterday to reserve a seat. Funny, I called Batter after leaving to 'place a reservation' and was told that they only took reservations for groups of 6 or more. Anything less, they can take the name but can't guarantee a seat right when you arrive. Moral of the story: don't lie to a patron to cover your butt for making a mistake. That said, I will applaud Joe for taking ownership of the mistake and admitting that he missed our name: he, alone, was the 'saving grace' to this experience. But that's not the point here. The point is that in a city such as Portland, where you can find amazing food on nearly every corner, what makes a restaurant stand out is the service and to say that my initial impression of Batter was disappointing isn't quite strong enough. I'm upset that the situation wasn't remedied when we first brought it to the hostess' attention and instead was mouthed off & lied to for expressing my disappointment. Sorry, Batter, but we won't be coming back.
(1)Ronn S.
We traveled 2,500 miles after watching their news up and the food exceeded our expectations. Read my review for more on this eclectic eatery Ronn just Ron The hole in the wall food guy
(5)Jessica D.
An interesting take on all-day breakfast. Yummy combinations, good options if you're not a vegetarian. There were only two vegetarian options on the savory menu but what I got was good. Probably not my first choice for a healthy meal but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Service was a bit slow but nothing to really complain about.
(4)Tony M.
Damn it! I really really want wanted to give Batter a good review. In Portland, the competition in the restaurant business is fierce! You get one shot at a great first impression. The Batter struck out. We were so excited to take our 4 out of town visitors to a cool new place in the hood. Big let down. Batter was out of bacon, out of potatoes, out of champagne, out of rye whiskey and out of crepe batter. Out of batter and your name is batter? The Country Chicken and Waffle was ok but still not up to the same level as The Screen Door. The Bloody Mary's flavor was ok but we could not taste the booze. Two people in our party thought that they were watered down and that Batter must have been running out of Vodka and Mix since they were out of so many things. My Manhattan was ok but I prefer that it be made the traditional way with Rye, which they were out of. Will we give Batter another trip to the plate? Maybe next season.
(2)Nadia B.
Yum! Thats all i can say.. I LOVED THIS PLACE The custumer service was fantastic, The waitress suggested the wakey wakey. Yummerz! Please do try it! I cant even.
(5)Shanu S.
There are many awesome brunch places in Portland but this is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad food but it's just not special. I tried the buttermilk chicken, which was dry and a little bland. If you eat it with the syrup though, it's okay. I also tried the falafel waffle, which was way too salty by itself. However, if you smother it with the hummus and tsatsiki sauce it comes with it's alright. The wakey wakey eggs and bakey was okay, since you can't really mess up eggs, bacon and waffles. The roast potatoes were mushy and bland. The spanakopita crepe was ok, a little too cheesy but that's just personal taste. Apart from food the wait time was long but we did go at peak hour. Service was pretty good and all the waitstaff were courteous and friendly.
(3)Janyne M.
Loved it! Pint sized mimosas were awesome and the buttermilk syrup was unreal! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Dave H.
Place is legit. Asian chicken is awesome and waffles are unbelievably good. Cool vibe, good, fast service.
(5)Brianna R.
My friends and I woke up severely hungover on a friday afternoon, wanting breakfast. Unfortunately, in portland, breakfast after 3pm is extremely hard to find. We stumbled across this place and the menu is so strange and everything sounds good, its hard to choose one. We came in and the place was completely empty, which is fine by me. Staff was super friendly, food was good. the mac and cheese crepe is weird and amazing.
(4)Ritu K.
For a person who gets pancake hankerings at midnight and could eat pancakes 24/7, this place was a huge letdown. I think the only positives were the lack of a wait and attentive service. The pancakes, however, forget about it. My banana pancakes were just no bueno. I couldn't figure out whether it was the overripe bananas, the batter or the pancakes being a tad over cooked. Whatever it was, they really were disappointing. My friend had the matzo pancakes and someone's hand must have slipped with the salt. Yikes they were hard to eat. I really was hoping Batter would be my new brunch locale.
(3)Caity H.
We came here on their disastrous opening day and left after over 2 hours of waiting without food. Huge bummer...but I didn't write a bad review because I had high hopes for the place. I love their decor and vibe, and the food looked fantastic! We went back on Sunday and were seated and served in a more-than-reasonable amount of time. Their must have been a miscommunication between the server and hostess because our server thought we were waiting on someone else so our order didn't get taken right away, but I won't hold that against them. Their food was really good. Like REALLY good. I was very pleased! The only reason they're not getting 5 stars is because their drip coffee always tastes burnt.
(4)Matt F.
Sooo good. My pancake was so fluffy, I am surprised that it was GF. I had the cumberbatch. I didnt know I liked pork belly so much. And the Asian host/helper was super sweet.
(5)Natalie H.
The Pecan Do It waffle was mind blowing. Perfectly cooked waffle. Great flavors (gear up your sweet tooth!). A delight to eat. The biscuits had a strange mealy texture, and the veggie gravy was nearly tasteless. We were disappointed that the service is impersonal and minimal. The Pecan Do It truly stole the show!
(4)Kayla C.
I want to eat here everyday of my life. I got the Asian style chicken & waffles and a grapefruit mimosa and as I was driving away, Truly Madly Deeply came on the radio, so that's gonna be our song from now on. Me and the chicken's song I mean.
(5)Andrew B.
The waffles and fried chicken were amazing, especially with the balsamic syrup. Those fried chicken breast were tender and boneless. The batter for the chicken was amazing.
(5)M G.
I love this spot! Been there 4 times now. They serve a gluten free alternative to almost everything on the menu. The food comes out consistently delicious; eggs are as ordered, the BEST bacon in town, yummy buttermilk syrup. The service is friendly and accomodating. I've never felt that snobbish, Portlandia hipster, rudeness from any of the staff. My only complaint is minor in the larger scope, I find it not very organized. The hostess has forgotten all four times I was there to include a menu when she escorts the guests to their tables. I've had to go back to the door and ask for a menu. The food and staff are great....
(5)Hungrylone W.
Came here for late lunch today. The place was empty but I can't figure out why because this place was wonderful. It was kind of nice having the place to ourselves. The staff was very friendly and I really appreciated the music they had playing. I had the cherry and oj mimosa which was fantastic and boozy. Waffles were light and crispy. The potatoes had good flavored and the fruit was really fresh. The fried chicken had hardly any fat on it, but my favorite thing would have to be the biscuits. SO good! All of this for about $13 which is something I can get behind.
(4)Snakes M.
Excellent brunch spot on Fremont. The Asian Chicken and ginger waffle was a delicious combination of savory, spicy, and sweet. The pineapple bacon Bloody Mary had great flavor. I wish it had an actual piece of bacon in it (fat guy checking in), but the flavor was one of the best I've had. My wife got the pancakes with chocolate ganache and was in heaven. The staff was friendly and the wait time was short. We'll definitely be back.
(5)Cyndi S.
Really cool concept with a full menu of both sweet and savory options. Tried it for dinner thinking breakfast/brunch might be crowded and we are breakfast for dinner fans. Friendly staff and comfortable vibe with garage doors open in summer and picnic table seating outside. Come hungry because the portions are HUGE. Kids had the fried chicken and waffle - very crunchy and especially good with maple balsamic syrup - and The King - giant plate of very tasty Elvis favorites - peanut butter, bananas, and yummy bacon. Dad kept it old school with high praise for the maple bacon pancakes. Since he is a pancake fanatic, his positive review is particularly significant. I went savory with the lox pancakes. Very yummy with capers and pickled red onion. Overall, a very delicious meal and we'll be back to try more pancake options, the Asian chicken and crepes. Five stars if the service was a little faster.
(4)Marissa S.
My boyfriend and I came here for brunch. It was really cute and exciting since it was so new and everything. I enjoyed my food. I ordered chicken and waffles as a first timer and was very impressed. For the prices they offer and the food they serve very yummy. Although their coffee isn't the greatest so I wouldn't recommend it.
(4)Jason A.
You like chicken? Fried chicken? Jerk Chicken? Tender, juicy, melt in your mouth chicken? Stop looking at all the other chicken spots and come give this joint a try at least once. I am writing this review after destroying the Jerk Chicken plate and snatching pieces of the Chicken Fried Chicken from a friend of mine. Great food, chill bartenders and servers. Get up off your couch and come try this place.
(5)Amanda M.
While the place is new, they are definitely still working out the kinks. However, while the experience was a little slower than we anticipated, the food was good and our waitress was accommodating. I would not be opposed to returning
(4)Nicole O.
There's nothing quite like being so excited to try a place and being disappointed before even sitting down with the poor service. Upon arriving at Batter around noon, we were told there would be a 25 minute wait. No problem, the place looked PACKED (good sign) and I wanted to get my hands on some chicken & waffles, so it wasn't a big deal. We had my 5 year old with us, and he was ecstatic for the Fluffernutter, seeing as we're from New England and that's a 'thing' there, which we can't find here. The smells coming from inside were making our mouths water and we figured we just had a few minutes to be seated (much faster than the 25 minutes quoted; HOORAY!) since the couple of parties before us were now seated. What happened next is what tainted our experience with Batter and lead to us not only not eating there but probably never returning: Not 1, not 2 but FOUR groups were called to be seated after us. After the second, I went to the "hostess" (don't know if that's her actual title, or what her name is) and inquired. She replied 'oh, I believe that table is yours, they're just getting napkins & stuff' while pointing to the lone empty table. I went back outside to my son & boyfriend and waited. And then watched while an additional 2 groups were seated. (I'd like to note here that the groups were of 2, 3, 3 & 4, so it's not like I'm saying a group of 6 were seated before us; that, I'd understand). At this point, two more groups arrive, and are offered to be served at the tables outside, which appeared to be the designated waiting area when we arrived, and the 'hostess' comes back outside to ask if we wanted to sit there. Well, quite frankly, no. It's sunny, very windy and getting warm outside, I'd like to sit in the shade. I have a child with me, I want to sit inside, which is where we should have been seated when I put our name in 20-something minutes ago. At this point one of the servers comes out, Joe I believe he said his name was, saying it going to be another while before we can be seated inside. I've had it by this point, and we decide to leave, though I ask to see the owner first, because he should know what miserable service is being performed, before patrons are even inside. Of course, he just happened to leave on an errand, so I have no ear to talk to but the 'hostess.' Her 'excuse' for the other groups being seated before us was, at first, having to do with party size and when I pointed out the relativity of our party's size, received this abysmal, at best reply instead: they called in yesterday to reserve a seat. Funny, I called Batter after leaving to 'place a reservation' and was told that they only took reservations for groups of 6 or more. Anything less, they can take the name but can't guarantee a seat right when you arrive. Moral of the story: don't lie to a patron to cover your butt for making a mistake. That said, I will applaud Joe for taking ownership of the mistake and admitting that he missed our name: he, alone, was the 'saving grace' to this experience. But that's not the point here. The point is that in a city such as Portland, where you can find amazing food on nearly every corner, what makes a restaurant stand out is the service and to say that my initial impression of Batter was disappointing isn't quite strong enough. I'm upset that the situation wasn't remedied when we first brought it to the hostess' attention and instead was mouthed off & lied to for expressing my disappointment. Sorry, Batter, but we won't be coming back.
(1)Ronn S.
We traveled 2,500 miles after watching their news up and the food exceeded our expectations. Read my review for more on this eclectic eatery Ronn just Ron The hole in the wall food guy
(5)David L.
Food's great make sure you go in when it's not and shift change our service sucked it took forever people that came in behind us receive the food they ran out of grapes and was told to order something else your restaurant make some crepes
(2)Greg C.
So we'll go with three stars here. I think they could gain a fourth just by fixing a few things. We showed up on Saturday night with a large party (12 or so) and managed to push some tables together and fit everyone in. I don't think they were staffed enough for the level of business they got, though, and as others have said they ran out of several things, which turned out to be a problem for my vegan wife. That being said, the Waky Waky thing was very good; the bacon is excellent and the syrup stuff was amazing. So they have a ways to go with staffing/service and supply chain :). I'd like to go back and try the fried chicken next time.
(3)Neil P.
Love this place! They custom made me an amazing mixed berry crepe. Love their spinach and ricotta crepes too. The coffees are great! Highly recommend this, anytime of the day!
(4)Rachael M.
I'm writing this review as we're leaving the restaurant- our breakfast was just so delicious I couldn't wait! Here's what was so awesome: 1. No wait on Sunday morning. That is an anomaly in this town, and usually why I try to avoid Sunday brunch. 2. We were greeted immediately by an incredibly friendly waiter, who was attentive and helpful. 3. We each ordered a mimosa, which were delicious, huge, and only $5!! 4. Our waiter took our order, and it was out so quickly! (While I like getting my food quickly when I'm hungry, I also like to enjoy the company of the person I'm out with a bit longer. Getting food so fast made our trip out only about 30 minutes total. That is my only real criticism, and it's SUPER minor.) 5. The food is AMAZING. my husband's waffle was cooked to perfection, and my banana pancakes were soft, fluffy and perfectly sweet. Plus, buttermilk syrup is the best. I didn't even use maple syrup. The buttermilk was better. Unbelievably delicious!! We will be back. A lot.
(5)Kira M.
Try this place, just TRY IT. Go in knowing you're going to indulge and you surely won't be disappointed. This is not a place for those wanting to eat healthy. I only spotted a couple choices that appeared to resemble some aspects of healthy foods, but you don't go into a Place known for their sweet and savory waffles and order vegetable crepes, you just don't. I got the wakey wakey eggs and bakey and my mouth dropped when I had my first bite. Bacon bits cooked inside a soft, melt in your mouth waffle, topped with medium eggs and buttermilk maple syrup to top! It's as good as it sounds, and if you're not a waffle fan now well, you will be after this place. My boyfriend ordered the chicken and waffles and still preferred the spicy/sweet chicken and waffles over at Miss Delta, but that's just a spice preference. The service was fast once we were spotted outside. It definitely is busy so patience is a must. But worth the wait when waffles are calling your name!
(4)Pete H.
Go here. Order the chicken and waffles. It's very good. Friendly and clean. We'd definitely return. ***Only down side is we visited on a hot (90+ degrees) day. They've got the doors and windows all open, so the eating experience was a hot one. Very hot. Would FAR prefer a climate controlled setting in which to eat. I really hate to ding them for this, but feel it is fair if we've got to take weather into account when making a restaurant decision. I would just not want to return here when it is hot outside.
(3)Joe M.
Batter, brunch, bing bang boom!!!! I got summoned for a gathering so I ate light the night before. One of my friends whom I volunteer at the Hollywood raved how much her family enjoys Batter. I took her word for it so when I was asked if it worth checking out, it was a confident yes. When I arrived, one of my friends had us on the list and waited no more than 5 minutes for a table of 6. The server answered all the questions we had without a flinch and water/coffee. Most of us were eying on the Asian chicken and waffle combo. We did think for a second about ordering different dishes but we really wanted chicken and waffles. As we caught up with our lives and enjoying the company, the hot plates of goodness arrived. We passed around samples of the different dishes we ordered and feasting time began. The Asian style chicken with ginger waffle is a very generous portion that could feed 2 people if sharing is an option. With a simple butter knife, the chicken could be cut at ease. The fluffy ginger waffle had a nice tang bite. The sauce gave the entire dish a nice heat with just the right dab on the plate A side of the sauce comes with it too along with a orange slice to finish the meal. For the reasonable prices of all the dishes, I will be certainly returning. I might even have a birthday brunch here too. We never felt rushed and I savored my plate. I took some home so I wouldn't feel too full - the leftovers still tasted great!
(5)Bryan I.
Our group went for brunch at noon so as to avoid the infamous morning rush and long line, and came away thoroughly impressed. We waited less than 10 minutes for a group of 6, found the service faultless, the prices fair, and the food DELICIOUS! The clear winner was the asian fried chicken on a waffle: 2 lightly breaded and fried chicken breasts (ultra plump and juicy) atop one of the lightest, fluffiest waffles I've ever had, with a side of garlic chili sauce. It was more than enough for one person and only 11 bucks. Very similar quality to the infamous Screen Door but slightly smaller portion/cost. I also got to sample a modified Cumberbatch (pork belly & bacon WAFFLE with egg and Hollandaise sauce) and the pulled pork waffle, both of which were very decent as well. I'll definitely be back to try their original country style fried chicken & waffles!
(5)Joel D.
I was greeted for breakfast by friendly and enthusiastic staff. While the drink menu was a bit complicated with choices, the waiter graciously explained it and offered suggestions. I had the Marion berry orange mimosa - a great way to start a lazy Sunday morning. I ordered the Country Fried Chicken and Waffle with Balsamic Maple syrup. It arrived quickly. The chicken was crispy on the outside and moist inside. The waffle has that perfect crisp exterior and fluffy interior (that I constantly attempt to achieve at home, but somehow just miss). But that Balsamic Maple syrup - OMG - unexpectedly those two flavors were made for each other! My only complaint, was it was still a bit cool and breezy outside to leave the big doors open. I'm sure an hour later it was great, but quite a few of the other patrons had not brought jackets and were shivering. But, I will be back for the food (with my jacket).
(5)Jamie R.
So I am the Yelper in the family, my husband occasionally uses the app on his phone but it's not really his thing. So imagine my surprise when recently visiting Portland that he said he had found a breakfast spot for us. I was like "whaaa?" and slightly suspicious, I mean I am the Yelper and the researcher of all things delicious! When I heard it involved pancakes and waffles I wasn't surprised, as he is quite the porker when it comes to such things. I wasn't feelin it but I had to give the man a chance, it was his first Yelp find! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! I try chick n waff anytime I see it on a menu. Sometimes I am happy, sometimes not so much, and never have I been blown away, well not until Batter Griddle! The chicken is perfect! Boneless, crispy, succulent, but not too greasy. It kind of made me drool, especially when dipped in some syrup and ate with a bite of crispy sweet waffle. The pancake porker ordered the Elvis and the mac n cheese crepes. The Elvis was good but way to banana and sweet for me to ever eat all of. The mac n cheese crepes were awesome, but not so good left over FYI. A part of the title is "Drinkery", they live up to that name, they had beer on tap and some amazing bloody marys. Try the Pineapple Habanero and the Breakfast one, you get little pancakes with it! Service was friendly and great, slightly scattered but good anyway. Another Portland location that I wish I had at home.
(5)Derek B.
Great tap beer options, Asian chicken waffle and mu shu crepes were mouthwatering! Very fresh menu with an awesome atmosphere. True Portland style goodness. Gracious service.
(5)Ben B.
Had an awesome breakfast here this morning. I was craving just a simple, really good waffle and this place completely delivered. Probably one of the best Belgian waffles I've ever had. The buttermilk maple syrup is amazing as well. We also enjoyed a couple mimosas (served in pint glasses) for $5 each. Great place and wasn't even crowded on Sunday morning, we'll be back!
(5)Jana C.
I stopped by one early morning during the mid-week and was happy to discover something very newly opened (think like a few days before I arrived?) Menu is out, people were trickling in....large airy space with tall ceilings. North side of NE Fremont, just west of PIps. Batter serves up extremely unique pancake and waffle derivatives Full bar in tow as well!
(3)Carol T.
Have seen this place packed so decided to take my bpyfriends daughter and friend for her birthday breakfast. Food was alright I had chicken and waffles. The chicken was barely seasoned although the waffle was fluffy. The mocha pancake the friend had tastef like it was made from pure bitter chocolate. The mac n cheese crepe was mushy. The bartender needs trained on making coffee drinks. The wait staff didnt work efficiently and at times seemed surly. Peobably wont eat here again
(3)Jeanne S.
Yum! Good service, great food, really decent prices. I ordered the "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey" and was not disappointed. The waffle was crisp and chock full of salty meaty bacon bits and the syrup added a lovely sweet flavor layer. All this yumminess backed up by Sinatra crooning in the background. Great way to start a 3 day weekend. I'll be back.
(5)Andrew A.
They opened today after months of delays. As expected, a complete madhouse. After 40 minutes, not one of the 35+ customers had any food. Paper signs for menus, business feels very chaotic and unprepared. Coffee served in a togo cup was meh. One of the worst cappuccino's (see photo) I've had. And when you order Red Velvet pancakes what is your minimal expectation? I'm going on a limb here, but I expect them to be Red (like the popular cake), but nope. that said....the country fried chicken was delicious as were the pancakes with chocolate. The waffle, bacon and sausage were average. General lessons for all restaurants 1. No more going to grand opening day (or week) 2. Order non-mainstream items $1 waffle add-on is great value. I hope this place is a winner, it seems like a good fit for our neighborhood. It's always a little perplexing why owners don't prepare better for grand openings.
(3)Beth O.
Now comes the hard part... Do you write the rave review this place deserves and spill the beans about one of the most awesome breakfast places in town that, because it's new, also has zero line at noon on a Saturday or do you keep it to yourself and hope that it'll remain a secret for just a little bit longer before the inevitable hour wait happens because this place is complete awesomeness? Will it become so popular that they'll have to cut back on the enormous portions? Or perhaps they'll have to start skimping on the top notch ingredients that create delightful explosions of well conceived flavor in your mouth. I think I'll just leave you to ponder those on your own, but check out the photos from our trip there today, including the charming interior (minus those god awful metal chairs that are the most uncomfortable thing ever created) and the whole bird sized chicken waffle my friend ordered. Also noteworthy, the service is peppy, friendly and attentive.
(5)Josh W.
Highly recommended!! Everything our group ordered was delicious. The chicken and waffles was amazing. The waffle wasn't too sweet & and had a perfect texture. It was delicately crisp on the outside and wonderfully light and fluffy inside. The breading on the chicken was seasoned perfectly with that hint of something familiar you just can't put your finger on. But it was the balsamic syrup that sealed the deal, just the perfect balance of sweet and savory (with hints of vanilla) tying the whole dish together. The other star of the table was the Applicious (I might have the name wrong) it's the German style pancake with apples. It takes 20-30 minutes but I can tell you that the smell alone is worth the wait. The taste & texture was dreamy and will not leave you disappointed. If you're hesitant about the wait and anxious your hanger will get out of control, order a side of their thick cut bacon cooked to perfection to tide you over.
(5)Joni W.
Yikes, this place still has a lot to figure out. Pros: --friendly staff --cute interior --good cornmeal waffles --good buttermilk syrup --Oregon chai instead of gross Dragonfly chai Cons: --super smoky interior from the griddles, poor ventilation --soggy waffles I'll be back in 6 months to see if anything's improved.
(3)Dan S.
tl;dr -- food's great, but service is inexcusably bad when it's busy. My first time at Batter was opening morning, and it was chaos, overcrowding and delayed food, and yet I had a good time. Who wouldn't forgive opening morning problems? Plus they comped us all our food and only charged us for the pint mimosas, which were robust and lasted a long time. I was very eager to return. My second time at Batter, almost 5 months later, bore a strong resemblance to my first time there (chaos, delayed food), but this time I wasn't given any incentive to be forgiving. It was busy, but not all tables were filled. All the servers seemed cranky and overworked, not just when we arrived, but throughout our hour-plus stay. We waited 15+ minutes to place our order (and then only because I corralled the hostess to get us someone to help us). We finally got coffee as we waited for the food. The wait was long. Then, once our cups were empty and we were waiting for a refill, something amazing happened. With his back to us, a server placed a coffee pot on our table, did something to a neighboring customer's table, then picked up the pot from our table and poured them some coffee. Then he poured coffee for every table around us and vanished before I could get his attention. I might have been too stunned to speak up in a timely fashion, I admit. I failed time and time again to signal to the wait staff for more coffee or indeed attention of any kind. Nobody seemed at all interested in putting coffee on our table unless it was for other customers. The mimosas had changed on my second visit -- they were $5 and billed as "pint-sized". The ambiguity of this term served Batter well, because they came in pint glasses... filled with ice. I could barely detect the addition of champagne to the perhaps 3 ounces of liquid in the drink. Mimosas should be served up, not over. I appreciated that our server comped us our coffees, and the food was undeniably good. But the service was really bad, free coffee notwithstanding. Not planning to return -- there are plenty of good breakfast places in Portland that can handle good service when it's busy.
(2)Anna L.
love the concept of the restaurant and the food was to die for! our pancakes were some of the best I've ever had. I had the "pecan do it" and it was soooo good! there's a lot of openness and freedom in the restaurant. we were able to seat ourselves and the bathrooms are gender neutral. the aesthetic and the food are outstanding!
(5)Joe M.
The food is great, the service is subpar. I had the chicken and waffles. To my surprise the chicken was boneless (more meat!) and the butter syrup has a nice flavor. Unfortunately after 15 minutes of being seated we were still waiting for drip coffee. I was met rather rudely when I asked if we could be served, though they did oblige. How we the server never did stop by to ask how our meal was, or refill our coffee.
(3)Pearl P.
The food is the only good thing here. The wait was an hour and 15 min when we checked in at 1130 the hostess said 30 min wait. The hostess didn't seat people in order of arrival and therefore my party of 2 was skipped 4 times for larger parties that arrived significantly later. After we finally got seated we finally got to order after other groups seated after us ordered because we couldn't figure out who our wait person was. One time deal and never again. You can get better service with the same food somewhere else.
(2)Jessica D.
An interesting take on all-day breakfast. Yummy combinations, good options if you're not a vegetarian. There were only two vegetarian options on the savory menu but what I got was good. Probably not my first choice for a healthy meal but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Service was a bit slow but nothing to really complain about.
(4)Tony M.
Damn it! I really really want wanted to give Batter a good review. In Portland, the competition in the restaurant business is fierce! You get one shot at a great first impression. The Batter struck out. We were so excited to take our 4 out of town visitors to a cool new place in the hood. Big let down. Batter was out of bacon, out of potatoes, out of champagne, out of rye whiskey and out of crepe batter. Out of batter and your name is batter? The Country Chicken and Waffle was ok but still not up to the same level as The Screen Door. The Bloody Mary's flavor was ok but we could not taste the booze. Two people in our party thought that they were watered down and that Batter must have been running out of Vodka and Mix since they were out of so many things. My Manhattan was ok but I prefer that it be made the traditional way with Rye, which they were out of. Will we give Batter another trip to the plate? Maybe next season.
(2)Nadia B.
Yum! Thats all i can say.. I LOVED THIS PLACE The custumer service was fantastic, The waitress suggested the wakey wakey. Yummerz! Please do try it! I cant even.
(5)Shanu S.
There are many awesome brunch places in Portland but this is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad food but it's just not special. I tried the buttermilk chicken, which was dry and a little bland. If you eat it with the syrup though, it's okay. I also tried the falafel waffle, which was way too salty by itself. However, if you smother it with the hummus and tsatsiki sauce it comes with it's alright. The wakey wakey eggs and bakey was okay, since you can't really mess up eggs, bacon and waffles. The roast potatoes were mushy and bland. The spanakopita crepe was ok, a little too cheesy but that's just personal taste. Apart from food the wait time was long but we did go at peak hour. Service was pretty good and all the waitstaff were courteous and friendly.
(3)Janyne M.
Loved it! Pint sized mimosas were awesome and the buttermilk syrup was unreal! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Dave H.
Place is legit. Asian chicken is awesome and waffles are unbelievably good. Cool vibe, good, fast service.
(5)Brianna R.
My friends and I woke up severely hungover on a friday afternoon, wanting breakfast. Unfortunately, in portland, breakfast after 3pm is extremely hard to find. We stumbled across this place and the menu is so strange and everything sounds good, its hard to choose one. We came in and the place was completely empty, which is fine by me. Staff was super friendly, food was good. the mac and cheese crepe is weird and amazing.
(4)Ritu K.
For a person who gets pancake hankerings at midnight and could eat pancakes 24/7, this place was a huge letdown. I think the only positives were the lack of a wait and attentive service. The pancakes, however, forget about it. My banana pancakes were just no bueno. I couldn't figure out whether it was the overripe bananas, the batter or the pancakes being a tad over cooked. Whatever it was, they really were disappointing. My friend had the matzo pancakes and someone's hand must have slipped with the salt. Yikes they were hard to eat. I really was hoping Batter would be my new brunch locale.
(3)Caity H.
We came here on their disastrous opening day and left after over 2 hours of waiting without food. Huge bummer...but I didn't write a bad review because I had high hopes for the place. I love their decor and vibe, and the food looked fantastic! We went back on Sunday and were seated and served in a more-than-reasonable amount of time. Their must have been a miscommunication between the server and hostess because our server thought we were waiting on someone else so our order didn't get taken right away, but I won't hold that against them. Their food was really good. Like REALLY good. I was very pleased! The only reason they're not getting 5 stars is because their drip coffee always tastes burnt.
(4)Matt F.
Sooo good. My pancake was so fluffy, I am surprised that it was GF. I had the cumberbatch. I didnt know I liked pork belly so much. And the Asian host/helper was super sweet.
(5)Natalie H.
The Pecan Do It waffle was mind blowing. Perfectly cooked waffle. Great flavors (gear up your sweet tooth!). A delight to eat. The biscuits had a strange mealy texture, and the veggie gravy was nearly tasteless. We were disappointed that the service is impersonal and minimal. The Pecan Do It truly stole the show!
(4)Kayla C.
I want to eat here everyday of my life. I got the Asian style chicken & waffles and a grapefruit mimosa and as I was driving away, Truly Madly Deeply came on the radio, so that's gonna be our song from now on. Me and the chicken's song I mean.
(5)Andrew B.
The waffles and fried chicken were amazing, especially with the balsamic syrup. Those fried chicken breast were tender and boneless. The batter for the chicken was amazing.
(5)M G.
I love this spot! Been there 4 times now. They serve a gluten free alternative to almost everything on the menu. The food comes out consistently delicious; eggs are as ordered, the BEST bacon in town, yummy buttermilk syrup. The service is friendly and accomodating. I've never felt that snobbish, Portlandia hipster, rudeness from any of the staff. My only complaint is minor in the larger scope, I find it not very organized. The hostess has forgotten all four times I was there to include a menu when she escorts the guests to their tables. I've had to go back to the door and ask for a menu. The food and staff are great....
(5)Hungrylone W.
Came here for late lunch today. The place was empty but I can't figure out why because this place was wonderful. It was kind of nice having the place to ourselves. The staff was very friendly and I really appreciated the music they had playing. I had the cherry and oj mimosa which was fantastic and boozy. Waffles were light and crispy. The potatoes had good flavored and the fruit was really fresh. The fried chicken had hardly any fat on it, but my favorite thing would have to be the biscuits. SO good! All of this for about $13 which is something I can get behind.
(4)Snakes M.
Excellent brunch spot on Fremont. The Asian Chicken and ginger waffle was a delicious combination of savory, spicy, and sweet. The pineapple bacon Bloody Mary had great flavor. I wish it had an actual piece of bacon in it (fat guy checking in), but the flavor was one of the best I've had. My wife got the pancakes with chocolate ganache and was in heaven. The staff was friendly and the wait time was short. We'll definitely be back.
(5)Cyndi S.
Really cool concept with a full menu of both sweet and savory options. Tried it for dinner thinking breakfast/brunch might be crowded and we are breakfast for dinner fans. Friendly staff and comfortable vibe with garage doors open in summer and picnic table seating outside. Come hungry because the portions are HUGE. Kids had the fried chicken and waffle - very crunchy and especially good with maple balsamic syrup - and The King - giant plate of very tasty Elvis favorites - peanut butter, bananas, and yummy bacon. Dad kept it old school with high praise for the maple bacon pancakes. Since he is a pancake fanatic, his positive review is particularly significant. I went savory with the lox pancakes. Very yummy with capers and pickled red onion. Overall, a very delicious meal and we'll be back to try more pancake options, the Asian chicken and crepes. Five stars if the service was a little faster.
(4)Marissa S.
My boyfriend and I came here for brunch. It was really cute and exciting since it was so new and everything. I enjoyed my food. I ordered chicken and waffles as a first timer and was very impressed. For the prices they offer and the food they serve very yummy. Although their coffee isn't the greatest so I wouldn't recommend it.
(4)Jason A.
You like chicken? Fried chicken? Jerk Chicken? Tender, juicy, melt in your mouth chicken? Stop looking at all the other chicken spots and come give this joint a try at least once. I am writing this review after destroying the Jerk Chicken plate and snatching pieces of the Chicken Fried Chicken from a friend of mine. Great food, chill bartenders and servers. Get up off your couch and come try this place.
(5)Amanda M.
While the place is new, they are definitely still working out the kinks. However, while the experience was a little slower than we anticipated, the food was good and our waitress was accommodating. I would not be opposed to returning
(4)Jessica M.
Like others I read about this place on Eater PDX, which made it sound like the next up and coming restaurant. Everything in the article from Eater made it seem like I'd love it. Pancakes? Love. Drinks? Love. My boyfriend and I went there tonight (Friday) around 6pm and there were a few tables full of customers. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice, but it does feel odd to have it described as a drinkery and have kids running around everywhere. We both perused the drink menu and he settled on a cold drink while I decided on a coffee drink. The drinks were flat out not good. I know it's their soft opening and they are still perfecting, however my coffee was watered down and barely had any flavor. My boyfriend's drink tasted like lime soda water with no real hint of alcohol. The food on the other hand was good, but not great. I feel like being a vegetarian made it hard to navigate the menu, and my only real options were sweet as all get out (red velvet cake in a pan?) or mac n cheese in a crepe. I settled on the blueberry pancakes and they were quite good but nothing you can't get anywhere else. Service was pretty good but we were never given water, but hey..that happens. Overall nothing about this place screamed for me to go back and try it again.
(2)Jared W.
Great unique food at very good prices. My only suggestion is better brewed coffee. Way too strong for most peoples taste. Will be back.
(5)Chuck N.
Reheated, pre-cooked, dry fried chicken on top of a rubbery, underdone waffle. My wife's greek crepe was disgusting, as well. I see the lines in front and know some swear by this place, but it just makes me want to swear in a different way. Would never return.
(2)Nicole J.
This review addresses only the food at Batter. We came on opening day, when infrastructure issues and long waits are to be expected. I'm guessing these will be quickly worked out. I had the fried chicken and waffles, with a maple balsamic dressing. It was perfect. The chicken was crispy and tender with beautifully spiced batter, the waffle was crisp and soft on the inside, and the maple balsamic was out of this world. Best blend of sweet and savory I've had in a long time. The service was friendly and attentive, laid back and pleasant. This is an excellent restaurant and a great addition to Fremont st.
(5)Mark P.
Brought my extended family of 12 here for late Sunday brunch (thank goodness there's a place that'll take a brunch reservation!!). From ages 3-40, we were universally satisfied. The unique combinations all worked but the winner was the chicken & waffle. Wait time for regular sized groups was 30-45 minutes which is totally standard in PDX. They've got the whole coffee-while-you-wait thing down and the full bar is well stocked. Can't wait to come back and try more savory combinations I would never have the thought, time or skill to make myself! #BringBattertotheWestside!
(5)Taylor A.
Stopped by for breakfast this morning and was very impressed by the friendly, attentive staff, quick table service and delicious food! I tried the chicken fried chicken and it was amazing. The maple balsamic syrup....amazing. I'm super excited to experience the full menu after this month!c
(5)Shirley B.
Thought I would give this place a try after a friend said she had an awesome waffle. The waffle was awesome! But... The service left something to be desired. This is tough because all the people were nice there just wasn't a good routine/defined roles. It's a Sat there are about 8 tables with people, 2 servers and what seems to be a host? Or maybe a food runner? Not sure? Sign said wait to be seated- I waited 5 min, then seated myself. I then watched as there was confusion about who's table I was. The table next to me had to ask for water 2x. Another table near me had to get up and ask for boxes at the bar. I was by myself so the food came pretty quickly after I ordered but the party of four next to me waited 25+ min for their food... That's just too long for pancakes and waffles! Like I said the food was good... Worth giving it a shot- I am gonna give them a few months to get their stuff figured out. A few suggestions to the restaurant; 1. Serve water to everyone- its summer, you're restaurant is hot. I doubt you will waste much. OR make the water station more visible and easier to get to - with normal size glasses. 2. Establish a better system for your wait staff, determining who's table is who's, expectations for checking on customers, making sure tables have menus and silverware. I had to get up and get my own... And leave the paid/signed bill on my table till I leave, coming back to get it is rude. 3. Since the restaurant is small do you really need a "wait to be seated" sign? While I was here no one was formally seated, everyone sat themselves after reading the sign and looking around then contemplating what to do. See you in August, looking forward to another perfectly crispy waffle!
(3)Sueann R.
So glad they opened just down the street from were I work. Fast friendly service. Not many beers on tap but what they do have is great local brews. The house made buttermilk syrup is the best thing EVER and you need to try it. I had the Waky Waky waffle and almost licked my plate clean! ! My hubby throughly enjoyed his strawberry pancakes we will for sure be back!!!
(5)Willie G.
Well I came here for the 2nd time and the service, food & drinks are still on point. This place kicks ass. Delicious everything.
(5)Margaret N.
I had the bacon waffle topped with scrambled eggs and cheese. It was UH MAZING. Am definitely recommending to my friends as a great brunch spot!
(4)stacey k.
Hot hot day for the Fremont street fair. This place is open air with no air conditioning. I was a bit skeptical as I am not a breakfast for dinner person. Started with sweet white sangria. Not traditional but refreshing on a hot night. My friend had ABc which was a delicious Brie and apple crepe. We also ordered red velvet pancakes! I had the lox over a creme'd scallion pancake which was so great and filling with tons of capers. There is also a simple kids menu that had waffles and a single pancake that was just enough. Oh and battered bacon app, which I didn't eat but was a great start!!! Sweet young guy provided great service to all of us.
(4)Hannah L.
I read about this new restaurant on the Eater PDX and was intrigued by the menu. All the dishes sounded so good, who doesn't love pancakes and waffles all day! I went there a couple weeks after they opened and had a great experience. I ordered the full Monty pancake with pork belly, cheese and bacon inside with a raspberry sauce to pour over and it was heavenly! It was 3 huge pancakes for $9, the prices and portions were very worth it. My friend had the mac and cheese crepes and I tried some and it was very good as well. I can't wait to come back and try some of the other dishes. I would recommend to anyone who love breakfast food to try this place!
(5)Michelle B.
Five stars for the food, one star for the service. The location is terrific and the place itself is really comfortable and has a great look and feel. The drinks, especially the bloody Mary's and different kids of mimosas are awesome. The food is terrific! Everything looks beautiful when it gets to you, smells divine and tastes like heaven. Looking forward to trying everything on the menu. Only issue for me is the service. Everyone there acts like you're bothering them. The host wasn't really in a rush to seat us when the place was empty, the waitress seemed annoyed when we ordered a second round of drinks, it took a while to get syrup on the table (at a pancake place) - I really wish they were just friendlier. The food, the location and the look of the place deserve it.
(3)Sammie H.
AMEN! This is my new place of worship! Came in for Sunday brunch, totally amazing & who would of thought you could fall in love with pancakes again?! I has the Elvis, 3 massive, the size of your head pancakes, loaded with thick crisp bacon bits, drizzled with their homemade peanut butter & fresh slices of banana & of course....warm maple syrup. If no one was looking, I would have licked my plate! Batter is my new religion & I'll be back on Sunday's to worship again! And I can't wait to try the other amazing dishes I saw go by!
(5)Lisa F.
It was recommended we try BG&D. Great location but stick your head in & it's loud but we stayed & got nice seating by chalkboard. We received overly used food & drink menus. After some time we ordered drinks from one man, then a short while later a young lady brought them & my friend asked if we should at that time. She said 'you should now because it gets busy'. The place was already full. We also asked for waters. My friend ordered the fried chicken on waffles & I the Wakey-Wakey. We waited a long time & friend points out 2 & then 3 families getting their foods so I say it's not fried chicken. Then I see a young couple that came in 30 min seated after we did that ordered & got... The fried chicken. I caught a totally diff server to ask about our order. She came back saying that it was lost. We hadn't even gotten water & already done with first drinks. She took our orders again & said it was on them with apologies. Less than 5min we got our food! I enjoyed the food but my friend did not. Overall we felt that our table was completely dismissed unless we said something & that included the boxes. I really wanted it to be an altogether different experience ;( 2 stars because they picked up the bill (but we had told the the guy cleaning tables who asked). We had no cash for tip. I am glad to read of better experiences.
(2)Geoffrey A.
I'm not some crank who gets on Yelp and tears down every establishment I visit - check my profile. But in this case, I owe it to anyone thinking of going out for breakfast: Skip Batter. Back in November 2014, there was a sign that read "Coming Soon" and a menu displaying both sweet and savory pancake options. But "soon" would be, 4.5 months later, which you'd think would be plenty of time to get it right. At 8:40 am on opening weekend, we were lucky enough to get the last table before a line formed. Good for them. Of course, we had a baby like every other table in the place, but Batter only had one highchair. For the whole place. In a residential neighborhood. So babies are now roaming free among tables too closely packed together and the visibly beleaguered wait staff is playing frogger with hands full of hot coffee. I ordered the bacon pancakes. Sorry, out of Bacon. At 8:40 am. Ok, how about the crepes. Out of crepe batter. I settled on eggs and potatoes while the wife and kids went for more signature dishes - strawberry and blueberry pancakes. It was clear things were going to take a while so I took my son to get a bagel from across the street while we waited. About 40 minutes later, the saddest little plates came out - 3 strawberry pancakes had ONE strawberry cut up across the top (and some cooked in, to be fair). My side order of 2 scrambled eggs looked exactly like my son's side order of 1 scrambled egg. And canned whip cream attempted to hide everything on the plates. Oh, and my wife's batter - the namesake of this restaurant - under-cooked throughout. I asked for ketchup for my potatoes. They had none. The most upsetting part was that none of this came with an apology. Perhaps, complimentary coffee would have eased the pain and coaxed us back for another try. But nothing. We ate, we paid and we left. It wasn't terribly expensive, but I've rarely left a restaurant feeling so ripped off. Sweet and savory pancakes. Great concept. And 4 months to figure it out. Shame.
(1)Meryl L.
I give it a 2 and that's a bit generous. I had a pulled pork crepe. Meh... Crepe, pickles, pork and spicy mustard. Pretty average fare. The real knock down comes from observing blatant food handling violations. The worst was seeing the bartender consistently squeeze limes and wipe his hands on his pants. Street pants. Not on a bleach rag, but pants. So I went across the street to GCB for dessert. Wish I'd eaten there. Good plus clean. I consoled myself by taking home como and danishes.
(2)Nicole C.
I walked into this new restaurant in the Beaumont neighborhood for the first time and was instantly treated like family. Excellent food. Varied menu. Attentive service. Check it out.
(5)K D.
OMG Amazing!!! I had the Chicken & Waffle and my boyfriend had Banana pancakes. The chicken was battered in something from Heaven, and the buttermilk syrup was to die for. Staff were friendly, service was fast (we went for dinner). Price good for the large amount of food you get. Try if you get a chance!
(5)Melissa V.
Hooray, Batter is finally open! I never understood why people go to a restaurant during its first week and rate it one star based on service; I think that's a bit unfair. Batter's service was pretty solid for us, considering we went during its second week of business. We arrived around 10:45am and waited about 5ish minutes before being seated. Though I only felt like having water today, I scanned the drink menu. Their cocktails looked good, on paper at least, and most were priced around $8, and Bloody's at $7. If you are that person who loves having both sweet and savory breakfast options, this is the place to be. After waffling back and forth (pun intended) between The King and the Don't Passover Matzo pancakes, I chose The King (peanut butter, banana, and bacon pancakes) and Mr. Boyfriend chose the Mocha Me Go (coffee infused with dark chocolate sauce), both priced at $9. I really enjoyed The King; there was a good amount of banana and homemade peanut butter. I really liked the peanut butter because it was slightly on the crunchy side which added texture. However one of my pancakes didn't have any bacon in it. When I noted this to the server, they promptly brought out more bacon - happy customer right here. So my only feedback with that is, please make sure these come out with the right amount of bacon! This is Portland and people are tough food critics. Once I had another bacon strip, the balance was perfect. I did have a bite of the Mocha pancakes and they were delicious, and not too sweet because dark chocolate tends to be more bitter. Neither one of us could finish so we took the rest home. Overall I think they did great for their soft opening, and we are so excited they are in our apartment building! I will surely be back for those Matzo pancakes.
(5)Theresa C.
Came to try a new place. Cute restaurant. Had a.mimosa that was average hubby had the blueberry pancakes which h he said were good but he would have liked butter with them. I had the wake bakey the waffle itself was good but the scrambled eggs and cheese were a little gluey. Overall this is a cute restaurant that needs to work out some opening kinks
(3)Kristin R.
We were definitely on the fence about whether or not B + G would be a hit or a miss with our family for dinner. It was a HUGE hit!! The fried chicken rivals the best places in town, my kids would not keep their hands away from my plate. My husband had the Asian spicy chicken and waffles, so good! They did not shy away from making it spicy. The waffles themselves were the best I've had...and my kids were in another world with their pancakes...strawberry and fluffernutter (peanut butter and marshmallow)...when we are in the mood to treat ourselves with something sweet for dinner this will be our spot. Kids could definitely split an order, the portions are enormous. Or maybe there was a kids menu, we were not offered one. One slight issue...it was super smokey inside...not cigarette smoke...griddle smoke, might have an exhaust problem.
(5)Heather C.
This is a great little spot to stop by when you're craving breakfast. Our waiter was so accommodating and delightful! With so many dining options in Portland, I think the key to success is having happy, helpful staff. Many different dishes were ordered amongst our brunch group. The pancakes and waffles were delicious. Country chicken? So yummy. It's still their soft opening and they have a few kinks to work out, but I really hope it's here to stay.
(4)L J.
this review is for sunday august 2nd 2015 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot guys???? i had 2 great experiences ordering fried chicken and waffles for myself and strawberry pancakes for the kids while we ate in the restaurant. this was sometime in May and maybe june of 2015. today my husband goes to get a take out order and the strawberry pancakes were old and dry and they forgot the whip cream-a big deal to a 7 and 4 year old. the biscuits seemed like they were 2 days old, dry and hard as rocks. i am from south carolina and can cook my own homemade biscuits really well, so i am not relying on tourist joints like pine state to form my opinion of a great biscuit. and the fried chicken, dear lord of the rings!!! did you cook it last night, refrigerate it, then re fry it this morning? it was so dry and TOUGH i couldn't finish chewing it. what was previously a juicy, tender piece of fried chicken is now so tough i couldn't chew the one bite i dared to eat. oh well, to this day we cannot find reliably great fried chicken in this city (and YES i am including screen door in that sentiment). there is one place that makes a culinary experience out of "chicken fingers" so i guess we'll just stick with that place. additionally my husband said that he called the order in at 9:40, got there at 10am and still didn't get our order until 10:30. during which time he watched one diner's ordered get messed up, returned, re cooked and come out before our order was ready. the restaurant was 75% full he said but no line out the door.
(2)Chris H.
I went on opening day, and had a great experience! While the food took a while, it was opening day and I absolutely recognize that things like this are to be expected on a brand new establishment's first day. The atmosphere was great--it's sort of rustic-chic, very much "a la Portland." It was a beautiful and sunny Sunday afternoon, and they had a garage door on the wall which they had opened up--it was very inviting, I love when restaurants can create the effect of eating outside, without actually putting you outside (Is that just me?) :) I ordered the spicy Asian friend chicken and savory ginger waffles and it was DELICIOUS. Specifically, the sauce on this chicken waffles was to die for. I enjoyed a mimosa while I waited for the food (mimosa--what's not to love?). My husband had the maple-bacon waffles, which he was able to drown in syrup to his heart's content. The waffles were crispy and delicious, and when has bacon ever been a bad decision? All in all, I had a wonderful experience and I absolutely plan on coming back next time I am in the city.
(5)David D.
We went to this place on opening day. The long wait for food was rough but to be expected on an opening day. I anticipate it will improve. The food was great. The chicken and waffle was delicious. Good crisp waffle outside and light and fluffy inside. The chicken was well seasoned battered and cooked. The pancakes in the other dishes were all very good. Light cakes that melt in your mouth. There were different combos of mostly sweet but some savory too. I'll look forward to seeing their full menu. I will go back.
(4)Anna S.
Wish we'd discovered this sooner, would totally be back often if we lived in the area. Husband and I went for breakfast and shared the "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey" and it was Perfect, with bits of ham (really good ham) baked into the light and airy waffle. They are refreshingly generous to leave a cruet of real maple syrup for the table, for us to dress our own waffle as we please. Sat outside on a beautiful morning, and loved the anything-goes attitude about the drink menu accompanying the breakfast menu at 8:30 on a Tuesday morning. Hub loved sipping an IPA with the waffle. Big portions for an everyday endeavor, but one dish split for two people is perfect and leaves you feeling on top of the world. Don't get a latte, that was not a good choice, oddly half-foam. But beer and waffles? Yes. Would have gone back the next day if we were still in town--affordable and so good!
(4)Lizzy J.
I was so excited to hear about another breakfast place in Portland and I was happy with our experience this morning, but I do understand the negative reviews. They have a lot to improve on....purchase enough coffee cups, get outdoor heaters and chairs for people to wait for their tables outside so they can add indoor tables, get better ventilation to remedy the smokiness, and get real signage. They are brave for doing a soft opening especially here in Portland...but they have got to step it up. The food is great and reasonably priced....make the entire experience better and you've got 5 stars!
(4)Michelle W.
Tried this place today and it was great! Our server was friendly and efficient ;). We shared the Asian chicken waffle.. Yum! Perfectly spicy. We willbe back!
(4)Megan P.
We'd heard about Batter from a friend and decided to try it tonight. We both had the Sprout Bloody Mary and it was delicious, with just the right amount of tang and spice. I had the Asian fried chicken with a ginger waffle and my husband had banana pancakes that he added chocolate sauce and peanut butter to. Mine was perfect -- moist fried chicken and a crispy, fluffy waffle. I was nervous about the ginger being over flavored, but it was just right. Weirdly, the sweet pancake syrup was amazing on it. My husband loved his, too. Our waiter was supremely pleasant and helpful. We're excited to go back, especially on late nights when our kids are at the grandparents. We left full and happy and well taken care of.
(5)Nate A.
Got some waffles here - best I've ever had. The place got busy around 9am (sat) but it's an open area and the service was good. free coffee refills, crayons for kids. Classic rock isn't my fav but it wasn't too loud. Good spot!
(5)Blair K.
Glad you are in the hood! Looking for a little more consistency in meals....same thing ordered twice....once great, second time, different and not as tasty. Very loud inside, so if you're looking for a quiet meal, this is not the place...cement floors make for a noisy environment. We will be back for another try soon! Welcome!
(3)lydia j.
I added a star to my review because I feel like they're not quite sure where they are going with the restaurant yet, and I want to give them a chance to figure that out. We went during their soft opening, hoping to fulfill our craving for fried chicken and waffles. The waiter was very nice and friendly, but things were unorganized, and the poor guy seemed very overwhelmed. We were seated fairly quickly for a portland brunch spot, but it took quite a bit of time for our orders to be placed. We ordered both their country fried chicken and asian chicken & waffles, along with a pineapple strawberry smoothie, and strawberry pancakes. We were excited because our waiter said we made some great choices, portion sizes were large, and said the asian chicken was flavorful and spicy. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The chicken was underwhelming in the flavor department, more bland than spicy, the breading was soft, and disintegrated off the chicken as soon as you cut into it, and there was 1 soggy sad waffle underneath. The pancakes were burnt, there were probably 10 paper thin slices of strawberries on it with literally 1 teaspoon of whipped cream on the side that was was melted. The waiter kept forgetting or smoothies and once they came he said "she made it strawberry banana instead, hope you're okay with that," and placed it on our table. I'm in no way a picky person, so I drank it anyway, but it literally tasted like water, so I didn't end up drinking it. They were nice enough to take the smoothies off our tab. It was a disappointing experience...we did notice a lot of families there, and the kids seemed to be completely satisfied with the food. Sorry, we will not be back.
(2)Laura F.
I was so hopeful that this place had a great concept... But oh my goodness talk about skimpy. I paid $9 for 3 small, thin, krusteaz style cakes that I can honestly make better at home. Our family left hungry. I hope they make changes.
(2)Abby T.
Amazing food, and amazing service, super cute on the inside. The Asian fried chicken was out of control, and it was totally reasonably priced! Everyone was super friendly and helpful, one of my new favorite places in the area for sure.
(5)casey v.
Some of the best fried chicken I've had since visiting Georgia! Have had the chicken and waffles with fantastic balsamic syrup so far. Massive portions by the way, great to share. I hear the pulled pork crepe is great as well so it will be a difficult decision the next time I go in.
(5)Edward B.
ATMOSPHERE: What you'd expect from a new Portland restaurant that aspires to be hip/trendy: A mix of rustic and bare utility, spartan but not uncomfortably barren, edison lamps, chalkboard. A bit cliched, but nice enough. Mix of seating: a couple booths, lots of two-tops and four-tops, a big communal table, a leather couch, and a bar. Stainless bar is cold and uninviting, and the overhang is too short. I'm not a big guy, and even I can't get comfortable there. Can be smoky and hot. I've yet to see the roll-up door open, even on this warmest weekend of the year so far. Servers wear cutoffs, with grimy bar towels tucked into the pockets. I saw one use his shirt to wipe his face. On weekend mornings, seats were readily available on three visits. Music is typical portland: classic rock, played at low volume. Family friendly, but not to the point that childless customers feel out of place. If you need a high-chair for the kids, they can help with that. Another yelper said they have just one, but I saw a stack ready to go. SERVICE: Other yelpers have mentioned Batter is always out of something. On my first visit, I heard a great deal of discussions (staff to staff, and staff to customers) about what they were out of. This was recent (late May), so can't be blamed on their soft opening. I had a question about a menu item which I found confusing. Server didn't know, had to go investigate. It wasn't an esoteric question. It's not like I was asking how free-range their chicken is. He should have known without having to go ask in the kitchen. Wanted food served as it was ready, because we were sharing. They misunderstood, and served it all together. After our food order was placed, we looked at each other, puzzled. Did they actually just take a breakfast order and not ask if we wanted coffee? So I had to wait for another passby so I could give a little wave and say we want coffee. How weird. And was never offered a refill. Server grabbed my plate before I was finished. So there I was, with a mouthful of food, watching my server walk away with my plate. It doesn't matter that I had eaten 95% of my meal; thing is, it feels weird and awkward to sit at a table with a mouthful of food but no plate. And it makes the guest feel rushed. Then we had to wait and wait for the check. I hate being that guy who waves his credit card around, but I had to if we were going to get out of there. Service can be wildly uneven. Prepare to be hovered over, or ignored. Seems unrelated to how busy it is. FOOD: The pecan pancakes were very good. Whipped cream was sturdy and generously portioned, like a scoop of ice cream. I wasn't too crazy about the streusel topping, which was basically just brown sugar sprinkled on top. It was a bit too grainy. I thought it odd to serve pancakes without butter, but I bet they would have brought me some butter if I really wanted it. I did get a sample of their buttermilk syrup, and it was good. The apple pancake (german style, aka dutch baby) was my first ever, but I've seen enough to know this wasn't right. It was just a pancake, but baked in a skillet instead of cooked and flipped on a griddle. There was nothing wrong with it, but it wasn't as described. It's like being served a pretty decent martini when you ordered a bloody mary. Biscuits are dense and dry. Totally edible, not at all disgusting, but needs work. Our server asked how it was. I was honest. My candor was reciprocated: "yeah, our biscuits are pretty awful". Potatoes are interesting. Big random chunks, skin on, served in a bowl, herbed and dressed with...I don't know, could have been olive oil with a bit of bacon drippings? I guess you could almost describe it as a german potato salad, served hot. It was slightly too herby for my taste, and way too much oil at the bottom of my bowl, so I didn't finish them, but I commend Batter for trying something different. PRESENTATION: Hard to go wrong with pancakes. But yeah, everything was fine. I really appreciate water served in a real glass, so kudos for that, but I wish they had decent water glasses instead of using their imperial pints. Bravo for not serving those stupid foil-wrapped individual butter pats. PRICE/VALUE: Pretty good. I think the most I've paid was $13 per person, including coffee. Portion sizes are generous, but not stupidly huge. A plate of pancakes and a couple sides would be a reasonable meal for a couple, and would set you back less than $20, including coffee. RESTROOMS: Fine. Utilitarian, but nothing objectionable. Toilet seat wouldn't stay up. Sorry. OVERALL: If I could combine the best elements from my visits, and if they did something about the air quality and the music, Batter would deserve 5 stars (and that means a lot coming from me; I'm stingy with my stars). There's a lot of potential here, but they need to work on consistency.
(4)Steve H.
Wanted to give the new place in the neighborhood a chance on a Saturday morning. Our whole group was impressed with the food. I had the maple bacon waffle; it had a good amount of chunks of bacon that I could taste it in every bit. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive (it was full but not packed with a line while we were there). The only negative was the time it took from placing the order to getting the food. It's still early so I would think they can get that clearer up easily. I will go back again and not hesitate to recommend it
(4)Brian F.
Good but not great. It's got waffles, but don't walk in with the big "Denny's" waffles in mind because you'll be caught off guard, (which, while not the same as disappointment, feels confusingly similar). The waffles themselves are fine but when I got home (3 blocks away) I opened the box ... only to find symbolic strawberries on my "Strawberry" waffle. More accurately, a single, thinly sliced strawberry. No thick, delicious strawberry sauce either (supposedly there was strawberry "syrup" ... which must have already soaked in). But here's what really gets me: the classic Syrup vs. Sauce debate. Sauce maketh the waffle! Right? I mean, when I show up at 10pm I'm not ordering a waffle because I'm hungry. I'm ordering a waffle because I'm fat. I'm on a sinner's quest. And you, Mr. Griddle, gave me a Michelle Obama waffle. You gave me a waffle that takes half a Hail Mary to cancel out. I was banking on having to say three Our Fathers and instead I said half a Hail Mary! Next time I want the waffle you'd give to Seth Rogen if he came in. Or better yet, the waffle you'd give to yourself if you'd just smoked a fat bowl and walked three blocks in the rain at 10pm. Great service, great venue, good waffles. Props for being open late.
(4)John E.
All I can say is YUCK! The place is so noisy and will cause a headache. The service was poor. We waited over thirty minutes for our so called food. The pancakes were not poked all the way and were real doughy. When we brought this to the attention of the waitress she got real upset and rude. I can't see a place like this surviving in the area. I would rather had an egg mc muffin.
(1)Brenna M.
Had an awesome blueberry waffle! Their house made syrup is amazing!! They only have breakfast/brunch options but if that's what your in the mood for... I recommend a drop in. They weren't busy at all on a Thursday morning and I had very quick and informative service. Great addition to Fremont breakfast scene.
(4)Sally J.
I stopped by here on a whim with a friend, the people eating delicious pancakes lured us in. Menu is limited but after chatting with the worlds most friendly wait staff we understood it is batters "soft opening" they are working out the kinks, training staff, and slowly adding dishes so that by the time of their grand opening in April they will be spot on. Made sense to me, I guess the sign goes up then too, but try and make it before that! The buttermilk syrup is amazing and the Mac And cheese crepes were to die for! I think this will soon be one of Portland's hot spots. Can't wait to go back after the grand opening.
(5)Tony M.
Damn it! I really really want wanted to give Batter a good review. In Portland, the competition in the restaurant business is fierce! You get one shot at a great first impression. The Batter struck out. We were so excited to take our 4 out of town visitors to a cool new place in the hood. Big let down. Batter was out of bacon, out of potatoes, out of champagne, out of rye whiskey and out of crepe batter. Out of batter and your name is batter? The Country Chicken and Waffle was ok but still not up to the same level as The Screen Door. The Bloody Mary's flavor was ok but we could not taste the booze. Two people in our party thought that they were watered down and that Batter must have been running out of Vodka and Mix since they were out of so many things. My Manhattan was ok but I prefer that it be made the traditional way with Rye, which they were out of. Will we give Batter another trip to the plate? Maybe next season.
(2)Jessica D.
An interesting take on all-day breakfast. Yummy combinations, good options if you're not a vegetarian. There were only two vegetarian options on the savory menu but what I got was good. Probably not my first choice for a healthy meal but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Service was a bit slow but nothing to really complain about.
(4)Nadia B.
Yum! Thats all i can say.. I LOVED THIS PLACE The custumer service was fantastic, The waitress suggested the wakey wakey. Yummerz! Please do try it! I cant even.
(5)Dave H.
Place is legit. Asian chicken is awesome and waffles are unbelievably good. Cool vibe, good, fast service.
(5)Marissa S.
My boyfriend and I came here for brunch. It was really cute and exciting since it was so new and everything. I enjoyed my food. I ordered chicken and waffles as a first timer and was very impressed. For the prices they offer and the food they serve very yummy. Although their coffee isn't the greatest so I wouldn't recommend it.
(4)Jason A.
You like chicken? Fried chicken? Jerk Chicken? Tender, juicy, melt in your mouth chicken? Stop looking at all the other chicken spots and come give this joint a try at least once. I am writing this review after destroying the Jerk Chicken plate and snatching pieces of the Chicken Fried Chicken from a friend of mine. Great food, chill bartenders and servers. Get up off your couch and come try this place.
(5)Amanda M.
While the place is new, they are definitely still working out the kinks. However, while the experience was a little slower than we anticipated, the food was good and our waitress was accommodating. I would not be opposed to returning
(4)casey v.
Some of the best fried chicken I've had since visiting Georgia! Have had the chicken and waffles with fantastic balsamic syrup so far. Massive portions by the way, great to share. I hear the pulled pork crepe is great as well so it will be a difficult decision the next time I go in.
(5)Melissa V.
Hooray, Batter is finally open! I never understood why people go to a restaurant during its first week and rate it one star based on service; I think that's a bit unfair. Batter's service was pretty solid for us, considering we went during its second week of business. We arrived around 10:45am and waited about 5ish minutes before being seated. Though I only felt like having water today, I scanned the drink menu. Their cocktails looked good, on paper at least, and most were priced around $8, and Bloody's at $7. If you are that person who loves having both sweet and savory breakfast options, this is the place to be. After waffling back and forth (pun intended) between The King and the Don't Passover Matzo pancakes, I chose The King (peanut butter, banana, and bacon pancakes) and Mr. Boyfriend chose the Mocha Me Go (coffee infused with dark chocolate sauce), both priced at $9. I really enjoyed The King; there was a good amount of banana and homemade peanut butter. I really liked the peanut butter because it was slightly on the crunchy side which added texture. However one of my pancakes didn't have any bacon in it. When I noted this to the server, they promptly brought out more bacon - happy customer right here. So my only feedback with that is, please make sure these come out with the right amount of bacon! This is Portland and people are tough food critics. Once I had another bacon strip, the balance was perfect. I did have a bite of the Mocha pancakes and they were delicious, and not too sweet because dark chocolate tends to be more bitter. Neither one of us could finish so we took the rest home. Overall I think they did great for their soft opening, and we are so excited they are in our apartment building! I will surely be back for those Matzo pancakes.
(5)Theresa C.
Came to try a new place. Cute restaurant. Had a.mimosa that was average hubby had the blueberry pancakes which h he said were good but he would have liked butter with them. I had the wake bakey the waffle itself was good but the scrambled eggs and cheese were a little gluey. Overall this is a cute restaurant that needs to work out some opening kinks
(3)Kristin R.
We were definitely on the fence about whether or not B + G would be a hit or a miss with our family for dinner. It was a HUGE hit!! The fried chicken rivals the best places in town, my kids would not keep their hands away from my plate. My husband had the Asian spicy chicken and waffles, so good! They did not shy away from making it spicy. The waffles themselves were the best I've had...and my kids were in another world with their pancakes...strawberry and fluffernutter (peanut butter and marshmallow)...when we are in the mood to treat ourselves with something sweet for dinner this will be our spot. Kids could definitely split an order, the portions are enormous. Or maybe there was a kids menu, we were not offered one. One slight issue...it was super smokey inside...not cigarette smoke...griddle smoke, might have an exhaust problem.
(5)Heather C.
This is a great little spot to stop by when you're craving breakfast. Our waiter was so accommodating and delightful! With so many dining options in Portland, I think the key to success is having happy, helpful staff. Many different dishes were ordered amongst our brunch group. The pancakes and waffles were delicious. Country chicken? So yummy. It's still their soft opening and they have a few kinks to work out, but I really hope it's here to stay.
(4)Greg C.
So we'll go with three stars here. I think they could gain a fourth just by fixing a few things. We showed up on Saturday night with a large party (12 or so) and managed to push some tables together and fit everyone in. I don't think they were staffed enough for the level of business they got, though, and as others have said they ran out of several things, which turned out to be a problem for my vegan wife. That being said, the Waky Waky thing was very good; the bacon is excellent and the syrup stuff was amazing. So they have a ways to go with staffing/service and supply chain :). I'd like to go back and try the fried chicken next time.
(3)Nate A.
Got some waffles here - best I've ever had. The place got busy around 9am (sat) but it's an open area and the service was good. free coffee refills, crayons for kids. Classic rock isn't my fav but it wasn't too loud. Good spot!
(5)Nicole C.
I walked into this new restaurant in the Beaumont neighborhood for the first time and was instantly treated like family. Excellent food. Varied menu. Attentive service. Check it out.
(5)K D.
OMG Amazing!!! I had the Chicken & Waffle and my boyfriend had Banana pancakes. The chicken was battered in something from Heaven, and the buttermilk syrup was to die for. Staff were friendly, service was fast (we went for dinner). Price good for the large amount of food you get. Try if you get a chance!
(5)Edward B.
ATMOSPHERE: What you'd expect from a new Portland restaurant that aspires to be hip/trendy: A mix of rustic and bare utility, spartan but not uncomfortably barren, edison lamps, chalkboard. A bit cliched, but nice enough. Mix of seating: a couple booths, lots of two-tops and four-tops, a big communal table, a leather couch, and a bar. Stainless bar is cold and uninviting, and the overhang is too short. I'm not a big guy, and even I can't get comfortable there. Can be smoky and hot. I've yet to see the roll-up door open, even on this warmest weekend of the year so far. Servers wear cutoffs, with grimy bar towels tucked into the pockets. I saw one use his shirt to wipe his face. On weekend mornings, seats were readily available on three visits. Music is typical portland: classic rock, played at low volume. Family friendly, but not to the point that childless customers feel out of place. If you need a high-chair for the kids, they can help with that. Another yelper said they have just one, but I saw a stack ready to go. SERVICE: Other yelpers have mentioned Batter is always out of something. On my first visit, I heard a great deal of discussions (staff to staff, and staff to customers) about what they were out of. This was recent (late May), so can't be blamed on their soft opening. I had a question about a menu item which I found confusing. Server didn't know, had to go investigate. It wasn't an esoteric question. It's not like I was asking how free-range their chicken is. He should have known without having to go ask in the kitchen. Wanted food served as it was ready, because we were sharing. They misunderstood, and served it all together. After our food order was placed, we looked at each other, puzzled. Did they actually just take a breakfast order and not ask if we wanted coffee? So I had to wait for another passby so I could give a little wave and say we want coffee. How weird. And was never offered a refill. Server grabbed my plate before I was finished. So there I was, with a mouthful of food, watching my server walk away with my plate. It doesn't matter that I had eaten 95% of my meal; thing is, it feels weird and awkward to sit at a table with a mouthful of food but no plate. And it makes the guest feel rushed. Then we had to wait and wait for the check. I hate being that guy who waves his credit card around, but I had to if we were going to get out of there. Service can be wildly uneven. Prepare to be hovered over, or ignored. Seems unrelated to how busy it is. FOOD: The pecan pancakes were very good. Whipped cream was sturdy and generously portioned, like a scoop of ice cream. I wasn't too crazy about the streusel topping, which was basically just brown sugar sprinkled on top. It was a bit too grainy. I thought it odd to serve pancakes without butter, but I bet they would have brought me some butter if I really wanted it. I did get a sample of their buttermilk syrup, and it was good. The apple pancake (german style, aka dutch baby) was my first ever, but I've seen enough to know this wasn't right. It was just a pancake, but baked in a skillet instead of cooked and flipped on a griddle. There was nothing wrong with it, but it wasn't as described. It's like being served a pretty decent martini when you ordered a bloody mary. Biscuits are dense and dry. Totally edible, not at all disgusting, but needs work. Our server asked how it was. I was honest. My candor was reciprocated: "yeah, our biscuits are pretty awful". Potatoes are interesting. Big random chunks, skin on, served in a bowl, herbed and dressed with...I don't know, could have been olive oil with a bit of bacon drippings? I guess you could almost describe it as a german potato salad, served hot. It was slightly too herby for my taste, and way too much oil at the bottom of my bowl, so I didn't finish them, but I commend Batter for trying something different. PRESENTATION: Hard to go wrong with pancakes. But yeah, everything was fine. I really appreciate water served in a real glass, so kudos for that, but I wish they had decent water glasses instead of using their imperial pints. Bravo for not serving those stupid foil-wrapped individual butter pats. PRICE/VALUE: Pretty good. I think the most I've paid was $13 per person, including coffee. Portion sizes are generous, but not stupidly huge. A plate of pancakes and a couple sides would be a reasonable meal for a couple, and would set you back less than $20, including coffee. RESTROOMS: Fine. Utilitarian, but nothing objectionable. Toilet seat wouldn't stay up. Sorry. OVERALL: If I could combine the best elements from my visits, and if they did something about the air quality and the music, Batter would deserve 5 stars (and that means a lot coming from me; I'm stingy with my stars). There's a lot of potential here, but they need to work on consistency.
(4)Heather C.
This is a great little spot to stop by when you're craving breakfast. Our waiter was so accommodating and delightful! With so many dining options in Portland, I think the key to success is having happy, helpful staff. Many different dishes were ordered amongst our brunch group. The pancakes and waffles were delicious. Country chicken? So yummy. It's still their soft opening and they have a few kinks to work out, but I really hope it's here to stay.
(4)Lizzy J.
I was so excited to hear about another breakfast place in Portland and I was happy with our experience this morning, but I do understand the negative reviews. They have a lot to improve on....purchase enough coffee cups, get outdoor heaters and chairs for people to wait for their tables outside so they can add indoor tables, get better ventilation to remedy the smokiness, and get real signage. They are brave for doing a soft opening especially here in Portland...but they have got to step it up. The food is great and reasonably priced....make the entire experience better and you've got 5 stars!
(4)Anna S.
Wish we'd discovered this sooner, would totally be back often if we lived in the area. Husband and I went for breakfast and shared the "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey" and it was Perfect, with bits of ham (really good ham) baked into the light and airy waffle. They are refreshingly generous to leave a cruet of real maple syrup for the table, for us to dress our own waffle as we please. Sat outside on a beautiful morning, and loved the anything-goes attitude about the drink menu accompanying the breakfast menu at 8:30 on a Tuesday morning. Hub loved sipping an IPA with the waffle. Big portions for an everyday endeavor, but one dish split for two people is perfect and leaves you feeling on top of the world. Don't get a latte, that was not a good choice, oddly half-foam. But beer and waffles? Yes. Would have gone back the next day if we were still in town--affordable and so good!
(4)Michelle W.
Tried this place today and it was great! Our server was friendly and efficient ;). We shared the Asian chicken waffle.. Yum! Perfectly spicy. We willbe back!
(4)Megan P.
We'd heard about Batter from a friend and decided to try it tonight. We both had the Sprout Bloody Mary and it was delicious, with just the right amount of tang and spice. I had the Asian fried chicken with a ginger waffle and my husband had banana pancakes that he added chocolate sauce and peanut butter to. Mine was perfect -- moist fried chicken and a crispy, fluffy waffle. I was nervous about the ginger being over flavored, but it was just right. Weirdly, the sweet pancake syrup was amazing on it. My husband loved his, too. Our waiter was supremely pleasant and helpful. We're excited to go back, especially on late nights when our kids are at the grandparents. We left full and happy and well taken care of.
(5)Blair K.
Glad you are in the hood! Looking for a little more consistency in meals....same thing ordered twice....once great, second time, different and not as tasty. Very loud inside, so if you're looking for a quiet meal, this is not the place...cement floors make for a noisy environment. We will be back for another try soon! Welcome!
(3)Nicole O.
There's nothing quite like being so excited to try a place and being disappointed before even sitting down with the poor service. Upon arriving at Batter around noon, we were told there would be a 25 minute wait. No problem, the place looked PACKED (good sign) and I wanted to get my hands on some chicken & waffles, so it wasn't a big deal. We had my 5 year old with us, and he was ecstatic for the Fluffernutter, seeing as we're from New England and that's a 'thing' there, which we can't find here. The smells coming from inside were making our mouths water and we figured we just had a few minutes to be seated (much faster than the 25 minutes quoted; HOORAY!) since the couple of parties before us were now seated. What happened next is what tainted our experience with Batter and lead to us not only not eating there but probably never returning: Not 1, not 2 but FOUR groups were called to be seated after us. After the second, I went to the "hostess" (don't know if that's her actual title, or what her name is) and inquired. She replied 'oh, I believe that table is yours, they're just getting napkins & stuff' while pointing to the lone empty table. I went back outside to my son & boyfriend and waited. And then watched while an additional 2 groups were seated. (I'd like to note here that the groups were of 2, 3, 3 & 4, so it's not like I'm saying a group of 6 were seated before us; that, I'd understand). At this point, two more groups arrive, and are offered to be served at the tables outside, which appeared to be the designated waiting area when we arrived, and the 'hostess' comes back outside to ask if we wanted to sit there. Well, quite frankly, no. It's sunny, very windy and getting warm outside, I'd like to sit in the shade. I have a child with me, I want to sit inside, which is where we should have been seated when I put our name in 20-something minutes ago. At this point one of the servers comes out, Joe I believe he said his name was, saying it going to be another while before we can be seated inside. I've had it by this point, and we decide to leave, though I ask to see the owner first, because he should know what miserable service is being performed, before patrons are even inside. Of course, he just happened to leave on an errand, so I have no ear to talk to but the 'hostess.' Her 'excuse' for the other groups being seated before us was, at first, having to do with party size and when I pointed out the relativity of our party's size, received this abysmal, at best reply instead: they called in yesterday to reserve a seat. Funny, I called Batter after leaving to 'place a reservation' and was told that they only took reservations for groups of 6 or more. Anything less, they can take the name but can't guarantee a seat right when you arrive. Moral of the story: don't lie to a patron to cover your butt for making a mistake. That said, I will applaud Joe for taking ownership of the mistake and admitting that he missed our name: he, alone, was the 'saving grace' to this experience. But that's not the point here. The point is that in a city such as Portland, where you can find amazing food on nearly every corner, what makes a restaurant stand out is the service and to say that my initial impression of Batter was disappointing isn't quite strong enough. I'm upset that the situation wasn't remedied when we first brought it to the hostess' attention and instead was mouthed off & lied to for expressing my disappointment. Sorry, Batter, but we won't be coming back.
(1)Shirley B.
Thought I would give this place a try after a friend said she had an awesome waffle. The waffle was awesome! But... The service left something to be desired. This is tough because all the people were nice there just wasn't a good routine/defined roles. It's a Sat there are about 8 tables with people, 2 servers and what seems to be a host? Or maybe a food runner? Not sure? Sign said wait to be seated- I waited 5 min, then seated myself. I then watched as there was confusion about who's table I was. The table next to me had to ask for water 2x. Another table near me had to get up and ask for boxes at the bar. I was by myself so the food came pretty quickly after I ordered but the party of four next to me waited 25+ min for their food... That's just too long for pancakes and waffles! Like I said the food was good... Worth giving it a shot- I am gonna give them a few months to get their stuff figured out. A few suggestions to the restaurant; 1. Serve water to everyone- its summer, you're restaurant is hot. I doubt you will waste much. OR make the water station more visible and easier to get to - with normal size glasses. 2. Establish a better system for your wait staff, determining who's table is who's, expectations for checking on customers, making sure tables have menus and silverware. I had to get up and get my own... And leave the paid/signed bill on my table till I leave, coming back to get it is rude. 3. Since the restaurant is small do you really need a "wait to be seated" sign? While I was here no one was formally seated, everyone sat themselves after reading the sign and looking around then contemplating what to do. See you in August, looking forward to another perfectly crispy waffle!
(3)Sueann R.
So glad they opened just down the street from were I work. Fast friendly service. Not many beers on tap but what they do have is great local brews. The house made buttermilk syrup is the best thing EVER and you need to try it. I had the Waky Waky waffle and almost licked my plate clean! ! My hubby throughly enjoyed his strawberry pancakes we will for sure be back!!!
(5)Willie G.
Well I came here for the 2nd time and the service, food & drinks are still on point. This place kicks ass. Delicious everything.
(5)Margaret N.
I had the bacon waffle topped with scrambled eggs and cheese. It was UH MAZING. Am definitely recommending to my friends as a great brunch spot!
(4)stacey k.
Hot hot day for the Fremont street fair. This place is open air with no air conditioning. I was a bit skeptical as I am not a breakfast for dinner person. Started with sweet white sangria. Not traditional but refreshing on a hot night. My friend had ABc which was a delicious Brie and apple crepe. We also ordered red velvet pancakes! I had the lox over a creme'd scallion pancake which was so great and filling with tons of capers. There is also a simple kids menu that had waffles and a single pancake that was just enough. Oh and battered bacon app, which I didn't eat but was a great start!!! Sweet young guy provided great service to all of us.
(4)Jessica M.
Like others I read about this place on Eater PDX, which made it sound like the next up and coming restaurant. Everything in the article from Eater made it seem like I'd love it. Pancakes? Love. Drinks? Love. My boyfriend and I went there tonight (Friday) around 6pm and there were a few tables full of customers. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice, but it does feel odd to have it described as a drinkery and have kids running around everywhere. We both perused the drink menu and he settled on a cold drink while I decided on a coffee drink. The drinks were flat out not good. I know it's their soft opening and they are still perfecting, however my coffee was watered down and barely had any flavor. My boyfriend's drink tasted like lime soda water with no real hint of alcohol. The food on the other hand was good, but not great. I feel like being a vegetarian made it hard to navigate the menu, and my only real options were sweet as all get out (red velvet cake in a pan?) or mac n cheese in a crepe. I settled on the blueberry pancakes and they were quite good but nothing you can't get anywhere else. Service was pretty good but we were never given water, but hey..that happens. Overall nothing about this place screamed for me to go back and try it again.
(2)Jared W.
Great unique food at very good prices. My only suggestion is better brewed coffee. Way too strong for most peoples taste. Will be back.
(5)Nicole J.
This review addresses only the food at Batter. We came on opening day, when infrastructure issues and long waits are to be expected. I'm guessing these will be quickly worked out. I had the fried chicken and waffles, with a maple balsamic dressing. It was perfect. The chicken was crispy and tender with beautifully spiced batter, the waffle was crisp and soft on the inside, and the maple balsamic was out of this world. Best blend of sweet and savory I've had in a long time. The service was friendly and attentive, laid back and pleasant. This is an excellent restaurant and a great addition to Fremont st.
(5)Chuck N.
Reheated, pre-cooked, dry fried chicken on top of a rubbery, underdone waffle. My wife's greek crepe was disgusting, as well. I see the lines in front and know some swear by this place, but it just makes me want to swear in a different way. Would never return.
(2)Mark P.
Brought my extended family of 12 here for late Sunday brunch (thank goodness there's a place that'll take a brunch reservation!!). From ages 3-40, we were universally satisfied. The unique combinations all worked but the winner was the chicken & waffle. Wait time for regular sized groups was 30-45 minutes which is totally standard in PDX. They've got the whole coffee-while-you-wait thing down and the full bar is well stocked. Can't wait to come back and try more savory combinations I would never have the thought, time or skill to make myself! #BringBattertotheWestside!
(5)Taylor A.
Stopped by for breakfast this morning and was very impressed by the friendly, attentive staff, quick table service and delicious food! I tried the chicken fried chicken and it was amazing. The maple balsamic syrup....amazing. I'm super excited to experience the full menu after this month!c
(5)Geoffrey A.
I'm not some crank who gets on Yelp and tears down every establishment I visit - check my profile. But in this case, I owe it to anyone thinking of going out for breakfast: Skip Batter. Back in November 2014, there was a sign that read "Coming Soon" and a menu displaying both sweet and savory pancake options. But "soon" would be, 4.5 months later, which you'd think would be plenty of time to get it right. At 8:40 am on opening weekend, we were lucky enough to get the last table before a line formed. Good for them. Of course, we had a baby like every other table in the place, but Batter only had one highchair. For the whole place. In a residential neighborhood. So babies are now roaming free among tables too closely packed together and the visibly beleaguered wait staff is playing frogger with hands full of hot coffee. I ordered the bacon pancakes. Sorry, out of Bacon. At 8:40 am. Ok, how about the crepes. Out of crepe batter. I settled on eggs and potatoes while the wife and kids went for more signature dishes - strawberry and blueberry pancakes. It was clear things were going to take a while so I took my son to get a bagel from across the street while we waited. About 40 minutes later, the saddest little plates came out - 3 strawberry pancakes had ONE strawberry cut up across the top (and some cooked in, to be fair). My side order of 2 scrambled eggs looked exactly like my son's side order of 1 scrambled egg. And canned whip cream attempted to hide everything on the plates. Oh, and my wife's batter - the namesake of this restaurant - under-cooked throughout. I asked for ketchup for my potatoes. They had none. The most upsetting part was that none of this came with an apology. Perhaps, complimentary coffee would have eased the pain and coaxed us back for another try. But nothing. We ate, we paid and we left. It wasn't terribly expensive, but I've rarely left a restaurant feeling so ripped off. Sweet and savory pancakes. Great concept. And 4 months to figure it out. Shame.
(1)Sammie H.
AMEN! This is my new place of worship! Came in for Sunday brunch, totally amazing & who would of thought you could fall in love with pancakes again?! I has the Elvis, 3 massive, the size of your head pancakes, loaded with thick crisp bacon bits, drizzled with their homemade peanut butter & fresh slices of banana & of course....warm maple syrup. If no one was looking, I would have licked my plate! Batter is my new religion & I'll be back on Sunday's to worship again! And I can't wait to try the other amazing dishes I saw go by!
(5)David L.
Food's great make sure you go in when it's not and shift change our service sucked it took forever people that came in behind us receive the food they ran out of grapes and was told to order something else your restaurant make some crepes
(2)L J.
this review is for sunday august 2nd 2015 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot guys???? i had 2 great experiences ordering fried chicken and waffles for myself and strawberry pancakes for the kids while we ate in the restaurant. this was sometime in May and maybe june of 2015. today my husband goes to get a take out order and the strawberry pancakes were old and dry and they forgot the whip cream-a big deal to a 7 and 4 year old. the biscuits seemed like they were 2 days old, dry and hard as rocks. i am from south carolina and can cook my own homemade biscuits really well, so i am not relying on tourist joints like pine state to form my opinion of a great biscuit. and the fried chicken, dear lord of the rings!!! did you cook it last night, refrigerate it, then re fry it this morning? it was so dry and TOUGH i couldn't finish chewing it. what was previously a juicy, tender piece of fried chicken is now so tough i couldn't chew the one bite i dared to eat. oh well, to this day we cannot find reliably great fried chicken in this city (and YES i am including screen door in that sentiment). there is one place that makes a culinary experience out of "chicken fingers" so i guess we'll just stick with that place. additionally my husband said that he called the order in at 9:40, got there at 10am and still didn't get our order until 10:30. during which time he watched one diner's ordered get messed up, returned, re cooked and come out before our order was ready. the restaurant was 75% full he said but no line out the door.
(2)Meryl L.
I give it a 2 and that's a bit generous. I had a pulled pork crepe. Meh... Crepe, pickles, pork and spicy mustard. Pretty average fare. The real knock down comes from observing blatant food handling violations. The worst was seeing the bartender consistently squeeze limes and wipe his hands on his pants. Street pants. Not on a bleach rag, but pants. So I went across the street to GCB for dessert. Wish I'd eaten there. Good plus clean. I consoled myself by taking home como and danishes.
(2)Chris H.
I went on opening day, and had a great experience! While the food took a while, it was opening day and I absolutely recognize that things like this are to be expected on a brand new establishment's first day. The atmosphere was great--it's sort of rustic-chic, very much "a la Portland." It was a beautiful and sunny Sunday afternoon, and they had a garage door on the wall which they had opened up--it was very inviting, I love when restaurants can create the effect of eating outside, without actually putting you outside (Is that just me?) :) I ordered the spicy Asian friend chicken and savory ginger waffles and it was DELICIOUS. Specifically, the sauce on this chicken waffles was to die for. I enjoyed a mimosa while I waited for the food (mimosa--what's not to love?). My husband had the maple-bacon waffles, which he was able to drown in syrup to his heart's content. The waffles were crispy and delicious, and when has bacon ever been a bad decision? All in all, I had a wonderful experience and I absolutely plan on coming back next time I am in the city.
(5)Kayla C.
I want to eat here everyday of my life. I got the Asian style chicken & waffles and a grapefruit mimosa and as I was driving away, Truly Madly Deeply came on the radio, so that's gonna be our song from now on. Me and the chicken's song I mean.
(5)Andrew B.
The waffles and fried chicken were amazing, especially with the balsamic syrup. Those fried chicken breast were tender and boneless. The batter for the chicken was amazing.
(5)Natalie H.
The Pecan Do It waffle was mind blowing. Perfectly cooked waffle. Great flavors (gear up your sweet tooth!). A delight to eat. The biscuits had a strange mealy texture, and the veggie gravy was nearly tasteless. We were disappointed that the service is impersonal and minimal. The Pecan Do It truly stole the show!
(4)Shanu S.
There are many awesome brunch places in Portland but this is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad food but it's just not special. I tried the buttermilk chicken, which was dry and a little bland. If you eat it with the syrup though, it's okay. I also tried the falafel waffle, which was way too salty by itself. However, if you smother it with the hummus and tsatsiki sauce it comes with it's alright. The wakey wakey eggs and bakey was okay, since you can't really mess up eggs, bacon and waffles. The roast potatoes were mushy and bland. The spanakopita crepe was ok, a little too cheesy but that's just personal taste. Apart from food the wait time was long but we did go at peak hour. Service was pretty good and all the waitstaff were courteous and friendly.
(3)Janyne M.
Loved it! Pint sized mimosas were awesome and the buttermilk syrup was unreal! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Brianna R.
My friends and I woke up severely hungover on a friday afternoon, wanting breakfast. Unfortunately, in portland, breakfast after 3pm is extremely hard to find. We stumbled across this place and the menu is so strange and everything sounds good, its hard to choose one. We came in and the place was completely empty, which is fine by me. Staff was super friendly, food was good. the mac and cheese crepe is weird and amazing.
(4)Ritu K.
For a person who gets pancake hankerings at midnight and could eat pancakes 24/7, this place was a huge letdown. I think the only positives were the lack of a wait and attentive service. The pancakes, however, forget about it. My banana pancakes were just no bueno. I couldn't figure out whether it was the overripe bananas, the batter or the pancakes being a tad over cooked. Whatever it was, they really were disappointing. My friend had the matzo pancakes and someone's hand must have slipped with the salt. Yikes they were hard to eat. I really was hoping Batter would be my new brunch locale.
(3)Caity H.
We came here on their disastrous opening day and left after over 2 hours of waiting without food. Huge bummer...but I didn't write a bad review because I had high hopes for the place. I love their decor and vibe, and the food looked fantastic! We went back on Sunday and were seated and served in a more-than-reasonable amount of time. Their must have been a miscommunication between the server and hostess because our server thought we were waiting on someone else so our order didn't get taken right away, but I won't hold that against them. Their food was really good. Like REALLY good. I was very pleased! The only reason they're not getting 5 stars is because their drip coffee always tastes burnt.
(4)Matt F.
Sooo good. My pancake was so fluffy, I am surprised that it was GF. I had the cumberbatch. I didnt know I liked pork belly so much. And the Asian host/helper was super sweet.
(5)M G.
I love this spot! Been there 4 times now. They serve a gluten free alternative to almost everything on the menu. The food comes out consistently delicious; eggs are as ordered, the BEST bacon in town, yummy buttermilk syrup. The service is friendly and accomodating. I've never felt that snobbish, Portlandia hipster, rudeness from any of the staff. My only complaint is minor in the larger scope, I find it not very organized. The hostess has forgotten all four times I was there to include a menu when she escorts the guests to their tables. I've had to go back to the door and ask for a menu. The food and staff are great....
(5)Hungrylone W.
Came here for late lunch today. The place was empty but I can't figure out why because this place was wonderful. It was kind of nice having the place to ourselves. The staff was very friendly and I really appreciated the music they had playing. I had the cherry and oj mimosa which was fantastic and boozy. Waffles were light and crispy. The potatoes had good flavored and the fruit was really fresh. The fried chicken had hardly any fat on it, but my favorite thing would have to be the biscuits. SO good! All of this for about $13 which is something I can get behind.
(4)Snakes M.
Excellent brunch spot on Fremont. The Asian Chicken and ginger waffle was a delicious combination of savory, spicy, and sweet. The pineapple bacon Bloody Mary had great flavor. I wish it had an actual piece of bacon in it (fat guy checking in), but the flavor was one of the best I've had. My wife got the pancakes with chocolate ganache and was in heaven. The staff was friendly and the wait time was short. We'll definitely be back.
(5)Cyndi S.
Really cool concept with a full menu of both sweet and savory options. Tried it for dinner thinking breakfast/brunch might be crowded and we are breakfast for dinner fans. Friendly staff and comfortable vibe with garage doors open in summer and picnic table seating outside. Come hungry because the portions are HUGE. Kids had the fried chicken and waffle - very crunchy and especially good with maple balsamic syrup - and The King - giant plate of very tasty Elvis favorites - peanut butter, bananas, and yummy bacon. Dad kept it old school with high praise for the maple bacon pancakes. Since he is a pancake fanatic, his positive review is particularly significant. I went savory with the lox pancakes. Very yummy with capers and pickled red onion. Overall, a very delicious meal and we'll be back to try more pancake options, the Asian chicken and crepes. Five stars if the service was a little faster.
(4)Hannah L.
I read about this new restaurant on the Eater PDX and was intrigued by the menu. All the dishes sounded so good, who doesn't love pancakes and waffles all day! I went there a couple weeks after they opened and had a great experience. I ordered the full Monty pancake with pork belly, cheese and bacon inside with a raspberry sauce to pour over and it was heavenly! It was 3 huge pancakes for $9, the prices and portions were very worth it. My friend had the mac and cheese crepes and I tried some and it was very good as well. I can't wait to come back and try some of the other dishes. I would recommend to anyone who love breakfast food to try this place!
(5)David D.
We went to this place on opening day. The long wait for food was rough but to be expected on an opening day. I anticipate it will improve. The food was great. The chicken and waffle was delicious. Good crisp waffle outside and light and fluffy inside. The chicken was well seasoned battered and cooked. The pancakes in the other dishes were all very good. Light cakes that melt in your mouth. There were different combos of mostly sweet but some savory too. I'll look forward to seeing their full menu. I will go back.
(4)lydia j.
I added a star to my review because I feel like they're not quite sure where they are going with the restaurant yet, and I want to give them a chance to figure that out. We went during their soft opening, hoping to fulfill our craving for fried chicken and waffles. The waiter was very nice and friendly, but things were unorganized, and the poor guy seemed very overwhelmed. We were seated fairly quickly for a portland brunch spot, but it took quite a bit of time for our orders to be placed. We ordered both their country fried chicken and asian chicken & waffles, along with a pineapple strawberry smoothie, and strawberry pancakes. We were excited because our waiter said we made some great choices, portion sizes were large, and said the asian chicken was flavorful and spicy. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The chicken was underwhelming in the flavor department, more bland than spicy, the breading was soft, and disintegrated off the chicken as soon as you cut into it, and there was 1 soggy sad waffle underneath. The pancakes were burnt, there were probably 10 paper thin slices of strawberries on it with literally 1 teaspoon of whipped cream on the side that was was melted. The waiter kept forgetting or smoothies and once they came he said "she made it strawberry banana instead, hope you're okay with that," and placed it on our table. I'm in no way a picky person, so I drank it anyway, but it literally tasted like water, so I didn't end up drinking it. They were nice enough to take the smoothies off our tab. It was a disappointing experience...we did notice a lot of families there, and the kids seemed to be completely satisfied with the food. Sorry, we will not be back.
(2)Laura F.
I was so hopeful that this place had a great concept... But oh my goodness talk about skimpy. I paid $9 for 3 small, thin, krusteaz style cakes that I can honestly make better at home. Our family left hungry. I hope they make changes.
(2)Abby T.
Amazing food, and amazing service, super cute on the inside. The Asian fried chicken was out of control, and it was totally reasonably priced! Everyone was super friendly and helpful, one of my new favorite places in the area for sure.
(5)Michelle B.
Five stars for the food, one star for the service. The location is terrific and the place itself is really comfortable and has a great look and feel. The drinks, especially the bloody Mary's and different kids of mimosas are awesome. The food is terrific! Everything looks beautiful when it gets to you, smells divine and tastes like heaven. Looking forward to trying everything on the menu. Only issue for me is the service. Everyone there acts like you're bothering them. The host wasn't really in a rush to seat us when the place was empty, the waitress seemed annoyed when we ordered a second round of drinks, it took a while to get syrup on the table (at a pancake place) - I really wish they were just friendlier. The food, the location and the look of the place deserve it.
(3)Steve H.
Wanted to give the new place in the neighborhood a chance on a Saturday morning. Our whole group was impressed with the food. I had the maple bacon waffle; it had a good amount of chunks of bacon that I could taste it in every bit. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive (it was full but not packed with a line while we were there). The only negative was the time it took from placing the order to getting the food. It's still early so I would think they can get that clearer up easily. I will go back again and not hesitate to recommend it
(4)Brian F.
Good but not great. It's got waffles, but don't walk in with the big "Denny's" waffles in mind because you'll be caught off guard, (which, while not the same as disappointment, feels confusingly similar). The waffles themselves are fine but when I got home (3 blocks away) I opened the box ... only to find symbolic strawberries on my "Strawberry" waffle. More accurately, a single, thinly sliced strawberry. No thick, delicious strawberry sauce either (supposedly there was strawberry "syrup" ... which must have already soaked in). But here's what really gets me: the classic Syrup vs. Sauce debate. Sauce maketh the waffle! Right? I mean, when I show up at 10pm I'm not ordering a waffle because I'm hungry. I'm ordering a waffle because I'm fat. I'm on a sinner's quest. And you, Mr. Griddle, gave me a Michelle Obama waffle. You gave me a waffle that takes half a Hail Mary to cancel out. I was banking on having to say three Our Fathers and instead I said half a Hail Mary! Next time I want the waffle you'd give to Seth Rogen if he came in. Or better yet, the waffle you'd give to yourself if you'd just smoked a fat bowl and walked three blocks in the rain at 10pm. Great service, great venue, good waffles. Props for being open late.
(4)John E.
All I can say is YUCK! The place is so noisy and will cause a headache. The service was poor. We waited over thirty minutes for our so called food. The pancakes were not poked all the way and were real doughy. When we brought this to the attention of the waitress she got real upset and rude. I can't see a place like this surviving in the area. I would rather had an egg mc muffin.
(1)Brenna M.
Had an awesome blueberry waffle! Their house made syrup is amazing!! They only have breakfast/brunch options but if that's what your in the mood for... I recommend a drop in. They weren't busy at all on a Thursday morning and I had very quick and informative service. Great addition to Fremont breakfast scene.
(4)Neil P.
Love this place! They custom made me an amazing mixed berry crepe. Love their spinach and ricotta crepes too. The coffees are great! Highly recommend this, anytime of the day!
(4)Lisa F.
It was recommended we try BG&D. Great location but stick your head in & it's loud but we stayed & got nice seating by chalkboard. We received overly used food & drink menus. After some time we ordered drinks from one man, then a short while later a young lady brought them & my friend asked if we should at that time. She said 'you should now because it gets busy'. The place was already full. We also asked for waters. My friend ordered the fried chicken on waffles & I the Wakey-Wakey. We waited a long time & friend points out 2 & then 3 families getting their foods so I say it's not fried chicken. Then I see a young couple that came in 30 min seated after we did that ordered & got... The fried chicken. I caught a totally diff server to ask about our order. She came back saying that it was lost. We hadn't even gotten water & already done with first drinks. She took our orders again & said it was on them with apologies. Less than 5min we got our food! I enjoyed the food but my friend did not. Overall we felt that our table was completely dismissed unless we said something & that included the boxes. I really wanted it to be an altogether different experience ;( 2 stars because they picked up the bill (but we had told the the guy cleaning tables who asked). We had no cash for tip. I am glad to read of better experiences.
(2)Sally J.
I stopped by here on a whim with a friend, the people eating delicious pancakes lured us in. Menu is limited but after chatting with the worlds most friendly wait staff we understood it is batters "soft opening" they are working out the kinks, training staff, and slowly adding dishes so that by the time of their grand opening in April they will be spot on. Made sense to me, I guess the sign goes up then too, but try and make it before that! The buttermilk syrup is amazing and the Mac And cheese crepes were to die for! I think this will soon be one of Portland's hot spots. Can't wait to go back after the grand opening.
(5)Rachael M.
I'm writing this review as we're leaving the restaurant- our breakfast was just so delicious I couldn't wait! Here's what was so awesome: 1. No wait on Sunday morning. That is an anomaly in this town, and usually why I try to avoid Sunday brunch. 2. We were greeted immediately by an incredibly friendly waiter, who was attentive and helpful. 3. We each ordered a mimosa, which were delicious, huge, and only $5!! 4. Our waiter took our order, and it was out so quickly! (While I like getting my food quickly when I'm hungry, I also like to enjoy the company of the person I'm out with a bit longer. Getting food so fast made our trip out only about 30 minutes total. That is my only real criticism, and it's SUPER minor.) 5. The food is AMAZING. my husband's waffle was cooked to perfection, and my banana pancakes were soft, fluffy and perfectly sweet. Plus, buttermilk syrup is the best. I didn't even use maple syrup. The buttermilk was better. Unbelievably delicious!! We will be back. A lot.
(5)Kira M.
Try this place, just TRY IT. Go in knowing you're going to indulge and you surely won't be disappointed. This is not a place for those wanting to eat healthy. I only spotted a couple choices that appeared to resemble some aspects of healthy foods, but you don't go into a Place known for their sweet and savory waffles and order vegetable crepes, you just don't. I got the wakey wakey eggs and bakey and my mouth dropped when I had my first bite. Bacon bits cooked inside a soft, melt in your mouth waffle, topped with medium eggs and buttermilk maple syrup to top! It's as good as it sounds, and if you're not a waffle fan now well, you will be after this place. My boyfriend ordered the chicken and waffles and still preferred the spicy/sweet chicken and waffles over at Miss Delta, but that's just a spice preference. The service was fast once we were spotted outside. It definitely is busy so patience is a must. But worth the wait when waffles are calling your name!
(4)Pete H.
Go here. Order the chicken and waffles. It's very good. Friendly and clean. We'd definitely return. ***Only down side is we visited on a hot (90+ degrees) day. They've got the doors and windows all open, so the eating experience was a hot one. Very hot. Would FAR prefer a climate controlled setting in which to eat. I really hate to ding them for this, but feel it is fair if we've got to take weather into account when making a restaurant decision. I would just not want to return here when it is hot outside.
(3)Joe M.
Batter, brunch, bing bang boom!!!! I got summoned for a gathering so I ate light the night before. One of my friends whom I volunteer at the Hollywood raved how much her family enjoys Batter. I took her word for it so when I was asked if it worth checking out, it was a confident yes. When I arrived, one of my friends had us on the list and waited no more than 5 minutes for a table of 6. The server answered all the questions we had without a flinch and water/coffee. Most of us were eying on the Asian chicken and waffle combo. We did think for a second about ordering different dishes but we really wanted chicken and waffles. As we caught up with our lives and enjoying the company, the hot plates of goodness arrived. We passed around samples of the different dishes we ordered and feasting time began. The Asian style chicken with ginger waffle is a very generous portion that could feed 2 people if sharing is an option. With a simple butter knife, the chicken could be cut at ease. The fluffy ginger waffle had a nice tang bite. The sauce gave the entire dish a nice heat with just the right dab on the plate A side of the sauce comes with it too along with a orange slice to finish the meal. For the reasonable prices of all the dishes, I will be certainly returning. I might even have a birthday brunch here too. We never felt rushed and I savored my plate. I took some home so I wouldn't feel too full - the leftovers still tasted great!
(5)Bryan I.
Our group went for brunch at noon so as to avoid the infamous morning rush and long line, and came away thoroughly impressed. We waited less than 10 minutes for a group of 6, found the service faultless, the prices fair, and the food DELICIOUS! The clear winner was the asian fried chicken on a waffle: 2 lightly breaded and fried chicken breasts (ultra plump and juicy) atop one of the lightest, fluffiest waffles I've ever had, with a side of garlic chili sauce. It was more than enough for one person and only 11 bucks. Very similar quality to the infamous Screen Door but slightly smaller portion/cost. I also got to sample a modified Cumberbatch (pork belly & bacon WAFFLE with egg and Hollandaise sauce) and the pulled pork waffle, both of which were very decent as well. I'll definitely be back to try their original country style fried chicken & waffles!
(5)Joel D.
I was greeted for breakfast by friendly and enthusiastic staff. While the drink menu was a bit complicated with choices, the waiter graciously explained it and offered suggestions. I had the Marion berry orange mimosa - a great way to start a lazy Sunday morning. I ordered the Country Fried Chicken and Waffle with Balsamic Maple syrup. It arrived quickly. The chicken was crispy on the outside and moist inside. The waffle has that perfect crisp exterior and fluffy interior (that I constantly attempt to achieve at home, but somehow just miss). But that Balsamic Maple syrup - OMG - unexpectedly those two flavors were made for each other! My only complaint, was it was still a bit cool and breezy outside to leave the big doors open. I'm sure an hour later it was great, but quite a few of the other patrons had not brought jackets and were shivering. But, I will be back for the food (with my jacket).
(5)Alana L.
My friend lives close to Batter, so we went here one Saturday afternoon. Just reading the menu made my mouth water! I ordered the pancake with the pork belly and Gruyere cheese...it was pretty delicious, but it took a bit too long. My friend got a pancake that was kind of burnt. Their syrup is really tasty! I went here a second time with a big group of people, and I had the same experience. The service was great! The food took a little too long again (also, the computers were down and our poor waitress was struggling trying to deal with it all. Kudos to her for not losing her cool!), but when you have a big group, it's expected. I will say, I'm a big fan (but also, I just really love breakfast foods)!
(5)Joni W.
Yikes, this place still has a lot to figure out. Pros: --friendly staff --cute interior --good cornmeal waffles --good buttermilk syrup --Oregon chai instead of gross Dragonfly chai Cons: --super smoky interior from the griddles, poor ventilation --soggy waffles I'll be back in 6 months to see if anything's improved.
(3)Ronn S.
We traveled 2,500 miles after watching their news up and the food exceeded our expectations. Read my review for more on this eclectic eatery Ronn just Ron The hole in the wall food guy
(5)Jamie R.
So I am the Yelper in the family, my husband occasionally uses the app on his phone but it's not really his thing. So imagine my surprise when recently visiting Portland that he said he had found a breakfast spot for us. I was like "whaaa?" and slightly suspicious, I mean I am the Yelper and the researcher of all things delicious! When I heard it involved pancakes and waffles I wasn't surprised, as he is quite the porker when it comes to such things. I wasn't feelin it but I had to give the man a chance, it was his first Yelp find! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! I try chick n waff anytime I see it on a menu. Sometimes I am happy, sometimes not so much, and never have I been blown away, well not until Batter Griddle! The chicken is perfect! Boneless, crispy, succulent, but not too greasy. It kind of made me drool, especially when dipped in some syrup and ate with a bite of crispy sweet waffle. The pancake porker ordered the Elvis and the mac n cheese crepes. The Elvis was good but way to banana and sweet for me to ever eat all of. The mac n cheese crepes were awesome, but not so good left over FYI. A part of the title is "Drinkery", they live up to that name, they had beer on tap and some amazing bloody marys. Try the Pineapple Habanero and the Breakfast one, you get little pancakes with it! Service was friendly and great, slightly scattered but good anyway. Another Portland location that I wish I had at home.
(5)Derek B.
Great tap beer options, Asian chicken waffle and mu shu crepes were mouthwatering! Very fresh menu with an awesome atmosphere. True Portland style goodness. Gracious service.
(5)Jana C.
I stopped by one early morning during the mid-week and was happy to discover something very newly opened (think like a few days before I arrived?) Menu is out, people were trickling in....large airy space with tall ceilings. North side of NE Fremont, just west of PIps. Batter serves up extremely unique pancake and waffle derivatives Full bar in tow as well!
(3)Carol T.
Have seen this place packed so decided to take my bpyfriends daughter and friend for her birthday breakfast. Food was alright I had chicken and waffles. The chicken was barely seasoned although the waffle was fluffy. The mocha pancake the friend had tastef like it was made from pure bitter chocolate. The mac n cheese crepe was mushy. The bartender needs trained on making coffee drinks. The wait staff didnt work efficiently and at times seemed surly. Peobably wont eat here again
(3)Jeanne S.
Yum! Good service, great food, really decent prices. I ordered the "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey" and was not disappointed. The waffle was crisp and chock full of salty meaty bacon bits and the syrup added a lovely sweet flavor layer. All this yumminess backed up by Sinatra crooning in the background. Great way to start a 3 day weekend. I'll be back.
(5)Ben B.
Had an awesome breakfast here this morning. I was craving just a simple, really good waffle and this place completely delivered. Probably one of the best Belgian waffles I've ever had. The buttermilk maple syrup is amazing as well. We also enjoyed a couple mimosas (served in pint glasses) for $5 each. Great place and wasn't even crowded on Sunday morning, we'll be back!
(5)Andrew A.
They opened today after months of delays. As expected, a complete madhouse. After 40 minutes, not one of the 35+ customers had any food. Paper signs for menus, business feels very chaotic and unprepared. Coffee served in a togo cup was meh. One of the worst cappuccino's (see photo) I've had. And when you order Red Velvet pancakes what is your minimal expectation? I'm going on a limb here, but I expect them to be Red (like the popular cake), but nope. that said....the country fried chicken was delicious as were the pancakes with chocolate. The waffle, bacon and sausage were average. General lessons for all restaurants 1. No more going to grand opening day (or week) 2. Order non-mainstream items $1 waffle add-on is great value. I hope this place is a winner, it seems like a good fit for our neighborhood. It's always a little perplexing why owners don't prepare better for grand openings.
(3)Beth O.
Now comes the hard part... Do you write the rave review this place deserves and spill the beans about one of the most awesome breakfast places in town that, because it's new, also has zero line at noon on a Saturday or do you keep it to yourself and hope that it'll remain a secret for just a little bit longer before the inevitable hour wait happens because this place is complete awesomeness? Will it become so popular that they'll have to cut back on the enormous portions? Or perhaps they'll have to start skimping on the top notch ingredients that create delightful explosions of well conceived flavor in your mouth. I think I'll just leave you to ponder those on your own, but check out the photos from our trip there today, including the charming interior (minus those god awful metal chairs that are the most uncomfortable thing ever created) and the whole bird sized chicken waffle my friend ordered. Also noteworthy, the service is peppy, friendly and attentive.
(5)Josh W.
Highly recommended!! Everything our group ordered was delicious. The chicken and waffles was amazing. The waffle wasn't too sweet & and had a perfect texture. It was delicately crisp on the outside and wonderfully light and fluffy inside. The breading on the chicken was seasoned perfectly with that hint of something familiar you just can't put your finger on. But it was the balsamic syrup that sealed the deal, just the perfect balance of sweet and savory (with hints of vanilla) tying the whole dish together. The other star of the table was the Applicious (I might have the name wrong) it's the German style pancake with apples. It takes 20-30 minutes but I can tell you that the smell alone is worth the wait. The taste & texture was dreamy and will not leave you disappointed. If you're hesitant about the wait and anxious your hanger will get out of control, order a side of their thick cut bacon cooked to perfection to tide you over.
(5)Anna L.
love the concept of the restaurant and the food was to die for! our pancakes were some of the best I've ever had. I had the "pecan do it" and it was soooo good! there's a lot of openness and freedom in the restaurant. we were able to seat ourselves and the bathrooms are gender neutral. the aesthetic and the food are outstanding!
(5)Dan S.
tl;dr -- food's great, but service is inexcusably bad when it's busy. My first time at Batter was opening morning, and it was chaos, overcrowding and delayed food, and yet I had a good time. Who wouldn't forgive opening morning problems? Plus they comped us all our food and only charged us for the pint mimosas, which were robust and lasted a long time. I was very eager to return. My second time at Batter, almost 5 months later, bore a strong resemblance to my first time there (chaos, delayed food), but this time I wasn't given any incentive to be forgiving. It was busy, but not all tables were filled. All the servers seemed cranky and overworked, not just when we arrived, but throughout our hour-plus stay. We waited 15+ minutes to place our order (and then only because I corralled the hostess to get us someone to help us). We finally got coffee as we waited for the food. The wait was long. Then, once our cups were empty and we were waiting for a refill, something amazing happened. With his back to us, a server placed a coffee pot on our table, did something to a neighboring customer's table, then picked up the pot from our table and poured them some coffee. Then he poured coffee for every table around us and vanished before I could get his attention. I might have been too stunned to speak up in a timely fashion, I admit. I failed time and time again to signal to the wait staff for more coffee or indeed attention of any kind. Nobody seemed at all interested in putting coffee on our table unless it was for other customers. The mimosas had changed on my second visit -- they were $5 and billed as "pint-sized". The ambiguity of this term served Batter well, because they came in pint glasses... filled with ice. I could barely detect the addition of champagne to the perhaps 3 ounces of liquid in the drink. Mimosas should be served up, not over. I appreciated that our server comped us our coffees, and the food was undeniably good. But the service was really bad, free coffee notwithstanding. Not planning to return -- there are plenty of good breakfast places in Portland that can handle good service when it's busy.
(2)Joe M.
The food is great, the service is subpar. I had the chicken and waffles. To my surprise the chicken was boneless (more meat!) and the butter syrup has a nice flavor. Unfortunately after 15 minutes of being seated we were still waiting for drip coffee. I was met rather rudely when I asked if we could be served, though they did oblige. How we the server never did stop by to ask how our meal was, or refill our coffee.
(3)Pearl P.
The food is the only good thing here. The wait was an hour and 15 min when we checked in at 1130 the hostess said 30 min wait. The hostess didn't seat people in order of arrival and therefore my party of 2 was skipped 4 times for larger parties that arrived significantly later. After we finally got seated we finally got to order after other groups seated after us ordered because we couldn't figure out who our wait person was. One time deal and never again. You can get better service with the same food somewhere else.
(2)K A.
By far one of the BEST breakfast meals I have ever had!!!!! Super delicious and service was fast considering the place was packed and there was a line of people waiting. Out server John was awesome. I will be going again sooner than later :)
(5)Greg C.
So we'll go with three stars here. I think they could gain a fourth just by fixing a few things. We showed up on Saturday night with a large party (12 or so) and managed to push some tables together and fit everyone in. I don't think they were staffed enough for the level of business they got, though, and as others have said they ran out of several things, which turned out to be a problem for my vegan wife. That being said, the Waky Waky thing was very good; the bacon is excellent and the syrup stuff was amazing. So they have a ways to go with staffing/service and supply chain :). I'd like to go back and try the fried chicken next time.
(3)lydia j.
I added a star to my review because I feel like they're not quite sure where they are going with the restaurant yet, and I want to give them a chance to figure that out. We went during their soft opening, hoping to fulfill our craving for fried chicken and waffles. The waiter was very nice and friendly, but things were unorganized, and the poor guy seemed very overwhelmed. We were seated fairly quickly for a portland brunch spot, but it took quite a bit of time for our orders to be placed. We ordered both their country fried chicken and asian chicken & waffles, along with a pineapple strawberry smoothie, and strawberry pancakes. We were excited because our waiter said we made some great choices, portion sizes were large, and said the asian chicken was flavorful and spicy. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The chicken was underwhelming in the flavor department, more bland than spicy, the breading was soft, and disintegrated off the chicken as soon as you cut into it, and there was 1 soggy sad waffle underneath. The pancakes were burnt, there were probably 10 paper thin slices of strawberries on it with literally 1 teaspoon of whipped cream on the side that was was melted. The waiter kept forgetting or smoothies and once they came he said "she made it strawberry banana instead, hope you're okay with that," and placed it on our table. I'm in no way a picky person, so I drank it anyway, but it literally tasted like water, so I didn't end up drinking it. They were nice enough to take the smoothies off our tab. It was a disappointing experience...we did notice a lot of families there, and the kids seemed to be completely satisfied with the food. Sorry, we will not be back.
(2)Laura F.
I was so hopeful that this place had a great concept... But oh my goodness talk about skimpy. I paid $9 for 3 small, thin, krusteaz style cakes that I can honestly make better at home. Our family left hungry. I hope they make changes.
(2)Abby T.
Amazing food, and amazing service, super cute on the inside. The Asian fried chicken was out of control, and it was totally reasonably priced! Everyone was super friendly and helpful, one of my new favorite places in the area for sure.
(5)casey v.
Some of the best fried chicken I've had since visiting Georgia! Have had the chicken and waffles with fantastic balsamic syrup so far. Massive portions by the way, great to share. I hear the pulled pork crepe is great as well so it will be a difficult decision the next time I go in.
(5)Jessica M.
Like others I read about this place on Eater PDX, which made it sound like the next up and coming restaurant. Everything in the article from Eater made it seem like I'd love it. Pancakes? Love. Drinks? Love. My boyfriend and I went there tonight (Friday) around 6pm and there were a few tables full of customers. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice, but it does feel odd to have it described as a drinkery and have kids running around everywhere. We both perused the drink menu and he settled on a cold drink while I decided on a coffee drink. The drinks were flat out not good. I know it's their soft opening and they are still perfecting, however my coffee was watered down and barely had any flavor. My boyfriend's drink tasted like lime soda water with no real hint of alcohol. The food on the other hand was good, but not great. I feel like being a vegetarian made it hard to navigate the menu, and my only real options were sweet as all get out (red velvet cake in a pan?) or mac n cheese in a crepe. I settled on the blueberry pancakes and they were quite good but nothing you can't get anywhere else. Service was pretty good but we were never given water, but hey..that happens. Overall nothing about this place screamed for me to go back and try it again.
(2)Jared W.
Great unique food at very good prices. My only suggestion is better brewed coffee. Way too strong for most peoples taste. Will be back.
(5)Chuck N.
Reheated, pre-cooked, dry fried chicken on top of a rubbery, underdone waffle. My wife's greek crepe was disgusting, as well. I see the lines in front and know some swear by this place, but it just makes me want to swear in a different way. Would never return.
(2)Nicole J.
This review addresses only the food at Batter. We came on opening day, when infrastructure issues and long waits are to be expected. I'm guessing these will be quickly worked out. I had the fried chicken and waffles, with a maple balsamic dressing. It was perfect. The chicken was crispy and tender with beautifully spiced batter, the waffle was crisp and soft on the inside, and the maple balsamic was out of this world. Best blend of sweet and savory I've had in a long time. The service was friendly and attentive, laid back and pleasant. This is an excellent restaurant and a great addition to Fremont st.
(5)Mark P.
Brought my extended family of 12 here for late Sunday brunch (thank goodness there's a place that'll take a brunch reservation!!). From ages 3-40, we were universally satisfied. The unique combinations all worked but the winner was the chicken & waffle. Wait time for regular sized groups was 30-45 minutes which is totally standard in PDX. They've got the whole coffee-while-you-wait thing down and the full bar is well stocked. Can't wait to come back and try more savory combinations I would never have the thought, time or skill to make myself! #BringBattertotheWestside!
(5)Taylor A.
Stopped by for breakfast this morning and was very impressed by the friendly, attentive staff, quick table service and delicious food! I tried the chicken fried chicken and it was amazing. The maple balsamic syrup....amazing. I'm super excited to experience the full menu after this month!c
(5)Shirley B.
Thought I would give this place a try after a friend said she had an awesome waffle. The waffle was awesome! But... The service left something to be desired. This is tough because all the people were nice there just wasn't a good routine/defined roles. It's a Sat there are about 8 tables with people, 2 servers and what seems to be a host? Or maybe a food runner? Not sure? Sign said wait to be seated- I waited 5 min, then seated myself. I then watched as there was confusion about who's table I was. The table next to me had to ask for water 2x. Another table near me had to get up and ask for boxes at the bar. I was by myself so the food came pretty quickly after I ordered but the party of four next to me waited 25+ min for their food... That's just too long for pancakes and waffles! Like I said the food was good... Worth giving it a shot- I am gonna give them a few months to get their stuff figured out. A few suggestions to the restaurant; 1. Serve water to everyone- its summer, you're restaurant is hot. I doubt you will waste much. OR make the water station more visible and easier to get to - with normal size glasses. 2. Establish a better system for your wait staff, determining who's table is who's, expectations for checking on customers, making sure tables have menus and silverware. I had to get up and get my own... And leave the paid/signed bill on my table till I leave, coming back to get it is rude. 3. Since the restaurant is small do you really need a "wait to be seated" sign? While I was here no one was formally seated, everyone sat themselves after reading the sign and looking around then contemplating what to do. See you in August, looking forward to another perfectly crispy waffle!
(3)Sueann R.
So glad they opened just down the street from were I work. Fast friendly service. Not many beers on tap but what they do have is great local brews. The house made buttermilk syrup is the best thing EVER and you need to try it. I had the Waky Waky waffle and almost licked my plate clean! ! My hubby throughly enjoyed his strawberry pancakes we will for sure be back!!!
(5)Willie G.
Well I came here for the 2nd time and the service, food & drinks are still on point. This place kicks ass. Delicious everything.
(5)Margaret N.
I had the bacon waffle topped with scrambled eggs and cheese. It was UH MAZING. Am definitely recommending to my friends as a great brunch spot!
(4)stacey k.
Hot hot day for the Fremont street fair. This place is open air with no air conditioning. I was a bit skeptical as I am not a breakfast for dinner person. Started with sweet white sangria. Not traditional but refreshing on a hot night. My friend had ABc which was a delicious Brie and apple crepe. We also ordered red velvet pancakes! I had the lox over a creme'd scallion pancake which was so great and filling with tons of capers. There is also a simple kids menu that had waffles and a single pancake that was just enough. Oh and battered bacon app, which I didn't eat but was a great start!!! Sweet young guy provided great service to all of us.
(4)Michelle B.
Five stars for the food, one star for the service. The location is terrific and the place itself is really comfortable and has a great look and feel. The drinks, especially the bloody Mary's and different kids of mimosas are awesome. The food is terrific! Everything looks beautiful when it gets to you, smells divine and tastes like heaven. Looking forward to trying everything on the menu. Only issue for me is the service. Everyone there acts like you're bothering them. The host wasn't really in a rush to seat us when the place was empty, the waitress seemed annoyed when we ordered a second round of drinks, it took a while to get syrup on the table (at a pancake place) - I really wish they were just friendlier. The food, the location and the look of the place deserve it.
(3)Sammie H.
AMEN! This is my new place of worship! Came in for Sunday brunch, totally amazing & who would of thought you could fall in love with pancakes again?! I has the Elvis, 3 massive, the size of your head pancakes, loaded with thick crisp bacon bits, drizzled with their homemade peanut butter & fresh slices of banana & of course....warm maple syrup. If no one was looking, I would have licked my plate! Batter is my new religion & I'll be back on Sunday's to worship again! And I can't wait to try the other amazing dishes I saw go by!
(5)David L.
Food's great make sure you go in when it's not and shift change our service sucked it took forever people that came in behind us receive the food they ran out of grapes and was told to order something else your restaurant make some crepes
(2)Melissa V.
Hooray, Batter is finally open! I never understood why people go to a restaurant during its first week and rate it one star based on service; I think that's a bit unfair. Batter's service was pretty solid for us, considering we went during its second week of business. We arrived around 10:45am and waited about 5ish minutes before being seated. Though I only felt like having water today, I scanned the drink menu. Their cocktails looked good, on paper at least, and most were priced around $8, and Bloody's at $7. If you are that person who loves having both sweet and savory breakfast options, this is the place to be. After waffling back and forth (pun intended) between The King and the Don't Passover Matzo pancakes, I chose The King (peanut butter, banana, and bacon pancakes) and Mr. Boyfriend chose the Mocha Me Go (coffee infused with dark chocolate sauce), both priced at $9. I really enjoyed The King; there was a good amount of banana and homemade peanut butter. I really liked the peanut butter because it was slightly on the crunchy side which added texture. However one of my pancakes didn't have any bacon in it. When I noted this to the server, they promptly brought out more bacon - happy customer right here. So my only feedback with that is, please make sure these come out with the right amount of bacon! This is Portland and people are tough food critics. Once I had another bacon strip, the balance was perfect. I did have a bite of the Mocha pancakes and they were delicious, and not too sweet because dark chocolate tends to be more bitter. Neither one of us could finish so we took the rest home. Overall I think they did great for their soft opening, and we are so excited they are in our apartment building! I will surely be back for those Matzo pancakes.
(5)Geoffrey A.
I'm not some crank who gets on Yelp and tears down every establishment I visit - check my profile. But in this case, I owe it to anyone thinking of going out for breakfast: Skip Batter. Back in November 2014, there was a sign that read "Coming Soon" and a menu displaying both sweet and savory pancake options. But "soon" would be, 4.5 months later, which you'd think would be plenty of time to get it right. At 8:40 am on opening weekend, we were lucky enough to get the last table before a line formed. Good for them. Of course, we had a baby like every other table in the place, but Batter only had one highchair. For the whole place. In a residential neighborhood. So babies are now roaming free among tables too closely packed together and the visibly beleaguered wait staff is playing frogger with hands full of hot coffee. I ordered the bacon pancakes. Sorry, out of Bacon. At 8:40 am. Ok, how about the crepes. Out of crepe batter. I settled on eggs and potatoes while the wife and kids went for more signature dishes - strawberry and blueberry pancakes. It was clear things were going to take a while so I took my son to get a bagel from across the street while we waited. About 40 minutes later, the saddest little plates came out - 3 strawberry pancakes had ONE strawberry cut up across the top (and some cooked in, to be fair). My side order of 2 scrambled eggs looked exactly like my son's side order of 1 scrambled egg. And canned whip cream attempted to hide everything on the plates. Oh, and my wife's batter - the namesake of this restaurant - under-cooked throughout. I asked for ketchup for my potatoes. They had none. The most upsetting part was that none of this came with an apology. Perhaps, complimentary coffee would have eased the pain and coaxed us back for another try. But nothing. We ate, we paid and we left. It wasn't terribly expensive, but I've rarely left a restaurant feeling so ripped off. Sweet and savory pancakes. Great concept. And 4 months to figure it out. Shame.
(1)Theresa C.
Came to try a new place. Cute restaurant. Had a.mimosa that was average hubby had the blueberry pancakes which h he said were good but he would have liked butter with them. I had the wake bakey the waffle itself was good but the scrambled eggs and cheese were a little gluey. Overall this is a cute restaurant that needs to work out some opening kinks
(3)Kristin R.
We were definitely on the fence about whether or not B + G would be a hit or a miss with our family for dinner. It was a HUGE hit!! The fried chicken rivals the best places in town, my kids would not keep their hands away from my plate. My husband had the Asian spicy chicken and waffles, so good! They did not shy away from making it spicy. The waffles themselves were the best I've had...and my kids were in another world with their pancakes...strawberry and fluffernutter (peanut butter and marshmallow)...when we are in the mood to treat ourselves with something sweet for dinner this will be our spot. Kids could definitely split an order, the portions are enormous. Or maybe there was a kids menu, we were not offered one. One slight issue...it was super smokey inside...not cigarette smoke...griddle smoke, might have an exhaust problem.
(5)L J.
this review is for sunday august 2nd 2015 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot guys???? i had 2 great experiences ordering fried chicken and waffles for myself and strawberry pancakes for the kids while we ate in the restaurant. this was sometime in May and maybe june of 2015. today my husband goes to get a take out order and the strawberry pancakes were old and dry and they forgot the whip cream-a big deal to a 7 and 4 year old. the biscuits seemed like they were 2 days old, dry and hard as rocks. i am from south carolina and can cook my own homemade biscuits really well, so i am not relying on tourist joints like pine state to form my opinion of a great biscuit. and the fried chicken, dear lord of the rings!!! did you cook it last night, refrigerate it, then re fry it this morning? it was so dry and TOUGH i couldn't finish chewing it. what was previously a juicy, tender piece of fried chicken is now so tough i couldn't chew the one bite i dared to eat. oh well, to this day we cannot find reliably great fried chicken in this city (and YES i am including screen door in that sentiment). there is one place that makes a culinary experience out of "chicken fingers" so i guess we'll just stick with that place. additionally my husband said that he called the order in at 9:40, got there at 10am and still didn't get our order until 10:30. during which time he watched one diner's ordered get messed up, returned, re cooked and come out before our order was ready. the restaurant was 75% full he said but no line out the door.
(2)Chris H.
I went on opening day, and had a great experience! While the food took a while, it was opening day and I absolutely recognize that things like this are to be expected on a brand new establishment's first day. The atmosphere was great--it's sort of rustic-chic, very much "a la Portland." It was a beautiful and sunny Sunday afternoon, and they had a garage door on the wall which they had opened up--it was very inviting, I love when restaurants can create the effect of eating outside, without actually putting you outside (Is that just me?) :) I ordered the spicy Asian friend chicken and savory ginger waffles and it was DELICIOUS. Specifically, the sauce on this chicken waffles was to die for. I enjoyed a mimosa while I waited for the food (mimosa--what's not to love?). My husband had the maple-bacon waffles, which he was able to drown in syrup to his heart's content. The waffles were crispy and delicious, and when has bacon ever been a bad decision? All in all, I had a wonderful experience and I absolutely plan on coming back next time I am in the city.
(5)David D.
We went to this place on opening day. The long wait for food was rough but to be expected on an opening day. I anticipate it will improve. The food was great. The chicken and waffle was delicious. Good crisp waffle outside and light and fluffy inside. The chicken was well seasoned battered and cooked. The pancakes in the other dishes were all very good. Light cakes that melt in your mouth. There were different combos of mostly sweet but some savory too. I'll look forward to seeing their full menu. I will go back.
(4)Anna S.
Wish we'd discovered this sooner, would totally be back often if we lived in the area. Husband and I went for breakfast and shared the "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey" and it was Perfect, with bits of ham (really good ham) baked into the light and airy waffle. They are refreshingly generous to leave a cruet of real maple syrup for the table, for us to dress our own waffle as we please. Sat outside on a beautiful morning, and loved the anything-goes attitude about the drink menu accompanying the breakfast menu at 8:30 on a Tuesday morning. Hub loved sipping an IPA with the waffle. Big portions for an everyday endeavor, but one dish split for two people is perfect and leaves you feeling on top of the world. Don't get a latte, that was not a good choice, oddly half-foam. But beer and waffles? Yes. Would have gone back the next day if we were still in town--affordable and so good!
(4)Lizzy J.
I was so excited to hear about another breakfast place in Portland and I was happy with our experience this morning, but I do understand the negative reviews. They have a lot to improve on....purchase enough coffee cups, get outdoor heaters and chairs for people to wait for their tables outside so they can add indoor tables, get better ventilation to remedy the smokiness, and get real signage. They are brave for doing a soft opening especially here in Portland...but they have got to step it up. The food is great and reasonably priced....make the entire experience better and you've got 5 stars!
(4)Michelle W.
Tried this place today and it was great! Our server was friendly and efficient ;). We shared the Asian chicken waffle.. Yum! Perfectly spicy. We willbe back!
(4)Megan P.
We'd heard about Batter from a friend and decided to try it tonight. We both had the Sprout Bloody Mary and it was delicious, with just the right amount of tang and spice. I had the Asian fried chicken with a ginger waffle and my husband had banana pancakes that he added chocolate sauce and peanut butter to. Mine was perfect -- moist fried chicken and a crispy, fluffy waffle. I was nervous about the ginger being over flavored, but it was just right. Weirdly, the sweet pancake syrup was amazing on it. My husband loved his, too. Our waiter was supremely pleasant and helpful. We're excited to go back, especially on late nights when our kids are at the grandparents. We left full and happy and well taken care of.
(5)Nate A.
Got some waffles here - best I've ever had. The place got busy around 9am (sat) but it's an open area and the service was good. free coffee refills, crayons for kids. Classic rock isn't my fav but it wasn't too loud. Good spot!
(5)Blair K.
Glad you are in the hood! Looking for a little more consistency in meals....same thing ordered twice....once great, second time, different and not as tasty. Very loud inside, so if you're looking for a quiet meal, this is not the place...cement floors make for a noisy environment. We will be back for another try soon! Welcome!
(3)Steve H.
Wanted to give the new place in the neighborhood a chance on a Saturday morning. Our whole group was impressed with the food. I had the maple bacon waffle; it had a good amount of chunks of bacon that I could taste it in every bit. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive (it was full but not packed with a line while we were there). The only negative was the time it took from placing the order to getting the food. It's still early so I would think they can get that clearer up easily. I will go back again and not hesitate to recommend it
(4)Edward B.
ATMOSPHERE: What you'd expect from a new Portland restaurant that aspires to be hip/trendy: A mix of rustic and bare utility, spartan but not uncomfortably barren, edison lamps, chalkboard. A bit cliched, but nice enough. Mix of seating: a couple booths, lots of two-tops and four-tops, a big communal table, a leather couch, and a bar. Stainless bar is cold and uninviting, and the overhang is too short. I'm not a big guy, and even I can't get comfortable there. Can be smoky and hot. I've yet to see the roll-up door open, even on this warmest weekend of the year so far. Servers wear cutoffs, with grimy bar towels tucked into the pockets. I saw one use his shirt to wipe his face. On weekend mornings, seats were readily available on three visits. Music is typical portland: classic rock, played at low volume. Family friendly, but not to the point that childless customers feel out of place. If you need a high-chair for the kids, they can help with that. Another yelper said they have just one, but I saw a stack ready to go. SERVICE: Other yelpers have mentioned Batter is always out of something. On my first visit, I heard a great deal of discussions (staff to staff, and staff to customers) about what they were out of. This was recent (late May), so can't be blamed on their soft opening. I had a question about a menu item which I found confusing. Server didn't know, had to go investigate. It wasn't an esoteric question. It's not like I was asking how free-range their chicken is. He should have known without having to go ask in the kitchen. Wanted food served as it was ready, because we were sharing. They misunderstood, and served it all together. After our food order was placed, we looked at each other, puzzled. Did they actually just take a breakfast order and not ask if we wanted coffee? So I had to wait for another passby so I could give a little wave and say we want coffee. How weird. And was never offered a refill. Server grabbed my plate before I was finished. So there I was, with a mouthful of food, watching my server walk away with my plate. It doesn't matter that I had eaten 95% of my meal; thing is, it feels weird and awkward to sit at a table with a mouthful of food but no plate. And it makes the guest feel rushed. Then we had to wait and wait for the check. I hate being that guy who waves his credit card around, but I had to if we were going to get out of there. Service can be wildly uneven. Prepare to be hovered over, or ignored. Seems unrelated to how busy it is. FOOD: The pecan pancakes were very good. Whipped cream was sturdy and generously portioned, like a scoop of ice cream. I wasn't too crazy about the streusel topping, which was basically just brown sugar sprinkled on top. It was a bit too grainy. I thought it odd to serve pancakes without butter, but I bet they would have brought me some butter if I really wanted it. I did get a sample of their buttermilk syrup, and it was good. The apple pancake (german style, aka dutch baby) was my first ever, but I've seen enough to know this wasn't right. It was just a pancake, but baked in a skillet instead of cooked and flipped on a griddle. There was nothing wrong with it, but it wasn't as described. It's like being served a pretty decent martini when you ordered a bloody mary. Biscuits are dense and dry. Totally edible, not at all disgusting, but needs work. Our server asked how it was. I was honest. My candor was reciprocated: "yeah, our biscuits are pretty awful". Potatoes are interesting. Big random chunks, skin on, served in a bowl, herbed and dressed with...I don't know, could have been olive oil with a bit of bacon drippings? I guess you could almost describe it as a german potato salad, served hot. It was slightly too herby for my taste, and way too much oil at the bottom of my bowl, so I didn't finish them, but I commend Batter for trying something different. PRESENTATION: Hard to go wrong with pancakes. But yeah, everything was fine. I really appreciate water served in a real glass, so kudos for that, but I wish they had decent water glasses instead of using their imperial pints. Bravo for not serving those stupid foil-wrapped individual butter pats. PRICE/VALUE: Pretty good. I think the most I've paid was $13 per person, including coffee. Portion sizes are generous, but not stupidly huge. A plate of pancakes and a couple sides would be a reasonable meal for a couple, and would set you back less than $20, including coffee. RESTROOMS: Fine. Utilitarian, but nothing objectionable. Toilet seat wouldn't stay up. Sorry. OVERALL: If I could combine the best elements from my visits, and if they did something about the air quality and the music, Batter would deserve 5 stars (and that means a lot coming from me; I'm stingy with my stars). There's a lot of potential here, but they need to work on consistency.
(4)K D.
OMG Amazing!!! I had the Chicken & Waffle and my boyfriend had Banana pancakes. The chicken was battered in something from Heaven, and the buttermilk syrup was to die for. Staff were friendly, service was fast (we went for dinner). Price good for the large amount of food you get. Try if you get a chance!
(5)Brian F.
Good but not great. It's got waffles, but don't walk in with the big "Denny's" waffles in mind because you'll be caught off guard, (which, while not the same as disappointment, feels confusingly similar). The waffles themselves are fine but when I got home (3 blocks away) I opened the box ... only to find symbolic strawberries on my "Strawberry" waffle. More accurately, a single, thinly sliced strawberry. No thick, delicious strawberry sauce either (supposedly there was strawberry "syrup" ... which must have already soaked in). But here's what really gets me: the classic Syrup vs. Sauce debate. Sauce maketh the waffle! Right? I mean, when I show up at 10pm I'm not ordering a waffle because I'm hungry. I'm ordering a waffle because I'm fat. I'm on a sinner's quest. And you, Mr. Griddle, gave me a Michelle Obama waffle. You gave me a waffle that takes half a Hail Mary to cancel out. I was banking on having to say three Our Fathers and instead I said half a Hail Mary! Next time I want the waffle you'd give to Seth Rogen if he came in. Or better yet, the waffle you'd give to yourself if you'd just smoked a fat bowl and walked three blocks in the rain at 10pm. Great service, great venue, good waffles. Props for being open late.
(4)John E.
All I can say is YUCK! The place is so noisy and will cause a headache. The service was poor. We waited over thirty minutes for our so called food. The pancakes were not poked all the way and were real doughy. When we brought this to the attention of the waitress she got real upset and rude. I can't see a place like this surviving in the area. I would rather had an egg mc muffin.
(1)Meryl L.
I give it a 2 and that's a bit generous. I had a pulled pork crepe. Meh... Crepe, pickles, pork and spicy mustard. Pretty average fare. The real knock down comes from observing blatant food handling violations. The worst was seeing the bartender consistently squeeze limes and wipe his hands on his pants. Street pants. Not on a bleach rag, but pants. So I went across the street to GCB for dessert. Wish I'd eaten there. Good plus clean. I consoled myself by taking home como and danishes.
(2)Nicole C.
I walked into this new restaurant in the Beaumont neighborhood for the first time and was instantly treated like family. Excellent food. Varied menu. Attentive service. Check it out.
(5)Brenna M.
Had an awesome blueberry waffle! Their house made syrup is amazing!! They only have breakfast/brunch options but if that's what your in the mood for... I recommend a drop in. They weren't busy at all on a Thursday morning and I had very quick and informative service. Great addition to Fremont breakfast scene.
(4)Neil P.
Love this place! They custom made me an amazing mixed berry crepe. Love their spinach and ricotta crepes too. The coffees are great! Highly recommend this, anytime of the day!
(4)Lisa F.
It was recommended we try BG&D. Great location but stick your head in & it's loud but we stayed & got nice seating by chalkboard. We received overly used food & drink menus. After some time we ordered drinks from one man, then a short while later a young lady brought them & my friend asked if we should at that time. She said 'you should now because it gets busy'. The place was already full. We also asked for waters. My friend ordered the fried chicken on waffles & I the Wakey-Wakey. We waited a long time & friend points out 2 & then 3 families getting their foods so I say it's not fried chicken. Then I see a young couple that came in 30 min seated after we did that ordered & got... The fried chicken. I caught a totally diff server to ask about our order. She came back saying that it was lost. We hadn't even gotten water & already done with first drinks. She took our orders again & said it was on them with apologies. Less than 5min we got our food! I enjoyed the food but my friend did not. Overall we felt that our table was completely dismissed unless we said something & that included the boxes. I really wanted it to be an altogether different experience ;( 2 stars because they picked up the bill (but we had told the the guy cleaning tables who asked). We had no cash for tip. I am glad to read of better experiences.
(2)Sally J.
I stopped by here on a whim with a friend, the people eating delicious pancakes lured us in. Menu is limited but after chatting with the worlds most friendly wait staff we understood it is batters "soft opening" they are working out the kinks, training staff, and slowly adding dishes so that by the time of their grand opening in April they will be spot on. Made sense to me, I guess the sign goes up then too, but try and make it before that! The buttermilk syrup is amazing and the Mac And cheese crepes were to die for! I think this will soon be one of Portland's hot spots. Can't wait to go back after the grand opening.
(5)